Twenty minutes later, they stepped out of the taxi and in the distance, the slowly rotating giant Ferris wheel came into view. Inside the carriages, you could glimpse pairs of people enjoying the ride.
"This is the amusement park, Utaha," Hachiman said, offering a warm smile to the girl by his side.
"Indeed," Utaha Kasumigaoka replied with a nod. An amusement park was unquestionably an ideal place for a date, and for gathering material, it was a prime location.
Since it was a weekend, the amusement park was bustling with activity. Families with parents and children, as well as young couples, could be seen in the lively crowd.
While Hachiman might not have been the kind of strikingly handsome man to turn heads, his female companion was undeniably stunning. She wore a sky-blue dress that gracefully emphasized her figure, with black stockings accentuating her thighs. Her skirt fluttered elegantly as she walked, drawing discreet glances from onlookers.
As they strolled, Hachiman received numerous glances, many filled with envy and jealousy. The girlfriends of those who couldn't resist sneaking a peek at the striking girl were naturally not pleased.
They employed a universally recognized skill known to girls worldwide - executing a 180-degree rotation from the waist to deliver a sharp pinch.
Suddenly, cries of discomfort echoed through the amusement park. Among them, Hachiman even heard a few middle-aged men groaning.
It seemed that men were universally loyal, whether they were eight years old or eighty, they only had eyes for one type of girl.
They soon reached the ticket booth, where Hachiman purchased two tickets from the lady behind the counter.
Finally, he let out a sigh of relief. The relentless stares from passersby had certainly put pressure on him.
As they ventured further into the amusement park, the crowd grew denser. Couples were scattered everywhere, from passionately feeding each other to taking photos together.
Some were even indulging in public displays of affection, making it abundantly clear that amusement parks were not particularly welcoming to single individuals.
"Utaha, what would you like to do?" Hachiman decided to be a gentleman and let the girl choose from the various rides and attractions.
"Well... let's start with the haunted house. I've heard it's the ultimate test of a couple's bond."
Hmm...
Was she serious?
Upon further consideration, her suggestion did make some sense.
What if the guy turned out to be a scaredy-cat and, upon entering the haunted house, got so frightened that he abandoned his girlfriend? In that case, most couples who emerged from the haunted house would probably break up.
If there were cases where couples continued to stay together despite such harrowing experiences, aside from the girl having a few screws loose in her head, it would undoubtedly be a testament to true love.
Nevertheless, since the young lady suggested it, Hachiman saw no reason to decline.
"Alright then, let's start with the haunted house."
"Just don't disappoint me, my knight," Utaha said with a hint of mysterious meaning in her tone.
"Fear not, I will protect you well, my princess."
Holding the girl's delicate hand, the two of them arrived at the entrance of the haunted house.
The haunted house was designed to resemble an abandoned hospital with shattered windows, ivy-covered walls, and glass panels still bearing traces of bloodstains...
The terrifying appearance of the haunted house seemed to be of no concern. The young couples standing before it were even more excited, exuding an air of indifference to the direst of challenges, as if demons and monsters were mere trifles.
Haunted houses like these were places where it was easy to make girls scream, but whether the screams were due to genuine fear or intentional shrieks remained a mystery.
As the pairs of lovebirds in front of them entered the haunted house, it soon became Hachiman and Utaha's turn.
Unsurprisingly, shortly after they entered, they heard the distant sounds of screams coming from ahead.
They exchanged glances.
"Are you frightened, my knight?" Utaha Kasumigaoka tilted her head, looking at her male companion.
"It's all just pretending, nothing to fear," Hachiman replied confidently.
Indeed, the horrifying ghosts and monsters inside the haunted house were all portrayed by staff members in costumes.
The haunted house mainly relied on dim lighting and scene arrangements to create a terrifying atmosphere.
If you were to see those staff members in their ghostly getups in broad daylight, they wouldn't be nearly as frightening.
For those with heart conditions, it was strongly advised not to seek thrills in haunted houses.
Hachiman and Utaha continued through the haunted house, hand in hand, as the eerie atmosphere and terrifying sound effects surrounded them. So far, they hadn't encountered any ghostly attacks, making Hachiman wonder if they needed a warm-up.
However, their curiosity was soon piqued as they heard unsettling crunching and munching sounds. They exchanged glances and carefully circled around a dilapidated bookshelf that obstructed their view.
Before them stood a figure dressed in white, hunched over, and engrossed in gnawing on something. As they approached, the white-clad figure turned toward them, revealing a horrifying sight.
Its face was devoid of skin, with grayish eyes that seemed on the verge of falling out of their sockets. One eye dangled precariously below its eye socket, and its mouth, filled with inhuman teeth, still had shreds of flesh clinging to them.
Two long canine teeth protruded through the corners of its mouth.
The creature, with its grotesque appearance, charged menacingly toward Hachiman and Utaha Kasumigaoka. But when it approached them closely, it abruptly halted. It seemed perplexed by the unflinching demeanor of the two.
In a somewhat embarrassed tone, the creature, still in its menacing guise, spoke with a male voice. "Could you two please react a bit? Aren't you scared at all?"
Hachiman quickly realized the need to play along; otherwise, it might be disrespectful to the worker behind the mask.
"Oh, how utterly terrifying! A spine-chilling sight, indeed," Hachiman exclaimed, though his expression remained stoic.
Utaha Kasumigaoka joined in with equal nonchalance. "Yes, absolutely petrifying. Hachiman, you must shield me from this frightful fiend."
Their calm response left the worker inside the monster costume feeling more than a little embarrassed.
"Is my costume not scary at all?"
Hachiman offered a playful smile as he replied, "To be honest, I have excellent eyesight. It was quite evident that you were wearing a mask, and the quality of that latex mask leaves much to be desired."