The journey seemed longer than ever.

But not due to its actual length.

Because there were no deadlines.

No tests.

No classes.

Only free time and the feeling that things have changed.

Akari was the first to speak out.

"I still believe we should’ve packed more snacks."

Rika didn’t lift her eyes from the sketchbook.

"You have enough food for the whole village."

"Indeed. That’s what preparation means."

Aoi adjusted her glasses.

"It is also called excess weight efficiency reduction."

Akari pointed at her.

"Enough with your experiments!"

Yui quietly smiled looking out of the window.

Kuro sat comfortably in his seat enjoying the view outside.

For once in a while...

he didn’t think about anything specific.

And it felt strangely nice.

---

Once they reached the Mount Fuji station, everything around changed immediately.

Cooler.

Cleaner.

Lighter.

The sky was wide above their heads.

The majestic mountain was standing far away like something eternal and patient.

Akari froze in her tracks.

"...Alright."

"That’s kind of impressive."

Rika took her camera.

"I have to draw this."

Aoi nodded gently.

"Comparative analysis proves that air quality is significantly better here compared to urbanized regions."

Akari exhaled sharply.

"Can you just tell me that it’s beautiful like everyone else?"

"It is beautiful."

"....you can if you try."

---

Their inn was a traditional Japanese house located at the bottom of the mountain.

Tatami rooms.

Sliding doors.

Garden.

Even Akari was quiet for several minutes.

"This feels like crime."

"How?" asked Rika.

"It feels too peaceful to be real life."

Kuro passed by her.

"It’s just a hotel."

Akari followed right after him.

"See? This is exactly what a person in the peaceful illusion would say."

Aoi murmured.

"That’s not how illusions work."

---

That evening they all gathered in the common dining room.

The dinner was plain but tasty.

Hot rice.

Miso soup.

Vegetables.

Grilled fish.

Mina looked pleased.

"This is really good."

"Indeed," nodded Yui. "It tastes...comforting."

Rika leaned closer to the plate.

"I could draw such dinner."

Akari was already finishing her second helping.

"Forget about the drawing. I could just stay here forever."

Aoi answered calmly.

"That is not a realistic life project."

---

After the dinner they all stepped outside.

The sky was already dark.

Mount Fuji was looming quietly in the darkness partially covered in fog.

Flickering light from the lanterns illuminated the path of the inn.

Elderly innkeeper was standing near the entrance of the house watching them with a serene expression.

"You are students?"

"We are graduates," said Akari.

He smiled softly.

"So, you came at the right time."

"Why?" asked Rika.

He looked at the mountain.

"To listen to an ancient legend."

---

He told them about a local tradition.

On the nights when the full moon shines over Mount Fuji...

If two people meet alone at midnight near the sacred path...

Their fates are bound together.

Not necessarily by love.

But by bond.

By memories.

By something which will never disappear.

Akari’s eyes opened wide.

"...This is extremely important information."

Aoi answered immediately.

"There are no proofs of such stories."

"Why are you like this?" asked Akari.

Yui looked away.

"....it’s quite romantic."

Rika continued to draw.

"This is surely manga arc."

Kuro sighed.

"It’s only a story."

---

Suddenly Akari grabbed both of her hands in fists.

"Okay."

"New rule."

Everyone looked at her.

"We’re staying awake until midnight."

Pause.

Rika raised her hand slowly.

"Why?"

"Because if we don’t test this, we will regret it for the rest of our lives."

"This is irrational behavior," frowned Aoi.

"Join the experiment or leave destiny aside," Akari pointed at her.

"....I kind of want to see if it’s true," whispered Yui.

"I don’t really care," Kuro leaned back in his chair.

Akari smiled brightly.

"Perfect."

She got up dramatically.

"Tonight..."

"Tonight..."

We become fate scientists!

---

The group stared at her.

Silence fell.

Then Rika broke it.

"...This will be a long night."

"I agree," nodded Aoi.

Yui looked into the mountain in the distance.

Just for a moment...

Her expression softened.

"...I wonder if it’s true."

Kuro looked at her.

Then he shrugged.

"We’ll find out."

Akari pointed at the sky.

"Midnight mission starts now!"

The legend was heard.

And without even noticing...

Their last trip turned into something completely different.

Into something uncertain.

Into something more interesting.

Night fell upon the inn.

The mountain had faded away from sight, becoming nothing but vague shapes under the moonlight. The lights of lanterns in the courtyard flickered lightly, making shadows fall across the wooden pathway.

Meanwhile, everyone was in one room in the inn.

And none of them was asleep.

---

Akari was sitting on the tatami floor, legs crossed, wide awake.

"Okay. Step one. Establishing positions."

Rika raised her head from her sketchbook.

"For what?"

"For the midnight operation."

Aoi sighed.

"There is no official procedure for that."

"Well, there is now."

Yui sat by the window, hugging a pillow in silence.

Kuro leant against the wall in a way which showed that he found his situation extremely comfortable for "destiny research".

"I still think this is ridiculous."

Akari instantly pointed at him.

"That is what someone who is about to be chosen by fate would say."

"That does not make any sense."

"It will at midnight."

---

It seems that time goes slower during the night like this.

It stretches longer than it normally would.

Every sound outside feels amplified.

Wind moving across the roof.

The call of insects somewhere far away.

Soft creaks of the wooden building adapting to the changes in temperature.

Rika broke the silence first.

"I think I will turn this into an entire arc."

Akari gasped.

"Yes."

"Why would you think that?" – asked Aoi skeptically.

"On account of its emotional impact."

"That is not a valid criterion."

"That is in storytelling."

---

Yui glanced at the door.

"Do you think someone else does this too?"

Akari froze.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean... what if there are other people who wait for midnight too?"

Rika’s eyes widened with excitement.

"Oh. That can become a parallel storyline!"

There was an obvious disappointment in Aoi’s eyes when she said:

"There is no evidence of any coordinated actions of folklore midnight meetings among the population."

"Why do you always ruin mysteries like that?" – Akari demanded.

"You do not ruin anything. You just correct misconceptions."

Kuro grumbled something which sounded like:

"The same thing."

---

Now, the wind became quieter.

The mountain seemed somehow closer.

Like it was listening.

Suddenly, Akari stood up.

"Okay. It is about to be midnight."

Rika closed her sketchbook.

"This is either going to be the most important moment of our trip..."

"Or a complete waste of sleep." – finished Aoi.

Akari nodded.

"Both variants are acceptable."

"I feel a little nervous." – said Yui quietly.

Kuro glanced at her.

"About what?"

"I don’t know. Something is going to happen."

Silence followed.

Even Akari didn’t interrupt this time.

---

They stepped out of the inn.

The air became cooler.

Still.

Transparent.

The pathway led further into the forest, illuminated by dim lanterns.

And beyond it – the dark trail on the mountain.

For a while, they walked in silence.

Until Akari suddenly pointed ahead.

"Okay. Midnight zone begins here."

"It is not an official term." – said Rika.

"It is now."

"This zone is statistically an unsafe place for the unsupervised night activity." – said Aoi.

"Well, good thing we are supervised by destiny." – said Akari.

Kuro breathed deeply.

"I’m sorry for my life."

---

They stopped in front of a small winding stone pathway between the trees.

The air here felt different.

Heavy.

Like the silence has some weight.

Yui looked down at her watch.

"... Five minutes."

There was no reaction for a few moments.

Not even Akari interrupted this time.

---

Four minutes.

Rika quietly continued to sketch the surroundings using the light of the moon.

Aoi stood still, analyzing the situation and trying to understand why this place felt different despite the absence of any reasons.

Mina was not present in this arc, but her presence could be sensed in the way the group kept close to each other.

Kuro simply watched the pathway ahead.

Yui’s hands tightened slightly around her sleeve.

Akari whispered.

"... Okay. This is actually quite impressive."

Rika nodded.

"For once, I agree."

---

One minute left.

The wind stopped.

Completely.

All insects went silent.

A strange silence spread over the pathway.

Akari looked around.

"...Okay. This is definitely very dramatic for no reason."

There was a soft reply from Aoi.

"There is no rational explanation for the sudden change in the environment."

Kuro frowning.

"... That is a new development . "

Midnight.

Silence.

Nothing happened.

---

Akari blinked.

"... So."

"Well." lowered her sketchbook Rika.

"That’s it?"

"As expected." adjusted her glasses Aoi.

Yui looked down a bit ashamed.

"... Maybe it really was just a legend."

"Yeah." – Kuro just shrugged.

But before he turned back slightly—

A faint sound filled the silence.

Bell.

Very soft.

Somewhere ahead on the pathway.

Everyone froze.

Akari whispered.

"... Okay. I did not expect that."

Rika lifted her sketchbook.

There was a soft reply from Aoi.

"... That is not a natural sound source in this area."

The expression on Yui’s face changed slightly.

Kuro took a step.

"... Did you hear that too?"

Then another.

And...

Nothing.

Wind returned.

Sounds of forest came back.

As if the world has frozen for a second...

and decided not to give any explanations.

---

Akari suddenly pointed forward.

"Okay."

"We are NOT ending this trip like this."

"Well." sighed Rika.

"This is how most legends end."

"Yeah. Ambiguity is common in folklore." – nodded Aoi.

Akari glared at both of them.

"I don’t accept ambiguity."

"...I think something happened." – Yui looked quietly at the pathway.

Kuro didn’t say anything.

But his gaze remained fixed ahead.

Just for a second longer than before.

---

Akari clapped her hands loudly.

"Alright!"

"New rule."

Everyone turned to her.

"If fate wants to play games..."

"We play back."

Rika groaned.

"This is getting worse."

"...This is getting irrationally worse." murmured Aoi.

"...Okay." Yui gave a small uncertain smile.

"I’m tired." Kuro sighed.

"Well, perfect."

"Then tomorrow..."

"We will investigate it properly."

The mountain silently stood in the distance.

And for the first time tonight...

none of them was completely sure that it was just a legend.