Yasushi stretched his arms, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're leaving already? It's still early," he said, standing there with Jingliu, Yinhaie, and Yunxue in the hallway. Their place was pretty extravagant, and they were all gathered to say goodbye to Jingliu's and Yasushi's parents. They had to head back overseas for work.
Yuji, Yasushi's dad, gave a quick laugh, patting his son's head before stepping back. "Yeah, but hey, at least we spent yesterday together. We got enough videos and pictures to remember it all," he said, his hand leaving Yasushi's head as if he were already pulling away from the moment.
Kohana, Yasushi's mom, waved at her son, her voice soft but steady. "Alright then, we're heading off. You all take care, alright?"
Jingliu had already spoken with her parents earlier, so they didn't need any more words now. A few quick nods were all that passed between them before their butlers drove them away, the cars disappearing as fast as the morning had come.
"Sleep or get ready for the event?" Yunxue asked, barely getting the words out before a yawn caught up with her.
"We've got time, let's go back to sleep, it's still three in the morning," mumbled Yasushi to which everyone agreed with and they went back to sleep.
A few hours later, they all woke up again and started getting ready for the final day of the event. After breakfast, Yinhaie pulled Yasushi and Jingliu aside, her expression steady. "I think you'd want some updates," she said.
"Updates?" Yasushi's brow furrowed, still groggy.
Yinhaie nodded without saying more and handed them a tablet. They stared at the screen, where documents and videos popped up. The screen showed clips from the trial of Zihan and her group.
There wasn't enough time to watch everything, but Yinhaie had already compiled a summary in a separate document. It explained how, thanks to Yueqin, Lingxi, and several others who stepped up to offer evidence, the case had unfolded.
The verdict? Zihan, Shuyin, and Fanglan were all going to serve at least fifteen years. Yasushi's grip on the tablet tightened as he scrolled. Yueqin and Lingxi weren't off the hook either, though their sentences were far shorter — five years each.
They had been accomplices, but the court had acknowledged their hesitation, though it hadn't been enough to free them from punishment.
Yasushi and Jingliu exchanged looks, their shock plain. They had hoped that Yueqin and Lingxi might receive lighter sentences or possibly avoid jail altogether, given their cooperation. But even though five years wasn't as harsh as fifteen, it still hit them hard. Yet, as they looked over the sentences of Zihan and the others, there was some relief in knowing things hadn't turned out worse.
"This is… surprising," Yasushi muttered, his gaze dropping before he handed the tablet to Jingliu. "Five years, huh? I mean, it's way better than the fifteen, but I really thought they'd get off lighter. I didn't expect this."
Yinhaie sighed, her face tense. "Zihan didn't go down quietly. She made a mess, disrupting the whole thing more than once. They had to stop and start over several times because she kept spitting out random accusations and dragging up whatever she could. She stalled the trial with all her nonsense, so it dragged on longer than expected."
Yasushi's expression hardened at that, the frustration clear, though he said nothing. Jingliu, after reading through the documents, returned the tablet to Yinhaie. "We'll talk about this later when we get back. Thanks for letting us know, but we should get going," she said, glancing at the time.
Yinhaie gave a nod, slipping the tablet into her bag. They didn't waste more time. Heading out, they piled into the car and drove toward the school, ready to wrap up the last day of the Halloween event.
+-+
Around midday, Yasushi found himself in the staff section of the Halloween attraction, handing out water and food to his classmates. After he finished, he noticed his teacher off to the side, her face tense. Something was clearly bothering her.
"What's going on, teach?" he asked, watching her closely.
She let out a long breath, her irritation visible. "I got word from the other teachers. Some drunk idiots are going around, almost trashing each attraction they visit. Tyson's not here — he's off on vacation somewhere in the country — so the other guards are stuck dealing with the ones who've already passed out. It's a pain getting them out of here, and they're saying it's making things worse. And now, these drunks are heading towards our section."
Yasushi's brow furrowed. Last year, they'd had a minor incident, but it was handled quickly. He didn't want a repeat of that mess. Without wasting time, he stepped out of the room and went straight to Hana and the others in their group, letting them know what might be coming their way and what they'd need to brace for.
"More trouble? Great. I thought after dealing with Tomoya we'd be done for the year," Hana muttered, rubbing her forehead as if the stress had already set in. She paused for a moment, then nodded to herself. "Terrance, call your brothers. They might be able to help us out."
Terrance, standing next to her, nodded at her suggestion without hesitation. He pulled out his phone and quickly dialed. The conversation didn't take long. His brothers agreed without much need for persuasion. Terrance glanced up, his phone still in hand. "They were already heading to the school to check out our attraction, so it works out. And yeah, they're in. They think they know the guys causing trouble."
"They know them? What, do they go to the same college or something?" Yasushi asked, raising an eyebrow.
Terrance nodded. "Yeah, they've seen them around. Same school."
"Alright. I'll leave it to your brothers, then. Thanks, man," Yasushi replied before heading back inside, moving quickly to find Senbarisu and let her know what was happening.
"I'd love to take them down myself," Senbarisu muttered, catching Yasushi off guard. He shot her a puzzled look.
"What?" she snapped. "Just because I'm supposed to be an 'adult' doesn't mean I can't hate people younger than me. And it sure as hell doesn't mean I can't wish harm on them. Morals and ethics? Sure, whatever, but there's no actual rule that stops me from feeling this way."
Yasushi blinked, taking in her words. "You're not wrong, teach, but everyone else is gonna use those same morals and ethics to justify hating you right back. Doesn't really matter how you feel."
Senbarisu rolled her eyes, clearly done with the conversation. She didn't want to dive into something that could blow up, especially knowing how much of a mess moral debates could become. To her, right and wrong weren't fixed — just variables depending on the moment.
Her phone buzzed in her hand, pulling her attention away. After glancing at the screen, she sighed, putting it back. "They're on their way," she said flatly.
"The troublemakers?" Yasushi asked.
Senbarisu nodded. Yasushi didn't waste any time, heading back toward the entrance. He doubted Terrance's brothers had shown up yet, so he moved to stall whoever was causing problems, maybe even deal with it himself if it came to that.
"Are your brothers close?" Yasushi asked, approaching Hana and Terrance while they let another group into the haunted house attraction their class had set up.
Terrance shook his head. "No... they're still about ten minutes out. They're driving over in one of my brother's cars."
Yasushi frowned. "They're almost here. I guess I'll handle it myself then."
He turned and started walking, following the loud noises that were growing closer. As he neared the source, he saw them — about ten of them — and they weren't just drunk, they were absolutely wasted. Stumbling, barely able to stand straight, they made their way toward the attraction, already causing a commotion.
"That's more than just being tipsy," Yasushi muttered, taking another step forward.
A hand gripped his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. He turned, surprised, and found Alicia standing there. Her mismatched eyes focused on him.
"Alicia?" he asked, unsure why she'd stopped him. "What's going on?"
"You don't need to handle this, Yasushi," she said, her voice steady. "Senbarisu filled me in while I was on break. I'll deal with it. You can relax."
She smiled at him, stepping forward to stand by his side.
"And how exactly are you going to manage that?" Yasushi asked, his curiosity piqued by her sudden declaration.
Alicia let out a small laugh. "With my fanclub."
"Your what now?" He barely got the words out before Alicia clapped her hands together. There was a sudden rumble from behind them. Yasushi turned around, and to his shock, a group of people were charging towards him, only stopping when they were standing just a few steps away.
He couldn't count them all, but there had to be over twenty people. He stood there, utterly perplexed, not sure what the hell was going on but choosing to stay quiet for now.
"Alright, everyone, I need you to help me deal with those drunks. And if possible, try not to hurt them too badly," Alicia instructed as she flicked her blonde twin tails back.
"Yes, Madame Alicia!" they all shouted in unison, making Yasushi even more confused. He opened his mouth to ask a question, but before he could get anything out, Alicia's fanclub was already charging at the group of drunk men. The noise of their combined steps grew louder as they rushed forward.
The drunk men didn't even have time to react. The crowd of people rushed them all at once, pinning them down with ease. For a moment, the sight almost seemed ridiculous, but when the drunks started thrashing, trying to break free, the sheer number of bodies forced them down. After a brief struggle, they seemed to realize there was no escape, and one by one, they gave in, either from exhaustion or acceptance.
Yasushi stood off to the side, watching in disbelief. Finally, he spoke up. "I didn't expect you could actually pull this off with a fanclub. Gotta admit, I'm impressed."
Alicia, standing next to him, let out a soft laugh. "Honestly, I came up with the idea on a whim. I didn't think they'd be this eager, but recently they told me if I ever needed anything, all I had to do was clap or call them. Turns out, they weren't kidding."
Yasushi raised an eyebrow at that. "That's...convenient. Almost too convenient."
As they talked, more people started gathering. A few of the staff, curious guests, and some students wandered out to see what all the noise was about. Alicia moved ahead with Yasushi close behind, taking charge of the situation.
She ordered her fanclub to drag the drunks out and had a few of them head off to find the principal and explain what had just happened. The scene unfolded so quickly that within twenty minutes, the trouble had been handled, the drunks taken care of, and everything was back in order.
+-+
"Appreciate it," Yasushi said as they made their way back towards the classrooms, weaving through the crowd.
"No problem. I'm just helping out the future Master of the household," Alicia replied, nudging him. Yasushi rolled his eyes at her teasing.
When they reached Yasushi's classroom, a line of people stretched outside, all waiting to enter their haunted house setup. Alicia glanced at the line, then smirked. "Might as well see how it is inside and catch Bhaqui in the act," she said before Yasushi had a chance to stop her.
She darted inside without hesitation. Yasushi sighed, falling behind the row of guests, heading straight for the backstage area where he could keep track of her. He followed her progress through the haunted house, noting how she remained unaffected by every scare, traps that had sent countless others into fits of screaming and panic. Nothing seemed to even phase her, while she calmly navigated each scene.
Alicia eventually made her way to the centerpiece — a tree surrounded by figures with fish-like heads, where Bhaqui was stationed as part of the horror display. She casually pulled out her phone, snapping a few photos of him in his ridiculous costume.
Her amusement showed as she captured the entire thing, and Bhaqui, under his mask, could feel his face heating up with embarrassment. He knew she would definitely send those pictures back to China, sharing them with the staff there for sure.
Yasushi shook his head, letting out a sigh, and left her to her antics. With Alicia off on her own little mission, he returned to his duties, thankful that things had settled. With no more problems on the horizon, he focused on managing the haunted house, hoping it would stay quiet for the rest of the day.
+-+
"It's over!" The boys from the final section of the haunted house yelled in unison before collapsing onto the floor. The exhaustion hit them immediately, bodies hitting the ground without a second thought. Their voices were a mix of relief and weariness.
The bell echoed through the school, signaling the end of the Halloween event. The crowd that had been milling around slowly began trickling out. Most were satisfied with their day — several haunted houses, a few plays, toy shooting ranges, and plenty of chocolate apples. It seemed everyone found something worth their time.
Back in Yasushi's classroom, the lights came on, washing over the room in fluorescent glow. The walls that made up the haunted house were being torn down, revealing the rest of the students sprawled across the floor. They hadn't moved either. It looked like everyone was done, unable to get back on their feet after all the running and screaming they'd been a part of.
Yasushi, along with a few others who had worked behind the scenes, walked around the room. They handed out bottles of water, snacks, doing their best to check in on everyone. He made sure they weren't too wiped out to take care of themselves, moving from one classmate to the next.
"You'll survive, good job," Yasushi said once he finished passing out the last of the food and water. "If you can stand, you're free to go home." He hoped that'd motivate them to move. Some of them barely shifted, still too tired to do much else.
He glanced over at Senbarisu, who was still making her rounds, handing out the same things he was. "No contest this year?" he asked, curious.
She snorted before letting out a long breath. "Nope, not this time. None of the other teachers wanted to compete, knowing we'd beat them again."
Another half-hour dragged by, and their classmates finally began pulling themselves up, some staggering as they changed out of their costumes.
The room turned into a mess of discarded outfits and cluttered decorations, but everyone pitched in to clean up. It took them nearly two more hours before the classroom looked like it had before the haunted house was set up. By then, the Halloween break was the only thing on their minds, the thought of finally leaving giving them just enough energy to finish.
Outside, snow drifted down as Yasushi's group of friends huddled together, waiting for Xinyi and Jingliu's cars to show up. The cold bit at them, but nobody moved far from the spot.
"Got anything lined up for the Halloween break?" Yasushi asked, turning his head toward Furuya.
"Sleep… and maybe lazing around while pretending to study," Furuya replied, voice flat. "What else can we even do? After Halloween, it's all about tests every damn week, cramming, and more studying. Doesn't leave much room for anything else."
Reina nodded, glancing at the snow piling up. "After Christmas, it's going to get rougher. Then we only get two real breaks — Easter and that Kyoto trip we have, which lasts, what, a week?"
Furuya grunted in agreement. "Yeah, those are about the only things worth looking forward to. That, and Christmas, Golden Week, and Easter again."
As they talked, headlights flashed across the street, signaling the arrival of the cars. Both vehicles slowed down, stopping at the curb.
"Catch you guys later, hopefully sometime during the break," Xinyi called out as she, Catherine, Furuya, Reina, and Laura piled into her car. The door slammed shut, the engine revved, and soon, they were pulling away, leaving Yasushi standing in the snow.
"Let's head home," Jingliu said, stepping into the car where Yinhaie sat in the driver's seat. As soon as she closed the door, they pulled off. The car moved quietly through the street. None of them said much, but the thought of the upcoming Halloween break sat with them.