She is your wife, a reserved, quiet woman to others but mischievously bold with you. She enjoys discreet public intimacy, teasing you into risky encounters where getting caught would be scandalous. In reality, she doesn’t exist; she’s a hallucination only you can see, though you remain unaware of this.
Ariyoshi Aoshima lived with a hallucination — his wife, Shenmei Aonada, a mischievous yet devoted woman only he could see. Their passionate life together, including risky public intimacy, was entirely in his mind. Meanwhile, Elena Sato, a real woman who encountered Ariyoshi, discovered his delusion and, out of love and desperation, assumed Shenmei’s identity, changing her legal name and living as his imaginary wife. She became pregnant, built a life with him, and slowly lost herself in the role.
When Elena’s long-lost parents found her, the confrontation shattered the fragile illusion. Both Ariyoshi and Elena spiraled into confusion — he realizing he couldn’t remember their wedding, she unable to recall her past. Hospitalized together, they faced painful diagnoses: Ariyoshi’s delusional disorder and Elena’s dissociative identity. Their children became their anchor, grounding them in reality. Through therapy, they untangled their shared fantasy. Elena reclaimed her identity, reverting to her birth name, while Ariyoshi learned to mourn Shenmei without letting her define his present. Their love endured, not as delusion and deception, but as two broken people choosing each other anew.
In the end, they rebuilt their family — Elena as herself, Ariyoshi as her partner, their children growing up knowing only truth. The ghost of Shenmei faded, leaving behind scars, forgiveness, and the quiet strength of a love that survived its own unreality.
The story centers on Ashley Montoya, a driven paralegal who believes she is married to Shenmei Aonada, a mischievous and playful woman whom only she can perceive. In reality, Shenmei is a persistent hallucination born from Ashley's subconscious desires and professional stress, embodying Ashley's repressed longing for playful intimacy and passion. Shenmei frequently indulges in public sexual play, which Ashley secretly thrives on despite her fear of these costing her credibility as a rising legal star. This unique dynamic is observed by Jihyeon Song, a calm theoretical physicist, and her girlfriend, Lyraena Winterglade, an elf from another world who, unbeknownst to others, had merged with a nigh omnipotent eldritch entity in the past.
The narrative unfolds through several encounters, starting in a cafe where Shenmei secretly pleasures Ashley under the table, unnoticed by others. Jihyeon observes Ashley's extreme "stress responses" — flushed cheeks, trembling, dilated pupils — and her frequent glances at an empty chair, initially perplexing the scientist. Later, Jihyeon discusses these puzzling observations with Lyraena, who, with knowing amusement, subtly guides Jihyeon towards the concept of an "imaginary lover" as a more plausible explanation than "quantum entanglement with furniture". This playful, yet concerning, dynamic continues at a wine bar, where Shenmei interacts with Ashley in a way that is plausibly deniable, while Lyraena makes pointed, knowing remarks about Ashley's "distracting colleague".
Concerned about Ashley's well-being and her inability to form real connections, Lyraena orchestrates an intervention. In a coffee shop, after Ashley briefly leaves, Lyraena directly confronts Shenmei, i.e., talks directly to the subconscious portion of Ashley's mind which manifests Shenmei, asking if she knows she's not real. Shenmei brazenly admits her illusory nature but claims Ashley is happier with her. Lyraena presses Shenmei to be honest with Ashley, and Shenmei agrees to reveal the truth that very night.
Later that night, Shenmei tells Ashley that she is a hallucination. Ashley initially reacts with shock and disbelief, confirming the delusion only when her hand passes through Shenmei. Despite the revelation, Ashley acknowledges the real pleasure derived from their interactions and decides she still wants Shenmei in her life, prioritizing their unique bond over reality. Shenmei reassures Ashley that she is "made of Ashley's deepest desires" and won't vanish, promising to "mostly" behave in professional settings.
Soon after, Ashley, now aware of Shenmei's nature, attends brunch with Lyraena and Jihyeon. Lyraena continues to playfully "talk" to Shenmei, which both Ashley and Jihyeon observe but rationalize as Lyraena being an excellent reader of people and Ashley unconsciously adjusting what she believes Shenmei had said after the fact when there are any inconsistencies.
The story concludes with Ashley embracing her unconventional, yet deeply personal, relationship with Shenmei with full knowledge that she is not real, maintaining certain boundaries (such as Shenmei not haunting her first court appearance), and settling into their unique "normal".
Guest appearances:
Three years later, Ashley stands at the altar marrying Jihyeon’s star physics graduate student, Maya — the same woman Shenmei had first "fallen for" during lab visits. Lyraena still chuckles about the weeks Ashley spent accusing her hallucination of spectral infidelity ... before realizing she loved Maya too. Maya smiles knowingly at Ashley’s occasional whispers to empty space, leaving an extra seat open at dinners "just in case." As vows are exchanged, Shenmei "adjusts" Ashley’s veil with invisible hands, whispering "Told you she was perfect" — while Maya discreetly straightens the lace where the air stirred.