It was the 19th of December 2010, a rare clear winter day with crisp air and pale sunlight breaking through the clouds.
Sorine had been the one to convince everyone.
She had gathered the group the evening before via messages, her voice soft but determined when they met at the café. "We need this," she said, eyes bright with quiet desperation. "One normal day. Just us. The amusement park is open for the holiday season. Lights, rides, food… we deserve to feel alive again. Please?"
Vey had been hesitant at first, still carrying that wary vigilance, but eventually nodded. "Fine. One day. But we stay together."
Kairo agreed quietly, though his therapist had warned him about triggers. He needed to try. Mimo smiled gently and squeezed Sorine's hand. "If it makes you happy, I'm in."
And so, on this bright winter morning, the four of them stood at the entrance of Dreamland Amusement Park, the largest in the region. The park was alive with festive energy — colorful lights strung along pathways, Christmas-themed decorations sparkling in the sunlight, and the distant screams of thrill-seekers on roller coasters mixing with cheerful music. Snow dusted the rooftops of the attractions, but the main paths had been cleared, leaving only a thin, crunchy layer underfoot.
Sorine's face lit up as they passed through the gates. "See? This is what we needed."
They started with the gentler rides. Sorine and Mimo rode the Ferris wheel together, sitting close in the swaying gondola, Sorine resting her head on Mimo's shoulder as the city spread out below them in a blanket of white and gray. "I feel lighter up here," Sorine whispered. Mimo kissed her temple softly. "Then we'll stay up here as long as you want."
Vey and Kairo rode the teacups, spinning slowly. Vey kept their distance even in the small cup, but they managed a few dry jokes that made Kairo laugh — a real laugh, the first in days. "You're getting better at this whole 'being around people' thing," Vey teased. Kairo shrugged, still carrying the weight of his therapy sessions and the nightmares, but the moment felt… normal.
They ate cotton candy and takoyaki from the food stalls, walked through the illuminated tunnel of lights, and even tried the haunted house (which felt almost comical after everything they had faced). For a few precious hours, the horror of the past months receded. Sorine laughed freely. Mimo stayed close to her, protective and warm. Vey allowed themselves to relax just a little. Kairo tried to push the guilt aside and simply be present.
Then, as they were walking toward the main plaza, a young man approached them.
He looked like an ordinary college student in his mid-twenties — messy dark hair, simple hoodie and jeans, a friendly but slightly awkward smile. It was Haruto Nakamura.
"Excuse me," Haruto said politely, bowing slightly. "I'm a bit lost. Could you tell me the fastest way to the roller coaster area? I heard the new one is supposed to be incredible."
Vey pointed toward the tall steel structure visible in the distance. "Just follow the main path past the Ferris wheel and turn left at the fountain. You can't miss it."
Haruto smiled wider, bowing again. "Thank you so much. Enjoy your day."
He walked away, disappearing into the crowd.
The group continued their fun, unaware.
But Haruto had memorized every detail — their faces, their voices, the way they moved together. He adjusted the simple white mask he kept folded in his pocket, ready to slip on when the time came. He had chosen this park deliberately. Crowds meant chaos. Chaos meant opportunity.
Later that afternoon, the killings began.
Haruto moved like a ghost through the park. He slipped the mask on in a quiet corner, becoming just another anonymous figure in the holiday crowd. His first victim was a lone security guard near the maintenance shed behind the roller coaster. One quick stab to the throat, then another to the abdomen — clean, efficient, the blade twisting exactly as he had practiced. The guard collapsed without a sound, blood pooling on the snow-dusted ground.
Then the real work started.
He killed in broad daylight, using the chaos of the crowds and the noise of the rides to cover his movements. A young couple waiting in line for the Ferris wheel — throats opened in quick succession, bodies left slumped against the railing as people screamed and scattered. A mother and her teenage son near the haunted house — stabbed repeatedly in the abdomen, viscera spilling onto the snowy path in steaming loops. Haruto moved with terrifying skill, never panicking, never rushing. He was precise, almost artistic in his brutality. By the time the first screams turned into full panic, he had already claimed six victims, their bodies left in grotesque displays — throats slashed, abdomens torn open, blood stark against the white snow.
The group heard the screams while they were near the food court. People started running. Security guards rushed past them. Vey's face hardened. "Something's wrong."
They ran toward the noise.
When they reached the main plaza, the horror was already unfolding. Bodies lay scattered near the rides, blood staining the snow red. Haruto — still masked — was visible in the distance, moving with calm efficiency toward another group of panicked visitors.
Vey pulled out their phone and dialed emergency services. "There's a massacre at Dreamland Amusement Park! Multiple victims! The killer is still here — he's wearing a white mask!"
The park descended into chaos. More screams. More running. Security tried to intervene, but Haruto was too skilled. He dispatched two guards with brutal efficiency — one stabbed in the throat, the other gutted in seconds — before disappearing into the crowd again.
At the edge of the plaza, hidden in the growing panic, a new figure appeared.
It was another Ren — the Kyo wearing Ren Fushiwara's face, dressed in the same dark suit from the day he killed Tsubaki. He stood perfectly still, watching the carnage with calm, empty eyes.
And the snow kept falling, silent and cold, turning red where it touched the ground.
---
The Ferris wheel turned slowly against the winter sky, its colorful lights blinking softly as the gondola carrying Index and Crypt rose higher and higher above Dreamland Amusement Park.
They sat side by side in the gently swaying cabin. Index, tall and composed in his tailored black suit and black gloves, remained perfectly still, the smooth white mask covering his entire head reflecting none of the colorful lights from below. Crypt, the small child with long black hair and boys' clothing, sat on his lap, legs swinging idly as always, her identical white mask tilted slightly toward the view.
Below them, the park was a glittering chaos of lights and screams. The massacre had begun. Haruto's masked figure moved through the crowd like a shadow, leaving bodies in his wake. Security guards rushed toward the screams, only to fall moments later. People ran in every direction, their panicked cries mixing with the cheerful holiday music that still played from the speakers. Snow continued to fall in soft, silent flakes, turning the scene into something almost beautiful — red stains blooming on white ground like flowers.
Crypt leaned forward slightly, her masked face pressed close to the glass. Her light, sing-song voice carried a delighted lilt.
"It got more interesting, didn't it, Index?"
She swung her legs a little faster, the motion making the gondola sway gently. She giggled, the sound bright and playful, like wind chimes in a storm.
Index remained silent for a long moment, his gloved hand resting calmly on Crypt's back to steady her. The white mask faced forward, unreadable as always. When he finally spoke, his voice was low, measured, and dry.
"…It is getting louder."