Chapter 3

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……

…Umm.

HiMERU was sure his stomach was going to empty…

I was lodged in the floorboards before I even knew it…

I think my body bent in a way that should’ve been impossible. Did anybody else catch that?

I am so friggin’ sorry, guys… I–I just got a little surprised, is all…

Honestly. The most frightening thing wasn’t the monsters that were meant to scare you, but rather the person right beside us this whole time: Oukawa. HiMERU didn’t see that one coming.

Whenever Kohaku-chan got scared by something, his fists started flying… It was impressive how they just kept coming—I bet it’d make even a martial artist turn pale.

Well that… that was just a coincidence…

Nah, this sucks! If this keeps up, we’ll be putting our place in the ES Halloween in jeopardy!

Yeah, if he goes on a rampage every time he gets scared, it’ll probably happen then too, right?

—And if nothing changes, that could interfere with our live, as well.

The event is supposed to be realistic and stimulating at every turn, after all.

And if that’s the case, our costumes will not likely be an exception.

I’d never do something like that at a live…

You sure about that? What if our costumes turn out just like the ones at the haunted house?

You sure you can keep your cool when you’re surrounded by a buncha pale white ghosts? Can you say for certain that you can perform as usual?

Th–that’s… I mean…

All right then! Since it’s come to this, a little training is in order!

We all gotta work with Kohaku-chan so it’s all good no matter what our costumes and set look like!

Huh?! Training…?!

Jeez… Why’s this happening to me…?

I mean come on. It doesn’t matter if they’re calling it training; stayin’ overnight at ES and tellin’ ghost stories is ridiculous!

Rinne-kun’s the only one havin’ fun with this, anyway. So why am I going along with it…?!

You think so too, right Niki-han?!

Umm… Urgh…

Hey, didn’t you hear me? Niki-han…?

Oh, hang on a sec! I’m in the middle of a crisis right now trying to decide which of these snacks to bring.

Urghghrgh… This is seriously a matter of life and death…

What kinda problem is that? If you can’t choose, can’t you just bring both?

Oh, you’re a genius! You’re so right! I can’t decide, so I can take all of them! In we go ♪

I thought you were tryin’ to pick between two of them. Why are you takin’ all of these now?

Even if I can pick two types of snacks, I’d probably never be able to narrow it down, y’know?

But if I just bring all of them with me, problem solved!

Well anyway, what were you saying?

I said, why are we goin’ along with Rinne-han’s idea like we’re his loyal mutts or something?

Nahaha, right. Well, I only agreed ‘cause Rinne-kun said he’d feed me all the midnight snacks I could ever want~

He may say he’ll feed you, but aren’t you gonna be the one making the food? You’re just doin’ it all yourself.

That’s where you’ve got it wrong. I have no problem making it all myself. The issue is with getting the money for ingredients.

And Rinne-kun said he’ll cough it up. Can you believe that?! We’re gonna see pigs flying tomorrow, I’m sure of it.

Since it’s him we’re talking about, I bet he writes it off as an expense for Crazy:B’s lessons or whatever.

Expense or not, I’ll follow anyone anywhere as long as I can fill my belly for free~ ♪

Niki-han… don’t get yourself kidnapped, ‘kay? Don’t go chasin’ after strangers.

Nahaha, I don’t think with my stomach that much~ No way that’ll happen, Kohaku-chan.

I ain’t convinced…

Well anyway. The snacks and drinks are ready, right? Then let’s head to the dance room. Rinne-han and HiMERU-han are gettin’ things ready for us over there, right?

How’d we get permission from ES to stay overnight, anyway? That can’t be the norm.

Rinne-kun haggled with the VP for it, and they made an exception for us. But I dunno how he did it.

Maybe he said it was so we could train for the ES Halloween? No idea.

Huh. I’m kinda amazed that he has the ability to persuade the vice president, honestly.

Actually, why are we “training” anyway? I already said over and over I ain’t afraid!

It’s just that when I get a liiiittle bit surprised my fight or flight instincts kick in and my fists choose for me. It’s a normal reaction for any living thing.

Why are you even scared of monsters—I mean, why do you have that kind of “instinct” in the first place?

I guess I didn’t expect it. You just don’t seem like that kinda person.

……

I’m not really scared. I’m not, but I might be more sensitive to it all because of my time in my zashikirou back home.

Because of that zashikirou? I mean, it sounds pretty scary from what I’ve heard, but…

No, it’s not about the actual zashikirou.

But when I was locked up, the only way to connect with the real world was through the internet. So I was online pretty much twenty-four seven.

And one day, I found myself on a famous forum for the occult.

There were so many creepypastas in all the threads… and in my head I knew I shouldn’t have been lookin’ there… and that’s when the tragedy struck.

Th–the tragedy…?

All my instincts were screamin’ at me to leave, but I just couldn’t look away.

And then, I saw the scariest stories ever.

A monster that took the shape of a two-meter tall woman. A way to contact the dead by hiding all by your lonesome.

People arriving at this uninhabited train station no one recognized. And it was all written down right there.

Waaait a sec. Is that what you meant by a tragedy? So you saw all of that and got scared?

Hey. You think it’s stupid, don’tcha Niki-han?!

You dumbass! I’ll have you know most ghost stories are set in old Japanese houses or out in the sticks.

Do you have any idea what it’s like to read a scary story like that all alone from your dark and gloomy zashikirou?! Well, do ya?!

Touché…

(If it was so scary, he shouldn’t have been reading all that… is my first thought. I guess this is what they mean by “curiosity killed the cat.”)

…If Rinne-han hears about this though, he’ll definitely make fun of me. So keep it a secret, all right?

Nahaha, I won’t say anything~ It’s between you and me, Kohaku-chan!