Chapter 45: The Ghost Story
The atmosphere around us was filled with the boisterous excitement of the crowd, eagerly
anticipating the grand fireworks presentation. Despite the joyful chatter, Kiro and I remained
unusually quiet, lost in our own thoughts.
"Sissy! I can''t wait for the fireworks show!" Dodong eximed, his enthusiasm contagious. His
cheerfulness made me chuckle.
I tried to engage Kiro in the moment, but it seemed like something had changed in him ever since
he met Kurt. Concerned, I couldn''t help but ask, "Kiro, are you okay?" He looked startled by my
question but managed to nod, "Y-yeah, I''m fine... It''s just that..." I waited for him to open up and
exin, but he only encouraged a smile and brushed it off.
"I''m fine. I''m just as excited as Dodong... Isn''t that right, Dodong?" he replied, and they both
appeared like kids full of joy. Though I nodded and smiled, deep inside, I knew I didn''t quite believe
his response.
"Well, of course. You''ve been in your room all day, so the excitement hit you all at once. Let it out;
it''s about to start," I replied, ying along with his fib.
As the fireworks presentationmenced, the night sky was painted with mesmerizing colors,
leaving us all in awe. The first few fireworks cracked and popped, signaling the start of the show. It
was like a symphony of lights and colors, painting the dark canvas above us. The bursts of red,
green, blue, and gold filled the sky with an enchanting disy of brilliance. Each explosion echoed
in my chest, and I felt a rush of excitement with every new burst.
The crowd around us gasped and cheered with each mesmerizing firework that bloomed overhead.
The experience was further elevated by the enchanting background music performed on the stage.
As the music yed in the background, the fireworks seemed to dance to the rhythm, gracefully
lighting up the sky in perfect harmony. It was as if the stars had descended to Earth, waltzing and
twirling, leaving us in awe of their beauty.
The grand finale was breathtaking. The sky was aze with an array of colorful lights, illuminating
everything below. The loud booms and crackles filled the air, and I couldn''t help but smile at the
collective gasps and cheers from the crowd.
"Wow, it''s so beautiful, sis... Isn''t it, bro Kiro?" Dodong eximed, turning to us with wide-eyed
wonder. We were surrounded by people who were already capturing the moment with their cameras
and phones. I sighed, realizing my phone was a simple keypad, incapable of taking pictures.
Then, to my surprise, Kiro handed his cellphone to me with a shy smile. "Let''s capture this moment
together, shall we?" he said. I bit my lip, trying not to smile too much, and took the phone,
pretending to know how to operate it, though I was quite clueless.
"K-kiro, why don''t we ask someone else to take our picture? That way, we''ll have a better shot of all
three of us," I suggested, using it as a cover for my own embarrassment andck of tech-savviness.
"Sure, good idea." Without hesitation, we found a kind stranger to take a picture of the three of us.
"Okay, everyone, say cheese!" the person called out as they prepared to snap the photo. The three
of us struck different poses, and in oneical shot, Kiro lifted Dodong and me as if he were
Superman. It was all in good fun, and the innocence of the moment made us cherish it even more.
The fireworks presentation hade to an end, and I could happily say that it was worth every
moment we spent watching. The best part was that it was free, which made the experience even
more delightful.
As we made our way back to Aunt Tarling''s ce, the road was not entirely quiet, so we decided not
to waste any time searching for a shlight. Dodong, unable to contain his excitement, broke the
silence while we strolled along.
"Bro Kiro, that was such a nice fireworks disy, wasn''t it?" Dodong beamed, looking up at Kiro.
"Yes, Dodong. Was that your first time watching a fireworks presentation?" Kiro asked, genuinely
interested.
"Yes, bro! Thank you for bringing me along today, HAHA!" Dodong replied, expressing his gratitude.
Kiro then turned to me and asked, "And you, Lyka, did you enjoy it too?" However, I sensed
something different in his question.
"Yes, so much," I responded with a smile, though a bit puzzled by their exchange. Dodong yfully
pped Kiro''s arm, teasing him about something I couldn''t quite grasp. But I know I had an idea
about it.
"Was it so beautiful, bro? Instead of staring at the fireworks, you were staring at my sister’s faceContent ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.
earlier," Dodong said, nudging Kiro again.
Kiro blushed slightly, trying to brush off thement.
Upon arriving at Aunt Tarling''s house, we found her and many others, including some rtives who
were still of the right age, enjoying drinks outside.
"Oh, kid! Come on! Let''s take a shot!" They weed us with an invitation to drink.
"Ce here, L-lyka. L-let''s have a drink first," One of my rtives suggested, using humor to ease
the situation.
"To loosen up? Sure sure," I said with a smile, trying to y along.
"Kiro will drive again tomorrow when hees home. I''ll have a drink, not him, Auntie," I added,
informing them as I took a seat among the group.
"All right, Lyka. Let''s take a shot! Your mom isn''t strict, and we''re all family here," Aunt Tarling said,
encouraging us to rx.
And so, we raised our sses, toasting to the joyous asion. The beer went down my throat like
lightning, but I didn''t mind—it was all part of the experience, the taste of beer as it should be. The
atmosphere was filled withughter, jokes, and camaraderie, making it a perfect way to end a
memorable evening of fiesta celebrations.
"Whoooooo!" They shouted, their voices echoing through the night air, filled with excitement and
laughter. We continued to have a drink, the sses clinking together as we toasted to the
camaraderie shared by friends. Stories and jokes flowed freely, adding to the warmth of the
gathering.
Amidst the drunkenness, they even gossiped that their neighbor''s son was a ghost, a rumor that
had the power to send shivers down the spine.
As for me, I couldn''t help but wonder if anyone still believed in such things. "O-oow, a ghost? RaWr
rawr . . . ." I yfully added, trying to lighten the eerie mood.
". . . . T-they said they saw the c-child outside their house soon after," stuttered one of my
companions, clearly spooked by the tale.
The alcohol was starting to take its toll on me; I felt intoxicated, my head spinning with each passing
moment. My ear seemed to have a mind of its own, shutting out the whispered gossip around me.
But then, in my blurred vision, I noticed one of my rtives trying to offer Kiro a ss of wine. This
was uneptable! I had specifically promised to be the designated drinker between the two of us,
as he needed to drive tomorrow. Why wouldn''t they listen?
"Hey you, what’s all that?!" I slurred, pulling myself up to join my two friends who were sitting
nearby. Though my vision was hazy, I managed to stumble closer to them.
"The hell! I said don''t drink that!" I scolded my inebriated rtive.
"Hays, this is your boyfriend, right, Lyka? Don''t be such a killjoy and let him drink! Drink more, bro,
oh," he teased, pushing a ss of beer towards Kiro.
My blood boiled at his words and actions. I turned to look at Kiro''s face, trying to gauge if he was
drunk, but my vision failed me. Instead, I leaned in close to him, squinting with my puffy eyes,
wanting to check his condition.
"Hmmm, are you d-drunk already, Ki-Kiro?" I asked, my words slurred.
He remained silent, surprising me, and I couldn''t resist yfully pinching his cheek. "H-hey, are you
drunk already?" I inquired, my voice slightly yful despite my queasiness.
"You''re the one who is already drunk, Lyka," he finally responded, his voice gentle as he ced his
hands on my shoulders. I brushed off his touch, determined to ignore it, even if I couldn''t ignore the
churning feeling in my stomach.
Feeling overwhelmed, I had an intense urge to vomit, but I tried my best to push it away. Damn. The
night had taken an unexpected turn, and all I wanted was to sleep.