That smile—warped and stiff, with eyes empty as a void. A dead, black gaze. The lips curled into an unnatural arc.
"…You don't belong here."The reflection in the mirror began mimicking her voice.
"Ah—!" Maya staggered backward, the cup slipping from her hands and shattering on the floor."Lucian—!!!"
Instinctively, she screamed her roommate's name, her voice trembling like she was on the verge of tears.
But the "her" in the mirror slowly stretched out a hand, as if about to crawl out through the glass.
Maya's mind went blank with a single thought: Run!
She bolted for the door like a firecracker, arms covering her head. But with a loud bang, the bathroom door slammed shut on its own. Darkness swallowed the room.
In the mirror, the face shifted—first the eyes became hers, then the lips, then the hair… piece by piece, as though her double was about to step out.
I'm doomed! If what those seniors said is true, it's going to replace me!
Panicked, Maya grabbed the nearest thing—the showerhead."D-don't come closer! I'll spray you, I swear! You'll get soaked, and it'll be a pain to wash off!"
Of course, the reflection paid no mind, inching closer and closer toward her.
"Please, no, don't come any closer!"
In her frenzy, she turned the water on—splash! The stream hit the mirror dead center, right onto the other self.
"AAAAH!" The shadow in the glass shrieked in agony, recoiling like it was being scorched.
Maya froze. "Eh? …Wait. It's scared of water?!"
Her soft, round face lit up with sudden realization. She twisted the tap full blast, spraying the mirror with all her strength.
"AAAAAHHH—!!!"The figure shattered into countless fragments, vanishing into the air.
The bathroom door creaked open again. Maya had survived.
"D-did I… just beat a monster?" She patted her chest in relief, marveling at her own "brilliance."
That was when Lucian finally arrived.
"Well, looks like you already handled it." Her tone was indifferent, as if nothing surprising had happened.
"Th-that thing… what even was that…" Maya's voice shrank to a mosquito's buzz.
"Look." Lucian pointed toward a faded notice on the restroom door.
It read, barely legible: Do not look into the mirror after midnight.
Lucian glanced down at her, eyes complicated.
"How could anyone read that? It's basically invisible!" Maya pouted.
The corner of Lucian's lips curved ever so slightly, an almost imperceptible smile."Are you just insanely lucky… or insanely stupid?"
"That was a Mirror Wraith. It lives in reflections, delighting in replacing people's faces. Normally, anyone who encounters it wouldn't survive."
"Ah...then, then wouldn't I be very miserable??" Maya's eyes welled up, her whole expression pitiful.
Lucian looked away, giving a faint scoff."You're lucky. Maybe it's true, as the legend goes—stupid people sometimes have a harder time dying than smart people."
Maya tilted her head, not understanding a word, and just assumed it was praise. She clung to Lucian's arm, her voice soft and sweet:"Lucian, you're amazing! You know everything! If there are more ghosts, can I just hide behind you?"
Something unexplainable stirred in Lucian's chest at her tone, though her face stayed cold."Do whatever you want. Just don't slow me down."
"Hehe~!" Maya's eyes curved into crescents, snuggling close like a bunny that had just found its savior.