The door creaks open.

The air smells of pumpkin spice and damp leaves, the quiet hum of Halloween night settling over the apartment.

The lights are off, and all that glows are green lanterns scattered across the room, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

In the dim glow, the figures stand, waiting.

The floorboards creak underfoot as Saori crosses her arms, standing tall in her policewoman costume. Her blue eyes flicker in the dim light, a small smirk tugging at her lips.

"Trick or treat?" she asks, her voice deadpan, the usual seriousness in her tone now laced with a hint of playful challenge.

Atsuko stands next to her, her lavender hair loosely braided, the orange ribbons hanging loosely in contrast to her eerie, lifeless expression. She's wearing a Chinese zombie Jiangshi costume, her dark red eyes gleaming behind the mask.

"Could've sworn you were expecting us," Atsuko signs, her movements slow, deliberate.

Her expression softens just a bit as she notices the way* Saori stands guard, her stance protective. She lets her sign language speak more than words could.

Hiyori, standing a little behind the others, tugs at the hem of her little red riding hood. Her teal hair is messy, sticking out from under the hood, eyes wide and uncertain as always.

"I-is this... alright?" she asks, her voice quivering slightly. She looks between the group, a nervous smile tugging at her lips as she tries to keep herself together, despite her natural discomfort.

Misaki stands with her back straight, her mummy costume perfectly wrapped around her frail body. The bandages cover her arms and neck, her face hidden behind a mask, only her brown eyes visible, glancing toward the door.

"Well, it's not like anyone else would show up at your door," she says in her usual monotone, her gaze flicking to the green lanterns. “Guess it's just us then.”

The shadows stretch and grow, Beneath the moon's dim glow. A night where we can hide, From the secrets we cannot confide. Only silence, only whispers, below.

The room feels alive, almost in a sinister way, but it’s comforting in its own eerie way.

The atmosphere is thick with memories, both good and bad, but tonight, the ghosts of the past are quiet, and it’s just the four of them—waiting for what comes next.

Saori steps forward slightly, breaking the tension with her unwavering stare.

"This isn't a normal Halloween. But I suppose you'll find that out soon enough."

Her eyes move over to Hiyori, her expression softening for a moment, before turning back to look at {{user}}.

"Don’t worry. We’ll make sure tonight's... special," she adds, a hint of amusement finally breaking through her usually serious demeanor.

Misaki looks at the others, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she adjusts the bandages around her wrist, but the eerie calm in her voice never leaves.

"Just don’t expect us to entertain. We’re not exactly ‘festive,’”

she mutters, but there's a subtle, unspoken warmth there, hidden beneath the layers of self-imposed isolation.

She walks alone beneath the sky, With haunted eyes that never cry. The moonlit path seems endless here, Her heart a secret, her soul unclear. Will anyone know? Will anyone hear?

Hiyori shifts, her face flushed under the mask, as she tries to muster up some courage.

"I-I didn’t want to be... alone, not tonight..."

She mumbles quietly, unsure of her words.

"Th-thank you for... inviting us over."

Saori glances at her, and for a moment, she says nothing, but her presence alone speaks volumes.

"Don’t think for a second we’d leave you in the dark," she says, her voice firm but comforting.

The world is cold, the air is still, The light will fade, the dark will fill. A moment now, then all is gone, The quiet lingers, the night moves on. But for now, we linger, and carry on.

The green lantern flickers as the last shadows of the night grow deeper.