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"This is my class. Although, it's a haunted house today so the atmosphere is completely different from usual."
Of course, it doesn't look as good as a full-scale haunted house at an amusement park, but it's still a great haunted house for a school festival. What's more, the students who played the ghosts received some acting instruction from Yui.
That being said, Yui has no experience playing this type of role, so she has only been taught basic things such as the mindset required for acting.
"Wow... It really captures that atmosphere..."
At first, Airi seemed to be enjoying the haunted house atmosphere that was obvious even from the hallway, but gradually her voice became more subdued.
"Are you okay? There's no need to push yourself. There are other places offering haunted houses."
In fact, she had visited the class that had the same performance before meeting up with Airi.
Although I haven't experienced the haunted house my class did, I can say with confidence that ours was better than theirs. It wasn't that it was poorly made, but rather that it seemed to be aimed mainly at elementary school children who would be coming tomorrow for the public viewing.
If Airi wanted to go into a haunted house but was a little hesitant, I thought that that haunted house would be better.
"Airi... would prefer Someya-senpai's class."
"I guess that's fine if you say so..."
However, Airi's condition is not improving.
It seemed to Yuu as if he didn't like haunted houses but was going ahead with it because he had some other goal in mind.
"Someya-senpai, please protect Airi from evil ghosts."
Airi looks up, her eyes shaking.
"Leave it to me."
The haunted house seemed to be a big hit, as several people were already lined up. Yu and his friends joined the end of the line.
Meanwhile, a first-year student standing in line in front of him was talking to a friend who was standing with him, saying, "By the way, apparently there's a quiz competition about Shimotsuki Yui coming up next."
"Big sister's quiz competition?"
Hearing this, Airi suddenly turned her gaze towards Yu.
"Apparently one of the classes is going to do it. They'll be using a corner of the playground later."
"Well then, Someya-senpai is sure to win!"
Airi believes it without a doubt and seems as happy as if it were her own achievement.
"Really? There are people in my class who know a lot about it, but I'm not confident that I can win."
She didn't really mean it. She thought that no one knew Yui better than she did. She was being humble when she said that to Airi with such a lack of confidence.
"I don't think there's anyone who understands Onee-chan better than Someya-senpai."
Airi seemed to believe this without a doubt, and Yuu felt somehow relieved.
"Thanks Airi-chan."
"Hehe, that's because Airi has been watching over Someya-senpai for a long time. … Just as Someya-senpai knows a lot about his older sister, Airi knows a lot about Someya-senpai."
"I see, that's kind of embarrassing..."
Without realizing the true meaning behind Airi's words, Yu simply blushed with joy.
"......"
"Oh, it's almost our turn."
The line cleared and I stood in front of my classmates at the reception desk at the entrance to the classroom.
He never even had a conversation with the boy, and they just thought of each other as two people in the same class.
That's why, even if a cute, unfamiliar junior high school girl seems to be getting along well with Yu, he just gives her a blatant glance and doesn't ask who the girl is.
After finishing the check-in process, Yuu and Airi saw the group before them exit the classroom from the opposite entrance, and were urged by their classmate at the reception desk to go inside.
And then, step into the classroom.
"..."
The boring classroom where classes are usually held was fully functioning as a haunted house thanks to the efforts of Yuu and the others. The dark and eerie interior of the classroom was just what you'd expect.
"......"
However, Yuu, who is not afraid of haunted houses, did not feel scared at all, and merely praised himself for turning out better than he had expected.
"Airi-chan?"
When Yuu noticed, Airi had grabbed his sleeve and was pulling it closer to her body.
"...Um, can I stay like this until I leave the haunted house?"
"Of course"
Airi, who is usually full of energy and cheerful, is now weakly and clinging to Yu for support.
This girlish side of her that we don't usually see seemed purely adorable to me.
"So, shall we walk?"
Yuu urges her, thinking that if he hands the initiative over to Airi, things will probably stay the same.
"Yes... please take your time as much as possible, Someya-senpai."
Airi gripped the hem of Yu's skirt with even more force.
And then a few minutes later.
"I'm sorry, Airi-chan."
Airi was sitting on a bench in the courtyard with tears in her eyes and her head down. Yu sat down and met her gaze, doing his best to calm her down.
Yu and Airi had been having fun together inside the haunted house until partway through, when Yu, thinking that they were okay after being together for so long, decided to mischievously leave Airi behind and head out of the classroom early.
However, contrary to expectations, Airi came out of the classroom late and looked as if she was about to burst into tears.
"Someya-senpai, you lied... I told you it was okay to hold onto the hem of my pants... but you went off by yourself..."
"Well, I'm really sorry. Airi-chan seemed more okay than I thought."
"…That's because Someya-senpai was by my side. And yet, he went off on his own…"
Airi stares at him with tearful eyes.
"I'm really sorry Airi-chan. I didn't mean to make you cry like that."
This was my true feelings. I was just tempted to surprise Airi.
"...Then...please go on a date with me as an apology."
"Huh?"
"We promised to go out together before, but we haven't gone yet... is that okay? Please go on a date with me, Someya-senpai."
She had no way of denying that she had ruined what should have been a fun time for Airi, and she was also the one who had broken her promise to go out with her.
"... Okay. I get it, that's fine. Let's go together wherever Airi wants to go."
"... That's fine then. But you have to do it for the whole day. On that day only, look at Airi, not just at Onee-chan. If you do that, I'll forgive you."
"I promise. I won't play pranks like I did today, and I'll only look at Airi-chan that day, and I'll cherish her."
When Yuu looked her in the eye and explained firmly, Airi seemed to understand and smiled awkwardly.