Work Text:
Quiet Evening, Empty Classroom.
Tsubaki walked back into the classroom to grab something left behind. All the students had already gone home.
The door creaked as it opened. And then evening light came in.
On the floor there was a school bag lying neatly... then it started moving slowly.
Roll.
Roll again.
STOP.
Tsubaki: (blank face) “…okay.”
———
On the way down. Tsubaki found Seiryu and Uryu on the stairs. He started to tell the story.
Seiryu:
“A bag? Moved on its own?”
Uryu raised a brow and nodded.
Tsubaki:
“I saw it. I’m not being paranoid.”
Seiryu:
“Paranoid is when you look into a mirror and feel like someone’s chasing you. This… this might be a bag entity with legs.”
Tsubaki, unimpressed, brought the two of them back to the classroom.
They went back into the classroom. Tsubaki put the bag back where it was. They waited.
Seiryu:
"If this bag moves again, we'll call it 'Bagzilla'."
Uryu: (continues eating Pocky. Looks at the bag sharply)
5 minutes…
The bag starts moving again. Slowly. Silently. Heading towards the door.
Tsubaki:
“…That’s no coincidence.”
Seiryu: "Uryu, do you have the telekinetic power? Just admit it." He joked.
Uryu shook head slowly.
——-
Seiryu opened the window. The evening breeze blew in strongly. The curtains fluttered.
Uryu stood up, crouched down, and leaned close to the floor.
He pointed at something. The floor was slightly tilted. It was almost invisible.
Tsubaki: “…sloped floor.”
Seiryu:
"Wait — you mean the bag… pushed by the wind on the slanted floor?"
Uryu nodded.
Tsubaki: “So it’s not a ghost, not supernatural. It’s just physics.”
Seiryu: “This world is disappointing.”
——-
Stairwell beside the classroom.
The three of them sat eating snacks. Quiet, but comfortable.
Seiryu: "I really hope there are ghosts. This school is boring."
Uryu: (hands one Pocky to Tsubaki)
Tsubaki: (takes it) “…I’m not disappointed. Even if the bag doesn’t move, at least… I have you two.”
Seiryu: “Aw. Sweet. I wanna cry.”
Uryu: (shrugs slightly, small smile)
Tsubaki (voiceover): Not all mysteries have big twists. Sometimes… mysteries are just an excuse for us to hang out a little longer.
———
🕯️ SECRET SCENE – Nighttime, Empty Classroom.
Time: 11:43 p.m.
The same classroom. Silent. Moonlight slipped through the open window.
The same bag… still in its place.
Suddenly — it moved.
Once. Twice.
But the window was closed.
And from under the table… a small black shadow like a delicate hand touched the bag then just disappeared.
The ceiling fan slowly began to spin.
No voices.
No screams.
Just one faint whisper echoing in the empty room:
“…stay… a little longer…”