Seungmin and Jeongin practically skipped ahead of us, pointing at coasters and chattering to each other, although it was mostly Jeongin who was chattering, ready for another heart-stopping thrill of a ride.

Felix and I, however, were still clinging onto each other from only the first attraction. My hands were shaking, my heart was pounding, I felt dizzy, and I think both of us passed out at some point.

Looking over to the person standing beside me, Felix's soul seemed to have left his body, and although it was slowly coming back to him, he wasn't gaining it back fast enough and had to lean on me as we tried to keep up with the energetic thrill-seekers leading the way in front of us.

"Guys, please... slow down," I called to the two cousins as we tried to keep up with them, my voice hoarse from screaming and nearly drained of all life and joy.

In response, Seungmin stopped and pointed across the path with a firm "That one." Jeongin smiled, nodding in agreement.

Felix and I followed Seungmin's pointed finger up to the coaster that I had seen from the entrance. Bathed in green lights, the faux rock-formation entrance was crested with a crossbones of two screws, and the white letters in sharp font glitched eerily as they displayed the name 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘤. 

Our eyes continued upward beyond the entrance to the ride, and we watched as the empty train of seats shot up, then dropped at an overwhelming speed. The carts suddenly tipped to the side before turning completely upside down over a body of water while still going at a deathly terrifying acceleration. The low green lights scattered under the tracks cast an unsettling glow on the skull and crossbones of screws painted on the front. 

I gasped through my teeth, and upon seeing the speed and height of the coaster up close, I was fully convinced that this horrifyingly breathtaking monstrosity of a ride was 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 the main attraction here. 

Felix's eyes followed the empty cart for a moment longer in consternation as it dipped and turned, swinging upside down again before beginning another ascent, leading to a second drop.

His mouth dropped open, and he furrowed his brows in indignation. "Oh, 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬 no!"

I shared the sentiment. "There's 𝘯𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘺 I'm getting on that," I pointed upwards at the monolith coaster, which had slowed and began the return to the loading platform as the ride came to an end.

Seungmin rolled his eyes at us as if we were exasperating him for no reason. "You're not going to die. Stop being dramatic." He stepped forward, leading us into the entrance, and Jeongin promptly followed him like a faithful puppy.

I tried to stutter out a vindication, but my words caught in my throat as we reluctantly shuffled in behind them. Holding onto Felix, I gripped his hand tighter.

"𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺? 𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦— 𝘰𝘳 — 𝘰𝘥𝘥 — 𝘰𝘳 — 𝘋𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦... 𝘖𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺?" A low voice glitched as it whispered creepily through the speakers at the platform.  The train of carts returned, coming to a whooshing stop and resting patiently for the next courageous riders.

Once they had slipped under the roped barriers separating them from the train of seats now docked in the loading platform, the fearless puppy and fox duo immediately seated themselves in the front row, pulling the lap bars down with a brave enthusiasm that I admired, but didn't really covet.

Jeongin calmly rested his hands in his lap, more than ready for the ride in store for him. He eyed us in confusion as we stood on the platform, just watching them. "Aren't you guys getting in?" He nodded to the rows of seats behind him, an eyebrow raised.

I scoffed at his blissfully ignorant audacity. "Ha! No."

This ride already sounded crazy enough — but I really would be a Maniac if I got on it.

"You'll have to drag me out of my 𝘧𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦 to get me on. Thanks for asking, though," Felix seconded with a passive-aggressive smirk. 

Jeongin, realizing our intentions, tugged at the lap bar, trying to get it off him so he could drag our "cowardly asses," in his words, onto the ride. The lap bar didn't budge however, and Seungmin only sighed, resting his head back against his seat, not even bothering to try to convince us further.

Chilling notes from an electric guitar rang through the speakers as the ride started up again, inching into the darkness ahead, the tracks grinding underneath the train as it was hauled forward at an agonizingly slow speed — the calm before the storm.

Seungmin rolled his shoulders, cracked his neck and braced himself with an abnormally nonchalant serenity as Jeongin went off like a firecracker beside him, telling us off until the last moment.

With a smirk, Felix ignored him and waved politely with the hand that wasn't holding mine. "Have fun~" he teased, watching as the cart jerked and jolted with the beat of the music, adding suspense.

The music became louder, the notes more prominent, building until it completely stopped.

A foreshadowing "𝘓𝘦𝘵'𝘴 𝘨𝘰!" from the speakers sent the train of seats launching forward into the darkness ahead like a gunshot starting off a race.

One second, the two were there, in front of us, the next second, they were gone.

I gasped at the speed of the ride as Seungmin and Jeongin quickly disappeared in a blur of green, leaving the loading platform empty except for Felix and I, Jeongin's cries echoing back to us and lingering in the air like a melancholy reminder of his presence, now gone. 

Felix smiled, subconsciously swinging my hand as he nodded towards the entrance. I followed him as we made our way out, both of us relieved that we weren't dragged on and somehow made it out of that situation. 

A distant scream from the twisting coaster reached our ears as we emerged from the 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘤 station and arrived back onto the main path. Looking up at the tracks where the piercing cry had come from, Felix shielded his eyes, as if that would help him spot the source of the noise through the darkness. 

I followed his gaze, trying to catch a glimpse of the coaster, whizzing across the tracks in a blur. "Was that... Jeongin?"

Shaking his head, Felix replied, "No  I think it was... Seungmin?"

Showing him a smirk, I eyed him with playfully sly intent, seeing an opportunity for a little gamble, which I could never let slip away. "500 won says it was Jeongin."

He met my gaze, an expression spreading on his face which mirrored mine. Wiggling his eyebrows, he stated in English with his signature heavy Australian accent, "A'ight, bet!"

After solidifying our bet with wide grins and a business-like handshake, we turned to watch the 𝘔𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘤 for another second, our eyes glued to the now upside-down train of carts, the two lone riders of which were too distant to see clearly. 

"You think they'll be okay?" I asked, squinting in an attempt to read the expressions on the far-away faces. 

"Um... " Felix paused uncertainly as he watched the coaster twist and turn like a furious bull in a rodeo, his brows furrowing with slight concern before he quickly changed his demeanor. "Yeah, they should be fine." He swatted a hand towards the coaster, showing disinterest. 

Turning his back to the dangerously fast and wild ride, he pointed across the park at the Ferris Wheel, speaking English now that it was just us. "Should we go there?"

I nodded, and he tightened his hold on my hand with a smile. 

We started off in the opposite direction towards the Ferris Wheel, whimsical and bright like a beacon for the entire park, leaving Seungmin and Jeongin behind.