Harem of Side Characters [Rewrite]

Special - ???

As I began to regain consciousness, I found myself lying in a dimly lit hallway. Rubbing my head to try and shake off the haze of unconsciousness that clouded my mind, I realize I was not alone here. Hundreds of students were present, some unconscious while others were slowly but surely getting up from the floor.

"A...Ayanokouji?" A familiar voice breaks me from my thoughts for a second. "W-what happened?" Mori whispered, voice barely above a whisper. The girl shakily stood up, leaning against a wall for support.

"I don't know," I replied as I surveyed the scene around me. "But something's not right."

The hallway was eerie, with cold, stone walls that seemed to press into us from all sides. The floor was rough and uneven, with patches of dampness that made the air feel thick and heavy.

As the studends struggled to their feet, panic began to settle in.

"W-what's going on..." "Where are we?"

Multiple students said something similar. A lot were on the verge of tears from fear.

"Everyone, stay calm! We can't let panic overwhelm us." The voice of Mashima-sensei echoes throughout the hallway. The presence of an authority figure would definitely help the situation, so I'm thankful that he's here. "It seems that all the respective teachers and their classes are here. Before anything, we need to make sure no one is missing. Students, please gather with your class!"

"You heard him. " Sae-sensei leans against a nearby wall as first year Class D gathers around her.

"Sensei, how can you be so calm in this situation!? We could be kidnapped!" Miyamoto yelled.

"And what is yelling and crying going to do? It's better to keep a clear head instead of panicking." Sae-sensei replied. However, I could see the knuckles in her left hand turn white due to how hard she's gripping her skirt. She's clearly as nervous as us.

I hear someone sniffling behind me.

"...Kokoro?"

"...I-I don't... like this... I-I'm so... s-scared... I... want... to go home..." She mutters. Not knowing what to do, I reached out and gave her a hug.

"...It's going to be alright." I attempt to confort her as she clings onto me and cries into my chest.

"It seems that everyone is here. Now, it could be dangerous so make sure everyone sticks together! We need to find an escape route so keep your eyes open." The next set of orders were given. As instructed, the entire student body moved as a unit down the seemingly endless hallway.

"Jeez, what is this place. Is it the Backrooms or something?" Ryoko loudly mutters. Everyone stared at her. "...I was trying to lighten the mood, come on."

After a few minutes of walking, finally some news arrived.

"Hey! There's a door here!" I could hear Sayo's voice call out from the other side of the hallway. Walking towards her, I stare at the set of massive doors looming before us. The doors were dark and imposing, with intricate carvings that seemed to writhe and twist in the dim light. Could this be our source of escape?

"It's locked!" Sakagami-sensei yells as he pulls on the door with all his might. Everyone sighed in dissapointment.

"Ayanokouji, what do you think of this scenario?" Horikita approaches me during the commotion.

"I'm not sure." I reply as I glance forward and back. "...The hallway seems to go on forever. I don't think traversing it further would benefit us as it will only lower morale. So, I suppose the only thing left is to figure out how to get the door open.