The buses slowly moved away from the school premises, carrying excited students towards an unknown destination.
Inside, the atmosphere was lively. Students chatted across the aisles, exchanged snacks and took pictures through the windows. A few had already connected their phones to headphones, while others were busy discussing what they expected from the excursion.
For most of them, it was the beginning of a memorable holiday.
The five friends were seated together, watching the familiar streets pass by.
"So, how long do you think this journey will take?" Kito asked, looking outside.
"How would we know? They haven't even told us where we're going," Weng replied.
"That's exactly why I'm asking."
"Then ask the Principal."
Kito gave him an unimpressed look.
"Very funny."
Aien glanced towards the front of the bus. Their teachers were occupied with attendance and making sure everyone remained seated.
"Just relax. We have plenty of time."
"Easy for you to say," Jikatori remarked. "You've been sitting quietly since we left."
"Would you prefer me to start singing?"
"Absolutely not."
The others laughed.
The conversation continued as the bus moved through the city. Buildings, shops and familiar roads gradually passed behind them. The morning traffic was relatively busy, but the driver seemed accustomed to the route.
After some time, the buses left the more crowded streets and entered a wider highway.
The scenery began to change.
Tall buildings became less frequent, replaced by open stretches of land, scattered houses and occasional patches of woodland.
Some students leaned towards the windows, trying to identify the places they passed.
"Look at that! We're finally leaving the city," someone exclaimed.
"Maybe we're heading towards the mountains!"
"Or maybe it's a forest resort."
The guesses started again.
Meanwhile, the five friends continued their conversation.
Jikatori had begun entertaining himself by commenting on the passing scenery, while Kito occasionally interrupted him with his own observations.
Weng, who had been listening quietly, eventually turned towards them.
"Can you two keep it down?"
"Why?" Jikatori asked.
"Because you're talking as if the entire bus belongs to you."
"Well, someone has to keep everyone entertained."
"You're doing a terrible job."
Aien shook his head, amused by their exchange.
For a while, everything remained ordinary.
The buses continued along the highway, and the students gradually settled into the rhythm of the journey.
Some began sleeping, while others continued chatting.
A few hours passed.
The roads became less familiar, and the surroundings changed once again. The open stretches of land were gradually replaced by uneven terrain and distant hills.
Inside the bus, the excitement had started to settle.
Hikara looked outside for a moment before turning towards the others.
"Have you noticed something?"
"What?" Enori asked.
"We've been travelling for quite a while, but I don't recognise any of these places."
"That's because we're going somewhere we've never been," Kito replied.
"Obviously. That's not what I meant."
Weng looked out of the window.
"The road has changed, too."
Aien followed his gaze. The highway they had been travelling on was now narrower, with fewer vehicles around them.
He glanced towards the front.
"Maybe we're taking a different route."
The thought didn't seem particularly concerning at first.
After all, the destination was supposed to be a surprise.
But a little later, something unusual happened.
The bus slowed down as the driver approached a junction. He looked at the road signs, then briefly checked something near the dashboard.
The vehicle behind them also slowed.
A few students noticed the change.
"Why did we stop?" someone asked.
"Maybe there's a traffic problem."
The driver spoke briefly with another driver through the window before continuing.
The buses took a different road.
Inside, the five friends exchanged glances.
"Was that supposed to happen?" Kito asked.
"How would I know?" Jikatori replied.
"You're always the one who claims to know everything."
"That's because I usually do."
"Not helpful," Weng interrupted.
The journey continued.
However, the road seemed increasingly unfamiliar. The occasional roadside shops and houses had disappeared. Trees and uneven stretches of land now dominated the view.
Even the other students had begun noticing the change.
"Are we still going the right way?" someone asked.
A teacher standing near the front reassured them.
"Don't worry. The drivers are following the instructions."
The answer settled some of the uneasiness, but it didn't completely disappear.
Another stretch of road passed.
Then the bus slowed again.
This time, the driver stopped near a roadside junction and stepped out to speak with the driver of the bus ahead.
The students began whispering among themselves.
"What's happening now?"
"Did we miss a turn?"
"Maybe the road is closed."
The teachers tried to keep everyone calm.
"Please remain seated. There's no need to panic."
The five friends watched through the windows.
Aien noticed that the drivers seemed uncertain about which road to take.
"Something's wrong," he said quietly.
Hikara nodded.
"Looks like they aren't sure about the direction."
"Maybe the navigation system isn't working," Enori suggested.
"Then why don't they ask someone?" Kito asked.
No one had an immediate answer.
After a short discussion, the drivers returned to their vehicles. The buses started moving again, taking another turn.
The road ahead stretched between thick trees and uneven ground.
The surroundings were becoming increasingly isolated.
The students who had been excited earlier were now looking out of the windows with curiosity and concern.
Some tried checking their phones, but the network signal was weak.
"Does anyone have internet?" a student asked.
"I've got one bar."
"Mine isn't working."
The teachers exchanged brief looks.
At the front, the driver concentrated on the road.
The bus continued forward.
A little later, the road became rougher. The vehicle shook slightly as it passed over uneven sections.
Several students held onto their seats.
"Can someone tell me where we are?" Jikatori muttered.
"Nobody knows," Weng replied.
"Great. Just great."
Hikara looked towards the others.
"Let's wait. The drivers will figure something out."
But even he wasn't entirely convinced.
The buses continued along the unfamiliar route until the road ahead began narrowing.
The driver reduced his speed.
A few moments later, he appeared to notice something ahead and turned the steering wheel.
The bus moved towards the side of the road.
Then everything happened very quickly.
A sudden disturbance shook the vehicle.
Students cried out as the bus lurched violently. Bags shifted, several passengers lost their balance, and the sound of something striking the vehicle echoed through the interior.
The driver struggled to regain control.
The bus veered off its path before coming to an abrupt halt.
For a moment, there was silence.
Then came the voices.
"Is everyone okay?"
"What happened?"
"Teacher!"
The teachers immediately began checking on the students and asking everyone to remain calm.
The five friends looked around, trying to understand what had happened.
"Are you all right?" Aien asked.
The others nodded.
Hikara looked towards the windows.
Outside, the surroundings were unfamiliar.
There were trees in every direction, and the road they had been travelling on was no longer clearly visible from where the bus had stopped.
"Where are we?" Kito asked.
No one answered.
The teachers moved towards the front to speak with the driver.
The driver appeared shaken but was able to respond. He explained that he had lost control while trying to negotiate the difficult stretch of road.
The students began talking over one another.
Some wanted to call their parents, while others were asking whether another bus had stopped nearby.
The teachers instructed everyone to stay together and wait until they understood the situation.
A few minutes passed.
The atmosphere inside the bus became increasingly uncomfortable.
Outside, the other buses were nowhere to be seen from their current position.
Hikara looked at the others.
"Did the other buses take a different route?"
"Maybe they stopped somewhere ahead," Enori replied.
"Then why can't we see them?"
Weng didn't respond.
Aien looked towards the bus door.
The teacher finally approached the driver and asked him to open it.
A faint mechanical sound followed.
The bus door slowly opened.
Cold air entered the vehicle.
One by one, the students began looking towards the exit.
"Everyone, please get down carefully," a teacher instructed. "Don't push. Stay together and wait for further instructions."
The first few students stepped outside.
The others followed.
Hikara and his friends remained together as they approached the open doorway.
Beyond it lay an unfamiliar stretch of land, surrounded by trees and silence.
They had expected an excursion.
They had expected a journey.
But they had never expected to end up somewhere like this.
And as the last of them stepped off the bus, the reality of their situation began to settle in.
They were lost.