A light in the wasteland (pt 3)

The friends waited for Mia, but when it became clear she was completely absorbed in her phone, they decided to continue on their way home.

Renji glared at Daichi. “You actually know someone with a key to that old place?”

Daichi smirked. “My grandpa’s neighbor does some upkeep there. He once offered to lend me the key so I could take my friends on a ghost hunt. But I figured you guys would think it was lame.” He glanced at Ayaka, who rolled her eyes. “So I never brought it up… but with Mia here, it’s the perfect chance.”

Renji rubbed his hands together. “Guys, I have an idea. Haru, do you still have that fishing line from when we went to the lake?”

“I think so?” Haru replied, confused.

“Perfect! I’ve got the greatest plan!” Renji said with a grin.

“What if there was a real ghost?” He waggled his eyebrows. “We’ll buy a small lantern, rig it to the fishing line, and hide while we pull it from the shadows. Mia will be convinced it’s the real deal. And meanwhile, Haru gets to play the hero, protecting our frightened little darling.”

They want to fake a ghost sighting?

“She’s never going to believe that,” Haru stated flatly.

Renji put his hand on Haru’s shoulder. Trust me, she will. She’s so desperate to find something supernatural, she’ll see any little thing as a clue. And in the meantime… you’ll get some quality time with our blonde goddess.”

Daichi nodded enthusiastically, his eyes shining.

“Renji, this is brilliant! It’s going to be so romantic… my heart is swooning just thinking about it!”

Ayaka sighed. “Whatever. You guys do you. I’m heading home.”

As she walked off, Daichi and Renji high-fived, then turned to Haru in perfect sync.

“We’ll make this the most epic date ever!”

Haru snapped out of his thoughts. “Date?”

His friends nodded in unison.

A date… with Mia?

Haru exhaled, shifting his bag on his shoulder as his thoughts spiraled. The idea of being alone with Mia in a dark, abandoned building, with only the dim glow of a lantern between them, sent an unfamiliar flutter through his chest. He barely knew her. They had only met today, yet she was already turning his world upside down - pulling him into ghost stories, forgotten places, and mysteries he’d never even thought to care about before.

What was he thinking?

He could already imagine the teasing. Daichi would make ridiculous heart-eyed comments. Renji would try to push him into some cliché romantic moment. And Mia…

He glanced ahead at her, still lost in her phone. She didn’t seem the type to be easily scared. Would she even fall for their prank? And if she did - if she actually grabbed his arm in fear, if she turned to him for reassurance - would he know what to do?

A nervous chuckle almost escaped his lips.

I guess I don’t have anything to lose… It’s just a dumb prank from my friends, after all.

Even so, his heart pounded a little harder at the thought.

Maybe spending time alone with Mia won’t be that bad.

X

Later that evening, Haru waited by the staircase leading up to the abandoned building. The streets had grown dark, illuminated only by the soft glow of the streetlights. Renji and Daichi had already set up the lantern carry and were now hiding somewhere inside, ready to scare them. The only one still missing was Mia.

She didn’t get lost, did she?

Haru peered down the cobbled street leading to the staircase, his gaze following the winding roads of the town until it landed on something - her curly blonde hair, catching the moonlight. He waved, and after a moment, she seemed to notice him too. Her pale arm lifted in response, and she quickened her pace.

“Sorry…” Mia exhaled. “I was trying to get a signal to upload a video, but no luck.”

Haru smiled. “Welcome to small-town Japan. We’re all too familiar with that struggle.”

“I guess I won’t livestream tonight,” she said with a disappointed voice.

Mia glanced around, looking slightly confused. “Aren’t your friends here yet?”

Haru rubbed the back of his head. “They couldn’t make it tonight.”

A shiver of disappointment crossed her face. She must have thought the ghost hunt was off…

“But don’t worry,” Haru said, lifting a large, rusty key. “They left me the key.”

“So it will be just the two of us?” Mia asked.

Haru nodded. “That doesn’t bother you… does it?” His voice carried a hint of uncertainty.

Mia studied him for a moment before her lips curved into a gentle smile. “I don’t mind at all,” she whispered.

Then, with a sudden burst of energy, she hopped up the first few steps before turning back to face him.

“Come on! You’re not scared, are you?” she teased with a playful grin.

“Don’t worry, the Weeping Lantern won’t hurt you - she’s not that kind of ghost,” Mia added.

Haru hesitated for just a moment before following her up the stairs.

X

Standing before the building's large wooden door, Mia pulled out her phone and started filming.

“Hi, spooky squad! I found it—the sailor’s house! It’s time to go in, and I’ve got this handsome guy to guide me…”

Haru awkwardly smiled for the camera as she panned to him.

“Look how huge this key is!” she added, holding it up dramatically.

After stopping the recording, she handed her phone to Haru. “Can you film me turning the key for the video?”

Haru took the phone and recorded as she struggled to twist the rusty lock. With one final push, the door clicked - and suddenly swung open on its own. A gust of stale air rushed past them, carrying the scent of dust and aged wood.

With Mia in the lead, the couple entered the hallway, the door slamming shut behind them.

They carefully moved through the dark hallway, each step making the wooden planks creak beneath their feet. As their eyes adjusted to the dimness, Haru pulled out a small flashlight and turned it on.

“So… the Weeping Lantern,” Haru whispered. “Can you tell me more about her?”

Mia grabbed the flashlight and pointed it at her face, mimicking a spooky campfire storyteller. Haru lifted Mia’s phone and began filming.

“Well, well…” she said, grinning, clearly thrilled that someone was showing interest.

“The Weeping Lantern is the spirit of a grieving woman who lost her lover to war centuries ago. Every so often, she wanders through town, lantern in hand, searching for him.”

Haru slid open one of the interior doors. “And this house - what does it have to do with her?”

“This is where she once lived… the place where her soul still wanders around.” Mia’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “It’s totally haunted.”

Just as she finished speaking, a noise echoed from the other side of the house - something dropping to the floor.

Mia stiffened. “Was that you, Haru?” she asked in a hushed, raspy voice.

Those must be my clumsy friends.

Mia instinctively moved closer to him. “Let’s check it out,” she murmured.

The pair ventured deeper into the house, winding their way through rooms with tatami-clad floors. Decayed futons and broken furniture were stacked haphazardly in the corners, their fabric torn and faded. A scroll of calligraphy hung on the wall - exactly the kind of thing you’d expect to find in an old house like this.

Mia, however, was utterly fascinated. Every little scrap of debris seemed to excite her, and she eagerly snapped pictures, showing them to Haru with a gleam in her eyes.

I guess you don’t see things like this in America.

“Look, Haru. This footprint… it looks fresh, don’t you think?”

Haru glanced down and saw the shape of the footprint clearly visible in the dust.

“It’s probably from the old man who takes care of this place,” he said, though in reality, he knew it had to be from his friends who had sneaked in earlier.

The footprint pointed toward another sliding door.

“The kitchen… where she prepares meals that never get eaten…” Mia whispered, her voice trembling slightly.

Her hand hovered near the handle. With a deep breath, she slid open the faltering door.

A faint scent of miso soup drifted into the air. Mia shuddered.

“...It’s just like the story…” she whispered, pressing herself slightly behind Haru.

Step by step, Haru moved into the room, Mia following close behind. The dim light revealed a rusted metal sink, an old oven, and an assortment of dusty tin pots and pans. Then, in the corner, hanging beneath the ceiling, he saw it - a small, flickering lantern.

Right on cue.

Mia clutched his arm tightly, her fingers embracing his sleeve.

She saw it too.

“The lantern,” she whispered in his ear, her voice barely audible. He could feel the warmth of her breath touch his face.

Then, the lantern began to move, swaying slightly.

Mia let out a sharp gasp.

Haru, of course, had seen the fishing line attached to it just moments before, barely visible in the dim light. His friends had set everything up just as planned.

“Ieeeek!” Mia shrieked, her voice sounding like a jolt of thunder. She pressed herself even closer to him.

“Let’s get out of here!” she cried, clinging to his side.

Haru didn’t argue. He let himself get pulled along, suppressing a smirk as they sprinted for the front door. He fumbled with the key for dramatic effect before finally unlocking it, and the moment it swung open, they jumped outside, gasping for breath in the cool night air.

Mia’s hands were still gripping his sleeve, heavily breathing as she tried to calm herself.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, she turned back toward the house, her eyes wide. The lantern still flickered in the kitchen window, swaying slightly, as if something-or-someone had just passed by.

She shivered. “Tell me you saw that,” she whispered.

Haru hesitated.

He could tell her the truth right now - that his friends had rigged the whole thing, sneaking in a fresh bowl of miso soup and attaching the lantern to a fishing line. It was all just a trick.

But looking at her face, flushed with excitement and fear, he hid his smirk and nodded slightly.

“Yeah… I saw it.”

Mia exhaled sharply, still gripping his arm. “Next time, I’m bringing more people.”

Haru forced a nervous chuckle for effect. “Yeah… good idea.” Though, truth be told, he didn’t mind being this close to her.

Then, she suddenly gasped. “Oh no.”

Haru tensed. “What?”

Mia smacked her forehead. “We forgot to film it!”

“I got so startled by the ghost that I forgot to point my camera at it,” she groaned. “It would’ve been the best ghost footage ever!”

Haru glanced back at the house. The lantern’s light had dimmed. His friends were probably inside, laughing their heads off.

“Well… guess we’ll have to go back in,” he said with a grin.

Mia looked at him like he was insane. “Not a chance.”

Haru chuckled, shaking his head. “Guess we’ll just have to tell the story, then.”

She pulled out her phone and started recording. “Alright, spooky squad, we just ran out of the most haunted house in town, and you won’t believe what we saw…”

Haru watched as she launched into an animated retelling, gesturing wildly, making exaggerated sound effects, her excitement overpowering any lingering fear. He smiled. He still couldn’t believe they had only met today.

After Mia finished her video, the two descended the stairs leading back to the town’s main street. With the beautiful girl at his side, Haru looked up at the sakura trees and noticed they had started blooming. The rays of moonlight illuminated the pink pedals, casting a romantic glow over the scene.

“How beautiful…” Mia said, the words softly escaping her lips. Haru glanced at her, slightly puzzled.

“Yes, you are right.”

He had never really given the trees much thought before, but now, standing there, they seemed to catch the light in a way he hadn’t noticed.

Mia stopped, turning to face him. “I stay in the room above the post office.”

“Thank you for this amazing first day! I can’t wait to get to know you - and this town - better. See you tomorrow!”

She pouted her lips playfully, blowing him a kiss before stepping inside the building.

Haru stood frozen for a moment, his heart pounding and his cheeks flushed. Maybe new love really could bloom in this forgotten town after all.