Returning Home
As I walked down the quiet street, something nagged at me. A weird feeling, like I was forgetting something.
…Wait.
I forgot to ask that girl's name beside me.
That felt important. Probably. Maybe.
Eh, if it really mattered, she would've had a name floating above her head like in a video game. Or at least a dramatic wind blowing through her hair when she introduced herself.
Too late now. Guess she'll stay "mystery girl" for a while. Shaking off the thought.
The sky was already dark by the time Riku reached his apartment. He climbed the stairs to his apartment, unlocked the key to the door, and stepped inside.
With a sigh, he tossed his bag onto the couch and stretched. "I'm back."
Silence.
Then—
BOOM.
The lights flickered. The windows rattled. A cold wind howled through the room.
Riku barely had time to process before—
"BEHOLD! YOUR DOOM HAS COME!"
Yuki burst from the ceiling in a whirlwind of chaos—hair billowing, eyes glowing, arms spread like a vengeful spirit from the underworld. Books flew off shelves, cups clattered, and the entire room trembled as an unearthly wail echoed through the air.
It was textbook horror movie material.
Riku's reaction?
"Oh, niceee. You figured out how to move stuff."
Yuki's smile twitched. "That's it?! No scream? No fear?! NOTHING?!"
Riku set his phone down, grabbed a water bottle, and took a sip. "I've had scarier landlords."
Yuki sputtered. "I spent all day on this! ALL. DAY!"
Riku nodded sympathetically. "Yeah, I can tell. The cup thing was a nice touch. Very dramatic."
Yuki stared at him, utterly defeated. She had prepared everything—practiced her terrifying voice, worked on making objects levitate, even timed the flickering lights for maximum fear.
And this guy just… complimented her? Like she was a kid showing off a magic trick?
"Unbelievable," she muttered, floating in circles. "Do you even know what fear is?!"
Riku plopped onto the couch. "Yeah. It's checking your bank balance and seeing a negative sign."
Yuki groaned and fell backward in the air, dramatically sinking into the ceiling before floating back down. "I don't get it. Humans always scream!"
"Well, maybe I've seen worse." Riku raised an eyebrow. "Or maybe you're just… not scary?"
Yuki gasped like he had personally insulted her entire existence. "How dare you?! I am terrifying!"
Riku shrugged. "You're kinda… floating aggressively. That's about it."
Yuki pouted, crossing her arms. "I should've gone with the blood-dripping walls... or maybe the possessed mirrors..."
Riku took another sip of water, unfazed. "Next time, Spooky. You've got this."
Yuki groaned, sinking down mid-air, her frustration palpable. "This is harder than it looks, okay?!"
Riku chuckled, leaning back on the couch. "You know, you could always try scaring me with your personality."
Yuki's eyes narrowed. "I'll make you regret that comment."
Riku smirked, clearly enjoying himself. "I'm sure you will."
But despite the teasing, Yuki was determined. She wasn't giving up. Not this time.