The time had passed 1 p.m. We were hungry for lunch, thus all of us agreed to go back to the mansion for food.

As Ryouta had said before, no servant would be helping us for the entire reunion period. We could use that chance to further deepen our relationships by supporting each other. After everyone had changed back into their normal clothes, the new young maids in their aprons were automatically going into the kitchen to make some edibles and drinks for lunch. We had set to a single pick among each other’s different taste on just a simple fried rice and juice to begin with. Each of them were doing their job pretty well as they had planned before we went out to the beach. Even the rich daughter like Megumi who couldn’t be seen for the entire beach period was already waiting for us earlier, and helping without further complaining.

The so-called gentlemen just need to wait patiently on the seats of the dining table besides the minimalist kitchen in the same big room. So, we could also comfortably watch them doing the cook. Seems unfair? I, too, had the same feeling. But, that is if and only if that something unexpected isn’t going to happen, which it should be. If not, we who are acting like bosses right now would have had a far tougher job to take care of.

“Are you serious about this, Kaigo-kun? Letting the women alone doing the cook while we are just watching them?” I asked again with the same uncertain tone, almost voiceless.

Megumi just had a plate dropped onto the basin accidentally. Nobody acted too surprised though. Chika who was at the nearest immediately helped her with a hospitable smile. But the rich daughter still showed her usual ungrateful manner, while the kindhearted Loli still kept her particular matured behavior. The plate was still fine and useable, in fact.

“Yes, seems fair enough, but …. Hmmph,” Kaigo answered with certainty on an unfinished sentence. He tried to hide his laugh.

“Hmmph …. No, seems you will soon regret that,” Ringo tried to hide her laugh. She followed with uncertainty on a finished sentence.

How could Ringo have heard that? Did Kaigo send the information through heart to heart? Or it was just me who were already hallucinating out of hunger.

After we were filled with those delicious friend-made lunch, we were grouping again in the drawing-room while waiting for the most anticipated barbeque ghost story party tonight which had made Elena already showing the phenomenon of too eagerness. Now, it was exactly like a no teacher’s class, so free activities were allowed. Back then, we usually called as the ‘can do whatever we want’ schedule in term of school. Though, the time was supposedly arranged for resting, but we still wanted to do the things that we rarely had the chance to do it together.

Just when the leader was approaching the antique gramophone to play some relaxing music. Elena braved herself impatiently to intercept. Even the leader was slightly taken aback by her so sudden charge, just like Kazuki to me earlier. But our kindhearted leader still gave his concession generously. Our most awaiting lady seemed so restless already, and pushed us to go to the outside as soon as possible.

I walked with my old gang members and in addition of Chika around the garden. She wanted to join us because her only two oneechans were currently being taken away by Kazuki and me. We decided to do this adventurous journey which all of us were already so wanted to do since our too young age. Our group was wandering aimlessly while still talking about the past.

Of course and absolutely, except that case, which happened only a few months before our graduation. It is a very heartbreaking incident that happened to our kindest and cheerful classmate. Maybe that is the main reason why Chika were joining us right now. Her only best friend had gone. It is so pity and sad for every each of us, especially for our little girl. Even now, that feel is still somehow lingering, not ceased even a little, and all of us are just trying to hide it. We don’t need to made any certain pledge, but each of us wouldn’t even talk about anything that would bring back that painful recollection, especially on this supposed to be a happy party of reunion.

On our peaceful way along the flower beds, we saw Takuma and Ken around the right lounge. The first was likely writing something in his memo while the latter was pointing up and down with his phone to the mansion. Not sure what they were doing though. Isn’t there no signal at all? But still, no need to interfere into their business too much.

We had been further warned again by Ryouta not to go beyond the mansion’s gate before we departed. It seems that the forest really is a very dangerous area. Better take the free advice than ignore it. So, we restricted our area of exploration to those save regions only.

But still, human is a very strange being. Even though they had been told, warned repeatedly, or even already self-known that something is dangerous. They still want to do that something before they self-experienced its consequences. The perfect examples of those wise ones are Kazuki the perverted, Kaede the amateur bodyguard, Elena the self-proclaim princess, Chika the cute Lolita, and of course me the peasant who was being dragged all along. A perfect team against all odds, eh?

“What about a test of braveness to prepare for the scary night?” The boy beside me asked the other 4 members near him. But no one replied, and we just looked at each other waiting for the answer. Then he focused to the only person he dares to ask in this kind of situation, to take all the blames, I suppose.

“Yoru?”

“Eh?”

“Stop pretending to be cute. You know what I mean. The forbidden forest!”

“No, no, no, no, no. Remember what Ryouta and the others had said before we ….”

“That is a good idea!” Elena barged in before I finished my lecture. Her curiosity is extreme to the max. She might have already been thinking that before we departed, and just waiting for someone to say first.

“Wow, that is great, my dear Elena! Um? What about you, Kaede-chan?”

Kaede didn’t answer, and just peered to the forest. But she didn’t seem to against it.

“If my ‘nees allow it, it must be safe,” Chika is too innocent that made me feel bad for her. Why does she believe in her sisters so much? It is not wrong actually. But almost too blindly, and I also don’t want to contaminate that utmost pure heart by teaching her how to doubt. I guess, I would just go with them.

That Kazuki just wants to get the chances of taking advantages at the young women. I believe?

The five of us began to penetrate to the other side through the barred main gate that used only the common sliding bolt. It doesn’t use any other locks, making it also possible to be opened from the outside easily through the spaced bars. But we don’t need to worry at the very least about that small case, and just entered into the random forest region on the left side of the soil road. I told them to limit our exploration to only for a maximum of 50 meters from that gate. Kazuki and Elena nodded. But don’t even need to think for a second that they would obey if they found something ‘interesting’.

In our way deepening into the forest, I saw so many big and tall trees again, and its strong and wide root which protruded out of the fertile soil. Its brisk aura, dancing leaves, calming nature sounds and smells, and columns of thin lights which managed to escape from the plantations. The entire greenish serene atmosphere made me felt like déjà vu again, almost dizzying.

Since there was still nothing so appealing for them to be found. Once again I had become the target of joking. The theme is ‘The stupid times back in middle school’.

“I still remember that our Yoru used to wear oversized uniform. It was kind of funny tapping so many stuffs on his behind anonymously. Ha-ha,” laughed the one who did those mostly.

“Yes, yes, I will never forget when I tapped a monkey’s head portrait there, so lightly and carefully. He didn’t even realize for the entire day. And all of us were trying to hide it from the teachers, while barely pretending not to laugh,” Elena confessed her bad deed in the past, but still hadn’t begged for my forgiveness yet.

“Was that ever happened? If so, Kaede-chan or Chika-chan should have told me that there was a prank on my back. I trusted them,” I pretended to forget. But in fact, I still remembered it as though just happened yesterday.

“Sorry about that, Yoru-kun. Everyone was teaming together. I couldn’t bear to betray them,” Kaede laughed. She never pranked on me, but also never told me that.

“My apologies too. My ‘nees told me not to tell you,” Chika chuckled.

I shrugged my shoulder. Kazuki had passed the clown job to me, before emerged as the hero of discovery.

“See that? Do you see that? A bird. A purple bird!”

He was pointing to a tall tree behind us while shouting very excitedly, like a bounty hunter who just discovered a bunch of treasures. His reaction isn’t beyond any comprehensibility though. We have been living in the city mostly, and rarely have the chance to see that kind of wild animals in the real open world. Even I was amazed by his finding as well. But still, please have a bit more tolerance for his over ignorance.

“Seesh, don’t shout like that!” I hissed, and yelled back at him subconsciously. The legendary purple bird fled away. We were dumbfounded.

“Stupid Yoru!” Elena was the one who exclaimed back this time, but at me.

Kaede and her little sister laughed, followed by the first discoverer. Was that my fault? I thought the bird was already escaping since the first time Kazuki frantically shouted at it. We just barely saw it in a second.

“Indeed, very Yoru-ish feeling. Ha-ha,” Kaede was telling a cold joke.

“Yoru-ish indeed. Ha-ha,” Chika was following her oneechan’s bad habit.

What? Even the innocent Chika was …

“I will make sure to write this kind of humiliation into my diary. Luckily, I have always brought one with me,” my best friend further teased me.

“Hm, mm, mm,” since everyone was so happy, I would just let it pass for the time being. Be prepared to be the scapegoat next time, Kazuki.

After that, we spent our time searching for anything that we could never have seen in the modern city life again. Wild plantations, flowers, mammals, birds, insects, bugs, and even worms. It was so fun joking with those young females by showing those last three categories at them. They would always scream and run away frantically like just saw a ghost or something. It was what Kazuki wanted to do from the beginning, and I was starting to enjoy this friendly bullying as well.

I suddenly heard a faint of strange chimes sound when we were running after them. I wonder if it is like a bell which Taoist priest uses to control over Chinese vampires inside the forest. And they were currently marching toward us. Because the sound was just coming nearer and nearer. Very unlikely, but, had the thirteenth person or even the thirteen group been summoned already?

Before fantasizing too much again, I think I have a more important task to take care of first. I told Kazuki not to tease them too far. Let’s stop first before they stop us with some fiery slaps on our face. My partner instantly got scared because his most and only valuable asset is in stake, and froze immediately.

Too late, Elena was already gazing at us over shoulder with an enormous killing intent coming from her left eye, while holding a dagger on her left hand. Kazuki and I were really horribly scared.

The young woman shook her head forcefully before opening her eyes again to observe the weapon she so suddenly wielded. The sound of chimes rang even more piercingly. Much likely, that thirteenth person of mine is ‘this’ Elena after all.

It was the sound of the white furry balls which hung from those two crossed, thin and long pencil-lead-sized black pins, which attached to Elena’s hair knot and formed an ‘x’ shape on the height of her nape. Two balls at the end of each pins which are longer on the lower half, had made those chimes fell right behind her ears. I remember Elena already uses that particular style since our middle school time. Maybe that is what reminded me of her from behind in the park, not some fancy color imagination of mine. But I don’t remember those white sphere things which would hardly ring if not shaken strongly enough though. Also, her tied hair should be much higher up on the crown of her head though.

“I found this dagger here. It … it is still quite new, I guess,” said Elena innocently. She looked as surprised as any of us. It was us who thought too much.

“You gave us quite a scare, Elena. Ha-ha-ha,” Kazuki laughed awkwardly, while scratching the back of his head.

“Yes, the timing couldn’t be more precise,” I said awkwardly too, while poking my accomplice twice with my elbow.

“Ha-ha-ha, look at how scared they are,” Kaede chuckled together with her little sister.

We grouped together to take a look at our strange discovery.

“How beautiful it is …,” Elena said in awe, unable to close her mouth. Everyone was also fascinated by its charm. She looked left and right to find its very unlikely owner, but of course, there was none to be seen.

The dagger is indeed very beautiful. It is shining with many unique cravings on its white gold handle where a lot of colorful gems embroidered as well. Maybe a high-valued treasure. It looks very sharp too.

“Maybe you can keep that,” said Kazuki.

“May I?” Elena looked a little surprised, yet a little excited. She looked at me. Why would she look at me?

“Um, maybe …,” I guessed.

“Yah, I am so happy!” screamed the young discoverer of the unknown souvenir hysterically.

She carefully put the dagger in its even more elaborated sheath in her right hand. We continued our journey. I was just wondering if it really was the right thing to do. Elena seemed so happy though. We decided not to tell the others before the night party.

It might become a real ghost story of our own. A cursed thing maybe? Let’s hope not.

Time really passed so quickly when we are playing excitedly. The sky was getting dark, and the forest wind was starting to feel chilly. We were bitten by more and more mosquitoes and the others insects. So, we hasted ourselves to get shelter inside the mansion.

I once heard from the wise saying that some people might be weak, but could also get very formidable at a certain moment, for example, when they are doing the things that they really liked. That really applied to Elena who was as weak as a sponge sprayed by water when she was at the beach. But now? She was running so eagerly, so fast like a sprint athlete, as well as the others. I was being left behind. So mean of them.

Suddenly, I was pierced lightly for a second, by something weak on the back of my neck.

“Aww,” I moaned a bit, and stopped my running. I turned around while rubbing my pain. There was a white plane origami that was crooked a little on its head, dropped not far from me. I kneeled down and investigated. Judging from the amount of force that it hit me, current wind speed, its bend, and its landing location relative to mine. This is the culprit’s weapon.

I saw scribbles from its wing. Can I open it? I think it is for me. I joke to myself, a confession letter maybe? From a secret admirer? In the forest? I read with expectations. It is written with a lovely red cursive handwriting. It said:

My Yoru most beloved, after the dinner come me to see please. I will from the outside of the gate be waiting for you. Come alone only. Ok?

Most beloved, your Snow White.

You holy seriously? Why Snow White? I prefer Cinderella. The sentences aren’t even properly structured. But Kazuki would still be crazy if I tell him about this. Ha-ha.

But I think I should just keep this for myself first until I know who in the heaven that did this kind of so romantic prank. I know it must be made by one of those three females or my buddy who borrowed the other’s handwriting. But, I must admit I couldn’t imagine how to make a trap that has the precision to hit me when I was running behind them, how to activate the trap, or anything else. Technical methods aside, I didn’t feel like had overrun a string, or stepped onto something strange. I hesitated on my theory. But at the very least, the culprit is one of those in front of me because there shouldn’t be anyone else in the forest. Let see what they are really up to tonight. Anyway, I would be keeping the letter of evidence in my pocket for the time being.

I have a strange feeling though. As though I have seen that handwriting from somewhere a very long time ago. The sign further convinces me that the culprit is one of them. My head hurt a bit. Chika is the only one left in my mind. I don’t know why. Have I levelled up to be able to sense the culprit without any clues whatsoever?

At least as I remembered them, they also hadn’t forgotten about me completely. They finally noticed that the normal adventurer who had been royally accompanying them all this time was being left behind. They stopped, and called for me. Elena mocked me further.

“What are you doing? You wanna stay? Sleeping with your kinds?”

The deep and terrifying howling of the wild wolves suddenly echoed from the far dark side of the forest. A what? Did Elena just summon them? I don’t think so. Because she was just as shocked as the others.

“Quickly, Yoru. Run!” Kazuki got me the fuels.

I stood up, and ran toward them again. Now I could keep up with anyone by using the unbelievable power that I just gained from that letter. I am really excited even though it is a just prank. That formidable thing at a certain moment buff was cast on me right now, and we were running as fast as we could. It is so much fun too, fleeing away from danger together with our best friends.

Finally, we reached the safe region by passed through the gate, and then quickly sealed it before anything that couldn’t be seen strikes us from the eerie and mysterious forest.