After jumping out as if running away from the gemstone exhibition, we entered the third-year area next.
The third-year area isn't a class-by-class display this year.
It seems classes 1 through 6 have joined together to make a huge haunted house.
It’s packed, with a huge line and a two-hour wait since the first day of the festival.
However, the crowd has thinned out a bit at this moment, and it looks like we can get in after just a short wait.
“What do you want to do? Shall we go in?”
“Rejection.”
“I’m going in!”
“If Kotono is going, then I’m going too!”
“Alright, let's go in then.”
“Wait, what about my opinion?”
Riran grabbed the hem of my shirt and tried to stop me.
Her eyes were watery with tears, and the strength of her grip was weak.
“Oh? Riran-tan, are you bad with scary things?”
“That's kind of surprising. I thought Ane-san didn't have anything she was bad at.”
“U-uh... yeah...”
I had heard it once before, but I didn't think she would be this scared.
......
“Alright, let's go.”
“Akito!?”
“Riran, you knew I was bad with screaming-type rides and you took me on one before, didn't you? Today, you’re going to accompany me.”
“W-wait, wait...! I thought you’d forgiven me for that...!”
“Yeah, I’ve forgiven you. But emotionally, I still want to take you along.”
“Ogre! Demon! You heartless man!”
Fuhaha, you can say whatever you want.
“Wow, Akito-senpai has a villainous face~”
“Onii, you're childish in places like that, aren't you?”
You guys, be quiet.
I grabbed Riran's hand so she wouldn't escape and lined up at the end of the queue.
Right now, it’s only a 30-minute wait. Moreover, more people started lining up behind us as soon as we joined.
“We were lucky.”
“Not lucky, not lucky, not lucky, not lucky, not lucky, not lucky, not lucky, not lucky...!”
She’s seriously terrified.
But seeing Riran this rattled is refreshing.
Kotono and Noa are in front. Me and a hesitant Riran are lined up behind them.
She won't let go of my arm. Or rather, it feels like she’s desperately suppressing her urge to run away.
“Now, now. Even if it's a haunted house, it's just something high schoolers made. It won't be that scary.”
“T-that might be true, but still... That might be true, but still...!”
Tremble, tremble, tremble, tremble. She’s really shaking. It's cute.
I held Riran’s shaking hand firmly and waited for a while.
“Next group, please come forward—”
“Ah, it’s us. Well then, Onii, we'll see you later~”
“Senpai, Ane-san. See you afterward~”
Both Kotono and Noa went in nonchalantly.
As usual, those two really like this kind of thing.
A short while after the two of them went inside.
““Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?””
“Hyu!?”
Oh, they’re screaming quite a bit. Is it really that scary?
“A-A-Akito. If you’re going to turn back, now’s the time. It’s still not too late...!”
“No, now that we've come this far, we have to go in.”
“L-look, if we leave the line, the people behind us can get in faster. This is an act of charity!”
How exactly is that an act of charity?
“Next two people, please come forward—”
“Ah, yes. Alright Riran, let's go.”
“Nooo, nooo...!”
◆
Oh, the atmosphere is pretty good.
The hallway is already dim, and the blacklight creates an eerie effect.
The route seems to be set up so that you travel through the hallway and visit each classroom, with the opposite side being the goal.
One flashlight was provided at the start, and it seems we’re supposed to go through while holding it.
“Alright, shall we?”
“Uugh, it’s dark, it’s scary...!”
She’s completely cowering. It can't be helped.
When I squeezed Riran's hand firmly, the teary-eyed Riran grabbed my arm to make sure she wouldn't be separated.
“A-A-Akito. Don't ever let go. If you let go as a prank or something, I’ll hate you for the rest of my life! I’ll never forgive you!”
“Yes, yes. It's okay, I'll never let go.”
“R-really!? Are you really, really serious!?”
Her eyes are dead serious. It’s almost scary how serious she is.
Since she’s this afraid, I’m starting to feel a bit sorry for her... Let's get to the goal quickly and go eat something sweet.
And so, mine and Riran's first haunted house date began.