Chapter 1: The Forbidden Gate
The sun was slowly setting outside, casting a dim golden hue through the classroom windows. Dust motes floated in the warm light like tiny spirits. The halls were silent—eerily silent, as if the entire school held its breath.
Inside the classroom, three boys worked alone, the scrape of mops and erasers echoing faintly—punishment for arriving late to school.
Kazuo and Kenta, notorious troublemakers, moved lazily with mops in hand, dragging them across the floor more for show than for actual cleaning. Their movements were sluggish, rebellious.
At the blackboard, Aiko wiped chalk marks with meticulous care. Unlike the others, he took the punishment seriously. His quiet demeanor contrasted sharply with the other two. The air around him felt still—heavy, almost unnatural.
Suddenly, Kenta stopped. His mop hung loosely from his grip as he turned to Kazuo, frustration etched deep in his features.
"Hey Kazuo, why do we always end up with cleaning duty after school?" Kenta asked, voice casual but edged with annoyance.
Kazuo leaned slightly on his mop, a sly smirk curling at the corners of his mouth.
"Because we always blow off our homework. And since we came late today, these bastards had the perfect excuse to punish us," he replied, his tone darkly amused.
"I'm sick of this crap. Day in, day out—same chores. These damn teachers must have it out for us," Kenta grumbled, jaw tightening.
Kazuo chuckled under his breath, voice low. "Yeah. They totally do."
With a sigh, Kenta let the mop clatter to the floor. The sound echoed unnaturally in the empty room. He walked over and flopped onto the nearest desk, one leg swinging lazily.
"By the way," he said, tone shifting to gossipy, "did you see that new guy who just transferred to our school?"
Kazuo raised an eyebrow. "Which one?"
"The one who came last week! That nerdy kid with glasses," Kenta replied, rolling his eyes.
"Oh, him. Yeah, I saw him. What about him?" Kazuo asked, trying to recall the boy's face.
"Nothing in particular," Kenta said with a scoff, "but just lookin' at that bug-eyed freak ticks me off. Makes me wanna punch his face in."
Kazuo chuckled darkly, leaning against the wall. "Same. Actually, yesterday during sports line, I told him to move, and he had the nerve to talk back."
Kenta's eyes lit up. "So? What'd you do?"
Kazuo smirked, clearly proud. "What do you think? After school, I clocked him right in the face. He cried like a baby, calling for his mommy. Hilarious."
"So that's why he didn't come to school today? Damn it, you should've told me! I wanted to smash those glasses too," Kenta said, slamming his palm on the desk in frustration.
From across the room, Aiko froze. The eraser in his hand stopped mid-swipe. He had been listening. His back tensed as the cruel laughter behind him grew louder. Then, slowly, he turned to face them.
"You guys shouldn't be talking like that... I'm going to tell the teachers," Aiko said, his voice small but firm, though fear trembled beneath it.
Kazuo's smirk vanished. His eyes narrowed, and he took a step forward.
"Shut your mouth, or you'll regret it. Honestly, even your presence pisses me off."
"Yeah, same here," Kenta added with a sneer.
Kazuo rested his chin on his mop handle, his voice low and cold. "Hey Kenta, did you know that kid snitched on Samuel too?"
Kenta blinked. "Seriously? What the hell for?"
"Apparently, Samuel was beating up Max when the teacher left the room. That freak reported it," Kazuo said with a shrug.
"You little snitch!" Kenta snapped, taking a step forward. "You better not say a word about us like you did with Samuel. I swear, I'll shove your head in the toilet and beat the crap outta you."
Kazuo laughed loudly, clearly enjoying the tension in the air.
Kenta turned toward Kazuo. "Forget this bug for now. Let me ask you something."
Kazuo glanced over. "Yeah? What?"
Kenta scratched the back of his head, hesitant. "You're gonna laugh…"
"Come on, just spill it," Kazuo encouraged.
"You know the last gate at the back of the school—the one that's sealed off? Why do you think the principal doesn't let anyone near it?" Kenta asked, lowering his voice as if someone might hear.
Kazuo's expression shifted into something darker.
"Some say that before this school was built, they found a bunch of dead bodies there. And anyone who goes near that gate... never comes back."
Kenta leaned forward, clearly intrigued. "Yeah, I've heard those rumors too. But have you heard about the box?"
Kazuo's eyes narrowed. "What box?"
"People say there's a box buried there… and it's filled with gold," Kenta whispered, excitement in his voice.
Kazuo tilted his head. "I've heard something different. I heard it's full of cursed things—like an eyeball, a severed hand, maybe even a foot."
Kenta laughed it off. "Come on, that's movie stuff. Total nonsense. I don't buy it."
Kazuo shrugged. "Yeah, but then again, if it's just a rumor, why is the place sealed? Why won't the principal let us near it?"
"Exactly! So, what do you think is actually there? Gold... or something cursed?" Kenta asked.
"I don't believe in superstitions. I'm betting it's gold," Kazuo said confidently.
"Then what are we waiting for?" Kenta's voice rose with excitement.
"What do you mean?" Kazuo asked, cautious.
"Let's go check it out ourselves. If we find gold, we'll be rich—famous even! We'll be all over the news!" Kenta grinned.
Kazuo hesitated. His smirk faltered. "But what if that stuff's real? What if there really is something dark down there?"
Kenta snorted. "Oh wow, now you're scared? A second ago, you were all 'I don't believe in this crap!' Make up your mind."
Kazuo rolled his eyes. "Alright, fine. We'll go. But not now—we'll sneak in tonight. The guard usually finishes his shift by then."
From the corner, Aiko stepped forward, trembling.
"Y-You guys can't be serious. That place is cursed. People don't come back from there!" he said, voice shaking.
Kazuo turned in a flash and grabbed Aiko by the collar, yanking him forward with terrifying force. Aiko's feet left the ground for a moment.
"I told you to shut up, didn't I?! You say one more word, and I swear I'll break your face!"
"Okay! Okay! Don't hit me! I won't tell anyone. I swear!" Aiko panicked, his hands up.
"You'd better not," Kazuo growled.
Kenta stepped closer, grinning like a wolf. "And guess what, bug? You're coming with us."
"W-Why? Why should I come?" Aiko stammered.
"What did you just say?!" Kazuo snapped, eyes flaring.
"Okay! Fine! I'll go!" Aiko backed off immediately, nodding rapidly.
"Good. Now let's plan how to sneak in without getting caught," Kenta said, voice almost cheerful now.
"The guard patrols until evening. After that, we're in the clear," Kazuo muttered.
"Right. So we'll meet at the front gate, then go together to the back. Just remember—no noise," Kenta added.
"What if someone sees us?" Aiko asked, still visibly trembling.
"Shut it. We'll handle that," Kazuo snapped.
"And if we do find something valuable, we split it equally. No one gets greedy," Kenta grinned.
"Alright…" Aiko mumbled.
"By 'equally,' I mean Kazuo and I split it. You get nothing, bug," Kenta said with a mocking laugh.
"Exactly. Now let's finish up here. We've got plans tonight," Kazuo added, the smirk returning.
The three boys returned to cleaning, though now the room felt colder. Their expressions had changed—no longer bored or annoyed, but tense. Determined.
The sun dipped below the horizon, and shadows crept into the corners of the room. A storm was coming—though not the kind that weather predicted.
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