Astray in love

Points & illusion

Monday arrived faster than Haliana expected.

The glowing timer on her wrist kept moving every second, reminding her that time was running out.

Yet she still had zero points.

Not a single one.

Haliana stared quietly at her wrist while fixing her school uniform in front of the mirror.

“What if I fail...?”

The thought alone made her chest tighten.

She still didn’t fully understand the point system. How many points counted as enough? What even qualified as a good deed?

Her life had always been simple.

School.

Home.

Repeat.

She rarely went outside, barely spoke to anyone, and honestly preferred being alone.

How was someone like her supposed to survive this?

At breakfast, Haliana sat silently at the table, lost in thought.

Her mother looked at her worriedly.

“Haliana? Are you okay?”

No response.

“Haliana.”

Still nothing.

Finally, her mother gently touched her shoulder.

Haliana flinched in shock.

“Huh?!”

“You’ve been zoning out a lot lately,” her mother said softly. “And these fainting spells... I think we should take you to a doctor.”

Haliana quickly shook her head.

“No, Mom. I’m fine. Really. I just haven’t been sleeping properly.”

Her mother still looked unconvinced.

Before she could say anything else, Allen walked into the kitchen while staring at his phone.

“Maybe she stays awake talking to her boyfriend all night.”

Haliana immediately glared at him.

“I DON’T have a boyfriend.”

Her mother raised an eyebrow teasingly.

“That’s the real problem. You’re already eighteen.”

Allen burst out laughing.

“Who would even date her?”

Haliana threw a spoon at him while he dodged dramatically.

“Shut up!”

For a moment, the house filled with laughter.

And Haliana smiled quietly while watching them.

Her mother.

Her annoying little brother.

Her hardworking father grabbing only a glass of water before rushing to work again.

He hugged them quickly before leaving.

As Haliana watched him walk out the door, her chest suddenly hurt.

Three months.

That was all she had left in this world.

The school bus ride felt longer than usual.

Allen sat with his friends near the back while Haliana remained alone by the window.

That was normal for her.

She wasn’t exactly disliked because she was mean.

People simply misunderstood her.

Being known as the prettiest girl in school only made things worse. Boys constantly bothered her while girls whispered about her behind her back.

So eventually, Haliana stopped trying.

Cold replies.

Short conversations.

Walls around her heart.

It was easier that way.

As she entered the school gate, something caught her attention.

An elderly woman stood near the road, struggling to cross while everyone ignored her.

Haliana hesitated for a second before walking toward her.

“Let me help you.”

The old woman smiled warmly.

“Such a kind girl.”

Haliana carefully helped her cross the road safely.

Before leaving, the woman handed her a small strawberry candy.

“Thank you, dear.”

Haliana smiled faintly.

“It was nothing.”

The moment the old woman walked away—

A soft glow appeared on Haliana’s wrist.

Her eyes widened.

[ P: 1000 ]

“What?!”

Her heart nearly stopped.

“One good deed gives a thousand points?!”

Suddenly, hope appeared inside her chest for the first time.

Maybe this wasn’t impossible after all.

Later during class, Haliana sat quietly while reading her book.

Then the classroom door slammed open.

Three girls walked in.

Haliana sighed internally.

Great.

Them again.

The girls immediately noticed a boy from class staring toward Haliana.

Jealousy flashed across their faces instantly.

“Well look who thinks she’s special,” one of them mocked.

Another girl snatched Haliana’s book from her desk.

“You act so arrogant just because boys look at you.”

Haliana stayed silent.

The girls continued laughing and insulting her.

Then suddenly—

Her wrist glowed.

[ P: 999 ]

Haliana froze.

“What...?”

One point disappeared.

Why?

Another insult came.

Again—

[ P: 998 ]

Her eyes widened.

Was staying silent decreasing her points?

Suddenly anger exploded inside her.

Haliana stood up sharply.

“Give me my book back.”

The classroom became silent.

The girls looked shocked.

“And stop acting like obsessed children,” Haliana snapped. “I literally do not care about any of you.”

She snatched her book back.

The points glowed again.

[ P: 1005 ]

Haliana stared at her wrist in confusion.

Now they increased?

None of this made sense anymore.

Unable to focus, she left the classroom and headed toward the empty school grounds.

The wind blew softly as Haliana sat alone on a bench.

She stared at her glowing wrist while trying to understand everything.

Then suddenly—

She felt someone sit beside her.

Haliana turned her head slowly.

And froze.

It was him.

The spirit from the abandoned world.

The same dark eyes.

The same dangerous beauty.

The same overwhelming presence.

Haliana immediately stood up—

But he grabbed her wrist gently and pulled her back down.

“How do you want to deal with them, my soul?”

Her heart skipped.

“Stop calling me that.”

He laughed quietly.

“You still haven’t answered my question.”

Haliana pulled her hand away angrily.

“What are you even doing here?! I thought that world and this world were separate!”

“They are,” he replied lazily. “But rules don’t apply to me.”

A chill ran down her spine.

Haliana tried standing again, but it felt impossible.

Almost like invisible shadows were holding her in place.

“I know exactly what you’re trying to do,” she said nervously. “You’re trying to distract me.”

His lips curved into a smile.

“And if I am?”

Haliana glared at him.

“Then it won’t work.”

The spirit leaned closer.

“Do you want to know why your points changed?”

Haliana stayed silent.

“I was the one adjusting them.”

Her expression changed immediately.

“What?”

“When you silently allowed them to humiliate you, your points decreased.”

His voice softened.

“Harming others is wrong... but allowing yourself to be destroyed is wrong too.”

Haliana stared at him speechlessly.

“But when you defended yourself,” he continued, “I returned your points.”

“You’re lying.”

“Am I?”

The spirit tilted his head slightly.

“I can help you, Haliana.”

His voice sounded dangerously gentle now.

“I can make becoming a white soul easier.”

Haliana quickly looked away.

The white soul woman warned her about this.

Illusions.

Distractions.

Manipulation.

She couldn’t trust him.

“I don’t need your help.”

The spirit suddenly grabbed her wrist again and pulled her closer into his arms.

Haliana gasped softly.

Their faces were inches apart now.

“You really should stop looking at me like that,” he whispered.

Her heartbeat became uncontrollable.

“I-I’m not looking at you.”

“You are.”

His dark eyes locked onto hers so intensely that she forgot how to breathe.

Haliana said release me I have class now!

Then softly—

Almost possessively—

He whispered near her ear:

“You’re already mine.”

Haliana’s mind went blank.

Before she could react—

He disappeared.

Just like that.

Leaving behind only cold wind and her racing heartbeat.

The rest of the school day passed in a blur.

Yet strangely, her points continued increasing little by little.

Helping teachers.

Picking up dropped books.

Giving food to a stray kitten trapped near a wall after school.

Every action mattered.

By nighttime—

[ P: 20,000 ]

Haliana nearly cried from relief.

“I can actually do this...”

When she finally returned home, exhaustion covered her entire body.

Her mother crossed her arms immediately.

“You’re late.”

Haliana removed her shoes tiredly.

“I told Allen I’d be out.”

“He did,” her mother replied, “but he didn’t know where.”

Haliana smiled awkwardly.

“I just wanted to go outside for once with my friends.”

Allen snorted from the couch.

“With what friends?”

Haliana grabbed a pillow and threw it at him.

“I HAVE FRIENDS.”

“Name one.”

“There’s... a new student.”

Allen laughed harder.

“You just invented a whole person.”

Haliana rolled her eyes dramatically before heading upstairs.

“I’m tired. Goodnight.”

The second she collapsed onto her bed, her body relaxed completely.

And she started thinking about that spirit she just can't stop thinking about him..

But then—

A familiar voice echoed softly inside her room.

“So now you’re thinking about me?”

Haliana immediately sat upright.

“What the—?!”

A quiet chuckle filled the darkness.

“Aww... did you miss me already, my soul?”

Haliana buried her face into her pillow angrily.

“Stop talking inside my head!”

“Impossible.”

She could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

“Sleep well, Haliana.”

Silence filled the room for a moment.

Then one final whisper came softly—

“Dream about me tonight.”

Haliana’s face burned instantly.

“SHUT UP.”

His laughter echoed faintly through the darkness while she pulled the blanket over her head completely embarrassed.

And somewhere far away—

The spirit smiled to himself for the very first time in centuries.