With his thoughts in order, Andrew dashed out of the basement, found the nearest stationery store in the neighborhood, and bought a green notebook almost identical to his sister's diary. Then, he rushed back home.
Before stepping inside, Andrew took a few deep breaths to steady his nerves, then walked in.
His mother glanced at him and raised an eyebrow, seemingly asking whether he had managed to find the green notebook.
Andrew smiled slightly and pulled the notebook from behind his back.
"Yay!!! I told you my brother would definitely bring a notebook back!"
Mom suddenly cheered with excitement.
His sister, standing nearby, pouted helplessly.
"Bro, I found the notebook. It was stuffed in a hidden compartment of my backpack."
Andrew was stunned for a second, then scratched his head awkwardly.
"I can still return this one, right?"
The moment he spoke, his sister rushed over and snatched the notebook from his hands.
"No refunds, this one's mine!"
She clutched the notebook like a mother hen protecting her chicks.
Mom burst out laughing, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Even Dad, rarely seen smiling, let out a chuckle.
Such a harmonious family!
After a round of playful banter, Mom urged Andrew and his sister to hurry and wash up—school awaited in the morning.
The two of them washed up while continuing to play around.
Once they had finished and the fun had settled down, they each returned to their rooms to rest.
Dad and Mom watched this scene with rare, warm smiles.
But soon, those smiles were replaced by worry.
Andrew hadn't noticed it before, but this time, he saw it all.
They say parents are a child's best teachers.
But really, parents are the best actors, too.
They always pretend to be all-powerful, hiding every hardship and fear where their children can't see.
No matter how hard things get, they never tell their kids.
All they want is for their children to grow up safe and happy.
For that, no burden is too heavy.
Back in his room, Andrew began thinking about his next move.
His parents' desire to shield their children from fear was a good one.
But now that he knew the truth, Andrew couldn't possibly sit idly by.
Breaking this cycle and protecting his family was now his top priority.
"First, the rooster crows. Then, the Man in Black Trench Coat in the basement.
And maybe I can talk to the Female Ghost again. If she's willing to help, a lot of things would be much easier."
Having made up his mind, Andrew activated the Simulator once more.
{Simulation Start!!!}
{You wait in your room until your parents turn off the lights and go to sleep.}
{Then, you quietly sneak into the bathroom and stare at the mirror.}
{Time ticks by, but you're calm. You're waiting naturally for the Female Ghost to appear.}
{Having experienced it once, your heart is far more composed this time.}
{And then, a Two Meter Tall Woman appears in the mirror.}
{You focus on the reflection and realize that the Female Ghost isn't actually two meters tall. She's floating. Her dress is long, which creates the illusion.}
{In reality, she's around 1.7 meters, with an oval face, delicate features, and a well-proportioned figure. In life, she must have been stunning.}
{The ghost in the mirror watches you intently. At first, she seems nonchalant, indifferent and completely dismissive of your presence.}
{But gradually, her expression changes. She starts to frown, puzzled. Why aren't you afraid? Why are you so calm? Too calm. Unnaturally calm.}
{Eventually, she seems more unsettled by your gaze than you are by hers.}
{Suddenly, the Female Ghost lunges halfway out of the mirror, face twisted and vicious, eyes entirely black without whites—glaring at you.}
{The sudden movement makes your heart skip a beat. But on the outside, you show no reaction.}
{"Hello, sister. Do you have a moment? I'd like to talk."}
{You greet her calmly. The Female Ghost is visibly stunned. She clearly hadn't expected you to keep your cool—much less speak so clearly.}
{Even your parents hadn't managed that.}
{"You're not afraid of me?"}
{She looked at Andrew, confused, her terrifying ghostly face twitching.}
{"Why should I be afraid? Sister wouldn't hurt me."}
{You suppressed your fear and discomfort as much as possible, keeping your voice steady.}
{"Who said I wouldn't hurt you?!"}
{She bared her teeth, face distorted with rage. A wave of terrifying dark Yin wind froze the entire room. Her gaping mouth was mere inches from your face.}
{Still, you didn't fall back or collapse. Summoning every ounce of courage, you met her gaze and replied firmly.}
{"Because I know… Sister isn't a bad person. Besides, I have important intel for you."}
{"Tonight, someone from the mastermind's side will come probing us."}
{At first, she didn't seem to care. But when she heard the words 'the mastermind,' you clearly saw her ghostly form shudder.}
{The dark Yin wind around her intensified dramatically. She stared at you with a deadly seriousness.}
{"How do you know that?"}
{The pressure was unlike anything you'd ever felt. You barely resisted the urge to fall to your knees. Your knees trembled, bones ached, face twitching. But you forced a smile and replied.}
{"How I know isn't your concern. I've told you what I know. Whether you believe it or not… that's up to you."}
{With that, you bit down, held firm, and forced yourself to walk out of the bathroom.}
{Just as you were about to leave, the Female Ghost called out to stop you!}
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