"...I see.

No, you don't need to do that.

You're a promising member of the Hinamizawa Fighters.

We'll save your spot.

So you can come back anytime, okay?"

"Ahh... I don't know about that though...

I have no idea when I can come back, so I thought I should resign at least for now..."

Satoshi-kun says he wants to quit the Hinamizawa Fighters.

I know very well of Satoshi-kun and Satoko-chan's situation,

so I was expecting that he might say this.

The relationship between Satoko-chan and her aunt has gotten worse, to the point that it can be considered abuse.

When someone from the child consultation center came, of course her aunt behaved herself.

...Then immediately after, her harassment turned even more vicious.

According to the neighbors, the aunt's scolding and Satoko-chan's crying can be heard nightly, and sometimes it goes on past midnight.

Satoko-chan's weekly physical check up results are slowly growing worse,

and we're trying to keep her stable by increasing her medication.

But... unless her relationship with her aunt improves, she's sure to go terminal, and sink into madness.

...Although, she isn't the type to become deranged, even at the terminal stage.

She's the type who holds everything in, harboring her insanity inside.

Just like she pushed her parents off the cliff two years ago, Satoko-chan may kill her aunt.

Thanks to the Mountain Dogs, the incident was resolved as an accident and Ooishi stepped aside, although he is still suspicious.

If something like that happens again around Satoko-chan...

he's sure to investigate her mercilessly.

...I can't do anything more about Satoko-chan's environment changing for worse.

So I'm not surprised to hear that Satoshi-kun wants to quit the baseball team so he can be with his sister more.

"Actually, I'm starting a part-time job.

That's why I can't come to practice..."

"...A part-time

job?

Is there something you want to buy?"

"...Yes.

It's almost Satoko's birthday.

There's a teddy bear Satoko has been looking at, and I want to get it for her."

That's right.

I remember the birth date on her insurance card.

I think it's June 24th.

Right after the Watanagashi festival.

"I see...

...You're such a good brother.

I'm sure Satoko-chan will be thrilled!"

"......I hope so."

I can tell Satoshi-kun is also stressed out.

To him, seeing Satoko-chan being harassed is the same thing as being harassed himself.

His stress can be released through moderate exercise, such as with sports, and also with plenty of rest.

If Satoko-chan is being yelled at nightly, then it's easy to figure out that Satoshi-kun isn't getting enough sleep either.

I don't know what kind of job he's starting, but I don't think he will be able to vent his stress on it.

In fact, I don't like the idea of Satoshi-kun taking a part-time job, because he's already so worn out in every way.

I asked him if he wanted me to help him pay for the present, but of course, he declined the offer.

It's a present from him, so he wants to earn the money himself.

He's taking this part-time job only to earn enough money to buy Satoko-chan's present, so it'll be a temporary thing.

If it's for a short period of time, maybe it won't be that bad.

While I want to stop him from working because I don't want him to get even more stressed,

since he says Satoko-chan's birthday is near, I don't think I can stop him.

Satoshi-kun is determined.

If I say any more, I may lose his trust.

So I'll have to accept his leave of absence.

"...Oh, Coach.

...Can I maybe borrow a bat?"

I completely misunderstood his words.

Later I found out he carried around that bat to protect himself...

and realized that, even then, he was already showing some dangerous symptoms.

He believed there would be a fourth mysterious death this year

and that he would be the victim.

He became obsessed with the idea that someone was after his life.

That is a symptom of Hinamizawa Syndrome's terminal stage.

But although I was involved so deeply with the syndrome, I was careless...

"A bat?

What do you need a bat for?"

Satoshi-kun had his own bat.

So he should have asked if he could take it home, but instead, he asked if he could borrow it.

When I think about it now, he said it that way to lighten his guilty conscience. But how could I have known then?

"Well...

although I can't come to practice...

I think I'll have a little time to practice swinging on my own."

"That's great!

Sure, please take it with you.

But make sure you do it in an open space, okay?

If it won't bother your neighbors, it's good practice to hit a hanging tire."

Swinging a bat can release stress.

So letting him take his bat home will help.

That's what I thought.

But...... that was a huge mistake.

I realized it only when things were already past the point of no return.