My cultural festival duty is the morning’s marquee attraction.
In other words, from the afternoon, I can roam freely, and today I plan to meet Ayaka Utsumi and Aki to check out the festival then.
So, utilizing my experience with Yukari Akabane from last year, I’ve come up with quite a decent plan for today….
“Mitch! I’m super curious about the haunted house in your class!”
“Oh, me too….”
For some reason, as soon as they met me, the two girls said that.
“O-our class’s haunted house is really scary, you know….”
“Huh? Of course, it should be scary because it’s a haunted house!”
“If it’s really scary, it should rather be welcoming….”
My excuses to discourage them didn’t work at all, and instead, I just raised their expectations.
Why on earth do I have to go through this trial?
I had that complaint bubbling up inside but couldn’t say it since Ayaka and Aki were clearly guests here to enjoy the festival.
“This way, please….”
Eventually, I had to guide them to our class’s haunted house.
Our class’s haunted house seemed to have a high reputation, as there were more people lined up waiting than I expected.
I wanted to suggest, “If waiting is a hassle, shall we go check something else out first?” but…
“It must be really well made.”
“Yeah. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Once again, I ended up raising their expectations.
“Oh, Kayanoh! Have you come to check it out? Who are your friends?”
“Oh, yes… they are older sisters I know.”
As we waited in line, Onodera Sachi, who was in charge of the marquee attraction for the afternoon, came up to talk to me.
“It’s nice to meet you! I’m Onodera Sachi, in the same class as Kayanoh.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Utaka Ren.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Hagiwara Ruka….”
“Come to think of it, Kayanoh has never really experienced it fully after it was completed, have you? So that’s why you wanted to see it today.”
Actually, that’s not true. I was more or less dragged here. Please save me.
With that meaning in mind, I tried to send a telepathic message to Onodera, but she didn’t catch my intent at all and just kept smiling.
“…Oh! Then how about Kayanoh taking the guiding role inside? You probably know the general content.”
“…Huh?”
Then she suddenly handed me a death sentence.
★
[Saahhh—.]
As I entered the dark classroom, a chilling wind brushed past my ears.
Just that alone sent shivers down my spine, making me want to hide, but since I was leading the way, that wasn’t an option.
The surrounding view was completely blocked by black curtains, and the only thing visible was the eerie orange glow from the electric lights.
“…Wow. They really made it well.”
“Right….”
Ayaka and Aki followed behind me, marveling, but they didn’t seem scared at all.
…Huh? It feels like I’m the only one here getting scared.
It seemed like even Suzuha Koga and Yukari Akabane behind me had surprisingly strong nerves.
Am I the only one among the Star’s Flow second-year students with an extremely low tolerance for horror?
Second years are doomed….
[Hwaaaahhhh….]
“Eek….”
From beyond the black curtain in front, a chilling breath echoed that froze my bones.
I involuntarily shrank back, but I couldn’t step back.
Two people behind me were eagerly anticipating what would happen next.
However, my previous experience of our class’s haunted house ends here. So this means beyond here is an unknown world.
I really don’t want to do this….
“I-I’m going in….”
With trembling hands, I quietly lifted the curtains.
What appeared was a full-length mirror taller than me.
The reflection of the three of us in the orange light looked quite eerie, so I didn’t want to look.
But according to the simple explanation I got from Onodera before entering, this was definitely the first point….
“T-this ahead is the, the witch’s grave….”
As I said that,
[Splash!]
The sound of something splashing echoed.
Then, words slowly began to etch themselves onto the mirror standing in front of us.
[Where is this….]
[I don’t know. It’s dark. I can’t see anything.]
[I feel like I hear something coming from the front, but I can’t move.]
[The sound is getting closer. Are they trying to help me?]
Fortunately, it didn’t feel particularly scary or eerie.
“Wow…. How did they make this? It’s amazing.”
Amazed like Ayaka, I nodded in agreement.
I remember Vice Chair Ookusha-kun explaining some principle last time…
To be honest, I deliberately ignored it because I didn’t want to know.
“This is probably not an ordinary mirror….”
Just as Aki, who seemed to know the principle, was about to explain it to us,
[Chiiiiiinnn—.]
A sound reminiscent of something being burned pricked our ears.
And then.
[It hurts! It hurts too much! Stop it! Please, stop!]
[Save me…. Save me…. Save me! Save me!]
[Why are you doing this to me!!!]
The full-length mirror and the words began to turn bright red.
[GUUAAAAAHHHHHHHH!]
“Hugh…?!”
As screams echoed in my ears, I finally crumbled down to the floor.
“I-I don’t want this… Sniff….”
★
Izumi ended up sticking to Ayaka’s back with her eyes closed until the end.
Of course, the wireless earphones we received before it started were already off.
In fact, to block out sounds that might come, Nekoto had to stand behind Izumi and cover her ears.
When the haunted house prepared by Class 2-A finally ended and they stepped out of the classroom, Izumi shivered with a pale face and returned the earphones.
“Are you okay, Mitch?”
“We should have just gone in alone from the start…”
Izumi shook her head without saying anything, holding onto Ayaka and Nekoto’s hands.
It was really scary, but due to her pride, she couldn’t directly say it, which was Izumi’s own way of expressing herself.
Seeing that awkward expression, Ayaka and Nekoto exchanged glances and stifled giggles.
To be honest, the haunted house prepared by Class 2-A wasn’t really at a seriously scary level.
Of course, it wasn’t the quality you’d expect from a typical high school cultural festival.
But that didn’t mean it was something Izumi should be trembling and close to tears over.
Since Izumi was pressed against them, perhaps Ayaka and Nekoto’s sense of tension and fear diminished.
However, considering that, what Ayaka and Nekoto distinctly felt was:
“Geez….”
Izumi’s vulnerability to scares was far beyond imagination.
“Shall we go eat something delicious first?”
“…I want to eat crêpes.”
Thanks to that, Ayaka and Nekoto didn’t get to really enjoy the haunted house, but neither of them complained.
Ayaka was just happy that Izumi relied on her, and Nekoto was satisfied enough to see Izumi shivering from behind.
This means Izumi was the only one among the trio who got hurt.
★
“…Isn’t that too cute? It’s not fair, Kayanoh?”
“She really is a woman of charm….”
“I think I just realized what maternal love is.”
“Me too….”
And so, in Class 2-A of Shiodome High School, a new perception about Kayanoh was forming.
★
After eating crêpes, we headed to the auditorium to watch a play performed by the drama club, based on my suggestion.
I learned last year because of Yukari Akabane, but our school’s drama club is apparently quite famous.
Hearing that, I thought, ‘Aren’t high school drama clubs all about the same…?’ but seeing it in person, I couldn’t help but take that back.
From the stage direction to the acting, everything was of tremendous quality.
[That is the true mission and duty of a knight. No! It’s not a duty; it’s a privilege!]
[Falling in love in an impossible dream and believing, reaching for the stars!]
The drama club’s last year’s production was ‘Don Quixote,’ and hearing those lines sent shivers down my spine.
It seems that most members of our high school’s drama club are students aspiring to be actors, and the school supports them seriously.
Anyway, this year’s production from the drama club was ‘The Count of Monte Cristo,’ and there were two performances each day.
From 10 AM to 11:30 AM was the first performance, and from 2 PM to 3:30 PM was the second.
We, of course, attended the second performance at 2 PM.
“Seems popular….”
“Y-yeah….”
Even though we arrived at the auditorium at 2:10 PM, many people were already gathered.
Fortunately, there was a spot for three of us to sit together, and although it wasn’t the best central seat, it didn’t matter.
“Since Mitch recommended it, I have super high expectations!”
“I’m even more excited because it’s The Count of Monte Cristo.”
“R-Ruka, do you like The Count of Monte Cristo?”
“Yeah. I really enjoyed reading it.”
Feeling tremendous pressure at those words…
I’ll trust it. Even though I don’t know their faces or names, our school’s awesome drama club!
“Oh, it’s starting.”
As the lights in the auditorium turned off, the curtain that had been covering the stage lifted.
[Now, send this letter to the public prosecutor of Marseille to accuse Dantès of being a Bonapartist spy. How rational is that?]
And then the play began with that line.
★
[Wait! And have hope!]
An hour and a half passed in the blink of an eye.
And as the most famous line from The Count of Monte Cristo rang out, the play came to an end.
“…That was amazing.”
“Yeah.”
Ayaka and Aki seemed quite satisfied, nodding along and smiling.
I also agreed with their sentiments.
However, for me, a greater emotion approached than that appreciation.
It was a feeling I hadn’t felt last year.
“Ah….”
“Huh? What did you say, Mitch?”
“Oh, never mind….”
As I shook my head at Ayaka’s words, I stood up from my seat.
And just as I was about to leave the auditorium, I turned back one last time.
“…!”
There, I saw the members of the drama club clapping their hands together and smiling brightly at each other.
That expression could only come from enjoying what they loved sincerely and aspiring towards their dreams.
“How envious…”
And that was exactly what I had yet to find.
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