Students strolled around campus, busy with their own affairs. Nothing seemed unusual—except for a faint rustling sound between their footsteps, like something floating in the air. None of them realized it was actually Rika, drifting about as she played amateur detective.
Putting on an exaggeratedly professional act, Rika peeked into one classroom, pressing her face against the window. With her messy hair, she looked more like a cheap drama character trying too hard to be serious.
"Hmmm, not him…" she muttered, eyeing a student diligently taking notes. Then her gaze shifted to a man who looked older than the professor. "Wait—why does that guy look older than the lecturer? Did I wander into the wrong class?"
One of the students sitting inside noticed Rika's head floating outside the window. Reflexively, he let out a scream, "HA… HAA…!!!" pointing at her as if he'd just seen a gecko clinging to the glass.
Realizing she'd been caught, Rika simply waved cheerfully. "Ssshh, relax! I'm just looking for my friend, no harm done." Before she could say more, the student fainted on the spot.
"Oh no," Rika sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "Guess I'm just too charming for them to handle."
Before she could continue her little investigation, a sharp smack landed on the back of her head.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, YOU FOOLISH GHOST?!"
Rika jolted upright at the familiar voice. She spun around to find Dio, face flushed red with anger.
"Do I need to install a GPS in your head just to stop you from causing trouble?!" he snapped, glaring daggers at her.
Feigning innocence, Rika clutched her chest. "GPS? You scared me half to death! I'm in the middle of an investigation, thank you very much."
Dio eyed her up and down as though inspecting faulty equipment. "Investigation? You look more like the suspect! And let me guess—you made someone faint again, didn't you?"
"Hey, hey, hey!" Rika raised both hands defensively. "I just peeked for a second. Not my fault if they saw me and freaked out! How is that on me?!"
Dio pinched the bridge of his nose, visibly holding back his temper. "Of course it's your fault! You're a wandering ghost who refuses to stay put. Ghosts aren't supposed to roam around in broad daylight—especially not scaring people!"
Rika rolled her eyes. "Ugh, Dio, you're so dramatic. If I wander at night, people call me a Dutch kuntilanak. If I do it in the daytime, I'm a poltergeist. There's no 'perfect time' for me, okay?"
Before Dio could retort, Nagini appeared gracefully behind him, her red dress flowing like a gentle flame. Her calm aura instantly softened the atmosphere, if only for a moment.
With a small smile, Nagini patted Dio's shoulder. "You're starting to sound like a father scolding his child."
"I am NOT her father!" Dio barked, pointing at Rika. "There's no way I'd have a kid like her. But if I don't keep an eye on her, she'll turn this campus into a haunted house!"
Nagini's smile remained warm, her gaze like that of a loving mother. "Sometimes, a little chaos is part of the art of life."
"Art?" Dio's face twisted with frustration. "This looks more like vandalism to me!"
Meanwhile, Rika suddenly shouted, "AHA! There he is!" Arya had just stepped out of class, his expression blank as always. Before he could say a word, Rika zipped toward him like an overexcited child.
"Arya!" she called, her voice bright as a kid who'd just gotten candy. "I found a kitten behind the building! Let's keep it! We'll name him… hmm… Sarwono! Perfect, right?"
Arya stared at her flatly, then glanced at Dio still fuming in the distance. "Sarwono? For a cat? I already have a bad feeling about this."
"Maybe because you skipped breakfast," Rika chirped, patting her own chest proudly. "Don't worry! This tiny problem just needs a big solution—Mama Rika's love!"
From afar, Dio rubbed his temples again, then turned to Nagini, exasperated. "Please tell me I'm allowed to hit this lunatic ghost."
Nagini only shook her head gently, still smiling. "Dio, sometimes we must let chaos run its course. That's the art of life, isn't it?"
Dio groaned. "Then I don't want the art of life. I want the peace of life."
Meanwhile, Rika kept pestering Arya about the kitten, promising to take care of it with all her heart—a ridiculous claim for someone who wasn't even alive.
Arya finally looked over at Dio with a silent plea. "You holding up okay, Dio?" he asked quietly.
Dio raised a weary hand in surrender. "No. But I give up. Do whatever you want."
Nagini's smile never faltered. To her, this was one of those rare moments when chaos forged bonds—messy, unpredictable, but undeniably precious.