Afterlife Department

But, although Hao Baiyun and Gu Xingfeng – who Yi Bing are grateful to not meet in this world again, are Twin Souls of Fate, their situation is slightly different from Yi Bing and Huo Ling. Hao Baiyun and Gu Xingfeng are where one suffers, the other will also suffer. And if one meets a good fortune, the other will also be fortunate. Theirs is a win-win, but also lose-lose situation. Yi Bing doesn't know whether to feel relieved or envy them. 

Of course, Shen Sheng, although disclosed this secret to him, but Yi Bing knows Sheng Sheng also hides more secret. The secrets Sheng Sheng would disclose are only those which he finds not useful or won't affect him even the slightest. Of course, he would also disclose these secrets in order to spite the Heaven. 

Yi Bing, although he knows Shen Sheng didn't fully tell him his and Huo Ling's relationship, but he already feels grateful knowing about this thing. If, in exchange of Huo Ling's fortune, he has to suffer, then he would gladly receive hardships for Huo Ling. 

THUNK. The sound of something hitting fell into their ears.. 

Yi Bing blinked when he felt Huo Ling hit him under the table. He snapped out of his daze and turned to Huo Ling. He remembered he didn't reply Huo Ling's message. 

"Teacher Evan. Is there something wrong?" Luren asked when he saw Yi Bing was staring blankly at his plate. He didn't know that Yi Bing was actually reading a message on the holographic screen invisible to the human's eyes. 

"I'm fine." Yi Bing answered before he patted Huo Ling's head and smiled. 

Huo Ling blinked, but inwardly, he is cursing Yi Bing. A man's head can't be casually patted!!! 

Luren saw their interaction. "Teacher Evan and Schoolmate Howee are very close." He said. 

"Of course. Not only are we from the same hometown, but we – " Yi Bing spoke before he deliberately paused and turned to look at Huo Ling. " – are also engaged." He finished and smiled affectionately to Huo Ling. 

CLING. Huo Ling dropped his spoon and fork on his plate. His eyes widened in shock and he turned to Yi Bing in askance. Luren also was shocked.

"Right." Yi Bing spoke, doing his one-man show. "You were so young at that time, so you still didn't understand that time that our parents betrothed us." He said and caressed Huo Ling's cheek that blushed because of shame, and mostly of anger. "Don't think I'm a beast, Student Luren." He turned to Luren to avoid Huo Ling's accusing gaze. "Howee is already seventeen, and I am just twenty-five. There is only an eight-year gap between us." He explained. 

"No. I'm not thinking like that." Luren spoke after he regained his composure. "Congratulations." He gave them his blessing. 

Yi Bing smiled, obviously in a great mood. "Thank you." He answered and placed another serving of food on Huo Ling's plate. "Come on. Eat." He told him. 

Huo Ling pursed his lips. He looked like he's acting spoiled, but the truth is, he's gnashing his teeth in anger. What engagement?! What betrothal?! He thought before he dully picked up his spoon and fork and ate the food that suddenly turned bland inside his mouth. 

After their dinner, Luren escorted them back to their dormitory, which earned another collective gaze from the students and passersby. Luren finished briefing them about Fughlia before he left. Yi Bing then sent the 'disabled' Huo Ling to his dormitory room. 

As soon as the door closed, Huo Ling jumped up of his wheelchair and sent a flying kick to Yi Bing, which Yi Bing immediately blocked. They exchanged a hundred moves and Yi Bing, after letting Huo Ling blow off some steam, finally pinned Huo Ling to the wall. 

"Disobedient." He muttered. 

"This isn't part of the plan!" Huo Ling said, referring to the engagement part. 

"I improvised." Yi Bing spoke. 

F*cking improv! Huo Ling uttered a curse. 

Yi Bing knows he is the one in the wrong, so he could only give him an explanation. "While walking around earlier, I suddenly thought of something." He said. "You are currently 'injured', and we are from the same hometown, so it is explicable that I should take care of you, since I also have the identity of a teacher. But, what if you have finished 'recovering', but we still can't find the cause of the change of the energy of this world? We can't use the excuse of me taking care of you again. So, I can only tell Luren that we are engaged." He patiently explained. 

Huo Ling pressed his lips into a thin line, losing his patience. 

Yi Bing really knows he is wrong. "Don't worry. Homosexuality is legalized in this world, as well as the teacher-and-student relationship, so no one would ostracize us." He told him. 

Like hell I am worried about that! Huo Ling thought. But, he is an open-minded person. Yi Bing's reason is also rational. And, right now, he is Yi Bing's subordinate. He should be thankful that Yi Bing isn't an unreasonable person and a dictator. 

"Tch." Huo Ling clicked his tongue before he raised his foot to kick Yi Bing.

Yi Bing who knows Huo Ling's temper finally let Huo Ling land a kick on him. So, as soon as Huo Ling's foot landed on his stomach, he doubled over, pretending he was really hit. This guy is really vengeful. If I won't let him win, even just once, I would only suffer later on. He thought. 

Huo Ling turned and saw Yi Bing was kneeling on the floor, clutching his stomach. Although he knows that the other is just acting, but he was psychologically satisfied. So, he pushed Yi Bing out of his room before he locked it. It's not that he hates Yi Bing so he didn't ask Yi Bing's room number. But, since Yi Bing is 'taking care' of the 'injured' him right now, then Yi Bing would be showing up outside of his door tomorrow. 

So, right now, he will rest. 

11:50 PM, students' dormitory A. 

"Eram, are you asleep?" Yule asked as he knocked on Eram's door while rubbing his eyes. He felt sleepy, but he just can't sleep tonight. 

The sound of knocking echoed in the silent, dark, and empty corridor. Even the sound of the insects buzzing can't be heard. It's as if someone was blocking his ears so he can't hear anything other than his own voice, and the sounds produced by his actions. 

At the thought, Yule suddenly really felt that the skin of his ears felt colder than any part of his skin. And, he felt that something is pressing on his ears. It might just be that situation where the more you think of something, the more it will likely to happen. He thought that someone was blocking his ears, so he really felt as such. 

But, he is the only one around. His hands – one raised to knock while the other one was on his side, can be seen by him. So, how can someone be pressing his ears? But, the feeling won't leave him and he felt colder. 

He immediately shook his head to brush away the thoughts and then knocked again. "Eram? Are you there?" he called. 

But, like earlier, no one answered. It was only his own voice that he heard, and the knocking of the door that he made. Not even the rustling of the leaves, nor the chatter of the students inside their dormitory room, can be heard. 

Suddenly, he felt a gaze on his back. He sharply turned around, only to see the cityscape across the wide river which is behind the school – behind their dormitory building. In short, no one should be peeping on him, since there are no residential areas around for him to be peeped from.

The hair on his nape raised and he felt goosebumps rose on his skin. He wildly looked around, but there is only darkness. Suddenly, he froze. The chill and fear creeping in his heart. He can only see darkness, which means, like earlier, someone is blocking him. But, right now, they are blocking his eyes. 

It was this time he remembered the rumor secretly circulating in their school just recently. That there is a ghost in their school. He shivered when the wind blew on his nape, before he froze in fear when he suddenly realized something. 

Wind? How can there be wind? He thought. Actually, there should be wind, since the hallway is open. But, earlier, he didn't hear the wind blowing. He felt his mind became blank and his whole body became numb. Which is true? There is wind, or there is none because he didn't hear it? 

"It is both." A voice answered beside his ear. Then, he heard the voice chuckled. 

When he died, there is only one thought in his mind: the rumor is true. There is a ghost in their school.