Archive of Our Own

Wheels & Wipeouts: The Ultimate Skate Trip

S was packed with skaters, the energy buzzing like an overcaffeinated vending machine. Everyone gathered near the main stage, waiting for the big announcement. The announcer stepped forward, microphone crackling.

"Skaters! The time has come for the greatest competition yet! There will be multiple races in Nagasaki, and this won’t just be for S skaters. We’re talking competitors from all over Japan. The best of the best. The location is… a secret—for now. But rest assured, it will be legendary."

The crowd erupted in cheers and murmurs. People were already hyping themselves up, discussing strategies, and speculating on the competition.

Reki’s jaw dropped. "Wait, Nagasaki?! That’s like… really far! Do they expect us to just skateboard there?!"

Langa, eyes sparkling with excitement, turned to him. "I would do it."

Reki grabbed his shoulders in mild panic. "Babe, NO."

Miya crossed his arms, scoffing. "Did they say skaters from all over Japan? Oh my god, I’m going to have to destroy so many nobodies. This is going to be exhausting."

Shadow snickered. "You mean lose to so many nobodies?"

Miya whirled around, eyes blazing. "SHUT YOUR FACE, HALLOWEEN STORE REJECT!"

Joe clapped his hands together. "Alright, road trip time! Who’s got a car?"

Cherry, not even looking up from his phone, replied, "You do."

Joe blinked. "...Right, yeah. I do own a car."

Reki immediately pointed at himself. "I call shotgun!"

Langa grabbed his wrist, shaking his head solemnly. "No, you sit with me in the middle."

Reki frowned. "Why—"

Langa pulled him closer, voice soft. "Because I need to hold you."

Reki turned red and struggled out of his grip. "BRO, CAN YOU NOT FOR ONE SECOND—"

Miya wrinkled his nose. "I’m not sitting next to Shadow. He smells like fireworks and poor decision-making."

Shadow gasped, deeply offended. "EXCUSE ME?! I smell like adventure and danger—"

Cherry, deadpan, didn’t even look up. "You smell like burnt rubber and regret."

Joe threw an arm around Cherry with a smirk. "Don’t worry, babe, I’ll drive us safely."

Cherry visibly recoiled. "That’s the worst sentence I’ve ever heard."

Reki raised a hand. "Wait, wait, wait. Before we go, do we even know where in Nagasaki this is happening?"

Miya tapped his chin. "Yeah, the announcer said it’s a secret. What if we just show up and it’s like… behind a convenience store?"

Shadow snorted. "Even worse, what if it’s in a convenience store? Do we have to ollie over old ladies buying groceries?"

“Guys, for the love of everything holy, stop being aggressively dumb. Of course it’s not in a convenience store—who even pulled that out of their last two brain cells? Carla and I will do the research, find the location, and then we all go. capisce? Or do I need to spell it out in finger paint for you morons?” Cherry snapped.

Reki gasped. “BRO, did you just say capisce like you’re a 1950s mob boss?”

Joe smirked. “Man’s out here running an underground skate mafia.”

Miya crossed his arms. “Yeah, what’s next? You gonna make us ‘an offer we can’t refuse’? You got guys in dark suits watching us right now?”

Shadow fake-gasped. “Oh no. What if the whole race is just a money-laundering scheme?!”

Langa blinked. “Wait. What’s money laundering?”

Everyone turned to stare at him.

Miya groaned. “Langa, what do they teach you in Canada?”

Cherry rubbed his temples. “I hate all of you.”

Reki ignored him, dramatically pacing. “Okay, so Carla is hacking into secret files, Cherry is talking like he runs a criminal empire, and we still don’t know where this thing is. We’re 100% going to jail.”

Joe nodded. “Yeah, man. The cops are already on their way.”

Shadow grinned. “Good thing we skate fast.”

Cherry snapped. “GOOD. I HOPE THEY TAKE YOU ALL AWAY SO I NEVER HAVE TO HEAR THIS NONSENSE AGAIN.”

Langa, completely serious: “Would we be allowed to skate in prison?”

Silence.

Everyone just stared. The air was heavy with secondhand embarrassment.

Cherry slowly closed his eyes like he was reconsidering every life choice that led him to this moment.

Joe exhaled through his nose. “Alright. I’m just gonna pretend that question never happened and focus on literally anything else. Let’s figure out this trip before my brain cells file for divorce.”

Reki leaned over to Miya and whispered, “Bro really just invented Tony Hawk’s Alcatraz Tour.”

They finally crammed into the car—thankfully, Joe had a ridiculously massive SUV

(because, according to him, “A big, muscled man needs a big, muscled car”). No one asked what that meant, but at least they weren’t stacked like sardines.

Joe’s SUV was less of a car and more of a moving fortress-massive, unnecessarily loud, and probably capable of driving through a building unscathed. It had tires big enough for off-roading anywhere, more cup holders than necessary (half filled with protein shakes), and enough space to double as a gym or small apartment

The engine roared like a beast every time he hit the gas, and the speakers were cranked to either heavy metal or embarrassingly cheesy ‘80s love songs. No in-between. The windows were tinted (for the mystery, obviously), the seats were leather, and parking it was a city-wide event

Basically, it wasn’t just a car—it was a statement.

Joe was behind the wheel looking like a stressed-out dad on a road trip. Cherry riding shotgun, probably regretting all his life choices.

In the middle row, Reki and Langa were crammed together, probably one sharp turn away from ending up in each other’s laps,

Meanwhile, in the very back, Shadow and Miya. Between them? A mountain of luggage. And by “luggage,” we mean mostly Cherry’s entire wardrobe, because apparently, he thought they were moving to another country instead of just going on a trip.

Miya groaned, kicking at a suitcase. “Bro, are you running away from home?”

Shadow poked at a very suspiciously fancy bag. “What even is this? A portable tea ceremony set?”

Cherry scoffed. “It’s called having standards, you uncultured gremlins.”

Joe sighed, gripping the wheel. “If I hear one more complaint, I’m turning this car around and leaving you all on the highway.”

Suddenly, Miya shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Uh, guys… I really need to pee.”

The car fell into immediate chaos.

Joe slammed the brakes for dramatic effect, sending everyone lurching forward. “OH, FOR THE LOVE OF—ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!”

Cherry groaned. “We are never going to make it to Nagasaki at this rate.”

Shadow was already crying laughing. “This is karma for every time you called us ‘losers,’ Miya.”

Miya crossed his arms, legs bouncing. “Yeah? Well, guess what, now we all suffer.”

Joe checked the GPS, sighing through gritted teeth. “There’s nothing for 30 minutes. Hold it.”

Miya’s face drained of color. “THIRTY MINUTES?! BRO, I DON’T HAVE THIRTY MINUTES. I HAVE, LIKE… MAYBE FIVE.”

Langa blinked. “What happens after five?”

Miya looked dead in the eyes. “A tragedy.”

Reki, cackling, patted Miya’s shoulder. “Hey, it was nice knowing you, dude. I’ll make sure your legacy lives on.”

Miya shoved him. “DON’T TOUCH ME. YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND MY STRUGGLE.”

Shadow leaned forward. “Options, my guy: suffer or improvise.”

Miya glanced wildly around the car. “Okay, okay, let’s be rational—WAIT, JOE HAS WATER BOTTLES.”

Joe immediately snatched them away. “ABSOLUTELY NOT.”

Miya panicked. “BRO. BRO, PLEASE. I’M ABOUT TO BECOME A WATER FEATURE.”

Cherry rolled his eyes. “You refuse to drink water when you actually need it, but suddenly, you want to use a bottle?”

Miya was fully spiraling. His eyes darted wildly around the car, sweat beading on his forehead. “I CAN’T DO THIS. I’M NOT GONNA MAKE IT.”

Joe gritted his teeth. “Hold it.”

Miya grabbed Joe’s arm again. “I swear to god, pull over, or I will—”

Then he saw it.

The empty water bottles.

His salvation. His last hope.

He snatched one and held it up like it was Excalibur. “Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

Joe immediately realized what was about to happen. “MIYA NO.”

Miya was already undoing his seatbelt. “MIYA YES.”

Cherry turned around in horror. “YOU WILL NOT DEFILE THIS VEHICLE LIKE THIS.”

Reki threw his hands up. “BRO ATLEAST WARN US”

Shadow was dying laughing. “THIS IS THE BEST ROADTRIP EVER”

Langa, completely unfazed: “Do you need a second bottle?”

Miya, shaking, grabbed a second bottle. “Probably.”

Joe swerved the car. “I swear to god, Miya, if even one drop—”

But it was too late.

Miya committed.

Chaos erupted.

Reki screamed. Cherry threatened murder. Shadow cheered. Langa simply nodded in respect.

Joe, gripping the wheel with pure fury, muttered, “I hate every single one of you.”

Miya, visibly relieved, held up the now full bottle. “I did what had to be done.”

Cherry gagged. “Throw it out of the window.”

Joe snapped. “Do not litter in my car, you gremlin.”

Reki, holding back laughter: “What if we forget about it and someone drinks it by accident?”

Everyone stared at the bottles.

Then absolute panic.

Miya immediately shoved them into the glove compartment as Cherry screamed in horror.

Joe’s eye twitched. “I am never driving you people anywhere ever again.”

The car had barely recovered from the Miya Pee Fiasco when the radio suddenly crackled to life with static straight out of a demon’s mixtape.

Joe frowned, tapping the screen. “What the hell is this?”

The static glitched, and a whisper came through. “Get out…”

Reki’s soul immediately exited his body. He latched onto Langa like a terrified barnacle. “OH NO. OH NO. BABE, PROTECT ME.”

Langa blinked. “From… the radio?”

Joe twisted the knob. The static got louder.

The static glitched, and the voice came again. "Turn back… before it’s too late…"

Reki climbed halfway onto Langa’s lap. “IT’S A CURSED ROAD. WE’RE GOING TO DIE.”

Shadow howled with laughter. “Reki’s already picked his emotional support Canadian.”

Miya gasped dramatically. “Bro, we’re about to be the first people to get jump-scared by a damn radio.”

Shadow, grinning, leaned forward. “No, no, let’s see where this goes. Maybe it’s giving us a quest.”

Cherry rolled his eyes. “The only quest here is for common sense, and clearly, none of you have found it.”

The radio whispered again. "Turn back… before it’s too late…"

Miya crossed his arms. “Man, if this is a horror movie, Reki is definitely dying first.”

Reki screeched, “WHY AM I ALWAYS THE FIRST TO DIE?!?

Shadow was thrilled. “Oh, this is way better than I expected. Keep it going.”

Cherry sighed. “Can we NOT encourage the demonic presence?”

The GPS screen flickered. Then shut off.

Joe’s grip tightened on the wheel. “Okay. That’s… fine.”

Reki, violently shaking in Langa’s arms, whispered, “That’s not fine.”

Miya smirked. “Hey, maybe the ghost just wants to give us directions.”

The radio crackled again. "I see you."

Miya immediately panicked. “OH HELL NO. NEVER MIND. I’M OUT. GOODBYE.” He threw his hoodie over his head and curled into a ball.

Shadow was crying laughing. “This is the best car ride of my life.”

Reki practically crawled inside Langa’s hoodie. “BABE. SAVE ME.”

Langa held back a laugh. “You’re fine.”

Reki gripped his shirt. “IF I DIE, DELETE MY SEARCH HISTORY.”

Shadow wiped a tear. “Nah, this ghost wants to fight Reki specifically. This is personal.”

Miya peeked out from his hoodie. “Wait… what if it’s trying to communicate? Maybe it’s got, like… unfinished business.”

Reki snapped, “YEAH, AND IT CAN KEEP THAT BUSINESS AWAY FROM ME.”

Joe slammed the power button, shutting off the entire radio.

Silence.

Dead silence.

Then, after a long pause—

Miya smirked. “Hey, if this was a horror movie, who do you think would get possessed first?”

Shadow grinned. “Reki. Obviously.”

Reki gasped. “BRO??”

Miya nodded. “Yeah, you scream the easiest.”

Cherry smirked. “That, and you already act possessed half the time.”

Reki pouted into Langa’s shoulder. “This is boyfriend mistreatment. Langa, say something nice to me.”

Langa kissed his forehead. “You’re very cute when you’re terrified.”

Reki whined. “THAT’S NOT HELPING.”

Langa blinked. “Would you guys still be my friend if I got possessed?”

Shadow cracked up. “Hell no, we’re yeeting you out of the car.”

Miya nodded. “Yeah, we don’t negotiate with demons.”

Reki still hadn’t let go of Langa. “Okay, but real talk—if that radio turns back on, I’m jumping out of this car.”

They finally reached a gas station in the middle of nowhere. It looked like the kind of place where horror movies started, but at this point, no one cared—they could finally use the bathroom, and more importantly, restock their food.

Because Langa, their beloved bottomless pit of a boyfriend, had eaten 80% of everyone’s snacks.

Reki groaned as he stretched. “Okay, first of all, I’m never road-tripping with a human vacuum cleaner again.”

Langa, completely unbothered, was already walking toward the snack aisle. “I was hungry.”

Miya crossed his arms. “Dude, you ate my food.”

“You were taking too long,” Langa replied, picking up three bags of chips at once.

Joe sighed. “He’s not even sorry. Look at him.”

Cherry pinched the bridge of his nose. “I refuse to believe one person can consume that much and still skate like it’s nothing.”

Shadow nudged Miya. “Bet he eats half the gas station, too.”

Miya scoffed. “No bet, that’s just a fact.”

Langa, meanwhile, had already stacked an unholy amount of snacks in his arms.

Reki sighed dramatically. “Babe. You’re a menace.”

Langa just blinked at him. “Want me to grab something for you?”

Reki melted. “Aw, okay, you’re forgiven.”

Miya groaned. “Disgusting.”

When they were back in the car, it suddenly stank like actual death. Like something had crawled into the vents, filed its taxes, lived a full life, and then died.

Turns out, Langa had bought some mystery gas station abomination.

Reki gagged. “Babe, what did you just unleash?!”

Langa, totally chill, took another bite. “I don’t know, but it’s tasty.”

Miya started wheezing. “It smells like a sewer exploded and someone bottled it.”

Shadow was halfway out the window. “THIS IS A BIOHAZARD. WE'RE BREATHING IN TOXINS.”

Joe was gripping the wheel like he was seeing his entire life flash before his eyes. “Langa. Buddy. We cannot coexist with that thing in this car.”

Cherry had straight-up stopped breathing. “It smells like expired eggs and regret.”

Reki was clawing at the door handle. “Babe, I love you, but if you don’t throw that out, I’m throwing myself out.”

Langa just blinked. “It’s not that bad.”

Miya screamed. “NOT THAT BAD?! MY EYEBALLS CAN SMELL IT.”

Joe suddenly slammed on the brakes.

Everyone went flying forward.

The car sat in absolute silence.

Then, without a word, Joe reached over, ripped the unholy gas station meal from Langa’s hands, rolled down the window, and yeeted it into oblivion.

They all sat there, panting.

Langa just sighed. “I was still eating that.”

Miya wiped his eyes. “We were about to be eating cremation fees.”

Fast forward 30 hours later. They had to take a break on the side of the road to sleep for a couple of hours and then continue driving. They arrived at the destination, but it was definitely not a skate park.

"Uh, Cherry, did you do your research correctly?" Joe asked, looking around with pure confusion.

They all turned to take in their surroundings. Instead of a sick underground skate event, they were standing in front of…

A cat café.

Not just any cat café—the biggest, fluffiest, most aggressively pastel-colored cat café any of them had ever seen.

And worst of all? A bunch of skaters from S were also standing there, looking just as lost and betrayed.

Miya’s jaw dropped. "This is a joke. This is an actual joke. We drove 30 hours… for THIS?"

Shadow, already taking pictures of the neon pink sign that read Purrfection Café – Where Every Cup Comes with a Cuddle, snorted. "Okay, but hear me out—what if the real secret skate event is inside?"

Reki looked at him like he had lost his mind. "You want us to skate… inside a cat café? With cats?!"

Langa, peering through the window, nodded. "They look friendly."

Cherry, ignoring all of them, furiously checked Carla. "This was the location given. The event was supposed to be here."

Joe groaned. "So what, instead of a sick skate competition, we’re just gonna drink lattes and pet kittens?"

One of the S skaters pulled out their phone. "Dude, I just checked the original flyer. It was posted by some random account called XxSk8_KittyxX."

Silence.

Reki squinted. "Are you telling me we got tricked… by someone named XxSk8_KittyxX?"

Miya looked like he was about to explode. "I am going to throw myself into traffic."

Shadow shrugged. "I mean… we came all this way. Might as well go in."

Joe sighed. "You know what? Fine. Someone get me a coffee. And if I see a single cat wearing a tiny hat, I’m stealing it."

SK8 and Screams: The Horror House Disaster

After the absolute disaster that was the cat café incident, the entire S community went feral. They hunted down the person who made the fake announcement like a pack of wild animals. When they finally found them, no one knows exactly what went down, but let’s just say the dude was never seen at S again. Rumor has it they changed their name, moved countries, and took up knitting to cope.

Life went back to normal, until one day, Miya, bored out of his mind at home, was scrolling through TikTok. That’s when he found it. The most cursed, sketchy, absolutely-should-not-enter haunted house ever.

Naturally, his first thought was, I gotta drag these idiots into this.

Group Chat: Sk8 or Die 🛹♾️

Cat on wheels: Yo look at this haunted house I found on TikTok, let’s go. 🔥👻

King of Faceplants: ABSOLUTELY NOT.

Langa "Two Brain Cells" Hasegawa ️: Looks cool.

Flowershop menace: I’m down.

Musclehead McChef: Sounds fun.

Samurai Google Docs: You people have a death wish.

Cat on wheels: Lmao Cherry u got no choice, majority rules.

King of Faceplants: HELLO??? R WE GONNA IGNORE THAT IT LITERALLY SAYS “ENTER AT UR OWN RISK” ON THE SIGN???

Musclehead McChef: Oh c’mon, they put that on everything. It’s probably just for the aesthetic.

Samurai Google Docs: You morons said the same thing about that cursed tunnel, and then a rock FLEW AT MY HEAD.

Flowershop menace: Lmao good times.

King of Faceplants: STOP LAUGHING. WE ALMOST DIED.

Cat on wheels: Bro u gotta admit, a ghost throwing hands was kinda legendary.

Langa "Two Brain Cells" Hasegawa ️: If we actually see a ghost, I wonder if I can race it.

King of Faceplants: WHY IS THAT UR FIRST THOUGHT

Musclehead McChef: You know what? Let’s do this. If we die, at least we die stupidly.

Samurai Google Docs: I’m surrounded by brain-dead buffoons.

Cat on wheels: So that’s a yes from everyone??

King of Faceplants: NO.

Langa "Two Brain Cells" Hasegawa️: Reki, babe, you’ll be fine. I’ll protect you.

King of Faceplants : YOU ARE CANADIAN WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO, APOLOGIZE AT THE GHOST?!

Flowershop menace: nah bro, langa’s just gonna look it dead in the eye and say “yo, wanna skate?”

Cat on wheels: LMFAOOOO

Samurai Google Docs: You’re all insufferable.

Musclehead McChef: alright, we’re going. Be at my place by 12 AM.

King of Faceplants: I HOPE ALL OF YOU GET HAUNTED!

They’re all at Joe’s house because, unfortunately, it’s the closest to the haunted house—just 10 minutes away from guaranteed psychological damage.

Miya, being the little menace that he is, has his phone out, recording everything like he’s filming a found-footage horror movie. He zooms in dramatically on Reki’s sweaty, terrified face. “Yo, say hi to the viewers.”

Reki doesn’t even look at him. “No. No ‘hi.’ Only S-U-F-F-E-R-I-N-G.”

Joe, completely unbothered, is kicked back on the couch eating a sandwich roughly the size of a small child. “Y’all are dramatic. It’s probably just some cheap TikTok scam. It won’t even be that scary.”

Cherry, sitting as far away from him as possible, gives him the glare of a man who has been forced to deal with an idiot for way too long. “If something kills us tonight, I will personally crawl out of the afterlife and slap you.”

Joe smirks. “Damn, babe. That’s kinda hot.”

Cherry physically recoils. “You disgust me.”

Shadow, tossing a flashlight like it’s a baseball, grins. “Okay, bets. Who’s gonna cry first?”

Miya doesn’t hesitate. “Reki.”

Reki immediately starts throwing hands. “I WILL END YOU, YOU LITTLE—”

Langa, calm as ever, just casually holds Reki back with one arm.

Joe, ignoring the chaos, stretches. “Alright, ground rules. Rule #1: If you see something creepy, DO NOT SPLIT UP. We are NOT in a horror movie dumbasses.”

Shadow squints. “Okay, but what if the ghost is hot?”

Reki has a full-on mental breakdown. “WHY DOES EVERYTHING HAVE TO BE HOT WITH YOU PEOPLE—”

Langa, completely serious: “I’d race it.”

Cherry stares at him. “Of course you would.”

Joe continues. “Rule #2: No touching cursed objects.”

Miya snorts. “Okay, but what if the cursed object touches me first?”

Cherry sighs. “I am actively losing brain cells being in this room.”

Joe claps his hands together. “Alright, dumbasses, let’s go.”

Reki, absolutely not moving from his spot. “WAIT. WAIT. Can we do like… a prayer first? A protective chant?? ANYTHING??”

Miya already walking out the door. “nah, bro. We rawdogging this haunting.”

Joe grabs Cherry by the waist before he can physically throw Miya into the sun.

Langa pats Reki’s head. “If a ghost gets you, I’ll get possessed too so we can be together.”

Reki pauses. “…Wait… that’s kinda cute.”

Cherry sighs. “I hate all of you.”

And just like that, they cram into Joe’s ridiculously massive SUV and head straight for their worst decision yet.

They pile into Joe’s absurdly massive SUV and head straight toward their imminent doom.

Reki, gripping Langa’s hand like it’s a lifeline, is already panicking. “Wait, let’s go over the rules again. Like, maybe we should add a new one—‘if we see something even remotely cursed, we IMMEDIATELY turn around and pretend we never came.’”

Miya, still filming, shoves his phone in Reki’s face. “Reki, give the audience a pre-haunting interview. What are your final words before you get dragged to hell?”

Reki shoves the phone away. “I hate you and I hope the ghost eats your phone first.”

Langa, calm as ever, glances at Reki and, without warning, leans over and kisses his cheek.

Reki freezes. His brain hard resets like a crashed computer.

“...huh?”

Langa squeezes his hand. “You were spiraling.”

Miya makes the most dramatic gagging sound possible. “EW. CUT THE CAMERAS.”

“Damn, Langa just hit the emergency shutdown button on Reki’s entire brain.”

Reki, face burning, whispers to himself: “Low-key effective, but also unnecessary violence.”

Joe taps the steering wheel. “Alright, we’re five minutes out. Who’s got the flashlight?”

Shadow, grinning like a madman, pulls out a flashlight the size of a baseball bat. “We’re NOT dying tonight.”

Reki blinks. “Dude, where did you even get that?”

Shadow shrugs. “Connections.”

Miya snorts. “Yeah, at Home Depot.”

They turn onto the creepiest road ever. It’s pitch dark, the trees look like they’re leaning in to watch them suffer, and the haunted house in the distance looks so aggressively cursed it should be illegal.

Reki grips Langa’s hand even tighter. “Nope. Nope. I refuse. Turn this car around. We’re going home.”

Joe grins. “Too late, dumbass. We’re here.”

They pull up in front of the most sinister-looking house imaginable. It’s tall, crumbling, and actively looks like it wants to devour their souls.

The engine cuts off.

Silence.

Reki whispers, clutching Langa’s arm for dear life. “If we die, I just want to say—I love you, Langa.”

Langa, still completely chill, leans over and presses a soft kiss to Reki’s forehead. “Love you too.”

Reki turns bright red but chooses to accept his fate.

Miya grimaces. “If you guys die, I hope your ghosts aren’t as annoying.”

Joe claps his hands. “Alright, losers, let’s get haunted.”

Meanwhile, Reki is sweating bullets. “Okay, but like… this house feels haunted. Look at it. It looks like it wants to EAT us.”

Langa, still absurdly calm, shrugs. “Maybe it’s friendly.”

Miya snorts. “Bro, it literally has cobwebs shaped like human hands.”

Joe cracks his knuckles. “Alright, we’re going in.”

Reki does not move. “What if we just… waited outside to make sure the house doesn’t, like, collapse?”

Shadow rolls his eyes. “Reki, shut up and start walking.”

Reki, realizing he has no escape, groans and clings to Langa’s hand for dear life. “If I get possessed, you’re responsible for me.”

Langa nods. “I’ll take good care of you.”

Miya fake-gags. “I’m gonna be sick.”

They step onto the porch.

The floorboards creak ominously.

Reki freezes. “Nope. That’s a bad sign. We should leave.”

Joe pushes the door open. It’s pitch black inside. Freezing cold air rushes past them.

The door slams open by itself.

Reki screams so loud that his voice echoes for what feels like an eternity

eyes wide and hands on his hips. “OH HELL NO.”

Miya, still recording, zooms in on Reki’s terror-stricken face. “This is the best day of my life.”

Cherry sighs. “I hate all of you.”

Joe grins. “Alright, idiots. Let’s get haunted.”

They step inside.

The door slams shut behind them.

The door slammed shut behind them.

Reki immediately spun around and yanked on the knob like his life depended on it. “OKAY. COOL TRIP. TIME TO GO HOME.”

It didn’t budge.

Reki let out a strangled scream and started yanking violently at the door.

Miya, still recording, zoomed in on Reki’s panicked face. “Bro’s already fighting demons, and we haven’t even SEEN anything yet.”

Joe sighed, rubbing his face. “Alright, reminder—we do NOT split up. No matter what happens, no one runs off alone.”

Shadow immediately pointed at Miya. “That means YOU, short stack. If something starts chasing us, don’t you DARE Naruto-run off into the night.”

Miya smirked. “Why? Scared you won’t keep up, Grandpa?”

Shadow dramatically wiped a fake tear. “I swear, the disrespect I endure in this friend group—”

Meanwhile, Reki had latched onto Langa like a koala. “Okay but real question—if something starts chasing us, what’s the plan?”

Shadow lifted his flashlight like a weapon. “The plan is I START SWINGING.”

Miya snickered. “Imagine something pops out, and Langa just skates away while the rest of us die.”

Langa tilted his head. “I’d carry Reki.”

Reki turned so red he might as well have combusted.

Miya made a disgusted face. “Ugh. Can’t relate. If something comes after us, I’m leaving you all behind.”

Shadow dramatically clutched his chest. “Wow. The betrayal. The absolute lack of loyalty.”

Suddenly, a loud THUD came from upstairs.

Everyone froze.

Reki’s grip on Langa doubled. “OKAY. THAT WAS NOT NORMAL.”

Shadow squinted up the stairs. “Maybe it was the wind.”

Miya side-eyed him. “The wind. Inside the house. Casually stomping around like it owns the place?”

Another loud creak.

The flashlight flickered.

Reki latched onto Langa’s arm with full force. “THIS IS IT. THIS IS HOW WE DIE.”

Joe, grinning, elbowed Cherry. “Wanna go check it out?”

Cherry stared at him, deadpan. “No, because I actually enjoy breathing.”

Before anyone could react, a door creaked open on its own.

Miya zoomed in on Reki’s soul leaving his body.

Shadow suddenly gasped dramatically. “OH MY GOD—”

Reki SCREAMED.

“I JUST REMEMBERED I LEFT MY SNACKS IN THE CAR.”

“I WILL PERSONALLY END YOU.” Reki says annoyed

Before anyone could recover, something scuttled across the upstairs hallway.

Reki jumped so high he practically leapt into Langa’s arms.

Joe clenched his fists. “Alright, ghosts. SQUARE UP.”

Reki panicked immediately. “JOE, STOP TRYING TO FISTFIGHT THE SUPERNATURAL.”

Shadow lifted his flashlight, ready to start swinging. “WE DO NOT SPLIT UP, BUT I WILL THROW HANDS.”

Miya whispered, still filming. “If we die, at least my TikTok will be fire.”

Reki spun around to glare at him. “I AM NOT DYING FOR YOUR CLOUT, MIYA.”

Suddenly, from the second floor, a whisper echoed.

"Get out."

Silence.

Then:

FULL. CHAOS.

Joe RAMMED the door with his shoulder. Shadow started SWINGING his flashlight at absolutely nothing. Reki was SCREAMING. Langa was still calm for some reason. Cherry was already strangling Joe.

Miya, says still filming “This is WAY BETTER than I expected.”

The whisper grew louder.

"GET. OUT."

The lights flickered violently.

Shadow, holding his flashlight up like a sword: “ALRIGHT, LISTEN UP, GHOST. YOU WANNA THROW DOWN? LET’S GO.”

Reki climbed onto Langa like a terrified squirrel. “I AM SO SERIOUS, WE ARE ALL GONNA DIE.”

Joe yelped like a child. Cherry IMMEDIATELY slapped him.

Joe screams “WHY WOULD YOU HIT ME?!”

“WHY WOULD YOU YELL LIKE THAT?!”

The house suddenly shook.

Miya raises an eyebrow, looking at the chaos unfolding. “So. Maybe. We actually LEAVE?”

Shadow snaps, throwing his hands up. “YA THINK?!”

Then, suddenly—

The front door BURST OPEN.

Without hesitation, they ALL BOLTED.

Shadow was yelling threats at the house while sprinting. “YEAH, THAT’S WHAT I THOUGHT! YOU DON’T WANT NONE OF THIS, YOU TRANSPARENT COWARD!”

Miya was cackling. Reki was practically being dragged by Langa. Joe and Cherry were arguing mid-sprint.

They piled into the car, slammed the doors shut, and Joe floored it.

Silence.

Everyone was panting.

Reki says out of breath “We are NEVER doing that again.”

Shadow, still gripping his flashlight, says “If I EVER see that ghost in the streets, IT’S ON SIGHT.”

Miya, still grinning “We are ABSOLUTELY doing that again.”

Chaos Coaster: A Day at the Amusement Park

The atmosphere at S was absolutely electric. The crowd roared as Langa stood at the starting line, facing off against a skater who actually looked like a challenge.

His name was Ryo, and he was fast. Stupidly fast. He had the kind of precision that made it look effortless—sharp turns, flawless landings, and not a single wasted movement.

Reki was bouncing on his heels, gripping Langa’s shoulders like a coach about to send his prized athlete into battle. “Okay, babe, listen, this guy is nuts. Like, he might actually be faster than you.”

Langa blinked. “Hmm.”

Reki shook him. “That wasn’t the reaction I wanted! Take this seriously! What if he’s some kind of skateboarding demon?!”

Miya rolled his eyes. “Oh my god, he’s fine. Langa could probably skate up a vertical wall if he tried.”

Shadow crossed his arms. “Still, if this guy plays dirty, I’ll deck him.”

Joe smirked, arms around Cherry’s waist. “Nah, let’s just sit back and watch Langa make this dude question his life choices.”

Cherry sighed. “This is going to be an absolute disaster, isn’t it?”

The announcer grabbed the mic. “ALRIGHT, S! WE HAVE A SHOWDOWN FOR THE AGES—THE LEGENDARY SNOW VERSUS THE LIGHTNING-FAST RYO! FIRST TO THE FINISH LINE WINS A MYSTERIOUS PRIZE!”

Reki squinted. “Why does that sound suspicious?”

Joe shrugged. “Eh, it’s S. Could be cash. Could be a goat. Who knows?”

The countdown began.

3…

Ryo smirked. “Try to keep up, Snow.”

Langa didn’t even blink.

2…

Reki crossed his fingers. “PLEASE DON’T DIE.”

1…

GO!

Ryo exploded forward with insane speed, zipping ahead like a blur. The dude moved like he was skating on ice.

Langa, on the other hand, barely even pushed off before gravity did its thing.

Cherry adjusted his glasses. “Here we go.”

Joe grinned. “And there it is.”

Langa dove forward, using his ridiculous air control to float down the course, taking barely any friction.

Miya was already filming. “Bro. BRO. He’s not human.”

Ryo pulled ahead at the first sharp turn, sliding effortlessly around a corner while Langa literally launched himself over it, skipping half the curve entirely.

Reki screamed. “LANGA, YOU’RE GOING TO GIVE ME A HEART ATTACK.”

Miya whistled. “Physics just called. They want an explanation.”

Ryo gritted his teeth, realizing he actually had competition. He shot forward, hopping over a rail and grinding down at an insane speed.

Shadow whistled. “Okay, that’s kinda sick.”

Langa, meanwhile, looked at the rail… and simply jumped over the entire thing.

Reki nearly passed out. “WHAT KIND OF CHEAT CODE—”

The crowd went WILD.

Ryo’s eyes widened. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

With the finish line in sight, Ryo pushed forward, determined to win. He took one last shortcut—a dangerously steep drop that no sane skater would attempt at full speed.

Except Langa wasn’t sane.

Langa took one look at the shortcut… and launched himself OFF A WALL to completely bypass it.

Joe was howling. “BRO JUST TOOK THE EXPRESS ROUTE.”

Cherry rubbed his temples. “I hate watching this.”

The second Langa landed, he blasted past Ryo like the wind itself had personally blessed his skateboard.

A second later, he crossed the finish line.

The crowd ERUPTED.

Reki was screaming. “LANGA YOU MAD GENIUS.”

Ryo skidded to a stop, staring in disbelief. “…I have never felt more disrespected in my life.”

Langa just tilted his head. “Good race.”

Miya cackled. “You just humiliated him.”

The announcer took the mic, still hyped. “AND THE WINNER IS… SNOW!”

Cherry handed Joe some cash. “There. You were right. Again.”

Joe grinned, kissing his cheek. “Told ya.”

Langa turned to Reki, eyes soft. “Did I do good?”

Reki practically tackled him. “BABE, YOU DID INSANE.”

Shadow clapped Langa on the back. “Alright, what’s the prize? A golden board? Cash?”

The announcer handed Langa an envelope. “Congratulations! Your grand prize is… six amusement park tickets!”

Silence.

Reki blinked. “Uh. What?”

Miya frowned. “That’s… incredibly random.”

Joe laughed. “I was expecting, like, a sword.”

Langa just stared at the tickets, then looked at Reki. “Do you like amusement parks?”

Reki gasped. “DUH.”

Shadow patted Langa’s shoulder. “Well, congrats, bro. You won yourself a date.”

Langa, nodding: “I was taking Reki anyway.”

Reki short-circuited.

Miya fake gagged. “Disgusting.”

Cherry crossed his arms. “Alright, who’s getting the other tickets?”

Joe snatched one. “Me, obviously.”

Cherry yanked it back. “No. You’ll try to suplex a roller coaster.”

Joe gasped. “HOW DARE YOU.”

Shadow took one too. “I call dibs on the haunted house.”

Reki turned pale. “hell no, we already went to a real haunted house.”

Langa, holding the last ticket, looked around. “Who wants it?”

Cherry sighed. “If I don’t go, you’ll all get kicked out for something.”

Miya smirked. “Oh, you’re getting dragged into our chaos no matter what.”

Cherry groaned. “I hate all of you.”

Anyways, the best part? The amusement park was only twenty minutes away. No 30-hour road trip, no sleeping in the car, no questionable gas station food. Just pure, uninterrupted fun.

Reki practically vibrated with excitement. “Dude, I haven’t been to an amusement park in forever. This is gonna be sick!”

Miya scrolled on his phone. “I already looked up the best rides. There’s a roller coaster called ‘The Death Spiral.’ It has a warning label. I need to ride it.”

Shadow laughed. “Okay, but can you even reach the height requirement?”

Miya kicked him in the shin. “Says the guy who got kicked out of a haunted house for crying.”

Joe stretched. “I’m going straight to the food stalls. Giant turkey legs, here I come.”

Cherry rolled his eyes. “You just ate.”

Joe grinned. “And?”

Langa looked over at Reki, who was still practically bouncing. “Are we going on the big rides first?”

Reki grinned back. “Hell yeah! You better not let go of my hand.”

Langa just squeezed it tighter. “I won’t.”

Shadow cracked his knuckles. “Alright, losers. Tomorrow morning, we’re hitting that park hard. No mercy. No hesitation. Just pure amusement park chaos.”

Miya smirked. “And if we get kicked out?”

Joe and Cherry sighed in unison.

Reki shook his head. “Let’s just try to last a full day before something dumb happens.”

Silence.

Langa blinked. “That’s not happening, is it?”

Miya smirked. “Not a chance.”

Joe grinned. “AMUSEMENT PARK TOMORROW!”

The next morning, they all stood in front of the amusement park, staring up at the absolute wonderland before them.

The place was massive—roller coasters twisting in every direction, a giant Ferris wheel towering over everything, colorful stalls lining the pathways with the smell of fresh popcorn, cotton candy, and fried food filling the air. In the distance, people were already screaming as they plummeted down The Death Spiral.

Reki was practically bouncing out of his shoes. “DUDE. DUDE. THIS IS AMAZING.”

Miya crossed his arms. “Well, yeah. It’s literally an amusement park. That’s kind of the point.”

Joe inhaled deeply. “Ahh. The smell of overpriced snacks and questionable safety regulations. I’m home.”

Cherry sighed. “Let’s at least try to avoid getting kicked out for once.”

But Reki wasn’t listening to any of them. He was too overwhelmed with excitement, looking at Langa with a grin so wide it could split his face in half.

And before Langa could even react—Reki just grabbed him by the collar and kissed him right on the lips.

Langa.exe stopped functioning.

The second Reki pulled back, Langa just stood there, frozen, his entire system shutting down. His face turned bright red, his eyes completely blank.

Reki, completely unaware, just laughed. “C’mon, let’s go already!”

Miya waved a hand in front of Langa’s face. “Uh. I think you broke him.”

Shadow snapped his fingers. “Yo, Snow? You good?”

Langa, still malfunctioning: "...."

Joe chuckled. “Ten bucks says he won’t recover until we’re at least three rides in.”

Cherry smirked. “I’d bet against you, but that’s definitely happening.”

Miya just took out his phone. “Hold on, I need to record this.”

Langa, voice barely above a whisper: “...He kissed me.”

Reki blinked. “Uh… yeah?”

Langa grabbed Reki’s hand so fast it nearly startled him. “Let’s go on everything.”

Shadow laughed. “Oh, now he’s awake.”

Reki just grinned. “Hell yeah, let’s GO!”

And with that, the chaos officially began.

The real disaster began when they all agreed to ride the spinning teacups together.

It started normal. Well, as normal as a bunch of menaces in a teacup could get.

Joe smirked. “Alright, no one touch the wheel. We take it nice and slow.”

Miya immediately grabbed the wheel. “You’re so boring.”

Shadow, cracking his knuckles: “Nah. If we’re doing this, we’re doing it right.”

Reki, gripping Langa’s hand: “Guys. GUYS.”

Cherry sighed. “I refuse to be involved in whatever stupidity—”

Shadow and Miya spun the wheel with inhuman strength.

The teacup launched into full-on warp speed.

Reki screamed. Joe yelled. Cherry was reevaluating his entire existence.

Miya was cackling. Shadow was cheering.

Langa? Langa was just vibing.

Reki, clutching Langa like a lifeline: “LANGA I THINK I’M ASCENDING.”

Langa, smiling: “This is kinda fun.”

Cherry, gripping the sides: “I WILL KILL YOU ALL.”

Joe, barely holding on: “WHY IS THIS FASTER THAN A ROLLER COASTER?!”

Miya, still spinning the wheel: “FASTER! FASTER!”

Reki, panicking: “NOOOOO!”

Security had to yell at them to STOP SPINNING THE WHEEL.

By the time they stumbled off, everyone was wrecked.

Joe was on the ground. Cherry looked like he had aged ten years. Shadow was wobbling. Reki was clinging to Langa like his life depended on it.

Langa? Completely fine.

Miya dusted himself off. “That was awesome.”

Reki, says weakly “I think I left my soul back there.”

Langa, smiling “Wanna go again?”

“I love you, but no.”

Joe groaned. “Can we do something normal? Like eat?”

Cherry grabbed his arm. “YES.”

Miya stretched. “Fine, but after that, we’re hitting The Death Spiral.”

The moment Miya spotted The Death Fall, Reki knew he was in trouble.

A 300-foot drop tower loomed ahead, stretching high into the sky like a monument to human stupidity. The ride yanked its victims all the way to the top, left them dangling there for far too long, and then sent them plummeting back down at speeds that had no business existing.

Reki’s stomach twisted just looking at it.

"Guys, listen," he said, his voice already shaking. "We don’t have to do this. There are other rides. Safer rides. Rides that don’t mess with the laws of physics."

Miya smirked. "Wow. Didn’t know you were this scared."

Shadow, already sweating, took a step back. "No, but like. For real. What if the cables snap? What if the ride malfunctions? What if this is the last thing I ever do?!"

Joe clapped him on the back, grinning. "What are the chances of that happening?"

Cherry turned to glare at him. "Why would you say that? Do you want to die?"

It was too late. Miya was already marching toward the entrance, dragging the whole group with him.

The line moved far too fast. Before Reki could properly process his impending death, they were already near the front.

He gripped Langa’s hoodie like it was a lifeline. "Maybe there’s still time to escape. Maybe we can fake a family emergency. I think I feel sick—"

Langa, holding his hand, just smiled. "It’ll be fun."

Reki turned to him, horrified. "Langa, we have different definitions of fun."

Behind them, Shadow looked one step away from passing out. "I think my soul is leaving my body."

Joe, still grinning, nudged him. "Just scream it out, man. Let the fear go."

Cherry scoffed. "If I die, I will haunt you all."

Miya, completely unfazed, had his phone out, ready to film. "This is already the best day of my life."

Before Reki could even blink, the ride operators were lowering the seats and strapping them in.

"Okay," Reki mumbled. "We’re locked in. Maybe it won’t be that bad."

Joe chuckled. "Just wait till we hit the top."

Reki whipped his head toward him. "WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT?"

Going up. Too fast.

The ride shot up.

Reki squeezed Langa’s hand tighter as the ground shrank beneath them, disappearing at terrifying speed.

"This is too high," Reki wheezed. "WHY IS THIS SO HIGH?"

Langa, entirely calm, admired the view. "You can see the whole park from here."

Cherry, gripping his restraints like his life depended on it, groaned. "Why did I let you idiots talk me into this?"

Joe, laughing, pointed toward the horizon. "Oh wow, you can even see the parking lot—"

Shadow was visibly trembling. "I’M GONNA DIE."

Miya, swinging his legs like this was the best day of his life, smirked. "You guys are so dramatic."

And then—the ride stopped.

They were at the very top.

Dangling.

Waiting.

For too long.

Reki's breath hitched. "Why… why aren’t we moving?"

Cherry’s voice was eerily calm. "They’re holding us here. They want us to suffer."

Shadow let out a strangled noise. "Guys, I think I’m gonna puke."

Joe’s eyes widened. "DON’T. HOLD IT IN."

Miya, grinning, leaned toward Shadow. "No, no. Let it out. It'll be hilarious."

Reki panicked. "MIYA, NO—"

And then—

The drop.

SUDDEN.

FREE FALL.

SCREAMS erupted from the entire group.

Reki was sure he died somewhere on the way down.

Joe was yelling like an absolute maniac.

Cherry was screaming in pure rage.

Miya? Laughing.

Shadow? Actually puking.

The problem?

The wind resistance.

Instead of going down, Shadow’s puke went backward.

Onto everyone.

Reki, mid-scream: “OH MY—SHADOW WHAT THE HELL—”

Cherry, furious: “I AM GOING TO END YOU.”

Joe, gagging: “OH GOD IT’S IN MY HAIR—”

Miya, wheezing with laughter. “THIS IS THE FUNNIEST THING I’VE EVER SEEN.”

Langa, entirely unfazed, just hummed. "Huh."

By the time they hit the bottom, everyone looked traumatized.

Shadow stumbled off first, still nauseous. "I told you… I told you guys…"

Joe was visibly shaking. "I need… a shower. Immediately."

Cherry was furiously scrubbing his face with a tissue like he had just survived war. "I hate you all. Deeply."

Miya was wiping tears from his eyes. "That was so worth it."

Reki, still clutching Langa for dear life, whispered, "Please… take me somewhere safe."

After Shadow’s catastrophic puking accident, the group staggered toward the bathrooms like a bunch of broken souls who had seen too much. There was no talking, just a silent agreement to never speak of what had just transpired.

Cherry looked like he was about to sue the amusement park and Shadow. Joe was dunking his entire head under the sink like he was trying to baptize himself out of this nightmare. Reki was just dry-heaving into a trash can, and Miya? Miya was thriving, scrolling through his phone and rewatching the footage of Shadow’s mid-air disaster.

"This is comedy gold," Miya wheezed, hitting replay for the fifth time. "I’m sending this to everyone we know."

"Delete. It." Shadow groaned, still looking green.

Miya grinned. "Absolutely not."

Reki, still traumatized, wiped his mouth and groaned. "Okay. I need two things: food and emotional support. And since my emotional support boyfriend is the reason I got on that death trap, I only want food."

Langa, standing beside him, tilted his head. "I’ll still hold your hand."

Reki, glaring, grabbed his hand anyway. "Fine. But I’m not happy about it."

The second they got to the food court, chaos erupted.

Miya disappeared into a crowd of people and came back with five trays of food. Shadow, still suffering, sipped miserably at a bottle of water like an old man recovering from battle. Cherry was eating with his usual elegance, somehow still looking graceful despite having been puke-adjacent just an hour ago.

Then Joe and Langa made eye contact.

And that’s when everything went horribly, horribly wrong.

"Alright," Joe smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Whoever eats the most wins."

Langa, already halfway through his sushi, blinked. "Okay."

Reki panicked. "WAIT. NO. BAD. VERY BAD IDEA."

Cherry sighed, rubbing his temples. "Why do you two insist on embarrassing yourselves in public?"

Shadow groaned. "I can’t handle another disaster today."

Miya, grinning like an absolute menace, pulled out his phone. "Say less."

The competition began.

Joe tore into his food like he was trying to prove a point to the universe. Langa, however, was unfazed. Effortless. Completely at peace.

Reki watched in horror as Langa inhaled an entire plate of dumplings without blinking. "LANGA. SLOW DOWN. YOU’RE GONNA TRANSCEND INTO ANOTHER DIMENSION."

Langa just tilted his head, chewing. "Hm?"

Joe, sweat dripping down his face, shoved an entire burger into his mouth. "I will not be defeated by a guy whose diet is like, 80% ice."

Langa, unbothered, ate a whole plate of takoyaki.

Joe was slowing down. He reached for another plate of ramen but hesitated. His hands were shaking. His spirit was breaking.

Meanwhile, Langa was calmly eating like this was just a casual Tuesday.

Joe groaned, dropping his chopsticks. "I—I'm done. I give up."

Langa blinked, confused. "Oh. I thought we were just eating lunch."

Reki threw his hands in the air. "LANGA. MY LOVE. MY SWEET BOYFRIEND. YOU JUST DESTROYED A MAN’S ENTIRE PRIDE AND YOU THOUGHT THIS WAS JUST LUNCH?"

Cherry smirked, patting Joe’s shoulder. "You had a good run."

Joe, suffering, leaned into him. "I need to lie down."

Miya was in absolute tears, practically rolling on the floor. "I LOVE THIS FAMILY."

Shadow, sipping his water like a disappointed father, sighed. "I hate this family."

And just as things were settling down, Miya stood up, stretching. "Alright, losers. Time for the Death Spiral."

Reki choked on his drink. "MIYA. WHAT. NO."

Langa, still completely fine, squeezed Reki’s hand. "Let’s go."

Reki groaned. "I SWEAR YOU’RE ONLY DATING ME TO WATCH ME SUFFER."

And so, with full stomachs, shattered dignity, and zero self-preservation, they walked straight into the next round of chaos.

After the absolute chaos of the food court massacre, the gang made their way toward the next ride: The Death Spiral.

Reki, still recovering from the emotional damage of watching his boyfriend devour enough food to feed a small army, dug his heels into the ground the second he saw the ride. "Nope. No way. That thing is cursed. That is NOT a safe, functioning amusement park ride."

Joe clapped a hand on his shoulder. "C’mon, man. It’s just a rollercoaster."

Reki gestured wildly at the ride. "Just a rollercoaster?! That thing looks like it was put together by a bunch of unpaid interns!"

And, to be fair, it did. The ride was massive—loops stacked on top of each other, corkscrews twisting in impossible angles, and at the very top, a near vertical drop that looked like it had been designed by a madman. The whole thing rattled ominously as the current riders screamed their lungs out.

Miya, still holding his phone up and recording, grinned. "Wow. The fear in Reki’s eyes is delicious."

Cherry smirked. "I’m starting to think you just have a weak constitution, Reki."

Reki turned to Langa, his last hope. "Babe. Sweetheart. My love. We don’t have to do this. There are so many other things we could be doing right now. Like… standing on the ground. Safely."

Langa, staring at the ride with actual excitement, just squeezed Reki’s hand. "It looks fun."

Reki groaned. "I knew you were gonna say that."

Joe cracked his knuckles. "Alright, everyone. No puking this time." He turned to Shadow, who immediately looked offended.

"Why are you looking at me?!"

Cherry deadpanned. "Because you almost turned that last ride into a crime scene."

Shadow scoffed. "I have no regrets."

The wait in line was a journey all on its own.

The moment they got closer to the ride, Reki started vibrating with panic. "Guys. GUYS. I just read a sign that says ‘ride at your own risk.’ That means there’s an actual risk!"

Miya, still filming, zoomed in on Reki’s horrified face. "This is better than reality TV."

Joe was stretching like he was about to run a marathon. Cherry was casually reading the ride’s safety warnings, while Shadow had already accepted his fate.

Langa? Langa looked like a kid on Christmas morning.

Reki glared at him. "You like this, don’t you?"

Langa nodded. "Yeah. I like going fast."

"Okay, well, I like living, so we’re kinda in different places right now."

They finally made it to the front of the line. The moment the ride operator pulled the gates open, Miya practically sprinted to the front row like he had just won a lottery.

Reki hesitated. "Can I sit in the middle?"

Cherry smirked. "Oh no, no. You’re sitting next to Langa in the front row."

Reki gawked. "YOU GUYS ARE EVIL."

Langa just tugged him into the seat next to him. "It’ll be fun."

Reki groaned as the ride operator locked them in. "Oh yeah, so fun when my soul leaves my body."

The ride started with a slow climb. A painfully slow climb.

Reki gripped Langa’s hand like his life depended on it. "Nope. Nope. I wanna get off. Stop the ride. Stop the ride!"

Miya, sitting in the front, was cackling. "Too late!"

Cherry, from behind, smirked. "Oh, look at that. You can see the whole park from up here."

Reki, shaking, did not look. "I don’t want to see the whole park. I wanna see the ground under my feet!"

Then, they reached the top.

And stopped.

For a full five seconds.

Reki, realizing what was about to happen, turned to Langa. "If we die, I just want you to know I love you."

And then—

THE DROP.

Reki screamed.

Miya screamed.

Joe laughed like a maniac.

Cherry casually adjusted his hair like he wasn’t on a death machine.

Shadow? Shadow made a noise that wasn’t even human.

They plummeted at an almost vertical angle, spiraling through loops at speeds that made the world blur. Reki was clinging to Langa like a koala, wailing at the top of his lungs. "I HATE THIS! I HATE THIS! I HATE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!"

Langa, on the other hand, was smiling.

Miya, still recording, yelled, "I’M HAVING THE TIME OF MY LIFE!"

Joe, hair absolutely destroyed by the wind, whooped. "THIS IS AMAZING!"

Then, halfway through the ride—

Shadow made a choked sound.

Cherry, immediately alarmed, turned to look at him. "No. NO. YOU HOLD IT IN."

Shadow, looking horrified, shook his head. "I CAN’T."

And then—

HE PUKED.

Mid-loop.

At high speed.

Reki screamed louder. "SHADOW, NOOOOO!"

Miya howled with laughter as the entire back row was caught in friendly fire.

Joe, mid-air, shouted, "I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Cherry, visibly trying not to pass out from rage, yelled, "YOU ARE NO LONGER INVITED TO ANYTHING EVER."

Reki, traumatized beyond belief, turned to Langa, barely able to speak. "Your… boyfriend… status… is the only thing keeping me from jumping off this ride."

Langa, still smiling, just squeezed his hand.

The ride finally slammed to a stop.

There was silence.

Then, Miya started laughing so hard he collapsed. "BEST. DAY. EVER."

Shadow, dizzy and half-dead, muttered, "I hate my life."

Cherry wiped his face, looking ready to commit a crime. "I hate your life too."

Joe sat there in shock. "*I got war flashbacks to the last ride. *"

Reki, still gripping Langa’s hand, wobbled out of the seat. "I swear I am never getting on another ride again."

Langa, smiling, pulled him close. "Until the next one?"

Reki groaned. "You’re lucky I love you."

Miya clapped his hands. "Alright! Next up: The Twister of Doom!"

Reki let out the loudest groan yet. "I NEED A BREAK FIRST."