The dense canopy of the Aokigahara forest cast long shadows as the sun began its slow descent. The air was thick with the scent of pine and damp earth, a quiet stillness settling over the ancient woods.
Amidst the towering trees and tangled undergrowth, two friends, Rhenho and Yasu, ventured deeper into the forest.
The forest was famous as the largest site of suicides in Japan. A place whispered in hushed tones and shadowed by dark legends. Yet, despite its grim reputation, it also drew hikers and explorers. Somehow they were just curious and seeking the secrets behind.
"Yasu chan, do you believe in myths?" Rhenho asked suddenly. Her voice broke the silence as they paused beneath a gnarled old tree.
Yasu looked up, her expression sceptical. She replied, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "No. Why?"
Rhenho stopped and leaned against the rough bark. Her eyes gleamed with a mischievous spark. Yasu stood before her, arms crossed, waiting.
"Well, I'll tell you about the most terrible mystical story that ever happened in this forest." Rhenho began.
Her sigh dropped to a cautious whisper as if the very trees around them might be listening. The fading light of dusk filtered through the eerie shadows that danced with the rustling leaves.
Yasu laughed softly, a hint of amusement in her voice. "Are you scaring me?"
Rhenho's face twisted into a sullen expression. Her annoyed expression was clearly unimpressed by her friend's nonchalance.
Yasu shrugged, leaning back against the rough bark of a nearby tree. She said with a smirk, though a flicker of anticipation sparked in her eyes."Okay, just tell me. At least it was able to reduce boredom."
Rhenho's eyes darkened as she wove her story. Her voice was low and captivating. "Once upon a time, there was a goblin who lived here. The goblin usually appeared at dusk. She disguised herself as a granny. She lived in the middle of the forest. She will offer a resting place to anyone who is still in the forest at dusk. When that person slept the granny turned into a goblin and ate him."
"Is it all?" Yasu raised an eyebrow. It was clearly unimpressed by Rhenho's tale.
Rhenho's eyes sparkled with challenge. A mischievous grin spread across her face.
She proposed. Her voice was low and conspiratorial. "How about we look for the goblin's house?"
Yasu playfully smacked Rhenho's head, laughing. "You are no longer a kid. It's just a fairy tale to scare kids."
"Who knows that the house really exists. Maybe it's hidden deep in the forest, and waiting for someone brave enough to find it." Rhenho countered, a sly smile tugging at her lips.
Yasu sighed, shaking her head. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do. All the fairy tales you consider as true stories. You are always obsessed with mermaids. And you are eager to meet them."
Rhenho insisted, her voice firm. "The mermaid does exist. Some people have seen it. There were many videos about mermaids. It has spread all over the world. And I also want to be one of them."
Yasu rolled her eyes but said nothing, her gaze drifting upward to the darkening sky. Yasu said. Her voice tinged with urgency. "It's going to be dark, we'd better get out of the forest."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and began walking. Her footsteps were crunching softly on the ground. Rhenho hesitated, caught between the thrill of the unknown and the creeping unease of the twilight.
The forest seemed to close in around them. The shadows lengthened and the air was growing colder. The myths and stories no longer felt like mere tales. It whispered from the trees, carried on the wind, and echoed in the silence.
After walking a few meters ahead, Yasu suddenly stopped and glanced back. She spotted Rhenho leaning against a towering tree, her breath slightly ragged.
With a teasing yet urgent tone, Yasu called out. "Rhen chan!!!!... Don't you want to go home? ... Or do you want to be eaten by goblins alive?"
Rhenho's voice came from behind the tree, tinged with frustration. "Wait for me!!!... my shirt is stuck in the tree."
It wasn't that Rhenho didn't want to leave the forest quickly. But her shirt had snagged on a sharp twig, trapping her in place.
She tugged and pulled, trying to free herself.
But the stubborn branch held fast. After several futile attempts. She sighed and gave in, tearing the fabric free with a sharp rip. "Okay, just let it tear. Then I must throw this shirt off."
She ran towards Yasu and held up the torn garment with a sullen expression. "It is my favorite shirt. But now, it's torn…"
Yasu grinned mischievously, grabbing the torn edge and waving it playfully. She teased. Her eyes sparkled with amusement. "It seems like the tear is cool. It can be a new trend."
Annoyed, Rhenho gave Yasu a light shove on the shoulder. She challenged, her voice laced with playful menace. "How about I tear your shirt, too?"
"I don't like torn clothes!!!" Yasu protested. Laughing as she dodged Rhenho's playful advance. "Come on… go home!!!"
Rhenho raised an eyebrow, her smirk widening. "Okay." She agreed. She stepped back with a mock surrender. "But only because I don't want to be responsible for your fashion disaster."
They started walking toward the forest's edge. The fading light cast long shadows among the trees. But as they moved, Rhenho's senses sharpened. Something about the forest felt off, unnervingly quiet and still.
Rhenho glanced nervously around, her unease growing with every passing second. The forest, usually alive with the sounds of rustling leaves and distant bird calls, was unnervingly silent.
"Yasu chan… do you feel the forest is too quiet and silent?" She asked. Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Yasu shrugged casually, brushing off the concern with a nonchalant wave of her hand. Her tone was light, but there was a flicker of knowing in her eyes. "Of course it's quiet. It is getting dark anyway. Why?"