The next time there was a knock at Khan’s door it was Rin on the other side.  “Hi Rin, what’s up?”

Rin took a deep breath before asking “Are you causing vibrations?”  She asked the question as if it pained her to speak the words.

Khan bit his lip for a moment before replying “Is this a philosophical question?”

“No.”  Rin had a way of saying that one word that conveyed that she thought Khan had said something very stupid.  “Are you doing something that would cause actual vibrations like playing loud music or running a dryer?”

“I wasn’t playing music, and the communal laundry room is in the basement, did I not tell you that?”

“OK, fine.”  Rin flatly said before turning around and heading for the stairs.

“Hey, wait.”  Khan called out “What was this about?  Vibrations?”

Rin sighed and pinched her nose before she spoke in an exasperated voice.  “We’re doing the flashlight experiment and it’s going… strange.  There’s no one above us, Evy doesn’t seem to be at home, and you’re below us but you said you’re not doing anything.

“Right…”  Khan decided not to ask what the flashlight experiment was as it clearly brought Rin no joy to speak of it.  Rin was already headed back up the stairs anyway.  At a fairly slow pace though.  She didn’t want to speak of the flashlight experiment anymore but she also didn’t seem to be in a hurry to get home.

After she’d gone, Khan went online and checked what the flashlight experiment was.  Apparently you needed a flashlight that twisted to turn on.  Then you twisted the light so it was almost on.  Then if the light did flicker on, that was a sign of paranormal activity.

The test seemed silly to Khan, if something was almost on like that, then it wouldn’t take much for it to come on.  However, Izumi took her ghost hunting seriously, that’s why she’d sent Rin around to the neighbors to see if they were causing vibrations that could throw off her experiment.

Khan thought about going to ask Mila about it, but he thought better of it.  The Kaikyos were already getting results on their experiment; there was no need to have Mila escalate the situation. Khan didn’t really need to do anything.  He could just go back doing his homework.  He looked at his text books, they didn’t exactly draw him in.  Plus he was curious, what were these strange results?  Khan went up to 201.  Izumi answered the door.  “Hi, Rin said you were doing a flashlight experiment and getting strange results.  Would you mind showing me what happened?”

“Not happened, happening.  It’s still going.”  Izumi replied with clear excitement.  “Come see.”  Izumi showed them to where there was a flashlight laying on the living room floor.  Next to it there was a phone on a small tripod, recording the flashlight.

Khan stared at the flashlight; it was off.  “So… when you said results…?”

“Just wait.”  Izumi instructed.  

“Yeah wait Khan, you wouldn’t want to miss the spectacle of a cheap flashlight malfunctioning.”  Rin chimed in.  Izumi shushed her.

Moments later Khan noticed a hint of light coming from the flashlight.  “Oh I think I saw…” before he could finish that thought the torch came on brightly and clearly.  Then it rapidly flickered on and off.  Then it was dead again.  No one had touched it.  “OK, what was that?”

Izumi shrugged but she also had a wide smile.  “We don’t know.  Sure I could just say it was a ghost and claim I have evidence of ghosts.  However, one anomalous event does not prove the supernatural.  All we can say is that I don’t know.”

“Do you think it’s some kind of message, like Morse Code?”

“I can’t say what it is, but I don’t think it’s Morse Code, it’s too erratic.  But why don’t you stay, maybe you can help us figure it out.  And it’s always a good idea to have a witness around, someone who can say I’m not faking it.”

The flashlight flickered twice more.  Khan nodded.  “Yeah, I’ll stay.”  Khan still didn’t believe in ghosts, but he was curious as to what was happening.  Izumi gestured for him to sit on the couch, which he did.  Izumi sat next to him.  Rin sat sideways across an armchair, but she was scrolling through her phone rather than looking at the flashlight.

The flashlight would be off for a minute then come back on.  It would flicker slowly, stop, barely come on, flash bright lightly, flicker rapidly.  There was no immediately discernible pattern.  Watching it was an odd mixture of excitement and zen.  Izumi picked up a glass from the end table and took a drink of a ruby-red liquid.  “What’s that?” Khan asked, nodding to the drink.

“Pomegranate hibiscus iced tea.”  Izumi answered, before offering it to Khan.  “Try it.”

He hadn’t expected Izumi to do that, but he felt it was rude to not take it.  Khan could clearly see the marks on glass where Izumi’s lips had been.  Somehow it felt wrong to drink from the same spot, but he didn’t know why.  Realizing he’d been looking at glass for too long, he went ahead and took a sip, the flavor surprised him.  “I like it.  It doesn’t have that overwhelming sweetness that most fruity drinks have.”

Rin glared over her phone at the two of them.  “Sure, just have an indirect kiss with my mom.”

Khan felt a heat creep up his neck, Rin had put a name to vague uneasy feeling he’d had about taking the drink.  Izumi though was annoyed.  “Really Rin?  You’re old enough to vote and you’re talking about indirect kisses?  When I was your age I was already a mother.”

Anger flashed in Rin’s eyes.  “Oh I’m sorry I’m such a prude mom.  You’re right I should go out and get pregnant while I’m still in high school.”

“I didn’t say that.”  Izumi held up her hands.  “But the fact that you’re concerned with indirect kisses tells me you’re very inexperienced for an 18 year old.  Are you interested in kissing boys?”  Izumi nodded to Khan in a manner that was intended to be sneaky but was actually rather obvious.  Khan tried to melt into the couch.

Rin shot to her feet.  “I do not want to kiss Khan!”  She yelled.  Khan winced a bit.  He wasn’t looking to kiss her either, but she didn’t have to say it so emphatically.

“No?”  Izumi asked.  Then she ran a finger across Khan’s chest.  “So I can have him?”  Khan’s body, well, his body responded.  

“No!” Rin screamed.

“Why not?” Izumi asked with mock innocence, her index finger still tracing lines across Khan.

“Because he’s younger than me!”  Rin shouted.  “Stop being weird!”  Rin stomped off to the bedroom and slammed the door.  Izumi kept her eyes on Rin, her hand stopped moving but her index finger was still on Khan.

Khan moved her hand away.  “I’m going to go.  The flashlight stopped.”

Izumi blinked, she’d forgotten about the flashlight.  “Oh right.”  She walked Khan to the door.  “Sorry things got a bit… tense.”

Khan gave a kind of grunt that managed to convey “To say tense is an understatement.” before using words to add “I know I’m not a parent, but I don’t think trying to tease Rin into having a relationship is going to work.”

“You’re right,” Izumi responded as she opened the door. “You’re not a parent.”  Khan opened his mouth to respond but thought better of it.  Izumi got up on her tiptoes to whisper “I think you use some more experience as well, considering how excited one finger got you.”  Khan felt his body burst into flames.  Izumi mercifully shut the door, a wide grin on her face.

Khan felt like he had been beaten up.  He started down the stairs when he saw Evy step out of her apartment.  Hadn’t Rin said she wasn’t at home?  She was wearing a leotard that accentuated her seraphic curves.  Her body glistened with sweat.  “Oh hey Evy, what have you been up to?”  Khan tried to ask as casually as he could.

“I was just doing a dance workout.”  Evy responded “It’s the best kind of exercise.  Now I’m going to treat myself to a smoothie.”

“Ah.”  Khan responded.  “I didn’t hear any music though?”

“No, Rin mentioned the noise canceling headphones the other day and I realized I should get some so I could listen to my music at any volume without disturbing the neighbors.”

That was it then.  Evy’s dancing had caused vibrations that set off the flashlight.  But Rin thought she wasn’t home because Evy hadn’t been able to hear the door knocking.  “Well that’s very considerate of you.”  Khan stated, pleased at having uncovered the reason for the flashing.  “Enjoy your smoothie.”