Work Text:
Early afternoon in the height alliance dorm class 1 A having lunch
Kaminari still eating his rice "Random thing I got a new part-time job a few weeks ago, and today is my first shift."
Jiro raising a eyebrow "Where?"
Kaminari "At a mall. I'm a security guard."
As that gets everyone attention
Sero "...Wait, you? Security?"
"Hold on, they actually trusted you with that job?" Mina said teasingly
Kaminari "Hey! I'm responsible when I need to be!"
Kirishima "That's manly! Nice, dude."
Bakugo "They're scraping the bottom of the barrel."
Kaminari "Can you be supportive for once?"
Midoriya "Actually, that sounds like good experience. You'll be dealing with crowds, emergencies, and staying observant."
Iida nods "Indeed! Security personnel perform an important public service. Congratulations on your employment, Kaminari!"
Ochaco "Aw, that's awesome! Good luck on your first day!"
Tsuyu "Just don't slack off, ribbit."
Tokoyami "To stand vigilant over the flow of civilization... an honorable duty."
Mina puts her hands on the table "Do you get one of those cool earpieces?"
Kaminari "Yep."
Mina "That's so cool!"
Sato "Do you get employee discounts?"
Kaminari "Not sure, actually."
Hagakure "If you do, let us know!"
Yaoyorozu "I hope your training was thorough. Safety is a significant responsibility."
Shoji "Stay aware of your surroundings."
Ojiro "Sounds like steady work."
Koda "Good luck."
Aoyama "Will the uniform sparkle?"
Kaminari "Uh... no. It's just a normal security uniform."
Aoyama "A tragic loss for fashion."
Mineta thinking the first thought he had when he heard about what kaminari said "Are there cute girls at the mall?"
Jiro "Of course that's your first question."
Momo "Please focus on the job, Kaminari."
Kaminari "That was already the plan."
Todoroki "Just don't fall asleep during your shift."
Kaminari "Why does everyone think I'm going to mess this up?"
Bakugo "Because we know you.”
Kaminari waved his hands dismissively "anyways I was told it was a night shift. Like, I'll go at... I'm pretty sure 9 p.m."
Jiro "...You're pretty sure? You don't actually know when your first shift starts?"
Kaminari "I mean, it's around then."
Jiro "Denki."
Kaminari "...I'll check after breakfast."
Jiro nods approvingly "Good."
Sero snorts "Three months together and she's already in full 'did you pack your bag?' mode."
Jiro "Because if I don't ask, he'll show up with his phone at five percent and nothing else."
Kaminari "That happened once."
Jiro raises an eyebrow "Twice actually."
Mina "She's got receipts."
Kirishima "Fair enough."
Jiro asks "Did they tell you what entrance to use?"
Kaminari "Uh..."
Jiro looks at him and raised her eyebrows again "You don't know."
Kaminari sheepishly admitted"...No."
She sighs "Did they give you a supervisor's name?"
He checks his phone "I have it in my messages."
Jiro nods "Okay, good. Did they say what to wear?"
Kaminari answers "Uniform's provided when I get there."
"Did you fill out all the paperwork already?" She asks
He nods "Yep."
"Good." She says approvingly
Midoriya "She's covering every detail..."
Ochaco "She's making sure he's prepared."
Jiro "And bring food."
Kaminari "The mall has restaurants."
Jiro "You're working a night shift. Some places will be closed by the time you're on break."
Kaminari "...Good point."
Jiro "Pack something that won't go bad. A sandwich, rice balls, protein bars, whatever."
Sato "I can make something before you leave."
Kaminari "Really?"
Sato "Sure."
Jiro "And bring a water bottle."
Kaminari "They'll have water."
Jiro "Bring one anyway."
Kaminari "Okay."
Jiro "And charge your phone before you go."
Kaminari "...Okay."
Jiro "Portable charger?"
Kaminari "...I have one."
Jiro "Charged?"
Kaminari "...I'll charge that too."
Mina "He's getting the full pre-shift checklist."
Sero "Honestly, he kind of needs it."
Bakugo snorts "Hopeless."
Kaminari "I am not hopeless."
Jiro "You're forgetful."
Kaminari "...That's a little more accurate."
Tokoyami "Preparation is the shield against misfortune."
Iida "An excellent philosophy."
Kaminari "Alright, alright! I'll check my start time, pack food, bring water, charge my phone and power bank, and actually read the messages."
Jiro "Perfect."
_________________________________
Late that evening, the dorm hallway was quiet as most of Class 1-A settled into their own plans. Kaminari stepped out of his room wearing a plain black security uniform, adjusting the collar while slinging a backpack over one shoulder.
Jiro stepped out of his room behind him almost immediately "Ready?"
Kaminari nods "Yeah."
She looked him over "Bag."
He handed it to her without protest.
Jiro unzipped it then asks "Water bottle?"
Kaminari pointing at where its at "Left pocket."
She checked "Good. Food?"
Kaminari "Sato packed me two sandwiches."
She nodded and found the container "Phone?"
Kaminari held it up.
"Battery?"
"Ninety-eight percent."
"Portable charger?"
He pulled it out.
"Charged?"
He nods "One hundred."
"Wallet?"
He patted his pocket.
"Keys?"
Another pocket.
"Employee paperwork?"
"Folder inside the backpack."
She checked again then finds it"...Bus card?"
Kaminari froze "..."
Jiro slowly looked at him.
Kaminari immediately reached into another pocket "...Never mind. Found it."
Jiro let out a relieved sigh "I was about to say."
Kaminari laughed sheepishly "I knew where it was."
"You hesitated."
"Only for a second."
They headed downstairs together.
In the common room, Sero looked up from the couch "Off already?"
Kaminari nodded "Yep."
Mina smiled "Good luck on your first shift!"
Kirishima gave him a thumbs-up "You've got this, bro!"
Midoriya looked over "Stay safe."
Ochaco waved "Have a good first day!"
Iida adjusted his glasses "Remember to arrive a few minutes early. Punctuality leaves an excellent first impression."
"I know, I know." Kaminari says
Bakugo didn't even look away from the television "Try not to get fired on day one."
Kaminari rolled his eyes "Thanks for the encouragement."
Jiro opened the front door "Come on."
The evening air was cooler than it had been that afternoon. The two walked through the UA grounds toward the front gate.
Kaminari glanced sideways "You really didn't have to come with me."
Jiro shrugged "I know."
"...Then why are you?"
She looked ahead "I wanted to make sure you actually got on the right bus."
"...Rude."
"You got on the wrong bus last time when we hung out and managed to be in a different city remember?."
He laughed "...Fair."
They passed through the front gate and continued down the sidewalk until the nearby bus stop came into view.
Jiro checked the route posted on the sign "This is the right one."
Kaminari leaned over to compare it with the directions on his phone "Yeah... same bus number."
"Good."
He smiled "...Thanks for coming with me."
Jiro nudged his shoulder lightly "Someone has to make sure the new security guard actually makes it to work."
Kaminari grinned "I'll survive."
"I know."
The bus pulled into view, slowing as it approached the stop. Jiro glanced at the destination displayed on the front, then back at Kaminari.
"That's yours."
He took a breath, adjusted his backpack, and smiled "Guess it's time for my first shift.”
The bus doors folded shut behind them with a hiss, and they found a pair of empty seats near the middle.
Kaminari set his backpack on his lap.
Jiro glanced at him "...Can I see your contract?"
"Hm? Sure."
He unzipped the front pocket of his backpack and handed over a neatly folded packet.
Jiro skimmed through the first page "Position... part-time security..."
She flipped to the section covering hours and compensation.
"..."
Her eyes stopped as she blinked once "...Denki."
"Hm?"
She looked back down to make sure she hadn't misread it "...Is this right?"
"What?"
She turned the contract so he could see the line she'd found.
Compensation: ¥55,000 per completed shift.
Kaminari stared at it. "...Yeah."
"...You knew?"
"I mean... they told me during the interview."
Jiro looked at him in disbelief "You never mentioned you're making fifty-five thousand yen... for one shift."
"I forgot."
"You forgot."
"I was more excited that I actually got hired."
Jiro covered her face for a second "Denki..."
He scratched the back of his neck "...Is that a lot?"
Jiro slowly lowered her hand "...Yes."
"Oh."
"That's way above what I'd expect for an ordinary part-time security job."
"...Really?"
She looked over the contract again, reading the details more carefully "it's an oddly good amount of money I'll say that..."
Kaminari leaned closer "So... good thing?"
"If everything in this contract is legitimate..."
"It should be."
"...Then yes."
He smiled "Sweet."
Jiro gave him a suspicious look "...What kind of mall needs to pay a part-time guard fifty-five thousand yen for a single night?"
Kaminari shrugged "They said the shifts can be... unusual."
"'Unusual'?"
"That's the word they used."
Jiro raised an eyebrow "...I'm starting to understand why." Then she folded the contract carefully and handed it back "I'm definitely waiting up until you get home."
Kaminari laughed. "You don't have to."
"I know."
"...But after reading that pay rate?" She looked out the bus window for a moment before glancing back at him "I want to hear exactly what happens on your first night.”
As a few hours later the bus pulled away, its engine fading into the distance.
Silence settled almost immediately.
Kaminari looked around "...This is the stop."
Jiro stepped off beside him and scanned the area.
The mall sat a short walk away, its massive silhouette outlined against the night sky. Most of the parking lot was empty, with only a handful of cars scattered across the asphalt. Several storefront signs inside the building were dark, and only a few security lights illuminated the entrances.
"...It's quieter than I expected," Kaminari admitted.
Jiro frowned "Quieter?" She looked around the nearly deserted street "There isn't anyone here."
The only sounds were the hum of distant streetlights and the breeze sweeping across the empty parking lot.
Kaminari checked his phone "The address matches."
Jiro folded her arms "I don't like this."
He glanced at her "It's probably because the mall's closed."
"Maybe." But she didn't sound convinced.
The two crossed the parking lot together. Their footsteps echoed against the pavement until they reached an employee entrance on the side of the building.
A small light above the steel door was on.
Next to it was a keypad and an intercom.
Kaminari compared the door number with the one in his hiring email "...This is definitely it."
Jiro looked over her shoulder at the empty parking lot again "...I'm not waiting out there."
"Huh?"
"I'm coming in with you."
"They'll probably stop you."
"That's fine." As she met his eyes "I'm at least making sure you get to whoever hired you."
Kaminari smiled a little "...You're worried."
She rolled her eyes and gestures behind them "I wonder why."
He rubbed the back of his neck "...Fair."
He pressed the intercom button.
After a couple of seconds, it crackled to life.
"Security entrance."
Kaminari straightened instinctively "Uh, good evening. I'm Kaminari Denki. Today's my first shift."
There was a brief pause.
"...One moment."
A loud metallic click came from the door as the lock disengaged.
Kaminari pulled it open.
Bright fluorescent lights spilled into the hallway beyond.
Inside, the corridor was spotless and much more alive than the parking lot suggested. The distant sound of rolling carts and muffled conversations echoed somewhere deeper in the building.
Jiro let out the breath she'd been holding "...Okay. That's already less creepy."
Kaminari nodded "See? It's normal."
"Normal enough."
They stepped inside together, the heavy security door swinging shut behind them with a solid thunk as The heavy security door shut behind them with a solid clunk, cutting off the sounds of the empty parking lot outside.
Footsteps echoed down the hallway.
A middle-aged man in a neatly pressed dress shirt with a manager's badge approached at a brisk pace. He looked tired more than anything else, carrying a clipboard under one arm.
He stopped in front of them "You must be Kaminari Denki."
Kaminari nodded "Yes, sir."
The manager gave a brief nod in return before speaking in a matter-of-fact tone.
"The store closes soon." He gestured farther down the hallway. "The paper in the security room has all the rules and instructions."
Kaminari blinked "...That's it?"
"The procedures are written down. Read them carefully before you begin your patrol."
Jiro exchanged a glance with Kaminari "...No orientation?"
"The instructions are comprehensive." The manager says flatly with his expression remaining neutral "You are welcome to ask questions after you've finished reading them."
Kaminari nodded "Got it."
The manager looked toward Jiro "And you are?"
"I'm Jiro Kyoka. I came with him to make sure he found the place."
The manager gave a small nod "That's fine, but once he begins his shift, only authorized personnel may remain in the security areas."
"Understood."
He turned back to Kaminari "The security room is at the end of this corridor, third door on the left." As he pointed down the brightly lit hallway "Read every page before doing anything else."
There was just enough emphasis on every page that Jiro noticed it.
"So... don't skim?" Kaminari asked with a nervous laugh.
"No."
The manager's tone didn't change "Do not skim."
A brief silence followed.
Kaminari swallowed "...I won't."
"Good." As without another word, the manager turned and walked away, disappearing around the corner.
Jiro watched him leave before looking back at Kaminari "...That was..."
"Weird?"
"Very."
Kaminari adjusted the strap on his backpack "Guess we'd better see what's in that security room."
The two headed down the corridor together, the fluorescent lights humming quietly overhead as they counted the doors.
"One..."
"Two..."
"Three."
A plaque beside the door simply read:
SECURITY.
Kaminari pushed open the security room door.
The room was modest with a desk, several monitors showing different areas of the mall, a wall clock, a radio, keys hanging on a board, and a neatly stacked pile of papers sitting in the center of the desk.
He picked up the first page.
> Security Guard Duties
Your responsibilities are to patrol the aisles, monitor the security cameras in the security room, and follow the rules.
Kaminari nodded "...Sounds normal."
Jiro reached for the next sheet "Then let's see the rules."
She began reading aloud.
> Rule 1: Lock the front doors at exactly 10:30 p.m. Not before or after. If you get the timing wrong, you'll be locking something inside with you.
Silence.
Kaminari stared "...What?"
Jiro looked back at the page "...That's... oddly specific."
She continued.
> Rule 2: Around 12:05 a.m. you'll hear knocking from the freezer. Ignore it no matter how loud it gets.
"..."
Kaminari laughed nervously "Okay..."
Jiro didn't laugh as she just kept reading.
> Rule 3: When you walk past the clothing section, the mannequins will turn their heads to follow you. You should pretend not to notice, and whatever you do, don't look back at them.
Kaminari slowly looked up from the paper "...That's a joke."
Jiro looked toward the security monitors.
One of them showed the clothing section.
Rows of perfectly still mannequins stood beneath the dim lighting.
"...I hope so."
She turned to the last rule on the page as she read it, her voice became noticeably quieter.
> Rule 4: At exactly 2:27 a.m., on Security Monitor 2, a woman in a white dress will appear staring directly at you. If you break eye contact, she will disappear, and right after you'll hear knocking on the security room door. We recommend you turn off all lights and crawl under the desk. Do not move until the knocking stops.
Neither of them spoke.
The steady hum of the fluorescent lights suddenly seemed much louder.
Kaminari slowly looked at Monitor 2.
It showed an empty hallway and nothing unusual.
He swallowed "...This... has to be some kind of hazing thing."
Jiro read Rule 4 again, as if hoping she'd misread it "...'We recommend you turn off all lights and crawl under the desk.'"
She lowered the paper.
"...Who writes that in an employee handbook?"
Kaminari forced a chuckle "Maybe they're trying to scare new hires."
Jiro wasn't convinced "...The manager told you to read every page."
"...Yeah."
"He didn't smile."
"...No."
"He didn't say it was a joke."
"...No."
Another quiet moment passed.
Kaminari looked at the wall clock.
The wall clock read 9:45 p.m.
There were forty-five minutes until the front doors had to be locked and for the moment, the security room was quiet except for the low buzz of the monitors.
Kaminari opened the container Sato had packed "Still warm."
Jiro smiled faintly "Sato really knows what he's doing."
He handed her one of the sandwiches "Half?"
"You'll need the energy more than I do."
"I've got two."
"...Fair enough."
She accepted it.
For a few minutes, neither of them said much as they ate as the silence was surprisingly comfortable.
Kaminari eventually glanced over at the stack of rules "...You're still thinking about them."
Jiro sighed "Can you blame me?"
"No."
She rested her elbows on the desk "They're ridiculous."
"They are."
"They read like someone mixed an employee handbook with a horror movie."
"Exactly."
Kaminari grinned "What if the manager just really loves pranks?"
Jiro looked at him "Then he deserves an award for keeping a straight face."
He laughed "Right?"
She shook her head "I still can't believe your interview ended with, 'By the way, if ghost lady shows up, don't blink.'"
Kaminari snorted so suddenly he nearly choked on his sandwich "Pfft—" as he quickly covered his mouth "Don't make me laugh while I'm eating."
Jiro couldn't help smiling "I'm serious."
He swallowed "'Congratulations, you're hired. Here's your uniform, your ID badge, and here's Susan the hallway ghost.'"
Jiro let out a short laugh despite herself "'Please maintain eye contact with Susan at all times.'"
"'Failure to do so may result in... unpleasant customer feedback.'"
She laughed harder "'Remember to rate your haunting experience five stars.'"
Kaminari leaned back in his chair, pleased he'd finally gotten her to laugh "There you go."
"What?"
"You're smiling again."
Jiro hadn't even realized as she looked away for a second, still smiling "...Maybe."
"You were freaking yourself out."
"I was."
He nudged her shoulder gently "I told you. It's probably just some elaborate prank they pull on new guards."
"...I hope you're right."
"I usually am."
She raised an eyebrow "You usually?"
"...Okay, sometimes."
"More like occasionally."
"I'll take occasionally."
She chuckled, shaking her head "You're impossible."
"And yet..." as he pointed at her "You're laughing."
"I hate that you're right."
"I know."
For another few minutes they chatted about school, complained about Bakugo's attitude that morning, and wondered whether Sero would actually survive Mina's latest attempt to drag everyone into another weekend activity.
By the time their conversation slowed, the knot in Jiro's stomach had loosened considerably.
She looked toward the monitors.
Everything was still.
Empty corridors.
Dark storefronts.
Nothing moved.
But when they looked up, the digital clock on the security room wall clicked over.
10:20 p.m.
Kaminari stood immediately "Time."
Jiro looked at the first rule one more time.
> Lock the front doors at exactly 10:30 p.m. Not before or after.
She folded the paper back onto the desk "...Let's go."
Kaminari took the ring of keys from the hook beside the door, and the two left the security room together.
The atmosphere had changed.
The mall was officially closed.
Only the overhead security lights remained on, casting long shadows across the polished tile floors. Most storefronts were dark behind their metal shutters, while a few emergency lights glowed faintly in the distance.
Their footsteps echoed through the empty building.
Neither of them spoke much as eventually they reached the main entrance.
Beyond the glass doors, the parking lot was almost completely empty.
A few distant streetlights flickered over rows of vacant parking spaces.
Kaminari checked the time on his phone.
10:30 p.m.
"Exactly."
He inserted the key into the lock.
Click.
One lock.
Then another.
Clack.
He gave each handle a firm pull.
Locked.
Jiro instinctively glanced outside one last time before the two stepped away from the entrance "...Rule one done."
Kaminari exhaled "Nothing got locked in with us."
"Don't say it like that."
"...Right."
They turned and began their patrol.
The wide central corridor stretched ahead, unusually quiet.
The fountains had been switched off.
The background music that normally played during business hours was gone.
Only the faint hum of the building's ventilation system remained.
They passed a bookstore with its shutters lowered.
Then a toy shop.
A sports store.
Everything looked perfectly ordinary.
Kaminari smiled a little "See?"
Jiro glanced around "So far."
He grinned "I told you it'd probably be a boring shift."
"I'd like boring."
"So would I."
They continued side by side, neither straying more than a step from the other.
As they rounded another corner, they came into view of the clothing section.
Rows of mannequins stood inside the display windows, frozen beneath the dim lights.
Jiro instinctively slowed "..."
Kaminari noticed where she was looking "...Rule three."
Neither of them said anything for a moment.
The mannequins remained perfectly still.
Kaminari forced a laugh "They're just mannequins."
"...Yeah."
Without lingering, they continued walking past the storefront at a steady pace, keeping their eyes forward.
After leaving the clothing section behind them, they completed the rest of the patrol without incident.
No unusual sounds.
No movement.
Just empty corridors and silent shops.
Eventually they made their way back through the winding hallways toward the security office.
Kaminari unlocked the door, and they stepped inside.
The monitors still displayed the same uneventful views of the mall.
The wall clock now read a little after 11:00 p.m.
For the moment, everything was exactly as it should be as Kaminari dropped the keys back onto their hook.
"Well..." as he looked around the security room "...Nothing happened."
Jiro nodded, though she still glanced uneasily toward the stack of rules on the desk "I'd like to keep it that way."
Kaminari sat down in front of the monitors "I'll just check the cameras."
He reached for the controls and cycled through a few feeds.
Parking lot.
Food court.
Main entrance.
Everything looked quiet.
Then he switched to the camera overlooking the clothing section.
"..." his smile faded "Jiro."
She walked over "What?"
He pointed at the monitor "The mannequins..."
The camera showed the display exactly as they had just walked past it.
Jiro frowned "When we went by..." as she tried to remember "They were all angled toward the left side of the display."
Kaminari nodded slowly "Yeah."
Now every mannequin was turned the opposite way.
Each one faced toward the right side of the storefront which is the direction Kaminari and Jiro had walked after passing it.
Neither of them had heard anything and neither of them had seen anyone in the store.
Jiro leaned closer to the monitor "...Maybe someone moved them after we left."
Kaminari looked at the closed metal shutter "The store's closed."
"..."
"The shutter never opened."
Jiro looked from the monitor to the rule sheet and sees rule three as a chill ran down her spine "...We didn't look back."
Kaminari swallowed "...No."
"We kept walking."
"...Yeah."
Jiro studied the screen again "They're not looking at us now."
"No."
"They're just..." as she hesitated "...Facing the direction we went."
The room fell silent except for the faint electronic hum of the monitors.
Kaminari forced out a nervous laugh "...Maybe the display rotates automatically?"
Jiro didn't answer immediately instead, she kept staring at the screen "...Denki."
"...Yeah?"
"We followed the rule."
He nodded once "...We did."
Neither of them noticed that, for just a fraction of a second, one of the mannequins on the monitor seemed to tilt its head ever so slightly before the image settled back into complete stillness. Neither of them was looking at the screen at that exact moment.
As after a bit, the wall clock in the security room ticked steadily.
11:45 p.m.
Kaminari stood and clipped the radio to his belt "Time for another patrol."
Jiro got up beside him "I'm still coming."
"I figured."
They left the security room together, making their way through the dimly lit corridors. The mall felt even quieter than before, the silence broken only by the soft echo of their footsteps.
Trying to keep things light, Kaminari spoke first "So... after this shift, I'm buying breakfast."
Jiro smiled "With your first paycheck?"
"Yep."
"You've already spent it?"
"I've planned it."
She laughed.
"That's not much better."
They wandered toward the grocery section of the mall. Most of the lights inside were off, leaving only the security lighting illuminating the aisles.
Shelves of canned food, snacks, and produce stood motionless.
Everything appeared perfectly ordinary.
Kaminari looked around "Honestly... it's just creepy because it's empty."
"Empty places always feel different at night."
"Yeah."
They continued deeper into the grocery area.
Eventually, they reached the aisle leading toward the large industrial freezer at the back.
Jiro's eyes drifted toward it.
The wall clock on Kaminari's phone changed.
12:05 a.m.
Knock.
The sound was soft.
Both of them froze.
Another knock.
Knock... knock.
It came from inside the freezer door.
Jiro slowly turned her head
Kaminari quietly caught her wrist "...Rule two."
She stopped herself.
Right.
They looked straight ahead instead.
Kaminari spoke in a deliberately casual voice "So..."
"...Yeah?"
"What do you think Sero's doing right now?"
Jiro caught on immediately "Probably playing video games."
BANG.
The freezer door shuddered faintly.
Neither of them looked.
Jiro swallowed "And... Mina's probably trying to get everyone to stay awake."
"Sounds about right."
BANG. BANG.
The knocking became heavier.
Louder.
As if someone or something was striking the metal door with both hands.
Jiro instinctively moved closer until her shoulder pressed firmly against Kaminari's.
He didn't move away.
Another deafening series of impacts echoed through the empty grocery section.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The sound reverberated through the aisles.
Kaminari's voice was noticeably tighter now "So... breakfast."
"Mm-hm."
"Pancakes?"
"Sure."
The banging intensified as it no longer sounded like knocking as it now sounded desperate like something wanted the door opened.
Jiro unconsciously grabbed the sleeve of Kaminari's uniform.
He found himself edging closer too, until the two of them were practically shoulder-to-shoulder, walking in tiny synchronized steps.
From a distance, they looked almost like they were trying to occupy the same space.
Neither dared glance toward the freezer.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The heavy metal door rattled violently.
Jiro stared straight ahead "I'm pretending I don't hear it."
"Me too."
"I definitely don't want to know what's making that sound."
"Same."
They kept walking.
One step then another.
The pounding followed them for several seconds more, echoing through the silent mall.
Then...
Nothing.
The noise stopped as abruptly as it had begun.
The silence that followed was almost worse.
Neither Kaminari nor Jiro spoke for several moments.
Only when they had turned the next corner, putting the freezer completely out of sight, did Jiro finally let out the breath she'd been holding.
"...We followed the rule."
Kaminari nodded, still looking forward "...Let's keep doing that.”
As the two didn't slow down until the grocery section was well behind them.
Only then did Kaminari let out a shaky breath "...Okay."
Jiro nodded "Okay."
A few seconds of silence passed.
Then Kaminari looked toward one of the snack aisles "...Since we're already here..."
Jiro looked at him "...Seriously?"
"What?"
"We're taking a break from whatever that was, and you're thinking about snacks?"
"I stress-eat."
She stared at him for a moment "...Fair."
They turned into the snack aisle.
The shelves were neatly stocked despite the late hour.
Kaminari grabbed a couple bags of potato chips "You want anything?"
Jiro scanned the shelf before picking up a small bag of crackers "These."
He tossed them into the small shopping basket sitting nearby "Anything sweet?"
"...Chocolate."
He nodded and added a chocolate bar "Done."
As they headed toward the front of the grocery section, they passed a refrigerated drinks case.
The cool air rolled out as Kaminari pulled open the glass door "Hmm..."
He reached in and took out a cold can of black coffee.
Jiro raised an eyebrow "Planning to stay awake all night?"
"I don't exactly want to fall asleep after reading those rules."
"Good point."
He held up the can "Besides, if I have to stare at security monitors for hours, this'll help."
She smiled faintly "Just don't drink three of them."
"No promises."
"You'll vibrate through the chair."
He laughed "I only bought one."
After paying at the unattended self-checkout designated for after-hours staff purchases, they left the grocery section and walked back through the quiet corridors.
The mall was once again eerily silent.
No knocking.
No movement.
No strange noises.
Just the soft hum of the ventilation system.
When they reached the security room, Kaminari unlocked the door and stepped inside, with Jiro following close behind.
He set the snacks on the desk, cracked open the can of coffee with a sharp psst, and took a sip "Caffeine acquired."
Jiro sat beside him, opening the crackers as she glanced at the wall clock "Still a while before the next rule."
Kaminari followed her gaze "...Yeah."
The monitors continued to display empty hallways, dark storefronts, and the motionless clothing section and for the moment, the security room felt like the safest place in the mall. Neither of them was in any hurry to leave it again.
Kaminari took another sip of his coffee.
The can hadn't even left his hand when Jiro suddenly leaned forward.
"...Denki."
"Hm?"
"Monitor five."
He set the can down immediately.
The camera overlooking one of the main corridors showed a row of shopping carts lined up against the wall.
For several seconds...
Nothing.
Then one cart rolled forward on its own rolling in a slow, steady glide across the polished floor then it came to a stop.
Silence.
Kaminari frowned "...Maybe the floor isn't level."
Before Jiro could answer another cart began moving and then a third.
One after another, they rolled out of the line without anyone touching them.
There wasn't a person anywhere in the corridor.
The air conditioning couldn't have pushed metal carts that heavy.
The two exchanged a look.
"...Okay," Kaminari admitted quietly. "That's weird."
Jiro reached for the monitor controls "Check the clothing store."
He switched to the camera overlooking the mannequins.
The display looked normal.
Every mannequin stood perfectly still.
Jiro frowned "...Watch."
"What?"
She pointed "I want to test something." As She raised three fingers and began counting.
"One..."
"Two..."
"Three."
Both of them deliberately looked away from the monitor for only a second then they looked back.
"..."
One mannequin that had been standing beside the entrance was now several feet farther inside the display.
Neither of them had seen it move.
Kaminari blinked "...No."
Jiro stared at the screen "It wasn't there."
"It couldn't have..."
He glanced at another monitor for a moment before looking back.
The mannequins had changed positions again.
One now stood near a rack of jackets.
Another was angled toward the camera.
They were no longer where they'd been seconds earlier.
Yet the instant Kaminari focused on the screen...they were perfectly motionless.
He slowly reached for the playback controls "Maybe the recording glitched."
He rewound a few seconds.
The footage showed the same thing.
The mannequins were standing in one arrangement then there was a brief flicker as the timestamp advanced then they were simply... somewhere else.
No walking.
No transition.
Just different positions between frames.
Jiro's voice was barely above a whisper "They only change when we aren't looking."
Kaminari looked from one monitor to another.
The shopping carts had stopped moving and the clothing store was still again and the entire mall appeared frozen as the security room suddenly felt much smaller.
Jiro folded her arms tightly "I don't like this at all."
Kaminari didn't answer.
His eyes remained fixed on the bank of monitors.
As for the next hour he's focused as the security room has grown quiet.
The wall clock read 1:00 a.m.
Jiro had tried her best to stay awake, but after the long day at U.A., the bus ride, and the tension of the night, exhaustion finally won as she's sitting in the chair beside Kaminari, her head slowly tipped onto his shoulder.
"..."
Kaminari glanced over.
She was asleep.
A small smile crossed his face.
"Guess today caught up with you." He says quietly
Carefully, so he wouldn't wake her, he shrugged off his light jacket and draped it over her shoulders.
She shifted slightly but didn't wake "...Sleep."
He turned his attention back to the wall of monitors.
The only sounds in the room were the faint buzz of the fluorescent lights, the occasional crackle of the radio, and the steady ticking of the clock.
1:07 a.m.
Everything appeared normal.
Empty corridors.
Dark storefronts.
Still mannequins.
Then a flicker of movement appears.
Kaminari's eyes narrowed "Monitor five..."
It showed one of the central hallways as for just a moment, a dark figure crossed the far end of the corridor.
Not walking.
Almost... gliding.
Kaminari sat up straighter "...Hello?"
He knew no one could hear him through the monitor, but the word slipped out anyway.
The figure disappeared behind a pillar.
He reached for the camera controls, switching to the next camera covering the same corridor.
Nothing.
Empty.
He switched again still nothing "...Where'd it go?" As his pulse quickened as he looked back at the list of rules.
Rule 1.
Rule 2.
Rule 3.
Rule 4.
He scanned every line "...There's nothing about this."
The figure hadn't resembled the woman in white mentioned for 2:27 a.m.
It had been taller and its outline was indistinct in the low-resolution camera feed, more like a shadow than a person as there hadn't been enough detail to identify it just only that it had been there and then it wasn't.
Kaminari looked toward Jiro.
She was still asleep against his shoulder, breathing evenly.
"...Probably better if she gets a little rest."
He wasn't eager to wake her unless he had to.
Returning his gaze to Monitor 5, he watched the empty hallway.
Ten seconds.
Twenty.
Thirty.
Nothing moved.
He exhaled "...Maybe it was a camera glitch."
Just as he said it, the motion detector icon in the corner of Monitor 5 flashed briefly.
Motion Detected.
Kaminari's eyes locked onto the screen and sees a figure stepped into view from the far end of the corridor.
This time it didn't vanish immediately but instead it moved at an unnaturally slow pace.
One step.
Pause.
Its head turned to the left.
Another step.
Its head turned to the right.
As if it were searching every storefront.
Kaminari instinctively leaned closer to the monitor "...Who are you...?"
The camera wasn't high quality, but there was enough light in the hallway to make out details.
The figure wore what looked like old, faded clothing and its movements were stiff but then it stopped.
Without moving its feet, its head slowly rotated upward toward the security camera.
Kaminari's breath caught.
The face came fully into view as he sees its skin was unnaturally pale and its eyes...there didn't seem to be any visible irises or whites.
Instead, each eye socket appeared as a deep, featureless darkness, giving the impression of hollow black eyes fixed directly on the camera.
The expression itself remained blank.
No smile.
No frown.
Just a still face staring upward.
Kaminari's grip tightened around the armrest "..."
The figure remained motionless for several seconds then, with the same slow, measured movements, it turned away.
One step and then another as it again disappeared behind the corner of the hallway.
Monitor 5 was empty again.
Kaminari looked down at the rules.
Rule 1.
Rule 2.
Rule 3.
Rule 4.
Nothing mentioned a wandering figure.
"...That's not the woman..." He whispered it more to himself than anyone else.
Jiro shifted slightly in her sleep but didn't wake.
Kaminari glanced at her for a moment "...You can sleep a little longer."
He looked back to the monitor as the corridor was silent and the motion detector icon stopped flashing as whatever the figure had been, it was no longer in view.
But one thought refused to leave his mind.
If the written rules described only four specific events.....what else in the mall hadn't been written down?
As the security room had settled into another uneasy silence.
The digital clock crept forward.
2:20 a.m.
Kaminari blinked hard.
The coffee had long since worn off.
He rubbed his eyes for only a moment before forcing himself to focus on the monitors again.
"...Stay awake..."
Jiro was still asleep beside him.
He looked across the screens.
Empty hallways.
Dark storefronts.
Still mannequins.
But then his eyes landed on Monitor 2 as his exhaustion vanished instantly.
A woman in a long white dress stood in the center of the corridor.
She hadn't walked into frame but like it said she was simply... there.
Completely motionless.
Her face was angled upward toward the camera as her pale face contrasted sharply with the dark hallway, and her unnaturally light, empty-looking eyes appeared fixed directly at the lens.
Kaminari's heart lurched "...Jiro."
No response.
He gently shook her shoulder "Jiro."
She stirred "...Hm...?" As she followed his gaze to Monitor 2 as the last traces of sleep disappeared from her face ".....It's her."
Kaminari nodded once without taking his eyes off the screen "Rule four."
Neither of them looked away.
The woman didn't move instead like the rule said she simply stared.
The room was silent except for the ticking clock.
One minute.
Two.
Three.
Neither spoke as their eyes began to sting from refusing to blink for too long.
Jiro whispered through clenched teeth "...This is ridiculous."
"I know."
"But we're... not risking it."
"No."
Five minutes.
Six.
Seven.
Kaminari's eyes watered as he blinked reflexively "...!"
The woman was gone.
Monitor 2 now showed an empty hallway.
A split second later
KNOCK.
The sound came from the security room door.
Both of them froze.
KNOCK.
Jiro reacted first "The lights!"
Kaminari lunged for the switch.
Click.
Darkness swallowed the room as the glow from the monitors vanished as the only illumination came from a faint emergency exit sign leaking a dull green light beneath the door.
Jiro grabbed Kaminari's sleeve "Under the desk!"
The two scrambled across the floor and squeezed beneath the heavy metal desk, pressing themselves as far back as they could.
They held their breath.
KNOCK.
The knocking became louder.
BANG.
The door shuddered.
Then came a sound neither of them had expected as a long, scraping screech dragged across the outside of the metal door.
SKRREEEEEEEEE…
It was as if something hard was being slowly pulled from top to bottom.
The sound stopped.
For a moment..silence.
Then another scrape now longer this time.
SKRREEEEEEEEEEEE…
Jiro instinctively clutched Kaminari's arm.
He could feel her trembling.
Neither of them moved and neither dared make a sound.
The knocking resumed.
Three heavy impacts then another drawn-out screech.
Time became impossible to judge.
The noises continued intermittently, sometimes separated by only seconds, sometimes by stretches of complete silence that were somehow even worse.
But finally...everything stopped.
No knocking.
No scraping.
No footsteps.
Nothing.
They stayed exactly where they were.
Kaminari glanced at the faint glow of his watch as he sees nearly fifteen minutes had passed.
He whispered so quietly it was barely audible "...I think it's over."
Jiro didn't answer immediately as she was still gripping his sleeve tightly enough that her knuckles had gone pale and when she finally spoke, her voice was unsteady "...I'm…scared."
"I know." Kaminari says trying to reassure her
"...And I don't ever want to hear that sound again."
Kaminari nodded silently.
As for another minute, neither of them moved.
Jiro finally loosened her grip on Kaminari's sleeve "...Do you hear anything?"
He listened carefully "No."
"...Okay."
Slowly, they crawled out from beneath the desk.
Kaminari reached toward the light switch as he hesitated "...Ready?"
Jiro swallowed and nodded "...Yeah."
Click.
Before his hand even reached the switch the overhead fluorescent lights suddenly flickered on by themselves.
The security room was brightly lit once again.
Both of them flinched.
Kaminari looked up "...I didn't—"
"I know."
Jiro looked at the wall clock.
The digital display read: 2:50 a.m.
Twenty-three minutes had passed since the woman had appeared on Monitor 2.
Kaminari slowly turned toward the bank of security monitors.
Every hallway was empty.
Monitor 2 showed nothing but the silent corridor.
Monitor 5 was equally still.
The clothing section's mannequins stood frozen in place.
The shopping carts were neatly lined up again.
It was as though nothing had happened
Buzz.
Kaminari's phone vibrated on the desk.
Both of them jumped.
"...It's just my phone." Kaminari says as he picked it up.
A notification filled the screen.
Payment Received 55,000 Yen
Kaminari blinked "...What?"
Jiro leaned over "...Already?"
He opened the notification.
The transfer had been completed.
Jiro frowned "...Your shift isn't even over."
"It says..." as he scrolled through the message "...'Night shift payment processed.'"
Jiro looked from the phone to the empty monitors "...They pay in the middle of the night?"
"I guess."
He laughed weakly "For a second I thought maybe I was getting fired."
"I don't think companies usually pay people before firing them."
"...Good point."
Jiro folded her arms "...This place gets stranger every hour."
Kaminari checked the rest of the schedule attached to the message "Oh."
"What?"
"It says the morning security team arrives at 5:00 a.m."
"So..."
"I basically just have to stay here until they show up."
Jiro let out a slow breath "That's... only a little over two hours."
Kaminari nodded "...Compared to what we've already seen..."
He glanced at Rule 4 lying on the desk "...I hope the rest of the night is boring."
Jiro didn't answer immediately byt instead, she looked at the monitors one by one.
Empty hallways.
Silent storefronts.
Motionless mannequins.
Everything looked perfectly normal again and somehow...that normality unsettled her more than the sh#t show they just live through.
She quietly pulled her chair closer to Kaminari's.
Without saying a word, he did the same as neither of them felt like sitting alone for the remainder of the shift.