Chapter 41: The Drowning Man

Sakurai Saki had, inexplicably, become the communal property of every girl in school.

He wasn't quite sure how it happened.

Now, wobbling out the school gate while pushing his bicycle, he still hadn't fully processed what went down.

Yes, he had superpowers. But when it came to romance? Sakurai Saki was practically a newborn—pure-hearted to the point of pain. The kind of guy who'd blush if a girl teased him, even if he kept a straight face. His heart betrayed him every time.

That's exactly why he always preferred to take the initiative—because his emotional defenses were laughably low.

Last time, Fujiwara Chika had counterattacked so hard that he'd nearly short-circuited.

"I already told you I like you, Sakura-kun, you idiot!" whispered a voice right beside his ear.

The ghost girl rubbed her face against him.

Sakurai Saki flinched.

Why hasn't she ascended yet? He was genuinely puzzled.

"I should clarify something," he began cautiously. "I can only see you for one day. Even if I agreed to date you, it would only last until tomorrow."

Besides, could anyone really date a ghost? One he couldn't even touch?

"I can touch you now," Yakumo Bai said, exhaling into his ear.

Haaa~

A cool breeze. Goosebumps.

He was being overwhelmed.

"So even if Sakura-kun pushes me down, it's totally fine!" she said, cheerfully delivering a line worthy of a mature-rated manga.

Wait, are you serious!?

Even if he could touch her… wouldn't that just be—

—air!?

No no no! Sakurai Saki shook his head furiously. You're not seriously considering this, are you?

She's a ghost!

Sure, she had cute white hair and an adorable face—but still, a ghost!

Is it illegal to have sex with a ghost? he wondered.

…Legally speaking, there probably weren't any regulations.

His thoughts began spiraling. He was losing control.

His superpower was still active today, which meant all his repressed urges were bubbling to the surface. When it came to desire, Sakurai Saki was like a walking time bomb.

If someone visualized his lust like a progress bar out of 100, he was already at 70.

And once he hit 100? The outcomes were twofold: he'd either storm a yakuza hideout with a knife or go looking for girls on shady message boards. He had neatly compartmentalized all his darker impulses into two categories: [lust] and [violent urges].

It was the kind of setup you'd only see in a twisted adult comic.

But even if he did lose control, there was no way he'd want to lose his virginity to a ghost! That would be humiliating.

"It's my first time too, you know~ So Sakura-kun, you're getting a great deal!" Yakumo Bai twirled in front of him, her school uniform skirt fluttering as she spun.

He caught a glimpse of her underwear—cute bear-printed safety shorts.

"Don't casually objectify women!" he snapped reflexively, hopping on his bike in frustration.

Still, earlier today had delivered another brain-breaking moment: at the entrance of the school building, he'd run into the four Nakano sisters.

And they had comforted him.

Comforted him!

Why?!

He had just wanted to ask about a tutoring job. Now, it was better to give it a few days. Let things cool down first.

After picking up some groceries, Sakurai Saki arrived at his apartment building.

"Is this Sakura-kun's house?" Yakumo Bai hovered near the door, peering at it curiously.

She'd mentioned earlier that ghosts couldn't enter a home without the owner's permission.

"Not even guardian spirits?"

Yakumo tilted her head. "Guardian spirits? You mean the ones that follow people around?"

"That's not what I meant," he replied. "I'm talking about soul compatibility—why some ghosts stick to certain people. Isn't that how they stay in the human world?"

She nodded. "Ghosts absorb soul energy to remain here longer. They don't reincarnate right away unless they choose to."

Sakurai Saki unlocked the door via facial recognition. "So there are ghosts who don't want to reincarnate?"

He had assumed they were just stuck—but apparently, some just chose not to go.

So what the hell was that writhing monster on top of Fujiwara's head this morning?!

Was that… thing… really a ghost?

"Some ghosts don't dissipate. Many had hard lives and just want to rest. They can't hurt anyone, so people ignore them," Yakumo said gently.

Why does that sound so tragic?

Only after death could one finally take a break from capitalism.

There was movement behind the door.

Nakano Nino, who had been lying on the floor all day, leapt to her feet and rushed over.

Sakurai Saki pushed the door open—and there she was.

"…Why are you still here?"

"Welcome home!" she beamed, visibly relieved to see him.

She could still see him. That much was clear.

But her joy made Sakurai Saki frown.

Does she not get the situation?

"I told you to go home," he said flatly.

He had told her that morning. Told her clearly.

So why didn't she listen?

At his words, Nakano Nino's body trembled. Her expression froze, and for a second, she looked too scared to speak.

Seeing that she didn't respond, Sakurai Saki clicked his tongue and brushed past her, crouching down at the entryway to change his shoes.

"Don't tell me you have no home to go back to. That excuse has an expiration date—and you've already used it twice."

With that push, Nakano Nino staggered, nearly losing her balance.

But she didn't argue.

"Please… don't send me away," she said softly, voice trembling with the edge of a sob.

Sakurai Saki's annoyance spiked.

Is this woman made of water or something?

It wasn't like him to be this short-tempered, but today… his control was slipping. His powers weren't cooperating, and his head was clouded with all kinds of noise—lust, irritation, confusion.

Under normal circumstances, he would've spoken more gently.

"Stop crying!" he snapped.

Nakano Nino flinched and bit back the tears threatening to fall. Wordlessly, she leaned against the entryway wall, head lowered like a scolded child.

Sakurai Saki sighed—internally—and carried his bag into the living room.

He scanned the apartment. Nothing looked out of place.

At least she's not a thief, he thought, a faint sliver of trust forming.

He shrugged off his uniform jacket, tossed his school bag aside, and caught sight of the untouched bread on the dining table.

"You didn't eat lunch?" he asked, voice a little more even now.

Nino trailed behind him like a guilty wife. "…No."

She didn't mention that she couldn't touch anything on her own.

If he found out… he'd probably freak out.

And then he'd kick her out for real.

Which was exactly what she feared.

It wasn't unreasonable—because for Nakano Nino, Sakurai Saki was the only person who could still see her. The only one who acknowledged she even existed.

If he rejected her too…

Then it would be no different from being truly dead.

And she already knew what death felt like. She'd tasted it just yesterday.

That horrible, lonely silence—being invisible, unacknowledged by the world around her—it was far worse than falling from a rooftop.

"I'll make dinner first," Sakurai Saki muttered, heading into the kitchen with the grocery bag. "If you're hungry, have some bread to hold you over."

The sudden shift in his tone—the drop in sharpness, the small gesture of care—hit Nakano Nino like a defibrillator.

Her heart skipped a beat.

What's going on? she thought, dazed. He was just yelling at me a second ago…