No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't force myself to move. No matter how many times I tried to stand, I couldn't. I guess my strings have already been cut as well.

Will this end here as well? Even though I threw away everything, believed, and waited - come on already.

Man~ You really are cute, B-ka...!

It's like a whole Mt. Fuji's worth of noodles! My brain made that comparison, but I had already begun to break into a cold sweat.

Honestly, by the latter half of our attempts, I think I was the only one actually trying. But I saw how incredibly happy A-no was, and I know how much she loves games, so I decided not to say that out loud.

If B-ka was a girl, I'd go out with him in a heartbeat.

....Eh?! Are you psychic?!

Honestly speaking, no matter how hard I think, my mind is blank.

I couldn't process the scene that I was seeing before me. As if everything was normal, in the seats that everyone always sat in, were bloody corpses.

C-na and D-suke continued to discuss hanging. Hearing two highschoolers chat about that was kinda freaky, honestly.

What had come into existence before my eyes was a person... or rather, something that looked nothing like one. The fluffy edges of A-no's hair that I'd tried so hard to make looked more like a monster's fangs.

But everyone else was already thinking about the future. It's so unlike me that I can't help but laugh at myself.

It was an urban legend being made right now, one where we could witness the moment it was revealed. The excitement that this opportunity brought was evident from the way people talked about it. And I was no different.

But I'm the director, see! It'd be weird for me to appear when I'm not part of the story, right? So you guys are on your own!

No need to worry about it, B-ka~! As for you, D-suke, worry about it a little more! Are you going to continue eating forever!?

A-no, a retro gamer, is here with me, so it'll be fine!

A feeling of absolute despair. The overwhelming feeling of reality.

With no warning whatsoever, A-no let loose an immensely sharp punch towards my face.

To me, this case felt like something you'd seen on TV, or in a movie, or even a video game, and I felt a thrill that an audience member might feel.

I'm sorry, B-kaaaa!!

The curtain opened. Before us sat a completely unreasonably-sized pile of fried noodles. The enormous metal plate was around the size of an entire straw mat, and atop that sat an even bigger pile of noodles.

But, well, no matter what happens, it's always the five of us, together. It feels right like this.

He looked so happy to see me that his whole face lit up; his expression reminded me of a puppy, and was just as adorable as one.

It was almost as though I was having a hallucination where sound had disappeared from the world. My memories were vague, but the scene I could remember was all too clear. It was fragmented, like a flashback.

How much time has passed already? Since when have you been crying? Is it because no one will listen to you?

I had already completely forgotten what the dream had been about. At the same time, I tried getting into a more positive mood by jumping dynamically out of bed, and shouting out loud.

When on earth would you be able to make use of those!? The thought made me quiver in fear, but I thought the sadistic smile on C-na's face was pretty charming, too.

My mouth was flapping open and closed like a fish. Huh? What was I going to say?

I can say that, more than anything else, I can't stand haunted houses.

Hey, mother, even though I'm always alone, even I have many, many, many people who are dear to me.

Alright... But if you get scared, come right back. And if anything happens, yell for help right away! I'll come running!

Insert scene change, and here I am in the school building again.

What is going on!? Do weirdos just gather at our high school for some reason!?

...But that means that The Bookmark of Demise would come to an end. That feels really sad to me, and I'm sure the others feel the same way.

"Alright! Then I'll make..." Thinking about it, I came to a sudden realization. "Guess I'll make you, then?"

She's always alone and crying because of that, so she'll become so happy she'll take you away.

Yet, in reality, it wasn't as simple as that. Perhaps because it was in a strange state in which it looked like a detailed wax model.

Beneath my feet, there was some kind of slimy sensation. Just the feeling of it gave me goosebumps. Even through my shoes, I could feel its lukewarm temperature. The very depths of my nose were tickled by a sickly-sweet smell. My whole body was letting out alarm signals.

If an ordinary charm can stop these tears, a wish will be granted.

I've been chosen by the end of the end of the end. If I just put up with not having the things that I've always wanted, then surely, a hero will come for me.

—And so, "as usual," I opened the door to the music room.

Somehow... I feel like there's been some feeling burning within me since the school cultural festival. I need to make sure that this story has a proper end. And for that to happen, the scene we're filming today is absolutely necessary.

I-I've gotta at least make sure that it looks better than the one I made of A-no...!

Gong. Gong. Gong. It rang at regular intervals, the sound almost hypnotic in nature. The ringing of the bell, coupled with the spooky atmosphere, only made our surroundings feel more like a dream.

It was the first time I'd seen a human corpse. I possessed the knowledge that a corpse, or an unconscious person, would look simply like an inanimate object.

4... No, 5 people? Just like us, back then. Those days were so fun... Oh, I see, am I already dreaming?

"Hehehe, I was waiting for someone to ask that...." I adjusted my bangs a bit, and answered with full confidence. "—I haven't decided yet!"

After that, the haunted house came alive with the sounds of screams so agonized that one could compare it to Hell. I was responsible for most... no, really, all of the screams.

Alright! I need to get some stuff ready for the next scene we have to film, so let's take a short break!

The issue with that, though, was obtaining the school's permission. There's no way they'd actually let us do it. If anything, if they caught us doing it, we'd probably get suspended.