Reborn: The truth behind the love

Ishaani sighed and took a deep breath. Then she closed her eyes, and when she opened them, a calmness returned—the kind only found in those who have endured many hardships.

She slowly steadied herself and tried to touch the girl, but her hand passed through as if the girl were nothing but air.

"Are you the owner of this body?" Ishaani asked, tracing the outline of her face to memorize its features.

The ghost, sensing her attention, floated forward and pouted. "How boring! I planned to scare you, but it seems my skills aren't up to par yet."

Ishaani's mouth twitched, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. She retracted her hand and shuffled toward the bed, too weak to stand longer.

"Then do you know how this happened? How I possessed your body? The last thing I remember was being on my way to the execution ground."

"Um... um," the ghost murmured after a long pause. "I don't know. I had a terrible headache all morning. Then I went to the terrace to watch the prisoner being executed—the one who killed her family—and the pain worsened. I started falling... and falling... When I woke, I was like this. Doctors and nurses were treating my body because it was trembling. I tried to touch it, to return, but I couldn't possess my own body..."

The final words faded to a whisper, yet Ishaani heard them clearly. She sighed, struggling to process everything. She recalled waking earlier with a tearing headache that subsided before she lost consciousness.

Before she could think further, footsteps echoed nearby. She immediately lay down and closed her eyes. Weakness overwhelmed her, and she fell asleep still wondering: was this a curse or a boon?

The next morning, Ishaani finally woke as the nurse recorded her vitals. She had pondered her situation overnight and now accepted the reality.

After the nurse left, she craned her neck to see the ghost standing near the window, watching the scenery outside. The girl appeared to be in her late teens.

As if sensing the gaze from the bed, the ghost turned and met Ishaani's eyes—eyes that belonged to her original body but were now utterly cold and calm, as if nothing could disturb them.

"Are you awake?" the ghost asked, smiling.

Seeing the silly grin, Ishaani shook her head, contemplating how someone so carefree ended up in this grim prison.

As if reading her expression, the ghost inquired, "You're thinking about me, right? I'm not wrong—you're wondering who I am and what a silly person like me is doing here?"

She spoke proudly, as if solving a great mystery.

Ishaani was momentarily shocked, though her face remained impassive. "How did you know? Can you read minds?"

"No, not everyone's. But I can certainly read yours—not exact thoughts, but I can feel what you're feeling."

Ishaani grabbed her temples, unsure what to do with this irrepressible ghost. "Fine. Now, will you tell me why you're here and who you are?"

"Oh! I forgot to introduce myself! My name is Anjali. I'm nineteen years old. I was sentenced to two years for accidentally causing a car accident the day before yesterday."

Ishaani stared, dumbfounded by how casually Anjali discussed her own misfortune. "Do you know what happened to *me*?" Ishaani pressed.

"Hmm... I heard the nurses talking. They said you're in a coma from a severe head injury."