Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

Jimetsu-hen (The Self-Destruction Chapter)

I am Cursed

Everything dies around me.

I am Cursed

Pandemonium is all I see in my wake.

I am Cursed

I listened to the serpent's venomous words.

I am Cursed

Are you cursed just like me?

Chapter 1: Homecoming

There was a shadowy figure standing before me. He hovered over me. He had broad arms that could snap a neck in half if they grabbed it. He had these eyes, these terrible eyes filled with malice and rage. They filled with evil. He was looking past me. He was looking at another shadowy figure, a small one.

This figure was cowering in fear of the first one. It threw its small arms over itself in defense. The larger figure stomped its feet as it approached the smaller one. The larger one lifted up the small figure and began hitting it. It punched it, kicked it, spat on it, and threw it down to the ground. The large figure began stomping on it. Each stomp made the small figure's bones crack as loud as thunder. It was hurting my ears. I felt tears rolling down my cheeks. I knew this defenseless figure!

I bolted over to the large figure. I was holding something in my hand. It was dark, but I could just make out the curved blade. It was singing to me. It told me strike! It told me to kill him! I plunged it into the back of the large shadow. I kept plunging it into it. I was breathing hard, my body was on fire and my eyes were locked on this creature. I wouldn't stop…I wouldn't stop until it didn't move anymore! I wouldn't let it kill what I loved! I'd kill this monster first!

I sat up in my bed. I was staring down at the covers. Sweat was dripping off of my face and off of my arms. I wiped my arm against my forehead. This was the third nightmare I had in the past week. I thought it couldn't get worse after the first nightmare, but I was dead wrong. They progressively worsened and I had been waking up in a cold sweat. I barely got a good night's sleep because of it.

I crept into the shower to clean myself off. The water made me jump. It was so cold! I nearly slipped and fell because of my excitement! Who used up all of my hot water? It was probably that greasy slob next door! Why on earth did the apartments' water supply have to be connected? I'd murder the bastard who robbed me of my hot shower! Better yet, I'd kill the guy who thought that it was a good idea to connect water supply in the first place!

I threw on my white shirt, my necklace, my long skirt for a change, and put on my shoes. I put on some perfume as well. I had a scheme I wanted to pull today! The sweet scent of white plums would definitely do the trick!

I threw my door open and breathed in the morning air. The air was clear, not a cloud was in the sky, the wind gently kissed my cheek, and the sun was shining brightly. It was so pretty! Every Sunday, better yet, every day should be like this!

I found Kasai standing near the railing outside of my apartment. He was beating an old rug I had in my bedroom. He was wearing this cute pink apron! I wouldn't let him live this down!

"Mornin', Kasai!" I patted his shoulder.

"S-Shion-san!" He turned to face me.

I got a better look at his apron. It wasn't everyday you had the chance to a see a Sonozaki gangster wearing such a girly apron like that! "I love your new attire, Kasai! It matches your eyes! Ahaha!"

Kasai frowned. I caught a glimpse of his eyes through his black sunglasses. He looked so miserable!

"I'm going to head out for work, okay? I'll be back later!" I skipped down the hallway of the top floor of the apartment building.

"Wait a second!"

I faced him. "What's up?"

"Um…" He pointed to my apartment. He looked so embarrassed. "You haven't picked up your underwear like I asked…have you?"

"Oh, whoops! That completely slipped my mind! Sorry!"

Kasai's frown grew. "You know I don't feel comfortable picking up those things…"

"I promise I'll be a better girl next time! I really gotta go! Later, Kasai!" I smiled sweetly and waved. I heard him sigh loudly.

I descended down the stairs as quick as a flash. I jumped onto the sidewalk and twirled around. The air was so crisp! Everything about this morning felt so divine! I strolled down the street, with my hands folded behind my back. I was humming as I walked. I was so carefree!

I passed several people down the sidewalk. Most of them recognized me and gave me a friendly hello. It felt really great. Hinamizawa and Okinomiya were such great places to live; everybody knew who you were and they were always friendly to you! Although if you ticked them off, they wouldn't hesitate to run you out of town! One of my good friends, Maebara Keiichi, found that out the hard way! He was getting ganged up by these obnoxious bikers until the whole city and I stepped in to save him. He was lucky I was there!

After a little while of walking, I arrived at my workplace. It was the most popular restaurant in all of Okinomiya. Angel Mort attracted customers all over the city and even in Hinamizawa. They came for a variety of things. They came for the food, the sweet deserts, and to see all of the beautiful women that worked as waitresses there, but mostly for the waitresses! If it wasn't for bombshells like us, the place probably wouldn't get as much business as it did!

I came in through the front door. My uncle was right behind the cash register, smoking a cigarette.

"Morning, Uncle!"

"He-ey! Shion-chan!" He blew the smoke out of his mouth. "How's my favorite waitress doing today?"

"Pretty good! How about yourself?"

"Not bad! We're gonna be getting a lot of customers today! We're gonna have that all-you-can-eat event in an hour or so! Your sister asked me to give her some coupons for today, so I obliged. She and some of her friends will be here around lunchtime!"

Sis always knew how to work our uncles. It's the charm of the Sonozaki daughters! I couldn't wait to put my own special scheme into action when she and everybody else got here!

"Alright!"

"Also, just a heads up, we're probably gonna get some of those otaku nerds again! Just stay on your toes and keep your head up!"

"Ahaha!" I remembered those nerds very well. I was too foolish back then. I wasn't about to let them take advantage of my newcomer status anymore! "I'll be fine, Uncle! I have a strong boy who will take care of me!"

My uncle looked at me funny. "Oh? Is my little Shion growing up? She's got herself a boyfriend and everything! Haha!"

I went into the dressing room after speaking with my uncle. I changed into the restaurant's uniform. I didn't really mind wearing this outfit anymore. I was extremely timid when I first began working here a month ago, since it was so revealing, but I got used to it. Nobody really bothered me at all when I was working. They'd watch for a little while, but they would never do anything rude, except for the otakus. They were the worst. They would pull all sorts of pranks to make you take care of them. If they tried to do anything funny, I wouldn't let them get away with it!

Last time they came, they were so incredibly rude to me and to my coworkers. I was too afraid to fight back, but Kei-chan, Rena, Satoko, and Rika fought for me! This time, however, I would do everything myself! I wasn't going to be taken advantage of again!

The other girls appeared a few minutes to a half hour later. Customers began to pile in the second we opened the restaurant for business! We served each person very nicely and quickly. After two customers left, six more would take their places. And after those six left, twelve more would come! I was used to this kind of rush, but this was insane!

I was in the kitchen, picking up a few orders, when I saw my sister enter. She had Kei-chan with her. That was so like her! She lured this boy with promises of cakes and cream puffs to find a way into his heart! Sis always beat around the bush with him. She never got around to making her point when it came to something like this. She was deaf and dumb on the subject of romance. She always teased him and made fun of him when her little club gathered together, but she never had the guts to tell him the truth.

No matter how many times she teased him, Kei-chan never picked up on anything. He was so clueless. It wasn't his entire fault though. No matter how many times she wanted to tell him, Sis always chickened out. That's why I took it upon myself to coerce her into confessing her feelings. For the longest time, I had been flirting with Kei-chan, right in Sis' face. She would get so mad at me that I figured she would kill me at some point if I kept this up!

I felt a little bit guilty though. Kei-chan spent most of his time with me and Satoko. Satoko was like my little sister. Satoshi-kun left her in my care and I promised that I would always look out for her. Kei-chan promised her he would look out for her too. We all became so close in such short time. Maybe this would ignite something in Mion. She really had to get these feelings off of her chest. And who better to make her do that than me? It wasn't healthy to bottle up your feelings!

After a while, Rena, Rika, and Satoko entered the restaurant. I received their orders and swiftly had them prepared. I carried them out to everyone.

"Here we go guys!" I placed the cakes, creampuffs, and other sweet delicacies before them. They didn't even notice me. Their eyes were glued to their food. I coughed a little. "Are you going to stare at them or are you gonna eat them?"

"Sh-Shion!" Mion looked at me flabbergasted. Her eyes were so big; she was dismayed to see me here. She even raised her voice to me. "What're you doing here?"

"I work here, Sis! Don't tell me you forgot!" I winked at her.

"Nee-nee!" Satoko rose from her seat and hugged me tightly. I bent over and squeezed her as hard as I could. I sincerely loved this girl. I hated her once because I thought she put so much strain on Satoshi-kun, but I quickly grew to love her. She was a great girl.

"How's everybody doing?"

"We were fine until you showed up!" Sis yelled at me again.

"Oh, don't be that way, Sis!" I reached over the table and patted her hand gently. Though I spoke so sweetly, Mion knew I was messing with her. I could practically see the steam coming out of her ears! "I just wanted to say hello and see how my big sister was doing today!"

"Shut up! J-Just get out of here!"

I laughed. I then turned my eyes from her to Kei-chan. Target sighted! This should make her really mad, I thought. My friendly look morphed into a seductive gaze. I saw his body tremble. Typical!

I strolled provocatively behind him. I climbed up on the seat of the booth behind where he was sitting. I draped my arms over the head of the booth and wrapped them around his neck. The silk of my sleeves brushed against his skin. Each move I performed made him shake even more. It was so amusing to see!

I reached my hands down and my fingers stroked his collar bone. I gently pulled him into my chest. I nestled the back of his head against me. The sensation of his head connecting with my soft skin made his face turn bright red. He seemed to be intoxicated by my perfume as well. He looked so happy! I thought he might die!

"How's my Kei-chan doing today…?" I purred in his ear.

"Kei-chan's fine!" His skin was dancing to my touch. Had he never been touched like this before?

"Mii~!" Rika said, clapping her hands together. "Pachi-pachi! Keiichi's drool is dribble drabbling again!"

"D-Don't you touch him! Leave him alone!" Mion picked up a knife on the table.

"Ahaha! Or what? Don't you see my lover is happy?" I leaned my head over his shoulder. I blew gently into his ear. "Does it feel good…?"

Mion growled loudly and threw her knife at my head. I dashed from the booth I was in just before the knife connected to the headrest. I twirled until I came to the side of their table. I was laughing loudly.

"Hey! You can hurt somebody if you're not careful, Sis!"

"Just leave!" Mion picked up another knife.

"Okay, okay! I'm going! Have a good lunch, you guys!" I waved to them and danced toward the kitchen. If that didn't get Sis angry enough to confess to Kei-chan, then I didn't know what would work!

The rest of the day carried on like normal. Mion and the others finished their food and they went off for a club activity. I would have loved to play with them, but I didn't think Mion would allow it! I already pushed her buttons enough for today! She needed a break!

Before I could get back to work, Satoko tugged at my uniform.

"You're still here, Satoko? Doesn't Sis have new game she wants to play with everyone?"

"Yeah, but I want to take you along!"

"Ahaha! That's very sweet, but I think my sis would go crazy if I showed my face to her so soon after what I did to Kei-chan!"

"Oh, come on! Please?"

I was considering it, but I decided against it in the end. Mion looked livid. I would let her take a breather before I talked to her again.

"I'm sorry, Satoko! I have work to do and I have some important errands to run later! I'll come and see you after I'm through, okay?" I smiled sweetly at her.

She looked disappointed.

I grabbed her and hugged her tightly. "I promise I'll see you afterwards, okay? You can sleep over my house tonight if you want!"

"Better yet!" Satoko's face beamed. "How about you sleep over with Rika and me?"

"You wouldn't mind? I don't want to make Rika uncomfortable!"

"She wouldn't mind!"

Rika appeared behind Satoko. "…I would like it if you came! I really would!"

Rika had this odd smile on her face. It was like she was enticing me to come over and spend the night with her and Satoko. She really wanted me to hang out with them that much? Come to think of it, I think I saw her look depressed when she was speaking to Mion. I think it was about the next club activity.

Rika wanted to play either baseball or a game involving water guns. Mion decided on something that was different from the two, which led Rika to have such a sad disposition. If I said no, she would probably be sad again. I couldn't say no to her and I really wanted to be with Satoko.

"If you're okay with it, then I guess I'll come!"

"Great! Rika and I will cook you a nice dinner! It'll be great!"

I smiled at Satoko brightly. Rika, however, kept smiling at me. She titled her head and closed her eyes.

"Nipa~!"

Satoko and Rika went off to play with Mion and the others. I was about to head back into the kitchen.

"Hey, waitress!" I heard a nasally voice calling from behind me.

I turned around. I saw a group of fat sweaty nerds sitting in a circular booth. One had glasses and some T-shirt depicted a character from some manga. I saw his index finger pointing down to his pants. There was a large glob of ice cream on his crotch. Don't tell me…

"I spilled ice cream all over my new pants! Can you wipe it off for me?"

"I got a better idea!" Another friend of his laughed. "She should lick it off!"

"Hey, that's a great idea! Yeah, get over here and lick it up!"

I narrowed my eyes. I saw my hands curl into fists. I would love to pummel this piece of refuse into a bloody pulp! My brain suddenly acquired an idea. My scowl twisted into a smile.

"Why, certainly!" I skipped over to him. "I'd be happy to take care of that for you!"

He looked at me like I was an alien, but he soon leaned back and relaxed. The fool.

I got on my knees in front of him.

His friends were giggling and he was laughing through his nose.

I pulled something from my uniform's pocket. I held it in my hands and flicked the switch. The blue light flashed before him. The crackling noise made him jump in his seat.

"Now…what did you want me to do again…?" I was slowly inching the stun gun forward to his crotch.

He suddenly sprung from his seat and burst out of the door when the stun gun's prongs were an inch from his pants. I pointed the stun gun at his other friends, as I smiled more and more evilly. They dashed out of Angel Mort before I could even flick the switch again.

I spun my weapon around in my hand and pocketed it. I was smiling triumphantly. The other customers were merely watching me, horrified at what I was about to do to those pigs. My coworkers were cheering me on; they wanted to see me electrocute them so much! I giggled and curtsied to everyone before I went back into the kitchen.

My uncle let me off a few hours early because I had worked so efficiently and quick. I wasn't supposed to be at Satoko's house until later, so I decided to kill some time before I went into Hinamizawa for my errand. I changed back into my original clothes and left the restaurant. I stretched and proceeded down the street. I wondered where I was going to go. It was three o'clock, so I had plenty of time on my hands. This was a challenge. Maybe I would go to Hinamizawa earlier than I planned. Kasai probably wanted the day to himself since I would be gone, so it seemed like the best place to.

Before I decided to go there, I wanted to go to the convenience store. Inside the store, I found some candies and some snacks, along with a few games. I was sure Satoko and Rika would like to play and have a nice dessert after supper! I gathered the items into a basket and continued perusing the store. There were quite a number of people there. Most of them were students who went to school here in the city. I think I heard that they were studying for tests or working on projects that were due during the week. It made me think of St. Lucia.

I cringed at the thought of that horrid school. My grandmother shoved me into that school where I basically had to fend for myself. I got in trouble most of the time, but I couldn't help it. I hated that place. It was one of the worst places I'd ever been to. I would never go back there again.

I heard something coming towards me. The floor clacked to a steady beat of footsteps. I thought it was just a random shopper walking past me. I was looking at the bottom of a shelf in the aisle I was in, when I saw a set of dress shoes standing next to me. I followed the shoes to a pair of black trousers, a black jacket, a red tie, and to the face of a handsome man with messy hair.

"Hi there!" He said very friendly.

"Huh…? Oh…hi…"

"Oh!" He looked away sheepishly. "I didn't disturb you, did I?"

"No, it's alright." I straightened my posture to get a better look of this man. His black suit caught me off guard. It was warm with a slight breeze outside, but this man wore a suit like that in July. "Doesn't it get hot in that thing?"

He wiped his forehead with a handkerchief he retrieved from inside his jacket. "Just a little! I wanted to make a good impression for my first visits here!"

"Who are you?"

The man pulled something else from his jacket pocket. It was a badge. "I'm Hanzaemon Takuma, Okinomiya Precinct, at your service!" He bowed to me.

"Hanzaemon?"

I didn't recognize the name at first, but I gave it a little thought. Mion had told me about someone by the name of Hanzaemon. After the incidents with Takano last year, Grandma beefed up security on the village and in Okinomiya. She had people in the Sonozaki family check the backgrounds of every outsider that set foot in her territory. She didn't want to repeat what almost happened last month. She'd be damned if another nutcase got in here. Mion, has the heiress to the family name, learned from our spies who this guy was. I vaguely remember what she said about him though.

"I don't think I know you very well," I slyly said to him. "Are you new in town or something?"

"Yeah! I'm a cop fresh from the streets of Tokyo! Haha! I was transferred here a couple of weeks ago." He pocketed his badge and handkerchief. "Pardon me for asking, but are you Sonozaki Shion-san by any chance?"

"I am." I raised my brow at him. "Why do you ask?"

He saw my look of inquiry and became very shy. "I-I-I didn't mean anything wrong by it! I-I just wanted to know, that's all! Sempai said for me to get acquainted with his friends here! You are one of his friends, correct?"

"Sempai? Who's your sempai?"

"Oh! Akasaka Mamoru! He's my senior officer! He's showing me the ropes here!"

"Akasaka-san!" I clapped my hands together. "He's a good man! You're very lucky to have him as a teacher!" I held out my hand to him. "Allow me to properly introduce myself! I'm Shion! Nice to meet you! Ahaha!"

Hanzaemon nodded and shook my hand.

"Sorry about scaring you before!

He looked so bashful! He wasn't a bad looking guy at all, but he was definitely a newbie to these parts! That gave me an idea. I curled my lips into a smile. I was staring at him. His body trembled a bit and I saw his eyes shift about.

"W-What is it?"

"So, you're new here, right?"

"I-I am."

"Do you know your way around here somewhat?"

"Not really, no." Hanzaemon scratched his head. He sounded nervous. I didn't think a guy in his late twenties would be so intimidated by me! "Akasaka Sempai has been showing me around a little bit to get myself fully prepared for the job, but I was never any good with directions! I haven't quite learned how to maneuver around here! Haha…"

My smile grew wider. "Then you don't really know much about the lore we have here in Hinamizawa?"

"I heard some of it from my fellow officers. They told me a little about the dam war that happened a couple years ago. Other than that, I really don't know much about the village."

My smile got as wide as it could be. I licked my lips. "Then you don't know that the village is cursed?"

Hanzaemon shook more now. "C-Cursed?"

"That's right," I purred. I took a step toward him. He backed up. My voice was monotone and my eyes were blank. "The very second you set foot that village, you became eligible for the curse. It was a village where demons once lived after all."

"What do you mean…by a curse…?"

I chuckled. "I'm talking about Oyashiro-sama."

I saw his eyebrow twitch.

"Do you know Oyashiro-sama?"

He took out his hanky again. "Not really…"

"He'll curse you." I pointed to him. My voice became cold and dark with each word I spoke. "You do anything he doesn't like, he'll curse you and you'll experience something worse than death…! He's always watching you. He's always by your bed when you're sleeping…he's always following you…he's always watching…!" My face was very close to his.

Hanzaemon was so frightened. He wiped at his head and shook where he stood

"Ahahaha!" I pulled my head back and held my stomach. "I got you! I got you!"

"Huh? What?"

"I'm kidding! I was only kidding! You should have seen your face! Ahahaha!"

Hanzaemon frowned at me. I think I made him mad!

"That's not funny…!"

"Come on! It was just a joke! My, newcomers are really uptight, huh? Ahaha! Sorry about that, it's like a custom to scare newcomers! Forgive me if I made you angry!" I batted my eyes at him.

His face blushed a tad. "Sempai did warn me about that custom…"

"You should have listened to him! What kind of a cop gets scared by some superstition?"

Hanzaemon laughed wryly. "I guess a bad one like me…"

"Hey, I said I was sorry!"

He sheathed his hanky and shuffled his feet around. Now I felt bad! I scared the crap out of this poor newbie!

"I'm fine, really!" Hanzaemon said as his voice cracked. "It is really true though? That the village is cursed?"

"Some people believe that. I don't really pay too much attention to the stories though."

"I wonder if there's some truth to it though." He became calm. Good thing too, he looked like he was to pack his bags and run. "I mean, what if there really were such gods as this one? It would explain why all of those deaths occurred on the night of Watanagashi."

I was shocked. "You know about Watanagashi?"

"Sempai told me some the story after I heard about the dam war. I heard for four years in a row, a person was killed and another was demoned away on the night of Watanagashi. Was this Oyashiro-sama responsible for that? Is he a demon or something?"

"It's kind of ironic," I said, pushing my hair back behind my ear. "He's the guardian deity of Hinamizawa and he supposedly had someone killed and had another person kidnapped on that certain night. Most of those deaths happened because of the support of the Dam Project, I can understand that, or because somebody left the village. I still don't really get that though. But that is one of Oyashiro-sama's rules: you can't leave the village or you'll be cursed! Everybody follows that one down to the letter!"

Hanzaemon was sweating again. He didn't look afraid though. He seemed as though he was expecting me to say that. "Why doesn't he want someone to leave the village?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe he wants them to keep paying him tribute or something!" I joked.

"He sounds like a selfish god, wouldn't you say?" He said darkly.

"Huh? Um…yeah…I guess so."

"Cursin' somebody because they wouldn't pay you tribute? It's funny how he's the guardian and he does that to his own people. 'Kind of a bullshit excuse to go around killin' and stealin' people."

What was this guy's problem? How come he got so touchy when I brought up the village's religion?

He smiled at me and rubbed the back of his neck. "Ah! Sorry! I didn't mean to get so upset! I'm not really a religious person and I get kind of get too wrapped up in discussions about theologies!"

"It's okay. I'm not much for the religion either." I returned his smile.

He fished something out of his coat pocket. "Speaking of all this hocus pocus stuff, I should get better at learning the terrain of the village so I won't get lost again. Here's my card." He handed me his business card. I found his picture, name, and phone number on it. "If you ever need something, just call! I could really use another friend here!"

I nodded and giggled. "Of course! I can help you too if you need me!"

"Nice." He bowed to me. "It was a great honor meeting you! I hope to see you again, Sonozaki-san!"

"Call me Shion, Hanzaemon-san!" I laughed.

"Call me, Takuma, Shion!" He hit me with a very dazzling smile and spoke in a very charming voice. It almost knocked me off my feet!

Takuma left for the village and I finished my shopping. I exited the store with a few bags in my hand and strolled down the sidewalk to my apartment. Hanzaemon Takuma…not a bad guy at all! He was kind, very shy, and he reminded me of myself when I was St. Lucia. I wasn't much of a religious person either and I had to put up with all of their rules and regulations.

I was feeling bad for Takuma. He was new here and he didn't have that many friends, accept for Akasaka. If I ever saw him again, I would help him out and be his friend. Since he was friends with Akasaka as well, I bet Rika would fall in love with the guy! I saw the way she was around him when I happened to see them together. They were extremely close. I bet Takuma and Rika would get along very well!

I made it back to my apartment. I found my bike and placed the bags into the basket. I would've troubled Kasai to drive me, but I was feeling very generous today. I rode on to Hinamizawa.

I passed along the fields and woods as I rode down the road. The air brushed against me and the chirping of the cicadas made me smile. The village was very tranquil today. It better had been after all of the torture we went through to make it that way. My friends and I fought, bled, and nearly died to bring order back to the village. I hoped it would stay this way forever.

Along the way to Rika and Satoko's house, I found myself stopping at the Irie clinic. I bet the good doctor would be happy to see me pay him a visit! I also wanted to see a special patient he was taking care of for me.

I left my bike and bags outside. Unlike the citizens in the bigger cities in Japan, Hinamizawa villagers were very friendly; they would never steal from you, especially if you were from the Sonozaki family. If they did, they would regret it.

I walked through the front doors. There was nobody around. That was good news for me. I knocked on the door to the doctor's office. He quickly answered and his face lit up when he saw me.

"Shion-chan!" He smiled goofily. "What a pleasant surprise to see you!"

"Long time no see, Manager!" I winked at him. "How's work?"

"It's pretty good! Baseball's going pretty well too! Although…" his smile turned into a frown. "You haven't been showing up to the team's practices or games at all!"

"Oops! I guess they just slipped my mind!" I laughed to cover up my lie.

"When are you going to come to our games, Shion-chan? I got a lovely outfit for you to wear so you can cheer on my boys!"

"I'm assistant manager; I don't think that job entails cheerleading…"

"But it's such a lovely uniform!" He had tears in his eyes. "You would look so beautiful in it! You could really boost the team's morale!"

"When my schedule opens up, I'll be sure to let you know!"

"Oh…fine." Irie's smile returned. "So what brings you out here?"

"I'm gonna sleep over Satoko's house today."

I saw his eyes widened behind his glasses. "S-S-Sleep over?" His voice was squeaking. "You…with Rika-chan…and Satoko-chan…!" He hugged himself and squirmed where he stood. "I'm so jealous!"

"Don't tell me you still want to marry Satoko, Manager?"

"I do! I really do! She can wear that maid outfit and call me master all day long!" His face was like a cherry. "I can't wait until she grows up!"

I laughed at him. No way would Satoko get together with this guy!

"Hey, Manager," I said. "Any chance I can check on a patient today?"

He grew serious now. "Certainly! Follow me; I'll take you to him!"

Irie led me over to the lift in far back of the clinic. We rode it down to the bottom floor. We walked along a gray corridor until we came to a small room. Inside, there lay a boy with golden hair on a white bed. He had a mask on and there was a machine at his side that tracked his pulse. There was very large teddy bear in the back of the room.

The boy looked so peaceful. He had no worries, no pressures, nothing. He was sleeping very soundly. He had been sleeping like this for a long time now. I recently found out about it last month. I came here once a week since then to see how he progressed.

"How is he?" I asked quietly.

"He's responding very well." Irie replied with slight happiness in his voice. "Each day he's getting better. It really won't be long until I find a way to give him his life back. I've been working constantly to keep him stable. I've spent so many hours and so much money, even from my own pocket, to find a cure for him."

"I really can't thank you enough…" I muttered.

"You don't have to." He looked at me and smiled. "Satoshi-kun is a very good friend of mine as well. I would never wish to hurt him or abandon him, especially now. I owe it to him after all that's happened. He needs us now."

I placed both of my hands on the glass that separated me from Satoshi-kun.

"I still can't go in, can I?"

"I'm sorry. He's doing so well now…I don't want all of his progress to be for naught."

"I understand."

Irie patted my shoulder. "Take your time with him. I'll be right outside whenever you're ready." He left Satoshi-kun and me alone.

I drew circles on the glass with my finger. I kept watching him. I saw him breathe, the way his hair moved as the AC blew on him, and how at peace he was. I honestly was happy like this. I didn't mind being with him even though he never knew it.

I had dreams about him. I had dreams where I was him and we were happy together. He took me out and we sat in the playground in Okinomiya. I saw him smile at me. He would rub my head so gently. I would put my hands on top of his. I didn't want him to stop.

He then would suddenly turn into another person. He turned into Kei-chan. In that dream, I threw myself at him, thinking he was my Satoshi-kun, and kissed him. He stopped me and I discovered that what I saw was an illusion. It was because of that illusion that I learned an important lesson.

I loved Satoshi-kun. I loved Keiichi. I was in love with both of them. I loved Satoshi, but I loved Keiichi because he was so much like him. I didn't want to replace him, but my heart was slowly turning Satoshi into Keiichi. If I didn't stop myself and think hard, I would have forgotten all about the boy that lay asleep here.

I was thinking about how I teased Kei-chan. I did it to bug Mion, to force her into confessing her feelings to him, but every time I flirted with him, I allowed him to find a way into my heart. Though it was funny when I teased him, it was actually hurting me. I was hurting because I was taking advantage of him and the situation, all because he looked like Satoshi.

I didn't know what I wanted anymore. I wanted to be with Satoshi, but I loved Kei-chan just as much. I had a nightmare where I tried to kill him because I thought he was trying to take his place. My mind was a mess and my heart was so confused. I was obsessive, I was a hypocrite, and I came so close to betraying the one I truly loved.

I was afraid. What if Satoshi-kun came to me when I was in such discord? Who would I choose? Who would I love and who would I devote myself to? It would drive me mad. My obsession and my habits were to blame for this. I was to blame for the way I was.

An idea came to me. And with that idea, I made a vow. I would change myself. I would stop obsessing and take things as they go. I wanted to be pure in mind and soul for Satoshi. I wanted to be perfect for when he came back to me. All of my concerns and selfish behaviors would be gone. I would be pure for him. I vowed with every part of me…I would be pure.

I exited the clinic an hour later. Irie bid me farewell and he wished me a happy time with Rika and Satoko. I thanked him again for all that he did for Satoshi-kun. Irie was a great man. He sacrificed so much for that boy. I just hope that it wouldn't ruin him in the end.

I soon arrived at Satoko's house with all of the treats I brought. She welcomed me in with opened arms and Rika greeted me with a big smile. When I got there, I called Kasai about my plans. He acknowledged and told me to call him if I needed anything. Once I finished, Satoko and Rika had dinner waiting for me. We all took our seats and immediately dug in.

"So what's in the bags, Nee-nee?" Satoko asked, with her mouth full of rice.

"I brought some treats from the convenience store in Okinomiya for you two! I figured you would like a nice dessert!"

"Really? That's great!"

"So, what game did Sis have you guys play?"

"We played zombie tag at school!" Satoko's bright smile filled the room. "There were some kids who were playing there so we had them join in too! Keiichi-san was the first to die! Oh ho ho ho ho! I sprung a trap on him so good that he got to play the punishment game! He didn't even get a single person, even with his tricks!"

Rika laughed. "Keiichi got to wear the girls' swimsuit and had to buy certain things from 7th Mart!"

"What kind of things?" My mouth curled into a grin. "Like special lady things?"

"Yep!" Rika giggled again. "He has to give them to Chie-sensei tomorrow at school!"

Chie would murder him! I knew Sis was very devious and evil, but I didn't think she would go that far, especially to Kei-chan!

"Yeah! And he has to talk bad about curry as he gives them to her! Oh ho ho ho ho!" Satoko squealed at the thought of that.

"Poor Kei-chan!"

"Don't go easy on him! He knows how serious the club is! If he put his heart into it, he could have beaten us!"

"…Keiichi was very lazy today." Rika's smile diminished. "Mii was very disappointed with him. I think that's why she made the punishment so mean."

"How was Sis after she left Angel Mort? Was she feeling better at all?" I was very curious about that.

"…She got better." Rika's words were said rather lowly. "I think she's still sore about it though."

"Well, I'll see her tomorrow and I'll apologize! I think it's about time I stop making her so mad, huh? Ahaha!"

Rika's smile came back. It was strange. It was full of happiness, of course, but it also appeared to be filled with…hope. She looked as though she trusted me, as if believing I would make everything better.

After supper, I revealed the special candy and games I brought for them. They thanked me plenty and we stayed up all night playing together. We told stories, laughed, played a few pranks, and just talked about nothing. I haven't had that much fun in forever!

Part B

The next morning, I took Rika and Satoko to school. I rode alongside them on my bike and we just laughed all the way over there. When we arrived there, I disembarked and led them into the classroom. We found Kei-chan, Rena, and Mion waiting for them. Needless to say, Sis gave me the cold shoulder.

"Shii-chan! It's great to see you!" Rena smiled brightly.

"I didn't expect to see you here! It's a lovely surprise!" Kei-chan smiled too, very charmingly by the way. I tried hard not to think about what it reminded me of. I didn't want to fall victim to my desires like in my dream.

"Hmph, hello." Mion didn't look at me.

"What's wrong, Sis? Is something all in a bunch?"

"In a bunch…? Hauuuuu…!" Rena hid her face in her hands.

"W-What did you say?" Her face flushed.

"You really should take care of that! Ahaha!"

She growled at me. "Just get out of here already!"

"Fine." I turned to Satoko and gave her a hug. I even gave Rika one as well. She gave me a happy "nipa~." "But before I go, Sis, can I talk to you in private?"

"Huh? Why do you want to talk to me?"

"C'mon! It's important!" I took her arm and ran outside with her.

I took Mion behind the school. She had plenty of time before class started. I wanted to get everything out in the open before she went away. I had to tell her.

"So why did you drag me out here, Shion?" Mion looked at me suspiciously.

"I just wanted to apologize."

"Apologize, for what?" She was very surprised by that statement.

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry for everything." I bowed my head to her.

Sis crossed her arms and listened to me. She seemed interested.

"I know you really like Kei-chan…and I know I've been taking up most of his time lately. Satoko and I have been around him so much. You don't get to have time with him. I mean, if he's not with me or Satoko, he's treasure hunting with Rena, right? You really don't get to talk with him outside of school, unless when it's during your club activities."

Mion looked to the side. She knew what I said was true. She looked very sad.

"I feel so guilty! I'm sorry I've hurt you!" I bowed again.

"You're really sorry?"

"Of course I am!"

Mion leaned against the wall of the school. She still wasn't looking at me yet.

"You see, the only reason why I flirted with Kei-chan so much is because I wanted you to do something about it! I was trying to force you into confessing your feelings to him! I wanted you to fight me off and tell him right then and there! I want him to know that you love him!"

Mion glanced at me. "That's the real reason why you teased him?"

"Yes. I love Satoshi-kun, you know that! I just wanted to make you so jealous that you would tell him how you feel. I guess I did a lousy job, huh? My plan did the opposite of what I wanted." My voice was filled with regret and sadness for what I did. I think Mion noticed that. She could sense my true feelings.

Sis sighed. "I…I just can't tell him now…"

"Why not?"

"I just…can't…"

"Is it because of what happened with Satoko?"

Mion squeezed her arm hard.

A week ago, Mion and Satoko got into a fight. Satoko figured out that Mion liked Kei-chan. Satoko said she would tell Kei-chan as a joke, but Mion took it seriously. She thought Satoko was going to do it for real. Mion got so upset that she yelled at Satoko whenever Kei-chan wasn't around. I tried to make peace between them, but Mion saw it as me taking sides with her enemy, and not taking sides with my own sister. Rena had them make, up using her own special ways of making them cooperate with her. Even though they made up, Mion was still very down. She hid it, but I knew how she really felt.

"Mion," I said, placing my hand on her arm. "Satoko was only kidding, you know that. She wouldn't take your chance away from you!"

"That's not what's been bothering me!" Mion faced me. She was trying to hold back some tears. "Kei-chan and I are such good friends…I'm happy with my relationship now…but…I want more! But I'm afraid! What if it doesn't work out? What if he doesn't accept me or if there's someone else he likes? I wanted to be the one to tell him so I could deal with it either way…I thought Satoko was going to make everything more complicated…"

I rubbed her arm gently. "You have to tell him! You're never gonna know unless you try!"

She wiped her eyes.

"Mion, come on. Tell him! He'll be happy! I know he sees you as his best friend in Hinamizawa! You're the closest friend he has! He cares so much about you!"

"A-Are you sure…? How do you know?"

I winked at her. "Believe me, I know! I can see it when he looks at you and when he talks about you!"

Sis shook her head at me. "I don't know if I can…what if…Satoko already told him? What if she lied to me and told him anyway? What'll I do then?"

I lightly shook her. I spoke sternly, yet reassuringly.

"This isn't the Mion I know! My sister wouldn't act so shy like this! When my sister sees something she wants, she goes for it! She doesn't sit and wait! Mion! Snap out of it and be yourself! He gave you that doll before because he saw you as a real girl! I bet you if he got a teddy bear he would give it to you without a second thought! And Satoko gave you her word that she would keep quiet about it! Let go of that anger you have! Satoko's one of your best friends! She promised that she would let you tell him! Let that time be now!"

Mion looked at me again.

"Stop being so damn bashful and tell him already!"

She wiped at her eyes again. "Maybe," she said softly. "Maybe I'll invite him over soon. I'll make him tea and we can go on a walk." I saw a shade of red across her nose. "I can tell him then!"

"Let that be soon, okay, Sis? I've been waiting so long for you to tell Kei-chan! I'm getting really impatient!" I smiled warmly at her. I held her shoulders and pulled her to me.

We hugged each other hard. I heard Mion laughed a little.

"Thanks…Shion…"

"You forgive me?"

"…Of course I do…you're my twin sister! And…and I forgive Satoko as well…she's my friend!"

We held each other's hands and looked at each other for a while.

"Sis?" I said. "Do you still want to be twins in our next life?"

Mion nodded strongly. "I do!"

We hugged one more time before I let her go.

I was by the window before I left the school. Mion looked legitimately happy. She was laughing harder than usual, she teased Kei-chan a little more than usual, and I could see her hogging him all to herself. I was happy for her. I convinced Mion to truly forgive Satoko and to trust her. I convinced her to finally do something about her feelings. I felt so relieved!

I saw Rika looking out the window. She noticed me. She looked to Mion's joyful mood and then back to me. I saw the biggest smile on her little face. Something tells me she knew what I did and that she was relieved as well.

A huge burden was finally off of my shoulders. I could finally take it easy. Mion would confess to Kei-chan and the feud between her and Satoko was finally over. Mion was finally herself again! I got back on my bike and rode to Okinomiya. It was still early; I could make it to work on time!

I came to Angel Mort in no time. I said hello to my uncle and to my coworkers who already beat me there. I changed and quickly got to work. I was so happy! I winked at my customers and literally danced through the restaurant! It was surreal feeling. I loved it!

"Let me show you to your seat, sir!"

Another customer just entered. I got a fresh notepad from the kitchen and waltz over to my customer's table. I didn't want to make him wait! I was on a roll here!

"Welcome to Angel Mort, sir! What can I get for you today?" I was beaming as my eyes were closed.

"Yeah. I'll have the big chocolate cake and some of those special rolls I've been hearin' about." The voice sounded very impatient. It wasn't going to be bother me though!

"Very good choices, sir! I'll have them right out for yo-"

I opened my eyes to see my customer. He was a large muscular man with short blond hair. His face was very rough and it looked as if he was always angry. He was wearing a light red T-shirt with flowers across it, like a Hawaiian shirt. His eyes were narrow and they looked furious as well. There was a disgusting aura surrounding me. I wanted to throw up.

I knew this man. I dropped my notepad and pencil. My knees were shaking. My body was so cold. My brain completely shut off. I couldn't believe this! This wasn't true! This wasn't right! He was supposed to be in jail!

Why…why the hell was Houjou Teppei here…?