A Day at the Amusement Park

Haruki's friends, noticing his continued somber mood, decided to lift his spirits with a day out at the amusement park. The group—Haruki, Aiko, Mei, and Riku—had been looking forward to this outing for weeks, hoping the thrill of the rides and the excitement of the park would shake off Haruki's lingering gloom.

As they approached the park entrance, the energy of the crowd and the vibrant atmosphere seemed to invigorate them. They made their way to the first ride, a towering roller coaster that promised heart-pounding thrills.

"Let's get in line for this one!" Mei exclaimed, pointing to the coaster.

Riku's face turned pale as he looked up at the towering structure. "I-I don't know about this," he said, his voice wavering. "That thing looks really high."

Haruki, sensing Riku's apprehension, chuckled. "Come on, Riku. It'll be fun. I promise."

As they boarded the roller coaster, Haruki found himself seated next to a nervous-looking guy in the back row. The guy's spiky light brown hair and mischievous green eyes caught Haruki's attention. He seemed as uneasy as Riku.

The ride began, and it was clear Riku was not enjoying himself. His terrified screams mixed with the shrieks of excitement from the others. The guy next to him was gripping the safety bar with white knuckles, his face contorted in fear.

The roller coaster eventually came to a stop, and the group stumbled out, dizzy and disoriented. Riku and the guy from the back row leaned against the railing, trying to steady themselves.

"Hey, that was something, huh?" Riku said, attempting to laugh it off despite his pale complexion.

The guy next to him, still catching his breath, looked over and grinned sheepishly. "Yeah, definitely not my favorite ride."

Haruki, having overheard the exchange, joined them. "You seemed pretty scared up there. I'm Haruki, by the way."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Kazuki," the guy said, offering a friendly smile. "And this is Hiro," he added, gesturing to a taller, muscular guy with spiky dark red hair who was standing nearby, looking mildly amused.

Riku managed a shaky smile. "I'm Riku. That ride really got to me."

Kazuki laughed. "I can relate. I've never been good with roller coasters. But hey, it's good to meet new people. What brings you guys to the park?"

Haruki, sensing an opportunity, said, "We're here to unwind. We're actually on our archery team, and it's been a rough week. How about you guys?"

Hiro's interest was piqued. "Archery, huh? We're actually part of an archery club at another high school. We're here for the day off from our own practice."

Kazuki nodded. "Yeah, we heard about the competition. We were just curious to see how the other teams are doing."

Mei's eyes lit up. "That's awesome! We're gearing up for a big tournament ourselves."

Kazuki's eyes widened. "Really? That's great! Maybe we'll get to face each other in the future."

Riku, still trying to regain his composure, chuckled. "Definitely. It would be cool to see how we stack up against each other."

Kazuki, seeing the lighthearted mood, decided to contribute his own brand of humor. "So, why don't we ever tell secrets on the roller coaster?"

Hiro, Haruki, and Mei looked at Kazuki with puzzled expressions.

"Because it's really hard to keep your secrets under wraps when you're screaming your head off!" Kazuki said, laughing at his own joke.

The others remained silent, some looking more confused than amused.

Riku, however, burst out laughing, slapping Kazuki on the back with genuine appreciation. "I like you, Kazuki. These guys don't appreciate good humor like we do."

Kazuki grinned, visibly relieved to have at least one fan of his jokes. "Thanks, Riku. I guess we're the only ones with a good sense of humor here."

The group continued their day at the park, with Riku and Kazuki bonding over their shared love for humor and light-hearted banter. The new connections and shared laughter added a refreshing dynamic to their adventure, making the day one to remember.