Why Is This Happening? (2)

"Katherine Bliss," Havie muttered that name after being satisfied flicking all his friend's forehead.

It turned out that during his four days away competing in another city, Katherine appeared as a manager for the café that was about to open on the first floor. According to his friends, this is an opportunity for their bossman to rent out the space after a long absence due to the haunted rumors.

“I heard from Miss Katherine that our bossman is renting out the first-floor space for a low price despite its great location.”

Their office is located in the area around the university, so the neighborhood is always lively with young people until late at night. It's a great place for business.

"Well, we know why our bossman let it go at a cheap price, right?" Janice chimed in while shrugging her shoulders.

"I told Miss Katherine about it, but she just laughed," Clement added.

"Hmm, that's a natural reaction from an outsider."

“I hope nothing bad happens during the renovation. Especially when it comes to ghosts.”

Everyone let out a long sigh, except for Havie.

Havie knew that their bossman was a superstitious capitalist and opportunist, so he wasn't going to miss this golden opportunity to earn more money. But it seemed like Katherine was that kind of person as well. They made a great partner.

“Is it her own cafe?” Havie asked.

Everyone looked at him in wonder, but Havie didn't notice as his gaze stuck on his laptop screen while his fingers were busy typing.

Armand replied, “No. Miss Katherine said that she came from a planning division of Osborne Co. She is in charge of preparing all the needs of their new cafe.”

Havie stopped what he was doing, then blinked his eyes, “…Osborne Co?”

"Yeah. You don't know them? They are the number one food company in the country. Even since being babies, we have eaten food from them. Wow, now they also intend to set up a cafe. I can feel the tension from the other cafe's business owner.”

"I see, Osborne Co, huh?' Havie mumbled while glancing at an empty desk by his.

It was the temporary desk that Katherine had occupied while the first floor was under renovation.

As a truly apathetic person as he is, Havie never cared about the existence of new people around him. Everyone feels the same for him: nothing. Even his friends who had been with him for 5 years at school also felt the same for him: nothing.

He didn't want anything from them, and vice versa.

But something was definitely bothering him about that woman, Katherine.

Her brunette hair which was wavy down below her shoulders, with her comma bangs covering half of her forehead, looked just right for her. Her skin looks soft white almost like tofu. Her small face made Havie wonder how her eyes, nose, and lips were arranged so beautifully there.

Katherine's body, which had been clad in a large black monster(?) costume, made her look even smaller than she already was. She was the type of woman who couldn't hide her beautiful aura even though she was shabbily dressed.

Havie taps his finger on his desk. Then he turned his head slowly to face his friends who were focusing on their respective work. Havie almost snorted as he watched all of his friends' expressions turn serious after mocking him earlier.

As much as they had their fun, as much work they put in to graduate safely.

“Hey, you guys look familiar with her. How come?" Havie asked, breaking the silence and concentration of his friends who started smirking again.

Especially Clement.

"Hmm, let's see. Miss Katherine is a fun adult to be around. She's okay with our jokes and nerves."

"Yeah, I see that as she is willing to follow your stupidity."

"That's right, Miss Katherine is full of swaag~" Janice replied excitedly.

“Actually, Miss Katherine is pulling those pranks first to us as her victim on her first day here. She said she found the black rope costume while cleaning the first floor, and decided to scare us with that. But you're the only one running as hard as you can, buddy."

"Ugh." Havie closed his eyes remembering his humiliation.

"Hahahaha. She's so much fun, right? Look at the results. Because of her, you're so scared that you even call me in the middle of the night asking about the shaman. Ha ha ha!" Clement wiped the saliva that had formed on the corners of his lips from his laughter.

Havie had never been this irritated with Clement.

"She looks so young tho, but she's already a manager in the planning division of such a big company?" Havie asked again, ignoring the rest of Clement's mock.

“Well, one can achieve all that at such a young age, right?” Clement answered while nodding in approval.

"How old is she?"

"I don't know."

"How long will she be doing her job here?"

"I don't know."

“Is she a native of here?”

“…I don't know.”

“Does she live near this area so she knows about this place?”

“… Dude, what are you doing?”

"Are you a census officer, huh?" Armand and Janice asked in unison like a chorus. They clicked well with each other. As expected of a couple.

“If you're curious about all that, you can ask Miss Katherine directly. She's an easy-going person, so maybe she'll answer you, Havv.”

“It’s surprising though for you to take interest in human beings, dude.”

"That's what I'm saying."

.

.

.

“Katherine Bliss. There's something unsettling about that woman. It must be so because otherwise, I wouldn't have felt this awkward feeling."

What Clement and the others said was true. It's not like me. Why am I so concerned about a woman I've only met only today?

Ah, two days I mean, plus the time she disguised herself as a ghost yesterday.

"Could it be because she's related to the Osborne Co, that's why?"

Anyway, that woman is different from most adults I've met. She can also win the hearts of Janice the stingy and the others in no time. That's pretty weird.

“I see you're pondering about something, not like the usual you.”

I turned to the source of the voice. There, I met my aunt's gaze.

“Aunt, you think so too?”

"Mhm. Hardly ever do I see you seem to be thinking hard about something. Since you were young you tend to be easy to reach a decision, or shall I say, you tend to be easy to let go? So it's a rare sight."

"Ah yeah, I guess it's true if you say so too."

"What is it? Can I know?”

“Aunt, do you know that Osborne Co is setting up a café?”

"I know. It was the talk of the town because it was the first café to be set up by Osborne Co. Why are you suddenly interested in the Osborne Co? I thought you didn't want to know anything about those people there?"

"Yeah. Too bad though, that my wish is not so easy to come true. In the end, I will know, regardless.”

No matter how much I tried to avoid those people, a spot or two of them would still be splashed on me regardless of my will. I can't help but think that I will never be able to escape from them.

Living like the dead is not enough to make them stop. What more should I do to let go of those shadows?

“Come on, I have prepared dinner for you, Young Master Havier.”

"Thanks a lot, aunty."