Chương 84: Chapter 84: Crying Kaguya
Amamiya glanced down the gloomy, empty corridor, then turned to Shimizu and suggested, "What do you think about waiting outside?"
Shimizu raised a finger and replied, "I'm going to look for Kaguya and the others, of course. A boy who runs from battle will never be welcomed."
Running from battle? More like knowing when to cut your losses.
Besides, a haunted house is much more thrilling when experienced alone!
"Which way did they go?" Amamiya asked.
"I didn't get a clear look," Shimizu shook her head. "It was all too chaotic earlier."
Chaos? What chaos could possibly affect a ghost like you? No one can even touch you!
"Looks like we'll have to play it by ear," Amamiya sighed. "Let's split up to cover more ground."
"I'm scared," Shimizu replied in a small, pitiful voice.
Amamiya was speechless. "You're a ghost. How can you be afraid of a haunted house?"
"I'm a guardian spirit, not a ghost," Shimizu corrected him. "There's no rule that says guardian spirits can't be scared of haunted houses."
"Enough already, it's getting darker," Amamiya grumbled. "Let's just split up and let each other know if something comes up."
Though they agreed to separate, Shimizu couldn't stray too far from Amamiya. However, the haunted house wasn't large, and within its eerie, shadow-filled halls, the range of movement was more than enough.
Amamiya picked a random passage and began to walk. To be safe, he kept the aura that dispelled evil spirits active—he didn't want to risk confusing the haunted house staff with actual ghosts again.
Before long, a female visitor suddenly burst out of a room on the right, her face pale and panicked.
"Ahhh..."
The moment she spotted Amamiya standing alone in the corridor, the girl screamed, mistaking him for a ghost. Without a word, she turned and ran back the way she had come.
"That was a visitor," Amamiya mused. His gaze shifted to the open door she had left behind, a thoughtful expression forming on his face.
Typically, haunted house visitors stick to the corridors and avoid entering rooms unless they're especially brave.
But that girl didn't seem like the brave type.
So why did she enter the room?
A theory began to form in Amamiya's mind as he approached the door and gently pushed it open.
This is the real world, he reminded himself. With the aura of evil-dispelling still active, he had no reason to be afraid.
The room was dimly lit, and only vague shapes were visible. It appeared to be an ancient wedding chamber, complete with a dressing table, a canopy bed, and various wedding-related items. The attention to detail was impressive.
"Is anyone here?" Amamiya called out from the doorway, getting straight to the point.
From a shadowy corner of the room, a familiar voice responded, "...Natsuki-san?"
"It's me," he confirmed, stepping toward the voice.
Good. Just as he'd thought, someone else had entered the room. And that someone was none other than the lost Kaguya.
"Are you alone?" Amamiya asked. "What about Fujiwara-san and Kitagawa-san? Are they with you?"
"No, they're not," came Kaguya's reply, though her voice sounded strangely off.
When Amamiya moved closer, he saw her sitting on the edge of the bed, her pale face streaked with tears. Her usual icy composure had melted away, leaving her looking vulnerable and shaken.
He was instantly alarmed.
'What's with that tearful look on your face?'
We agreed to shed blood, not tears! We just got separated, no need to get emotional over it!
"What are you doing sitting here alone?" Amamiya asked, confused. "Why not just head out?"
"I can't," Kaguya replied with a frustrated tone, her voice noticeably more emotional than her usual composed self at school. "A random girl grabbed my wrist and dragged me into this room earlier. When she realized I wasn't who she thought, she screamed, pushed me away, and ran off. Then..."
Amamiya's face grew serious. "Don't tell me you sprained your ankle?"
"No," Kaguya shook her head.
"Good, then go on."
"Then my hair got caught in something, and I couldn't free it."
Ah, I see.
As long as she didn't sprain her ankle, everything would be fine.
"Is your hair still tangled?" Amamiya asked.
"Yes."
"Do you need help getting it loose?"
Amamiya assumed that someone as proud as Kaguya would refuse help. But surprisingly, she agreed right away, without hesitation.
"Please."
After a pause, Kaguya bit her lower lip, glanced at the dressing table in the room, and whispered, "Could you turn that mirror away first?"
Ah, so that's why you're in tears. It's because of the mirror! Seems like the last time you were pulled into the mirror world during that game left some deep trauma.
Amamiya turned the mirror around. "All right, no need to be afraid now."
"I'm not afraid," Kaguya quickly denied.
Amamiya smiled. "So should I turn the mirror back around?"
"…"
What a bad guy! I'll remember this!
Kaguya quickly changed the subject. "Why isn't my mother with you?"
"We got separated. Your mom and I split up to search for you," Amamiya explained as he knelt beside her. "Where is your hair caught?"
"Behind me on the left," Kaguya said, pursing her lips. "I couldn't reach it."
"Don't move, I'll check."
As Amamiya moved closer, a soft fragrance, a blend of orchid and musk, filled the air between them. It was unexpectedly pleasant.
No wonder people say girls are like walking perfumes. It's true.
Their eyes met.
The mistiness in Kaguya's gaze was starting to fade, and Amamiya noticed a slight blush spreading across her pale face. Was it just his imagination?
Amamiya refocused his attention and soon spotted the issue. The back of Kaguya's hair had gotten caught in one of the clips that held the curtains of the old-style wedding room in place. It was a simple tangle.
As his warm breath grazed her neck, Kaguya instinctively shivered and tried to move away.
"Don't move," Amamiya instructed firmly.
"…"
Kaguya stilled, nervously gripping the hem of her skirt, her face heating up quickly.
Too close, too close, too close! Men and women shouldn't be this close! And stop breathing on me!
To her surprise, though, Kaguya realized that even with his breath so close, she didn't entirely dislike the feeling…
A few moments later, Amamiya straightened up and said, "All done. You can stand now."
"Mm."
Kaguya instinctively reached out her right hand, allowing Amamiya to help her up with a gentle pull.
"This haunted house is full of traps. You might get tangled again. Want to tie your hair up?" Amamiya suggested.
"Even if I wanted to, I don't have anything suitable right now," Kaguya replied as she ran her fingers through her hair, still trying to steady her emotions.
"Here." Amamiya pulled out a red hairband and handed it to her. "It's a blind box prop from yesterday. You can use this."
Kaguya hesitated for a second, then took the hairband. She tied her hair into a neat bow, similar to Chika's.
And with that, Bow-knot Kaguya officially made her appearance.
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