*Tap*

*Tap*

*Tap*

The sound of muffled footsteps stopped in front of the door to my room.

A moment of silence... as if whomever they belonged to was ascertaining if I was inside.

...Of all the things I should have been doing, I continued on with my restless slumber.

I was very much conscious, but my body hadn't caught up yet.

...Even with danger bearing down on me from just beyond the door...

It was as if I was completely paralyzed, unable to move.

...Without a doubt, this was sheer terror.

Please... just leave...

Hey, why isn't my body awake yet?

If they came into my room right now... then...!!

"UwaAaAaAaAAaH!!!!"

"Eek!?"

I sprung to my feet and threw my covers at my mom, who was opening the door!!

"Whoa!

Keiichi!?

What's the matter?"

"Ah... Ahh... sorry.

...I was still half-asleep..."

I thought it was still 1 or 2am.

But the morning sun was already streaming through the gap between the curtains.

...It felt nothing like morning.

Yesterday... I must have fallen asleep right after that.

...Then I should have gotten a full 10 hours of rest...

...But it didn't feel like that at all.

My internal clock was completely screwed up and my sense of balance felt off.

I felt feverish enough that it was clear to me that I was still not well.

"...Well, Keiichi?

How are you feeling?

Can you make it to school?"

...I felt far from well enough...

no, I wasn't mentally fit to go.

I was still plagued with the terror from yesterday...

If I had... swallowed that needle... what would have happened...?

Or what if it had pierced my tongue...?

There was undoubtedly a murderous intent... but I don't think that's all it was.

If they really wanted to kill me, then there were other, more certain ways to do it.

They wouldn't resort to such a dubious method as having me swallow a needle.

...Meaning... I didn't want to believe it, but...

going that far was... just a threat... from Rena and Mion.

"Aren't you glad you didn't die...? But next time we'll use a more assured method..."

Like that.

Something like sending a letter with a razor inside would have been a joke compared to this.

"...Did you make it to the hospital?

Did you take your medicine?"

"Mm... yeah. Kinda..."

Something about my mom's dubious gaze bothered me.

She seemed more concerned about her son missing two days of school rather than him being sick.

...It was definitely mental fatigue... I wasn't really physically ill.

"It'll be hard for you to get back on track once your daily routine is thrown off.

Come on, get on up!

They say wellness is a state of mind."

I'd heard that line many times before.

I was given an award in elementary school for having perfect attendance... but it wasn't like I was "healthier" than everyone.

"Come on, go wash your face.

Breakfast is already ready.

...There isn't much time before Rena-chan comes and gets you."

Mom's tone meant I couldn't argue about it, so I had to give up on skipping a second day.

"By the way... were you the one who got bean paste all over the living room wall, Keiichi?

You shouldn't do something like that!

Your father was quite angry!"

...I didn't feel particularly guilty for doing it, so I didn't have much of a reaction.

Also, Mom didn't question me any further about it.

She headed back downstairs after she was certain I was getting up.

What Mion said as she left yesterday...

"I'd hate it if you missed school tomorrow..."

...Came back and dwelled in the back of my head.

What did she mean by that...?

I didn't even have to really think about it.

...She was saying, "don't be absent."

Taking that a bit further... It was the same as her saying I should just go about living my life as if nothing happened.

If I showed any signs of acting unusual, it would probably result in them making their move.

If I acted differently, someone like Ooishi-san, for example, might end up noticing that "something is up."

Meaning... if I didn't watch my mouth or did anything differently from the norm,

in effect, it would end up communicating something to those who were "undesirable"...

And it seems... that was something that the girls didn't intend to forgive.

So...

if I just went along as normal...

No harm would come to me...

Was that how it was going to be...?

All that misery I experienced up until yesterday would—almost creepily—just fade away... It was an enticing deal.

Just by forgetting everything I'd seen or heard these last few days... I'd be able to keep living on like normal.

"Th... There's no way such a

...

selfish thing could..."

I swallowed hard...

I once again deliberated on the idea that I had just rejected.

Mion... was probably a good person who had her friends at heart.

...She was giving me... who had mistakenly broken some rule of theirs... a chance.

Was what I did... really something so unforgivable?

But Mion had given me another chance.

...She was saying... if I just forgot everything and kept living on like I had been, I'd be forgiven...

"Keiichi~!

Your food is going to get cold!

Hurry up and get down here~!

Rena will be here if you don't hurry!"

"Ah... I'm coming!"

I crammed my textbooks into my bag and hastily made my way downstairs.

I picked at my somewhat bland breakfast.

It seemed that I didn't have much time. It was already past when I usually met up with Rena.

Given yesterday's events... she'd probably be here in the next five minutes.

...I needed to be ready to head to school by then...

I had to forget everything that had happened the past two days...

Forget it all and return to my normal life...

For this to be normal, I'll have to be where I normally meet up with Rena...

...Today of all days, the rice was dry and hard to get down.

Ding dong!

I jumped at the sound and dropped my chopsticks.

...That chime signaled that Rena had arrived.

Mom hurried me along.

"Come on, Rena-chan's already here...!

Hurry, hurry!"

My mother's merry smile and my gloomy face were polar opposites.

Honestly, I was reluctant to see Rena, who was waiting there on the other side of the door.

...The Rena on the other side... was it the Rena I knew?

I couldn't keep her waiting...

I needed to do things as usual...

"Morning~!"

An invigorating greeting filtered in from across the doorway.

"...I came since Keiichi-kun was a bit late... will he be okay today, I wonder? ...I wonder?"

The manner in which Rena was concerned was, without a doubt, the Rena I knew.

...But that was probably only if I reciprocated.

Forget everything from yesterday... pretend as though nothing had happened...

Forget about the gruesome dismemberment.

Forget about the mysterious deaths that happened the following years.

...Forget about the people falling to their death... and the terminal illness and suicide... the fatal beatings... and the disappearances. Forget it. Forget all of it.

Forget that Rena and Mion were scary. Of course, forget it all.

Forget about all of it.

Forget about the mochi, too.

Forgetforgetforget.

Rena, once again, asked to make sure.

"...Can you... make it to school?"

"Y... Yeah... I'm fine."

"Great!

Then let's go! Mii-chan is waiting."

Rena showed me her usual bright smile.

I couldn't find any hint of deceit in her expression.

...My nervousness dissipated, giving way to relief...

"But you see, Satoko-chan was so insistent she could do it~!"

As we were walking, Rena talked about a lot of different stuff, more so than usual.

"...Hmm.

...Then?"

"Satoko-chan is clumsy, so she failed no matter how many times she tried!

...Hau... she was shou kyuute..."

Everything Rena talked about was just silly nonsense, so I just replied every so often and laughed from time to time. It was a rather laid-back conversation.

We passed by one of our neighbors and they called out to us.

"Oh, my! Keiichi-chan and Rena-chan, aren't you two a bit late today~?

Mion-chan said she was going on ahead!"

"Uh-oh! Did Mii-chan look mad, I wonder?

...I wonder!?

We need to hurry up, Keiichi-kun!"

After greeting our neighbor with a smile, Rena turned back to me and poked her tongue out.

Not expecting that, I couldn't help but crack a smile.

"...Ah, Keiichi-kun smiled."

"Huh... wh-what?"

Rena stopped and stared at me.

"...I was thinking that you still hadn't recovered from your cold since you seemed down this morning, Keiichi-kun... but now you seem fine.

...Fine!"

With a grin, she gently poked my cheek.

It was a bright, sincere smile.

...Hey, Keiichi Maebara.

...How can you still doubt Rena after she shows you a smile like that...?

Maybe I just had a high fever up until today, and I imagined everything that I thought happened because I was bedridden and delirious?

...I really hoped that was the case.

If God would grant me just one wish...

There's only one thing that I'd wish for...

I would want what had happened in the past few days...

More specifically, from the night of the Watanagashi up until last night... I wanted all of that to have never happened.

I wonder how many times I'd wished for this these past few days...

As long as Rena kept on smiling like this... I think it might just become reality.

So I wanted Rena to keep on smiling...

...Keep on... smiling...

"So, Keiichi-kun.

Those mochi yesterday... did you eat them all...?"

That vain wish of mine was instantly shattered.

My heart began palpitating. The relaxed morning mood suddenly became frigid.

Rena's smile... was the same as usual, her eyes were gentle as usual...

"Those mochi yesterday... did you eat them all...?"

...Of course she wasn't asking the question at face value.

In other words, Rena was asking...

"Did you get the message?"

...She was probably trying to convey that...

" ...

Keiichi-kun?"

I was reluctant to give an answer. Rena stopped walking and stared deeply into my eyes.

"Ah..."

...Don't... Don't hesitate, Keiichi Maebara.

...Rena was acting the same as always, wasn't she?

I needed to respond in my usual way.

...Naturally, of course...!

But both my throat and mouth had gone dry, and my lips were stuck together...

Hurry and answer, Keiichi...

Not that much time had passed.

I could still... keep the conversation going naturally...

I had to... say something quickly...

"...De-"

"De~?"

Rena playfully mimicked what I said when I finally squeaked something out.

Rena's reaction was still normal.

...It seems that there wasn't as long of a pause as I had thought.

Somehow, I finally squeaked out the rest.

"D... Delicious...!"

However, my strained efforts neither sullied nor brightened Rena's expression.

For a moment I panicked, thinking I had replied incorrectly.

But after a few moments, Rena broke into her usual soft smile and giggled with a joyful voice that seemed to echo through the morning air.

Being strung along by that laugh... I couldn't help but laugh as well.

"I see~

So did you eat all of them, I wonder? ...I wonder?"

My timid smile froze again.

...Did you make it without swallowing the sewing needle?

Was that what she was asking...?

If I had swallowed it, then I wouldn't be here.

"N-Nah... I couldn't... finish all of them.

...There's still some left."

I was scared out of my wits... but that's how I played it.

"...Huuh?

What about the homework to see if you could tell which one Rena made...?"

"Ahahahaha... that homework... was it due today?"

"Yeah. It's due today.

...Mii-chan will get angry~ There's probably a penalty game ready for you."

We both laughed at each other again.

To a casual observer, it was just a typical morning.

If I could just let myself believe, then even I'd think it was just the usual morning routine...

But... I was certain I wasn't mistaken.

There was something unimaginable buried beneath the facade of this giggling Rena.

"LIES!!!"

I recalled that unexpected, piercing voice that I could hardly believe came from Rena's mouth.

The moment that image crossed my mind, I felt a cold sweat trickle down my back.

Was it only at that particular time that something evil had possessed Rena...?

No, that was wrong. That was still Rena. Ooishi-san told me, didn't he...?

"Actually, I looked into her. Before Ryuugu-san moved away to Hinamizawa, she was suspended from school.

It seems she went through her school building and broke all of the windows."

Rena had a disorder... that normal people didn't.

No matter how pleasantly she smiled... that fact would not change.

But... I couldn't even imagine... how she looked as she broke all the glass throughout the school.

One thing I knew was that it wasn't something spur-of-the-moment.

If it was some sudden outburst of anger, then maybe she'd break a pane or two...

But she broke all of the windows all throughout her school.

Just imagine going through your own school breaking the windows with a bat.

Swinging full-force at each pane of glass, one after another. Paying no heed to the flying shards...

Your classmates aghast.

...Unable to move from the sudden turn of events.

I wonder where she could have found the most windows lined up in a row...

...Probably the hallway.

*Smash*

Walk...

Wind up...

*Smash*

Walk...

Wind up...

It was difficult for me to connect that horrifying image with the Rena smiling at me right now...

But... I just had to imagine it.

...Impossible because it was unimaginable... that naive way of thinking no longer worked.

The unpleasant, piercing sound of shattered glass, the crunching noise as Rena treads across the broken shards, walking towards me.

...Rena's classmates going pale as they forget to even breathe.

I wondered what they did as Rena came closer, breaking windows along her path...

Did they earnestly try to bring her to her senses by saying something?

Or did they jump at her, trying to stop her savagery?

Or did they run to the staff room to call for the teachers?

Probably none of those.

In the face of that bloodcurdling sight, of Rena busting window after window... undoubtedly, all they could do was silently clear a path for her.

Dumbfounded... just clearing the path for Rena to continue.

...It would be cruel to blame anyone for looking the other way.

No, they weren't simply looking the other way...

...They knew it was the only way they could protect themselves.

If they had done something differently from the rest... They may have suddenly found themselves as Rena's new target.

What would Rena have done to whoever attracted her attention?

The answer was obvious.

...She would have undoubtedly acted according to her whims.

...Meaning they would—I would—be the next window.

Rena, staring into my eyes, shards of glass crunching and crackling underfoot as she drew closer.

...I was also drawn into her eyes, paralyzed.

Then Rena struck me with the bat over and over again, like I was one of those windows.

I crouched down on to the floor, desperately protecting my head.

Rena didn't care whether it was my head or my back.

Zealously, she hit me again and again.

What kind of expression was she making as she was doing this over and over again?

...I peered up to see.

...Her expression was so indifferent, it was completely unnerving.

It's because no matter how many times she struck me, I didn't make as pleasant a sound as the other windows.

She struck me continuously.

Over and over again.

The sound Rena wanted didn't come out.

Our classmates standing around didn't try to stop her.

They didn't want to be the next window.

Somebody save me...

...Turning a blind eye unless we're hanging out...!?

...But of course, everyone in class scrambled to obtain the highest standardized test scores.

...They'd gain nothing from saving a cram school try-hard like me...

Eventually, there would be a faint sound, similar to when you crack open a walnut, and some sort of reddish-black spray would shoot out...

Anyway, it wasn't that Rena momentarily lost herself in her anger.

...After forcing myself to breathe and calming down my heart, I recalled what Ooishi-san told me.

"...and in the counselor's medical report, he recorded all of the conversations he had with Rena-san...

'It' shows up...

And quite a bit at that."

"What does...?"

"She mentioned...

the word 'Oyashiro-sama.'"

Following that, Rena was suspended and had regular examinations at the hospital.

Then, as Rena was undergoing counseling, she said it over and over...

"Oyashiro-sama."

"It seems that the Oyashiro-sama she spoke of was like a ghost, appearing in her house every night.

Standing over her pillow looking down at her."

That was only a piece of their conversation, so I still couldn't see the big picture... but it was by no means a happy little conversation.

Then what Rena did... Was she saying that ghastly incident was a result of her being possessed by Oyashiro-sama...?

Up until now, I didn't want to believe in Oyashiro-sama's curse.

That's why I wanted to say the mysterious deaths every year happened because of some sort of conspiracy.

Every time I talked with Ooishi-san, I was more certain that the deaths were the work of men and not of some curse.

Except... if it was people perpetrating the incidents... my friends were somehow deeply connected.

If I refused to believe that the curse was real... then I would have to believe those who acted the kindest to me were deeply involved in the incidents.

Why?

How?

For what reason?

...Was Rena?

...Was everybody?

It was much more painful and troublesome than accepting that it was just Oyashiro-sama's curse.

In the aftermath, Rena had admitted to her doctor that it was because she was possessed by Oyashiro-sama.

I felt a strange sense of relief from that.

So that's how it was.

There wasn't a second side to Rena.

...She did that...

because she was possessed by something strange like Oyashiro-sama...

It wasn't Rena's fault.

Oyashiro-sama was the one to blame...!

I knew...

This was all backwards.

Refusing to believe there was a curse, I wanted there to be a human perpetrator.

...Now that my close friends were the ones under suspicion, I changed my beliefs at my own convenience, saying it was Oyashiro-sama's curse to blame.

Which was the better choice? Accepting that Oyashiro-sama's curse exists...

Or that Rena and the rest of them... were deeply involved in the string of mysterious deaths?

I didn't want to think about it.

If I just didn't think about it, I'd be able to continue the same as always... I wanted to believe that...

But...

...

That was no longer possible.

I had received their message.

...It was pathetic of me to try and bend the meaning to my own convenience.

Regardless of whether my opponent were a human or a curse.

...I won't let it kill me.

As if I would just bend over and give in!

...For no good reason at all...!

"Keiichi-kun?

...You've been making a really weird face.

Why, I wonder?

I wonder?"

Inhaling sharply upon hearing Rena's voice, I came back to my senses.

Before I had realized it, we were already at the entrance.

Shaking my head a few times, I exorcised all those terrifying thoughts.

No matter how you looked at it... there's no way Rena could have done such terrible things...!

It was like I was trying to placate myself...

As I slid the door open, a blackboard eraser loaded with chalk dropped down on my head the moment I stepped into the classroom.

The chalk dust went into my eyes, inducing a brief moment of agony.

"Oh ho ho ho ho!

How befitting for the truant Keiichi-san~!"

"Good morning to both of you, Keiichi and Rena."

"Good morning-☆ Satoko-chan, Rika-chan~!"

Not quite in the mood for it, I didn't really react to Satoko's trap.

Satoko braced herself as I passed by, expecting me to attack her. She seemed a bit disappointed as I simply walked by silently.

"Wh-What is this...?

How discouraging, indeed."

"...Keiichi doesn't seem back to his usual self yet."

"Yeah.

...Take it easy on him for today, 'kay?"

Suddenly, there was a slap down on my shoulder. It hurt a bit...

"Hey! Kei-chan, did you get enough rest?"

It was Mion.

My mind was full with the stuff about Rena... but Mion was also a party of interest.

Remember, Keiichi.

...That hawkish gaze from yesterday.

"

...

Yeah... Morning."

"What's with that unenergetic greeting?

Did you eat the mochi I brought you?"

I'm like this because I ate them...

Those words were itching to be blurted out.

"...I really just didn't have the appetite.

...I ate a few, but quite a lot were left over."

"Huh? What about the homework?

Do you have an answer for which one was Rena's?"

"Keiichi-kun said he forget his homework.

Ahahahaha."

"...Sheesh... then we can't help it... time for your penalty~

...Mihehehehe!"

Flashing a lurid smile, Mion returned to her seat.

There was nothing from our exchanges that would cause our classmates to suspect anything was amiss.

But of course...

Anyone listening to our conversations up until this morning...

wouldn't see anything suspicious.

That was why... it was so frightening.

They acted in a way that, regardless of whatever happened to Keiichi Maebara, no one would ever suspect them... That fact had me terrified.

Soon the teacher came.

After she asked how I felt and took attendance, another dull, ordinary day began.

This free study period was a convenient time to consider where I stood.

I gently closed my eyes and pondered the ridiculous position I was in right now.

First of all... What I shouldn't forget... was how dangerous of a situation I was in.

I had fallen out of favor with them.

After interacting with Ooishi-san multiple times, I could see it as I was getting closer to the heart of the matter.

The warning yesterday with the mochi was a good indicator of that.

...No... Calling it a warning was just my habit of understating things.

It probably had no meaning beyond stunting my progress and buying themselves some time.

...Until they had a method of completely 'erasing' me...

They were just biding their time.

Even though they were keeping me under their thumb with threats, it didn't change the fact that I knew too much.

The chilling sensation of my desk made me recall Satoshi Houjou, the boy who was using this seat until last year when he disappeared.

Was he also... similar to me?

Did he learn something he shouldn't have... and was erased...?

...Damn...!

I wouldn't... let them get rid of me so easily...

Never...!!

But... were they really trying to kill me...?

I've had these contradictory feelings for a while now. Even though I suspected them... I felt I had to cover for them.

Even having witnessed all of their suspicious behavior, a morning like this just made it all seem like an elaborate hoax.

No, that's just what I want to believe.

Doubting my friends?

Covering for them?

My life was in danger...

Or was it?

Actually, I was debating the wrong point.

Given my current situation... Those points were something that should have been deliberated on a long time ago...

But really... Rena and the rest of them...

Were they actually aiming to kill me?

The little voice inside me continued to torment me with these unresolvable trains of thought.

Are you an idiot, Keiichi Maebara!? The answer should be obvious!

B... But maybe... that sewing needle might have been just an accident, right...?

How could you screw up and drop a sewing needle into a piece of mochi!? The benefit of the doubt can only go so far!!

Both Rena and Mion... had acted and behaved suspiciously... but maybe it was all some sort of misunderstanding...

What kind of misunderstanding!?

It wasn't just suspicious... it was outright ludicrous, right!?

Rena just corrected me for lying... and Mion only asked me about what I had for lunch...

Rena was standing outside my door eavesdropping for a solid hour!?

Sh-She was... probably just waiting for my phone call to end...

For a whole HOUR outside your room!? And is it normal to go home afterwards without saying anything!?

...

You heard from Ooishi-san, didn't you!?

About what Rena did at her former school?

B-But... At the hospital, she said it was Oyashiro-sama's fault she...

"Cut it out, Keiichi Maebara. Don't you realize they're out to kill you!?"

Ngh!?

I inadvertently blurted those words out loud.

Hearing myself say that so directly left me dumbfounded for a few moments. Afterwards, I had to look around to check if anyone else had heard it.

My little soliloquy cut a little too close to the truth.

Even though I could feel the murderous intent from Rena and the others... part of me somewhere was still trying to deny that.

This late in the game... such hesitation could be fatal.

...I knew that.

But... I was just your average student... a man living his normal, ordinary life!

Do you think I could suddenly believe... that my friends, who I had been happily laughing together with up until last Sunday... now intended to kill me...!?

Right...?

"You're too soft, Keiichi!!!!"

This time, I remembered to keep my voice down so only I could hear it.

There was one thing I now understood.

I was... too soft.

I didn't completely understand how dangerous Rena and the rest of them were.

No, I wasn't trying to understand.

I was too soft for not listening to Ooishi-san when he was earnestly showing me the heart of the matter.

I didn't listen because I was too busy pretending to be dejected.

I didn't comprehend it.

I was just running away.

I didn't comprehend it, so nobody had any notion to try and kill me? I needed to get rid of such naive thoughts...!

As I made that resolution, I heard the bell signaling the end of class.

...So soon.

The day was already over.

I didn't recall eating lunch or doing anything in class.

My friends were putting their desks together in preparation for club activities.

Not long ago, I would probably have happily jumped into that circle...

"My, my, Keiichi-san?

How rude of you to even think about leaving!"

The way Satoko spoke was so typical and familiar... it almost physically hurt.

"Huh? Keiichi-kun, is today not a good day, I wonder? ...I wonder?

And we were going to win big together...

Hau..."

Seeing Rena's expression... which said she was really looking forward to today, was hard to take.

Hey, Keiichi... Maybe Ooishi-san is just some enormous jerk trying to separate me from the others by lying to me...?

Slap!!

Trying to expunge such weak-minded thinking, I slapped myself in the face.

"K-Keiichi-kun...?"

Yeah... was Rena really trying to kill me...??

I wish someone would tell me it was a hoax.

I didn't care if it actually was one or not, I just wanted someone to say it was.

...Guh, yet another weak-willed thought...!

How did I ever become this naive!?

"A-Are you all right...? Does your head hurt?"

Apparently that was how my inner dilemma appeared to Rena.

"You're pale!

Can you make it home by yourself?

...Maybe I should accompany you home, I wonder? ...I wonder?"

"No... it's okay... sorry.

I can get home by myself.

Just have the meeting without me."

Upon hearing that I wasn't going to participate in the club meeting, Mion pouted unhappily.

"Since Kei-chan was so bent on a revenge match, we were even going to play that deduction game from before too."

"Keiichi-san doesn't have the burning desire for a rematch?

How pathetic~!"

I wouldn't fall for some dumb taunt.

Without even a real retort, I just grabbed my bag and was about to get up.

Someone's hand perched itself gently on my head.

"... Keiichi doesn't seem to be well.

...How very unfortunate."

It was Rika-chan.

She was stretched up as far as she could, doing her best to pat my head with her petite hand...

It felt so nice... which made things even harder.

"Sorry...

Everybody.

...See you!"

That's all I said as I quickly left the classroom.

They said something to me as I was leaving, but I couldn't make it out.

I managed to make it all the way to the entrance in that state of mind.

Took out my shoes...

put them on,

and went forward.

Forward...

Harden that heart... Keiichi Maebara...!

They were... for some unfathomable reason... trying to kill me!!

They were plotting something dubious, watching my every move!!

But... I couldn't hate them...!!

Because... weren't they my friends!?!

Part of me lamented my naiveté, while another part lamented the fact that I had lost something important by lamenting over it in the first place.

It felt like my personality was being ripped in two, along with my body.

If this is what Oyashiro-sama's curse was like...

Then it was just... too harsh.

Hey, Oyashiro-sama... I was wrong for not believing in your curse...

But I believed in it now.

Completely.

Your curse does exist...

So, seriously... give me a break...

I beg you... come on...

Dinner was unusually bland.

It had no flavor or aroma.

...The miso soup that normally tantalized my appetite instead tasted like nothing but boiled water.

Dad was eating with us that night.

It was a rare occurrence in this household.

When he got into his work, he ate and slept on his own schedule.

My dad never cared about the time.

Since my dad was at the dinner table, it either meant he had just reached a good point to take a break or he was in a slump.

"So yeah, he just doesn't understand the motivation creators have."

"Your partnership was just a verbal agreement, wasn't it?

If it's so hard to agree on things, why not just end it?"

"I feel like it's an industry with a lot of back-scratching... but when it gets in the way of business..."

I wasn't able to pick out much of my mom and dad's conversation, but I could tell it wasn't a very pleasant topic.

...That, of course, made the disgusting food even less appealing.

Staring listlessly at the exchange between my parents, my mind wandered off to the same thought processes I had going all day long.

...Friends close to me—no, they used to be friends. But I could no longer trust them. Right now, I was greatly lacking in allies.

People I trusted... people I could depend on when push came to shove. They were something I just didn't have.

...Having just one ally would have been incredibly reassuring in the currently hopeless situation I was in...

I put down my chopsticks and looked over at my parents, who were still talking about work.

The first course of action that came to mind was to tell my parents everything.

Currently, there wasn't a single person from Hinamizawa I could trust 100%. That meant the only people I could trust were my parents.

But... If I told them everything that happened up until now, would they understand?

Rena, for example.

That neighborly Rena, who was so diligent in looking after me, came to get me every day, and sometimes brought over a share of what she made.

How could I explain... that she wanted to kill me??

No matter how I explained, it would probably be difficult for anybody to comprehend.

My somewhat eccentric dad wouldn't understand, and my high-strung mom would probably drag me off to a psychiatrist in the blink of an eye.

Sadly... That was the amount of trust that existed in our relationship.

Even if they did come to understand... what could they possibly do?

Unless they could uncover the truth, they wouldn't be able to protect me.

...No... By informing them of these 'unnecessary' things, I'd be putting my parents in danger as well...!

Considering that the victims in past incidents were often married couples... I couldn't even joke about it.

For the entire Maebara family to have an accident or to just vanish into thin air... It was easily possible in Hinamizawa...

What was important here was that knowing something 'unnecessary' put you in danger.

The most unsettling question was... how did they know that I knew...?

"As long as they didn't know," my parents might not fall victim... that was one way to think about it, I guess...?

At least it was like that in my case.

After I found out, things started becoming odd.

...In other words, it meant the following:

As long as my parents didn't know anything, nothing would happen to them.

Which means that this house would be a safe haven as long as my parents were in.

...I knew these were just assumptions based on conjecture on top of conjecture.

Wanting this house to be a safe haven... that was the pinnacle of my weak-willed method of thinking.

I had to concede that it was not completely safe... It was only safer than the outside...

I knew that I couldn't rely on my parents? No... I couldn't risk getting my parents involved.

Then the only person who could be my ally would be... Ooishi-san. Him, and him alone.

He was the only person who understood the situation I was in.

He didn't care so much about my safety, but he was without a doubt passionate about solving this case.

...It was a bit frustrating.

...Ooishi-san was basically the whole reason I was in this mess. Now to get out of it, I had to rely on him...

Meaning... it was all going according to his devices.

It was just my job to look appetizing while bobbing in the waves as bait.

...Then, when the fish started gathering around, Ooishi-san would pull up the big haul!

It was slightly infuriating... but even I thought that was the best course of action.

So, then... what should I do!?

...Patience was the first rule of fishing.

Just keep waiting until the fish actually bites...

But I wasn't simply bait.

There were lots of ways for me to struggle before being devoured.

When they struck, I needed to somehow dodge just enough and tag out to Ooishi-san.

No question, it was going to be hard.

...The timing to bring Ooishi-san in would be difficult.

He was in the city, not Hinamizawa.

So if I phoned him in my moment of need, it would take him about 30 minutes to reach me.

So I needed to run away for those 30 minutes...

For example... if we set up a rendezvous point for dire situations or something.

I'd just have to hide out there until Ooishi-san arrived.

"...Okay... I can almost... see it now..."

I was still being chased around in the dark by boogiemen, but now I knew which way to go. I would never have imagined this would be so reassuring.

Oh yeah...

It would probably be best if I had a concealed weapon for when things got rough.

...Typically, that would call for a switchblade.

But that wasn't too reassuring for combat.

Also, since it was recognized as a weapon by the public, that also wasn't good.

Really, when the time comes... a long weapon like a bat would work in my favor.

I remembered there was a metal bat at school.

...I could be confident with that when push came to shove.

...If I pretended I was practicing my swing, then it wouldn't be suspicious for me to always carry it around.

...I could go to school early tomorrow and secure it.

Just possessing a weapon may be enough to deter them.

Also, one more thing... Insurance...

It could be something like a note or memo. I could write down everything that's happened as a sort of journal.

In case I suddenly vanished, the journal would be left behind.

...With my journal in his possession, Ooishi-san should be able to avenge my death.

I left my parents engrossed in their conversation about work and went back to my room.

I tore out a piece of paper from a notebook and made my way to my desk.

...Last time I wrote a journal was for summer homework in elementary school.

In the off chance something bad happened, the police could use my diary as a lead.

...So I should only write down the facts.

How should I start...

I jotted down my thoughts as they came.

"I, Keiichi Maebara, am in fear for my life."

It made me laugh nervously. It was a line that showed up often in detective stories. I never even dreamed that I would be in the type of situation where I'd write it myself.

"I do not know why they are after my life."

Rena and the others were suspicious, but I had no proof.

...And that's why I couldn't write anything more.

I laughed wryly at myself for writing such a passage draped in mystery.

Would the police be able to get the hint from reading this enigmatic passage?

I could only pray that they would.

...What I prayed for the most though, was that this journal never needed to play its part...

Here, I laughed nervously.

It was too simple, so I wrote down one more line I just thought of.

"The only thing I do know is that it has to do with Oyashiro-sama's curse."

Was that... too much...?

...I probably shouldn't write more than that.

...If I wrote any more, then it would seem like I was just delusional.

In order to appear to the reader that the person who had written this was of sound mind... I chose not to write anything else at that point.

...I just needed to add more as I learned more about the truth.

I folded the paper and thought about a place to hide it.

...By hiding it somewhere obvious, there was the chance that 'they' would uncover it instead.

On the other hand, if it was in too obscure of a location, then there was the risk of nobody finding it at all...

In the end, I decided to take the clock off my wall and stick my folded note on the back of it with scotch tape.

After that, I put the clock back into its normal position.

Yeah...

It didn't look like anything was hidden behind it.

Now I needed to set it up such that, "if anything happens to me," my parents could find it.

I looked at it from countless different angles until I was satisfied and I made my way downstairs.

My parents were still talking about work.

It didn't look like it was going to end anytime soon, so I cut in.

"Ah, sorry to interrupt!!

...I have something I want to talk to you about."

I'd never started off a conversation like that before, so my parents were both startled. They stopped talking and turned towards me.

"What is it, Keiichi?"

"I have a favor to ask of you, please listen.

...Um, just in case, yeah?"

"If it's not urgent, can we do this later?

Right now, Mommy and Daddy have something urgent they're talking about."

I didn't think their talk was more urgent than mine. In any case, I stated my request.

"Just in case, okay?

If I die..."

Both of my parents' eyes went as wide as saucers.

"If I die...

I want you to put the clock on my wall in my coffin."

If they did that, then they'd probably find it.

My memoir.

Both my parents remained wide-eyed, not moving an inch.

...I couldn't blame them.

"I made that clock in shop class and I really like it...

So, please."

"...What's the matter?

Keiichi...

Did something happen?"

Mom was finally able to ask me with a questioning gaze.

Of course, this was a normal response for when someone's son suddenly talked about a subject like this.

I felt bad about making them worry, but right now I just wanted them to think about the 'clock' in my room.

With the awkward mood leaving the room in silence, I decided to go back up to my room.

"I... want to get to school early tomorrow, so I'm going to bed.

Good night."

Saying only that, I left the living room.

I needed to get to school early tomorrow and secure that bat.

I should make today the last day I went to school with Rena.

As I climbed the stairs, I heard my mom call my name, but I pretended not to hear her.

It wasn't something I could talk about with my parents.

If I talked about it... it would only make things more dangerous.

The fight that had begun was mine and mine alone, I couldn't rely on anybody.

I wouldn't be killed...

Not when I still knew nothing...