Shion

"Hey, everyone,

are you all still alive?"

Kimiyoshi was hanging from the collar, with his head turned up to the ceiling.

He didn't even move when I walked in... maybe he's already dead.

Satoko was lying on a cross-shaped restraining table. She glared at me with red and swollen eyes, which must have been that way from crying.

I'd wanted to put her on that special restraining table to pound nails into her hands, but Satoko was too small for that.

I walked up to Kimiyoshi and poked his body with my toe.

There was no response.

Shion

"Uncle Kimiyoshi,

are you dead?"

Satoko

"Murderer... murderer...!"

Maybe Satoko had witnessed Kimiyoshi's last moments.

I took a thick knife from the wall and stabbed Kimiyoshi with it.

There was no response.

Shion

"Uncle Kimiyoshi?

If you're alive, you better tell me, okay?

You can't fool me."

I walked over to the pulley that was suspending Kimiyoshi.

Shion

"This is your last chance.

Are you alive?

Let me know if you are..."

I paused just for a moment, then turned the pulley.

Kimiyoshi's body swayed strangely in the air.

It looked much more like a corpse like that.

Satoko

"Shion-san... why are you doing this?!"

Shion

"Hmm?

...Ah, I get it."

The door to the huge cave was still open.

I bet Satoko had talked to the one in the cell while I was gone.

That's how she knows my name.

Although, that's actually not my name at all.

Shion

"No, I'm not Shion. I'm the real Mion.

The one you all thought was Mion is Shion.

It's kind of confusing, huh? If you don't get it, that's okay.

Heh heh heh..."

Satoko

"How dare you...

how dare you kill Rika...!!"

I had allowed Satoko to watch me take care of Rika's body.

Of course, I let her see Rika's neck, too.

Shion

"Rika Furude deserved it.

She came over to kill me.

I just fought back, that's all."

Satoko

"That's not possible!!!

Rika would never do a thing like that!!"

Shion

"If you don't believe me, that's fine.

It's none of your business anyway."

Satoko

"What... are you going to do with me?"

Shion

"I'm going to kill you."

Satoko's eyes went wide. She was expecting my answer, I'm sure, but she still looked shocked.

I bet she didn't expect me to state it so openly.

I heard the noise of something hitting iron bars echoing in the huge cave.

Shion's voice echoed there as well.

Mion

"Sis, nooooo!!

Don't kill Satokoooo!!"

I answered her clearly.

Shion

"Aha ha ha ha ha!!!

Did you finally realize what you've done?

Did you finally realize you didn't do anything to save Satoshi-kun, although you had the power to?

That was why he was killed!!

Shion

You ignored millions of chances to rescue Satoshi-kun!!

Yes, that is your sin!!!"

Satoko

"Gyaaaaahhhhh!!!"

Before even finishing my sentence, I stabbed Satoko's right arm.

Her blood started to flow out.

...This was nothing compared to what happened to Rika Furude.

I twisted the knife into Satoko's arm. She bit down hard, crying.

Mion

"Stoooop!!

Don't kill Satoko!!

Let her go!!

I don't care what you do to me... but please, let Satoko go!!"

Why couldn't you say that for Satoshi-kun?

It's too late now!!!

I was the one screaming like you back then.

But no matter how loudly I screamed, it never reached them, spared him, or saved him!!

I want you to go through the same thing I did!!!

Satoko

"Ooo!!

Gyahh!!

Guhhh!!"

I stabbed Satoko's arm repeatedly.

But the knife kept hitting her bone. It didn't feel like I was cutting any of her flesh.

Mion

"Stop, Mion, stop, Sis... stop, stop, stop!!!"

Shion

"Okay, Shion.

How about this? I'll tell you how you can save Satoko.

Apologize to me one thousand times.

I'll let her go when you're done.

How about that?

I don't tell lies.

Shion

If you really apologize one thousand times, I'll keep my promise.

Well?

How about that?!"

Mion

"I'm sorry,

I'm sorry,

I'm sorry,

I'm sorry,

I'm sorry,

I'm sorry,

I'm sorry,

I'm sorry,

I'm..."

Shion started to apologize like a broken record.

She's so stupid and honest.

She's not even thinking of cheating.

I bet Shion really will count to one thousand.

I stabbed Satoko in the wrist.

There, I felt something hard. I guess I either crushed her bone or scraped it.

It must have been extremely painful for her.

Satoko screamed...

Satoko

"Whaaaahhhh, wahhhhhhhh!!!

Whaaaaaahhhhh!!!!"

Shion's voice got louder as if trying to overpower that scream.

Shion

"Aha ha ha ha ha!

All you ever do is cry to get what you want.

You think your Nii-nii is going to appear out of nowhere, knock me aside, and rescue you, huh?

Yeah, right!"

The knife was still in Satoko's wrist...

I slid it toward her elbow!!!

Satoko

"Gyaahhhhhhh...

gyahhhhh!!!"

Shion

"Satoko, can you hear me?

Hey!

Listen to me!!!"

I slapped her face several times and made her look at me.

Shion

"Do you know what you've done?

Do you know how your very existence is what cornered Satoshi-kun?"

Satoko

"Nii-nii... Nii-nii..."

Shion

"That's right. That's all you did to him.

Every time you cried, Satoshi-kun protected you.

But have you ever even considered what kind of a burden you were to him?

He wasn't some superhero.

Shion

He was just like you!!!"

Satoko

"Gyaahhhhh!!!!"

Shion

"He was just a normal human being!!

Have you ever even thought of what he had to go through because of you?!

No, you didn't!!

You never even tried!!!

You just let Satoshi-kun take care of you!!

Shion

You just leeched off of him!!

And as he got injured for your sake, you lived by sucking his blood!!

You are cursed. How can you still call for him?!!

Huh?!?!"

Shion

"Haa... haa, haha, ha!

You are now going to pay for your sin...

With my help.

Cry as much as you want. Scream as much as you want.

And realize Satoshi-kun will never come for you.

Shion

You cornered him,

you made him disappear,

you killed him!!!"

Hah!

Hah!

Hah!!

After telling her all I'd been wanting to, I exhaled roughly.

Satoko

"......!

Gouhhh

...............!!"

Shion

"What's this?

You don't feel anything in your right arm anymore?

Okay, then let's use your left."

Satoko

".........Gyah!

......Ahhh

...............!!"

I stabbed her left arm repeatedly, and her blood flowed out.

But Satoko's reactions weren't fun anymore.

She didn't cry or scream like she did before.

That put me in a bad mood, so I stabbed the back of her left hand and twisted the knife again.

But

Satoko still just moaned.

She didn't scream anymore.

Shion

"......What's the matter?

Are you stifling your screams in protest, thinking that I was enjoying your cries?

Heh heh heh!!

That's great, ha ha ha ha!!!"

Satoko was unfazed by my mad laughter... She looked at me with gritted teeth and resignation.

Satoko

"Yes...

...I think...

...that's the truth."

Shion

"...Huh...?"

Satoko

"I cornered Nii-nii.

...That is why he disappeared.

I've known that

ever since the day he vanished."

Shion

"..............."

Satoko

"I wasn't... strong enough.

I depended on... Nii-nii.

I'm sure... it was hard on him too, but I couldn't stop.

...You are... absolutely right about that.

I have... no excuse."

Satoko didn't sound as if she was mocking me or trying to please me.

She spoke so naturally.

Shion

"Hmm... that's interesting.

I never realized you were aware of what you'd done."

Satoko

"Nii-nii is coming back.

He will come back someday...

Satoko

And when he does... I'm going to show him how independent I have become.

I don't need him anymore.

I won't hide behind him anymore.

I'm going to show him... That I really can live on my own..."

Shion

"Hahaha... hahaha!!

When he comes back, huh?!!"

I stabbed Satoko's arm in a mad frenzy.

But she still didn't even scream.

She bit down tightly and swallowed her pain instead.

Satoko

"Nii-nii is coming back.

I know he is!!

I'm waiting for him!!

And when he comes back, I will apologize for depending on him so much.

So I won't give up until that day comes!!

I'll never depend on him again, ever!!

Satoko

No matter what kind of hardships I have to endure, I won't ask him to help me!!

I won't call for help! I won't cry! I won't scream!!

If I cry, Nii-nii will come for me.

So I'm going to endure this by myself!!!"

Shion

"Damn you.... what do you think you're saying?!!"

Satoko

"If it is fun for you, go ahead, stab me as much as you please!!!

But if you think I'm going to cry for Nii-nii, well, too bad.

I will not cry. EVER!!!

If you refuse to believe me, then try it!!!

Satoko

Nii-nii is watching me. He is watching me endure this.

He will see that I'm not like I was before!!!

And when he sees that, he is going to come back!!!

Come on, try it!!

I will not cry!!!

Satoko

Try to see how strong Satoko Houjou is!!!"

Shit, shit, shit!!!

I'll show her!!

Take that, and that, and that!!

Satoko

"Nii-nii, you're watching me, right?

I've become so strong...

This won't bring me down...

This is

nothing.

This won't

make me cry.

I won't cry for your help.

I can endure this.

I am going to endure this.

Satoko

This is nothing compared to what you had to go through for me!!"

Shit, shit, shit!!!

Why doesn't she feel the pain? Doesn't it hurt?

There's no way it doesn't!!

I've been stabbing her so much, and the knife went in so deep!

Her blood has poured to the ground, and I've been turning her flesh inside out!!

How can she still talk that way? Why doesn't she cry and scream?!!

After Satoko said what she wanted to say, she shut her mouth. She didn't say a word after that.

No matter how much I stabbed her, twisted the knife, tore at her, and ripped out her flesh, she didn't even make a sound.

What in the world is this?

This isn't the Satoko I know.

Satoko was never as strong as this.

If Satoko was this strong, she wouldn't have been a burden to Satoshi-kun.

Why wasn't she as strong before?

It's too late. Everything is too late.

This idiot's maturity came far too late...!!

Her blood made my hand slippery, and I dropped the knife.

Shion

"Hah, hah!

Hah!

Hah!

...Hah!

Hah!!

......Hah!"

I was covered in blood from head to toe.

Satoko was still enduring the pain.

She was enduring this cruelty so she could display her strength.

I couldn't defeat Satoko.

I couldn't crush her strength.

Satoko had achieved her goal.

She had become independent, so she didn't need Satoshi-kun anymore.

She still believes Satoshi-kun will come back one day.

She looks forward to a day when she can show her brother how strong she had become.

But Satoshi-kun hasn't seen any of that.

Instead I, who never even thought that Satoshi-kun would come back,

was the one who witnessed her strength.

What was I thinking?

I thought Satoshi-kun was dead.

No, I assumed he was.

...Why did I?

I never even thought...

of waiting for him.

I didn't believe he would come back.

I didn't wait.

...I tried to avenge him, but I guess what I really did was forget about him.

...Satoko is different.

She never even thought he was dead.

No, maybe she did a little.

But even so, she waited.

She waited for a day when she could show him how much she'd grown. She waited patiently...

What about me?

I didn't do anything.

I wanted to forget about my sadness, so I tried to find my enemy.

I became a demon, using revenge as an excuse, so that I didn't have to think like a human.

I lost.

I couldn't endure the pain of waiting for Satoshi-kun, so I chose to become a demon.

In other words, I got rid of my soul, the soul that loved Satoshi-kun.

...In other words, I got rid of Satoshi-kun himself.

Satoko won.

While she had been gritting her teeth before, her mouth had gone slack.

Her eyelids were half shut, but I could see her eyes a little.

They looked like she was dreaming about something happy.

Satoshi-kun...

was there, in her eyes.

Satoko

endured......

until Satoshi-kun came for her......

Satoko ran up to Satoshi-kun.

She jumped onto him.

Satoshi-kun hugged her

and they spun around.

You can cry now.

Satoshi-kun told Satoko that, and she cried very hard.

Satoshi-kun rubbed her head so gently.

We'll be together forever...

He said, and continued to rub her head so gently... so gently...

Satoshi-kun...

I was waiting for you too...

What meaningless words...

He was already dead inside of me.

I never believed in our reunion.

...How pitiful of me to say that

just because I saw Satoko and Satoshi-kun together again...!

As Satoshi-kun hugged Satoko, his eyes met mine.

Shion.

Satoshi-kun said.

I asked you a favor.

What... favor?

I tried to remember.

What kind of favor did Satoshi-kun ask me?

Satoshi-kun looked at me so sadly,

because I couldn't remember...

...That sad look tore my heart to shreds.

The blood flowing out from me wasn't as pretty as Satoko's blood.

My blood was a slimy liquid, like vomit with filthy chunks of food in it.

That was what filled my body.

Satoshi

"...Whether it's a real curse or somebody's conspiracy...

I won't disappear, and I won't fall victim to it."

Shion

"Y-You won't disappear..."

Satoshi

"No...

not until I buy that teddy bear.

I'll get the money pretty soon.

I won't go anywhere until then."

Huh?

A memory of the past... But when?

...Ah, of course.

This is a memory of the day before last year's Watanagashi. Satoshi-kun called me on the phone then.

Satoshi

"......Uh... my aunt is home. I have to go."

Shion

"Uh... okay."

Satoshi

"...Mion."

Shion

"...Huh?"

His aunt was home, so I'm sure he wanted to hang up as quickly as possible.

Satoshi-kun paused and spoke.

"I'll leave......

Satoko to you."

My knees and elbows started to shake.

My teeth chattered and my fingers were shivering.

Satoshi-kun...... asked me to......

Whaaahhhh... ahhhhh... ahhhhh...

What... have I done...?

I couldn't wait for Satoshi-kun to come back

so I filled myself with evil thoughts, and acted as I pleased.

I didn't believe he'd ever return.

I even forgot about...

Satoshi-kun's last request...

How can I say I love him?

I just wanted to forget about my feelings of loss, so I made myself all bloody. How can I welcome him back now?

I didn't believe Satoshi-kun would come back.

I didn't believe Satoshi-kun was alive.

I didn't think he was alive, so I thought he was dead.

I believed in his death.

I killed him in myself.

Nobody else did... I did that.

But Satoko believed until the very end.

And she was rewarded in her final moments.

Satoko wasn't here anymore.

She had no more need for her bloody, painful shell.

But I'm still here.

Trapped in my bloody, tainted flesh.

I'm going to rot inside of it.

Satoshi-kun was waiting for both Satoko and me.

But to be reunited with Satoshi-kun, we had to keep our promises.

Satoko's promise was to be strong.

Satoko kept that promise until the bitter end.

And Satoshi-kun embraced her.

My promise was to take care of Satoko for Satoshi-kun.

I never kept the promise from the beginning.

Therefore

Satoshi-kun will never embrace me.

Even if I were to rub Satoko's wounds and ask her if they hurt,

that wouldn't mean anything.

That was when

I felt something behind me.

It wasn't Satoshi-kun or the thing that scared me before.

I didn't know who it was.

But it was right there, criticizing me for my mistakes.

Then.

...I finally realized it.

That thing...

......

is me.

I had always been there, standing behind myself and watching me break that promise.

Satoshi-kun asked me to take care of Satoko,

yet I didn't keep that promise. I had been watching that happen.

I cried

and gave up on myself...

Wait.

Satoshi-kun gave up on me...

and I gave up on myself.

...What will happen to me now?

I don't want to be in this darkness. I don't want to be all bloody...

Please don't leave me.

If I give up on myself, what will happen to my body?

There will be...

....nothing left!!!

The only thing I'll have left in me is an evil demon!

Ah... I get it.

I've known it for a long time now.

I am...

nothing but a demon.

Shion

"Wahaha, hahahahahahaha...

Ha

ha

ha

ha

ha

ha

ha!!!"

A demon doesn't feel sad.

A demon's heart can never be in pain.

A demon doesn't cry...!

Shion was still apologizing.

She believed that was the only way for her to save Satoko.

Her voice was growing hoarse and weak.

Shion

"Shion!!!

You don't need to count anymore. Good job."

Mion

"Whaaahhhhhh..."

I guess she realized what happened to Satoko.

Shion cried in her cell.

Shion

"Aha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!

Being a demon isn't that bad, huh?

I never knew how fun it would be to see other people cry and scream.

I've already had plenty of fun in this human world.

Shion

Maybe soon I'll kill myself and go back to Hell.

But don't worry.

I'll make sure I kill you first.

That's why I'm here, after all.

Demons are pleased when they see people cry and grieve, see?

Shion

...Wait, you like Kei-chan, don't you?

Okay, I'll rip Kei-chan apart before your eyes!!

What a great idea!!

I'll kill you, and then myself after that.

Onigafuchi Village is a village of demons!!

Shion

Demons came out from the swamp and attacked the village.

I'm going to act like those legendary demons and wait for Oyashiro-sama to judge me.

That will be a suitable disaster for Hinamizawa, don't you think?

Shion

Ahahahahaaaaa hahahahahahahahaha!!!"

Shion

"Ah, Kei-chan?

It's me.

It's Shion.

Shion

You took a long time to pick up. I thought you weren't home, and I was about to hang up."

Keiichi

"Ah...

ah, sorry...

I was just... in the bath."

Shion

"...Wouldn't your family pick up for you?

Could... your parents be out right now, Kei-chan?"

Keiichi

"Well, no... They're not really...

A-A-A-Anyway!!

Have you heard?!

About Rika-chan and Satoko?"

Shion

"No.

...What happened after that?

Were they found?"

Keiichi

"............Nah.

...They haven't found them yet."

Shion

"......Kei-chan, please don't lose hope..."

Keiichi

".........Rika-chan and Satoko...

...They were kidnapped, weren't they..."

Shion

"...Yes.

I don't think there's much doubt..."

Keiichi

".........Rika-chan and Satoko were...

Ah, no... I mean...

I'm sorry.

...Umm...... About the mayor...

...What do you think happened... after he was kidnapped...?

Do you think... he's still alive...?"

Keiichi sounded confused.

He wanted to believe Satoko and Rika were still alive, which was why he was asking.

Keiichi was just like Satoko.

Unless the culprit was after money, the abductee would usually get killed right away.

I'd never assume they'd still be alive.

But Keiichi was trying to hold on to a little hope.

I could feel his strength.

...It was much greater than mine.

I'm a demon,

so I didn't come up with an excuse.

Shion

"I think he was killed."

Keiichi

"...He...

......Hey, wait...

...That was abrupt..."

Shion

"...I think it must be really hard to kidnap someone and keep them like they are.

...As long as they're not hostages, it would be most practical to kill them once you were done with them."

Keiichi

"K-K-K-Kill them... So readily...

I-I mean, what's a human life or two, anyway...?!?!"

Shion

"......It's a horrible thing, but...

That's probably what happened."

Keiichi

"If the mayor was killed...

then did that mean

the same had happened...

to Rika-chan and Satoko...?!?!

...N-No...

That couldn't... They weren't some random old man!!

It was Rika-chan!

It was Satoko!!

Keiichi

Th-They couldn't... They couldn't kill them so easily......!"

Keiichi was still refusing to believe what I said.

He fought so hard because he didn't want to kill his friends within him.

...I wasn't like that.

I killed Satoshi-kun within me so easily.

I blamed Shion for not protecting Satoshi-kun,

but I killed him so easily.

Shion

"It's probably better to think that Rika-chan and Satoko-chan

ended up the same way."

Keiichi

"Whooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh...!!!!"

Keiichi

roared

and cried.

It was like their deaths were physically agonizing to him.

Keiichi

"Why?!

Why... Why kidnap someone and then kill them...?!?!

Screw curses! Are people's lives really that cheap?!

Erasing them and killing them without a second thought like this!!"

Shion

"...You're right.

...You're absolutely right.

...It would take a demon..."

Hahahaha...

I laughed at myself.

I was sure Keiichi didn't notice.

Keiichi

"Hey, Shion.

...Please, tell me.

...Why did Hinamizawa start needing someone to die on the night of Watanagashi?"

Shion

"......That's what I'd like to know."

Keiichi

"The fighting over the dam project is already over and done with!!

...Haven't enough people been cursed already?!

Why is it? Why?!?

If there's a reason, then say it, now!!!"

Shion

"...I understand how you feel, Kei-chan, I really do.

...The dam conflict ended a long time ago.

Shion

Yet, murders and disappearances keep happening every year under the guise of Oyashiro-sama's curse.

...Why?!

Why is it happening?!

Shion

Some of them had nothing to do with it, and some of them didn't deserve to be cursed, so why?

...Why?!?!"

Keiichi

"That's what I'm asking yooouuuuu!!!!"

Shion

"I want to know that as much as anyone!!!!"

Of course...

The curse of Oyashiro-sama never existed.

It was just a bizarre environment that allowed people to kill in the name of Oyashiro-sama.

The environment, and nothing more.

Nothing would have happened unless there were demons who danced within it.

Shion

"Listen.

...Oyashiro-sama's curse never existed. It's too unrealistic.

Shion

Just like you said, someone in the village is using the guise of Oyashiro-sama's curse

as a justification for continuing these murders and disappearances every Watanagashi!!!

...They were cunning.

Shion

They've been using the curse as a convenient tool, and made a system where they would get rid of two enemies in the village every year...

and this year, that system killed Takano-san and Tomitake-san!!"

Keiichi

"Then why wasn't that enough?!

Why did the mayor and Rika-chan and Satoko have to get killed too?!

I don't give a shit about the past!!

The only thing I care about is why Rika-chan and Satoko needed to be killed!!

Keiichi

Why is that?!

I didn't say a word to Satoko, you know!!!

Why even her...

Whyyyyyyyyyyyyy?!?!"

Satoshi-kun was speaking through Keiichi's mouth.

How could I respond?

I didn't know what to say.

I could only feel myself being stabbed by the sharpness of those words.

Shion

".........Kei-chan...

...please... ...stop being mean...

...hic...

.........I don't have any idea what's going on either...

Everything changed... when we went into the ritual storehouse that night......"

Keiichi

"........."

Shion

".....When I heard...

that Takano-san and Tomitake-san had been killed that night, I doubted my ears.

...Then... I realized it instantly.

...I realized... what sort of a position I was in now...

Shion

The four of us snuck in there.

...Kei-chan, you and I won't be so conveniently forgiven...

...When I thought about that, it made my chest so tight... It was so terrifying...

You know that feeling, Kei-chan, don't you...?

Shion

...That's why I...

confessed everything to Uncle Kimiyoshi...

...He wasn't mad...

...He smiled, and told me if I was really sorry, I'd never be demoned away...

Shion

...He really did... smile at me... and told me... to leave it to him...

......ooh...!!"

I remembered Uncle Kimiyoshi speaking ill of Satoshi-kun.

I killed him, but everyone in Hinamizawa did that.

I wasn't the only one at fault...!

Keiichi

".........

...When...

did you let the mayor know...?"

Shion

"...Hic...

...Huh...?"

Keiichi

".........I'm sorry... Shion.

......It must seem like I'm kicking you while you're down, but...

...Shion, you... told him, right?

You told old man Kimiyoshi... the mayor?"

Shion

"...Yes...

.........hic........."

Keiichi

"............When...

did you let him know?"

Shion

"............Eh..."

Keiichi's tone was becoming sharper.

That edge was cruel, but it was a sharp conviction.

It wasn't a dull edge that caused excessive pain.

...It had a clean, pleasant sharpness to it.

Keiichi

"...Did you know that the mayor had a severe case of hemorrhoids and had gone to the hospital for treatment...?"

Shion

"......Umm......

Kei-chan...?

...What does that... have to...?"

Keiichi

"...Please, answer me.

If you didn't know, then just say so."

Shion

"......I knew that...

he had hemorrhoids...

...It looked like sitting down was really hard for him..."

Keiichi

"He was going to the hospital.

...You know which hospital, right?"

Shion

"............

I'm sorry,

I don't know that much, but...

......Kei-chan...

What does that have to do with..."

Keiichi

"......I want to ask you straight.

...Shion...

when did you tell the mayor about everything?

When and where?

...You can give me a rough answer... but please, give me one."

Shion

".........Kei-chan...

Why are you asking that...

...hic..."

Very good, Keiichi Maebara.

You know who I am, don't you?

Keiichi

"...It was impossible.

...The day the mayor disappeared.

From dawn until he vanished.

...There was no opportunity for you to contact him."

Shion

"............Eh...

Th......

That's..."

Keiichi

"The mayor left first thing in the morning for his examination at the university hospital all by himself, without telling anyone.

...Shion, you just said you don't know what hospital he went to.

Keiichi

...So you couldn't have contacted the mayor until he got back.

...Isn't that right...?"

Shion

"............Hic..."

Keiichi

"His train back was delayed by an accident, and he didn't return to his house until the meeting was about to start.

Keiichi

...So there was no time for you to have told him before the meeting started, either.

Shion, did you go to the meeting too...?

Keiichi

Did you attend it... and tell him there?

If you didn't... then there wouldn't have been any time left.

...After the meeting was over, the mayor disappeared on his way home."

Shion

".........Umm...... Actually, with the meeting, I..."

Keiichi

"You didn't even go to the part-time job you said you went to that day.

...I'll cut to the chase.

...You haven't... been seen since we were at the library together."

Shion

".........Kei-chan...

I, well..."

Keiichi

"...Shion Sonozaki...

disappeared...

the day after Watanagashi."

Ahahahahaha...

Bingo, Kei-chan.

I'm impressed.

Keiichi

"...Ooishi-san says you've been missing.

...Despite that... you've been calling me every night like this, haven't you...?

......Please, Shion.

...If something I said was wrong... please say so.

Shion, I'm begging you..."

Corner me even further...

Corner me so the demon inside can't come up with excuses, so that it can't escape.

Shion

".........Hic......

hic......

hic......

..."

Keiichi

"Shion, there's no way you could have seen the mayor, but...

if you did see him......"

...The only time...

I could possibly have seen him on that day was...

Keiichi

"...Then you saw him after the meeting.

...In other words!

...It could have only been right before he disappeared

or else... afterward!!!!"

Shion

"......Hic...... hic......

...

Hu

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee

hee"

Click!

I screeched and screeched with laughter, then slammed down the phone.

Very good, Kei-chan!!

That's right, it's me. I'm the one!

Hurry and corner me.

Hurry, let me be...

free.

Ahahahaha, ah ha ha ha ha ha...!

Was he going to tell the police, or was he going to come here by himself?

I wondered which it would be...

If the police came, I'd struggle as much as I was able.

I'd see how good Ooishi would be at catching a demon.

If Kei-chan came here alone...

That wouldn't be smart of him.

He couldn't complain about being eaten by a demon, then.

I'm going to kill him.

I'm going to kill him gruesomely while Shion watches.

Therefore, Kei-chan, you shouldn't hold back.

I only ever thought you were just a funny guy. I never thought I could expect

so much from you...