I gasped, stumbling back against the wall.
She stood in the corner of my room—her silver hair shimmering in the dim light, violet eyes gleaming with a wicked curve at her lips. Smiling… as if she owned the place.
How? How did she get in here? I had locked the door. I checked it myself. Had she been here all this time, hiding?
"You look surprised," she cooed, her voice sinfully sweet, like honey dripping with venom. "Have you forgotten me already? I told you my name, remember?"
My throat tightened. Words nearly refused to come out. "…Aisha?"
Her smile widened, pleased, like a cat playing with its prey. "Ah, so you do remember. I thought you wanted to erase me—pretend it was all just a hallucination. Pretend I wasn't real. But now… you know better. And you've met Bell too, haven't you?"
Her eyes flickered to the floor. My gaze followed.
Bell.
She was lying there. Motionless. Her chest rising and falling faintly, as though in a deep sleep.
My stomach lurched in panic. "What… what did you do to her?!"
"Relax." Aisha waved her hand casually, almost bored. "Nothing much. I only put her to sleep. I'm not a monster, you know."
"Not a monster?" I spat bitterly. "You appear out of nowhere, invade my house, and now you're—what are you? What the hell do you want from me?"
Her grin shifted into something sharper, her eyes narrowing as though my fear amused her. "What do I want? Don't you think… you owe me something?"
The room suddenly felt smaller. My chest constricted. "Owe you? I don't even know you!"
"Tsk." She sighed theatrically, as if I were a disappointing child. "Right. I suppose you don't remember clearly. You fainted before I had the chance to explain. Allow me to repeat myself—only once. So listen carefully."
My pulse drummed in my ears.
"Don't you think it's strange?" she asked softly, her words like knives slipping into my ribs. "Strange… that you survived an accident that should have killed you?"
The impact. The headlights. The suffocating cold. The darkness. I relived all of it in a blink. My throat ran dry. "…Stop dodging and tell me why you're here!"
She tilted her head and whispered, "Do you remember what you said that day?"
"What I said…?" I searched my memories, tangled and chaotic from that night. Then it came to me. That voice in my head… my own voice.
"…That day… I… I told myself… it would be better if I just died." My voice cracked. "But why… why does that matter?"
Her violet eyes gleamed with cruel satisfaction.
"Bingo."
Goosebumps ran across my skin.
"Yes, White. Your words were your wish. And I merely… made it come true."
"…That's a lie." I staggered back further, clutching my bat like it could protect me. "If you made my wish come true, then why am I still alive?! You're just spouting nonsense."
"Oh, but you forget," she purred. "After the accident, when your body was torn, when your consciousness slipped into the dark… you said something else, didn't you?"
Her eyes cut through me like a blade.
"You said—you wanted to live. To be happy."
My knees nearly buckled. "…No…"
"Yes. That became your new wish. So I changed it." Her smile was gentle now, yet darker than before. "I twisted fate for you."
I felt sick. The room spun. "Changed my wish…? Why—why would you even do that? None of this makes sense!"
"Don't worry." She leaned closer, whispering like a secret lover in my ear. "You'll understand soon enough. But let's talk about the girl. About Bell."
I froze. "…What about her?"
"You think she's related to me. But no." Her lips curled. "She's related to you."
"What…?"
"She's a part of you."
"…Tch. Stop speaking in riddles."
"Not a riddle. A truth. Bell was born from your wish. Or rather—she is your wish."
Something hollow opened in my chest. My voice shook. "…My… wish?"
"Yes. She embodies you. She knows what you want, what you fear, what you refuse to voice. That's why she calls you 'Papa.' Because you gave birth as your's desire. And one more thing—"
Her eyes locked onto mine, glowing with cruel delight.
"She can grant your wishes. I gave her that power."
"…Huh?"
"All you have to do is think it… and she'll make it happen." Her words dripped slowly, each one heavier than the last. "But don't be greedy. She won't grant anything impossible. The laws of reality still have their price."
My hands trembled. "…Why would you… why would you give me something like that?!"
She straightened, silver hair cascading like falling starlight. And for the first time, her smile softened into something unfathomable.
"Because I'm curious."
Then, her image blurred like smoke in the wind. Her voice lingered, soft and chilling—
"Well then. Play with your newfound gift. Let's see how your wishes shape your fate. Bye-bye, White."
And just like that—she was gone.
The room fell apart into silence.
Bell stirred faintly in her sleep, murmuring, "…Papa…"
My eyes remained glued to her tiny figure. My thoughts, however, spiraled into chaos.
"…What did she mean… Bell… can grant my wishes…?"