Noah's eyes gazed upon the hand offered by the last member of the Paranormal Research Club—
Offered to join a community dedicated to researching the unknown that lurked beyond the sight of ordinary people...
He looked back up to the owner of that offer—Sophia Hawthorne—who graced him with a smile that promised him an unforgettable experience that would definitely shake his world...
Closing his eyes, he returned her beautiful smile with a gentle smile of his own...
"No."
"...Pardon?"
In that moment, the heartwarming atmosphere instantly crumbled.
Sophia's eyes widened; her jaw practically hit the ground.
Meanwhile, Noah kept his closed-eyes smile, completely unconcerned that he had just ruined this dramatic moment between him and this enthusiastically overinvested senior of his because—
"Sorry, but no. I'm not interested in any of this paranormal stuff."
"Wha—?!"
"Wha—?!"
His blunt rejection not only shocked Sophia, but even Evangeline—who had been quietly tuning in from the side!
"W-what do you mean, junior?! Are you not interested in the amazing world of paranormal?!" Sophia panicked, leaning in way too close to Noah's face!
"That's right, wretched mortal woman! Explain yourself, mortal!" Evangeline barked, also shoving her face at him. "H-have you grown to dislike me, Noah...?!"
"...Tch! Back off already!"
Noah pushed both of them away, his annoyance hitting its limit!
"Like hell I'm gonna join some weirdo-ass club—especially not one involving more paranormal bullshit!" he snapped while still trying to fend off their synchronized assault. "I already have enough problems as it is—why the hell would I sign up for more?!"
After finally clawing back a safe radius of personal space, Noah turned around—walking out of the booth.
"...Thanks for the offer, but I'm not interested—"
"Wait, wait, wait—!"
"—?! What the—?! H-hey!?"
She suddenly latched onto his leg—! Preventing him from taking even one more step!
"Junior, please! Just listen to me for one second—!" Sophia begged, clinging to his leg like her entire life depended on it...!
"W-what the hell are you doing...?!" Noah barked at her, wobbling as he tried to shake her off from his leg.
What was worse—
"Hey, what's going on there...?"
"Lover's quarrel...?"
"Maybe a club's demonstration...?"
Everyone around their booth was whispering and gawking at the ridiculous scene unfolding between him and Sophia, which made it even worse for him to deal with...!
Even Evangeline was shocked—silenced by the scene before her as she floated above with a condescending stare, as if witnessing some pitiful mortal ritual.
Feeling rather flustered by the accumulating stares, Noah tried to pry her off from him! "Ugh...! Get off already—!"
"No, I refuse! Not until you reconsider!"
"I did reconsider—the answer is still no!"
"But whyyyy...?!" Sophia whined, puffing up her cheeks in frustration. "Even though I used my best sales persona on you, y'know... especially my cool, passionate, mysterious-senior act too...!"
"Really? That's all an act...?" He muttered, a deadpan stare toward the overly dramatic senior of his.
"Of course it was!" she cried, before her face collapsed into a pout. "That was supposed to be my best attempt at applying my business skills to appeal to you... I mean, you looked like the type it would work on~!"
"...You're one heck of a rude senior, and like hell that's gonna work on me," he retorted with clear irritation, "...It almost worked though..."
"What was that, my dear junior~?"
"N-nevermind that—! And for the last time—"
He grabbed under her arms, trying to pry her off again—
"—I'm not joining your club...! I already have enough crap going on with my life, so stop trying to recruit me like some desperate cult recruiter—!"
"...I am desperate!"
Sophia's shout rang through the air, silencing everyone...!
But it wasn't just a bluff nor a tantrum. Instead, it was genuine desperation.
Sophia, still latched on, gazed up at him with trembling eyes. "...If the club doesn't get enough members by the end of the semester... we're getting disbanded."
"...So you were really serious, huh."
"Yeah... we really need people, junior... Like—really, really need people..." She clung tighter, voice deflating into a soft, miserable whine. "So far only two or three visitors came by before you... and they ran away before I even finished my greeting..."
Noah stared down at her with a semblance of pity... at this rather pathetic, clinging senior whose pride she had completely thrown away—
"I want to keep this club going... I don't want it to be just forgotten... after all the sweat, tears, and blood that all of us have poured into this..."
...For the club that she held precious...
Noah was... conflicted. He wasn't exactly moved by the notion, but... he was at least softened by her sincerity.
"...So, no one's interested in the club?" he inquired, this time with a gentler voice.
"Barely anyone..." she mumbled, shoulders slumping in defeat, "apparently occult stuff isn't exactly popular right now..."
"...You don't say..." he muttered, looking back at the bizarre assortment of those 'occults' that had most likely scared visitors away.
After that, an awkward silence ensued between them, but the female senior was still holding on to her male junior's leg... seemingly not wanting to let this opportunity slip away.
Noah palmed his face, trying to ease his lessening irritation... as a pang of pity was beginning to replace it.
Eventually... he let out a sigh.
"...Fine, I'll... consider joining."
Sophia's eyes widened—shocked as she looked up toward her junior's face...!
"R-really...?"
"Yeah, yeah... I'll see if I can make time for it."
With that confirmation, Sophia's gloomy expression turned radiant—bursting with pure joy...!
She immediately let go of his leg and jumped in joy!
"Hooray~! Hooray~! I got a new member~!"
"I still haven't decided to join the club yet, you know," Noah grumbled, but he couldn't help cracking a smile at her goofy celebration.
"Not to worry—I have confidence that you will join!"
"Heh... is that so."
Evangeline, who had been watching their exchange, floated closer to Noah.
"Are you sure about this, mortal?" she murmured, disbelief but also a hint of curiosity. "Weren't you so against it just now? Why the change of heart...?"
"Well... why not, I guess~?"
"Good grief... again with your usual vagueness..."
Noah only let out a chuckle at his ghost companion's grievance, before turning back toward the still-vibrating-with-joy senior of his.
"Well, I'll take my leave now," he said casually, "I wanna see the other clubs' booths."
"Ah! Is that so?" Sophia perked up as she stopped her hopping—
But then she remembered something.
"Oh! Before you go—!"
She hurriedly pulled out her phone from her pocket, tapping it with frantic excitement—
"I almost forgot to tell you, junior! Our club has a special newcomer's field investigation tonight!"
"Field investigation...?"
"Yup~!" she chimed, flipping her phone toward him. "The club's doing a little field trip to check out this place!"
And what she was showing to Noah was—
An abandoned hospital...!