As the conversations around the hillside continued, Shoyo quietly stepped away from the others and walked over to where Dallas stood overlooking the riverbank. The fireworks had ended, but the glow from the festival still reflected off the water below.
For a little while, neither of them spoke.
Dallas was the first to break the silence: "Enjoying yourself?"
Shoyo slipped his hands into his pockets: "Yeah. How're you liking the island?"
Dallas: "It isn't half bad."
Shoyo smirks: "You're enjoying the hell out of this."
Dallas lets a small smile slip: "I can't deny that."
A brief pause settled between them. Shoyo glanced toward the crowd where Chifuyu sat laughing with his parents.
Shoyo: "You've been looking after them for about a year and a half now."
Dallas followed his gaze: "I have."
Shoyo: "I never properly thanked you."
Dallas looked at him: "It's not like you to show your gratitude to me."
Shoyo laughed quietly: "Don't get used to it."
Dallas: "I wasn't planning to."
Another comfortable silence passed.
Shoyo: "Seriously though… Just how many vampires have you fought that tried to attack them? It's been on my mind for a while."
Dallas: "A decent amount. They stopped attacking after a while."
Shoyo: "Hiding the actual number from me, I know you kept track."
Dallas: "Nothing I couldn't handle."
Shoyo: "I hope so. I don't want to regret asking you to protect them."
Dallas: "You didn't ask me because you couldn't do it yourself. You asked because you trusted me."
Shoyo smirked: "Don't make it sound cooler than it was."
Dallas: "I was simply doing my job. However, if you feel so obligated. You can treat me to some king crab tomorrow and some expensive champagne."
Shoyo: "Tah. You're gonna run my pockets dry."
Dallas: "It's a good thing your pockets are deep."
The two shared a short chuckle.
Shoyo: "But really, Dallas. I appreciate it."
Dallas: "I know."
Shoyo stretched before turning back toward the others: "Alright. That's enough sincerity for the year."
Dallas: I was wondering how long it would last."
Shoyo waved without looking back.
Dallas watched him rejoin the group, his small smile lingering for another moment before he turned his attention back to the festival lights stretching across Hanabi Island.
Meanwhile, Iris caught Hairene with a glass of alcohol in her hand.
Iris: "Got your hands on some beer I see."
Hairene: "Stop watching me! It's just one bottle."
The festival atmosphere had everyone in unusually high spirits.
They had already spent the entire day wandering Hanabi Island together, and yet nobody seemed ready to call it a night. Conversations overlapped, laughter carried through the streets, and someone was always coming up with another idea before the previous one had even finished.
Then Esmarie's eyes lit up. She snapped her fingers: "I know!"
Everyone looked over.
Esmarie: "Let's do a test of courage!"
A brief silence followed.
Yuji immediately deadpanned: "That's the most cliché thing you could've possibly suggested."
Esmarie proudly placed her hands on her hips: "Exactly!"
Chifuyu: "I'm in."
Diego raised his hand: "I'm with Nova."
Kagura practically bounced where she stood: "YES!"
Shinatsu folded her arms: "…Sure."
Hairene shrugged: "I've never done one."
Nicholas smiled: "Sounds fun."
Ariel tilted her head: "What exactly is a test of courage?"
Esmarie spun toward her dramatically: "You walk through a creepy forest at night!"
Ariel: "…Why?"
Esmarie: "To prove you're brave!"
Ariel: "I see. Let's do this."
One after the other, everyone their age and Hairene agreed to do it.
Yuji let out a quiet sigh: "If everyone else is going…"
The group began making their way toward the forest trail. The entrance to the forest trail was lit by a single wooden lantern. Beyond it, the path disappeared into darkness, illuminated only by scattered lights hung from tree branches farther ahead.
Esmarie clapped her hands together: "Alright, let's send pairs in every five minutes."
Diego looked toward the trail: "…Feels like we're about to sacrifice people."
Iris: "Please don't say that…"
Kagura: "Let's go first, Shinatsu!"
Shinatsu: "Saw this coming."
Without another word, Kagura grabbed Shinatsu's wrist and eagerly pulled her through the lantern gate. Their voices faded almost immediately into the trees.
Five minutes later…
Esmarie: "Next pair!"
Ariel looked toward Miku: "I suppose it's our turn."
Miku smiled: "Let's do our best."
The two disappeared down the trail together, Miku's excitement balancing Ariel's quiet curiosity as they stepped beneath the canopy.
Another five minutes passed.
Diego dramatically stretched his shoulders: "Nova." He offered his arm, "Shall we?"
Beatrice rolled her eyes, though the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her amusement: "You're so dramatic."
Diego: "I prefer 'gentlemanly.'"
Beatrice: "You most certainly are not."
She accepted his arm anyway. The two walked into the forest with Diego pretending he wasn't glancing into the trees every few seconds.
Soon after, Erika and Sylvie stood at the entrance together.
Sylvie smiled apologetically: "…I'm sorry."
Erika tilted her head: "For what?"
Sylvie: "I know you probably wanted to go with Chifuyu."
Erika blinked. The realization hit half a second later.A faint blush crept onto her cheeks: "W-What?" She quickly looked away. "No…" She laughed awkwardly. "I don't mind going with you at all."
Sylvie's smile became just a little warmer: "I'm glad."
Erika nudged her lightly: "Come on. Let's go."
The two friends disappeared into the forest side by side.
The next pair surprised almost everyone.
Marlon adjusted the strap of his festival bag: "…Guess it's us."
Aoi nodded: "I guess so."
Neither had planned on pairing together.
Everyone else had simply… paired off first.
Oddly enough, neither minded.
They quietly entered the forest, making for perhaps the calmest duo of the evening.
Caesar looked around with an awkward smile: "So…"
Yuji: "…Let's just get this over with."
Caesar: "Aw. I was hoping you'd sound more excited."
Yuji: "If you grab onto my arm because you're scared or for whatever reason, I'm killing you."
Caesar: "Fair."
The two walked beneath the lanterns, Caesar humming to himself while Yuji kept his hands in his pockets.
That left…
Esmarie looked around: "…Noah, would you like to go?"
Noah: "Of course."
Esmarie: "Really?"
Noah: "Haha. Why not?"
Esmarie smiled brightly: "Let's go!"
The timing worked out almost perfectly. By the time the final three groups remained, the first pair had already returned.
Kagura practically skipped back into the clearing: "That wasn't scary at all!"
Shinatsu brushed a spiderweb from her shoulder: "Right. You jumped at any noise."
Kagura: "Did not!"
Nicholas looked toward Jenna: "Ready?"
Jenna smiled immediately: "I've been ready."
The two entered the forest together, disappearing beneath the lanterns while Aoi waved after them.
Another 5 minutes passed.
Hairene stretched: "Let's go Iris, don't act all scary on me."
Iris: "I'll try…"
The two walked toward the entrance.
Hairene paused beside Chifuyu: "Where's your partner?"
He glanced around the clearing. Everyone had already paired off. Ariel had gone with Miku. The others had naturally found partners.
Chifuyu shrugged: "Looks like I'm hitting it solo."
Hairene: "Don't be an idiot, come with us."
Iris: "W-What she said, the second part I mean."
Chifuyu smiled and with his hands tucked into the pockets of his yukata, he walked up to them as they stepped beneath the lantern gate alone, the sounds of the festival slowly fading behind them as the forest swallowed them in quiet.
***
The deeper Nicholas and Jenna ventured into the forest, the quieter the festival became. Eventually, even the lanterns became fewer and farther between, leaving only scattered pools of warm light along the winding trail. Beyond them, the trees blended into a wall of darkness, their twisted branches stretching overhead like long fingers.
Jenna unconsciously moved a little closer: "…I didn't think it'd actually be this creepy."
Nicholas chuckled: "I thought you said you like scary things."
Jenna: "I do! But only in like movies or games."
Nicholas couldn't really argue with that.
To be fair, it was a little scary.
The darkness between the lanterns felt deeper than it should have, and every tree looked just unsettling enough to make your imagination fill in the blanks. Jenna slowly drifted even closer until she was practically attached to him.
Nicholas noticed. A small smile crossed his face. He decided this was his chance. He straightened his posture just a little. Then, in what he hoped sounded cool, he said: "Stay by my side. You have nothing to worry about."
Jenna looked up at him. For a second, her heart completely forgot how to function: 'He's so cool. He's actually so cool. Don't smile too much. You're smiling too much.' She quickly looked away to hide the growing blush on her face. "…O-Okay."
Nicholas, blissfully unaware of the absolute chaos happening inside Jenna's mind, continued walking. The time had escaped them as they went further into the forest. Further than the other had gone.
Nicholas frowned: "…Have we been walking for a while?"
Jenna looked around: "…Now that you mention it… I think we have."
Nicholas laughed quietly: "I guess we got distracted."
Jenna smiled: "…A little."
Nicholas: "We should probably head back before everyone starts wondering where we are."
Jenna: Yeah."
They turned around.
For a while, neither of them spoke. The silence wasn't uncomfortable. Just peaceful.
Jenna eventually broke it: "…Nicholas?"
Nicholas: "Hm?"
Jenn clasped her hands together behind her back: "I wanted to thank you again."
Nicholas tilted his head: "For what?"
Jenna: "For inviting me." She looked ahead as she spoke. "If you hadn't…" She laughed softly. "…I'd probably still be working right now."
Nicholas: "I'm glad you came."
Jenna: "I almost couldn't stay for these last 2 days. My manager really didn't want to approve the weekend."
Nicholas: "I'm happy they had a change of heart."
Jenna: "All it took was a lot of begging and kneeling."
Nicholas: "Haha."
Jenna: "I kept thinking… What if I couldn't make it? What if…" She smiled sheepishly. "…What if I don't get another chance like this?"
Nicholas slowed his pace: "You would've. I would've invited you to some other place."
Jenna's cheeks warmed: "…You would've?"
Nicholas: "Of course. I love you, Jenna."
Jenna's face turned bright red: "…You can't just say things like that."
Nicholas blinked: "…Why?"
Jenna: "Because…" She covered her face with her hands. "…You make it really hard to stay calm."
Nicholas scratched the back of his head: "…Sorry?"
Jenna laughed: "…Don't apologize." She took a small breath. "I'm happy."
Nicholas: "I'm happy too."
They stopped walking. The lantern beside them cast a warm glow across the quiet path. For a moment… The rest of the world disappeared.
Jenna slowly reached for his hand. Nicholas gently intertwined their fingers. Neither of them rushed. Neither felt like they had to.
Jenna looked into his eyes: "…Can I?"
Nicholas: "I should be the one asking."
Jenna stood on the tips of her toes. Their lips met. When they pulled apart, neither immediately said anything.
Jenna couldn't stop smiling. Nicholas couldn't either.
Jenna: "Best vacation ever."
Nicholas: "Yeah it is."
They resumed walking.
Nicholas slipped an arm around her shoulders. She naturally leaned against him, resting comfortably at his side. For a few seconds, everything felt perfect.
Then…
Something changed.
Nicholas slowed: "…Hang on."
Jenna: "What is it?"
The forest had gone silent. Completely silent. The chirping insects that had filled the night only moments earlier were gone. No crickets. No cicadas. No rustling leaves. Even the breeze seemed to have disappeared.
Nicholas felt goosebumps rise along his arms: "…Okay." He forced out a chuckle. "…Now it actually feels like we're in a horror movie."
Jenna laughed too. A nervous one: "…Y-Yeah…"
Neither of them believed their own laughter. Something deep inside both of them screamed that something wasn't right. Nicholas subtly tightened the arm around Jenna's shoulders. She instinctively moved even closer until she was practically glued to his side. His pulse quickened.
Every instinct he had developed were all telling him the same thing.
Get out of the forest.
He didn't know why.
He didn't need to.
Then—
Snap.
A twig broke somewhere behind them.
Nicholas spun around instantly: "…Who's there?"
Between the trees…
A figure stood motionless.
The darkness concealed most of its features.
Then…
His eyes adjusted.
There wasn't just one.
Several silhouettes stood farther back among the trees.
Watching.
Nicholas's expression hardened. His hand slowly moved toward the hilt of his blade: "Who are you?"
No answer.
Only silence.
Then came rustling.
Not behind them.
Ahead.
The direction they had just been heading.
Nicholas's eyes widened: "…Jenna."
Too late. A dark shape exploded from the bushes with terrifying speed. Nicholas drew his blade in a single fluid motion. Steel met claws in a shower of sparks. The force pushed him back several steps, his feet digging into the dirt as he held the attack at bay. The creature hissed. Crimson eyes glowed in the darkness.
A vampire.
Nicholas's heart sank.
More movement.
To the left.
To the right.
Behind.
One by one…
Pairs of red eyes emerged from between the trees.
They weren't alone.
They had been surrounded.
Another came from the left.
Nicholas stepped into the attack instead of away from it, driving his shoulder into the vampire before bringing the pommel of his sword across its jaw. As the creature staggered, his blade pierced through its heart.
A third vaulted over both of them.
Nicholas ducked beneath the descending claws and swept low, severing both legs before finishing the vampire with a clean thrust through the throat.
Jenna stood frozen.
She had never seen him fight like this.
His movements were calm.
But there were too many.
The surrounding trees exploded with movement as more vampires emerged from the darkness.
Nicholas glanced over his shoulder.
Jenna was still there.
His expression hardened.
Nicholas: "RUN!"
She flinched.
Nicholas parried another slash, sparks bursting between steel and claw.
Nicholas: "JENNA!" His voice echoed through the forest. "GO!"
A vampire broke away from the group, racing toward her. Nicholas planted his foot, burst forward, and met it halfway. With one slash, vampire's head hit the ground before the rest of its body.
Nicholas looked back: "DON'T LOOK BACK!"
Jenna's eyes filled with tears. Then she ran: "I'm sorry…" Her voice cracked. "I'm sorry…"
Three vampires rushed him together. He deflected the first blade, ducked beneath the second, and drove his elbow into the third before spinning into a wide slash that forced all three backward. One overcommitted. Nicholas stepped inside its guard. A single upward cut split across its chest. Five. Another leapt from a tree. Nicholas caught it midair with a thrust. Six. The last attempted to slip around him toward Jenna.
Nicholas pivoted instantly. His blade carved a clean line through its neck. Seven. The forest fell quiet for half a heartbeat. Nicholas exhaled.
Blood dripped from the edge of his sword. Some of it was his. A shallow cut stretched across his shoulder. Another along his ribs. His sleeve had been torn open. A thin line of blood rolled down his forearm before disappearing beneath his hand. He ignored all of it.
More footsteps.
The vampires spread apart, slowly forming another circle around him.
Nicholas adjusted his footing. His breathing steadied. His eyes never stopped moving. He had only one goal.
Survive.