Chapter 1: Welcome to Japan

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‎The cicadas were screaming. That was Jack Nakamura’s first impression of Japan.

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‎Not the sleek, futuristic Tokyo skyline he’d always imagined — nope. His plane had barely landed before he was whisked off to the countryside by his cousin’s friend in a rusted minivan that smelled like wasabi chips and mango soda. They were now winding through narrow roads, rice fields swaying like green oceans under the burning summer sun.

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‎Jack sat in the back seat, one headphone in, trying not to look like a total outsider.

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‎“So,” said the girl next to him, popping a piece of gum. “You always dress like an English literature teacher on vacation or is this a special occasion?”

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‎Jack turned. Big round sunglasses. High ponytail. Glitter on her cheeks. She was staring at him with an amused smirk.

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‎“I’m… comfortable,” he said slowly.

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‎She leaned closer, smirking. “You’re also wearing socks with sandals.”

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‎He immediately yanked his foot back under the seat.

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‎That was Luna.

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‎The girl his cousin warned him about: “She’s trouble, but not in the way you think. You’ll see.”

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‎Jack was already seeing.

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‎“Luna, leave the poor guy alone,” said a tall boy from the front seat. He turned around with a grin and a bag of shrimp chips. “I’m Riku. I play soccer and scream when I see bugs. You?”

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‎“Jack,” he said. “And… I guess I scream inwardly.”

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‎The girl driving raised her hand without taking her eyes off the road. “Yumi. Bookworm. Practicing not dying while driving this death trap.”

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‎“Hi,” came a soft voice from beside her. A girl in cat-eye sunglasses flashed a peace sign. “I’m Sora. I do nails, tarot cards, and run from commitment. We’re besties now.”

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‎“...Right,” Jack mumbled. Was everyone in this group straight out of a teen drama?

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‎“Where’s Daichi?” Luna asked, pulling her hair into a bun.

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‎“Sleeping in the trunk space,” Yumi said, chewing gum. “He was up all night hacking a vending machine for free Pocky.”

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‎“Classic,” Luna muttered.

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‎Jack stared out the window, overwhelmed. He had been in Japan for exactly two hours. He didn’t know why he agreed to this road trip. Maybe it was because he hadn’t seen his mother’s homeland since she died. Maybe it was because the idea of a quiet summer in his uncle’s cramped Tokyo apartment made him want to explode.

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‎So when his cousin said “Come on a summer road trip with my friends! It’ll be healing!” — he packed a bag without thinking.

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‎Now here he was, being roasted by a glitter-covered girl and squashed between backpacks filled with soda and spare flip-flops.

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‎“You okay?” Luna’s voice was suddenly softer.

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‎Jack blinked. “Huh?”

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‎“You spaced out.”

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‎“Oh. Yeah, just… jet lag.”

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‎She studied him for a beat. Her eyes were sharp but not unkind.

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‎“Cool. Just don’t hurl in the van. Riku barfed once and it still smells like despair.”

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‎Riku turned up the music dramatically. “That was ONCE—”

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‎Jack chuckled, the first real laugh in days.

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‎They arrived at the lake town just before sunset. It was breathtaking — a sleepy place nestled between thick woods and a mirror-still lake, with traditional wooden houses and the faint scent of grilled fish drifting through the air.

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‎Yumi parked the van beside a small shop. “Welcome to hell—I mean, serenity!”

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‎Daichi finally emerged from the back, hair flattened and hoodie half-off. “Did we die?”

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‎“Not yet,” Sora said brightly. “But there’s still time.”

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‎The group stretched, argued over room arrangements, and made plans to explore the lake after dinner.

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‎Jack stayed quiet, watching them laugh and shove each other like they’d been doing this their whole lives. He wasn’t sure how he fit in.

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‎He wandered a little, drawn toward the woods. The sun was setting fast, casting long shadows across the gravel road. That’s when he saw it.

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‎A large, old building, half-hidden behind trees. The wood was dark with age, the windows boarded up in places. A broken stone sign sat in front:

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‎旅館 ゆうれい – Yūrei Ryokan

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‎A traditional inn.

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‎Jack tilted his head. The name—Yūrei—that meant ghost, didn’t it?

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‎He took a few steps toward it, heart ticking faster. A strange chill kissed his neck despite the heat.

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‎“Don’t go near that place.”

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‎Jack turned. Luna stood behind him, holding a can of cold tea.

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‎He pointed at the inn. “What is it?”

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‎She shrugged. “Locals say it’s haunted. Some kind of cursed inn. People stayed the night and went… weird. Or vanished.”

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‎“Urban legend?”

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‎“Maybe.” She tossed him the tea. “But in Japan, ghosts are real if you believe in them. And sometimes even if you don’t.”

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‎Jack raised a brow. “You believe in that stuff?”

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‎She smiled faintly. “I believe in energy. Some places… hold things. Grief. Fear. Memories.”

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‎Jack glanced back at the building. A breeze passed through the trees, and he swore one of the doors creaked open an inch.

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‎He blinked.

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‎It was closed.

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‎“Wanna go in?” Luna asked, eyes mischievous.

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‎“What? No. You just said it was cursed.”

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‎She leaned closer. “So? You scared, London boy?”

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‎Jack held her gaze. Her voice was teasing, but her eyes were testing him. For a second, the air between them crackled like static.

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‎“I’m not scared,” he said, deadpan. “I just don’t want to end up as ghost food on my first day.”

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‎Luna grinned. “Smart boy.”

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‎Behind them, the others called for dinner.

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‎As they walked back, Jack cast one last glance over his shoulder.

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‎The inn stood still.

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‎But in the top window, he could’ve sworn he saw a figure watching them.

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‎End of Chapter 1

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