Chapter 365: Your Hand, Held Tightly
Chapter 365: Your Hand, Held Tightly
“That one.”
The spot Nanami pointed to was a run-down building wrapped in a truly creepy atmosphere.
Yes, it was a haunted house.
Practically a must-do every time they visited the amusement park.
A long line waited here too. After about ten minutes, both were led to the counter.
“Welcome to Erebus! We offer three fright levels: Standard, Scary, and Extra Scary. Which will you choose?”
The girl behind the counter asked brightly, ignoring the gloomy mood entirely. Her smile was flawless—professional and pretty. Yet somehow, just now, it might have chilled them slightly.
Probably the atmosphere. Himekoji decided to ask Nanami first.
“You choose, Himekoji,” Nanami replied.
But Nanami’s opinion was to let Himekoji choose…
“Aoyama, are you good with these?”
People who said things like that usually weren’t scared, right?
“I don’t get scared easily,” Aoyama answered casually.
Seeing her so calm, Himekoji believed her.
“If you’re scared, Himekoji, let’s pick the easiest,” Nanami offered.
She didn’t mean anything by it; she just noticed how shaken Himekoji still looked since the roller coaster ride.
But intentions mean one thing, impact another. Feeling underestimated, Himekoji chose instantly—
“Extra Scary, please!”
This was where he’d reclaim his dignity lost on the roller coaster! He’d salvage his reputation right here in this haunted house. This was his moment to shine for a comeback!
…
“Okay! That’ll be 2,000 yen total.” Pricing varied by scare level; Extra Scary cost almost double.
Himekoji had paid for the park tickets earlier, so Nanami quickly pulled out her wallet this time. Himekoji wasn’t fast enough.
The counter girl gave him a glance—subtle, ambiguous. Like he was just tagging along.
“Mhm~~ Then, head right in, you two~~”
Bang! As she finished, a heavy door swung open among three entrances. Cold air whooshed out.
Ghastly, raspy cries echoed down the pitch-black hallway inside.
Just hearing them sent a shiver down their spines.
Maybe this “Extra Scary” lived up to its name.
Sharing that thought, the two walked in side-by-side.
Not two steps inside—Clang! The heavy iron door slammed shut behind them.
The forceful gust stirred by the door blew across their backs. Utter darkness, intense cold, almost no light… it made their skin crawl.
Himekoji fought back a scream.
“Shall… shall we go?” he asked, sounding steady enough.
“Y-Yeah.”
After moving forward just three steps—no, maybe shuffled was more accurate—something suddenly grabbed Himekoji’s arm. He looked down.
Nanami’s icy hands.
He was actually relieved it was her and not something else.
“Aoyama? Are you scared?” he asked.
“I-I’m not scared! It’s just… if something jumps out, it’d be a shock, right?”
“Sounds like fear… and nothing jumped out… Ah!”
He hadn’t even finished speaking. Green ghost fire flared behind Nanami. Without warning, a man covered in fish-scale-like scars appeared right behind her.
Almost touching distance from Himekoji! Impossible to say where he came from. Not a spot of unmarked skin. Glowing white eyes, threaded with blood vessels, rolled right out of their sockets. Splat! They hit the floor like rotten fruit.
Not just scary.
Disgusting!
“Waaahhhhhh!”
All thoughts of honour vanished instantly. Himekoji screamed.
“Himekoji! You’re overdoing it!” Nanami scolded.
“N-No! Look behind you!”
“Hmph,” Nanami turned carelessly, peering where he pointed.
“Nothing there at all! Aren’t you a bit jumpy, Himekoji?”
As if to prove him wrong, the terrifying man vanished right after scaring Himekoji. Just an empty, black corridor met Nanami’s gaze.
“Aw, don’t be scared,” Nanami teased, amused by his fright. “Need big sis to hold your hand?”
And instantly, as she spoke, the horror guy reappeared!
He sprang from the darkness directly in front of Nanami. She flinched.
But he wasn’t alone.
Drip. Drip. Drip. Water leaked from the corridor ceiling.
Wind rose. White curtains fluttered wildly. Wooden window frames creaked like crushing walnut shells. Stark moonlight seeped sinisterly into the hallway, making the curtains ripple strangely.
Water dripped onto their clothes.
Himekoji and Nanami quickly looked away from the horror guy, straining their necks upwards instead. Big mistake.
Their horrified eyes found—
A girl in a bright red dress, hanging from the ceiling!
Like a ghost!
What?!
Suddenly much worse! The ‘water’ soaking their clothes wasn’t water!
Her face was deathly white. Huge, uneven black-and-white eyes bulged. She stared straight at them, pinning their spines like nails.
Knock! Knock! Knock! Knocking sounded behind them. It grew closer. Blood-glint seeped onto the corridor walls. The whole place seemed ready to spill like overturned ketchup.
Utter terror!
“WAAAAAHHHHH~~!”
“EEEEEEKKKKK~~!”
Now Nanami screamed too, louder and sharper than Himekoji.
“H-Himekoji…” Nanami gasped.
“Y-Yeah?” Himekoji’s jaw shook uncontrollably. How was this worse than the haunted house on that School Trip?!
“L-Let’s hold hands!”
“Y-Yeah… okay.”
Dry swallow. Nod. Hands clasped tightly.
The faint warmth and firm grip gave them strength to move. Shrieking non-stop, they sprinted down the corridor, fleeing on shaking legs. Finally, they burst out the exit.
“Haaaah—”
Both took deep breaths. Even outside, fear gripped them.
“How was that so scary?!” Nanami muttered, all her earlier teasing bravado gone.
“Who said she wasn’t afraid, exactly?” Himekoji mumbled back.
“It was scarier than I imagined…” she defended weakly, shoulders slumped.
The counter girl’s “Extra Scary” had delivered.
“Lesson learned.”
“Yeah.”
Wanting nothing more than to be gone, they hurried towards the center of the amusement park, putting distance between them and the haunted house. As far away as possible.
Maybe it was just shock lingering?
Their hands remained tightly clasped.
Seemingly forgotten.