“I really have to stop drinking…”

You rub your eyes and look up again. She’s still there—wearing her school uniform with the jacket and skirt, standing way too confidently under the streetlights to be imaginary.

She blinks. Then smiles.

“Oh, wow,” she says, tilting her head, clearly amused. “You definitely should quit.”

Your stomach drops.

She steps a little closer, her chest slightly bouncing, hands behind her back, like she knows exactly how unreal this looks. “But for the record?” Her eyes meet yours. “I’m definitely real, honey~”

The night air feels suddenly sharper, quieter. Penny chuckles softly. “You gonna keep pretending I’m a hallucination, or are you gonna say hi?”