Chapter Text
He should have never gone on this stupid dare.
He was standing in front of a "supposedly" haunted house, with Niji, Sato, Shimura Kusonoki, and, because the world loves Isagi, Luka. lt all started with: Utsuki Ouma, one of the students of Class 3-B.
She and Niji got into an arguement, and somehow it ended with Ouma daring Niji to go to the resident haunted house, with video as proof from the camera Niji holding. It was from Ouma herself.
Eveyone else volunteered to be here, even Luka. Apparently it became something the whole batch got invested in, but Ouma limited it to only five people. "Alright, fellow war tanks!" Niji exclaimed. "In we go!"
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The first floor was dusty.
White sheets draped over the furniture and cobwebs all over the place. Kusonoki, who looked more disgusted than scared, swatted her hands at one of the cobwebs. Luka let out an "ew" while Niji and Sato looked scared. Niji just cleared their throat. "Well? Let's proceed into the next rooms!" They declared, stepping on the stairs.
The step they were on snapped in half and Niji's leg went through it.
Sato screamed while Kusonoki immediately went up to Niji and held their arm, pullung them out. "Hey, Kim-Jeon, flash the light into the hole, will ya?" Luka stepped forward and did so.
Nothing. Just pitch black darkness.
"Huh. So there's a room underneath?" Luka asked, tapping the steps to check for more hollowed ones. "Probs," Kusonoki replied. "But let's leave it for now." Luka nodded. "Alright." He held a hand out to Isagi, who raised an eyebrow. "I'll lead you so you don't fall through a step like Niji did."
Isagi reluctantly held his hand and nearly recoiled from how cold it is. He held his other hand back and felt Sato hold it. Damn it. It wasn't Niji.
He must have imagined Luka's eye twitch.
Luka started tapping the steps, one by one, and it felt like an hour when they finally reached the second landing. Sato let go of his hand, but Luka didn't. Isagi looked at him with a questioning gaze, but Luka was busy pointing his flashlight into the corridors and peering at what he can see.
"Welp, time to split up!! I'm going with Sato and Kusonoki over there-" Niji points at the right hand corridor. "-and you two boys go over there!" Niji points at the left hand one. "Why do I have to go with him?!" Isagi asked angrily.
"I mean, you're already holding hands so..." Kusonoki gestures to their still-intertwined hands with a smirk. Isagi's cheeks warmed up. "It is NOT what you think it is!" Isagi's voice went up an octave, ringing through the corridors. "I just held his hand because he was helping me up the stairs, it's not because I'm scared or because his hand is warm, in fact it's freezing, and I'm just helping him warm up-"
"Ok, ok, geez," Kusonoki cut in. "Just go."
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'Why. Am. I. Here.' Isagi's head was full of regrets, still holding Luka's hand. More like, Luka was enveloping Isagi's hand in his. His hand is bigger than his, Isagi noticed. And the end of his fingers are tinged with purple. Is there something wrong with his blood circulation?
He shook his head. 'I don't care about his health. Why should I? It's his problem.' And suddenly, there was a sudden scream. It sounded like...
"Minamino?" Luka muttered, holding up the flashlight to the corridor they just left. "Oh no..."
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"Calm down, Sato. It's just a spider." Kusonoki swatted it away. Sato stood up sheepishly and dusted herself off. "Sorry..." "Don't worry, Mina! It's fine!" Niji said cheerfully. "Alright, onward!!"
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"Are you sure the scream came from this way?" Isagi asked for the umpteenth time. The hallway they were in was even more destroyed, and even more dusty. Luka shined his flashlight on the doors. Most of them were intact, but some, like the one Luka and Isagi were in front of, was completely off its hinges, letting them see inside.
And out of the corner of his eye, Isagi sees a lady in one of the rooms. However, when he blinked his eyes and looked back, she was gone.
Luka noticed him pause and tugs on his hand. "Nasaniru?" Isagi looked back at him. "H-huh? Oh, yeah... let's go." Isagi walked but Luka didn't. "Kim-Jeon?" Luka frowned at the room, then went in.
"Kim-Jeon!" Isagi followed him, but stopped at the doorway. The door was partially destroyed- 'What the heck happened here?!'- and the mat was thrown to the side, and cabinets empty, bed made but it looked like no one slepts in it for years. It was a king sized bed, he noticed.
'We're in the married couples room.' Isagi realized. Luka was standing in front of where the mat should've been. "Kim-Jeon, come on, let's get out of here already. Ouma never said we should explore the rooms." Isagi said, before cautiously going beside Luka when he didn't answer.
Isagi stared at the spot Luka was staring so intensely, but gave up after several minutes of silence. 'Maybe he saw the lady too.' He starts when Luka squats down and taps the spot on the floor "... !" 'It's hollow.' Isagi glances at Luka, who then proceeds to take off the wooden tile.
"Kim-Jeon! Listen to me damn it-!" Isagi falters when he sees a box underneath, Luka took it out. "Luka- "Isagi falters again when Luka glared at him. "Shh for a moment, ok? After this we'll leave." Isagi tries to argue but nothing comes out of his open mouth. He just ended up sighing and kneels next to Luka.
Unsuprisingly, Luka opened the box.
Inside were old letters, stacked neatly, on top of each other and tied with a pink ribbon. Luka took them out. "Wait, you aren't thinking about-" Isagi said as Luka untied the ribbon. "Luka!" "Calm down. I'm not going to destroy them. I'm just going to read them."
Isagi bit his lip. He was torn between scolding Luka and curiosity about the letters in the end, he looks over Luka's shoulder to read it too.
Dearest Nana,
I'm suffocating under the weight of expectations. Mother insists I marry Lord Keni, but I'd rather burn alive than do that. My heart belongs only to you. I fear our love is doomed.
Hachi
My love,
You just gave me an idea. I will acquire flammable liquid. We'll ignite our freedom.
N.
Hachi,
Meet me by the old oak tree at midnight. Pack only what's essential. We'll leave our past behind.
Nana
Dear Nani
Tonight, we'll dance, and then... the flames will conceal our escape.
Hachi
Hachi, As the music stops, light the candle. Our new life begins.
Nana
After reading that, Isagi glances up to Luka. He was just staring at the letter, then let out a soft "oh". He gently tied the letters back into the pile and tucked it back under the floor. "Let's go. Isagi."
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"There you are!" Niji exclaims, running up to them. We thought we lost you!" Isagi smiled at them. "Yeah, we're fine." He felt happy, knowing Niji was worried about him.
He must have imagined Luka's second eye twitch.
What he didn't imagine was Luka's possesive grip on his hand. "Yes, Aryute-san, we are quite alright." He replied in a steady voice, although he was glaring at Niji. Niji, being the oblivious person they are, didn't notice. "What about you guys? We heard Minamino scream earlier..." Sato laughed awkwardly. "Ah, that was me getting terrified of a spider..."
"I'm glad it wasn't anything serious, then." Luka says, no longer glaring, a gentle smile on his face. The smile still looked weird to Isagi. Sato squeaked and hid behind Kusonoki. "Anygays, we managed to take video of this place! Let's get out now!" Niji says hurriedly.
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"EH?!" So you knew it wasn't haunted?!" Niji shrieked. Ouma, who was sitting with one leg over the other on a desk laughed tyrannically. "Of course I knew! It's my ancestor's house, after all!" Niji was scowling. "Well, at least none of us are hurt..." Sato muttered. "Yeah! Did you see the state of that place?!" Niji screeched angrily.
"There they go again..." Isagi muttered, crossing his arms. He suddenly felt something lean on his shoulder, and a few blinde strands fell on his face. Looking to his left showed Luka had fallen asleep, and leaned onto him. Isagi blinked and reluctantly let him, before also nodding off, leaning against Luka.