You decided to visit the movie theater with a friend to watch a horror film. You absolutely hate horror elements unless they’re in text form, but for the sake of your friend, you thought, “Just this once…” and ended up at the cinema.
Once the movie started, you noticed a few odd things. Surprisingly, the film wasn’t as unbearable as you’d expected. Moreover, your friend, who suggested the movie, seemed to be having a harder time with it than you were. Lastly, aside from your friend, there wasn’t a single person sitting around you.
At that moment, what do you do?
A. I will absolutely protect our cute Hina.
*
Seeing Hina, who was trembling with her eyes tightly closed, taught me a new fact. Even the cool student council president, who seemed like she could live in another world, couldn’t help but react to the primal fear evoked by the movie.
Looking at Hina’s closed eyes, I couldn’t help but think of her “gap moé” in pajamas. Honestly, if we were at home watching a movie in our pajamas alone, wouldn’t she be way cuter?
Still, today Hina dressed up quite pretty, so rather than being cute, she has that delicate girl vibe that sparks a protective urge. Her long hair is braided and draped over her shoulder, and she’s wearing a white turtleneck with a denim skirt that ends just above her knees—clearly someone put thought into that outfit.
She’s still learning and focusing on hiding her identity, unlike me, who’s just trying to blend in. Personally, I can’t help but suspect Aco. I can totally imagine her browsing fashion magazines and scouring the internet for outfits that would suit Hina.
The braided hair also gives off a distinctly different impression from Hina’s usual vibe, helping in her own way to conceal her identity.
However, those horns can’t be hidden, so a perfect disguise seems impossible. I’d say I’m better off with my wings folded and wearing this white and purple jacket to cover them up. Honestly, I’m eternally grateful to the Kivotos folks for their halo recognition disorder, which makes hiding my identity slightly feasible.
Anyway, to sum it all up, I will absolutely protect our cute and delicate Hina!
I shift the popcorn bucket between us and lean closer to Hina. When she looks at me in surprise, I can’t help but smile. It’s so adorable how her eyes droop because I caught her in fear of horror movies.
I take off my jacket and wrap it around Hina, then gently pull her in with one arm. Lowering my arm, I place my hand on hers. I passed the popcorn to Hina, but it seems she hardly touched it, as the amount hasn’t decreased much.
“…Mika.”
“Shh.”
Even though there aren’t many people, sound tends to carry in a theater. As someone who’s experienced kicking seats and loud people on phones during a movie, I don’t want to drop down to their level. So, I silently reassure Hina.
The movie’s tension builds, but Hina noticeably relaxes. For a moment, I wondered if she was maybe too relaxed, but the screen quickly darkens, and I didn’t see well.
Actually, being close to Hina makes me feel a bit more at ease, too. It wouldn’t be surprised if I ended up jumping in fright at a jump scare later, but at least until then, it feels less frightening.
It’s common to cling or grip something when scared, right? It’s like looking for stability from what you’re holding on to. Just like I am now.
The film’s content begins to delve into familiar territory for me, school-related horror stories. It seems a ghost summoned during student games turned the entire academy into a haunted house.
Well, I guess the title “Academy Horror Story” isn’t for nothing. Since this is Kivotos, naturally, the ghost stories revolve around the academy.
The only horror content I could easily consume was mostly text, so I’ve managed to remember many school-related ghost stories. Music room tales, art room stories, science lab creepypastas, and staircase legends—I’ve seen and memorized so many details.
Watching all that, I thought, people think alike, after all.
However, seeing a statue get blown up with a grenade and a ghost in a portrait shot with a gun makes me feel my previous knowledge breaking apart.
This is more B-class comedy horror than true horror…
And since it’s set in Kivotos, the unsettling spirits don’t seem to exist at all, unlike the ghost stories from Earth where people die easily. After all, can anyone truly understand how a student with the second-highest grades would murder the first and then return as a ghost to haunt the school?
Actually, even that wasn’t entirely unpleasant. Since jump scares hadn’t shown up yet, for my standards, it was somewhat enjoyable.
Feeling some tension, Hina pulls her hand away to take a sip of her drink. Then, she intertwines her fingers over mine and tightly grips my hand.
…Is it that scary?
At this point, the girls decided to search for Yuu, who had wandered off, to solve the situation. After hearing a piano sound in the distance, one girl entered the music room only to have the door slam shut behind her with a bang.
[Is that… Yuu?]
The girl with red hair realized the one playing the piano was Yuu, the cat-eared girl who had disappeared.
[Yuu, this is no time to be here! We need to go back and figure this out with the president—Aaaah!]
As the girl approached Yuu to tap her shoulder, Yuu’s body shattered into pieces. The girl, realizing a moment too late that it was just a human skeleton model, screamed in shock.
“Ugh…!”
Hina also flinched, tensed up, and seemed like she was going to crush my hand.
…If she’s reacting like this, Hina must really dislike the atmosphere of horror movies. Honestly, I wonder if I should keep watching this.
“Hina, should we just leave?”
Whispering into Hina’s ear, she turns to me but quickly ducks her head. In the process, I catch a glimpse of her tearful eyes. I get that she doesn’t want to show that to me, but why is she shaking her head slowly while stubbornly insisting on continuing to watch? I can’t understand.
Nevertheless, with the popcorn slowly disappearing, the movie progressed toward its conclusion.
[We have to continue the game to find Yuu. This time, we should turn right with the doors and windows open.]
[President, do you know why this is happening?]
[It seems one ghost wasn’t enough, and Yuu broke the rules during the process. One ghost summoned another, resulting in chaos. One ghost awakened the sleeping spirits in the academy, so we need to continue the game to send them back, and they should find peace… hopefully.]
Later, they find Yuu standing dazed on the rooftop railing. The bloody handprint from the initial game doesn’t seem to belong to her, as there are no signs of injury.
I think, “Doesn’t one fall from there and not die?” but it’s a minor detail, so I let it be.
As the game begins, the kids mutter names at the wall, revealing a twist.
[Inoue Setsuna. Inoue Setsuna. Inoue Setsuna.]
The child, who should have been Yuu, closed her eyes and, looking at the wall, murmured a name that belonged entirely to someone else. Suddenly, she opened her eyes with a twisted smile that looked like it was going to rip apart, revealing a ghostly figure with completely blackened eyes.
It was the first jump scare of the movie, but thanks to the lead-up before it, I only jumped slightly. On the other hand, Hina… well, let’s just say she had to be comforted for quite a while to regain focus on the movie.
[One, two, three.]
Once I calmed Hina down a bit, the game was nearing its end. Kids discovering another ghost gathered behind the ghost suspecting it had taken Yuu’s body.
After everyone regrouped, the kids whispered names against the wall again before shifting towards the switch. The ghost that had taken Yuu’s body stood silent, not moving.
[No…! Don’t do that!!! Please stop!!! I’m begging you!!!!]
Just as the president reached for the light switch, a horrific scream echoed. Mistaking it for the ghost’s cry, the president flipped the switch, turning on the lights and declaring the game finished. The audience couldn’t help but sigh at the scene, realizing that scream belonged to Yuu, who had lost her body.
[AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH—]
Afterward, the girls returned to their daily lives. They all continued their studies as if nothing happened, but among them lurked the ghost that had stolen Yuu’s body. It’s a pretty common bad ending in horror films.
What can I say… it wasn’t as bad as I expected. Since I’m not from Kivotos, the unintended comedic vibes diluted the horror elements, all while maintaining enough tension. The plot twist at the end and the use of jump scares really shone with solid buildup.
However, there was a scene at the end of the film that left me feeling a bit uneasy. After all, it was almost like a jab at my current situation, so I couldn’t help but cringe.
“Hina, are you okay…? It’s all over now.”
“I’m never…”
“Eh?”
“I’m never watching another horror movie again. So, Mika, forget about today…”
After calming down Hina, who had been frozen until the credits rolled, we headed out to eat the shaved ice we had promised to meet for beforehand when Hina, half-crying, said this to me.
I understood her feelings, so I nodded silently.
By the way, it strangely felt like Aco orchestrated today’s events. If that’s true, I suppose there’s no need for me to get back at Aco.
Our student council president’s machine-gun secretary surely won’t let that slide.
…
Jin’s gone. No more horror movies ever again.
Not long after I returned to my office, feeling exhausted, Aco appeared with a bright smile.
“President, you’ve returned?”
“…Yeah.”
“Fufu, how was the date atmosphere? You must have enjoyed the heart-thumping effect of comforting scared Mika, right? Just thinking about Mika having heart flutters for you gives me an exhilarating feeling of victory!”
…For a moment, I debated whether to scold Aco or not, but I ultimately let it slide. Aco acted with good intentions, and it really was a good opportunity. It’s just that I wasn’t able to seize it correctly.
“The atmosphere… wasn’t bad at all.”
Honestly, setting aside the movie’s merits, I felt rather great. The warmth and tenderness of Mika, who was attentive, considerate, and comforting throughout the film, left me feeling like I was melting.
“Actually, it’s more accurate to say the atmosphere was definitely good. Thank you, Aco.”
In a way, Aco’s plan might have been successful. It’s just that the outcome diverged from what was intended.
Upon hearing that Mika struggles with horror atmospheres, Aco had asserted that this plan would surely make Mika conscious of me and cultivate affection. Yet, the result was that I, who had already held some affection, ended up completely falling for Mika.
“I’m glad to hear everything went well, President. Did you use the fruit shaved ice gift card I sent?”
“Yeah. Mika loved it.”
If I were to ask if I hated it, the answer is no.
The warmth from Mika during the movie and her kind heart was all so comforting. Unknowingly, I find myself wanting to savor that warmth, which comforts me from the daily grind.
[Today was fun, Hina! But maybe we should avoid horror movies next time☆ Yeah, for each other’s sake.]
As I slowly reply to the Momotalk message Mika sent, I let Aco’s words pass through one ear and out the other.
How many people do you think have fallen for that kind, angelic girl? Are there those who have acted before me among them?
I hope the relationship between our academy and Trinity improves soon, making it easier for me to approach Mika than now.
Though this proposal I accepted was back then with the hope of being a bit less busy next year, now it feels like it’s become something I genuinely want to see through.
Thank you for today, my angel.
…I hope to count on you again next time.
