Chapter 7: Welcome To Celestial Amusement Park

Riku's POV:

Fast forward in five days, everything is back to normal except for the pandemic. I'm also starting to get used to having Kotori's ability sealed inside my body. Not to mention, it's very useful for doing heavy lifts on my job in the convenience store, especially I decided to do a whole-day shift to get an extra salary so I could sustain the both of us.

But my boss gave me a rest day today, he said that I've been working too hard and I need to learn how to relax. So, Today's afternoon, I plan to take Kotori to the amusement park to spend some time together.

She's been annoying me these past few days to take her out after I told her there's an amazing amusement park that will be opened tomorrow after a long month of quarantine.

Flashback~

I'm lying on my back in the couch pressing the television remote repeatedly, changing channels to channels. Nothing interest me today; I feel like everything'l are dull and flat.

I ignored the loud sound of footsteps, and furniture getting moved upstairs. After the noise died, I catch a glimpse of someone running down the stairs but what I didn't expect is...

"AAAUUUGGGHHH!!!"

"Riku! Let's go to the amusement park today!"

Everything turns dark when she suddenly jumped on my stomach with her knees.

"Eh? Riku?"

Flashback ends~

I'm tying up my shoelace and I heard someone is walking behind me.

"I'm ready!"

I turn my back and saw Kotori is wearing her new clothes that she bought this last two days. Her usual black ribbons, white uniform with a black necktie, red coat, a red skirt with white cloth-like sticking out, and a pair of long black boots that reach up to half her thigh. Talk about formal.

"You like it?" She smirks while there's a lollipop inside her mouth.

"Love it, you look like a commander." I answered.

"I AM a commander back in my world!" She chuckled.

"Alright commander, time for us to leave." I pick up both of our face masks from the table. I gave her the black one before leaving the house.

Kotori's arms are wrap around my left arm while we walk, her warmth is really comforting. The amusement park is not far from here, it is located near Celestial park. The both of us will arrive there in a few minutes.

To make this walk enjoyable, the both of us talk while we walk. Talking about what ride we will try first, and joking around with each other while people look at us laughing our heads off.

"Hey I have a question?"

"What is it Riku?"

"Do you like spooky places?"

I felt her grasp tighten around my arm.

"U-umm... Yeah, I love them!"

"Great! Once we got there, let's go inside the new horror house!"

I feel her tense up. I know Kotori can get scared so easily, like last time when the electricity in the house was gone and I was very sick that day so she has to take care everything all by herself. That night was very dark so I called her but she mistaken me as a ghost.

She's really good at hiding her fears even though I already noticed.

After a long walk, the both of us finally arrive at the amusement park. The park has a medieval theme in it. You can hear people screaming in the roller coaster, you can see the gigantic Ferris wheel, and you can smell the delicious street foods.

"I feel like I'm inside a dream! Tengu amusement park can't compare to this place!" Kotori's eyes light up.

"Let's hurry up and buy some tickets!" I chuckled.

We bought two ride all you want tickets at the cashier in the entrance gate for two hundred yen each.

"The ticket is really expensive? Are you sure?" Kotori ask me sheepishly.

"Don't worry, I've been saving a lot of money." I smiled.

Both of us went inside the park and we feast our eyes at the magical view around us. I was woken up in reality when I felt someone is tugging at my shirt.

"What is it?" I turn my attention to her.

"You pick first!" She smiles excitingly.

"Alright then, let's go to the horror house!" I gleefully said.

"W-What?!... Ehem!... I-I mean alright!" She stuttered while turning pale. "H-Hey! Slow down!"

I pull her arms and we came running towards the eerie wooden house. There is no line so we just rush inside it. Inside, the house is full of antique furnitures, spider webs, and spooky pictures.

"Are you okay Kotori?"

I felt her cold shaking hand hold mine.

"Y-ye- AHHHHHH!!!!"

A holographic flying head suddenly appear in front of us. Kotori pulled my arm and we sprinted down across the hallway.

"RIKU!!! YOU IDIOT!!!" Kotori screamed.

"I'm sorry!" I laugh hard.

"THIS IS NOT FUNNY!!!" She cries out.

As we get out of the exit, the both of us are gasping for air.

"T-That was fun!" I chuckled.

"I-It was fun for you!" She glared.

"How about you pick the next place?" I said to her.

I felt chills run down my spine when she smiled at me menacingly.

Minutes have passed after she drags me into her punishment game. I'm sitting on top of a tank filled with icy water wearing only my boxer, my clothes are hanging in Kotori's shoulder. The tank is 4 feet deep and there's a target that if you hit the bullseye, the person sitting on top of the tank will fall in the icy water.

"This isn't fair!" I exclaimed.

"Don't blame me for putting you in this situation!" Kotori laughed at me while standing 20 feet away.

"Get ready, the countdown is about to begin!"

"Three... Two... One..."

*RING! *

Kotori begins to throw the first ball on the target, but it misses. I sighed knowing my luck hasn't run out yet, there is still two more balls left so I could only do is hope.

She throws the second ball, almost hitting the bullseye. She gritted her teeth in frustration.

I chuckled a little bit but stop when she turns her piercing gaze to me. She turns her attention back to the target and focus. She breathes in slowly and then exhaled before throwing the third ball. The ball came cutting through the air and then...

*RING! RING! *

My breath was knocked out when I landed on my icy fate. I was gasping really fast as I desperately search for the ladder inside to climb out of the tank.

After climbing out the tank, Kotori gave me a towel that she got from the staff of the booth.

"So? How's your swim?" She jested while snickering.

"T-The most horrible swim that I've e-experienced!" I exclaimed; my whole body is shaking while teeth are clattering loudly.

"Here, dress up! I don't want other people to see you naked in front of me." Kotori throw my clothes to me.

"Well, you kinda like seeing me like this." I whispered to her and laugh when her face suddenly turns deep red.

"I-IDIOT!!! I..I.."

"I'm just joking with you! No need to be serious!" I laughed.

She crosses her arms while glaring at me. Her gaze feels like she wanna punch me really hard.

"I'm sorry I'll stop." I scratch the back of my head and get dress up quickly.

"Umm, so?" I chuckled nervously.

"Yeah? Are you going to tease me more?" She scoffed.

Maybe I should stop teasing her, for now...

"Of course not! Where do you wanna go next?"

"You're the next one to pick, right?"

"Oh yeah, hmmm... How about the Ferris wheel? We could use some relaxation.

"That not a bad idea, let's go!"

The Ferris wheel is not really far from the dunk tank booth though, so both of us arrive there in no time. Thankfully, the line is not really long so both of us just have to wait for our turn in a few minutes.

"I'm surprise of how big it is." Kotori's wide eyes are staring at the Ferris wheel while her mouth is open.

"The bigger the better right? Wait till you get to the top, the view there will blow your mind." I bragged.

The staff wave his right hand to us, signaling that we are next in the line. The next cart came and we step inside it. The cart has a small door that's a little higher than the waist of an average person and it has an umbrella shaped roof.

After the staff lock the door, I felt the cart move as the Ferris wheel begin to spin but stop every second for the other customer who are waiting in line.

"We are almost at the tippy top." Kotori commented.

"Yeah, can I ask you something?" I said to her, she looks at me out of curiousity.

"Sure, what is it?"

I hesitated, thinking about the right words to use.

"Are you okay Riku? You know you can ask me anything."

"I just been thinking... What if the day comes when you have to return to your world?"

Kotori was taken aback by my sudden question. She turns her gaze away from me and look out on the distant view. The cart is on top of the ferris wheel now, and you can see the view of the whole city up here.

"Why asking me this question just now? You don't want me to go, do you?"

"Is it selfish of me if I want to stop you for leaving?"

"I... Riku? You know I have friends and family back home."

I saw a glint of tears in her eyes which she quickly wipes away.

"I just... I'm sorry, I really want to stay with you I really do, but I also want to see my family again."

"But if I leave, I won't be able to see you again! Uuuggghhh!!! I couldn't make any decisions!"

She shakes her head while her tears are starting to fall. I put a comforting hand on her head.

"I won't stop you for leaving, I know it's going to be painful but I understand." I smiled at her; my own eyes are starting to water.

"I love you Kotori, and nothing will change that."

She wraps her arms around and sob on my chest.

"I love you too Riku."

*BOOM! *

*CRACKLE! *

Both me and Kotori jump when an unexpected storm suddenly appears.

"The news said it will be sunny today?! What the hell?!"

"T-This power..."

I notice Kotori trembling.

"Hey Kotori! Are you okay?!"

She suddenly transforms into her spirit form but instead of the white kimono, she still has her normal clothes on. She bursted the tiny door open before picking me up.

"H-Hey where are we going?!"

She didn't reply, all I see was her trembling eyes. We landed on the ground safely, but I was in shock when I look around me.

The dark clouds are building up, it shoots purple lightning everywhere on the amusement park, burning all the tents and booths.

People scream and run around panicking and searching for shelter.

But I didn't expect the next thing that's going to happen. In the darken sky, dark spheres came crashing down on us, destroying everything it comes in contact with.

My heart sank when the Ferris wheel was hit by the projectiles and crashes to the ground, killing all the people who are in it.

"Kotori do you know what's going on?! Say something!"

She slowly points her shaking finger to the sky. I look at the direction of where she was pointing at and saw something of what came out inside a nightmare.

"W-What is that thing?!"

My face went pale at the sight of a creature with black wings wearing a dark hooded coat. His dark laughter filled the air around us.

I gasped when the creature suddenly sent a dark sphere towards our direction.

"Get behind me!"

I lost my balance when Kotori suddenly pulled me. My eyes widened when I realized she was hugging me to protect me.

"It's been fun Riku, thank you."

I felt one drop of her tears drip down on my face.

"Let go of me! No!"

"KOTORI!!!"