<Ghost Intercourse>

Heaven had lent a hand. That was the only way Yeom Jin-gwan could describe the situation.

It had been a desperate crisis, but the teachers' intervention gave him the gap he needed to escape. Fortunately, he still had one means of getaway left.

His mutated body raced toward the academy ship's outskirts at a speed no human could match. He bounded across the rooftops of low buildings along his pre-planned escape route. Upon reaching his destination, Yeom Jin-gwan retrieved a hidden glass bottle and uncorked it.

-Pop!

A tiny submarine model shot out from inside, plunged into the sea, and within three seconds transformed into a full-sized sub that could comfortably fit three people. Another Reverse Ethics Armament, this one implanted with the water soul of a dolphin tamed by pirates.

-Splash!

Though the drop to the water's surface was as far as a skyscraper's height, Yeom Jin-gwan leaped down without hesitation. No time to staunch his wounded arm—he somehow squeezed inside the sub. He'd survived, and he hadn't lost the heretic's banner. Small mercies.

Yeom Jin-gwan sighed in relief, sealed the hatch, and prepared to dive.

-Thud!

But then, something landed atop the translucent sub.

"How did you get here—"

Standing up with his cane on the sub's roof was the black-haired high schooler, Kim Taeyang.

"How? The old man's launch angle was a stupid 45 degrees, so I barely caught up."

I thought I was gonna die jumping right after landing.

Kim Taeyang added as his cane morphed into a massive silver key.

-Click.

The hatch, impervious to all but the heaviest impacts, unlocked on its own. Kim Taeyang vaulted inside.

"Damn it...!"

In the cramped space, Yeom Jin-gwan couldn't swing full force, but he lashed out with his mutated arm anyway, aiming for Kim Taeyang's throat.

-Bang!

-Thump.

But the cane, now a shotgun again, had already fired. The hand wearing his final Reverse Ethics Armament—a ring—fell to the floor.

"Guhk..."

"Hey, hey. Chin up. Someone might think I'm bullying you."

-Click.

As Kim Taeyang reloaded, his ancestor spirit—the blonde woman—snatched the ring from the severed hand.

"N-no, stay back..."

With ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠both arms gone, Yeom Jin-gwan tried to scramble backward, but the pooling blood made the floor too slick.

"Jin-gwan. Chocolate sky bread?"

-Bang!

"Got the change?"

-Click.

"Hiiik!"

Another shotgun blast severed one of his legs, leaving Yeom Jin-gwan a ragged scarecrow without means to resist.

"Your monthly friend fee's on auto-transfer, but cash is fine too?"

-Bang!!

His ears rang from the deafening shot, and his remaining leg was blown off at the thigh.

"Jin-gwan. My shotgun hurts the most, right?"

He'd fled with grievous wounds, clenched teeth, and burned through extra spirit power with the Reverse Ethics Armaments. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠He had no strength left to block Kim Taeyang's shots.

"The plan was perfect... why... And how did you know the escape route?!"

You...! What the hell are you?!

Faced with an absurd, incomprehensible end, Yeom Jin-gwan could only ask. How had this high school punk sniffed out his goal and cornered him? He racked his brain, but nothing fit.

"Who I am?"

As Kim Taeyang replied, his hair slowly turned golden.

"Don't overthink it. I'm exactly what I look like."

Seeing flames of the same hue flicker at the shotgun's muzzle, Yeom Jin-gwan sensed what came next.

"No—"

"Delinquent, first time seeing one?"

-Kaboom!!!

A roar erupted as the wide-open sub hatch belched flames and smoke.

By the time I finished treatment and questioning and got home, the clock read 8 p.m. I reported to the teachers that I'd lost Yeom Jin-gwan. No desire to get grilled about the two Reverse Ethics Armaments I'd swiped from him.

Jang Han-nam said the rest would be handled by the teachers and sent me home. Same for Kim Yun-ju and the other students.

I quietly set my smartphone down and lay on the bed.

-Flop.

Gemma, already in pajamas, lay naturally beside me, but I just closed my eyes.

......

"......"

The chat buzzed with today's exploits, but I had no urge to join. The sensation of my first kill lingered at my fingertips.

That guy's totally gone, right?

"Yeah."

Gemma's voice held no energy, nor did mine.

Those branded with the mark of filial impiety have their souls annihilated upon bodily death. No afterlife as an Ancestor Spirit.

Yeom Jin-gwan was a villain who'd plotted to kill me and other students for his scheme, only to die by my hand. No guilt there.

Two things gnawed at me. Using Gemma's power—insistent on no killing—for murder. And me, a plain civil servant, having killed a man.

"Gotta get used to it, huh?"

Killing bad guys?

"Yeah. At least he didn't look human today, so maybe less trauma."

...Does looks matter?

"Honestly, he wasn't human anymore."

The unease didn't fade through our talk.

You need a mood switch. Like in movies—overcome hard times with some fun.

"Classic. So, what? Get naughty?"

Tiredness made words spill unfiltered. I turned away guiltily, and Gemma stared back seriously.

Coward who can't even touch.

She shoved my shoulder hard while lying down—pissed for real.

You're the first guy besides Dad I've talked to this much. Stuck at home learning the trade, disguised outside.

"......"

Gemma machine-gunned her words, then sprawled out with a sigh. Like reloading a machine gun before unleashing hell—and sure enough, she vented.

I'm just nineteen. Prime age for interest in the opposite sex. If I hadn't died, this shitty situation where I can't even talk to guys like you wouldn't happen.

Killing stress laced her voice with faint hysteria.

...If your face wasn't so damn hot, I'd just work with you no problem, you bastard.

Rambling nonsense. Praised or insulted? I gave up reacting, lay silent.

Fine, I started the teasing sometimes. You're younger, your shy reactions are cute.

So I planned to stop there. Dead ghost bothering a bright future guy? Nah.

She turned to look at me slowly.

I can tease and toy with you. Died without dating—frustrated enough to wanna die again. Gotta vent somehow, right? Get it?

But you can't hit back.

'Get naughty?' Bullshit. Know how that makes me feel?

What if I push a bit more and you slip right over? Think I don't worry you'll make me hope?

You got no heart—don't act ambiguous!! Don't show gaps!! Makes it seem possible! Don't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠make me cling to what's lost! Know how pathetic you make me feel?! Idiot!!

Gemma's chest heaved with ragged breaths.

What to say? My head spun like hammered.

I got her words. But the confession felt sudden anyway.

We'd spent less than days together, but enough to spark desire over looks.

Maybe I overthought. I'm seventeen, gorgeous nineteen-year-old beside me. She'd never felt real romance, so she teased relentlessly. That urge swelled with guilt and stress from aiding the kill.

Issue: She thinks I'm uninterested—the only outlet.

"No, not that."

Had to correct the misunderstanding now.

"Not joking."

No hesitation in my heart or voice. I know who I am. Seventeen-year-old delinquent Kim Taeyang acts on wants immediately.

Pity's bullshit. You can date living girls. No real feelings, right? How long we known each other?

"Don't say that."

It's true. You're my only option, and seeing your face drives me crazy. No romance needed—just attraction. Body's gone, no lingering regrets... weird, right?

"Not pity. You're hot. Face and body my type."

Not crazy enough to get horny for the dead?

"......"

She remembered my racing swimsuit comment.

What'd she have me do? But I felt what to say.

"Post-first-kill stress? Might as well go a bit mad."

What kinda stupid—

"We overcomplicating?"

She looked puzzled.

What're you getting at.

"Romance matter here? You want my body, I want yours. Not churchgoers. Why obsess over abstracts."

She turned away sulkily.

...Shameless.

"Delinquent, remember? You started it—own up."

-Pfft.

Gemma burst laughing.

Crazy bastard.

"Guilty. Horny for a ghost—can't deny."

We rose together. As I stripped my shirt, she shifted to that racing swimsuit. Admiring her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠full breasts, hips, slim waist, I wrapped arms around her back.

Familiar from her bodysuit, but touching felt new.

Lie about no experience with other girls later—I'll kill you.

Her soul's dizzying scent overwhelmed, mixed with aroma.

"Hurry. Before I lose it more."

Big talk for a virgin.

"You too."

I tugged her straps, but she hooked my leg, toppled me, and showered kisses.

Ghost Intercourse End