Inside the box was a silver locket, nestled beside a folded piece of yellowing paper and a handful of colorful marbles that clinked softly against each other as Sihyun flipped the lid.
He stared at it all, puzzled.
"It's a gift for you," Jaeha exclaimed from behind the broad shoulders, a proud grin stretching across his translucent face.
"So tacky," Sihyun muttered, lips pressed into a firm line.
Jaeha recoiled, visibly offended by the nonchalant response. "Hey, that's so mean. I even saved up my pocket money to buy all those."
Sihyun shook his head in quiet dismissal and reached for the folded paper.
"That's a letter I wrote for my future friend," Jaeha gloated, already forgetting his dismay.
The paper, now faded to a soft ochre, crinkled beneath Sihyun's fingers. Stickers of stars and cartoon animals were scattered across the page like childish confetti, framing a message written in swirly, uneven handwriting.
"You didn't have any friends or what?" he asked bluntly, eyes scanning the childish words that hoped for companionship.
"At that time, I didn't have any. But once I reached middle school, I made plenty of friends."
Sihyun's fingers drifted to the locket. He brushed over the engraved patterns on its surface before flipping it open.
Inside was a photo of a little boy, caught mid-laughter, his smile bright and free.
"Is this you?" Sihyun asked, holding it up.
"Yeah. My dad took it for me a long time ago." Jaeha pointed to the tiny frame with a ghostly finger. "See here? I already put my picture on one side–you can put yours on the other."
"Why would I do that?"
"Huh? You don't want to be friends with me?"
"Why would I want to be friends with a ghost?"
Jaeha crossed his arms, lower lip jutting out. "Seriously, why do you keep calling me a ghost? I'm a wandering spirit."
"Same thing."
"It isn't. I have yet to completely pass away and—"
A loud growl erupted from Sihyun's stomach, interrupting the protest. The man had gone the whole day without eating — a consequence of fury that left no room for appetite
Jaeha giggled, covering his mouth. "There should be a place nearby that makes smashing stew. Want to go there?"
It was more of a statement than a question.
He didn't even wait for a response and was already gliding ahead, retracing familiar streets. The man sighed and followed, steps heavy with reluctant curiosity.
When they arrived at the small restaurant tucked between old buildings, an elderly woman greeted them warmly and took their order.
She seemed to be the only one working, moving with the fluency of someone who'd grown into the bones of the place
Sihyun glanced around the place and noted a few late-night diners scattered at distant tables.
"I thought you said everyone would be asleep by now," he remarked, thinking back to how Jaeha had dragged him to dig holes in a pitch-black playground earlier.
"Well, there will always be one or two exceptions."
Sihyun narrowed his eyes. "Convenient."
The ghost looked away, feigning interest in the wall menu.
After a short wait, the food finally arrived—steaming, rich, and fragrant.
"Jaeha leaned closer, watching intently as the man took the first bite. "How is it? Is it good?"
"Yeah." Sihyun nodded, chewing slowly. "It's good."
"See? I told you this place was worth it. I used to eat here all the time. Smelling this after so long… it makes my mouth water."
The man glanced at him, a trace of genuine wonder evident in his gaze.
"You've been a ghost for four years, right?" he asked, then added, "So you haven't eaten anything since then?"
Although ghosts don't need food to survive, don't they still have cravings?
Can a ghost even eat mortal food?
"Hmm…" Jaeha hummed in deep thought, fingers tapping his chin. "Well… I do frequent the memorial home to eat the offered food."
"Does it taste the same as when you were human?"
"Of course," Jaeha quipped. "But there are way too many spirits gathered there. You have to be quick if you want anything decent. Luckily, I know how to pick the quieter altars."
He puffed his chest, as if proud of this strange skill.
Meanwhile, Sihyun was still puzzled about one more thing. He hesitated, then asked the next question more quietly. "Don't your family offer anything for you?"
There was a hint of sadness on the pale face, accompanied by a helpless smile.
"Not yet… but they will. Soon. I'm just waiting for that day."
Sihyun blinked, caught off-guard by the cryptic answer.
For a brief moment, he had assumed that Jaeha might not have any living family. But that clearly didn't seem to be the case.