Pitbabe S2, Chapter 5 pg1

 pg1

   Chapter 5:

   “Babe… I’m being haunted.”

   (Huh?)

   “I’ll call you back.”

   (What—)

   There wasn’t time to explain everything right now. I had to hang up on Babe first—he could get answers later. The thing that needed explaining most urgently was the ghost of Phii Way standing outside.

   “Is there a… Charlie?”

   The ghost of Phii Way could talk. He spoke clearly, probably because I’d been standing there frozen for a full minute instead of opening the door for him. It might seem rude, but how could I just let a ghost into the lab?

   “Charlie, right?”

   He kept repeating the same question. This must prove one theory about the afterlife: spirits who’ve passed on retain only vague memories of their human life. That’s why he didn’t recognize me.

   But if he didn’t remember, why come looking for me?

   “Hey! There he is!”

   As I stood there, legs stiff, torn between opening the door or reciting a prayer, Phii Touch’s voice cut through. He came down the stairs, walked straight to the door, and unlocked it to let the ghost of Phii Way inside. The two hugged like old friends, and their casual familiarity helped me breathe easier. I seriously doubted Phii Touch could be that chummy with a ghost.

   “Come on, get in and cool off. It’s scorching outside,” Phii Touch said, pulling the guy who looked like Phii Way (I’d accepted by now he wasn’t a ghost) toward me. He met my eyes, still smiling kindly as ever, even though I was the idiot who hadn’t opened the door for him. And even now, when I should’ve said something, I still couldn’t figure out how to start. “This is Charlie, the big boss I told you about.”

   Thank goodness Phii Touch was there to speak for me, since my actual mouth seemed to have short-circuited.

   “Charlie, this is Dr. Chris, my nephew.”

   “Just call me Chris, that’s fine,” Dr. Chris whispers to Phii Touch. He seems a bit shy about being introduced like that, but I don’t think it sounds embarrassing. If I ever graduated as a doctor, I’d probably want to be introduced as Dr. Charlie too (though I’d never call myself that). “Hey, Charlie, just call me Phii Chris.”

   “Uh… okay,” my voice comes back, but it’s hoarse and shaky, sounding awful. “Charlie here.”

   “I’ve heard a lot about you. Uncle Touch has told me tons.”

   I don’t know what Phii Touch has said about me, but Dr. Chris seems to have a good impression from the start. He’s super friendly, with the vibe of a kind pediatrician, but not boring. There’s a mischievous glint in his eyes, like he’s fun or maybe a bit of a tease, like Babe. Overall, he’s completely different from Phii Way. That guy hated my guts, glaring at me from day one to the last. Way had a rich-kid, sharp-tongued, mean vibe. Dr. Chris, on the other hand, seems way nicer. But in terms of looks? They could practically be the same person. Even their build and height are almost identical. He’s like a good-doctor version of Way. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have mistaken him for a ghost earlier.

   Speaking of, can spirits sense when they’re being gossiped about?

   “You okay? You’ve looked pale since earlier,” Dr. Chris asks with concern.

   “This guy’s been working so hard he forgot to eat again, huh?” Phii Touch puts his hands on his hips, scolding me the moment Dr. Chris points it out. “Looks like we need Babe to handle him for real.”

   “No, it’s not like that,” I quickly deny, before Touch actually rats me out to Babe. It’s not that I’m scared of Babe, but I don’t want him to worry. “I was just… a bit startled.”

   “Startled?” Phii Touch looks surprised. “By what?”

   “Uh…” I’m not sure if I should say it. It might make me seem weird, and it could make the new guy feel awkward for no reason. If I point out that he looks like someone else—someone who’s dead, no less—it might not go well. “Phii Chris… you’re handsome.”

   That’s the only excuse I can think of. Of course, it makes the guy in question freeze for a moment before bursting into laughter, which makes me realize my words were way more embarrassing than I’d imagined.

   “I’m telling Babe,” Phii Touch says with a mischievous glint, like he’s plotting something evil. “You’re in trouble.”

   “It’s not like that…”

   “Who’s Babe?” Dr. Chris asks, genuinely curious.

   “His boyfriend,” Phii Touch jerks his head toward me. “A celeb.”

   “Charlie’s a celeb too,” the young doctor says, looking at me with a smile that never leaves his face. At first, I thought he was just good with people, but now I’m starting to think he’s one of those unpredictable types.

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