Haruki stood outside, waiting impatiently for everyone. It was already te, and no one had arrived yet. Annoyed, he muttered, "Why aren't they here yet?"

  Just then, a faint noise came from the darkness. Haruki froze. His heartbeat quickened.

  Haruki: "W-Who's there?"

  A voice responded, "Hey Haru! How’s it going, buddy?"

  It was Shiru.

  Haruki: "Damn it, man! You scared the hell out of me! You should've called out before sneaking up!"

  Shiru (ughing): "Haha, you scaredy-cat!"

  Haruki: "Shut up! And tell me why the others aren't here yet."

  Shiru: "Kouki's car got a ft tire, so they’re walking."

  Haruki: "Then why didn’t you wait for them?"

  Shiru: "I left earlier, and Kouki just called me about it."

  Haruki: "Ugh… Whatever. Oh, look! They’re here!"

  Emma ran up, waving. "Oii, Haru! We made it!"

  Haruki (annoyed): "You guys are thirty minutes te! I told you to be here by 11:00!"

  Emma: "Queen Emma was not te. You were just too early!"

  Haruki’s anger fred.

  Kouki: "Sorry, man. My car had issues."

  Haruki: "Yeah, yeah. Fine."

  Hina: "Hey, Haruki! Long time no see!"

  Haruki: "Haha, yeah. It’s been a while."

  (Hina is Emma’s neighbor and usually hangs out with her after school.)

  Haruki: "So, Emma, you actually got permission from Hina’s mom today?"

  Emma: "It was tough, but my cuteness won her over! Hehe~"

  Haruki: "Your cuteness, my foot!"

  Emma: "Watch it, or I’ll break that foot of yours!"

  Shiru: "Hey, hey! Calm down, guys. Let’s go already. The timing is perfect!"

  Kouki: "By the way… isn’t tonight a Red Moon night?"

  Shiru: "Yeah, it is."

  Kouki: "Maybe we should skip this. It’s said that spirits are most active on Red Moon nights."

  Haruki: "Come on, that's just in the movies. Nothing like that happens in real life!"

  Emma & Hina: "Yeah, exactly! There's nothing to worry about!" (Though they were the only two actually scared.)

  Emma whispered to Hina, "If anything happens, let me know. We’ll run."

  Hina: "Got it."

  Haruki suddenly spoke in a ghostly voice, "I heard everything… where will you run, my delicious meal?"

  Emma and Hina screamed and fell to the ground, trembling. The others burst into ughter.

  Kouki: "This won’t be fun if we all go together. Let’s go one by one!"

  Shiru: "Agreed! It'll be more exciting that way."

  Haruki smirked and looked at Emma and Hina in a creepy way. "So, who’s going first?"

  Emma and Hina clung to each other, terrified.

  Haruki (ughing): "Rex! I’ll send both of you together. It’s not safe for a girl to enter the jungle alone."

  Emma: "Wow, I thought you were an idiot, but you’re actually a decent guy!"

  Haruki’s anger fred again. "Emma, you’re going alone now!"

  Emma: "W-Wait! I was just joking!"

  Shiru: "I’ll go first. Then the rest of you can follow. The host goes st!"

  Kouki: "Alright! Haruki will go st."

  Haruki: "No problem! Go on!" (Haha… I’m ughing in front of them, but if something actually happens, I’ll be the first to pee my pants. Why did I even suggest this?!)

  Haruki had just dug his own grave.

  Emma & Hina: "Good luck, Shiru!"

  Shiru: "Hmm… Thanks!"

  Shiru disappeared into the fog and darkness.

  Haruki: "That guy is seriously weird…"

  Kouki: "Nah, he’s just like that. But he’s a nice guy."

  Haruki: "Nice?! My bdder almost failed just thinking about this!"

  A few moments ter, a loud bell rang from the abandoned house they were headed to.

  Kouki: "Looks like he made it. I’m going next."

  Haruki: "Go ahead."

  Soon after, Kouki also rang the bell.

  Emma: "Alright, our turn now! Be careful, Haruki. A ghost might take you away! Hahaha!"

  Haruki: "More likely, you’ll run into one on the way. Now get lost, crazy girl!"

  Hina: "See you soon, Haruki!"

  Haruki: "Yeah… sure."

  Now that everyone had gone ahead, Haruki was left alone. A chilling silence surrounded him.

  Haruki: "Being alone feels so weird… and scary. If there really is a lost soul wandering here, it must be so lonely after all these years… I hope they all find peace."

  Suddenly, a twig snapped behind him.

  The fog thickened, the air grew colder, and an eerie presence surrounded him.

  Haruki felt a strange presence behind him. A woman… in a white dress.

  His heart pounded. He slowly turned around.

  Haruki: "E-Emma? Is that you? If you're trying to scare me, cut it out!"

  Silence.

  Haruki's hands trembled.

  Then, he felt it again—a sudden rush of air, as if something just ran past him.

  This abandoned pce… even the wind sounded haunted.

  Haruki: "Huff… Maybe I’m imagining things."

  Just then, Emma and Hina rang the bell.

  Haruki: "Well, guess it’s my turn now. I’m scared, but I can handle this… ehehe…"

  But something was standing right behind him.

  Haruki couldn’t see it, but it could see him.

  What will happen to Haruki? Can he handle this alone?

  Chapter 2 Ends Here.