Because of the sudden tapping sounds, An-rin instantly tensed up. The sound of her getting up and moving over to my other side was loud enough. Although she's reluctant to lean on me, she grabbed the hem of my sleeve and muttered breathlessly, "I-I'm not scared."
Meanwhile, Chii placed her hand on top of mine as she was also slightly spooked. Not knowing that it was my doing.
Only Kushii remained unbothered but when I took a peek at her figure, she was subtly shuddering while moving her hands on top of the crystal ball.
Is the curse real? Obviously not. After all, the mention of it by the shopkeeper simply planted a mental cue in everyone's mind. They're already conditioned to be scared before starting this 'seance' that An-rin decided to do.
And messing with them through those taps heightened that sense of fear. It's like when you've just watched a horror movie late at night and you decided to take a piss. You'll be too scared to look in the mirror or stay in complete darkness because of what you watched.
Well, I guess the cursed crystal ball was more effective than simply watching a horror movie.
As I was thinking of ending this scene, a sudden loud thump came from upstairs.
My shoulders jumped a bit but I shrugged it off.
However, the moment it happened, An-rin squealed, nearly toppling over and crashing into the coffee table. I had to grab her by her collar to prevent her from toppling the candles.
Kushii also bolted from her position. Most likely to squeeze in between us. But she panicked so much that she almost crashed onto the floor.
Good thing I caught her movements, I stretched my arm to her side, breaking her fall.
However, as a result of balancing her weight, I ended up leaning over An-rin. My chest pressed against her back. The weight burdened her enough to make her groan.
Kushii hurriedly gathered herself up before crawling on all fours to go behind me. Although there's a little reluctance on her part, she grabbed my shoulders and pressed down on my back.
As a pervert, the sensation of her chest getting squeezed against my back was so vivid, I couldn't help but glance behind me, only to face her palm as she wanted to hide her expression.
Meanwhile, the spooked gremlin underneath me squirmed. When she couldn't lift me, the girl pinched my thigh.
The pain sure got my back straightened. Only then did An-rin finally get released.
She animatedly stood up as she looked at me with puffed-up cheeks.
"Okay, that's it! I'm done! Ghosts can keep their dumb secrets! And Onoda-han, I… I'll remember this!"
I scratched my cheek and chuckled before pulling her back down and helping her steady herself.
She dramatically clutched her feather boa like it was her last line of defense against the supernatural.
"Remember what, An-rin? That you nearly took out the coffee table because of a creaky floorboard? Or that you're clinging to me now despite swearing you're fearless?"
Her cheeks puffed out, the candlelight catching the flush on her face. "Hmph! I'm not clinging! I'm… I'm just, like, strategically positioned for safety! Big difference, Onoda-han! Besides, you just crashed on me!"
Chii, who probably saw everything from my side, interjected.
"Strategically positioned, huh? Sure, An-rin. You're about one more thump away from hiding under Kii's shirt. And don't forget, he prevented you from starting a fire! It just so happened Kushii also tripped on her way to cling onto Kii."
Ending that with a teasing grin towards the girl at my back, Chii let out a soft giggle.
Feeling called out, tried to regain a calm and collected expression as she muttered.
"I'm fine. It was just… a reflex. I wasn't looking at where I stepped. Besides, that noise was loud, okay? What was that?"
I glanced around us. The candles were still casting flickering shadows that danced across the walls, making the whole scene feel like we'd stumbled into a low-budget horror flick.
The crystal ball sat innocently on the table, reflecting the candlelight like it was mocking us. No ghosts, no curses, just a bunch of idiots psyching themselves out over nothing.
"A ghost, of course. Or you three forgot you put something on the edge of a desk and it rolled over." I said, trying to give an explanation as to what that sound was.
Clearly, it could only be a coincidence. Right?
But because of that, the three girls looked at each other as though trying to remember if they had put something that could fall off and produce that loud noise.
A few seconds later, they all shook their heads before turning to me and saying, "... You go and check. We don't remember anything like that."
If it's not them, then it's from another room, no?
Maybe the room of An-rin's parents?
We shouldn't be in there, of course.
"Alright, ghostbusters," I said, leaning back and pulling Chii closer to keep the playful vibe going and lighten the spookiness of the situation. "How about we call off the seance before you burn the apartment down because you get too scared of imaginary spirits? Turn on the lights. We've got snacks, a giant TV, and a sleepover to enjoy. No need to summon demons to have fun."
An-rin gasped, pointing an accusing finger at me, "Demons?! Onoda-han, don't you dare jinx us! I'm already, like, totally traumatized! Besides, you're, like, scared to check it, no? Pfft."
I smirked and tilted my head at An-rin's dramatic finger-pointing. "Scared? Me? An-rin, you think I'm gonna flinch at some ghost? Alright, I'll go but I need you to come with me."
Upon saying that, I stood up, grabbed her wrist and pulled her gently off the couch, her feather boa trailing behind like a neon lifeline. "C'mon, An-rin, let's check for those ghosts together. You're the fearless queen of this kingdom, right? Prove it." The most update n0vels are published on novel·fıre·net
An-rin's eyes widened, her face faltering for a split second before she puffed out her chest and yanked her wrist free, striking a pose like she was about to star in an action movie.
"Pfft, fine, Onoda-han! I'll show you I'm not scared! But if a ghost pops out, you're, like, totally taking the hit for me!"
"Ghosts are ethereal beings, you know? How can it hit me?"
"But it just totally rolled something! Like, for real!"
"Oh. You think that force is enough to make me flinch?"
"Dunno. I totally haven't been hit by a ghost before."
Hearing our exchange, both Chii and Kushii couldn't help but relax as they laughed.
With that, the fear in their eyes had finally been dispelled. Still, with the candle still lit and the lights turned off, they suddenly realized that if An-rin and I climbed upstairs, they'd be left behind. Who knows? It might not be us who'd return to join them.
"K-kii… If you're going. We're going too!"
"T-that's right, Onoda-shi. No one should be left behind."
I turned to them and smirked, "Oh? Then, what about this? Why don't you three check it out? I'll wait here."
The moment I said that, not only Chii, but Kushii and even An-rin, who immediately broke her pose, and grabbed a part of my clothes as they all closed in on me. Their eyes were wide with both reluctance and creeping fear of the unknown.
The candlelight flickered, casting playful shadows across their faces, amplifying the theatrics of the moment.
These girls… If I weren't here with them, I could already imagine them causing an accident because they scare themselves. Or maybe I'd get a call from Chii to pick her up here.
Either way… this should be fun, no? Ghost or not… This was already a fun experience.