Child Ghost opened its mouth, but didn't know where to begin.
"Have you run into some trouble?"
the old woman asked kindly.
Child Ghost hesitated, uncertain.
The old woman patiently waited for Child Ghost to answer.
Her gaze was gentle.
Child Ghost slowly nodded.
Then it pressed its lips together, with no intention of speaking.
It looked this way and that, like a child curious about everything.
The old woman hid her worry and narrowed her eyes slightly. "Come to my house."
Child Ghost froze.
Slowly, it turned its head back.
The old woman looked at it earnestly, her face full of affection and her eyes warm with a smile. "Come stay at my house for a few days."
"Keep this old woman company."
"It's just that my home probably doesn't have any toys children would like."
"I hope you won't mind."
Child Ghost's lips moved.
The unexpected turn of events had caught it off guard.
Go to Grandma's house?
It had been to plenty of human homes.
It didn't know why... but this time, the old woman's invitation left it especially... flustered.
"Then it's settled."
The old woman was rarely "overbearing."
"Let's go."
"I'm feeling a little unwell."
As soon as the old woman said she was feeling unwell, Child Ghost instinctively followed her.
A hint of amusement flashed through the old woman's eyes.
Child Ghost came to its senses.
It reached up and tapped its own head.
But it didn't stop following the old woman.
It kept glancing back.
It didn't see anything.
It was confused.
Had that human given up chasing it?
Or was it because...
It turned to look at the old woman's back.
Was it because... of Grandma?
It remembered how that scary human had smiled at Grandma yesterday. It was so...