“ARE YOU going home, Kuya? Inay wants us to come home.” Oreo asked right after the meeting.

“I can’t. It’s my first day at work today.” Jonathan grabbed his backpack above the table.

“Again? Inay will be disappointed. It’s been so long since you last saw her.”

“I want to see her too, but you know her. She will bug me again to reconcile with my mother.” He tapped his shoulder and left.

“Kuya Jonathan, let me come with you!” Rico said as he caught up with him.

He was a couple of years older than him, but they were both in third-year college, and they both got hired in the same café as part-timers.

He stopped school for a while because of the accident. And after waking up from a coma, Jonathan had to adjust to his new life as he started to be bothered by ghosts. It was only recently when he finally got back on track.

“Kuya, I heard you encountered a wandering soul at the campus,” Rico said as they walk their way to his motorbike.

Jonathan did not have to wonder how he found out. Oreo must have told Rico about it. That talkative cousin of his.

“Yes,” he replied curtly.

“Do you think Agatha should perform an exorcism? We don’t know what that wandering soul is capable of doing in our campus,” he suggested.

That was the best option. But for some weird reasons, Jonathan was doubtful about the idea. Until now, he could not figure out why.

 “It looked harmless, so there’s no need, I supposed. There are other wandering souls on the campus, and they’re not causing any harm. Let’s leave them alone as a sign of respect,” he said.

As long as those souls were not harming anyone, it was fine.

“Wow! I mean, coming from you who’s scared of ghosts?” Rico teased.

Jonathan was about to answer when he felt something cold entering his body. He felt dizzy all of a sudden, but it did not last long.

Jonathan tilted his head harshly when he recovered.

 “What’s the matter, Kuya?” Rico asked, sounding worried.

“It’s nothing…” But if truth be told, he was feeling odd. “Hop in. We shouldn’t be late on our first day at work.”

“Hmm.”

JONATHAN was standing behind the counter with his arms crossed above his chest as he watched the priests bless the whole establishment. The ghost that he encountered last time was not even there. He doubted they could drive it away.

He turned his gaze to Rico and nudged his side. They have the same ability, but unlike Jonathan, Rico has a lot more experience. He was even using his power to earn money.

“Why?” he asked nonchalantly.

“Do you see anything?”

“I don’t see anything that couldn’t be seen by ordinary eyes. All I can see is that I am going to have a blast as I work here,” Rico said, grinning.

Jonathan threw a glance outside. From the café’s glass walls and doors, he could see the customers lining up at the entrance. Most of them were girls from their university.

Avon, their lady boss, sauntered to the counter after the blessing ceremony.

“Are you ready, boys?” she asked in a cheerful tone.

They both gave her a thumbs-up as their response.

SHE KEPT floating back and forth outside the café and waited until the blessing ceremony is over. Of course, she still wanted to cross to the afterlife. But for some unknown reason, she was afraid that the ceremony might really drive her away from the living realm. She has a goal now, and that is to know who she was, what kind of life she had, and how she died. She thought those were the things that keeping her to the world of the living. Jonathan was the only person she knew who could help her. So, she had to convince him before it’s too late. If he died without helping her, she would be in vain.

She took a glance again at Jonathan. He was now at the counter, busy taking the customers’ orders. For now, she will keep an eye on him to observe. She needs to learn everything about him so that it would be easy for her once she takes over his body. Yes, she already decided to possess his body with or without his consent. Jonathan left her with no choice when he declined last time.

HE STRETCHED his neck side to side after taking the orders. At last, the long queue was gone. It has been five long years since he felt exhausted like that. Jonathan decided to leave his post for a while and go to the restroom to refresh himself.

He was pulling a tissue from the dispenser to dry his face when he suddenly felt something cold on his nape. He turned around abruptly, but there was nothing. Not a single ghost was present. Jonathan tilted his head backwards and sighed. Was it just his imagination?

He left the restroom and went back to work.

His lady boss was leaning on the other side of the counter when he came back. She was looking at her with a knotted forehead.

“Jonathan, are you all right?” she asked.

“Yes. W-why?” He touched his cheeks to check if they were still wet, but they’re not.

“You look pale.” She beckoned him to come closer.

Jonathan leaned towards her. The back of her hand touched his forehead.

“You’re a bit cold.”

“A-am I?”

“Hmm… You must be very exhausted. Go home now, Jonathan. Get some rest.”

“But it’s not time—” He flinched when she suddenly slammed her hand on the counter.

His boss pointed a finger at him. “I am the boss here. When I say go home, you should go home. No more buts of I will fire you.”

Jonathan scratched his brow. “Sir Roeden told me that he’s the boss here, and you’re just—”

“I’m the wife of the boos. That makes me your boss too.”

Roeden appeared on the scene. He sauntered towards his wife and put an arm around her shoulders.

“Avon’s right, Jonathan,” Roeden said. “You should head home. I am quite worried that you’ll fall ill. Besides, you already worked for seven hours when you’re just working here as a part-timer.”

“Okay.” He shrugged.

Jonathan was taking off his apron when he felt dizzy again. He cupped his forehead and raised his head afterwards.

“Jonathan, what’s happening?” Avon asked worriedly.

“Do you want me to escort you to the hospital?” asked Roeden, who, just like his wife, sounded really worried.

He shook his head and smiled.

“Don’t worry about me. I am fine, really,” he said cheerfully.

The two just gaped at him.