In the morning , Mizuki just woke up from her sleep. As she get off from her bed , she begin to tilt her head as she start to experience vague memories
Mizuki: "Hmm ? , did I....forgot something ?"
She try to remember;
Mizuki: "After I went to the convenient store last night , I walked to the neighborhood street and I....don't know what's next after that..."
She scratch her head in confusion but then she realized that she had a plan with Hana today so she continue her routine in hurried manner.
After she meet Hana at their meeting point , they walk around the city to enjoy their time together. When they arrive at the local mall , Mizuki see the great angle of the building then decide to take out her smartphone and take the picture. Once the picture is captured , she look at Hana and notice that she seems curious about the phone that Mizuki hold on her hand.
Mizuki: "Oh , you want to know what this gadget is ?"
Hana: "Yes please."
Mizuki: "Ok. So , this gadget is what you called smartphone. You can make a call anywhere at anytime when you want to. You can also take pictures as much as you want as well."
Hana: "I see , I didn't know such technology is already that advance."
Mizuki: "Mhmm. So , why don't we take our picture together."
Hana: "Eh , can I ?"
Mizuki: "Sure. Here , come closer with me."
Hana begin to stand beside Mizuki and she begin to lift up her phone with the front len facing toward them. She then press the button and capture their photo together. After they took their picture , Hana begin to fidgeting;
Hana: "Um , can I see to make sure that we took our picture properly ?"
Mizuki: "Oh sure , hold on."
Mizuki press the picture review on her phone then what she see on the screen scare her.
Mizuki: "Eh...!?"
Hana: "Hmm ? , is there something wrong with the picture ?"
Mizuki: "Huh , uh..."
She look at the phone again but this time , she only shown normal reaction to it.
15 minutes later , they arrived at the local ferris wheel and enjoy the view of the city. Once they are reaching to the top of the ferris wheel , it begin to halt to give them limited amount of time before it operate again. During that time , Mizuki is really enjoyed the ride. But when she move her view to the other side , she notice something as she look at the entrance road to this city.
Mizuki: "(Hmm ? That's odd. I did see many cars everywhere but why there's no car entering or leaving out of this city ?)"
Suddenly , Hana begin to ask;
Hana: "Mizuki-chan.."
Mizuki: "Hmm ?"
Hana: "What are your honest thoughts about this city ?"
Mizuki: "Uh...how should I say this...this place sure is a great city despite most of its features are outdated. But hey , I'm sure people who visit to this place are for their nostalgic reason in my opinion."
Hana wasn't surprised , instead she express her genuine smile as she hear what Mizuki said.
Hana: "Is that so ? Then I am glad you said that. Well , that's not the only reason why I brought you here."
Mizuki: "Then , what is it ?"
Hana: "I would like to tell you regarding the invitation."
Mizuki: "An invitation ?"
Hana: "Yes. Would you like to go for a -tea- party with me at my mansion ?"
Mizuki: "Oh I would love to !!. I've never had a party befo-.....H-Huh....?"
Without warning , Mizuki instantly fall unconscious.
After moments went by , Mizuki wake up to find herself inside her room in her apartment.
Mizuki: "Huh ?.....What...just happen ?"
She can't comprehend what she had experienced. So , she try to remember yesterday event and first thing she remember is the selfie picture on her phone when she took it with Hana.
Mizuki: "That picture..."
Back then , she was scared because what she see in that picture is that the background of their selfie are surrounded with overgrown nature that wrapped around the entire area. She was about to freak out when Hana asked about it which make her come to her sense. She look at it again and the strange background that she saw earlier wasn't there anymore.
Few hours later , Mizuki goes outside of her apartment to walk around and getting some fresh air. But before she could do that , she were greeted by Hana who waited her after she exited the building.
Mizuki: "Oh good evening , Hana. What are you doing here ?"
Hana: "Hnn ? What do you mean ?"
Mizuki: "Huh...?"
Hana: "Don't you remember I invited you to a tea party with me yesterday ?"
Mizuki: "Oh.....yeah I did."
Hana: "Shall we go then..."
Mizuki can't refuse the invitation that were given by Hana. So , she walk with her on their way to her mansion deep in the city.
When they arrived at the mansion's gate , the gate is open and it show the pathway with japanese camellia (Tsubaki flower) on both sides. Hana and Mizuki walk along the pathway until they reach to the mansion entrance where a butler is waiting for their arrival.
Butler: "Welcome back , Ojou-sama. I have already made the preparation of the tea party for you and our guest today. Please , let me show the way to the garden."
Hana: "Thank you very much , Ibara."
Hana's Butler , Ibara , lead the way through out the mansion. When they finally arrive at garden behind the mansion , both Hana and Mizuki are spending their time together while enjoying the tea party with the company of Ibara. During the party , Ibara goes back to the mansion for the preparation of the next event which left only two of them in the garden.
Mizuki: "Thank you for inviting me to the party. I am enjoyed that we get to spend the time together. I wish we could bring Iruka-chan with us on our next hang out."
Hana: "I'm really happy to hear that. Yeah , we can invite Iruka next time."
Mizuki: "Anyway , do you live with just your family members only ?"
Hana: "What do you mean by that ?"
Mizuki: "I understand that the mansion is huge. But whenever we cross the front room , I can feel the emptiness inside that mansion."
Hana: "I...I see..."
Hana become quiet for a moment. Then , she evade that question and ask her;
Hana: "Can I tell you something ? If you don't mind."
Mizuki: "I don't mind , what is it ?"
Hana: "In Tsubaki family , there is a traditional ritual we had to perform for the grant of immortality. A sacrifice is needed in order for it to succeed , so the elders will choose their young successor to sacrifice their life in exchange for immortality to all members of the family. But their first and many attempts were failed resulting more young successors to died for nothing. This ritual will be repeated each year which is tomorow...is the day the ritual will happen again."
Mizuki who listen to her couldn't let out a single word so she stay there in silence. Then , Ibara return from the mansion and stand in front of them.
Ibara: "Ojou-sama , the people in the city have been starting to prepare for the next event."
Hana: "Is that so ? Well , shall we go then..."
Ibara: "Right away."
Mizuki: "Eh ? Where are we going ?"
Hana: "To the event , you'll see when we go there."
Mizuki: "Oh uh okay..."
Mizuki reluctantly go with Hana to the city. When they arrive , many people were gathered around in the middle of the street. Some of them are laughing while the other are singing. Among them is Iruka who crouching down and doing something. Hana begin to call Iruka out while Mizuki follow her from behind.
Hana: "Iruka"
Iruka: "Oh , they're already here."
Mizuki doesn't pay attention of what everyone were doing but once Iruka turn around to greet both of them with a smile , she is shock to see that Iruka's face is already smeared with blood. She then look at her hands and see that she held a butcher knife on her right hand while
holding someone's decapitated arm on her left hand.
Iruka: "Hey you two~~"
She greet Hana and Mizuki cheerfully while waving the decapitated arm at them.
Mizuki: "Iruka-chan , what are you doing !?"
Iruka: "Hnn ? Oh this , It's nothing to worry about."
As Iruka keep on explaining , Mizuki ignore what she's said and then;
A man: "AAAAAGH..."
Mizuki just run pass Iruka and reach toward the screaming voice. After she walk through a group of people , she is horrified to witness a man were his legs are cut off by the local people. The man keep on screaming in pain but they ignore his plead and continue to torture him with sharp objects and farming tools.
Iruka: "Mizuki-chan , what's wrong ?"
Mizuki: "What....what are they...."
A girl: "AAAAHHH.....NOOOO....LET ME GOOO...."
She then see a teenage girl got dragged by another group of local people. They pin both her hands and legs to keep her from escaping. Then a police officer appear before the girl so Mizuki run up to him.
Mizuki: "Hey officer , you have to stop these people."
Police officer: "Huh ? Why would I ?"
Mizuki: Eh....but...aren't you a police-"
Suddenly the police officer lift up a garden hoe above his head then swing it down and penetrate through the girl's stomach. The impact cause her spine to break which make her entire body to be dismembered in half.
The girl: "GAAAGH..."
Mizuki: "!?!?"
The teenage girl now died while cut in half then 4 local people drag her body parts and hang her bodies on the hang meat hook. Few seconds later , Mizuki notice that the hand of the girl start to move.
The girl: "Uh..uh..huh ?"
She look around as if she was awake from her sleep. She look to her side only to see her lower part of her body is hanged by meat hook beside her. That is where she realized the reality and begin to scream in agony again.
Mizuki: "She's alived !?"
She look her surrounding and aware that she begin to witness some certain people are torture in horrible way possible by their own local. The local people keep on dancing , laughing and singing as they enjoy torturing these certain people while listening to their painful scream.
Mizuki who witness this gruesome scene cannot comprehend what she had seen. She turn around and look at Hana who seems happy of what the local people did to them.
Hana: "Isn't it wonderful to see how lively it is."
Mizuki: "...."
Mizuki walk up to Hana and put both of her hands on Hana's shoulder.
Mizuki: "Tell me...tell me what did these tortured people do to deserve such act like that ?"
Hana: "Mizuki-chan..."
Mizuki feel hopeless as she look back to see Iruka who cheerfully happy despite she keep on cutting with her butcher knife on the tortured people.
Then Hana begin to feel the appearance of a group of creatures so she turn around to see them.
Hana: "Oh they're here already."
Mizuki: "...?"
Mizuki and Hana see 4 creatures of fully haired body with the face of human showing their creepy smile at them where among them is the one who Mizuki fought 2 days earlier.
Mizuki: "First the torturing and now these creatures showed up. What on Earth is happening ?"
(End of Chapter 2)