Three minutes passed faster than anyone wanted.
At first, we could still hear the conversations clearly from outside the room. Paulo's mother crying while asking too many questions at once. His sister laughing through tears. His father's voice breaking every few seconds despite trying to sound composed.
Then little by little…
The voices quieted down.
Not because they ran out of things to say.
But because the skill's duration was ending.
The silence that followed felt heavier than before.
I already knew what that meant.
Time was up.
A few seconds later, the bedroom door slowly opened.
Paulo's father stepped out first.
His eyes were red, his face exhausted, but there was something lighter in his expression now. Like a weight he had been carrying for an entire year had finally loosened.
He stopped in front of me and placed a hand on my shoulder firmly.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "That… was everything we needed."
I nodded once.
Didn't really know what else to say to that.
Then Paulo's sister stepped out too, still wiping tears from her face. Unlike earlier though, her expression carried more confusion now than grief.
She hesitated before speaking.
"Anthony…" she started softly. "Why is Paulo still here?"
Behind her, Paulo's mother slowly emerged from the room while looking toward the empty space beside the bed.
Even if she couldn't see him anymore, she still knew where he was standing.
"What we know is…" Paulo's sister continued carefully, "souls only stay for forty days after death before crossing over."
I leaned lightly against the wall before answering.
"That's normally what happens," I explained. "If the soul doesn't have anything tying them down anymore."
They all stayed quiet listening.
"But sometimes," I continued, "there are regrets. Wishes they couldn't fulfill. Attachments they can't let go of yet."
As soon as I said that, Paulo's mother covered her mouth again.
Then slowly looked toward the space behind her.
Toward Paulo.
Even if she couldn't see him anymore.
"…The graduation," she whispered weakly.
Everyone turned toward her.
Tears gathered in her eyes again as she smiled sadly.
"He always talked about it," she said softly. "He kept saying we should all attend."
Paulo lowered his head quietly beside her.
"He said even if he could barely walk by then…" she continued while crying softly, "he would still go up that stage."
Her husband closed his eyes briefly.
"But he didn't make it," he finished quietly. "His body gave up first."
The hallway fell silent after that.
And honestly?
After hearing everything about Paulo's life earlier, even I was already sure.
It wasn't unfinished studies keeping him here.
It was that moment.
That stage.
That dream he fought for despite already dying.
He wanted to graduate.
Not just for himself.
But for his family too.
I exhaled slowly before finally speaking.
"I think…" I glanced toward Paulo. "That's what's keeping him here."
Paulo didn't deny it.
Didn't even try.
He just stood there silently while staring at the floor.
Then suddenly, Gino stepped forward.
"We can arrange that."
Everyone looked at him.
Gino crossed his arms casually like he was talking about organizing a normal school event.
"We'll hold a graduation ceremony for him," he said. "Private. Just immediate family, professors, the dean… and us."
Paulo's sister blinked in surprise.
"What?"
Cynthia immediately straightened beside him.
"I'll handle the decorations," she added smoothly without hesitation.
Sarah nodded right after.
"I'll help too."
Meanwhile, Paulo looked completely stunned.
"Wait…" he whispered. "You don't have to—"
"We do," Gino interrupted simply.
Then before anyone could even process things further, Gino already pulled his phone out and started calling someone.
I already knew who.
The call connected quickly.
"Dad," Gino said immediately. "Need a favor."
From the speaker, Mr. Uy's amused voice came through clearly.
"That sounds expensive already."
"We need the university auditorium," Gino continued completely ignoring the comment. "Private graduation ceremony. One student. Engineering department."
There was a brief pause.
Then Mr. Uy asked calmly, "For ParaSystem work?"
"Yeah."
Another pause.
Then suddenly, a chuckle.
"Well now I'm definitely attending."
Gino frowned instantly.
"You don't have to."
"Oh, I absolutely do," Mr. Uy replied sounding entertained already. "I want to see personally how your little organization handles things."
"Dad—"
"I'll speak with the dean."
Click.
Call ended.
Gino stared at his phone for a second before sighing heavily.
"With my family involved now," he muttered, "the graduation's basically guaranteed."
Then beside him, Cynthia suddenly pulled out her own phone too.
I already knew where this was going.
"Papa?" she said sweetly after the call connected. "We're organizing a graduation ceremony."
From nearby, Gino immediately made a soft annoyed clicking sound with his tongue.
Cynthia ignored him entirely.
"Yes," she continued innocently. "The Uys are attending too."
That got a reaction immediately.
Even through the speaker, I could practically hear Mr. Bartolome sit up.
"Oh?" he said knowingly. "Then I suppose we'll handle the catering."
Gino rolled his eyes instantly.
"Seriously?"
Cynthia smiled victoriously.
Mr. Bartolome chuckled warmly from the phone.
"I'll attend personally too if Arthur Uy is going."
Then the call ended.
I stared at the two rich kids in front of me for a few seconds before sighing deeply.
We started this trying to help a ghost cross over.
Now somehow it turned into a full-scale graduation event with business tycoons competing in the background.
Unbelievable.
Beside me, Sarah laughed quietly under her breath while shaking her head.
Meanwhile, the Balicasa family looked completely overwhelmed.
Paulo most of all.
I looked toward him and smiled slightly.
"The graduation's happening," I told him honestly.
Then glanced between Gino and Cynthia who were still silently competing without words.
"…And apparently," I added dryly, "it's going to be grand."