Chapter XLV: Trippy Turvy, Part 1
The night stretches quietly across the city, but for the Brofist Squad, silence never lasts long. Ryujin lies on his bed with the lights off, phone glowing softly in his hands. Outside, the world sleeps. Inside the screen, chaos reigns. The Brofist Squad is alive again.
Inoshiro (MrBeast): *sends video* A shaky clip of a car driving through a tunnel, then suddenly, a lion appears and video cuts as audio blasts:"Weeheeheehee-heeheeheeheehee-hee-immommommowee-, Weeheeheehee-heeheeheeheehee-hee-immowee- In the jungle, the mighty jungle—"
Inoshiro (MrBeast): "Dudes, this is literally us on the bus later."
Hageshi (PewDiePie): "Wrong animal, dude. There's no lions in Japan except in zoos."
Ryujin (Markiplier): "Yeah, deer are only abundant here in Japan, especially Nara. Though, I hope they could make a deer manga or anime soon, that would be rad."
Almost instantly.
Hageshi (PewDiePie): *sends meme* A spinning car drifting in slow motion, Roundabout playing in the background. Text reads: "TO BE CONTINUED... FIELD TRIP EDITION."
Ryujin chuckles, shoulders shaking silently.
Okaki (Kwebbelkop): "Man, this is already cursed."
Miran (Ninja): *sends meme* An anime character crying while holding a backpack. "Me at 4AM questioning my life choices."
Haruto (Jacksepticeye): "Who even decided dawn departures were a good idea?"
Ryujin (Markiplier): "Beats me, asks the teachers."
Haruto: "Teachers? More like Villains LMAO"
The chat explodes with laughing emojis, images stacking on top of one another—buses edited to look like rockets, teachers photoshopped into action movie posters, captions screaming, "TAKE OFF!"
Ryujin (Markiplier): "Thus the field trip arc begins! Grab another popcorn 'cause this will be next episode of?"
Everyone in the chat: "Leave your entries in the sub reddit bros, and I'll watch submissions in the next episode of LWIAY"
Ryujin types slowly.
Ryujin (Markiplier): "So... everyone ready?"
The replies come fast.
Inoshiro (MrBeast): "Backpack's all ready."
Hageshi (PewDiePie): "Sleep schedule already destroyed, probably dose off before the trip."
Haruto (Jacksepticeye): "Mentally? No. Physically? Also nahh."
Okaki (Kwebbelkop): "But spiritually? Yeah! It's in me!"
Hageshi (PewDiePie): "Umm, was that right? Damn, that could be out of context bro"
Ryujin smiles. He sets his phone down beside him, heart buzzing with excitement that refuses to let him sleep properly.
At exactly 1:00 AM, headlights cut through the darkness in front of Hageshi's house. Hageshi steps out with his backpack slung over one shoulder, hoodie zipped up, eyes half-lidded but alert. His parents wait in their van, engine already running.
"Are ya ready son?" his dad asks.
"As I'll ever be, dad," Hageshi replies, climbing in.
The road to the university feels longer at this hour—empty streets, closed shops, the city stripped down to concrete and light. By 2:00 AM, the Sadalmelik Building stands quietly under the glow of lampposts.
Hageshi steps out, breath fogging slightly. The campus feels eerie when it's this empty, like a place holding its breath. By 3:00 AM, life returns.
Cars arrive one by one. Voices rise softly, laughter breaking the stillness. Ryujin arrives with his mother, backpack secured tightly. Inoshiro hops out of another car moments later, stretching dramatically.
"I regret everything I dreamt of last night," Inoshiro mutters.
"What happened? Did Slenderman got you?", Ryujin asks.
"Nah, it was the Russian Sleep Experiment", Inoshiro says.
Haruto follows, yawning openly. Miran appears shortly after, hair slightly messy but eyes sharp. Okaki barrels in with his usual energy, slapping Miran on the back. The girls arrive together, Saki, Rikiyo, and Kitsune; quietly greeting one another, scarves pulled close against the early morning chill. The bus pulls in with a low rumble, headlights sweeping across the pavement like searching eyes.
"There it is," Haruto says.
The doors hiss open. Students climb aboard in clusters, backpacks bumping seats, whispers filling the aisle. Hageshi takes a seat beside Samero without thinking twice. Takeshi settles next to Aoto, already discussing something in low voices. Miran drops beside Inoshiro, immediately leaning his head against the window. Okaki flops down next to Kuebiko, who carefully places his bag between his feet. Rikiyo sits beside Kitsune, both peering out the window. Saki pauses in the aisle. Her eyes flick toward Ryujin.
He's already seated, Haruto sliding in beside him. For a moment, Saki hesitates—heart pounding, fingers tightening around her bag strap. She imagines the looks, the whispers, the curiosity. She exhales quietly and turns. She sits beside Arita instead, offering a small smile.
Ryujin notices. Something tugs faintly in his chest, but he says nothing.
At the front, Shinse, Mrs. Sato, Dr. Aoshima, and Hajime take their seats near the driver.
Hajime stands briefly, clearing his throat.
"Alright everyone," he says, voice calm but firm. "Seatbelts on. Let's go."
The engine hum deepens. The bus pulls away.
Dawn creeps in slowly, light bleeding into the horizon as the city fades behind them. Ryujin presses his forehead lightly against the window. The world unfolds like a moving painting—grand rivers reflecting pale light, rolling plains stretching endlessly, mountains rising like silent guardians.
"Look at that," Haruto murmurs.
Valleys open beneath them, mist clinging to the lowlands like breath on glass. The bus climbs higher. Roads curve tighter.
After an hour and thirty minutes, fog thickens, swallowing the edges of the road. Smog mixes into the haze as they ascend the steep mountain path leading toward Kyoto.
Conversations soften. Some students sleep. Others stare out in quiet awe. Then,
"There!" someone calls.
A familiar yellow sign emerges through the mist. A McDonald's. Laughter ripples through the bus as it pulls into the lot. Most students pile out eagerly, stretching, yawning, joking. Ryujin stays seated, unzipping his bag. Hageshi pulls out his packed breakfast. Inoshiro unwraps his sandwich with a sigh.
"Prepared food tastes better when you're exhausted."
Haruto nods. "Yeah, everything tastes better when you regret waking up."
Hageshi, "Man, that's somewhat far-fetched but at least, it's almost in good taste."
Ryujin, "Come on man, not the good taste, it's not like this Great Taste coffee I got from the Philippines"
Inoshiro raises an eyebrow, "Wait, where did you got hot water man?"
Ryujin, "You mean being in trouble? Nope, never. But if you are referring to the water, it's already mixed with the coffee"
Haruto, "Seriously? You're drinking coffee?"
Ryujin, "Nah, I'm kidding dudes! I'm actually drinking Morinaga, that Great Taste coffee is just stuck inside the kitchen closet at home"
Inoshiro, "Oh that makes sense"
Hageshi, "Man, I hope we'll get a good time for this field trip"
Haruto, "Like the song, 'Don't Stop Me Now' by Queen"
Ryujin, "Man, I love Queen, especially Bohemian Rhapsody"
They eat slowly, talking about what's ahead—temples, history, projects, the sheer novelty of being somewhere else together. Outside, cameras flash.
"Guys! Everyone! Class picture!" someone shouts. That someone turns out to be Arita.
"Everyone, please come now, let's have a class picture!", Hajime tells them.
Ryujin jolts upright. "Oh sh-!"
The four of them scramble off the bus, jogging toward the group just in time to squeeze into the frame. Smiles. Peace signs. Laughter. The photo captures excitement, exhaustion, and innocence all at once.
None of them notice the shadow beneath the bus. Something clings there, hidden from sight—silent, patient, waiting. The engine idles. And the journey continues.
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