Resisting the Advances of the Ghost Girl That’s Haunting Me

I've been commuting to and from work all week, yet my ghostly roommate persists. In these days, I've learned quite a bit about her. But let's focus on something more pressing: food.

Initially taken aback, I relied on eating out. However, I truly appreciate affordable, versatile food that covers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. What fits those criteria better than Maruchan ramen? In this economy, a 20-pack costs about five bucks—20 meals for roughly 25 cents each.

Sure, Maruchan isn't the healthiest or most gourmet, but at this point, I'm not striving for a perfect figure to attract lovers. For these reasons, I love ramen.

So, after work, I biked to a nearby convenience store and picked up a box.

Until today, I thought I was the biggest fan of Maruchan... until I saw ghostly drool dribbling from my roommate's translucent lips.

Back from the store, I began preparing the ramen. The woman floated beside me, peering over my shoulder. Her eyes sparkled oddly as I boiled water and opened the flavoring packet.

As the apartment filled with the aroma of chicken, the ghost's facial expressions shifted—not disapprovingly, but like a mother concerned for her child eating unhealthy food.

Let me clarify: this woman is mute.

She doesn't utter a word—nada, zilch, nothing. Yet, she somehow manages to make noises. For reasons unknown, I could hear her disapproving "tsk" and "cluck" from behind me.

Once the ramen was ready, I poured it into a bowl and set it on the dinner table. The ghost followed suit. On her way, she paused by the fridge, opened it, and grabbed a beer.

Here’s another thing that baffles me: I distinctly remember her physically touching me when she kissed me awake on Tuesday. But when I tried to swat her away, my hand passed right through. Now that I think clearly, I recall hearing the microwave beep and seeing the curtains drawn after coming home late on Monday—all surely the ghost's doing.

This raises questions about what she can touch and what passes through her. She walks through walls but picks up anything she tries. Maybe it all depends on her whims?

Gah! Too much thinking. Suddenly, I feel lightheaded. Better eat dinner.

I sit at one end of my small, round table and start slurping up the ramen. The ghost girl settles (or floats?) into the chair opposite me and cracks open her beer, taking a sip.

I haven’t had dinner at home since last Tuesday, but I've noticed the beer cans in my fridge dwindling and the recycling bin filling up. It seems this is her routine every night. Oddly enough, she rarely shows herself when I return from work—it’s usually in the mornings that she approaches me directly, and even then, she only observes me, never acting herself. As for the kissing incident, it hasn’t happened again.

Come to think of it, I haven’t seen her consume anything. She doesn't eat in the mornings, and today was the first time I saw her physically drinking something.

Watching her while eating my ramen, I see the beer flow down her translucent throat (I can’t see her organs, but the beer’s path glows a different shade), into her stomach, and... it disappears.

I look down and continue eating.

Where does it go?

Remember when I said this ghost can make noises? Seems involuntary ones count too.

Suddenly, I hear a noise from her direction and realize after a few seconds it’s her stomach growling.

The ghost girl flickers slightly, though her expression remains unchanged.

Ah, so she’s shy.

I push my bowl of ramen towards her. Yeah, I'm still hungry, and I probably won’t finish it after she starts, not knowing the consequences of sharing saliva with a ghost (I’m still wary after the kiss), but I want to see if she eats.

Initially hesitant, she continues sipping her beer.

Maybe ghosts get full too?

A few minutes later, her stomach growls again, and she flickers once more. She sets down her beer and reaches for the ramen.

She grabs the spoon and fork and digs into the bowl, slurping and eating so fast my eyes struggle to keep up. What happened to her earlier disapproval?

A large gulp down her throat, and suddenly her ghostly hand holds the bowl in front of my face, as if asking for more. Her expression remains unchanged, but her glow seems a bit brighter.

Nodding, I stand and return to the stove, pulling out another pack of ramen to prepare.

As soon as it’s ready, the pot floats over and its contents vanish into her void of a stomach.

I guess ghosts don’t feel the burn from hot food.

She looks at me expectantly once more. Well, her facial expression hasn't changed, but she gives me the same look as before. So... I prepare another batch of ramen for her.

This scene repeats a few more times, and by the time the ghost girl floats away, satisfied, my pack of 20 has dwindled to just 4! Oh, my money! Gone forever!

Well, at least I’ve learned that convenience store ramen might just be a ghost’s favorite food.

--

Now, why on earth has she followed me to my bed?

--

After the ramen incident, I decided I needed a shower. Stripping off my clothes, I stepped into the bathtub.

But as soon as the warm water touched my skin, my desire for a bath took over. I plugged the tub and settled in, stretching out to relax. Watching the water rise, I began reflecting on the events of the past week.

A female ghost appeared, kissed me, ignored me, drank all my beer, and ate all my ramen. What on earth is happening to my life?

I closed my eyes, trying to relax.

Sure, I've always wondered if ghosts were real... but now that I've seen one and lived with one... it's not exactly what I expected.

The water level rose a bit faster than I anticipated, but it was still soothing. I kept my eyes shut.

Well, it is a new experience, I suppose. Knowing there's someone waiting for me at home... hmm... I'm not sure if she really cares about my existence, though. She's smart and understands me... but she never tries to communicate, just ignores me when I do.

The gentle waves of the tub helped me enjoy the bath.

Should I see if others can see her? No, that would be too complicated. If others are able to see her, my apartment might become a research site. Finding housing is tough right now. I can't move back in with my parents either.

A wet cloth gently covered my forehead.

So relaxing... so... relaxing... wait...

I hastily opened my eyes and sat up in the tub. The wet cloth slipped off into the water. Above me floated the upside-down ghost girl, her feet nearing the ceiling. We looked at each other. I sighed.

Quickly drying off under her watchful gaze, I threw on some underwear and hurried to my room. I didn't bother locking the door; she could pass through walls if she wanted. Turning off the lights, I slipped under the covers... only to find the girl already there.

--

I decide to ignore her and take the left side of the bed (which used to be entirely mine until this morning). I turn away from her and try to sleep, but I can't. I want to check if she is still beside me, because her breath makes no sound, and she has no body heat to give her away. Nevertheless, I resist the urge.

Why is she in my bed? No, I can't dwell on that. I need to sleep. I have an early shift tomorrow. Sleep, Elise, sleep. One sheep, two sheep, three sheep, four sheep, five sheep...

Eventually, around the three-hundredth sheep, I drifted off.