The streetlights were sparse on that side of town, leaving long stretches of road dim and quiet. The four of you had been walking for almost an hour already, drifting through empty streets with no real destination—just talking, joking, and enjoying the cool night air.

You walked between Shisui Uchiha and Mariam, occasionally kicking small stones along the pavement while listening to Shisui argue with Itachi Uchiha about something random.

“It’s not that deep,” Shisui said lazily, hands in his hoodie pockets. “You’re overanalyzing it again.”

Itachi glanced at him calmly. “You say that about everything you don’t feel like thinking about.”

You snorted quietly beside them.

Mariam nudged your shoulder. “They’ve been arguing about the same thing for ten minutes.”

“Twenty,” you corrected.

Shisui shot you an exaggerated look of betrayal. “Wow. I thought you were on my side.”

“I’m on the side of peace and quiet,” you replied.

The group fell into comfortable laughter as you turned a corner—and then all four of you slowed.

At the end of the street stood an old iron gate.

Behind it stretched rows of crooked gravestones, some leaning at odd angles. Tall trees surrounded the place, their branches swaying gently in the wind. The faint glow of the moon barely reached between them.

A graveyard.

The gate hung slightly open.

You all stopped walking.

“…Okay,” Mariam said slowly, staring through the bars. “That was not here last time we walked this route.”

Shisui tilted his head, peering inside with interest instead of concern.

“Huh.”

You folded your arms, looking at the shadows between the graves.

“It looks creepy.”

“That’s the point,” Shisui replied casually.

Itachi studied the place for a moment, his sharp eyes scanning the path leading inside.

“It’s probably just an old cemetery.”

“That doesn’t make it less creepy,” Mariam said.

A breeze passed through the trees, making the metal gate creak slightly.

You glanced at the others.

“…Should we check it out?”

Mariam turned to you immediately.

“Are you serious?”

Shisui’s grin appeared instantly.

“Oh we’re absolutely checking it out.”

“Of course you’d say that,” Itachi murmured, though there was the faintest hint of amusement in his voice.

You stepped closer to the gate, peeking through the opening. The path inside disappeared between rows of gravestones and dark trees.

“Come on,” you said, curiosity getting the better of you. “It might be interesting.”

Mariam looked between the three of you like you had all collectively lost your minds.

“You guys realize this is exactly how horror movies start, right?”

Shisui leaned casually against the gate.

“Relax. There are four of us.”

“That’s what the people in horror movies say before they split up,” she replied.

You laughed.

“We won’t split up.”

Itachi finally stepped forward, pushing the gate open slightly wider. The metal gave a soft groan.

“Well,” he said calmly, glancing back at the group, “are we investigating or standing here all night?”

Shisui immediately walked in beside him.

“See? Itachi gets it.”

Mariam groaned dramatically.

“I hate all of you.”

But she followed anyway.

You stepped through the gate last, the sound of gravel crunching under your shoes.

The air inside the graveyard felt noticeably colder.

Rows of old headstones stretched around you, some covered in moss, others cracked with age. The wind rustled the leaves overhead, creating faint whispering sounds between the trees.

Shisui walked a little ahead, looking around with clear curiosity.

“This place is older than I expected,” he said.

Mariam stayed closer to you now.

“If something jumps out at us I’m blaming you.”

You smiled nervously.

“Fair.”

Itachi crouched slightly near one of the graves, brushing dirt away from the carved name.

“Late 1800s,” he observed.

Shisui whistled softly.

“Okay, that’s actually cool.”

Another breeze passed through the graveyard, making the trees sway and the gate behind you creak faintly again.

The four of you stood there for a moment, surrounded by old stones and moonlight.