It was drizzling that day as the family sat around the table for lunch. The food was steaming hot, its aroma filling the room. They had invited a friend over for a meal, and the atmosphere was relaxed as everyone ate and chatted.
Suddenly, the clock struck twelve, signaling noon. Just then, the door slowly opened.A child walked in. He wore a white short jacket, his face looking a bit pale and not very energetic. Without saying a word, he kept his eyes downcast, not looking at anyone, and walked straight into the room next door.
After a while, he came out again, still silent, and just left. No one moved or spoke, as if everyone had been startled by this sudden scene.
The next day, at the same hour, the same chime sounded, and the door opened again. The child returned, repeating the same routine: silent entry, silent exit, then vanishing.
On the third day, he came again.
This time, the guest couldn’t contain himself. He asked the father of the household, “Who is that child in white who comes in every noon? Is he your child?”
The father looked puzzled. “What child? I haven’t seen anyone.”
The mother added, “We haven’t seen anyone come in either.”
But the guest was certain. He had seen it clearly.
On the fourth day, the child came again. This time, the guest didn’t sit down. He quietly stood up, walked to the door of the next room, pushed it open a crack, and peered inside.
He saw the little boy sitting on the floor, head bowed, digging frantically with his fingers into the cracks of the floorboards, as if searching for something. His movements were urgent, like he was digging or searching for a hidden object.
The moment the guest moved, the little boy suddenly looked up at him, then vanished instantly.
The guest hurried back and told the family everything he had seen.He described the child in detail: his age, what he was wearing, the expression on his face, even the precise motion of his fingers scraping the floor.
Hearing this, the mother covered her mouth with her hand, tears streaming down her face. Her voice trembling, she said, “That was my son… my little son. He passed away from illness a month ago… he was only four years old.”
Only then did the family realize that the child was the mother’s deceased little boy.
The mother continued, “I remember once he came to me asking for two coins to give to a poor child. I gave them to him, but he never gave them away. I suppose… he probably wanted to keep them to buy snacks himself, so he secretly tucked the coins into the floorboards. Then he forgot to mention it, and never brought it up again… But he fell ill himself and passed away soon after.”
Everyone felt deeply saddened by this story.
Later, Dad and Mom pried up the floorboards and found two old coins, slightly tarnished, tucked in the crack.
They didn’t keep the money. Instead, they immediately gave it to a poor person.
From that day on, the door never opened again at noon. The little boy in white never appeared again.
The Truth Behind the Story
This tale isn’t about ghosts, but about how “unfinished business weighs heavily on the heart.” The child didn’t truly return for the coins—it was the family’s unresolved guilt. He had hidden money meant for charity, failing to fulfill his wish. His mother never forgot, never stopped feeling remorse. This lingering emotion made everyone in the house feel “as if he were still here.”
When those two coins were finally given to the poor, it was as if the child’s original wish had been fulfilled. The mother’s heart found peace, and the strange feeling in the house vanished.
What Lesson Does This Story Teach Us?
When people do something that goes against their conscience, they carry a constant sense of unease.
Even small things—like promising to do something for someone and failing to follow through, or taking something and not returning it—can weigh heavily on the heart.
This holds true for adults and children alike. The boy in the story might have simply been greedy, wanting to save money for cookies, but this small act became a knot in his family’s hearts after he left.
Therefore, we must learn to be honest, admit our mistakes, and fulfill our responsibilities. This brings peace of mind to both ourselves and others.
Sometimes, letting go of the past isn’t about forgetting, but about properly completing what remains unfinished.
