*AI Translated
They may seem like ordinary short stories, but the moment you understand their hidden meaning, a chill runs down your spine—this is FUN! JAPAN’s popular “Meaning Horror” series. From beginner-friendly creepy tales to advanced-level twists, from famous scary stories to mind-bending short horror that you’ll want to reread, we’ve gathered every type of “gets scarier once you understand it” horror in one place. This compilation highlights the best bone-chilling short stories—from quick, scary reads to deeper tales where the fear unfolds the moment everything clicks.
You Forgot Something!｜Scary stories when you understand the meanings
This happened when I was working as a delivery driver.
I was working as both a driver and a delivery person. My job was to deliver packages to specific addresses.
One time, I had to deliver a package to a 20-story apartment building.
The recipient's room was on the 19th floor, so of course, since it would be tough to walk up 19 flights of stairs, I took the elevator.
There were two elevators, but one was under repair and couldn't be used. So, I took the other one.
The owner of the room was a beautiful woman. Her gentle-looking outfit left a strong impression.
Maybe it was because she was so beautiful.
I was so nervous that after handing her the signature sheet, I forgot to take back the pen she used to sign.
But as soon as I got out of the elevator and was about to head back to my car, I suddenly heard a sound from behind me.
“You forgot something!”
Of course, the voice belonged to the woman from the room where I had just delivered the package. She was holding the pen in her hand.
I hurriedly thanked her and took the pen, but...
Then, I realized something that made my hair stand on end.
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That was pretty easy, right? If you still don't get it, feel free to check the answer at the end!
Let's move on! The next one is a bit more difficult!
Hit-and-Run｜Scary stories when you understand the meanings
I was the victim of a hit-and-run and had to be hospitalized for a while, but I was finally discharged.
A former close friend came to visit me at home.
“I'm sorry I couldn't visit you in the hospital at all.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Did you see the culprit’s face?”
“No, they disappeared so quickly that I don’t remember.”
“I see.”
“You be careful too, okay?”
“Yeah, I’m heading home now. Next time, I’ll definitely come visit you in the hospital!”
“Thanks.”
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That was still pretty easy, right? Okay, next!
🕯What’s the real meaning behind this story? Read the explanation now
The Son’s Premonition｜Scary stories when you understand the meanings
My son had a strange habit.
Sometimes, he would point at people’s faces (in photos or on screens) with his finger.
Recently, I realized something: anyone he pointed at would die within three days.
Today, as I was about to turn on the TV, my son pointed at the screen.
A famous figure appeared on the TV.
Ah, so this person is going to die…
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Many of you are probably wondering who the person on TV was! But wait, if you try to recreate the situation, you’ll figure it out right away!
Now then, let’s move on to the final story!
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My Sister’s Atelier｜Scary stories when you understand the meanings
This is a story from when I was a student.
I have an older sister who works as an art teacher.
She rented an old-fashioned apartment with a bedroom, kitchen, and living room to use as her art studio.
But it wasn’t for living in—she used it only for painting.
It seemed like a waste not to live there when she was renting it!
So I asked, “Can you let me use one of the rooms so I can live alone?”
The first day of living alone. I was excited as I returned to the atelier.
My sister told me, “Make sure to lock up,” so as soon as I got back, I locked the front door with the chain.
Then I made dinner, read a book, and enjoyed my first night living on my own.
Before I knew it, it was already midnight. I double-checked the locks and the gas valve, then went to bed.
Some time later, around 2 or 3 a.m., I heard the front door open.
I wondered if my sister had come to paint.
Working at this hour—she really is a workaholic, I thought sleepily, as she entered the room next to where I was sleeping.
The next room was where she kept her art supplies and canvases.
I could hear my sister muttering and laughing to herself.
“Artists and weirdos really are two sides of the same coin.”
That’s what I thought as I drifted off to sleep.
When I woke up in the morning, my sister was gone. I guess she had already left.
I came to respect my sister’s passion for painting. Then I got ready to leave the apartment.
When I tried to open the front door, I was suddenly overcome with fear.
Since then, I have never set foot in that art room again.
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The wish｜Scary stories when you understand the meanings
A shooting star landed by the girl.
"I'll grant you one wish"
said the star.
The girl was crying.
"Please erase my family from existence,
I don't want that kind of family anymore."
The next day the girl woke up
she went downstairs
She saw her mother, father and brother as usual.
The girl regretted.
That night, the star appeared in front of the girl again.
"Do you like it?"
The girl said
"Please undo yesterday's request."
The star said
"Once a wish has been granted, it cannot be undone."
the girl cried.
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Property with History｜Scary stories when you understand the meanings
I left my parent's house and started living alone in Tokyo.
The room I rented was a small room of size about 6 tatami mats,
It was an apartment that had been around for a long time,
I decided to live there because it seems to be a property with history of people passing away in the rooms and the rent is very cheap.
About two weeks after taking the first step towards living alone, the chime at the front door suddenly rang.
A weakly-looking man in his fifties stood at the entrance and began to say,
"I live downstairs,
Frankly, I am not angry,
But I can't help minding the sound of your footsteps.
Could you please be a little more careful?”
However, there was something incomprehensible about the story.
I wasn't home as I went on a trip on the date the man told me.
I'm sure I'm misunderstanding something, but it's troublesome.
I ended up just apologizing him properly.
A week later he came again.
The man looks like he's holding a paper bag
He opened the door and handed it to me,
He said, "Use it."
When I look inside the bag, it was an expensive soundproof mat looks like it is used in hotels
"Is it the right size?
I live in the room right beneath yours, so the floor plan should be the same."
I felt it was a little creepy, but I got some pretty good stuff.
I guess I can say I was lucky.
I got various soundproof sheets from him in the similar manner.
Now that the room has became a soundproof environment where almost no sound leaks
I even bought a guitar to try my hand at musical instruments.
I also found a new hobby.
I wonder what he'll bring next.
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Thicket｜Scary stories when you understand the meanings
There is a thicket in the town where I live
There have been some strange rumors lately.
Apparently in the middle of the night
There are appearances of woman's spirit.
I'm 31 years old this year
I don't think there have ever been rumors of ghosts in this town before.
That's why I felt bad when I heard this rumor.
However, since long ago I am a restless type.
Hearing such rumors,
It makes me want to see with my own eyes whether it's true or not.
Today at 2 o'clock in the morning, I will go to the thicket
I decided to find out if ghosts really existed.
2:15 am.
Finally I reached the thicket.
No such psychic phenomenon occurred.
I thought it was just a bluff
I was relieved
But after a while
I saw the shadow of a woman in the depths of the forest.
When I timidly turn the light of the flashlight
There was a woman in a suit.
At that moment, the woman turned her back to me.
The woman didn't have the back part of her head.
She seemed to be saying something
"Give me back my brain"
Or so to me in a thin voice.
I was trembling with fear, but I also thought to myself,
"Hmm, there is no need to panic..."
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The Mirror of Truth｜Scary stories when you understand the meanings
A doctor is showing patient a mirror.
Taro: Is this a mirror that reflects the truth? There's no way my true self is that ugly old lady.
Miki: That's not a funny joke at all. Who is this? My future self? Isn't it Just a complete stranger?
Shota: But I'm a boy. Am i a girl? I don't know anymore.
Umeko: Myself when I was young? Well, I was a little more beautiful though.
Hanako: What is this? It's just a normal mirror, right? Which part of the mirror that actually reflects the truth? It's so stupid.
Doctor: Alright, let's go with Hanako.
Takeshi: I'll kill you!
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Funeral｜Scary stories when you understand the meanings
I was terribly scolded by my mother for playing hide and seek with my cousins of the same age because my grandfather's funeral was boring.
"We're about to start the procession, sit still!", she said.
Even though they were my cousins, there were many of them, some I had met a few times, but others I didn't know at all.
The other kids were also scolded.
As we all sat quietly, a bus arrived.
"We're a large family with 10 siblings.
We're going to the crematorium by bus", my mother said.
We obediently got on the bus because I didn't want to be scolded again.
There's an aunty who doesn't get on the bus alone.
She seems flustered,
running around calling someone's name.
But the bus has then left.
Is a funeral always like this?
They tell us to stay still,
but adults themselves make a big fuss, so I hate it.
Why do we have to answer all these questions from the police
just because we attended a funeral?
Why my grandfather's cremated remains has bones of two people,
the police asked so, but I don't know the answer.
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Family Drive｜Scary stories when you understand the meanings
Ibelong to a family of four, with my parents and a younger sister.
One day, we all went for a drive. I was the one driving.
As we were driving along a mountain road, we approached a long curve.
As I slowed down to take the turn, a car came from behind at a high speed.
The car hit us from behind, and our car fell off the cliff.
While I miraculously survived, my sister and mother unfortunately passed away. My father, however, is still missing.
It seems that the car that hit us fled the scene.
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Pretending to be Sick｜Scary stories when you understand the meanings
Today is the sports day I hate so much.
I wish I could take a day off... That's it! I'll pretend to be sick!
Dad told me to take my temperature...
What should I do... Oh, right!! Thermometer, thermometer... Here it is. Our thermometer is such an old model.
...Oops!! This is bad...
Sigh... My daughter is such a handful.
No matter how much she hates the sports day, pretending to be sick to skip it is not acceptable.
When I urged her to take her temperature, she said after a while that the thermometer was broken.
Did she break the thermometer so she couldn't take her temperature? However, she seemed to look a bit pale, so to be safe, I had my wife take her to the hospital.
Ah... the hot tea I just made has cooled down.
The taste isn't good because it's lukewarm.
She really is a troublesome daughter.
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Ruins｜Scary stories when you understand the meanings
One day, I decided to go to a deserted building that looked like a two-story apartment to test my courage with a friend.
Since it was still around noon, we went up to the second floor of the building and explored it.
Then, we found a door among the ones lined up that had some writing on it.
When my friend and I approached to check it, in front of the door, it was written:
"I am in the room ahead".
My friend and I opened the door and decided to go inside.
We came across a place with rooms on both sides, and on the wall, it was written
"Head is to the left, body is to the right".
The moment my friend saw this, he became half-crazed and ran away.
But I stayed in that place and decided to muster up the courage to go to the room on the right.
As I entered the room and moved forward, I saw a clean floor with nothing on it.
On the wall at the end, it was written
"My body is down here".
As I was looking down:
"My head is coming out of the room on the left, don't look behind"
I hurriedly jumped out of the window of that room and ran away.
Since then, I have not approached that place.
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Best Friend｜Scary stories when you understand the meanings
Friend: "I'm really sorry."
Me: "Hey, stop it!"
Friend: "My sister... my sister is sick... I need money..."
Me: "Are you okay? Get yourself together!"
Friend: "...thanks......"
Me: "Tw... no, if 100,000 yen is enough for you, I'll lend it to you."
Friend: "Thank you so much... and, um... how should I say this..."
Me: "Cheer up man, if you're okay with leftovers from dinner, eat up."
Friend: "Thank you..."
Me: "...what are you saying man? Besides, aren't we best friends?"
Friend: "Actually, I was thinking of killing myself... If you weren't here, I would have already..."
Me: "Don't mind it man."
Friend: "Sorry, I know it's so late at night."
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Change of Heart｜Scary stories when you understand the meanings
I wanna kill myself and getaway from everything
I've had enough
Superficial relationships
Things like that are of no use to me
Such a life
Repeating the same thing everyday
It's all too much
Even if I blame everything on difficulty of finding a job
I kept failing my interviews
For me, there is no point in living.
No, I can't give up now
Maybe I should reconsider suicide...
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Message from Girlfriend｜Scary stories when you understand the meanings
It's been two weeks since she found out I cheated on her.
My girlfriend, who hadn't contacted me at all for a long while, finally let me into her room.
But the atmosphere was awkward and time just passed without either of us saying a word.
I couldn't stand the tension and escaped to the bathroom.
When I glanced to the side, I noticed something written in pen on the edge of the toilet paper.
I wonder what it is.
As I nervously pulled out the paper, I found a message from her written on it.
The message spanned several lines.
I pulled out all the paper and read it as if savoring every word.
From Mami
You betrayed me. That is the fact
But I think I will just reset it all
The treasured every day I spent with you.
I realized that it is important to me.
To break everything apart.
It's something unforgivable, isn't it?
Your affair,
I will forget it all. That girl and
The relationship with you, I’m putting it all behind
We were both in pain, me and
You were suffering enough, I will put you at ease
Let's end it all here. Together.
To Takashi
Tears started to overflow from my eyes. I can sense that Mami is waiting outside the door right now.
I should go out quickly and hug her.
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