Shattered Bonds-Okuyasu & Josuke

The Cellar-Part 14

The atmosphere around the mansion was eerie, with an overcast sky that hinted at an impending storm. The old structure loomed before the students, its once-grand exterior now weathered and forgotten. The mansion had been the talk of the school for weeks, its mysterious history and rumors of hauntings making it the perfect spot for a school trip. Inside, the air was thick with dust and the scent of old wood, and the students' excited whispers echoed through the grand hall.

The teacher gathered everyone in the main foyer, the creaking floorboards adding to the mansion's already unsettling vibe. "Alright, everyone, listen up!" the teacher called out, her voice echoing off the high ceilings. "Each team will be assigned a different part of the mansion to explore. Remember, this is a historical site, so be respectful and stick with your group. We will meet back here in two hours."

Okuyasu, Reimi, Koichi, and Josuke stood together, their team already filled with an awkward tension. Reimi clung close to Okuyasu, while Koichi kept a safe distance, glancing nervously between the others. Josuke remained quiet, his gaze shifting around the room, trying to focus on anything other than Okuyasu's presence.

The teacher continued, reading off the assignments. "Group A, you'll be exploring the giant garden outside. Team B will take the underground basement, while another group heads to the attic. The library group, you know your destination."

When the teacher got to their team, she hesitated for a moment, as if sensing the tension among them. "Okuyasu, Reimi, Koichi, Josuke—you'll be exploring the underground wine cellar."

Okuyasu exchanged a glance with Reimi, who grinned mischievously. "Yipee," she whispered, nudging him playfully. Okuyasu smirked but kept his eyes on Josuke, wondering how this was going to play out. Josuke, however, was focused on the task ahead, already walking toward the hallway that would lead them to the cellar.

The group moved through the mansion in silence, their footsteps echoing through the narrow corridors. Okuyasu watched as Josuke and Koichi walked ahead, deep in conversation about something trivial. Koichi, always the polite one, was asking Josuke about some old music posters he'd seen in the lobby. Josuke responded with the patience and politeness that Okuyasu found irritating.

Every so often, Okuyasu would let out a low, mocking laugh or throw in a sassy comment when Josuke was mid-sentence. "Didn't know we signed up for a history lesson," Okuyasu quipped, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Josuke paused for a second but chose to ignore Okuyasu, continuing his conversation with Koichi. The slight, however, didn't go unnoticed. Okuyasu could feel the familiar burn of anger rising inside him, but he kept it in check. He knew he'd have his chance to get under Josuke's skin eventually.

Reimi, sensing the tension, tried to lighten the mood. "So, who thinks this place is actually haunted?" she asked, a playful lilt in her voice.

Before Okuyasu could respond, Josuke looked over his shoulder and said casually, "Haunted or not, it's probably better company than some people around here."

Okuyasu clenched his fists, biting back a snap back, his irritation growing.

The group finally reached the entrance to the wine cellar, a heavy, imposing door that looked like it hadn't been opened in years. The lock was old and wobbly, barely holding the door shut. Koichi hesitated for a moment, then pushed the door open with a loud creak.

They stepped into the wine cellar, their surroundings bathed in the dim light filtering through a small, dirty window near the ceiling. The cellar was enormous, with row after row of shelves filled with dusty bottles. The air was cold and damp, and the smell of old wine and mildew was almost overwhelming.

"Wow," Reimi said, her voice echoing softly in the vast space. "This place is huge."

Okuyasu looked around, impressed despite himself. He noticed a particularly large bottle of wine on one of the lower shelves and couldn't resist. He reached out, pulling it off the shelf with a grin. "Anyone up for a drink?" he joked, holding the bottle up.

Josuke turned to him with a serious look. "Put it back, Okuyasu. It's not yours, and this isn't a joke. It's disrespectful."

Okuyasu rolled his eyes, the anger bubbling up again. "Oh, lighten up, Josuke. It's just an old bottle in an abandoned house. No one's gonna care."

Josuke stepped closer, his tone firm. "That doesn't make it right. You can't just do whatever you want."

Reimi, sensing the argument brewing, stepped between them, her hands up in a placating gesture. "Hey, guys, come on. We're supposed to be having fun, remember?"

But Okuyasu ignored her, glaring at Josuke. "Since when did you become the morality police? Oh, wait—you've always been like this, haven't you? Always trying to act like you're better than everyone else."

Josuke's eyes flashed with anger, but he didn't back down. "This isn't about being better. It's about respect, something you seem to have forgotten."

Before things could escalate further, Koichi, who had been silent on the side-lines, finally had enough. "This is so childish. If you two want to fight, fine, but I'm not sticking around for it." He walked toward the cellar door, reaching for the handle.

But as soon as he tugged on it, the old, wobbly lock gave way, and the heavy door swung shut with a loud bang. The sound echoed ominously in the cellar, the finality of it sending a chill down everyone's spine.

Koichi immediately tried to open the door again, but the handle wouldn't budge. He tugged harder, then turned to the others, panic starting to creep into his voice. "It's stuck. The lock's completely broken."

Okuyasu's heart skipped a beat as the reality of the situation set in. They were trapped. The thick stone walls of the cellar blocked out any signal, leaving them with no way to call for help.

Great. Just great.

Josuke, always the calm one, stepped forward to examine the door. "We'll have to wait until someone notices we're missing. They'll come looking for us eventually."

Reimi tried to keep her voice light, but there was a tremor in it. "At least we're all together, right?"

But Okuyasu wasn't so sure. The cellar, once a place of intrigue, now felt like a prison. The walls seemed to close in, the air growing colder by the minute, despite there being no windows. Being trapped was enough for him, but with Josuke, made it the worst possible scenario...