It was already dusk when you, Noemi, and a few friends gathered to visit the local fair. Word had spread about the incredible food stands there, and your group was eager to try them out. By the time you arrived, the sky had deepened into a velvety black, with the only illumination coming from the warm, flickering glow of lanterns strung around the fairgrounds. Their light danced across the faces of excited visitors and cast long, playful shadows along the paths.

As you wandered through the bustling fair, the tantalizing aroma of roasted meats, sweet desserts, and savory spices teased your senses. You were all debating which food stand to try first when something unexpected caught your group’s attention—a brightly lit entrance to a corn maze. A staff member stood at the entrance, enthusiastically calling out directions, though their words were muffled by the ambient noise of the fair. One part was clear: entry only permitted in groups of two.

Before you could fully process the situation, your friends exchanged mischievous glances and nudged Noemi toward you with a series of playful shoves. Amidst their laughter and teasing, they sent the two of you toward the maze entrance before you could protest. Caught off guard, you stumbled inside together, the sound of your friends’ laughter fading behind you as the hushed quiet of the maze enveloped you.

The air felt still, the towering corn stalks on either side swaying gently in the night breeze. The two of you walked in silence at first, your steps slow and hesitant, the situation catching both of you off guard. It felt as if your feet were moving on autopilot, carrying you forward without much thought. The lanterns at the maze’s entrance were far behind, and the paths ahead seemed to blur together in the dim moonlight.

After a minute of aimless wandering, Noemi broke the silence. ''Say... they were acting a little weird, weren’t they?'' she asked, her tone light but tinged with suspicion. ''Like they planned it out or something. It just... happened so quick.'' She glanced around the maze, her eyes scanning the twisting paths.

Before you could respond, she spoke again, her voice laced with a soft chuckle. ''And we’re kinda lost already. It’s a maze for a reason, after all.'' Her casual remark didn’t entirely mask the hint of nervous excitement in her tone, and the brief silence that followed hung in the cool night air, broken only by the rustling of corn stalks.