The forest was supposed to be quiet at night.
But somehow… it wasn't.
There were bugs buzzing, leaves whispering, someone from Tent 4 loudly snoring and then there was Hinata, who shook me awake like it was an emergency.
"Kuroyuki. Get up. Now."
I groaned. "What? Is it morning?"
"Nope. Night game. Forest challenge. The teachers just announced it."
"Why would anyone invent a game at this hour?!"
"Because adults are evil," she said, handing me a flashlight and yanking my hoodie over my head. "Come on! We're going into the WOODS!"
---
Ten minutes later, all the students were lined up at the forest edge like we were in some kind of survival movie. The teachers looked way too excited for this time of night.
"Tonight's team-building activity," one of them explained, "is a navigation game. You'll move in pairs through the forest trail. Along the way, you'll find markers with riddles. Solve them, stamp your card, and move forward. First team to reach the campfire wins!"
Hinata raised her hand. "What happens if we get eaten by wolves?"
"Wolves don't live here," the teacher said. "Probably."
Everyone laughed. Except me.
Because I just read the partner list… and felt my soul momentarily leave my body.
Pair 3: Kuroyuki Kenyu & Shinbou Ryusei.
"Why do I feel cursed?" I whispered.
Hinata grinned from her spot next to Itsuki. "You're welcome."
---
The forest trail was marked with tiny lanterns and glow sticks.
I walked beside Shinbou, neither of us saying much. The only sound was the crunch of twigs under our feet and the occasional chirp of… something I didn't want to think about.
We reached the first riddle marker.
A small wooden sign read:
"I have no eyes, but I can cry. What am I?"
"Easy," I said. "A cloud."
We stamped the card and moved on.
At the second riddle station, I tripped over a root and nearly face-planted.
Shinbou caught my wrist quickly steady, strong then let go just as fast.
"You okay?"
"Yeah," I mumbled, heat creeping up my neck. "Stupid roots."
We didn't say anything for a while after that.
But I could feel the distance shrinking.
---
At the third riddle, the question was:
"I speak without a mouth, and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with wind."
We both answered at the same time:
"An echo."
Our eyes met.
A flicker of something.
I looked away first.
---
As we neared the fourth marker, I heard laughter somewhere ahead probably Hinata and Itsuki.
"I think she likes him," I said, trying to fill the quiet.
Shinbou glanced over. "That obvious?"
I smiled. "You notice things."
"Sometimes."
Another pause.
Then he asked, "Why do you keep looking at me like you know me?"
I froze.
"I What?"
He didn't stop walking. "You stare. You ask things. You act like I'm supposed to remember something."
My chest tightened.
"I'm not I mean, I thought I knew you," I said carefully. "But maybe I was wrong."
"Maybe," he said softly. "Or maybe you're not."
---
We reached the last marker.
It wasn't a riddle this time just a blank card nailed to a tree, with the words:
"Write something you've forgotten but wish you remembered."
I hesitated.
Shinbou took the pencil, stared at the card… then didn't write anything.
He handed it to me.
I scribbled two words before I could stop myself:
"Her voice."
---
We reached the campfire last.
The other students were already laughing, roasting marshmallows, taking pictures. Hinata waved us over.
"You two took forever!" she grinned. "Did you get lost? Fall in love? Fight off raccoons?"
I rolled my eyes. "Definitely the raccoons."
But I couldn't stop thinking about what Shinbou said.
Or how he looked at that card.
Like part of him was searching for something, but didn't know what.