Under the weight of everyone's expectant gazes, with his staunch supporters hyping him up as if he were about to embark on some grand heroic quest, Natsukawa Kanade knew there was no escape. He had been dragged into the tiger's den, and there was no backing down now.
Since resistance was futile, he had no choice but to accept his fate. Standing at the foot of the ominous staircase leading to the "haunted house," he took a deep breath. Beside him, Shinomiya Kaguya stood tall, her expression unreadable.
Calling it a "haunted house" might have been an understatement. It was less an amusement park attraction and more an outright horror masterpiece—a grotesque, nightmare-fueled structure straight out of a yokai legend. Instead of a standard door, the entrance was crafted into the terrifying visage of an oni. The house itself was designed like the belly of a beast, its gaping mouth serving as the threshold into darkness. The deep crimson walls and eerie, pulsating glow made it feel disturbingly alive.
Even so, Kanade felt no fear.
Rather, he was struck by a sense of déjà vu.
After all, he had been through these kinds of attractions plenty of times before. Whether it was during a school trip, a club outing, or being roped into a horror-themed event, he had already gone through the entire emotional spectrum—from the initial gut-wrenching terror to the jaded indifference of someone who had seen it all.
He had learned an essential truth: The scariest thing about these places wasn't the ghosts or monsters. It was the "sudden surprise factor."
The moment you let your guard down—when you think you've reached a safe zone, when you convince yourself the worst is over—that's exactly when something jumps out at you, sending your heart rate skyrocketing.
Worse yet, there were always those "special" actors. The ones who didn't just pop out for a quick scare but actually chased you. The more you ran, the more they pursued, feeding off your terror like some twisted game of tag.
Of course, Kanade had long since mastered the art of not running.
At most, he'd flinch when something unexpected appeared, but after that, he'd recover. The real problem was the people he brought with him. Not everyone could maintain their composure. Some girls would be so petrified that they'd freeze up completely, while others would scream bloody murder and cling to him for dear life.
And then there were those who, despite being scared out of their minds, refused to admit it. They'd stubbornly act like everything was fine, even as their legs trembled. Those were the worst—trying to keep up the charade only made things more exhausting for everyone involved.
In comparison, the ones who immediately turned and bolted were a blessing. At least they were being honest about their fear, and running meant they'd clear the attraction faster.
Now, the question was: Which type was Kaguya?
Kanade stole a glance at her. She was standing with perfect poise, looking unshaken.
"We're about to go in, Kaguya. Be mentally prepared."
"I'm always prepared, President," she replied smoothly, completely unfazed.
Kanade wasn't so sure. But there was only one way to find out.
With synchronized steps, the two of them moved forward, crossing the threshold into darkness.
The moment they stepped inside, the world changed. Unlike the outside, where there were at least other people and flashlights casting faint illumination, the interior was pitch-black. The air was thick, suffocating, and cold. It was the kind of darkness that made it impossible to tell where the walls ended and where the horrors lurking within began.
Kanade blinked a few times, allowing his eyes to adjust. Slowly, vague shapes emerged—twisted furniture, peeling wallpaper, and... footsteps.
A rhythmic, dragging shuffle echoed from deep within the house.
It was subtle at first, but the more he focused on it, the clearer it became. The deliberate pace, the uneven gait... it was classic horror storytelling.
Kanade instinctively stepped in front of Kaguya, his senses sharpening. He locked eyes on the direction of the sound, waiting for the reveal.
Then, out of the darkness, an eerie silhouette emerged.
A hunched figure, draped in ragged robes, hobbled forward, tapping the ground with a gnarled cane.
"Heh, another pair of reckless challengers," croaked the voice of an old woman.
Her face was a sight to behold—deep wrinkles carved like the cracks of an ancient tree, dark spots spreading across her skin like an ominous omen. Her beady eyes scrutinized them with clear disdain.
Then, just as quickly, she dismissed them with a shake of her head and turned to leave, as if they weren't even worth her time.
Kanade narrowed his eyes.
Something was off about her.
He had encountered plenty of costumed actors in haunted houses before, but the way she moved, the weight of her presence—it felt... real.
Noticing her retreating figure, Kanade made a split-second decision.
"Excuse me, old lady!" he called out. "How do we get out of here?"
She stopped.
And then... she grinned.
A slow, creeping smile stretched across her face, her cracked lips curling upward, revealing rows of jagged, yellow teeth.
Kanade felt the temperature drop.
The next second, she lifted her cane, and the lights flickered violently.
======================
Natsukawa Kanade had initially assumed that this haunted house experience was just a typical jump-scare fest, meant to rattle participants right from the start. But the way things were unfolding—this felt more like an RPG questline than a simple test of courage. If that was the case, he couldn't just let this obviously NPC-like character go without trying to extract some crucial information.
"Want to leave? Oh, you can't do that!" The old woman cackled, her voice hoarse and laced with malice. "Unless... you can find the soul of the one who died unjustly here! As long as you can find her, you may escape from this place."
"Uh... after we find her, then—"
Before Kanade could finish his question, an ominous sound cut through the air. Heavy, dragging footsteps thudded behind them, each step like a hammer pounding against his chest. His heartbeat quickened instinctively.
"I seem to... smell the breath of a living person..."
A chilling voice rasped through the darkness, accompanied by a grotesque, teeth-grinding creak. It sounded like the very floorboards beneath them were crumbling away, piece by piece, under something's immense weight. But as the sound grew louder, closer, it became apparent—it wasn't wood breaking. No, it was something... chewing. Gnawing. Devouring.
"I am starving!"
A split-second silence passed between Kanade and Kaguya Shinomiya. Their eyes met, and they instinctively shouted in unison:
"RUN!"
Neither of them had turned around to see what was following them, but did they really need to? The guttural hunger in that voice, the dreadful sound of crunching—none of it suggested something they wanted to meet face-to-face. And considering the eerie, almost scripted way the old woman had delivered her challenge, it was clear now. The real objective wasn't just finding the lost spirit; it was finding the spirit while avoiding whatever abomination was hunting them down.
"President, what now?!" Kaguya called out as they sprinted down the dimly lit hallway, her voice a mix of excitement and tension.
Despite the fear pressing down on them, Kanade noticed something—she didn't seem scared out of her wits like most would be. If anything, she looked... interested? Enthusiastic even?
"Should we split up? That way, we can cover more ground!"
"No," Kanade immediately rejected the idea. "The rules don't say we have to finish in a certain time. We can take it room by room. The only real issue is that thing chasing us—we just need to make sure we don't get caught."
It was a simple but logical approach. While splitting up might make searching faster, it also increased the risk of one of them getting cornered. Not to mention—
"Besides, don't we have to hold hands the entire time?"
Kanade raised his right hand, revealing their still-intertwined fingers. He hadn't let go of her once.
Kaguya froze mid-step, eyes widening slightly.
Oh, right.
For a moment, she had been so caught up in the thrill of the challenge that she completely forgot about that particular rule. This was supposed to be a "couple's test of courage," after all. The requirement to hold hands had almost slipped her mind entirely.
That was close. The president nearly saw through it!
She quickly schooled her expression, giving a firm nod as she tightened her grip just slightly. "Yes! Of course! A Shinomiya never backs down from a challenge. We'll conquer this together, President!"
Kanade wasn't sure if she was just being competitive or if this was her way of masking nervousness. Either way, they had no time to dwell on it. The echoes of heavy, hungry footsteps behind them were growing louder. The hunt had only just begun.