With this, do I have all the pieces lined up for 1983?

It sure is a hard and exhausting job just lining up the pieces for the month of June.

But finally I'm at the starting line.

Beginning from zero, at last.

...Yet... seeing all these colorful Fragments together,

I realized just how many sentiments were intertwined around June 1983.

I used to think that thoughts of people with no relation to me were useless.

But I was wrong.

Rika Furude did her best to overcome the fate of June 1983.

She did two things.

One was to get in touch with the Irie Institute, because she knew she would be protected there.

Ironically, Takano from the Irie Institute was the one who wanted to kill her,

but it was the best move for her at the time.

And the other was to ensure that the Maebara family moved to Hinamizawa.

It actually wasn't certain that the Maebara family would move here.

...They first decided to move here when the father felt something sentimental at the sight of us on the day he came to view the properties for sale.

Therefore, it was necessary for us to play in that field. It was the trigger for the Maebara family's move.

It took me so long to find that out, though.

After turning various conditions on and off repeatedly, I finally realized that meeting Keiichi's father at that field was the cause.

Keiichi Maebara is a very important key for breaking Rule Z, one of the chains that was binding me.

He is the fresh air that's powerful enough to break all the old and evil customs in this village.

He created many opportunities, but he also provided me with an important clue by letting me know that a strong conviction and the will to believe is what's important in standing up against a powerful fate.

...But I wasn't the only one who wanted him here.

People in the Sonozaki family who wanted to wipe out the nastier traditions of the village also wished for him.

Mion Sonozaki vowed to herself to protect Satoko and Satoshi because she was very much bothered by how irrational the treatment of the Houjou family was.

And on the night Satoshi Houjou disappeared, she exploded at Oryou Sonozaki and voiced her true feelings.

Oryou Sonozaki understood.

Oryou herself had come to understand the wicked customs of the village, and had been wanting to do something about it.

But she didn't have the power to do so herself,

so she entrusted it to the fresh air that was blowing in from the outside.

That was why the lots went on sale, so the Maebara family could move in.

Even if I danced in that field, if Oryou hadn't put the lots on sale, Keiichi couldn't have come.

And Rena Ryuugu, who provided many important opportunities for Keiichi Maebara,

was saved by returning to Hinamizawa, after the deep emotional trauma of her parents' divorce sent her into terminal condition.

Keiichi Maebara's wish to restart his life was the same wish Rena Ryuugu had a year prior.

Maybe that's why Rena was able to understand Keiichi.

It's like the miracle where one can recognize moments in a certain Fragment from another Fragment.

......If they can use the lessons learned from one Fragment, then humans won't make those mistakes.

The game pieces will make their best moves, and the chances of winning this game of June 1983 will rapidly increase.

In other words, Rena Ryuugu makes extremely important moves on this game board without realizing it.

The mighty Rule Z that surrounded the Houjou siblings was eventually smashed by their actions.

Of course, Satoko overcoming herself was also a big help.

Their hands met only because they reached from both sides.

Keiichi and Rena are the ones who taught me that.

Mion is the one who made it possible for them to move here, and she also helped them to become familiar with the village.

That's not all.

Irie is also an important piece with significant functions of his own.

Feeling empathy for Satoko, he is the most influential piece on the board we call "Hinamizawa Syndrome". His existence is capable of defeating Rule X.

Keiichi and Rena's determination and subsequent awakening taught us that it was possible to fight against Rule X, but they didn't defeat it.

Defeating Rule X requires the existence of Irie, who has the strong will to discover a cure for the syndrome.

I didn't know Irie held this many thoughts within him.

I always thought he was rather absent-minded,

but he is, in fact, an important and powerful piece.

So if we gather all this power... can we win against Takano's will?

I've seen Takano's thoughts too.

Sadly, her will is strong, and can't be easily broken.

It's no wonder our fate in June 1983 has been so hard to shake no matter how hard we fought.

The sentiments I've been turning towards it pale in comparison to how many she's brought into it.

The weight of our game pieces are different, because I've given up on fighting while she has been risking her life to fight on.

...I've spent time sulking and drinking wine to escape from reality. I must be a very light piece indeed.

...I can't win against Takano with what I have so far.

I need more pieces to be able to win.

The officer Ooishi once showed the possibility of becoming a strong ally.

But he's under the misunderstanding that the Sonozaki family caused the death of his dear friend, so until that gets resolved, he won't be of any help.

I don't know how I can resolve that misunderstanding...

...but I just have to believe in it and keep throwing the die.

Just like Keiichi and Rena constitute a chance to change fate,

maybe Akasaka has the power to create a chance as well.

The curse of 1983 is tied to the curse of Hinamizawa.

...A curse can't be broken by inner power alone.

It takes power from outside as well.

Both sides have to reach out, otherwise the hands won't meet, just like what happened with Satoko.

But Akasaka has never come to our aid.

Even if he did, it was always too late.

Too late.

Far too late.

But if I keep throwing the die, will Akasaka's game piece eventually appear?

The final rule, Rule Y, involves the evil masterminds who are using Takano as their own game piece.

...To defeat them, I need a very strong opponent for her.

And the only one I can think of

is none other than Akasaka from the police headquarters in Tokyo.

There are more pieces who would lend me their power.

I need to gather them all, otherwise I can't win against Takano.

The preparation of the game board is complete.

But I need more pieces.

...It's only the beginning.