Mayu gave a slight bow in greeting, followed by Aoi and Riku, who quickly mimicked her gesture.
"It's nice to meet you," they said in sync, their voices overlapping slightly.
My father chuckled warmly. "Haha, nice to meet you all too. So, what brings you here today?"
"We dragged Hikaru-kun along," Riku said with a grin, jerking his thumb toward me. "Figured we'd check out the famous Shinomura family antique shop while we were at it."
"Famous?" I muttered under my breath, rolling my eyes.
Turning to my father, I gestured toward Mayu to explain their visit. "So, this is Mayu-san. She's the treasurer of the student council. She wanted to buy something affordable for her grandpa."
My father nodded, his smile warm as he looked at Mayu. "Ah, I see. A gift for your grandfather, huh? That's very thoughtful of you."
Mayu returned his smile politely. "Yes, he's almost a hundred years old, and I thought something from an antique shop might suit him well."
"Almost a hundred?" my father said, raising his eyebrows. "That's impressive. Well, you've come to the right place. We have plenty of unique items that carry a lot of history."
He gestured toward the shelves, filled with carefully arranged trinkets, old books, pottery, and small statues. "Feel free to look around. If you have any questions, just ask."
Mayu nodded and began browsing the shelves, her fingers lightly trailing over the surface of a carved wooden box before picking it up to examine it more closely.
Aoi wandered over to a different section, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "This place is amazing! Everything here feels like it has a story," she said, her voice filled with genuine awe.
Riku, meanwhile, was drawn to a dusty old samurai helmet displayed on a stand. "Whoa, Hikaru-kun, is this real?" he asked, his voice a mix of excitement and disbelief.
I smirked slightly. "Yeah, but it's not for sale. That one's just for display."
"Man, that's too bad. I could totally see myself wearing this," Riku said with a grin, pretending to pose heroically.
My father chuckled, shaking his head. "Careful with that, young man. It's older than you by several centuries."
As the others explored the shop, I stayed back, leaning against the counter and watching them. It wasn't often that I brought friends here—or, more accurately, acquaintances. Seeing them so interested in the antiques was... different.
Mayu soon approached the counter, holding a small wooden box with intricate carvings. "Hikaru-san, what do you think about this one? Do you think my grandfather would like it?"
I straightened up and examined the box. The carvings depicted a traditional mountain scene, complete with a winding river and a tiny shrine nestled among the trees.
That's cute... I thought.
"If you think that's good, then go ahead," I said with a small shrug.
Just then, Aoi walked closer to my side and tapped my shoulder with her finger.
Poke. Poke.
"Huh? What is it, Aoi-san?"
"Can you tell me about those stones over there?" she asked, pointing toward one of the shelves.
Hearing her mention the stones, I immediately guessed what she was curious about. Those colorful stones always drew attention. It was only natural that someone would ask about them eventually.
I nodded, giving her a slight smile. "Alright, lead the way to what caught your interest."
Aoi eagerly led the way, weaving through the aisles of antiques until she stopped in front of a small display. The shelf was lined with an assortment of colorful stones, each polished to a smooth finish and gleaming faintly under the warm lighting.
"These," she said, pointing at the collection. "They're so pretty. Are they just decorative, or do they mean something?"
I glanced at the stones and felt a faint sense of nostalgia. My father had once explained the story behind each type when I was younger. Some were simple collectibles, while others carried cultural or historical significance.
"Well," I began, picking up a deep green stone streaked with white. "This one's jade. People often associate it with protection and good luck."
"That's not what I'm asking," Aoi interrupted, her brows furrowed. "I mean, why are they different colors?"
"...Because they're different stones?" I replied uncertainly. Truthfully, I had no idea about the scientific reasons behind the colors.
"Hikaru-kun," Riku called from across the room, "where's the mirror you mentioned before?"
Of course, he'd ask that.
I nodded toward Mayu, shifting the focus to her. "Mayu-san, do you want to see the mirror I mentioned earlier?"
"Oh, the one from the horror story? Sure," she replied with mild curiosity.
With a nod, I turned and started walking deeper into the shop. "Father, I'm taking them to that room," I called out.
"Alright, just don't break any mirrors!" he replied, his tone half-serious.
Riku leaned closer to me, whispering as we walked. "Why do you call it that room? Does it have some spooky name?"
I shook my head. "No, it's just what we've always called it. It doesn't really have a name, so... that room works."
The path to that room felt longer than usual, likely because of the group's quiet anticipation. The air seemed to change as we ventured deeper into the shop, leaving behind the well-lit displays for an area steeped in shadows, where dust and age clung to the atmosphere.
Finally, we stopped in front of a heavy wooden door. I hesitated for a moment, my hand resting on the worn doorknob. "Alright, just... don't freak out. It's not as scary as the story made it sound."
Aoi tilted her head, curiosity glinting in her eyes. "You're making it sound scarier by saying that, Hikaru-kun."
I sighed and pushed the door open. The room was smaller than the rest of the shop, dimly lit by a single bulb hanging from the ceiling. Mirrors covered every inch of the walls—even the back of the door was lined with reflective glass, creating an almost disorienting effect.
"What the..." Mayu muttered, her voice trailing off.
"This is... something else," Riku added, his gaze darting from mirror to mirror.
"This is so cool!" Aoi exclaimed, her voice echoing faintly in the enclosed space. She spotted a lone chair in the center of the room and quickly sat down. "Why is this room surrounded by mirrors?"
I crossed my arms and, with a straight face, said, "Don't sit there. A girl died in that chair."
The reaction was immediate. Mayu, Riku, and even Aoi froze, their expressions shifting to shock.
"Wha—what?!" Aoi shot up from the chair, her face pale. "Why didn't you tell me that earlier?!"
I couldn't help but chuckle, waving a hand dismissively. "I'm just joking."
Aoi's face turned red as she stomped a foot. "Hikaru-kun! That's not funny!"
Riku burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. "Oh man, her face! That was priceless!"
Mayu let out a sigh, shaking her head. "You shouldn't joke about things like that. Especially in a place like this."
I shrugged, leaning against the doorframe. "Yeah, yeah. But admit it—it made the room a little more interesting."
The three of them began to wander around the room, their eyes scanning the countless reflections bouncing off the mirrors that lined every wall. Their movements seemed almost surreal as the reflections multiplied endlessly, creating an eerie yet fascinating effect.
"So... which one is the broken old mirror?" Mayu asked, her tone curious but cautious.
"If you sit in the chair and keep your posture straight, you'll see a small broken hand mirror in one of the reflections," I explained, gesturing toward the center of the room.
Before I could even finish my sentence, Aoi had already sat back down in the chair, straightening her posture as she peered into the maze of reflections. Her eyes lit up almost immediately, and she pointed toward a specific spot. "Whoa, it's there!"
She leaned forward slightly, her hand gesturing toward the faint glimmer of a small, cracked hand mirror tucked into the far corner of the wall's reflection.
Mayu and Riku followed her gaze, squinting to spot the object she was pointing at. "I see it now," Mayu said softly, a hint of intrigue in her voice.
Riku tilted his head, his brow furrowed. "How do you even notice something like that? This room is so disorienting."
"It's like a hidden treasure," Aoi added, her voice tinged with excitement as she kept her eyes fixed on the reflection of the damaged mirror.
"Ah, about that," I began, glancing around the room. "This place used to be my punishment spot when I got scolded. My father would use this room when he felt like being alone, but in my case, he always sent me here if I did something wrong."
"Why this room?" Mayu asked, her tone curious.
To Be Continue.