Chapter Text
/╲/\( •̀ ω •́ )/\╱\
The light filtering through the treetops was as thin as a new moon. Murky gray draped itself over the crooked trail, and even with flashlights cutting pale beams ahead, they couldn’t see very far. Even when Asahi glanced back, the path behind him dissolved into pitch-black. The visitor parking lot where Saeko had dropped them off had to be far, far behind by now. Sweat clung to his clothes.
He hurried forward in quick, nervous steps to close the small gap between him and the others, his breath quickening.
“H-Hey, guys… are we really sure this is a good idea?”
Ryū spun around. “Hell yeah! You’ve never wanted to demon hunt?”
“No??”
“Well, I have!” Yū raised his fishing net like a trophy, helmet lamp shining off it. “And tonight I finally get to cross it off my bucket list!”
“I hope that’s not the last thing you cross off…” Asahi stammered as unease devoured him. What had he gotten himself into? The moment their flashlight batteries died, they wouldn’t see their own hands in front of their faces! He clutched the straps of his backpack like a lifeline, knuckles white.
“B-But they say when the demon’s close, it gets hot, and you smell sulfur and— and rot, and you hear screaming people! And when you see him, you burst into flames! I don’t want to burst into flames!”
His voice shook, growing shrill with each word.
Suga laughed. “No one’s bursting into flames!” He clapped Asahi’s back. “It’s just a courage test!”
“A courage test…?!”
Shōyō bounced. “Like on school trips!”
Tobio pointed his flashlight at him. “Quit being loud! You’ll scare the demon off!”
“Me?! You’re the one scaring him off with your creepy face!”
“What did you say?!”
Chaos erupted. The group scattered along the narrow trail as Tobio lunged at Shōyō, who dodged easily. Some stumbled near the edge, and Shōyō stuck his tongue out at Tobio, triumphant.
Kiyoko, with a trembling Hitoka clinging to her arm, spoke in her calm tone.
“This demon is thousands of years old. Frighten him? Try harder.”
Ryū raised his arms in triumph. “Damn right, Kiyoko!”
“Yeah! Damn right!” Yū puffed his chest. “We’ll protect you!”
“How lucky,” she said flatly.
Kei groaned at the back; he and Tadashi were trailing behind Asahi.
“What could possibly happen? No sane person hikes a nature reserve at this hour. We’ll scare a couple of deer at most.” His tone was bone-dry. “You’re all acting like this demon is real.”
Shōyō snatched Tobio’s flashlight and charged toward Kei.
“And how do you know he isn’t, huh? Huh??” He shone the beam in Kei’s face; Kei growled deep in his throat. “Maybe he already possesses you and you’re trying to throw us off the scent!”
Kei batted his arm away. “Leave me out of it. You’d be the perfect sacrifice.”
“I would—?! Just wait—”
Hinata puffed up, but Yamaguchi slid between them.
“Guys, come on—no need to—”
“I really wish you’d fire each other up like this at training,” Daichi cut in, arms crossed.
“If we catch the demon, sure thing!” Yū grinned.
Daichi didn’t dignify him with a reply. After a moment, Kiyoko straightened suddenly.
“I think we’re here.”
Asahi didn’t see anything—until he took a few more steps and the forest seemed to peel back like a black curtain.
A clearing.
A resting point like you’d find in any hiking area: neat benches, a trail map on a tidy board, gravel crunching underfoot. Smelling of stone and earth, shapes blurred if you stared too long.
He realized he’d stopped walking at the edge and hurried to rejoin the group, shoes scraping as he caught up.
They clustered just inside the clearing, facing a stone arch marking the entrance to an ancient sacred grove. A shime torii: two weathered pillars linked by a braided, knotted rope sagging in a solemn arc. Beyond it, the forest grew so dense it swallowed every trace of light.
There was no way Asahi was stepping past that arch.
“This is a bad idea!” Hitoka squeaked, spinning in place as her flashlight trembled in her grip. “It’s almost midnight, and that’s when the witching hour starts!”
Kiyoko reached to comfort her—but Hitoka jolted like struck by lightning and collapsed into her arms with a whimper. Asahi wished he could collapse into someone, too. But, alas, no volunteers.
Suga winced.
“Oh boy…” He leaned toward Shōyō, voice low. “So… now that we’re here… what’s the next step?”
Shōyō swayed side to side.
“Hold on! I wrote it down!”
“You can write?” Kei muttered, earning a storm of glares. Daichi pinched the bridge of his nose.
Everyone crowded as Shōyō dug out a note. Tobio angled his flashlight over it.
“Once we reach the shrine… we have to leave an offering,” Shōyō read slowly.
Asahi’s heart plummeted. Suga nearly doubled over laughing.
“Asahi’s gonna faint!”
“Don’t worry, Asahi!” Shōyō beamed. “No demon wants you as a sacrifice. I brought one!”
Ryū pumped his fist. “Smart thinking!”
Shōyō rummaged again and pulled out a plush toy. A red fox with giant googly eyes and a tongue sticking out. Kei burst out laughing.
“Shut up!” Shōyō barked, thrusting the fox into Yū’s hands. Yū bounced on his toes.
“Then let the offering begin!”
They exchanged glances through the dim, and after a beat, Tobio asked cautiously,
“And… how exactly…?”
Yū crouched before the torii, placing the fox in the center. It stared back with disturbingly huge eyes.
“It’s a fire demon, right?” Kiyoko mused—surprisingly serious. “Maybe you have to ignite the offering.”
Hitoka peeled herself away in horror.
“Kiyoko… no one is as smart as you,” Ryū whispered reverently.
Tadashi handed over the lighter. With Shōyō’s eager nod, Yū lit the fox’s tongue.
It burst into flame instantly. A seam shrieked and split. Stuffing spilled; plastic eyes melted, bubbling as its cute face warped into a nightmare. Someone muffled a nervous laugh.
Flames carved deep shadows across their faces. Unease surged hot behind Asahi’s skull.
Someone shoved past him. Heavy stomps crushed the fire.
“Are you all brain-dead?!” Kei snapped. He scooped the fox up, hissed as heat bit his skin, and threw it back on the gravel. “You can’t just start a fire in the middle of a forest! Idiots…” He shook his hand.
Murmurs.
“Of course.”
“He’s right.”
“Did you burn yourself?” Tadashi whispered.
“Not worth mentioning.”
Daichi finally exploded.
While he tore into the group, Asahi looked at the plush beside him. After staring into flames so long, he had to squint to see it. Smoke curled from the charred fox. Bits of fur glowed ember-red, and cotton bulged from its torn mouth in a crooked, grinning smile.
/╲/\( •̀ ω •́ )/\╱\