Under Arisa’s cheerful lead, we went back inside the manor that was supposed to be abandoned. There’s no light source inside, hence they brought in a flashlight.

The creepy atmosphere remained but seeing my girl hopping jubilantly without any care in the world to tour me in what’s supposed to be a haunted place was warding it off.

Shizu took my left side, copying Juri in hugging my arm. She’s silently following along with us, maybe a little tired from everything that happened today. When I asked her if she wanted to rest first, the girl just shook her head. She either didn’t want to slow us down or be left out.

No matter what, spending time with me was also at the top of her priority.

Then there’s Izumi who’s probably a little scared. Or maybe she’s not just being honest again that she missed me. She positioned herself behind me. One of her hands gripped the hem of my shirt while the other wrapped to my front, partly hugging me. She’s trying to be subtle about it yet she’s being so obvious. If I pointed that out then she’s definitely going to retract her hand.

That’s why instead of teasing her like that, I decided to simply enjoy her presence behind me while occasionally glancing back at her.

Anyway, back to our exploration of this ‘haunted place’ this manor was probably used as another lodging place. Unlike the cabins we’re staying at with a simple architectural design close to usual log houses, this one felt more like a Japanese-style inn or ryokan. Although it might’ve looked smaller from the outside, this place consisted of a lot of rooms.

The woods were already creaky and gave off the sense that it might break on us but other than that, the place seemed to be pretty well-maintained for something abandoned.

The decorations of each room remained there, along with some dusty cabinets.

There was even a recreational hall that contained some dusty ping pong tables, old arcades, and vending machines. When we reached what should be a kitchen, utensils were also properly housed in their cabinets.

Whether they still have a plan to use this place or not, I have no idea but a simple renovation would surely make this place functional again.

Still, as we continued to explore further inside, the creepy atmosphere never subsided.

Maybe it’s because of the scratches on the wall and some tears on the doors that were probably a result of violence. It gave off an eerie feeling as if a crime was committed here and it was never made public.

Or maybe I was just overthinking things and those were made by other guests who went to vandalize the abandoned property.

Juri once again filled us in about the history of this place while we went from room to room with Arisa using her flashlight to show us what she finds interesting.

“I asked someone who’s working here for years and she said the reported sightings are those of two women and a child. No crime was committed here at all so the management dismissed it as nothing but hearsay. However, because the sightings seemed to keep on being reported... guests stopped booking their rooms here.”

“They also invited a priest to perform an exorcism but even after that, the sightings never stopped. That’s why when maintenance costs outweighed the profits they’re making here, they decided to close it and years later, they never touched the topic of reopening this place again.”

I don’t know if she just wanted to scare us too and see our reactions but Juri was enjoying this moment. Furthermore, her eyes weren’t only focusing on me, she was also checking out the reactions of the other three.

Arisa’s interest was clearly piqued. She wanted to know more.

Shizu was unbothered. She’d rather relax on my side than stress herself over the background of this place.

And lastly, I could feel Izumi’s grip on both my shirt and my stomach tightening. In fact, she was already so close behind me that I could feel the softness of her chest pressed on my back. And along with it, the thumping sensation of her gradually quickening heartbeat.

Yep. She’s getting scared but she’s also trying her hardest to keep it hidden from anyone – except from me, I guess?

“Two women and a child? That sounds familiar.”

Maybe remembering some detail, Arisa suddenly stopped in her steps and then turned to another direction, flashing the light there.

Naturally, our gazes were also drawn there since she was the only one lighting our path. With her expression a mix of intrigue and bravery, she then started walking towards a room that they probably passed by earlier.

Soon enough, we arrived in front of it. She reached for the shoji door to slide it open. But before doing so, she continued, “Oh. You’re probably curious but I saw a pretty old photo in here earlier. Wanna check it out?”

“Arisa, don’t try to scare us. We went here earlier and we didn’t see anything.”

The silent Izumi was the one who replied. As I expected, it’s becoming spookier for her that she’s probably reaching her limit to act like she’s not scared at all.

And if I’m not mistaken, Arisa was intentionally poking fun at her friend with this. Her mischievous grin was pretty telling.

Should I stop her? Well, it’s not like she’s going to hurt her friend. She’s just playing a prank on her. But then again... if she really saw something like that... then there’s a possibility that it truly corresponds to the rumor about this place.

I still don’t believe there are ghosts though. Sometimes people will hallucinate based on something they hear. And in the case of those reported sightings... most were probably a product of the guests’ imaginations after hearing about the rumors.

“Heh. Izumi... If you’re so sure then... wanna do the honor of opening this door?” Arisa stepped aside and gestured for Izumi to take her place.

But instead of answering yes, Izumi clicked her tongue and rejected her after a short pause. “... No thanks.”

“Pfft. Okay then. What about you, Ruki? Maybe we can solve the mystery tonight.” Arisa giggled and then turned to me.

And since Izumi was clinging behind me, she was looking to accomplish what she set out to do through me.

No doubt. She’s clearly aware of her friend’s spooked state and she’s going all out to see her break down in front of us.

What a devious girl.

Upon hearing Arisa, Izumi’s growing anxiety or anticipation about how I would answer made her body start shuddering. She reflexively hugged me tighter and her head lowered down on my shoulder, seemingly hiding from Arisa’s sight.

And then, I heard her helpless whisper, trying to get me on her side, “Shameless guy, don’t say yes. Stay here with me...”

Who’s this adorable girl? Where’s the fake delinquent who’s unhappy to see me arriving with another girl?

“No. Let’s go in together. Don’t worry about it. We’re just going to look for the photo, right?” I said as I turned around to face her. I raised her chin and stared directly into her eyes as I gave her a reassuring smile.

Izumi bit her lips as she attempted to shake her head. In the end, she didn’t finish it and simply threw herself in my arms. Even if she didn’t want to admit it, she was genuinely feeling scared at the moment. And for her, being in my arms was her only refuge.

At this point, Juri and Shizu already caught on to Izumi's state and Arisa’s attempt to scare her best friend. The two girls shook their heads watching us from the side. In particular, Juri covered her mouth as she was probably evaluating these girls or rather, their relationship with me.

Anyway... If we look at this from a different angle... is she actually helping out her friend here? Maybe. Maybe not. Sometimes, it's hard to read what's going on in the playful girl's head.

Seconds later, Arisa nudged me to move while holding back her laughter, “Ruki... let’s go! Time is ticking. Let’s solve this mystery, look for the ghosts, and have a good time here!”