As the door swung open, Takahishi felt a cold breeze brush against his skin, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He peered into the room, his eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of movement. But as the light from the hallway spilled in, illuminating the space, Takahishi's fear gave way to confusion.

The room was empty.

Takahishi felt a shiver run down his spine, his heart pounding in his chest. He didn't like this one bit.

As Takahishi peered into the room, his voice was laced with relief. "Huh, there's nothing in here." Crinix echoed his sentiments, his eyes scanning the empty space. "Yeah, there's nothing in here."

Takahishi shook his head, a smirk playing on his lips. "I knew Niski was trying to scare us. Too bad I didn't fall for it." But despite his bravado, Takahishi's eyes darted nervously around the room, his heart still racing with anticipation.

Crinix and Takahishi stared at Niski, who stood quietly, his eyes fixed on some point inside the room. His grin was unsettling, and Takahishi felt a shiver run down his spine.

"So, what now, Niski?" Crinix asked, his voice low and cautious.

Niski turned to them, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Let's take a look inside," he said, his voice cheerful as he stepped into the darkness.

Takahishi and Crinix exchanged a hesitant glance. Takahishi's eyes widened in alarm. "Huh, am not going in there. It looks scary, and I have a bad feeling about this."

Crinix's eyes met Takahishi's, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. Then, without a word, Crinix turned and followed Niski into the room.

Takahishi was left standing alone in the doorway, his heart pounding in his chest. The hallway behind him seemed to grow darker, the shadows deepening into ominous pools. A gust of wind stirred through the hallway, sending the portraits on the walls creaking and swaying.

Takahishi's eyes darted back to the room, his mind racing with worst-case scenarios. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what lay ahead. Here goes nothing, he thought, as he lifted his leg and stepped into the room.

The darkness enveloped him like a shroud, making it impossible to see more than a few inches in front of him. Takahishi stumbled forward, his hands outstretched in front of him like a blind man. He bumped into something – or someone – and spun around, his heart racing.

Blue eyes flashed at him, and Takahishi's scream was trapped in his throat. But then he heard Niski's voice, low and husky, whispering in his ear. "You decided to come after all."

Takahishi exhaled deeply, his breath shaky. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he made out Niski's grinning face, his eyes glinting with amusement.

"Where's Crinix?" Takahishi whispered, his voice barely audible.

Niski turned, his eyes scanning the room. "Hey, Crinix, where are you?" he called out.

The silence was oppressive, the only sound the creaking of the old wooden floorboards beneath their feet. Then, slow footsteps echoed through the room, growing louder with each passing moment.

Crinix emerged from the darkness, his eyes flashing with an otherworldly light. "There's nothing in this room. Let's get out of here," he suggested, his voice low and urgent.

Takahishi's eyes met Crinix's, and he nodded in agreement. "Y-yeah, that's right. Let's get out of here. This room is scary."

Niski sighed, his grin faltering. "You're right, guys. We should definitely get out of here. It's boring anyway"

As they turned to leave, Takahishi's eyes were fixed on the door, his heart racing with anticipation. But just as they were about to reach the door, it slammed shut, the sound echoing through the room like a death knell.

The door had closed on it's own.

Takahishi's jaw dropped, his eyes wide with horror. Crinix and Niski were similarly frozen, their faces pale and frightened.

The room plunged into darkness, the shadows deepening into malevolent pools. Takahishi's heart was racing, his breath coming in short gasps. He stumbled forward, his hands outstretched in front of him, desperate to find the door.

But as he reached out to grab the door handle, his fingers closed around empty air. The door was stuck fast, refusing to budge.

Takahishi's eyes were wild with fear, his voice hoarse as he screamed, "What the hell is this? Is this a prank?"

He kicked the door, his foot pounding against the solid wood. But it wouldn't budge, trapping them inside the room.