The four of them stepped into the haunted house corridor, the girls leading while the boys trailed a step behind. The narrow hallway was lined with peeling wallpaper, cobwebs dangling from the corners, and flickering lanterns that barely lit the way. Faint groans and whispers drifted from hidden speakers, making it feel like something could jump out at any moment.
Sayu's eyes darted left and right, tense with every creak of the floor. Alice leaned in close, whispering with a shaky laugh, "This is so detailed, don't you think?"
"Yeah…" Sayu murmured. Her tone was flat, but her stiff shoulders betrayed her. For all her composure in most situations, horror was the one thing she couldn't mask. She hated it.
The deeper they walked, the louder the ambient sounds grew—chains dragging, footsteps pacing, eerie laughter echoing from nowhere. Suddenly, the dim light flickered, then died completely. The hallway fell into suffocating darkness.
"Eh—what the…?" Hans muttered, his voice low but tight.
Sayu froze, her breath catching in her throat. In the pitch black she reached out blindly, desperate to hold onto something. Her fingers brushed against a hand—cold to the touch, but solid. The contact grounded her, and without thinking she gripped it tightly, shutting her eyes against the surrounding laughter that filled the void.
Then, with a harsh buzz, the lights snapped back on. At the exact same moment, a clown mannequin burst out from a hidden panel, its painted face inches away, releasing a shrill mechanical laugh.
"AHHH!" Sayu and Alice screamed together, stumbling back. Even Hans and Hayato flinched hard, though they managed to swallow their voices.
Alice pressed her hand against her chest and let out a shaky laugh. "Oh my god, it's just a mannequin! Damn it, you almost gave me a heart attack!" She swatted lightly at the figure as if scolding it.
Sayu sighed with relief, her heartbeat beginning to calm. That was when she noticed it—the hand she had been clutching since the blackout. Heat rushed to her cheeks at the thought of whose hand she might be holding. Slowly, nervously, to apologize she let her gaze follow the grip down to the arm.
Her breath hitched.
It wasn't attached to anyone. It was nothing more than a severed, bloodied prop arm, rubber flesh torn and painted red, dangling in her grasp.
Her scream ripped through the corridor.
"KYYAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
* * *
The quartet teens stepped out of the haunted house, blinking against the sudden brightness. Alice broke into a laugh, clutching her stomach.
"Haha! That scream was something else," she teased, flashing Sayu a playful grin.
Sayu forced a weak chuckle, her face red with embarrassment. "S-Sorry..."
Hans muttered under his breath, just loud enough to be heard. "I told you not to force it."
Hayato smiled faintly at the exchange, trailing beside them as they walked.
Alice, as lively as ever, turned to Sayu and Hayato. "So, do you guys have any plans after this?"
"Well, not really, but—" Hayato began, only for Alice to cut him off with a grin.
"Good! Then let's go on the Ferris wheel. Trust me, it'll be fun!"
By now, both Hayato and Sayu understood Alice's personality. Resistance was pointless, so they exchanged a look and nodded.
"Nice. And don't worry—this one isn't scary," Alice added, winking at Sayu, who only grew more embarrassed.
They made their way toward the Ferris wheel, chatting lightly as they walked past colorful stalls and the buzz of games echoing in the distance.
"So, are you two from Sakura University as well?" Alice asked, her arm linked casually through Sayu's.
"Yeah. I'm a first-year—" Sayu began, but Hayato's phone rang, cutting her off.
The group paused as he checked the caller ID. Unknown number. He excused himself politely and picked up.
"Hello? Who is this?"
"Excuse me, sir, are you the owner of a black Lexus parked in front of the amusement park?"
"Yes, I am. Is something wrong?"
There was muffled chatter on the other end before the voice continued. "You're blocking the driveway. Could you move it immediately?"
Hayato sighed softly. "I see. Sorry for the trouble. I'll be right there."
He hung up, and Sayu tilted her head. "What happened?"
"Looks like I parked in the wrong spot. I'll need to move my car." He glanced at her. "Why don't you three go on ahead? I'll catch up."
Sayu nodded, understanding. After a brief apology, Hayato hurried off toward the parking lot.
Alice puffed her cheeks. "Wow. He even owns a Lexus, isn't that around 40 to 60 million KJC[1]? Are you sure he's just a student?" she joked, giving Sayu a nudge. "Anyway, come on!"
She tugged Sayu forward, Hans following behind as they reached the Ferris wheel. The massive structure turned slowly against the sky, each cart creaking with movement as laughter drifted from inside. A line of couples and families snaked along the entrance.
They joined the queue, shuffling forward bit by bit. Alice kept the conversation light, filling in the silence whenever it fell. But as they waited, she suddenly pressed a hand against her stomach, her face twisting slightly.
Hans noticed. "Are you okay?"
Sayu looked at her, worried. "Alice?"
"Sorry... I think I need to use the restroom," Alice admitted, glancing nervously at the line ahead. "I'll be back before it's our turn!"
Without waiting, she jogged off toward the restrooms.
That left Sayu and Hans standing alone in the line. For a few moments, neither spoke, until Hans finally broke the silence.
"...Hey."
Sayu shifted, hugging her panda plush closer. "Hey."
"So... you're really on a date with him?" Hans asked, his tone sharp but quiet.
Sayu hesitated, stepping forward with the line. "Yeah... I am."
Hans let out a small scoff. "And here I thought you said you two weren't anything."
"It's not like that, Hans..."
"Yeah. It isn't." His voice trailed off into silence, the words heavy between them. Sayu lowered her gaze, unsure how to explain the truth.
The line moved faster than expected, and soon they found themselves at the very front.
"Next pair, get in!" the operator barked.
"Ah, we're actually waiting for someone else—" Sayu began.
But the man cut her off with a wave. "Then what, you want us to hold the whole ride for your friends? Look behind you, people are waiting. Either get in or step aside."
Annoyed voices and murmurs rose from the crowd behind them.
Hans exhaled sharply. Without a word, he took Sayu's hand and guided her forward. "Come on. Let's just go."
Before she could protest, they were ushered into a cart. The door shut behind them with a metallic click. The Ferris wheel lurched into motion, the cart swaying gently as it rose higher into the glowing evening sky.
Awkward silence filled the small space. The only sounds were the faint creak of the wheel and the distant hum of the carnival below.
[1] Currency Exchange: 1USD=1000KJC