"Now, let's head to the next one."
This classroom marked the end of the third-year floor. It was a natural conclusion to our rounds, and we had finished without any major issues.
The fools who had come specifically to catch a glimpse of Sara-san and the others—or rather, the seniors—were still gathered in significant numbers. Now that our business was done, it was best to move on quickly.
Still... it seemed everyone had finally grown accustomed to the situation. They had stopped paying any mind to their surroundings.
Their adaptability was certainly impressive.
"Next is the second-year floor... Hey Marina, do you think there are any interesting exhibits there?"
Just as we reached the stairs, Tachikawa-san suddenly spoke up.
By "interesting," she likely meant "fun" in the same sense as the shooting gallery we had just left.
"Um, let's see... Oh, there’s a class doing a haunted house. I think there was another one doing a variety of ring toss games, too."
"A haunted house!? I'm definitely interested in that! Though I'm not so sure about the ring toss."
Regarding the haunted house Todo-san mentioned, I had actually visited it several times for inspections during the preparation period. They had worked on a massive scale and even involved the Art Club, so there had been plenty of reasons to check in on their progress.
However, I hadn't seen the project since the middle stages, so I had no idea how the final product had turned out.
"A-A haunted house? I... well, I’m not really..."
"Ah, Eririn is exceptionally bad with scary things, after all~"
"Wait, you don't have to say it so loudly!"
Nishikawa-san frantically tried to cover Natsumi-senpai’s mouth, but she was easily dodged. As expected of Natsumi-senpai, her reflexes were sharp.
"Oh, come on, it’s fine. Doesn't that sort of thing actually score points with guys? Right, Takanashi-kun?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah, I suppose. I think it’s normally quite cute. I doubt any guy would see it as a negative, at least."
I wasn't entirely sure why the question had been thrown my way, but I answered with the intent of backing Nishikawa-san up. Being a scaredy-cat was certainly nothing to be ashamed of. From the perspective of the average guy, I figured it was only natural to want to protect someone in that state.
"C-Cute!? D-Do you really think so? Well, if that's the case... I suppose..."
For some reason, Nishikawa-san nodded with a faint blush on her face. It wasn't quite the reaction I had anticipated, but if it made her feel better, then so be it.
"...Haha. How should I put it? Kazunari is as natural as ever."
"...Kazunari is just being honest. Don't lump him in with a handsome guy who thinks too much."
"...Guh. You're as harsh on me as ever."
"...That is incorrect. In the first place, I have no intention of being kind to any man other than Kazunari."
"...I-I see. Yeah... I guess you're right."
"...?"
"But if Nishikawa-san is bad with scary things, should we skip the haunted house?"
"N-No, I'll just wait outside. Please, don't mind me."
"That's no good, Eririn."
"She's right. It’s meaningless unless we all enjoy it together!"
Tachikawa-san’s sentiment was shared by all of us—it was practically an implicit rule of our group. I nodded along with the others. If Nishikawa-san couldn't go, then naturally, we wouldn't either—
"Everyone..."
Looking at us, Nishikawa-san appeared deeply moved, but then—
"It’s okay, it’s okay! A haunted house isn't scary if we all go in together!"
"Ah, that’s true! It’s like the old saying—crossing a red light isn't scary if we all do it together!"
...Wait.
Hold on a second.
Wasn't the flow of this conversation getting a little strange?
"Eh!? No, wait, I—!"
"Alright, that settles it! Let's go right now!"
"Come on, come on, let's get in there! We’re charging in all at once!"
As this unexpected development unfolded, the two of them firmly locked their arms around the flustered Nishikawa-san while the rest of us watched in a daze. What were they planning?
"Natsumi, Tachikawa-san, I said I—!"
"Let’s go~!"
"And we’re off!"
"Wait, stop, I hate haunted houseeeeees!"
Nishikawa-san’s scream and the joyful laughter of Natsumi-senpai and the others echoed through the stairwell. The three of them vanished down the stairs with incredible momentum, their voices fading into the distance.
Left behind in the wake of the sudden chaos, we stood there, unable to process what had just happened.
For some reason, the song Dona Dona started playing as mental background music in my head...
Wait, this was no time for that! We had to catch up!
And so, we were now going to charge into the haunted house all together!
...That, of course, was not actually the case. Thanks to the intervention of those of us who caught up (mainly Sara-san), Nishikawa-san was safely released.
The culprits—no, Natsumi-senpai and the others—had refused to let go of her hands until Sara-san scolded them. I hoped that part was just a joke... hopefully.
"Now then..."
"Yes..."
The reason Sara-san was sighing as she tried to regain control was the sight currently greeting us.
"...Ooooh, they’re finally here!"
"Move it, I can't see!"
"...Nishikawa-san is here!"
"Sigh, the Little Angel-chan is just too cute..."
"You don't get it, the simple cuteness of the Pure Angel is the absolute best!"
The situation was nearly identical to when we had first arrived on the third-year floor. Perhaps because Sara-san and the others were second-years, the crowd of seniors—mostly boys—gathering around seemed even larger. There were even people trying to use their status as former classmates as an excuse to approach them.
Since it was the school festival, I suppose everything was treated like a wild celebration.
"Kazunari, if we linger here, more idiots will swarm us. It’s better to just go inside."
"...You're right."
Just as Hanako-san said, there was no point in standing around staring at this idiotic scene. It was best to act quickly.
"Alright, everyone, let's go."
I called out to the group and adjusted my armband. Even if showing it off didn't do much to repel the "bugs," it at least gave me a valid excuse to push through, citing our official duties.
However, there was still one more problem.
"Um, I... I’ll stay here."
"...S-Sorry, Takanashi-kun. I think I'll... stay here too..."
Standing before the classroom entrance, Nishikawa-san and Todo-san had completely lost their nerve. Their reason was painfully obvious.
"Kyaaaaaaaaa!"
"Noooooo!"
"Eeeeeeeeek!"
As if perfectly timed, high-pitched female screams erupted from inside the room. Upon hearing them, the two of them clung to each other’s hands and let out similar cries.
I had no intention of forcing them, so it seemed best to split into an entry group and a waiting group.
And so, I found myself preparing to enter the haunted house after all.
"Well... for now, I'll head in."
To be honest, I wasn't great with these things either. But since this classroom was using its entire space for the exhibit, I had no choice but to enter for the inspection. I just had to steel my nerves...
"I shall accompany you, naturally."
"Don't worry, Kazunari has his big sister with him."
Following my lead, Sara-san and Hanako-san volunteered. It was incredibly reassuring, though I felt a bit pathetic for thinking so. But you know... no matter how much of a man you are, scary things are scary.
"Oh, I'm definitely going too! It looks like fun!"
"Naturally, I'm going in. Yuji, you're coming too, right?"
"Guh!"
Tachikawa-san and Natsumi-senpai joining was expected. The real problem was Yuji. As it turned out, he was just as terrified of horror as I was.
"Hm? What's with that reaction?"
"N-No, I just wondered if it was okay for such a large group to enter together."
"Oh, it's perfectly fine to go in with a lot of people~!"
"I-I see. Then... I guess I'll go."
The Information Lady immediately cut off his escape route, and Yuji’s participation was happily decided by force. Natsumi-senpai didn't miss his distress for a second.
"Wow, this looks so fun! Right, Yuji?"
"Y-Yes... it does..."
Natsumi-senpai’s smile was far too meaningful. I couldn't help but suspect she was plotting something.
"Um... excuse me, I'm just going to..."
"Ugh, I'm also, well..."
On the opposite side, Nishikawa-san and Todo-san were practically shrinking into themselves with guilt. Beside them, Hayato gave me a look and a nod.
Right. I’d leave this to Hayato.
"Hayato, we're heading in. I’m counting on you to look after Todo-san and Nishikawa-san."
"Yeah, leave them to me. Everyone, be careful."
We all nodded at Hayato’s reply, and I explained our situation to the girl at the reception. Given the commotion we'd made right in front of her, the "inspection" part was likely already clear.
"Understood! But since it's an inspection, I should treat you like normal customers, right?"
"...Wait, what?"
Well, I suppose that made sense in a way. Still, I didn't think she needed to take it that far.
"Six people coming through! It's a Student Council inspection! Satsukawa-san is going in, too!"
Without waiting for my answer, the reception girl called out to the staff inside. For some reason, she placed a strange amount of emphasis on the fact that Sara-san was entering.
"""Uoooooooohhhhhhhh!"""
The sudden, powerful roar that erupted from inside the classroom was startling. With production values like that, I wondered if this was a more authentic haunted house than I had imagined—
"They're heeeeeere!"
"I'm first!"
"I'm next in line, damn it!"
"Don't screw with me! You guys were just complaining about how much of a pain this shift was!"
"Stick to the schedule, you bastards!"
"Boys, be quiet!"
"Cut it out already!"
"""............"""
...Well, of course it wasn't.
As the rowdy shouts of the idiots inside reached us, Sara-san’s gaze grew increasingly cold. Hanako-san’s did as well. Honestly... it was the same story no matter where we went.
"Sigh... let's just go."
I was getting tired of this predictable pattern myself. However, it was also true that thanks to their behavior, any fear I’d had was gone. In that sense, they had actually helped.
Let's just get this over with quickly.
Once we actually stepped into the haunted house, the atmosphere was far more convincing than I had expected, and I instinctively felt a surge of tension.
There were mannequins wearing wigs and a heavy use of shadows created by clever lighting. Antique ornaments placed in the dark created an eerie vibe, stirring a strange sense of unease.
The area before us was a reproduction of a room with a distinct atmosphere reminiscent of the early Showa era. Of course, given the size of a standard classroom, they couldn't have secured a massive amount of space. It was only about the scale of a single corner.
But the narrowness actually made it feel as though there was nowhere to run.
I had assumed this would be a standard haunted house where things like yokai or fallen samurai would jump out at us. Instead, this felt more modern—like The Ring or Ju-on, where the "vibe" builds tension until the main event appears.
"T-This is more atmospheric than I thought."
"Y-Yeah... even if it's just a mannequin, seeing it like this is a bit..."
Despite their bravado before entering, Natsumi-senpai and Tachikawa-san had become noticeably quiet. Ironically, their obvious anxiety was only heightening the tension in the room.
By which I mean... even I was starting to feel a bit... well.
"Kazunari-san, please don't push yourself."
"I-I'm fine."
Sara-san spoke in a calm voice, gripping my hand tightly as if to reassure me. Because of that, I couldn't back down out of pride, regardless of my true feelings. Whether you called it a bluff or sheer bravado, I refused to show a pathetic side of myself.
...Though it might have been a little late for that.
"I will tear anyone who dares to scare Kazunari into pieces."
"Wait, Hanako-san, that's a bit too violent even for a joke."
"It's fine. I'm serious."
"............"
I wanted to ask what exactly was "fine" about that, but—
Tachikawa-san, who had heard Hanako-san’s blunt declaration, turned toward me in silence. Hanako-san’s voice made it difficult to tell if she was joking or not. But from what I could hear... unfortunately, she sounded quite serious.
"Aaaaaahhhhhh..."
"!?"
Just as we were about to move from the eerie little room, a raspy, groaning voice drifted from the shadows a short distance away. At the same time, the sliding door of the closet in front of us began to rattle. We watched for a moment until, as expected, it began to slowly creak open.
So that’s where they were hiding.
"Kazunari-san, this way."
I braced myself for what was coming, but I was suddenly pulled close by Sara-san, and my vision went black.
Wait... that was strange. I was supposed to be in hell, so when exactly did I arrive in heaven?
"Aaaaaahhhhhh... huh? ...A-Aaaaaah!?"
The ghost had finally appeared, but since my vision was obscured, I couldn't see it. However, I felt like the ghost's groan had changed unnaturally. It sounded like they were... surprised?
"Aaaaaahhhhhh!"
The groans suddenly multiplied. Judging by the sound, a crowd of "ghosts" was gathering around us. The density of the voices was increasing—just how many were there?
"Wa-wa-wa-wa, it’s like Resident Evil in here!"
"Wait, wait, wait, isn't this too many!?"
"A shotgun... no, a rocket laun— without a second thought..."
"Hanako-san, what are you saying!? Also, that's a waste, a hand gre— never mind!"
Judging by the voices of Natsumi-senpai and Tachikawa-san (who sounded particularly panicked), the situation around us was clearly spiraling. Thinking about it calmly, was it even possible for so many ghosts to congregate in one spot in such a narrow exhibit?
"It's okay, Kazunari-san. I am with you."
"No, I mean, Sara-san?"
Sara-san, perhaps still believing I was scared, showed no sign of letting go. On the contrary, she was gently stroking my head even now. But honestly, I wanted to see what was happening with my own eyes...
"Aaaaaahhhhhh... a-ah... ah... aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"
The groans changed once more. This was no mistake; they were clearly reacting in shock to something they were seeing. Seriously, what was going on?
"S-Sara-san!?"
"Kazunari-san, you mustn't look yet."
I felt a soft pressure.
"Mgh."
Sara-san hugged my head a bit tighter. Consequently, my face was buried even deeper into her soft heaven.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"
The ghosts' groans weren't even groans anymore; they had turned into full-blown screams of absolute astonishment. Any lingering shred of horror was gone, replaced by shouts of pure jealousy and shock. The haunted house had such great atmosphere, but the quality of the ghosts was ruining it.
"...I think I can see how this ends."
"...What a coincidence. Me too. The haunted house we worked so hard on is being ruined in so many ways..."
"...The usual."
"...I was actually kind of saved by this..."
"Hey! What are you guys doing!?"
"If you're all crowded here, Satsukawa-san and the others can't move forward!"
"Wait, that's not fair, you bastards!"
It seemed more classmates had noticed the commotion and gathered around. This was becoming a total mess.
"O-Our bad, Satsukawa-san! I'll get these guys out of—... oh."
"What are you guys just standing... there... for..."
"What exactly are you look...ing... at..."
The people who had rushed over seemed to choke on their words halfway through. It was likely that, just like the ghosts, they were stunned by whatever they were seeing. But what was it?
"U-Um... Satsukawa-san."
"Is something the matter?"
"W-W-What exactly are you doing?"
"Can't you tell by looking?"
"N-No... well..."
Sara-san and the seniors began a bizarre exchange. It was clear that their shock was directed at Sara-san’s behavior, but Sara-san had been hugging me the whole time. That meant she shouldn't have been doing anything else.
...Wait. Does that mean the reason they’re so shocked is...
"S-Satsukawa-san, um, that... that’s the Vice President, right?"
"And?"
"W-Why has it turned out like that?"
"I have no reason to explain that to you."
"""............"""
"Um, Sara-san?"
"Kazunari-san, it’s a 'no-no' to show your face, okay?"
I tried to lift my head to see what was going on, but I was immediately pressed back down. Sara-san simply continued stroking my head as if nothing were out of the ordinary.
"Wha..."
"Wha-What is..."
"Wait... hold on..."
"A-A-Aaaaaah..."
Even I could predict the ending at this point. It was the same as always. So, I decided to just give in. I leaned into Sara-san’s affection, pressing my face slightly closer of my own accord. Whatever happened, happened.
"Fufu... Kazunari-san, what a good boy."
She continued to stroke my hair.
"Wha..."
"Wha..."
"""WHAT THE HELL IS THAAAAAAAAT!?"""
Inside the haunted house, the "ghosts" let out a massive shout of disbelief. I didn't really understand what they were getting at anymore... actually, no, I did. If these were the voices of customers, it would be normal, but these were definitely not the sounds ghosts were supposed to make.
If the ones doing the scaring are the ones getting scared, then the whole thing is just counterproductive... honestly.