Thanks for reading! This story is the second of four one-shot spin-offs/sequels to my (very) long fic called "The Forgotten," but I think it works as a standalone as well (and you don't have to have read the previous one-shot, "Typhoon," or any of the following ones). (If it's confusing at all, please don't hesitate to tell me!) It takes place in an alternate universe; specifically, a boarding school called Re Academy (heh) for troubled children.

"Akira, please," begs Tsukiyama.

"I'm impressed you said please," Akira drawls, phone pressed between her chin and shoulder as she paces along one of the paths crisscrossing over her university's campus. "But the answer is no, Shuu."

"Do I have to drive to your university and beg on one knee?"

"You could," Akira allows, fall breeze blowing her hair around her face. Amon raises his eyebrows as he leans back against a large tree trunk, steam rising out of the cup of coffee he clutches in his hand. "The answer wouldn't change."

"Well," says Tsukiyama with a dramatic sigh. "I didn't want to have to play this card, but Takizawa's helping."

"He is?" Akira snaps. Her eyebrows fly up as she turns to look at Amon. "Did Seidou mention this to you?"

Amon shakes his head, hurrying over to her. Akira yanks Amon's phone out from his pocket, pressing it into his hand. He dials.

"Are you calling him right now?" Tsukiyama laughs. "See, I know you well enough, Akira. And I know you'd enjoy yourself—"

"This kind of acting is not my thing!" Akira protests. Dammit, she's giving a few centimeters, and Tsukiyama will pounce on that.

"Kaneki and Touka are helping, and of course Karren and Chie are too, and Hide, Nishiki, and Kimi. I even got Takeomi and Yoriko to agree. It'd be like a reunion!"

"Why?" Amon greets Seidou. Tsukiyama falls silent. Amon puts the phone near Akira's, so that everyone can hear each other.

"Don't blame me," Seidou complains. "It's a chance to get on campus and see Kuro, okay? And Seina, since she's actually talking to me right now."

Akira gulps. Amon's face is already transforming in sympathy. Don't you dare.

"Besides," Seidou adds. "It'd be good to see everyone again. See how Dorm Block 20's faring with Hinami, Urie, and Shirazu as RAs. The seniors will be running several booths for younger kids too. It'd be fun."

"And your dad would like to see you, wouldn't he, Akira?" asks Tsukiyama.

"Fine," Amon caves.

Amon, no! Akira slaps her forehead.

"Great," Tsukiyama sings.

"See you then," Seidou says.

"I didn't say yes!" she protests.

"But you will," Tsukiyama teases.

Amon winces. "Sorry, Akira."

"Fine," Akira growls. "I'll join your haunted house exhibition. But I get to choose what kind of demonic creature I'll be portraying, okay?"

"Deal," Tsukiyama acquiesces.

"Dad, are we too dangerous for you to let on campus?" Akira drawls on Halloween when they arrive at Re Academy. She holds Amon's hand. Both of them have backpacks stuffed with their costumes, their books for studying, and their clothes. They'll be staying overnight at her father's place, providing they survive this chaos.

"Considering all that happened last year," Dad says, rolling his eyes. "Maybe you are. But I'll still sign your passes."

"Thank you," Amon says. Dad notices their entwined hands and shakes his head, but Akira spots a hint of a smile.

"Keep Tsukiyama from actually hacking someone into pieces, won't you?" Dad asks, handing them their passes to leave the security building.

Akira laughs.

"Will do," Amon promises.

"Everyone's gathered by the abandoned dorm on East Campus," Dad informs them. "Formerly Dorm Block 3. The students are still in classes, so make sure you don't disturb them even if they come running over to you." After the fiasco at the end of last year, they all enjoyed minor-celebrity status for the rest of their time at school.

"We won't," Akira says. She pulls Amon along as they make their way to East Campus. The sun shines despite the chilled air, and the sky sizzles a burning blue against the dying leaves.

"It's funny being back here," remarks Amon.

"Bad memories?" Akira questions.

He shakes his head, and a smile crosses his lips. "From last year, a lot of good ones."

Yoshimura waves to them as they pass Anteiku, the snack bar, which has been decorated with fuzzy black spiders and fake webs. Hinami, Ayato, and Kurona will be helping run a candy apple decorating booth inside the snack shop for younger kids. Amon gapes at a large oak tree with dozens of ropes dangling from it and a sign hanging that reads "Bobbing for Donuts." His eyes shine.

"I think Urie said Hsiao, Higemaru, and Aura are running the donut bobbing," Akira muses. "We'll have to tell them to save us some donuts."

Amon nods. "And we'll have to avoid your dad seeing you in costume until after the night's over, too. He could barely take you as Fantine in the play last year."

"You mean my dead bride dress?" She picked out the dress, and Amon helped her splatter it with red paint and rip the dress. The makeup Itori, the drama teacher, volunteered to help her put on will make it look like her flesh is decaying, and to be frank, the dress looks as if it is too. "Why, is it foreshadowing?"

Amon turns red. "Not until after university."

Really? Akira's jaw drops.

Amon freezes. "What did I say?"

"You made me happy," Akira says, and she stands tiptoe to kiss him.

"No PDA; I'll write you up!" hollers a familiar voice. Akira pulls herself away from her boyfriend to see Seidou jogging over, a grin on his face.

"We aren't students!" Akira retorts. "We do what we want."

"To be fair," Amon admits, face sheepish. "We kinda did what we wanted as students, too."

"Can't really disagree," Seidou says, slinging his arms around both of them as they head down the hill towards their destination.

Shinohara, their old dorm parent who's apparently volunteering to help, greets them warmly when they arrive at the abandoned dorm. Dorm Block 3 has finally been moved to a new building—the old one will, according to her father, will be torn down in another month or so. Marude, the principal, greets them with a narrowed brow and a lip protruding with suspicion. Kaneki runs over and hugs both of them.

Maybe this was a good idea after all, Akira thinks.

"So everyone knows what to do?" Tsukiyama asks, blood dripping from his mouth. Vampire fangs sit on his teeth.

"Ready," Touka says, giving Kaneki's hand a squeeze. He smiles at her, her hair back to the dark color she had when they first met, even if she's no longer straightening it. Her witch's costume fits snug around her chest, and her fake fingernails scrape his skin.

They both should be studying for a literature exam, but one day won't be a huge disruption. Kaneki hopes, anyways.

"Is it true Eto's on campus tonight?" complains Hide. "I mean, I know she helped save us last year and all, but yeesh. She was still fired."

"She's dressing as a witch and helping Arima, her dad, and Yomo chaperone the candy apple booth," Kaneki confirms. He and Arima still email each other fairly regularly. He's found a good therapist at Kamii, but Arima's more than his psychologist. You're like a father to me.

"Touka's a prettier witch," teases Nishiki, dressed as a possessed clown. He winks a red-painted eye.

"She is," Kaneki agrees, looking around the now-abandoned dorm. It's apparently the oldest one on campus, created by someone with no skill in architecture who decided to connect two smaller buildings together with a courtyard in the middle.

"Ooh," teases Hide, a zombie butler.

"They'll be coming through in groups of three to six, plus a chaperone," Tsukiyama reminds them. "It should take them about fifteen minutes to make their way through the haunted house. Everyone knows their stations?"

"I don't," Seidou says, hand shooting in the air. He's dressed as a ghoul who will pretend to want to eat people.

Karren rolls her eyes. "That's because you're the wildcard. Appear whenever and wherever you want."

"I know." He winks.

"My camera's ready!" Chie sings, holding it up.

"I still don't know how we managed to get Marude to sign off on this," Kaneki mumbles to Touka. He holds up his ghostly-pale, undead hands. The makeup Itori put on actually makes it look as if his skin is rotting and peeling back, and as if three of his fingers are centipedes.

"If I get to hear Ayato scream, it'll be worth it," Touka vows, snapping chewing gum.

"Positions!" directs Tsukiyama.

When the clocks strikes seven, Kaneki's ready, crouched in the makeshift graveyard in the courtyard. Their first victims will enter through what used to be the dorm's lounge, which has been splattered in fake blood. The door will close and trap them in darkness, until they feel their way towards the door. When they open the door, the lights will come on and reveal a vampire and his victim—providing the guests don't stumble across them first. From there, they'll climb the stairs to a former dorm floor, where they'll find a mad scientist and his two human experiments gone wrong, and from there be chased down a hallway where Nishiki's demon clown will block them from entering the other half of the dorm and send them down a former emergency stairwell and into the courtyard.

Screams erupt. Snorts emerge from the vines climbing one of the brick walls, where Kimi hides behind a tombstone.

"You can't laugh," hisses Akira from the coffin in the center of the graveyard. Fog rolls around her from the fog machine Tsukiyama rented.

"You can't talk. You're dead," Kaneki reminds her.

A bloodied hand with a middle finger raised rises out of the coffin.

Pounding echoes on the emergency staircase. Kaneki stiffens, tensing.

The emergency exit swings open.

"Oh, thank God!" shrieks Shio Ihei. "We're saved!"

"You idiot; we're in a graveyard!" snaps Yusa Arima.

"Yusa," warns a familiar voice. Kaneki peeks over the top of the gravestone. Arima. His mentor the dean, clearly a chaperone, looks down at his little brother and shakes his head. Kaneki's centipede fingers wriggle, but the kids are too far away to notice yet.

Rikai Souzu clings to Ching-Li Hsiao, who strides into the graveyard as if she's not afraid of anything. Shinsanpei Aura might be taller than anyone else in the group, but he stiffens. "Where's Higemaru?"

Now Kaneki has to bite his lip to keep from snickering.

"If he can't keep up we leave him behind," declares Shio.

"Where's the door?" asks Yusa, peering around the courtyard. There are three doors and they're all marked with yellow caution tape.

"Who's in the casket?" wonders Shio.

"Don't wanna know," grumbles Aura.

You haven't changed. Kaneki rolls his eyes.

"Let's try this one," says Shio, darting towards the door near the once-elaborate garden where Kimi hides behind a climbing frame covered in wilting vines.

A moan filters out.

"Shit," breathes Hsiao.

"Hsiao," scolds Arima as the ground heads closer to Shio.

Shio shrieks, turning and running. Kimi leaps up, chasing after them with her arms flailing about as if she has no control. The group whirls to all skid to a halt when they see Akira's risen out of her casket, holding her decaying arms out and shuffling towards them.

"Where's the goddamn door?" bellows Aura.

Yusa, Aura, and Arima all rush towards the door to the left.

"Are those bugs?" yelps Yusa. "Centipedes?"

Kaneki levitates from behind the gravestone.

"Fuck!" screams Aura, whirling around to find Akira closing in from the other side. Kimi chases Hsiao, Rikai, and Shio around the other side—pushing them towards the right door.

"You're dorm-grounded!" yells Arima.

"Look out!" cries Yusa as Kaneki grabs Arima's shoulder.

Arima lets out a gasp. He wrenches himself free and races after his brother. A small smile crosses Arima's face even as he turns to look over his shoulder, and Kaneki has to remind himself he's supposed to be terrifying and can't smile back. Arima winks.

"Got it! I saved all of your asses!" yells Hsiao, ducking into the kitchen of what used to be the dorm parent's apartment.

"You're dorm grounded too!"

"Higemaru, hurry up or you'll die here and I won't feel sorry for you!"

Higemaru isn't coming, Kaneki knows. He bites back another smile.

"I am never letting you talk me into something like this again, Hsiao!" Aura bellows back as he slams the door behind them. Kimi claws at it for effect.

And now, Kaneki thinks. They're at Touka's mercy.

"That was bloody terrifying!" shrieks Shio as he stumbles into Anteiku, dropping down on a stool next to Yoshimura. "I need a candy apple."

"Not until you pay for it," chirps Kurona, helping a sixth-grade boy dip his apple in a caramel mixture. Hinami smiles at Ayato as she runs a container of sprinkles over for the kids to roll their apples in.

"Higemaru didn't make it," Yusa reports as he enters.

"Hsiao and Aura are really freaked out, but they have to help people eat donuts hanging from trees without choking now. We kept waiting and waiting outside for him to emerge, but Chie Hori told us we needed to leave and one of us had to sign up to save him at the end of the night.'" Shio groans. "Hsiao got to volunteer. Lucky her."

"The point of volunteering is that if you want to do it, you do it," Ayato points out.

Shio scowls. "I have—other things going on then."

What things? Ayato wonders.

"Here," Arima says, handing Yomo some money. "For all three of them." Rikai drops down next to Yusa. Eto beams at Arima from across the room. The dean flushes, adjusting his glasses. Yusa groans and buries his head in his hands.

"Want to make one?" Ayato offers, holding out an apple to the kids.

"Yes please," Shio says.

"And we'll help you," Yomo cuts in. "Ayato, Hinami, Kurona, your turn to go to the haunted house is coming up."

"Any ideas what Touka's up to in there?" asks Kurona.

"She and Kaneki wouldn't tell us a thing," Ayato admits. He takes Hinami's hand.

"If you don't come back within a half hour I will find you," warns Yomo, who has clearly not forgotten about Uta finding the two of them in the gym last year. "And I will call your dad."

"Ui's chaperoning us," calls Ayato, now wrapping his arm around Hinami.

Yomo's eyebrows rise. "Oh. Okay then."

Kurona snickers. "They all know we're getting away with nothing when Ui's in charge."

Ayato pulls out his phone and snaps a photo of the three of them. About to see how evil Touka's become, he texts his dad.

Ui waits for them by the entrance to the haunted house, where Ayato can hear people shrieking even though their turn must be almost up. Gooseflesh rises on Hinami's arms. He rubs them for her. And also he needs to distract himself. How scary can it be?

He remembers the pale pallor of Shio Ihei's face and gulps.

"I'm surprised you wanted to do this," Ayato says to Ui, if only to have something to do while they wait.

Ui slides his eyes in Ayato's direction. His shoulders are stiff, and he taps a rhythm on the side of his pants as if he's stressed. Well, Hinami did say she heard a rumor that Hairu persuaded Ui to give up smoking last week. "We all had to sign up for a shift, so every high school student would get a turn."

"That explains it," Ayato says.

Ui almost smiles.

The door creaks open. "Welcome," says Hide, wearing a cracked monocle and a bloodied butler uniform. "Please do follow me."

Hinami digs her fingernails into Ayato's hand. He sucks in his breath as the four of them enter a dim room.

"I'd find the door quickly," Hide informs them. "Or you may find yourself at the mercy of some unexpected… hosts." And he ducks back out the door they just entered, and the room is pitch dark.

"Holy hell!" yells Ayato.

"Language!" scolds Ui.

"I can't see a thing!" Hinami cries.

"Start feeling for the door!" Kurona orders. Someone shuffles forwards, and Ayato hears her crash into something and let out a grunt. "Careful not to break your face."

Hinami won't let go of Ayato's hand. Her breaths come quick and tense as they creep forward, Ayato feeling with his foot to see if they're about to run into anything. Does this room even have walls?

Hinami suddenly gasps.

"Hinami?" Ayato asks, just as something grabs his ankles. He screams.

"What is it?" yells Kurona.

"Something grabbed me—ahh!" Hinami twists away from Ayato's grasp. He fumbles to take her hand again and she punches him.

"Ow!"

"Sorry!"

A hand slides down his shoulder, and Ayato shrieks, jerking away. "If you're not Hinami I will kick you in the balls!"

"It could be a girl!" shouts Kurona.

"Got the door!" yells Ui. Ayato can hear him fumbling with a handle.

"Open it already!" pleads Hinami.

"Where are you?" Ayato cries. He slams into what must be a chair and lets out a gasp.

The door flings open, and Ayato spots Tsukiyama, jaw dripping fake blood, kneeling over what must be his victim—Karren, with fake blood smeared over her neck.

"For real?" pants Kurona. "That's just an excuse to give her a hickey."

Tsukiyama peers up at them and lunges.

"Nope!" Kurona races out the door. Ui hesitates, as if he feels morally compelled to intervene.

"They aren't students anymore!" Ayato reminds him as he finds Hinami scrambling towards him, takes her hand, and dashes out of the haunted lounge.

Ui rolls his eyes and slams the door behind them, joining them in their mad dash up the stairs. His eyes glow as his stupid hair flies around his face, and yet again, Ayato thinks Ui might not be so bad.

"In here?" Hinami asks uncertainly, stopping by a door. Kurona eases it open.

"Come in, come in," croaks Takeomi's voice. He stands in a splattered lab coat, several smoking vats of yellow and green and crimson brew resting on a table behind him. A fake body lies under a sheet in front of him. Takeomi picks up a scalpel that looks awfully real.

"This is totally what Tatara gets up to at night," mumbles Kurona. Their chemistry teacher is... intense.

A groan echoes behind them. Ayato whirls to see Amon—well, Amon with a red contact in one eye and looking as if half his skin is falling off—stumbling towards them, a shackle attaching him to the wall. He reaches out and grasps Hinami's knee. She shrieks.

"Get them," says Takeomi, voice bored.

Yoriko, growing tarantulas for hair, springs out from behind a corner. Ui lets out a yelp and pushes them towards the door on the other side. No sooner is it closed than they hear a maniacal laugh.

"Nishiki?" ekes out Hinami, freezing halfway down the hallway.

A clown emerges from the shadows, and from there everyone's screaming and shoving until they emerge into a graveyard. A peaceful graveyard, with the full moon glowing above and a casket in the center and three—three—freaking doors. And fog. You rented a fog machine, Tsukiyama?

"I don't like this," Hinami states.

Ui shakes his head, eyes huge.

"Hinami and I will try the door to the left," Ayato says, swallowing. "Ui—door in the back. Kurona, the one near the garden."

Everyone nods. No sooner has Ayato taken two steps than they hear a voice croaking: "You look like something I'd love to eat, my dear."

Ayato spins to see Seidou Takizawa as a ghoul, wrapping his arms around Kurona. The innuendo is clearly not lost on Kurona: she laughs.

"Why?" asks Ui, lips puckering in disgust as he looks up at the sky as if God might answer him.

Hinami screams. Kaneki, with centipedes for fingers, grabs Ayato's girlfriend.

"Oh shit!" Ayato's foot flies out without a second thought, kicking Kaneki in the chest. He falls back onto his ass.

"Really?" coughs Kaneki.

A moan erupts behind them. Ayato whirls around to see Akira crawling out of the casket.

Hinami leaps over the nearest grave and rattles the door. "No go!"

"This one works!" Ui flings the door in the back open. Kimi approaches, her nightgown splattered in blood. Hinami yanks Ayato after Ui.

"Where's Kurona?" demands Ui the moment the door's shut and they're in a dim room with more fog and dark green lighting.

"Getting eaten," says Hinami.

Ayato remembers what Shio said about Higemaru. "Survival of the fittest," he offers.

Ui groans, slapping his forehead.

"If you want to eat," croons a voice that sends a shiver down Ayato's spine. "I have something to offer."

"Touka?" Ayato manages. His sister stirs a brew, steam rising towards her face. The fog thickens behind her—no, it's not fog, Ayato realizes. It's the exit hallway, and it's covered in a sticky cobweb-like material.

"Do we have to try your brew to get out of here?" Hinami asks, swallowing.

"You could," Touka allows, lifting up her thick wooden spoon and letting some of the goo dribble down, splatting back into the pot.

Ayato's stomach turns. "No thanks."

Touka lifts more brew. A rubber—it has to be, right?—hand with a finger bone sticking out flops onto the floor.

Hinami gags.

A creak runs fingernails down Ayato's skin. He turns to see Hide, now gripping an axe, emerging from a cupboard.

"Run!" Ayato pushes Hinami in front of him, charging towards the spider web hallway. "God, really?" The stuff sticks to his cheek, his hair, his clothes. He feels as if he's running through sand, and the humidity of the fog machine slimes his face. "Fuck!"

Ui flails behind him.

"Just keep pushing!" Hinami yells behind her. "You can get through—ugh!" Some of the substance sticks in her hair. She yanks it out.

Hide closes in, using his axe to hack at the spider web. That's not real, right?

"You're my sister; show some mercy!" Ayato shrieks. Something slimy falls on his head—a fake spider covered in red Jell-O. Ew!

Touka lets out a cackle.

"Ayato!" Hinami breaks free and reaches back to help him through. They both help Ui and stumble out into the outside, where Chie snaps photo after photo.

Hinami gasps, hands flying up to clap against her cheeks. "Kurona!"

"I lost a student," whispers Ui, face gray.

"You can get her back," Chie promises, giggling as she snaps another photo. "At the end of the night, if someone from your group volunteers to do a special challenge."

"Does she matter that much to us?" Ayato asks. Hinami scowls.

"Teachers and staff can also sign up," Chie adds, holding out a clipboard. Ayato sees Ikuma Momochi's signed up to help rescue Yumitsu Tomoe, and Ching-Li Hsiao to rescue Touma Higemaru.

Ui winces as he takes the clipboard and writes his name, muttering about so killing Hirako and Arima for allowing this tomorrow.

"I thought art was your skill, Urie," taunts Shirazu.

"Carving is very different from painting, Ginshi," snaps Urie. He stares at his mess of a pumpkin. Mutsuki bites back a smile.

"It's better than Saiko's," Shirazu offers. They spent the first hour helping other kids carve, and now they're finally getting to carve their own. "Considering hers fell apart."

"I can help you fix it," Mutsuki offers, sliding over on the bench next to his boyfriend. The one he doesn't get to room with anymore since Shinohara found out they were dating. But he still gets to sneak into Urie's room quite often. His own carving of a panda glows, a candle sitting inside his pumpkin.

"Please," Urie requests, shoving it over to Mutsuki.

"We'll make it into a monster," Mutsuki decides.

"Since it's otherwise too horrific to salvage?" asks Shirazu.

"Shirazu, you claim yours is 'abstract,' but we all know that wasn't your intention," Mutsuki points out, taking Urie's knife and pressing it into Urie's hand. "Cut a little here."

Urie smiles at him. Mutsuki had to testify against Saeki two weeks ago, and ever since then, Urie's been overly protective. Which Mutsuki appreciates. It makes him feel safe. Kaneki and Touka called him the day before his testimony, and Shinohara got Urie, Saiko, and Shirazu permission to come to the courtroom. Afterwards, Mutsuki only dissociated once, but apparently all he did was talk to Urie during it and Urie didn't seem freaked out. Arima even seemed happy about how Mutsuki's been handling things.

I'm not disgusting, Mutsuki tells himself again, and when Urie's fingers brush over his pumpkin-slimed knuckles, he hopes he might even believe it today.

One day at a time.

"It was supposed to be your face, Mutsuki," calls Saiko, bouncing over. She tosses toasted pumpkin seeds into her mouth.

"It was not!" Urie scowls.

Mutsuki laughs, and then shrieks. Saiko runs her fingers through both his and Urie's hair, coating it with pumpkin innards.

"Yonebayashi!" warns Matsumae, the pumpkin-carving chaperone.

"It's time to go to the haunted house anyways," proclaims Shirazu, offering both Mutsuki and Urie some paper towels to clean the slime off.

"Good luck," Matsumae says ominously.

"Are we sure we want to?" wonders Mutsuki, watching as Ayato and Hinami stumble back, faces pale. Ui grabs Hairu, who's supposed to be chaperoning their trip inside. "Where's Kurona?"

"Probably making out with Seidou in a dark corner," Saiko proclaims. "But Hsiao texted me and told me you have to kind of find your own way through."

"Oh really?" asks Urie, frowning. He picks up his phone and taps out a text.

They meet outside the haunted house, where the screams of the current group echo. Mutsuki shivers. His heart picks up pace.

Urie wraps an arm around him. "Don't worry."

Mutsuki offers him a small smile. "It'll be fun to see what Kaneki and Touka are dressed as."

Saiko giggles. Shirazu blows out his breath.

"Ui seemed pretty scared," Hairu, the dorm parent of Dorm Block 11, says with a grin. "I'm excited." She hops up and down on one foot, her pink hair bouncing. She dressed as a princess for the evening, even though most people didn't bother to dress in costume.

The door slides open with a groan. "Welcome," moans Hide.

The moment the door closes behind them and they're trapped in a dark room, Mutsuki grabs Urie.

"Something just grabbed me!" shrieks Shirazu. "Holy—"

"This way," Urie hisses, pulling Mutsuki through. He stumbles over what feels like a person crawling around on the floor and shrieks.

Hairu laughs and then screams herself.

"The door should be here," Urie says, and then light floods the room, and Mutsuki barrels through.

The mad scientist room would have been terrifying if not for the fact that Urie seems determined not to give Takeomi the satisfaction of screaming, so Mutsuki steps on his foot to get Urie to at least gasp. Amon chases them out this time, and they charge down the hallway.

"Clown!" shrieks Saiko.

"Fuck!" yells Shirazu. Hairu doesn't even scold him as she screams.

"Ghoul!" bellows Urie, turning to see Seidou Takizawa stumbling towards them, hissing and with his arms spread out.

"Got the door!" shouts Shirazu, pushing it open as hands close over Mutsuki's shoulders.

"Come with me, please, Tooru," whispers Seidou. "I realize I'm no longer your RA and can't command it, but please. It's part of the game—one group member disappears during it and Takeomi says we have to pick you."

Mutsuki hesitates. Poor Urie.

But he nods, and Seidou grabs him and ushers him past the door Nishiki the clown was guarding. Nishiki winks.

"You'll be able to watch," Seidou promises. He pauses in what was once a dorm room and opens the window. Mutsuki peers down into a foggy courtyard, where he sees the tops of Urie's purple head, Saiko's blue, Shirazu's yellow, and Hairu's pink.

"Where's Tooru?" Urie bellows.

"Oh well!" yells Shirazu.

"Asshat!" shouts Saiko.

Mutsuki cringes.

"At the end of the night, one person from your party will have volunteered to complete a scare challenge and come rescue you," Seidou says. "I'm betting Urie volunteers to be your white knight."

"He better," Mutsuki says, a grin spreading across his face. This is actually the kind of thing Urie will look back on and enjoy.

"We have to go back!" Urie turns to bang on the door behind him, but Nishiki's clearly locked it. Seidou snorts. Mutsuki shakes his head.

"Urie!" screams Saiko, and Mutsuki watches as an auburn-haired zombie slides her hands over Saiko's shoulders. Kimi!

Akira rises from a casket in the center, and Shirazu stumbles backwards and actually trips. Hairu has to yank him up, laughing.

"Which door?" screams Saiko, racing away from a stumbling, hissing Kimi who claws at her face.

"The one at the back!" shouts Urie.

Seidou frowns.

"How do you know?"

"I asked Hsiao!"

"Oh hell no!" Seidou growls, his knuckles turning white as he clutches the windowsill. Mutsuki's jaw drops. He remembers how Urie knew instantly how to get through the dark room—really, Kuki? Really?

That's... my boyfriend.

Akira and Kimi exchange a look, and instantly race to block the back door.

"Good job, Urie," snaps Shirazu.

"You cheated," Akira accuses. "For that, you must pay a second tax."

"What?" shrieks Saiko.

Mutsuki spots a dark figure sneaking through the fog. The rotting corpse wraps itself around Urie, who lets loose with a shriek Mutsuki's never heard before, and now Mutsuki can't keep himself from laughing.

"Gonna go help," says Seidou. "Stay here, okay, Mutsuki? Looks like we're kidnapping another one of your friends."

Mutsuki pulls a string of pumpkin from his hair and holds it out to Seidou. "Tell Urie I'm counting on him to rescue me at the end. Give him this."

Seidou's nose wrinkles. "Um, okay." He snatches it and takes off.

"Let me go, Kaneki!" shrieks Urie, scrambling away from Kaneki and zigzagging through tombstones.

"Kaneki's dead," calls Kaneki.

"Not funny!"

"It's hilarious," says Akira drolly.

Seidou sprints across the courtyard now and grabs Hairu.

"You're taking our chaperone?" cries Saiko.

"Ui's going to kill us," moans Shirazu. "Literally."

"Mutsuki says to remember him by this, and also to rescue him according to our witch's instructions," Seidou hisses, dropping the string in Urie's hand. He pulls Hairu back through the fog, and Akira and Kimi step back to allow them through the door out of the courtyard.

Seidou and Hairu appear within seconds, Seidou gesturing for them to follow him. He takes them down another hallway and points through a trapdoor. Several glass jars sit around the trapdoor. One jar contains fake spiders and cockroaches, one contains peeled grapes, another cooked noodles, and one plastic body parts, all resting in what looks like cherry Jell-O. Seidou gestures for Mutsuki and Hairu to help themselves.

Mutsuki peers through the small trapdoor to see Urie, Shirazu, and Saiko trying to battle their way through a massive cobweb. He selects an unpeeled grape. Hairu opts for a plastic big toe, a mischievous grin on her face.

Mutsuki pelts Urie with it, and Hairu drops the toe on Saiko, who screams. Seidou gestures for them to sit back to not be seen. Mutsuki grabs some spaghetti and Hairu grabs a fake centipede, aiming for Shirazu this time. He yelps, batting at his hair.

Once their friends make it through, Mutsuki heads over to the large window, where he watches Urie sign up on Chie's sheet to save Mutsuki and Hairu later in the night.

"Well," says Hairu, smiling at Mutsuki. "This should be fun for us."

"You look horrifying," Juuzou assures Yusa Arima as he finishes painting the kid's face. The boy smiles in satisfaction. "Go scare your brother."

"What do you mean, they took Hairu?" yells a voice.

Juuzou cranes his neck. Yusa giggles as they spot Ui glaring at Urie and Shirazu. Saiko rolls her eyes as she gulps apple cider, as if she could care less what Ui thinks.

"Well, they would have only taken one of us," says Shirazu, jabbing Urie with his elbow. "But they took two because someone cheated and asked Hsiao for directions on how to get through."

"Did he really cheat?" asks Nakarai, jaw open.

"Are they really taking one person per group?" whispers Hanbee, suddenly looking as white as the clown paint he just put on Shio Ihei.

Ui grips his face and mumbles what sounds like a curse word. Juuzou claps his hand to his mouth.

"Did he just swear?" Nakarai looks as if all his dreams are coming true.

"He's probably worried my sister won't be back in time," Shio proclaims, checking his watch, the watch Juuzou knows Ui bought him for his birthday.

"In time for what?" asks Hanbee, twisting his hair in a knot.

Shio shrugs, pretending to zip his mouth.

"Fireworks are going off at ten," says Rikai, slipping next to Shio. Rikai's face is covered in different constellations, courtesy of Mikage.

"Who sold their soul to get Mado to agree to that?" asks Nakarai.

"He wants to propose to Hairu then, because she'll love how romantic it will be," says Yusa.

"Not even Mado can refuse romance. Akira's proof of that," Mikage muses.

Ugh.

"Shh!" hisses Shio as Rikai groans. "You're not supposed to tell, Yusa! It's a secret."

"You told us," Yusa points out.

"Only because he asked my approval beforehand!" Shio sticks out his chest.

"You know, the haunted house crew may be inadvertently saving Dorm Block 11 from having to deal with Ui, the dorm parent's spouse, patrolling their stairwell," mumbles Nakarai in Juuzou's ear. "Isn't that what you said he did last year when he took over Dorm Block 20?"

Juuzou snickers. "So I've heard." He wasn't around for that, though. "I was on the lam."

"Poor Ui," says Hanbee, a solemn look on his face. Juuzou watches as Ui paces back and forth.

"Well," says Juuzou. "It's our turn next, right? What time is it, Shio?"

Shio checks his watch. "We've got an hour before the fireworks."

"There's no way everyone from the high school will get through by then," declares Tamaki.

"But we will," says Juuzou, whistling as he puts his face painting kit back.

"No," says Nakarai. Hanbee's eyes widen.

"I used to live in that dorm when I was in middle school," Juuzou retorts, heading past Shinohara and towards the edge of the tent. "It's like the offices. They have large air vents."

"Do you remember what happened when Hide used an air vent to break into Furuta's office?" demands Nakarai. "Because I do."

Juuzou shrugs and smirks. "But don't you want to mess with Tsukiyama and Takizawa and Amon?"

"Yes," confesses Tamaki, his shoulders slumping.

"Great," Juuzou says cheerfully. "I'm betting I already know how to get through that haunted house anyways. I'm gonna need you, Nakarai and Tamaki and Mikage, to distract whoever's guarding the door in the hallway."

"Huh?" Mikage scratches his head.

"There are two doors; I imagine they'll only want us going through one. The other one should allow us access to a dorm room with an air vent," says Juuzou. "Hanbee, you're tall. You can help me climb into one, so you're coming with me."

"Why are we trying to help Ui?" wonders Nakarai.

"Don't you like Hairu?" Juuzou presses. "You're an RA in her dorm, aren't you, Nakarai?"

Nakarai's shoulders slump. "Okay. Fine."

"Um," says Hanbee, gulping. "What if—we're too scared—to think straight?"

"You don't have to think," Juuzou tells him, tossing his hair. "Just follow me."

"Oh." Hanbee nods. A smile crosses his face. "Okay."

"If they catch you they're taking two of us for sure," warns Nakarai.

"Scared?" asks Juuzou, raising his eyebrows.

"No!"

By the time they assemble in front of the haunted house, Hirako notices their quiet demeanor and remarks on it.

"We've heard they—" starts Tamaki, but Juuzou kicks him in the shin.

"No spoilers!"

"Right," Tamaki says, flashing Hirako a smile.

Hirako frowns.

"You know how to get through, right?" hisses Nakarai.

Juuzou shrugs and whistles. "I won't spoil the chaos."

The first room, filled with vampires, prove deliciously scary, and the sugar pumping through Juuzou's veins makes everything positively amazing. He cackles and grins through the whole thing. When Mikage finally finds the door and floods the room with light, swearing up a storm, everyone sprints out.

Juuzou notices Hanbee's exceptionally pale face, and Nakarai laughs at him for it, but Juuzou remembers what Hanbee once told him: that he and his father were followed into an alley when Hanbee was a kid and attacked by a drug-crazed man, and Hanbee's father lost his legs after he threw himself at the man to give Hanbee a chance to escape, and has been plagued with health problems ever since that leave him unable to care for Hanbee. You don't like dark, tight places, do you?

Juuzou grabs Hanbee's elbow as they head up the stairs. Hanbee looks down at him.

"Don't worry," Juuzou tells him. "I'm here."

"Now?" asks Tamaki.

"Now what?" Hirako asks, a note of suspicion in his voice.

"Nope," says Juuzou.

"Don't worry about it," Nakarai informs him, and Hirako's brow creases.

"Welcome," oozes Takeomi as they enter a mad scientist's lab. Amon howls, rattling his chains.

Hanbee shrieks as Yoriko's decaying fingers land on the back of his neck. Juuzou yelps and runs.

"I will have one of you!" Takeomi yells after them. "You cannot make it through the haunted house without paying your toll!"

"Fuck no!" pants Nakarai.

"Keijin—" starts Hirako.

"If there's ever a time that calls for language it's now!"

Juuzou snorts.

"No, it's now!" screams Tamaki, grabbing Mikage as a possessed clown with Nishiki's hair runs at them with a saw. It's a familiar scene, and Juuzou's stomach turns. He feels rooted to the floor. Hanbee frowns at him.

Snap out of it.

Hirako lets out a shout as Seidou grabs his ankles, jolting Juuzou out of his memories.

"Now!" Juuzou yells.

"Oh right!" shouts Nakarai, turning around and running back at Nishiki. Nishiki gives chase.

Juuzou grabs Hanbee and drags him towards the door Nishiki had been guarding. He finds the light switch that keeps a dim, flickering light bulb on and turns it off.

Yelps echo outside the door.

Juuzou shoves open the door and tumbles through. Hanbee follows.

"We've got a minute or so," Juuzou pants. This room, too, is dimly lit. He spots an air vent and points at it. "They're still gonna have to capture one or two of them."

Hanbee scrambles onto the desk near the air vent, knocking a paperweight over. He grimaces as he tugs at the grate. "Do you know where they'll be?"

"Yeah."

"Will I fit?"

Juuzou nods. "I think so. And if you don't, I'll help you get out."

Hanbee pushes Juuzou inside, and Juuzou turns around and grits his teeth, tugging Hanbee up inside. They leave the grate swinging open as Seidou enters, cursing. Tamaki's shoulders slump.

"Just so you know, you weren't our initial plan," Seidou informs Tamaki. "Nakarai was, but he punched me when I tried to take him. And we will find those other two."

Hanbee covers his mouth to keep from laughing. Juuzou shakes his head and gestures for Hanbee to follow. Dust clogs the air vent. Juuzou's lungs and throat itch. "Less fun—than it seems—in the movies and books," he manages.

Hanbee coughs in answer. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Juuzou pauses, drawing the outline of the building in his mind. We go left here, not right. He turns left. Hanbee follows.

"You seemed upset," Hanbee says cautiously. "When Nishiki chased us."

Memories. Juuzou doesn't answer.

That was how I appeared to all the customers, right? The ones I chased on Mama's orders?

A monster with a knife.

Shinohara saw a boy instead.

Juuzou's chest hurts, and he squeezes his eyes shut. He realizes he's stopped crawling. Keep going. We're going to help Hairu and Ui get their happy ending tonight.

Hanbee puts his hand on Juuzou's shoulder. Damn, your arms are long.

"You seemed unnerved in the vampire room," Juuzou manages as they slink through a narrower portion. "Can you make it?"

"Think so," comes Hanbee's croak. "And I was. But I'm just a coward. You're not."

Juuzou pauses, peering down into an old dorm room. Not here. But they've got to be close. "It's one of these three rooms." They're at a crossway, where the vents split into four pathways.

Hanbee nods. He bites his lip as if he's still worried about what he said.

"So maybe you're a scaredy-cat," Juuzou says. "You're still the one I wanted to come with me, 'cause you care a lot." He wrinkles his nose and wipes at it only to sneeze as dust invades his nostrils. "Also because I thought they'd try to kidnap you instead of Tamaki or Nakarai and I figured you'd be scared."

Hanbee rolls his eyes. "Would you have been the one who signed up to rescue me?"

"Well, Nakarai surely wouldn't have done it," Juuzou says, blowing out his breath. Which way do we take?

Hanbee looks at the three pathways. "Maybe you should check them out, just in case I can't fit?"

Juuzou frowns. "And leave you here?"

"I think you'll come back and let me know."

"I would," Juuzou agrees. "You really do trust me, don't you?"

Hanbee frowns. "Of course."

"Why?" Juuzou presses. "You know—at the beginning of last year, your first year here—no one liked me. Except you. Why?"

"I thought you were brave and didn't give a fuck about what people thought of you," Hanbee says. "I cared too much. I admired you for that."

"Oh." Juuzou frowns. He hasn't expected Hanbee to be that honest.

Hanbee ducks his head, hair falling over his face.

Without thinking, Juuzou's fingers reach out to brush his hair back from his face.

Hanbee looks at him in surprise.

"Thanks," Juuzou tells him, heart thumping. Why?

Hanbee swallows and then averts his eyes, and Juuzou suddenly understands. Oh.

This is new, isn't it?

Juuzou shifts, turning around to head down the left passageway. He shoulder bumps the metal and he curses. Fiberglass pricks his neck.

"Careful," Hanbee warns.

"I know to be careful," Juuzou shoots back.

Hanbee flinches.

"Sorry." Juuzou bites his lip and holds up his hand, looking at the red stitches marking his skin. He traces the x's underneath his lips. You don't think I'm a freak?

Or maybe you do, but you like me anyways. Like I think you're a scaredy-cat, but I like you anyways.

And you're not a coward, because a coward wouldn't keep trying to do things he's scared of.

"Hey," Juuzou says, leaning forward. He jabs his hand down the left passageway. "I'll be right back, okay?"

Hanbee nods. "Sure."

Juuzou hesitates, and then his hand reaches out and he presses his lips against Hanbee's. The other boy stiffens in surprise. I don't know what to do. He's seen Mutsuki and Urie kiss quite a few times, and Ayato and Hinami, and Saiko and Hsiao—do I open my lips or keep them closed? Where do I put my hands? How long do I hold it for?

He opts to keep his lips closed and pull away, one fist curled by his side and one hand on Hanbee's neck. For now.

Hanbee gapes at him.

"Was that okay?" Juuzou asks.

Hanbee nods. "I—"

"You like me, don't you?"

Hanbee nods. "But you—"

"I just kissed you," Juuzou says. "There's your answer." I like you.

He wonders what Shinohara would think, and he smiles.

Hanbee wraps his arms around Juuzou, even though that means his arms are pressed against the fiberglass and metal walls. His arms are warm. Juuzou thinks he should close his eyes, but he wants to keep them open. I like this.

Laughter echoes from the right.

"They've gotta be there," Hanbee manages.

"Let's save them," Juuzou declares.

"We have a major problem!" Seidou shouts.

"What?" Tsukiyama asks, prying himself away from Karren. His heart pounds.

"The prisoners are all gone!"

"Prisoners?" asks Karren.

"Well, what else am I supposed to call them?"

"The air vents!" Hide yells as he appears, windmilling his arms. "Go! Quick! Call Nishiki—get him to block that room!"

Karren yanks out her phone. Tsukiyama charges through the door, racing after Hide to the staircase. I'm going to—why did they decide to leave?

Tsukiyama skids to a halt as Hide rips open the door to find Juuzou, Hanbee, and everyone else they stole standing around a desk. Mutsuki drops down from the air vent and lets out a squeak. Nishiki holds out the saw and the sword, one in each hand.

"Oh no," says Hakatori. Shikorae, a kid Tsukiyama knows little about other than that he spent some time in jail, cringes, almost hiding behind Hakatori.

"Why?" Tsukiyama demands.

Juuzou scowls and marches over, grabbing Tsukiyama's arm and dragging him into the hallway. "Everyone stay here!"

"What are you trying to do?" Tsukiyama hisses. Do you know how long I've been planning this? "It's part of the—"

"Ui's going to propose to Hairu when the fireworks go off in a half hour!" Juuzou snaps, keeping his voice low. "He's panicking right now that he won't be able to—"

"Oh," Tsukiyama breathes. Ui, why didn't you say anything? "But what about my plans?" He put so much effort into this…

"I have an idea for that," says Karren, siding up behind them. She puts her hands on her hips and blows some of her lavender hair off her face. "We have them come rescue each other earlier. Then we have another group try to rescue them later. We just have to push back everyone's trips by twenty minutes; it shouldn't be hard to do."

"Marude will—"

"Agree if we get Mado in on it," Juuzou cuts in, flicking his hair. "Time to call Akira to use her influence again."

"For what?" asks Akira, stumbling up the stairs, her stained bridal dress drooping off one arm.

"Call your dad and tell him to trust us because we're trying to save Ui's perfect proposal," Juuzou informs her.

"Even if we have to redo our plans," says Karren, putting her arms around Tsukiyama's neck. "This is worth it."

"Fine," Tsukiyama grouses. "I'll call Chie and get her to gather everyone who signed up."

"It'll all work out," Karren assures him.

I hope so.

"I'll brief them on their assignments," Nishiki says, ducking back into the room.

Within ten minutes, Tsukiyama, Karren, Kurona and six captured freshmen are all gathered in the parlor. Hide secures the monocle in his eye, and heads out to welcome the rescuers inside.

"You have to all work together to tag every single victim," says Hide. "They're frozen in place by the witch's magic. You must tag the person you've been assigned to rescue, as well, and if you succeed within ten minutes, the vampire and his victim will come back to life be able to assist you in the rest of your tasks. Also, if the vampire or his victim grabs you before you manage to free all the victims—and you'll know it's them because they'll tell you—you're frozen too, and can't move. And that includes you, Kuki Urie. If you cheat again Mutsuki's trapped here for eternity."

"Will the lights be off?" asks Urie's voice.

"Oh yes," says Hide.

"Then how can we do this if we can't even see?"

"Strategize," Hide says. "Figure it out before you go to college, Kuki."

The door opens and Tsukiyama tenses.

About twenty students and teachers pour into the room. The door slams shut with a crack.

"Someone open the door on the other end of the room!" Urie bellows. "And hold it open!"

"Why?" yells Hsiao.

"Then we can see!"

Hello, Urie my boy. Tsukiyama grasps his shoulders. "You're frozen."

"I hate you," says Urie, but he freezes.

The door flies open. Ui stands there, holding it with a grimace on his face. His eyes dart not around the room, but to his watch.

"Hello; you're supposed to save Kurona and there she is!" screams Hsiao as she jumps in front of Ui to get tagged by Karren instead.

Ui scrambles across the room. Tsukiyama closes in, but he has no intention of tagging the anxious man, who tags and frees Kurona. She lets out a sigh of relief and ducks to avoid Tsukiyama.

"Got them all!" shouts Nakarai.

"Thank God," gripes Ui.

Tsukiyama shudders and rips out his vampire teeth, tossing them onto the couch. "Well then. It's nice to be human again."

Urie glares at him.

"Shall we?" Tsukiyama invites, leading them up the stairs.

"Your next challenge," says Karren, her hand on the door to the mad scientist's lab. "Is to find the keys and unchain all of Dr. Kuroiwa's experiments. You have ten minutes."

"How hard can it be?" asks Urie.

Tsukiyama smirks.

"Will people be chasing us?" asks Kurona.

"You'll wish for that," Karren tells her.

When they all enter and realizes they have to choose from about twenty keys to free Amon, Yoriko, Higemaru, and three other students, and the keys are submerged in the bubbling, frothing brews Takeomi's made, Hsiao looks at Tsukiyama in complete disgust. "Higemaru, I'm not sure how much you're worth to me."

"Don't do it for me," Higemaru tells her, rolling his eyes. "Do it for everyone else."

"Oh God, it smells awful," moans Hsiao as Takeomi holds up the bottles for her to choose from. She sticks her hand into one of the vats, a thick golden goop. She gags and pulls out five different keys.

"Hurry!" Urie shouts.

It takes them six minutes to get all the keys in the right locks. They pound up the staircase where Nishiki and Seidou should be, but aren't. Instead, Nishiki and Seidou have everyone else from those groups as spectators watching the courtyard from the window viewpoint.

"Everyone here," Amon announces. "Has been given a special code you'll need to raise them from the dead. Could be a handshake, just a tap, you could have to pick them up, etc. Nothing too hard to figure out, though."

"I would tell you to go to hell," says Urie. "But you look like you're already stewing there, with that skeletal makeup."

Amon scowls at him.

The graveyard has people frozen all over, and Tsukiyama ordered Kaneki to turn up the fog machine. Behind the climbing vines and a crouched Kimi stands a frozen Hakatori, and in the casket, instead of Akira, lies Mutsuki. Urie's face pales.

Ikuma pokes Hakatori. She doesn't move.

"Tooru!" Urie bends over him, shaking him. "Come on!"

Mutsuki's eyelids flicker, but he doesn't respond.

"Really?" Urie reaches down to lift Mutsuki up. He plays limp. "For God's sake!" He glares at Tsukiyama.

"Got it!" shouts Ikuma, finally picking Hakatori up and finding her snapping out of her zombie state.

"Shake his hand," Kurona urges.

Urie tries. Nothing. Akira cocks her head. Tsukiyama's jaw hangs open.

"He's this dense?" wonders Karren.

"Apparently," says Takeomi. Urie casts them a scowl.

Ui clutches his head as he realizes Hairu isn't here. Ten minutes until the fireworks, Tsukiyama realizes. He holds up ten fingers to Kaneki, who emerges from behind a gravestone.

"Have you never read a fairytale in your life, Kuki Urie?" asks Kaneki, gripping Urie's shoulder as Urie looks helplessly down at Mutsuki.

Urie's brow furrows, and then comprehension dawns. Tsukiyama stands on tiptoe to see Mutsuki fighting a smile.

"I have no idea what's allowed and what's not anymore," mumbles Ui.

Urie leans over and presses his lips against Mutsuki's. Mutsuki's eyes fly open, and he grasps Urie, opening his mouth and pulling Urie against his chest.

"That is definitely not allowed!" Ui yells.

Urie rolls his eyes and helps Mutsuki out of the casket.

"One last room," Tsukiyama calls, cracking open the door to Touka's lair. Several students are wrapped up in the spider webs, and above them, Nishiki, Seidou, and all the other students who passed through earlier wait with buckets of items to dump down on rescuers who will have to cut them out. Nakarai looks around in desperation for Tamaki. No one approaches the rattling cabinet.

Six minutes left.

Tsukiyama leans over to whisper in Nakarai's ear. "Check out the cabinet, idiot."

"No way," says Nakarai. "You want me to get killed by that maniac with an axe?"

"Hi," says Hide, appearing next to him with an axe. Nakarai springs towards the cabinet.

"Where's Hairu?" cries Ui.

"I'm her rescuer," Urie snaps.

Ui looks as if he's considering dorm-grounding Urie for the next two hundred years.

"Oh boys," calls Touka, who up until now has been pelting objects at everyone.

Hairu's pink head pokes out of Touka's brew.

"Good God!" yelps Ui.

Urie races over and tugs at Hairu's hand.

"You—" Ui glares at Touka.

"It was her idea to climb in there!" Touka defends herself as Nakarai finally unlocks the cabinet to find Tamaki crouched in there.

Hairu giggles and throws her arms around Ui, covered in what looks like an ungodly mixture of Jell-O, dish soap, lube, food dye, and more. Plastic spiders and cockroaches stick to her hair, goo drips from her hair, and her sequined outfit is completely ruined, but she's grinning.

Ui plucks a plastic ant from her scalp.

"It's time!" bellows Juuzou, leaping down through the trapdoor. Ayato and Hinami, Shirazu and Saiko follow. Urie shakes his head.

A firecracker bursts through the air. Tsukiyama checks his watch. We still have three—

Oh shit, my watch is slow.

Did we ruin it after all? Tsukiyama's hand flies towards his face.

"Through here!" shouts Kaneki, grabbing Touka and gesturing towards the door leading back into the courtyard. Touka grasps Ui's shoulder and gives him a pointed look.

Understanding dawns on Ui's face. He rushes through the door, and everyone spills into the courtyard with its fog machine and fake graves and random limbs sticking out of the soil. Hirako, Eto, and Arima appear, Shio, Yusa, and Rikai with them. Shio clasps his hands, and Arima's eyes are wide as he watches.

Sorry, Ui, Tsukiyama thinks. Privacy is a no-go.

Booms shake the air and the ground underneath them. The sky explodes in pink and blue and gold and pearl. Karren takes Tsukiyama's hand. Touka leans back against Kaneki, and Nishiki holds Kimi in the garden area, both of them with their necks craned towards the sky. Hsiao kisses Saiko, Takeomi drops to the ground and Yoriko drops onto his lap, and Mutsuki rests his chin on Urie's shoulder. Amon and Akira both climb into the casket to watch, and Kurona and Seidou giggle in a corner. Eto links elbows with Arima. Juuzou wraps his arm around Hanbee's waist.

That's new, Tsukiyama thinks.

"It's so pretty," squeals Hairu. Ui fumbles with something in his pocket and pulls out a box.

"We could look at these together for the rest of our lives," Ui offers.

"That'd be nice," Hairu agrees, still watching the jewels sparkling against the deep blue velvet sky.

Ui takes her hand and fiddles with it. Hairu looks down, and all of a sudden comprehension dawns on her face.

"You—"

Ui's face is red. "I—love you, and I'd—"

"Yes!" Hairu shrieks, throwing her arms around him and covering him in the brew still clinging to her skin and hair and dress. "I love you!"

Hirako wolf-whistles.

"PDA is allowed this once," Arima says.

Ui mumbles something and then grasps Hairu's faces, dipping her back and kissing her.

Tsukiyama claps his hands together. All the students and staff burst into applause, cheering. Ui tilts Hairu back up, and she wraps her arms around his neck, pressing her face against his shoulder, and Ui's acting—God, is the staff member Tsukiyama always thought of as emotionless actually tearing up?

You really love her.

He sees Kaneki turning and giving Touka a peck on the lips and looks down at Karren standing by his side, beaming for them. Scenes from the past year flash through his mind—the confrontation with Eto, the night he told Karren how he loved her, her leap off the overpass and the relief slamming into both them when they clutched each other's hand, waiting for their friends to emerge from the smoking building and not knowing who was alive and who was dead.

Am I tearing up now?

"You okay?" asks Karren, voice soft.

He presses his forehead against hers, spreads his palm against hers. "Yes."

Everyone around him is smiling or in awe, watching the fireworks.

This is a good life.