You went to the movie theater with a friend to see a horror film. You despise anything with a horror element outside of the written word, but for your friend's sake, you agreed, thinking, 'Just this once...'
After the movie starts, you notice a few strange things. First, the movie is surprisingly bearable. Second, your friend who suggested the movie seems to be having a harder time than you are. And finally, besides your friend, there is no one else sitting near you.
What do you do?
Protect my precious Hina at all costs.
Seeing Hina's terrified face, eyes squeezed shut, taught me something new. Even our cool, collected Head Prefect, who seems like she lives in a world of her own, is no match for movie effects designed to prey on primal human fears.
Her expression reminded me of that adorable gap between her usual self and the Hina I saw in her pajamas. Honestly, if we were watching this at home in our PJs instead of at a theater, I bet she'd look even cuter.
Still, Hina had really dressed up today, so instead of just cute, she looked like a delicate girl who inspired a fierce desire to protect her. She had her hair in a long braid draped over her shoulder, and she was wearing a white turtleneck sleeveless top with a denim skirt that came to just above her knees. A look like that had to be the work of someone else.
My top suspect was Ako, of course. I could just picture her poring over fashion magazines and scouring the internet, trying to find the perfect outfit for Hina.
The braided hair gave her a distinctly different impression from her usual vibe, so I guess the outfit did help disguise her identity in its own way. But those horns are impossible to hide, so a perfect disguise was out of the question. Maybe my own getup—a jacket of white and purple thrown over my folded wings—was a better camouflage. In moments like these, I'm endlessly grateful that the people of Kivotos are equipped with a default halo-recognition-impairment.
Anyway, the bottom line is: must protect my cute and delicate Hina!
I lifted the popcorn bucket from between us, set it aside, and scooted closer to her. She jumped, startled, and looked my way. I gave her a gentle smile. Busted for not being able to handle horror, her eyes drooped at the corners, and I couldn't help but think how impossibly cute she was.
I took off the jacket I was wearing and draped it over her, then wrapped an arm lightly around her. I moved my arm down and placed my hand over hers. I'd given the popcorn to her, but seeing as the bucket was still almost full, she probably hadn't been in the right state of mind to eat.
"...Mika."
"Shh."
Even if there was no one else around, voices carry in a movie theater. As someone who has suffered through people kicking my seat, taking calls during the movie, or chattering away despite being told to be quiet, I refuse to sink to their level. So I focused on reassuring Hina without a word.
The movie's atmosphere grew more and more tense, but Hina's complexion visibly improved. For a moment, I thought it might have improved a little too much, but the screen quickly went dark again and I couldn't get a proper look.
Truthfully, being this close to Hina had a calming effect on me, too, so I wasn't complaining. A jump scare would still make me jolt, obviously, but at least everything leading up to it felt less frightening. Isn't it a common reaction when you're scared to hug something or squeeze someone's hand? You curl up, but you find comfort in whatever you're holding onto. Just like I was doing now.
The movie's plot was shifting into territory I was familiar with: school ghost stories. It seemed the ghost summoned by the students' game had turned the entire academy into a haunted house.
Well, the title was
Since the only horror I could stomach was the kind in print, I still remembered a ton of school-related ghost stories. Music rooms, art rooms, science labs, haunted staircases, moving statues—I'd read so many of them that I could recall them in detail. Seeing them play out on screen, I couldn't help but think that everyone thinks alike.
That said, watching the characters blow up a moving statue with a grenade and shoot a ghost in a portrait between the eyes kind of shattered my existing knowledge of the genre.
This wasn't horror; this was a B-movie comedy with a hint of horror flavoring.
And because the setting was Kivotos, it seemed there were no truly terrifying ghosts that could easily kill people, unlike the stories from Earth. I mean, would these kids even be able to comprehend a story where the student ranked second in the school murders the first out of jealousy, and the victim's ghost then haunts the halls? I doubt it.
But I didn't entirely mind. The fact that not a single one of those detestable jump scares had appeared yet already made it a decent movie in my book.
Hina, seeming quite tense, let go of my hand to take a sip of her drink. Then she laced her fingers through mine and squeezed my hand tight.
…Was she really that scared?
On screen, the girls decided to split up to find the missing girl, Yuu, and figure out how to solve the situation. One girl heard a piano playing and headed for the music room. As she entered, the door slammed shut behind her with a loud thud.
[Is that… Yuu-chan?]
The red-haired girl realized that the person playing the piano was the missing cat-eared girl, Yuu.
[Yuu-chan, this is no time for that! We have to go back and figure out how to calm this situation down with the pre— Aaaaaaaah!!!]
The girl approached Yuu and tapped her on the shoulder. As she did, Yuu's body crumbled into pieces. The girl belatedly realized it wasn't Yuu at all, but a full-sized anatomical skeleton model, and she let out a piercing scream.
"Ugh…!"
Hina yelped along with her, shrinking back and squeezing my hand like she was trying to crush it.
…If she was startled by that, it seems Hina dislikes not just jump scares, but the entire horror atmosphere. I was honestly starting to wonder if we should even keep watching.
"Hina-chan, should we just leave?" I whispered into her ear. She started to turn toward me, then quickly ducked her head. In that brief moment, I saw her eyes were brimming with tears. I get not wanting me to see her like that, but I had no idea why she slowly shook her head, insisting on watching until the end.
In any case, as the popcorn slowly disappeared, the movie gradually approached its conclusion.
[We have to find Yuu-chan and do the Corner Game again. But this time, we have to leave the doors and windows open, and we have to move to the right.] [Prez, did you figure out what went wrong?] [I think the ghost we summoned wasn't alone because Yuu-chan broke the rules. I think there were two of them. We used a ritual to summon one ghost but ended up with two, so of course things went wrong. One of them must have woken up all the other ghosts sleeping in the school. If we do the game again to send it back, the others should go back to rest… probably.]
The following scenes showed the students finding Yuu standing blankly on the railing of the school rooftop and starting the game again. The bloodstains from the first time apparently weren't hers, as she had no visible injuries.
'Wouldn't she survive even if she fell from there?' The thought crossed my mind, but it was a minor detail, so I let it go.
As the game began and the girls started muttering their names to the walls, the twist was revealed.
[Inoue Setsuna. Inoue Setsuna. Inoue Setsuna.]
The girl who was supposed to be Yuu whispered a complete stranger's name with her eyes closed. Then, her mouth stretched into a horrifying grin as she opened her eyes. They were completely black—the eyes of a ghost.
It was the movie's first real jump scare, but thanks to the foreshadowing right before, I managed to get through it with just a sharp flinch. Hina, on the other hand… well, let's just say I had to hold her close and comfort her for a while before she could focus on the movie again.
[One, two, three.]
By the time I'd calmed Hina down, the game was nearly over. The girls, along with the ghost that had presumably possessed Yuu, gathered behind the second ghost they had found. After everyone was in place, they whispered their names to the wall one last time and turned to move toward the light switch. This time, the ghost possessing Yuu didn't move its lips at all.
[No…! Don't!!! Please stop!!! Stop it!!!!]
Just as the president was about to flip the light switch, a terrible, bloodcurdling scream echoed through the room. Mistaking it for the cry of the ghost being exorcised, the president flipped the switch, turning on the lights and declaring the end of the game. It was a moment where the audience, knowing the scream belonged to the possessed girl Yuu, could only sigh in despair.
[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah—]
Afterward, the girls' daily lives returned to normal. They all continued their studies as if nothing had happened, but among them was a ghost who had stolen a human body. It was a bad ending, quite common in horror films.
All in all… it wasn't a bad movie. The fact that I wasn't from Kivotos added an unintentional comedic element that neutralized some of the horror, while the direction was just tense enough to maintain the atmosphere. I especially wanted to praise the final jump scare, which used a plot twist as a setup. It worked because it was well-built up and not just a cheap trick.
However, the ending left me with a bitter taste in my mouth, so I couldn't give it a high rating. A scene that hit so close to my own situation popped up out of nowhere, making my conscience ache.
"Hina-chan, are you okay…? It's over now."
"Never again…"
"Hm?"
"I'm never watching a horror movie again. So, Mika, you have to forget everything that happened today…"
After comforting Hina, who remained frozen until the credits rolled, we left the theater. On our way to get the shaved ice we had postponed, she spoke to me, her voice half-sobbing.
I understood how she felt, so I just nodded silently.
Now that I think about it, I have a feeling Ako was the mastermind behind all this. If that's true, I probably won't have to get my own revenge on her.
Our Head Prefect's machine gun would surely not forgive her lapdog secretary.
…That was exhausting. I'm never watching a horror movie again.
Not long after I dragged my tired body back to my office, Ako showed up, beaming.
"Welcome back, Head Prefect!"
"…Right."
"Heehee, how was the date? I'm sure you were able to take full advantage of the suspension bridge effect by comforting the terrified Mika-san, making her heart pound, right? Just thinking about Mika-san's heart skipping a beat for you feels like a total victory!"
…For a moment, I considered reprimanding Ako, but I quickly dismissed the thought. Her intentions had been good, and it really had been a good opportunity. I was just the one who wasn't capable enough to seize it properly.
"The atmosphere… wasn't bad, I guess."
Actually, if I put aside my feelings about the movie itself… I was on cloud nine. The warmth and gentle touch of Mika, who was so attentive, considerate, and comforting throughout the movie, was so addictively tender.
"No, I should say the atmosphere was definitely good. Thank you, Ako."
In a way, Ako's plan might have been a success. It's just that the result wasn't what she intended.
The moment Ako heard that Mika was weak to horror, she declared it the perfect plan to make Mika notice me and develop feelings for me… But in reality, the plan ended up making me, the one who already had feelings for her, not just notice her more, but fall for her completely.
"I'm glad things went well, Head Prefect. Did you use the fruit shaved ice gift coupon I sent you?"
"Yeah. Mika liked it."
If you ask me if I regret it, the answer is no.
The warmth I felt from Mika in the theater, her kindness… it was all so good it felt like I could melt. That warmth soothed my work-weary heart and soul, and I found myself wanting to bask in it even longer.
[Today was fun, Hina-chan! But maybe we should avoid horror movies next time ☆ For both our sakes, you know.]
I slowly replied to Mika's MomoTalk, letting Ako's chatter go in one ear and out the other.
I wonder how many people have fallen for that kind angel. And among them, has anyone made a move before me?
I hope the relationship between our two academies improves quickly. When it does, I'll be able to approach Mika much more easily.
It was an offer I accepted with the hope that my future self would be a little less busy, but now it's become something I desperately want to succeed for a different reason. The thought brought a strange feeling.
Thank you for everything today, my angel.
…I'll be counting on you next time, too.