"Welcome to Kikigi High"
The sound of sneakers slapping the floor tone, tone, tone!
The school bell goes off, loud like a car alarm.
"Yo! You seen Momo?!" someone yells down the hallway.
Teachers shouting, students running chaos everywhere.
"Alright, everybody! Inside! Class time!"
The whole place packed, buzzing with gossip.
"Yo, you heard? They say this school's haunted, man."
"For real?"
"Yeah! Mystery Club got shut down after they found a real spirit! Like real life ghost type beat!"
Someone laughs.
"Bro, who even believes that Mystery Club nonsense? Sounds like an anime plot."
"Ha! For real! They gotta chill with that ghost talk."
A girl sprints through the gate last one in before it closes.
"Wait up! Don't leave me!" she yells, breathless.
Everyone's already halfway across the yard.
And me? I'm just standing there, backpack half open, watching.
My name's Renji.
I like weird stuff ghosts, spirits, cursed mirrors, you name it. Been that way since I was a kid.
Most people think I'm strange. Whatever. I just don't vibe with small talk.
Today's my first term at Kikigi High middle of nowhere, small town, creepy vibe.
My parents shipped me out here to "get some real-world experience."
Basically code for: "Stop talking about ghosts, Renji."
But nah, ghosts are my thing. Always have been.
Anyway, first day I ain't tryna make friends or join no club.
But then I saw it in the student handbook…
The Ghost Lovers Club.
Shut down for years. Nobody wants to touch it.
Rumor says the last members saw something real.
And yeah… that's the whole reason I came here.
I even got special permission from the headmaster old friend of my folks to reopen it.
So here I am.
Renji. The lone member of a ghost club that don't exist.
And something tells me… it's about to get real weird.
The New Kid and the Ghost Club
Teacher's standing by the office door, arms crossed, giving me that "you're already in trouble" look.
"Hey! You that tiny brat renji Ishima?"
"Uh, yeah. That's me," I said, trying not to sound nervous.
"I'm Mr. Daigo," he grunted.
(And in my head I'm like: Okay… and what's your point, old man?)
"Follow me," he says.
So I do. We walk for a while long hallway, empty, smells like chalk and mystery.
He sits down behind a messy desk, stares at me like he's about to interrogate me.
"So, kid, you ain't playin' right? You're the new transfer student? The one tryin' to start a club all by yourself?"
I blink. "Wait, what do you mean?"
Daigo leans back in his chair, sighs.
"Bruh, you're literally the only one registered in the Mystery Club. One member. Just you. You tryna start a ghost party solo?"
He slides a key across the desk. "Here's the key but listen. You need at least two more members to make that club official."
I grin. "That's easy," I say out loud though deep down I knew nobody here's gonna join my ghost club.
"Alright," he says, standing up. "You got till tomorrow. No recruits? I shut you down. Capisce?"
"Thanks for the key, sir. So, uh, where's the club room?"
Daigo groans. "Boy, are you here to study or chase ghosts? Get to class 3E. Now!"
I bow my head. "Yes, sir, sorry!"
I walk through the hallway toward 3E, when suddenly bam!
A girl runs into me full speed, her bag hitting my chest.
"Yo! Watch where you're goin', man!" she snaps.
"Sorry, sorry!" I stammer.
She's got short hair, a weird book in her hand, and a lollipop stick poking from her mouth.
I ask, "Uh… hey, is class 3E around here?"
She tilts her head. "You serious? Wrong block, dude. You're way off. 3E's on the other side."
"Thanks," I mumble, bowing again.
(And in my head I'm like, what is this girl's deal?)
Then she looks at me, smiles like nothing happened.
"My name's Nami! See you around I'm in the next class close to yours!" she shouts, running off.
I stare, confused.
(A minute ago she was mad. Now she's friendly? What kinda bipolar energy is that?)
Then I notice she dropped one of her books.
I pick it up, but when I turn around, she's already gone.
I shrug and shove it in my bag.
When I finally reach class 3E, it's chaos.
Guys talking nonsense, girls gossiping about boyfriends and summer vacations.
I don't care. I just want the day to end.
All I can think about is that Mystery Club room I just wanna sit there and breathe.
Then the door slams open.
A man with glasses walks in like a storm. "I'm Mr. Wowo," he says. "Get your papers out. We're having a test."
The class erupts.
"A TEST?! On the first day?!"
"What the hell, man! We just got here!"
But no mercy.
From 11:00 AM till 1:00 PM, we wrote nonstop. Paper after paper.
(This school's insane, bro.)
When the lunch bell finally rings, I'm like, thank you, universe.
As everyone rushes out, I dip in the opposite direction toward the clubroom.
The path gets quieter, darker.
I reach the end of the building, and there it is…
An old, abandoned house-like structure at the edge of the school grounds.
Windows cracked. Door hanging loose. Dust everywhere.
And instead of being scared… I smile.
This this is exactly what I wanted.
"All I gotta do is clean it up," I whisper. Then I yell out, "YEAH!"
A few girls nearby jump and stare at me.
"What's wrong with that guy?"
"Creep alert!"
They run off, calling me weird.
I just chuckle, hands in pockets, walking into the abandoned building.
My ghost club... starts now.