A/N: Inspired from my flatmate's 1yr old son. Kind of got the idea from him crying and holding his hands out to me from their room where he can't get out because of the divider blocking the door which is a little over my knees. He wanted to play with me some more but its past his bed time and I need to study /laughs

oh and also an episode of Jackie Chan Adventures lol

UNBETA'ED

Another A/N: it took me a week to crosspost this one from AO3 to here omg this is what summer classes do to people

they turn their brains into mush like how aoba does with his scrap


It only took Koujaku a few days after moving from the mainland to Midorijima to get used to the residential district and how the place works. He even met a lot of kids his age and they set up a time and place to meet every day just to hang out or do stupid things kids his age are usually curious about.

The things these kids do are crazy, way beyond the crazy things kids in the mainland do for fun and to pass their time. He tacked it to the fact that Midorijima is a place way different than the mainland and accepted things as that.

Midorijima is a place way different than the mainland in a lot of ways.

Danger lurks almost everywhere. It was honestly dangerous to walk around with your guard down in some places, but that doesn't happen much in the residential district. The kids told Koujaku that the place he's looking for is the west.

And it's a relief, really. He wouldn't want to wake up every morning and worry over his mother whenever she leaves for work if that is the case. At least, from what he heard, people here knows when a line is about to be crossed. Respect is still intact in their morals and groups had been forming out of those rowdy people who thirst for a good fight. Some thought it was a good thing, at least they would start picking fights with someone willing, and no one will be blamed for the damage done since both parties consented.

He had seen a fight like that before, and to be honest, more than anything, Koujaku seeing such happening made him want to learn fighting too. Seeing the smiles in those people's faces after winning a good fight, the team's bonds; Koujaku has never seen such relationship in a group where leaders treat their subordinates as their equal, and vice-versa. Instead of instilling fear in their members, they use friendship, and they get more than respect for it: admiration.

It was truly beautiful.

Koujaku was told kids like him are not allowed to join in teams yet, though, so he just comes to their meeting place and hang outs with the neighbourhood kids.

It was noon. The sun was up high in the skies, and there are no clouds to be seen, so they were sweating and fanning themselves as they walk around the neighbourhood looking for something fun to do.

A kid started whining about the heat and demanded they look for a shade and stop by for a while, so they did.

A turn of his head, and Koujaku found a perfect place. He called everyone's attention and pointed at it, voicing his suggestion only to be confused why the kids' faces warped in an emotion he can't understand.

"You can't be serious!"

"What is wrong with you?"

"That's not a good joke, Koujaku!"

What's wrong?

Is what his face said at that time upon hearing their responses. He just doesn't understand. What is so bad with that place? No one seems to live in the house and its condition is a dead giveaway it was abandoned. His friends enjoy hanging out in abandoned places, so what is so bad with this one that they reacted to badly at it?

Koujaku asked them.

They just exchanged glances at each other, silently asking for permission. For what, Koujaku is not sure.

One of them received the look they were looking for, took a deep, defeated sigh.

He approached a confused Koujaku, wrapped an arm around his shoulders and dragged him in front of the abandoned house's rusty gate. They stood so close koujaku feared the rust may get caught in his kimono-he doesn't want his mother to scold him for getting it stained-but far enough that their feet weren't standing beyond the gate.

They told him why.

There's this popular story in the island.

It is about that very house, the house they were looking at at that moment.

People said that the house was cursed.

A family used to live there. They were happy and content, but for some unknown reason, the members started going missing one by one. No one knows what happened to them, its just that the next thing they know, the house was abandoned.

No one bothered to enter the house and check. They can easily say that it is indeed empty now with its condition. No one has seen anyone leave or tend to it. The family just vanished.

They said it was because the house itself was cursed. No one knows how, but it just is.

People swear they hear voices calling out to them if they were to walk past it alone.

The voice was truly irresistible, and a number of people were lured to it before. Those who were lured were never seen again.

Of course, a lot thought this was just some prank older kids came up with to get their parents off their cases where they pretend they're missing and go off somewhere for days so adults tried entering the house. They were fine if they manage to get out before dark, but it was a very hard thing to do. Those who actually got out said it was like a labyrinth inside. The rooms and hallways seems like they shift and change, you would definitely get lost. Some said they feel eyes on them inside. There's a presence that feels like it doesn't want them there but no matter how much they want to leave, the house seems like it doesn't want them to.

Those who failed to leave though, were never seen again. People said that as long as you managed to leave before the clock strikes six, you're safe. But lose track of time and get lost inside, you are forever doomed to stay in there forever. Trapped and unable to get out. Your voice will be used by the house itself to lure others like you, and the cycle repeats.

The house eats people.

That is what the parents tell their kids at night so they wouldn't go playing in there. Everywhere is fine, but keep a fair distance away from the house.

Every kid in the residential district knows the story. Koujaku was excused because he grew up in the mainland, so they forgave him afterwards.

In the end of the day, when the group disbanded to head home, they firmly told him that whatever happens, he should not step foot in the premises.

It is for koujaku's safety.

He just thought it was ridiculous though.


E/N: supposed to be a long-ass one shot but this part seems like it can stand by itself so I'll split it into parts.

now, I got a prelab to do.

Another E/N: probably gonna get updated to completion by the end of my summer classes, which is on the 16th-20th of May. I'm not rly when exactly