"...Is Houjou-san staying home today too?

Furude-san, do you know anything?"

The teacher's voice wasn't critical... but Rika-chan hung her head, unable to answer, and I felt really bad for her...

The teacher called Rika-chan up and they had an exchange in hushed tones at the dais.

At first Rika-chan said that Satoko's fever had grown worse, but everyone in class knew it was a lie.

...Because... every day, Rika-chan brought Satoko's bento with her.

"...Satoko-chan... I wonder what happened."

"Don't ask me..."

...I'm the one... who wants to know most of all.

It was already the third day since Satoko's first absence.

Ever since then... I haven't felt good.

Until just last Sunday, everything had been so much fun...

I had reached out to Satoko like a real older brother... and we spent that time quietly, but warm and comfortable.

...So why had it suddenly been... flipped over...?

The more I thought about it...

the more I thought that the world had taken a turn for the worse ever since Ooishi arrived.

Thinking on it now... maybe the strange apprehensions plaguing me the night before Ooishi arrived had been a sign...

...Kuraudo Ooishi... Oyashiro-sama's servant...

"...Shit, that's impossible...

They can't decide Satoko will be the curse victim this year just 'cause he showed up..."

Just what sort of slip-up had I committed... to cause those fun times to end so suddenly?

...Yes, it was the day before Ooishi appeared.

Shion, Mion, and Rena had spoken of the curse surrounding Satoshi and his disappearance, and it was so sinister it gave me a bad premonition.

...Such a small thing was the slip-up... that invited Oyashiro-sama's servant...?

It was absurd.

...I kept on groaning to myself... that I would never accept it, ever...

I obviously wasn't the only one suppressing my feelings.

...Mion and Rena were too.

Everyone in the class was doing it.

Rika-chan knew something about Satoko's situation.

...But she wouldn't tell us.

...Rika-chan still held a calm attitude, like a cat basking in the sun...

but she was being unbelievably stubborn about this whole thing.

She didn't want to tell us, and that wouldn't change no matter how many times we asked her.

...Everyone understood that... so nobody questioned her.

"...If Rika-chan won't talk, then we just have to wait.

And she might not be talking because it's something not worth saying."

There was no persuasive power in reassurance given with an anxious face like that.

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

Mion was being taciturn... and just looked up at the sky with a somehow annoyed expression.

...I couldn't tell if she was unhappy that Rika-chan wouldn't talk about it with her own friends...

or if she was concerned over Satoko's well-being.

...And what about me?

...My anxiety was suffocating me, day after day.

If someone else were looking at me... then maybe I'd look annoyed, like Mion did...

......Tap tap.

...Someone tapped my shoulder.

It was Tomita-kun and Okamura-kun.

"...Maebara-san.

Do you have a minute?"

"Did your ball get stuck again?

You guys have to get it yourselves this time.

Don't rely on the older kids for everything..."

I didn't feel like going along with them, so I was a little unsympathetic with my response.

"......We heard a little interesting rumor."

"...A rumor?"

"...Yeah.

...I just thought... it might have something to do with that..."

A rumor...

...About Satoko—they hadn't said that, but it didn't seem unrelated.

They didn't want to talk in the classroom, so they pulled me behind the school building, lending further credence to that thought...

The back of the school was damp and humid like always.

...Students didn't really come here because they wanted to.

It might, however, have been the ideal location for trading rumors away from prying eyes.

"...Tomita-kun, Okamura-kun.

...These rumors—they're about why Satoko is absent, right...?"

"We don't know if it has something to do with it though...

...Or maybe......"

"...What on earth happened to Satoko?

Is she sick?

Or could she be... like really sick, or injured or something...?"

"No... Actually...

it's the opposite...

I heard my grandma saying...

that she came to buy tofu at our shop yesterday."

"Oh—Tomita's family runs a tofu shop," added Okamura-kun.

"......She went shopping...

to buy some tofu...?"

My voice sounds so stupefied even I can tell.

...It was understandable.

...I was worried about what grave illness or injury she had... when the person herself had been out and about, shopping for tofu.

"So... how was she?

Did she look okay?

Was she wearing a mask, like she was getting better...?

Or was she using crutches, or did she have bandages on her...?"

"No... There wasn't really... any signs of sickness or injuries on her, but..."

I should have felt relieved that it wasn't an illness or an injury.

...But my anxiety wasn't going away.

...Because Tomita-kun and Okamura-kun's expressions weren't looking any better.

"She apparently came to buy one piece of soft tofu... but my grandma said it was strange..."

"Strange?

Why?

What's wrong with buying soft tofu?"

Irritated by how roundabout they were being, I had to desperately fight that irritation from creeping into my voice.

"Well, Houjou and Furude live by themselves, and they don't have that much money, right?

...So they only ever buy the cheaper, firmer kind of tofu.

...They've never bought the soft stuff—it's the most expensive thing there."

"...Soft or hard, they're both tofu, right?

Maybe she just wanted to eat some great tofu or something."

"W-Well... maybe, but......"

...I knew how transparent I sounded right then.

......This wasn't anything trivial—it was some kind of important clue.

Not the cheap firm tofu, but the expensive soft kind...

...Shopping not in the evening after school, but in the middle of the day.

...I couldn't figure out what those things meant.

As I thought hard about it, Okamura-kun took his turn to speak.

"...Me next.

......This is just a rumor...

but apparently, he's back."

"He?

Who?

Who's back?"

".........Houjou's...

...uncle."

Satoko's uncle.

...Right, I think Coach told me about him.

...Their aunt and uncle had taken them in after Satoko and Satoshi lost their parents in the accident...

"Houjou's uncle... They say he skipped town last year, scared of Oyashiro-sama's curse.

......He's really scary, and violent, like a gang member..."

Everything Coach told me... came back in bits and pieces.

...Right.

The mean aunt and uncle who had tormented them all the time.

...I think he said... that after their aunt was beaten to death by the deviant, he ran away to his lover's house in Okinomiya in fear of the curse.

"...Why would she be staying home from school and shopping for soft tofu in the middle of the day just because her uncle came back?"

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

My underclassmen clammed up and looked downwards.

...There must have been some big hint buried in there.

...Even if I didn't understand, if I told Mion or Rena about it, maybe they'd know something...

"Oh... My bad, you two.

...You were nice enough to talk about it, and I started hammering you with questions..."

"Oh... No, it's okay...

Now we know that she hasn't been in bed this whole time, gravely ill.

That's worth something, right?"

...That might be true.

...But... it still won't...

It won't make the clouds over my mind... fade away.

"Ah!!

M-Maebara-san, over there!!"

Okamura-kun cried wildly, pointing over my shoulders behind me.

Startled, I turned around... and way on the other side of the schoolyard... near the school gate, I saw a figure trudging forth.

......Ah!!!

"It's Houjou...!!"

I burst into a run faster than I could speak.

...So that, as quickly as possible, I could see with my own eyes that she was okay.

"Sa......Satokooooo!!!"

Satoko seemed taken aback by me shouting and running over to her.

"Oh!

My, what is it, Keiichi-san...!

You surprised me with all the yelling and running...!"

"Stupid, enough about me already!!

Three days—what happened, Satoko!?

I was so worried...!!!"

"Oh-ho-ho-ho...!

What a worrywart.

It was only three days!

You're such a worrywart, Keiichi-san..."

From listening to her... she seemed like the normal Satoko, but I could tell she was clearly acting strangely.

Her smile was somehow forlorn... and her complexion was bad for some reason.

"Houjou...!"

"Were you all right?! Were you sick or something...??"

Tomita-kun and Okamura-kun both expressed their concerns.

"Just... what happened, anyway...!?

Three days!

Do you know how worried I was...!?"

"Oh, I do so apologize.

I was just giving the house a good cleaning.

We haven't used it for a rather long time, so everything was covered in dust..."

"...Huh?

...Satoko, what are you talking about?

Why would you have to stay home from school to clean the house?"

Satoko didn't answer me—instead she passed by me and headed for the entrance.

"Gosh.

It is nearly about lunchtime, is it not?

I am just starving."

...It was certainly lunch break.

I couldn't force her to stop after she told me she wanted lunch since she was so hungry.

"...Well, whatever!

Rika-chan's been bringing your lunch for three days now!

You look like you can eat it today.

Let's just go to the classroom,

and put everyone's minds at ease!"

"You're right.

...I suppose I may have caused everyone to worry.

...Oh-ho-ho.

It sure is tough being popular!"

I put a hand on Satoko's shoulder and we ran to the classroom together.

...Up close, I was able to verify that Satoko looked somehow weak.

...All this anxiety was supposed to go away when I saw her again...

That's what I had thought.

..................But now, I actually started to have quite different fears.

What... the heck happened, Satoko...?

Everyone in the class, of course, reacted in the same exact way I had.

"We worried about you!"

"I'm glad to see you well!"

"What were you doing for three days?"

Our classmates showered her in questions.

"I truly do apologize for causing a fuss...! Oh-ho-ho-ho!!"

As she cackled, she chowed down on the bento Rika-chan had made for her.

Those in the teacher's lounge must have been informed of Satoko's arrival, because our teacher sprinted into the classroom, her breathing ragged.

"Houjou-san!!"

"Oh, Sensei.

I'm sorry for worrying you these three days!

Oh-ho-ho!

As you can see, I am fit as a fiddle."

"...My... I was very worried about you!

When you are done eating, come right to the teacher's lounge.

I have a lot to talk to you about."

"I must be in for a good scolding for those three days I cut class, oh-ho-ho...!"

Satoko laughed sheepishly while she scratched her head, and the rest of the class burst out into laughter.

The teacher was acting angry, but she breathed a sigh of relief at seeing Satoko healthy and smiling as she ate her lunch with the class surrounding her.

"......What a relief, right, Rena?"

"Huh?

......Oh, sorry.

Yeah, I'm glad she's okay."

...I looked at Rena and knew.

...She had a sense that something about Satoko was off too.

I looked to see Mion detached from the clamor as well, with a somewhat grim expression.

...But Rika-chan, on the other hand, was smiling from ear to ear.

She spread out the bento boxes one by one as Satoko finished them...

Finally Satoko was satisfied, and after enjoying a thorough conversation with her classmates, remembered that she'd been called to the teacher's lounge.

"...It's such a pain, but I think she'll be angrier if I don't go."

"...I'll go with you."

Satoko rises from her seat, and Rika-chan runs over to her.

"I do apologize, Keiichi-san.

I'll be right back after getting scolded."

"R-Right.

...I mean, I could go with you too.

We're all comrades in getting scolded in the teacher's lounge—ever since the curry incident, right?"

"...That won't be necessary.

...Keiichi should mind the place while we're away."

Rika-chan's words were gentle, but the firm rejection was clear in her eyes.

The two of them exited into the hallway, walking shoulder to shoulder...

After seeing them off, the class breathed a collective sigh of relief, broke apart, and went back to their usual lunch break banter.

We, however, couldn't go back to how we usually were.

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

Not I, not Mion, and of course, not Rena.

...They stared at the classroom exit Satoko and Rika-chan had left through, their expressions a little distant and grim.

"......We're all friends.

...Isn't that right?"

I blurted out something strange, so Mion and Rena turned around with dubious expressions.

"I won't keep anything from my friends.

So I'll tell you what I just heard a little while ago."

I told them the stories I heard from Tomita-kun and Okamura-kun earlier about the tofu shop and how Satoko's uncle had apparently come back.

All at once, without letting them speak.

"...And that's all I know.

So if either of you knows anything, please say so.

...I've said everything I can."

I ended my sentence firmly and looked into Mion and Rena's eyes in turn...

Rena stared right back at me.

...Her eyes didn't falter.

Without even opening her mouth, I could tell she wasn't hiding anything.

...Then our gazes turned to Mion.

"......It's not... like I was trying to keep it a secret or anything."

Mion couldn't seem to endure our silent stares... and began to talk timidly, as if she was guilty of something.

"......It's just... now that you've said something, Kei-chan... I guess I have to talk about it..."

"...Mii-chan... You know something?"

"...Well, I mean... I knew from the first day that Satoko's uncle had come home...

That he... just randomly showed up in Hinamizawa last Sunday..."

"...Why didn't you tell us that?!"

"!! ......I-I... I'm sorry..."

My angry shout caused Mion to flinch away, look down... and hang her head uncomfortably...

"Keiichi-kun, it's nothing to get angry about.

You're scaring Mii-chan."

"Huh...... oh... sorry I shouted at you..."

...I lowered my head in apology.

...Mion accepted it, collected herself, and continued.

According to her... her uncle's relationship with his lover, whom he had been with in Okinomiya, had collapsed.

...Without anywhere to go, he went back home to Hinamizawa.

......And... on that Sunday, the day of the barbecue...

Her uncle ran into Satoko......

and brought her back to the house.

"...Why..

did he bring her with him?"

"Because he's a good-for-nothing parasite.

...He can't even cook by himself, much less do any cleaning."

"But... But that's... He brought Satoko-chan back to have her cook and clean?!"

I remember that she said... she'd been cleaning the house... when I met her back at the school gate.

......A moment later... the pieces fell into place... into the jigsaw puzzle of unease.

...And as for... what the puzzle depicted, when I saw it from afar...

I could see the answer clearly...

"...Satoko was locked up at home...

and tormented into doing the housework...

Those are... the rumors..."

If you knew that, why didn't you speak up?!

...I nearly yelled that at Mion, but hastily stopped myself...

"M-Mii-chan, is...... is that true?!"

"I haven't seen it myself... so I don't know if it's true or not..."

Mion looked down again... and, staring at the floor, grew quiet.

"......Just like last year?

Like when they lived with their mean uncle and his wife...?"

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

"......But this uncle... is completely helpless when it comes to housework, right?

...If Satoko's that important, then there wouldn't be any reason to torment her, would there...?"

"...Keiichi-kun, I don't know what grounds you have for saying that.

But you shouldn't be so irresponsible."

Rena clearly and directly got mad at me.

...You don't know much about this, so don't talk as though you do—yes, that's clearly what she meant...

"...Fine... Then do... do you know something, Rena......?"

"...I don't know anything either.

I didn't know her uncle had taken her to the house until hearing it just now.

...But...

The situation is different from a year ago."

"...The situation is different... What does that mean?"

"Satoshi-kun isn't here."

"......Satoshi... really cared about his little sister.

...He always stuck up for her.

...He was her shield... so that she would be affected just a little less by their mean aunt and uncle's fighting."

"...The mean uncle and Satoko-chan are the only ones living there now.

...Can't you imagine how stifling that must be, Keiichi-kun?

He only even came back because he broke up with the woman he was staying with.

...Do you think a person who came back for such an unpleasant reason would be able to treat Satoko-chan kindly?"

...She was right... It wasn't easy for me to imagine Satoko not being tormented.

"............Um...... sorry........."

"...Oh...... No, I'm sorry too.

...I sounded like I was interrogating you, didn't I? Hau~!"

An awkward atmosphere floated among us.

...The three of us remained silent and just stared at the floor...

Finally, we heard the principal's bell ringing.

The teacher came back with Satoko and Rika-chan at her side.

"All right, all right, we're starting afternoon class!

Class president, please!"

"Everybody stand up!!"

"Oh-hohoho... I'm sorry.

How rude of me..."

I couldn't read anything from Satoko's vaguely sheepish expression.

...But given the clouded look Rika-chan was wearing behind her...

it was tough to laugh off the disquieting story I'd heard from Mion...

"Awright!!

First time in a while everyone's been here!!

Let's all have a roaring good time with the whole club!!"

Yeah, perfect!!

Indeed... in times like these, the best thing to do was obviously get rowdy and scheme against one another in a club activity!!

"Ehehehehe!

Just what I was waiting for~!

Hey, Satoko-chan!

Let's play!"

"There was that game you liked, wasn't there? What was it again...

It doesn't matter which!

Tell me?

Tell me~!!"

Mion laughed happily, took a bunch of games out of the club locker, and lined them up on the desks.

I think that was the first time Mion's ever let someone else decide on a game for her.

...I could tell she was being especially considerate to Satoko.

...Thinking that whatever her circumstances, if we could just enjoy our time together as a group... that might be some comfort, some diversion...

Satoko seemed to understand her feelings, too... and smiled vaguely, though pleased.

...But... her head slowly moved from side to side.

"I'm very grateful, but... your feelings are enough.

...There are... many things I need to do, so..."

...Even Rika-chan hung her head in remorse.

"Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa! Seriously?!

All the club members are here for once and we're not playing anything?!

Desertion in the face of the enemy—what was the punishment game for it? What part of the club constitution was that in?!"

"...Stop it, Mii-chan.

...We can't force her to play with us."

"...Hey, this old man isn't trying to force her or anything...!

I just thought it would be more fun for sure if we did something exciting...!"

"...Really, I'm happy you feel that way.

...Don't worry—next we meet, you'll see! I'll get you all caught in a gigantic trap!

...Ohh-ho-ho-ho!"

Satoko, while insulting us, still said she couldn't participate in the club today and apologized...

She quickly put her things into her bag, and pattered out into the hallway, disappearing...

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

".........Satoko..."

Rika-chan stared lonesomely as her friend hurried home, unable to be part of club activities...

Silence filled the classroom.

...Both the cheerful voices of our classmates in the schoolyard and the voices of the cicadas sounded like they were coming from some faraway world.

"......Pff.

...This is boring."

...The silence was broken by Mion's bitterness, as she began putting the games on the desk back into the locker.

...Everyone just stared absently at Satoko's seat, now empty.

"...Rika-chan.

Maybe you could tell us about it now?"

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

Rena made as gentle a smile as she possibly could and spoke softly to Rika-chan.

...Even without hearing it from her, we pretty much knew the situation at this point.

Satoko's uncle had broken up with his lover and come back home to Hinamizawa.

...And he had taken Satoko back home and forced her to do all the household work...

...And that all had to be pretty rough on her.

Thinking this was common knowledge to everyone, I skipped to the important part.

"......Is it... really bad...?"

...Maybe Mion and Rena... wanted to ask the same question.

...Nobody spoke—we all just stared, waiting for Rika-chan's reply.

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

Rika-chan still didn't answer us.

......We were hoping for her to say no... but her silence was a bad enough sign.

"......Last year, was it?

It was like this when both her uncle and his wife were here, right?"

"...Yeah.

At the time, they were mostly just being caught between their aunt and uncle fighting.

...One of the ways we helped out was with the club, by reducing her time at home as much as we could, but..."

"......He's making her do the chores now... so she can't stay at school either."

...Shit...

Satoko's not a slave...!

Who do you think you are... ignoring your own inability to live properly and basically putting Satoko under house arrest...?!

"...When you think about it, isn't this really strange?

We'd need a lot of circumstantial evidence, but isn't this abuse?

Can't we notify the police or something?"

"...You're right.

...If we had evidence she was being abused, I think we could tell the police.

...And can't we talk to the region's welfare people about this?"

Rena and I kept saying "police, police" as though it were nothing, but Mion's response sounded like she thought we were a little naive.

"...It's easy for you to say that.

Have you thought about the risks of actually getting proof?"

"What do you mean... risks?"

"...I think it was two winters ago.

...We reported it.

To the child consultation center.

We told them there was abuse happening, and to do something right away."

"Huh? You did?

...What happened?"

"A person came as soon as we called.

...She interviewed Satoko and Satoshi about what was going on.

And then their uncle and his wife, too."

"...I can understand asking Satoko and Satoshi... but wouldn't it be not so good to talk to the aunt and uncle...?"

"They said they'd base their judgement on what they heard from both sides.

Great of them, wasn't it?"

"...So... what did they decide to do?"

"Wait and see."

"...What... What do you mean 'wait and see'?!"

"The uncle really studied up on this stuff.

By law, you can't call it abuse unless assault or child neglect has been established.

...They poked and prodded Satoko and Satoshi a lot, but it never left any real marks on them.

They were pretty much eating three meals a day, and had beds.

And there weren't any recordings or something like that to prove they'd said or done anything to cause them psychological trauma.

...None of the villagers had ever actually seen them being violent, either.

...No matter how mean you are, you wouldn't act so violent in front of other people.

Nobody would."

"Then... what happened...?"

"The welfare officer apparently went to visit on the same day each week for a while.

The aunt and uncle knew they were being watched, though, and didn't torment them in any way that would stand out.

...Of course... that wasn't the end of it."

"......You mean they... ramped up how malicious they were being...?"

Mion sighed and nodded.

"...Their aunt was really damn stubborn.

...She's one of the most spiteful people I've ever known.

......Apparently she was doing some pretty disgusting things.

......Satoko... was like a doll that did nothing but breathe by the end of it..."

...So what?

...From that conclusion... does that mean they never should have contacted child welfare in the first place...?

"...Understand?

Without proof of abuse so clear anyone could see it, there's nothing we can do.

...In fact, it might even make the situation worse.

......We...

messed up pretty bad..."

...After hearing that even public organizations, the one thing they thought was dependable, couldn't do anything... everyone hung their heads...

"...In other words... until we have clear evidence of abuse, we shouldn't notify anyone?"

"...Mm.

...Well, I mean...

Basically, yeah."

I considered Satoko's current situation.

She was brought back to her house.

...It was a little... difficult to call that abuse.

She was being tormented and forced to do the chores.

...How she was being tormented would be the key... but without concrete evidence, it would be difficult to prove.

...If she had some kind of external injury, that would work...

but as far as we could tell from today, she had nothing like that.

And being forced to do the chores—that was a bit weak, too...

There had to be better evidence that she was without a doubt being abused.

...Ah, I know.

...Her uncle had ignored Satoko's existence for a whole year and went to live with his lover in town.

...Didn't that fall under one of the definitions of abuse that Mion had mentioned—child neglect?

"...Yeah.

...It's the perfect case of child neglect.

...What about that, Mii-chan?!"

"Um... hmm...

...If her uncle weren't here now, it could be recognized as child neglect...

But he's living with her at the moment, isn't he?

They were apart before, but if he said something like... he had a change of heart and decided to live with her... then they might just 'wait and see' again."

...Once we reported it, we would need to be absolutely sure they'd interpret it as abuse.

...Maybe we needed far more concrete evidence... lest we repeat last year's mistake...

"...It's, well... It's sad.

...This means... we need to sit quietly and wait for him to be violent towards Satoko-chan and leave a mark, don't we?"

"............Mgh..."

...The only plan I could think of was, in the end, just watching and waiting.

...It left me in shock... when I realized that it would be the same policy as that of the officials who had made the situation worse...

As Mion said... reporting it to a public agency would be a gamble.

If we're going to pick a fight, it would have to be one we couldn't afford to lose.

If we were gambling, without enough money—without enough evidence, our defeat would be assured.

...If we took the time to amass enough 'money' that we could be sure of victory...

then that would mean pretending we didn't see Satoko's plight for a considerable amount of time...

"......Sorry for bringing this up now, but...

How is Rika-chan able to live by herself...?"

"......"

Rika-chan had lost her parents, if I recalled correctly.

...From what I'd heard, she had no relatives either.

She was forced to live on her own as a result... but her life was unfettered, free of restriction.

...If she could somehow grant that freedom to Satoko, too...

"...I mean, Rika-chan... you're living without any parents, right?

...Don't kids with no guardians... have to go to orphanages and stuff...?"

"......Keiichi-kun... That's... cruel..."

"...I'm not saying it to be mean.

...I only asked because I thought maybe there would be a hint to saving Satoko.

...Rika-chan, sorry if I offended you."

Rika-chan shook her head, not particularly disturbed.

"...Well, you see...

It's because I'm considered the mayor's daughter."

"Let me explain...

The mayor, old man Kimiyoshi, is Rika-chan's guardian.

He got official permission from the governor of the prefecture."

"Huh...

So you're adopted?"

"No, not adopted.

You can be someone's guardian without being in the same family."

"...Oh, I get it.

...Rika-chan lives by herself, but by law, she's considered to live with the mayor, right...?"

"Yeah, basically.

That's how Rika-chan avoids being sent to an orphanage.

...Actually, it would be child and family services, not an orphanage."

"...Meep.

I don't understand the hard things... but anyway, she's right."

"Interesting you should say that, Mion.

...You can be someone's guardian even if they're in another family?

...Then shouldn't we have the mayor or someone else become Satoko's guardian, if only on paper?!"

Then... she'd be in the same position as Rika-chan.

...And she could go back to her old life...!

"Too bad it won't work!

...I mean, her uncle is supposedly her guardian."

"...Wait a minute.

You lost me there.

...What's a guardian exactly, anyway?"

In legal terms, a guardian and a parent weren't necessarily synonyms.

So... whoever was actually looking after her at home would be considered her guardian.

"...Then her uncle isn't her guardian.

He left Satoko by herself for so long!"

"But if he insists he's her guardian, then that's it!

It's been a few days since Satoko was taken back to her house.

Her uncle's been paying for her meals, since then, right?

He is sort of looking after her, so he'd probably insist.

And even though he abandoned her for a year, he'd already looked after her for the whole year before that,

but the mayor doesn't have that kind of history."

"...So then if both the mean uncle and the mayor requested guardianship at the same time... the uncle would make more sense?"

"No, but he'd have a better chance!

...The term 'guardian' refers to the person actually caring for her, right?

The uncle actually has a bed and food for her, but the mayor would just have his name—it wouldn't even be a contest."

"Then... shouldn't the mayor just start caring for her for real?!

He'd be her guardian in name and reality if he did!"

We just need to shelter Satoko!

That might lead to her uncle being desperate to take her back, but we'll stubbornly refuse him!!

"It won't be that easy!!

Satoko is a growing girl, you know?

It's not like giving someone a cat—you're asking him to care for a real person!!"

"Then Coach!!

What about Coach?!

Coach, he's... I don't know, he's got a lot of money, right?

He even said it himself!

Even if he's not her real father... Coach could become her guardian!!

Coach would... he would be great at taking care of her!"

"Stop that!!

Stop thinking of Satoko like a pet!!

All you're doing is talking about pushing her onto someone else!

You need to think more seriously about how much responsibility it is to care for another human being!!

Did you ask him?!

Did you get an actual promise from him that he'd take Satoko under his care?!"

"...N-No, I didn't.

...But Coach would definitely say yes...!"

"Hah! Well, fine.

Even considering the 0% probability of Coach saying it was okay, then what?

It still wouldn't work!!

He couldn't become a guardian all by himself!!"

......Agh......!

That's right...

Coach... Didn't he say it himself?

...He was alone... so he couldn't do it...!!

Sh-Shit!! What the hell?!

Why is being single such a disadvantage in this society?!

...Then, then... all you could do is marry into a wealthy family, couldn't you?!

"...Is there anyone that wealthy in Hinamizawa...?

...I'm not sure..."

"See?

It's not simple!!

It's hard to adopt someone!!

And you can't go into it thinking you'll push Satoko onto someone else just for a little while!!

You're being naive, Kei-chan!!"

"Shit, damn it, what the hell?!

I'm desperately thinking of how to save Satoko, and all you're saying is no, no!!

Don't you care about Satoko at all?!

Are you even worried about our friend one bit?!

What do you have to say for yourself?!"

"That's...!

...I didn't... mean that!!

But... it just won't be that easy, and...!!"

"It's not that difficult a problem!

We just need to have some rich people look after Satoko for a while, that's all!!

Right... What about your family, Mion?!

You always brag about how great it is being one of the Three Families or whatever, don't you?!

From what you've said, you must live in a gigantic house!!"

"M-My house...?!

No, that won't happen!! ...My... my grandma would never allow it...!"

"Then what about your relatives in Okinomiya?!

From what I heard, they're living in luxury themselves!!

There's plenty of shops your relatives manage in town too!!

Your family are basically millionaires, aren't they?!"

"No... no, that won't work!!

Going to Okinomiya is even more out of the question!!

My father... He'd never let it happen, ever!!!"

"Hey, hey, hey, hey!!

Normally you act like some high and mighty bigwig, and now you're being all spineless?

What the hell?!

Are you just going to sit by and watch Satoko suffer?!?!"

"T-That's... no, I don't, but...!!

I mean... I want to help her as much as you!

But... That's a different... a different story..."

"How is it a different story?!

How can you be so cold-hearted!!

Your friend is in trouble!!

What are you if you don't rescue her?!

You're our president!!

Our club president!!

Save her!!

Save her from this crisis!!

If you don't save her right now, you're not her friend—you're not even human!!

I don't know if you have any humanity left in you!!

Are you listening to me, Mion?!?"

My emotions all exploded out of me... and I didn't even give her a chance to say anything in response.

...I just wanted to make Mion agree with me, even if I had to force her.

...If she did, Satoko's problems would be solved.

If pushing her would solve the issue... then I'd push her as much as I needed to!!

"Why aren't you saying anything anymore?!

I'm asking you, asshole!

Well? Say something, Mion Sonozakiiiii!!!"

"...............Mii...?"

"......mgh......... kh............

...hic...!"

...Mion, looking down with a grim face, began sobbing...

...Her hands were clenched into trembling fists... and she rubbed her eyes to wipe away... the tears...

...Was... what I said actually that mean...?

This isn't the time to cry—we're in the gambling room now, and we have to do something to save Satoko!

...And as I thought that, Rena spoke, her voice cold and incredibly calm.

".........Keiichi-kun.

If Mii-chan's family won't work, then what if we look for another wealthy family?

I know someone in Hinamizawa who lives in a nice, big house."

"...W-Who's that?"

"Oh, come on.

You've got a splendid family, and you're leaving it out of things?"

"...My... my family...?

My family is..."

"You're friends, right? Save her, Keiichi-kun.

Mii-chan is cold-hearted, after all.

Since you are so considerate towards friends, you should lead by example.

Just the three of you are living in that huge house, right?

Then you've probably got plenty of spare rooms.

You should just give a few of the empty ones to Satoko-chan.

And then her worries would all be over!

What's this?

We're done already?

That was pretty quick!

Okay, great, congratulations on solving the problem!!

Then are we done for today?!

I'm going home, hooray, hooray!!

Maybe I'll go treasure hunting—I haven't done that in a while!!

I was so worried about Satoko-chan until now that I didn't feel like going to play at all!!

I wonder what I'll find today, hauu...

............Say something, will you?!

Why am I the only one talking?!

Say something, you bastard—are you listening, Keiichi Maebara?!?!"

............Even the cicadas... seemed to cower in fear.

Rena, her shoulders bobbing up and down—and me, who had forgotten to breathe.

...Mion, whose face had gone completely pale, and Rika-chan, who was keeping silent as if nothing had happened.

...The atmosphere in the classroom grew tight and stiff... and it petrified us where we stood.

Rattle.

The sound of the chair as Rena sat back down after having stood up... finally allowed everyone present to take a breath.

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

...Rena......... had shown me just how much... I'd hurt Mion.

".........Rena's scary."

After a few moments...

Rika-chan cut into the frozen air.

"...Yeah.

I'm sorry, Rika-chan.

Mii-chan, I'm sorry to you too.

...I don't have to apologize to you, do I, Keiichi-kun?"

"...............Yeah.

...I'm sorry.

...I'm sorry for being so unreasonable."

"Were you saying all that to me before?

You said it while glaring at Mii-chan, so I totally thought you were talking to her."

......Rena had such strength... that you wouldn't have imagined it normally.

...All I did was spout terrible things as a wave of violent fury passed over me—I couldn't contend with her.

"......Mion... I'm sorry.

.........I lost my cool."

Come to think of it, I didn't understand what had gotten me that riled up...

...I thought of myself as Satoko's Nii-nii...

so I only had good intentions... that I'd think about it a little harder than everyone else, and yet...

"Um...... mm.

...It's okay.

...You were worrying with everything you had, but all I was saying was that nothing would work...

so I'm sorry.

I... did something wrong too."

Mion rubbed away the tears at the corners of her eyes with her fists and apologized as well...

We bowed our heads to each other... and looked down, without glancing at the other.

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

Someone, I don't know who... heaved a sigh.

...Satoko being tormented... had been known about since last year.

How had... the tragedy back then saved Satoko?

How had they brought it to an end...?

...Right.

...In the end... nobody could do anything.

...All they could do was bear it patiently... and wait for those agonizing days to end.

...That's right.

The one who brought an end to those terrible days... was some crazy drug addict nobody knew.

On the night of Watanagashi last year... their mean aunt had been beaten to death.

...But it hadn't been done to save Satoko or Satoshi.

...Right.

...It really was... just a coincidence.

Satoko's friends, who needed to do something for her most of all, could do nothing.

...The incident may have been a tragic one...

but from Satoko's viewpoint...

it was nothing less than a miracle.

Yes, a miracle.

...A miracle one could only wait for.

"...Is waiting all...

all we can do?"

Not for evidence of abuse—not for something that minor.

"...Huh?

.........Wait...

for what...?"

"......A miracle."

...No one made fun of me for using such a crazy word.

......We couldn't come up with any solutions, so it was the only thing we could do...

"............We're...

powerless."

That one word Mion dropped...

was the finishing blow.

...It was hot.

...My body was sticky with sweat.

...The worst month...

June.

I walked forward quite a ways... then turned right where the rice fields ended.

...I'd never come here before, so I had no idea where to go.

I got lost several times, so I may have taken quite a long way around.

...Maybe I should have gone back home and gotten my bike first...

...It would have... made everyone else worry if I'd asked them... so I asked one of our other classmates where Satoko's actual house was.

That house was originally her family's, apparently—not their uncle and his wife's.

...Their house had been bigger... so they had taken it for themselves.

Right here.

...Several houses all in a line.

.........Over there...?

...I was visiting Satoko's house... but didn't particularly intend to meet her there.

...I didn't mean to spy on the enemy, her mean uncle, either.

......Maybe I just... wanted to be a little closer to her... as her Nii-nii.

......Pretty words—but I didn't know if they were true.

......If what Tomita-kun and the others told me was right...

...it'd be this house...?

When I recognized it... my feet grew heavy.

...What did... I come here for?

My motive for coming here... was absurd.

...When Mion had said at the end that we were powerless... it made me sort of frustrated.

I just wanted to do something, anything other than waste the days away praying for a miracle.

...That's what made me come here.

...But... that was all.

Even if I... I were to witness her uncle actually tormenting Satoko... what could I do?

...Would I act like a comic book hero, punch the guy in the face, and take Satoko away with me?

And then live together somewhere far away?

...That was ridiculous.

"...I'm.........

powerless........."

......The cicadas' voices, raised in chorus, sounded like they were scoffing at me.

...As though they were saying... that if I couldn't do anything and wouldn't do anything, then I should go back home.

I heard a car approaching so I got out of its way.

...But the car stopped right behind me, its horn honking shortly once.

Annoyed—hadn't I gotten out of their way?—I looked behind me... and a familiar face was looking at me out of the driver's seat window.

"...Coach..."

"Hello, Maebara-san.

How unexpected to meet you all the way out here.

Do you live nearby?"

...Me being here wasn't normal.

...Just as I considered somehow giving him the slip, I noticed Satoko sitting in the passenger's seat.

"...S-Satoko...?"

Satoko got out of the car and began unloading a lot of groceries from the trunk.

"...I happened to run into Coach on my way back from shopping.

...He said he'd bring me home, so I accepted his offer."

"...She wouldn't have been able to carry all those groceries on her bike."

As Coach spoke, he pulled Satoko's bike from out of the back seat where they'd put it.

The grocery bags were big... and there were four of them.

...They all seemed to be packed full and very heavy.

"...Those bags... Sevens Mart...?!

Hey... isn't that a little far to go by bicycle?!"

I looked at the bags... and saw that they were filled to the brim with sake bottles, snacks that you'd eat with sake, and boxes of cigarettes.

...Their weight was one thing... but their contents were nothing less than luxury items...

"......I made it thanks to Coach...

He helped me out.

...It was a little... difficult going up those hills."

Satoko gave Coach a smile filled with gratitude...

but it was incredibly awkward and even heartrending...

"Satoko......

These groceries... aren't for dinner tonight, are they...?"

"...Of course not.

...I do not drink sake, and I hate snacks.

...Of course I don't smoke, either..."

...He... he made Satoko go to a distant store by herself on her bike...

So she could buy dumb shit like this...?

And what was the uncle doing right now, anyway?

He must have been working up a good sweat at this very moment if he needed to send Satoko out by herself, right...?!

If not... then how much... how much had Satoko suffered for no reason...?!

...I hadn't intended to voice my feelings.

...But... they may have made it into my face.

Coach might have noticed, because he clapped me on the shoulder...

Just then, one of the house windows clattered open... and the face of a vulgar man, the very sight of which made me immediately avert my eyes, emerged from within it...

...There were no self-introductions necessary.

...My gut told me... that this was the uncle in question.

The first thing out of his mouth should have been words of gratitude for Satoko...

"Satokoo!!

You left the heat for the sake on when you left, you halfwit!!"

"...I-I'm sorry...

But you... told me to go right away..."

"Shut up!!

You've gone and ruined it! And it was the good stuff, too!

What'll you do about it!?"

"...I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry...!"

Satoko miserably... apologized over and over, bowing again and again...

...She could be perfectly described... as a small animal.

...I had no idea... what was happening.

...Satoko finished shopping... for all this heavy stuff that wasn't even for dinner!

...She only managed to come back because she ran into Coach and he drove her home...

If she hadn't been found by him...

She'd surely... still be by herself...

panting and moaning, pedaling her bicycle...

up that steep hill.

What was with those words... those horrible, sleazy words... that he said to Satoko?!

...In what country's dictionary...

did it tell him to say such things...

to a young girl who'd just finished shopping?!

...My anger, of course, wouldn't reach him.

...The uncle displayed no interest in me, instead shouting at Coach.

"......Oh.

If it isn't Doctor Irie!

Hallo, hallo!

Why don't you come on inside too?

We're in the last round, so you can get in right away.

A hundred yen per thousand points, and anything goes."

"...No...

I'll pass, thank you.

I just ran into Satoko-chan and gave her a lift, is all.

I'll be leaving now."

"Aww, nah~ Come play a round!

You've got a lot of money, yeah?

Dah-ha-ha-ha-ha!"

...I didn't even understand what her uncle and Coach were talking about.

But I knew one thing for sure... none of what he'd just said had been to thank Satoko in any way.

"Satoko, could you bring us the damn snacks?!

And start gettin' those beers chilled too.

Go get us some cold ones from the fridge!!"

"Tecchan, you're so harsh on her.

She looks so sad, you should take better care of her!"

"This is how I gotta treat her.

...She's been like this since she was with my bro.

Spoil her and she ain't gonna listen to a damn thing you say...

Shit."

"Whatever, it's your draw, Tecchan!"

"Tsubaki-san declared riichi too."

"...Sorry, sorry.

...What? You in riichi again, Tsubaki..."

It looked like it wasn't just her uncle—some of his friends were over.

...Hey, wait...

What was he—

no, what were they doing...?

Flinging rude words left and right... making Satoko go shopping for your beer... What were they doing?!

"My uncle's friends came from town... and they're playing mahjong.

...He told me to prepare dinner for them as well."

"Wha...... what... the hell...?"

Mahjong?!

He called his friends over... for mahjong?!

...They were too busy playing... so they sent Satoko... to buy them a crapload of booze from a faraway store...

And the first thing he said to her... was how she left the gas on?!

What the hell, what the hell—what the hell?!

"What... does that guy... think he's doing?!

Who could get lost in some dumb game of... mahjong... and send Satoko to buy all this stuff?!"

...Even though Coach was listening... he pretended he wasn't.

There was a line of heavy-looking shopping bags lined up on the ground next to the trunk.

"...Maebara-san, you help too, please.

You're a boy—you get to carry this heavy one."

"Coach!!

You're gonna let this slide?!

This is completely...!!"

...Coach pretended he hadn't heard that violent outburst, either.

...When I thought about it later, his reaction might have been the best thing he could do in that situation...

"...I'll carry two of them myself.

...Come on.

...Help us carry them, please."

The bags were packed to the brim with bottles of sake and bar snacks.

...They were so heavy.

...And... so filthy, so unfair.

...They weren't just heavy in terms of weight...

they made me feel mortified...

Nothing could have been heavier than that...

"...Keiichi-san, there's no need to push yourself.

I'll carry it..."

Satoko mistook my biting back the humiliation as grimacing under the weight... and offered to help.

"......Stupid...

Don't... underestimate me..."

...Satoko had never looked down on my physical strength in the slightest.

...Guh...... grah......

"...Coach... I'm sorry for you too.

...It must be heavy..."

No, not at all...

answered Coach, smiling vaguely.

...Coolly.

...But I, and I alone, knew.

...Coach was an adult, so he just knew how to keep his feelings from showing.

...There was even more anger than I was feeling... burning deep in his eyes.

"...Well... Haha.

...It is heavy."

............Guh.........

shit......

shit...!

It wasn't very far to the doorstep of Satoko's house... but the bags squeezed my palms... and started leaving red marks.

"............Guh..."

Fury welled up in me, and the back of my throat stung.

...But... even if it all came gushing out... it wouldn't solve anything.

......So...

Just tightly gritting my teeth... was as much as I could do...

"...Really, thank you so much.

...Both of you.

You really helped me here."

After we carried them to the back door, Satoko said that was enough.

...Occasionally we'd hear the repulsive laughing of her uncle and his friends from within... and my insides would seethe.

...I knew they weren't ridiculing us.

And... that was why it made me so mad.

...They'd made Satoko shop for all this heavy, selfish stuff, then ignored her and laughed amongst themselves as they pleased... It was deeply aggravating.

...Of course, Coach had to have felt the same way.

But... if he accidentally let his feelings slip onto his face... he'd only cause Satoko more worry.

...He knew all that... and spoke coolly... as if to say he didn't care.

"......Not at all.

I'm happy I could be a bit of help for you.

...If there's anything else I can help with, please, tell me."

"Yes.

......I really am happy you feel that way."

...That he feels that way.

...Those words... were sad.

...Satoko herself... was sad... and resigned... that we could only help her so much.

...But she was right.

...No matter how much Coach or I want to help Satoko...

this was as much as we could do.

......I felt absolutely... ashamed... at not having the power to help her any more than this...

Burning, boiling emotions were bubbling up within me... and rising into my throat...

Trembling all over... I almost started to cry from my fury...

"......Me too... If there's anything I can do... I'll help you whenever you need.

...So, umm... hang in there..."

I wanted to at least...

give her those trite words, saying that I'd help her whenever she wanted.

"...Yes.

Thank you very much.

...I'm happy just that... you came all the way here when you didn't need to."

...Satoko seemed to have guessed...

What I was doing in a place like this...

when my house was in the opposite direction from school.

"...All right.

You should get going.

...They're drunk right now, so there's no telling what they'll get mad at you for."

She felt guilty getting us involved... after we'd helped her.

...Because she wanted to be the only one to suffer this misfortune.

...That's how it looked... and it hurt.

I handed my supermarket bag over to Satoko.

...And then, I noticed on the back of Satoko's hand...

there was something that looked like a bruise.

"...Hey, Satoko... What's... what the heck is that bruise?!"

...I knew as much as anyone else how transparent that sounded.

...I didn't need to hear it from Satoko... to know how this bruise... came to be.

"......I just slipped on the stairs and hit it a little.

Please, pay it no mind."

"......Y-You're lying...!!"

Coach nudged me in the back.

And then he put his index finger to his mouth... to chide me for being so loud.

"Really, thank you so much.

...Until tomorrow.

...I hope we can see each other at school."

"T-That's not... what I'm talking about!!

I asked you how you got that bruise on your hand!!

......Ahh... ah...!!"

...The evening glow finally got to a point... where I could see... the other concealed, oval-shaped bruises and traces of swelling.

...On her neck...

and her legs......

and other places too...!

"...I fell down the stairs!

...Hohohoho."

The very moment... my violent, rampaging emotions were about to burst their way out of my throat... I found my mouth being tightly clamped down on...

"Mmnnmff!! Nfmfmfmmmmnfff!!!"

Coach was... pressing down on my mouth from behind... wrapping around me tightly with his hands.

Because of that, I couldn't say anything.

...I could only groan.

...Which I did.

That was all I could do.

I needed to expel all the magma sitting deep within me.

...Because otherwise I'd surely explode into a million pieces that very moment...

So I groaned.

I groaned.

From my mouth.

From my whole body.

While heat fell in drops from my eyes.

I groaned and groaned... I groaned to the point of exhaustion.

"Mggggghhhhh!!

Gmhmhmhhmmmmmnnn...!!

Gghghhhohoooohhoooohhhhhh!!! ...!!!"

...I wrung absolutely everything out of myself.

...Even having lost my voice... I was still... wringing it all out......

"......I understand how you feel...!!

I really do, Maebara-san!!

...Please... please just endure it for now...!

Please, I'm asking you... Maebara-san...!!"

Endure it for now?!

And then what, huh?!

What would happen to her... to Satoko?!

Her body and mind were wounded... and she was being made to suffer like this...

...Can you not even... even let me howl in vain at it?!

Is that it, Coach?!

Are we this powerless?! So powerless... that we can't even fucking scream from the bottom of our hearts...?!

......The voices of the higurashi... made me calm down.

I didn't know... how long it had been.

Satoko... abruptly... gave a slight bow.

"...Thank you very much, Keiichi-san."

"............Satoko..."

"...You... looked a lot like my real Nii-nii just now.

...My real Nii-nii... may not be here anymore......

but I have another Nii-nii named Keiichi-san."

"......Yeah, you got it...

...I'm... your Nii-nii.

...And when you're... in pain... I'll help you no matter what...

Your Nii-nii... will rescue you for sure..."

...Satoshi Houjou... you fucking idiot!!

If not now, then when?!

Satoko... she's never been in more pain in her life!!

If her Nii-nii... doesn't save her now... then when will he?!

Why did you run away?!

Why did you abandon her?!?

Why did you leave Satoko behind?!?

You don't... have any right... to call yourself Satoko's Nii-nii!!!

"......I... I won't run away..."

"...Huh...?"

"...I definitely won't...... run away.

...I won't run away and abandon you... like Satoshi did!

No way...!!

I will not... abandon you!!!"

Slip.

......Tears... trickled down from Satoko's eyes.

And then... she narrowed her eyes... into a smile.

"Good-bye...

Nii-nii."

Satoko took her right hand... and awkwardly waved to me.

"...I'll be all right.

...My... my Nii-nii now... helped me... helped me so much...

So I'll be okay...

I'll do my best... until tomorrow...

I'll be okay...

......So...

for today... this is... good-bye."

There was no way... that I could say "bye, see you tomorrow."

And then... from inside the house... came a throaty... disgusting voice.

"Satokooooo!!

Could you bring us the snacks already?!?!"

"...Okay, Nii-nii.

...Get going already.

...I'll... be fine now.

...Hurry."

"......Let's go, Maebara-san.

...Staying any longer than this... would be a bother to Satoko-chan."

"...Coach.

...Nii-nii's house... is a little far away.

...I'm sorry to ask you this... but could you take him home...?"

"......Yes.

I'll do that."

...Coach grabbed me by my collar... and with strength I couldn't have imagined him having... started dragging me away.

...And I... unable to oppose him... started getting farther away from Satoko.

She waved her hand to us, expression still dark...

and disappeared...

through the back door.

Coach got into the car first, then turned around on the narrow path and brought the passenger side door around for me.

"......I know how you feel so well it hurts.

...No... I think I understand it even more than you..."

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

"......But right now, just for now, please endure it.

...She understood exactly how you feel.

...So... please endure it.

If you don't..."

"...I... I know already.

.........I'm sorry. Thank you for before."

.........I meekly got into the passenger's seat.

...The car accelerated quietly... and Satoko's house grew farther and farther away in the rear view mirror.

...We made a wide turn... and then I couldn't see her house anymore...

".........Hm?

Is your house that far away?

It's in the other direction from the school, isn't it?"

...I didn't bother to reply.

...I would have been hard-pressed to give him an answer as to why I was at Satoko's house.

Coach didn't say anything more either.

For a while... the two of us were silent, the only sounds from the gravel spraying over the road as we drove.

......I remembered how Rena said things were different than last year.

At the time, she had Satoshi with her.

...Satoshi protected Satoko.

...So that less of the sparks fell onto her.

"............But now... Satoshi isn't here."

"......Yes.

......That's... the unfortunate truth."

...Coach seemed to understand what I really meant when I said that.

"...It's a terribly sad... cruel story...

but there's a limit... to our resolve, our efforts, and our assistance."

...It sounded like an excuse... but he was right.

...Even if Coach and I wanted to be people Satoko could depend on...

That was all.

It ended at the front door.

No matter how much I shouted... that I would be her Nii-nii.

...No matter how much I shouted that I wouldn't abandon her, and no matter how much Satoko called me Nii-nii.

......I couldn't do... any more than that.

"...Where on earth...... could Satoshi have gone?"

...Right—Satoshi was another story.

...Her actual brother, Satoshi... He was in a position to protect her far, far better than we ever could.

...That was the cold, sad truth... of the massive gulf... between Satoshi and us.

"............I wonder...

what he's been doing lately?"

Satoshi left home.

...I didn't know why—maybe it was because of Oyashiro-sama's curse, or he disappeared, or something.

...In any case, he wasn't beside Satoko now.

...At the time Satoko needed him to protect her most, he wasn't here.

"......Why isn't he here?!

Satoko needs him now more than ever!"

"......A lot of people talk about Oyashiro-sama's curse...

but the only thing I can say...

is that he ran away."

"One of my friends said that one day he just never came back.

...He ran away without even leaving so much as a note for his sister...?!"

"...Satoshi-kun had been doing part-time jobs a lot.

...At the time, Satoko-chan really wanted this huge stuffed animal.

...It ended up costing a lot, so he was doing all sorts of part-time jobs in order to afford it.

...He felt so strongly about it.

Everyone was whispering about how he at least wanted to get his sister a nice birthday present, since she was being made to live such a pitiful life with her uncle and his wife."

...In the end...

he didn't use his savings for a birthday present for Satoko.

"...Satoshi-kun disappeared, and the police looked long and hard.

They found out that Satoshi-kun had withdrawn all his savings himself on the day he left.

...After checking all over... they began to think that maybe he'd used his savings to go to Tokyo."

"...Tokyo?!

For what?!"

"......Again...

All I can say was that he ran away..."

"He saved up all that money so he could run away?

...He was that selfish?!

But... how could he just leave Satoko behind?!

If he was going to run away anyway... he should have brought Satoko with him!!"

...Even now... Coach was still calm.

...He wasn't trying to pour any oil on the fire of my anger at all.

...He just waited... until my anger naturally subsided.

After listening to gravel being crushed under the wheels for a little while... Coach spoke abruptly.

"......Please understand.

...Satoko-chan, left behind, arrived at the same conclusion..."

'I'm a burden on my brother...

and that's why he abandoned me.'

...He didn't take her with him when he left.

...How terrible... must Satoko have felt... being betrayed by the brother she loved so much...

"But... Satoko-chan was a very strong person.

...Of course, she had the support of close friends too... but that was how she regained her smile."

I recalled how Satoko had spoken of Satoshi so brightly... when I was eating dinner with her and Rika-chan a few days ago...

At the time... I didn't think any more of it than how pleasant their sibling love had been.

...But now that I did think about it...

I realized...

it was like she was peering into the distance... from atop a pile of tragic perseverance.

"...She said Satoshi-kun will come back for sure.

...And that when he did, she wanted him to see how she was no longer a burden."

"Satoko isn't a burden!!

She's... she's way better at day-to-day living than me... and she can do pretty much anything!

I mean... she might fall behind Rena or Rika-chan in certain aspects... but she's way more of an adult than most people!"

"...That's the result of her having worked so hard, since she didn't know when Satoshi would come home.

...Her efforts are so painful."

While she lived with Rika-chan...

While Rika-chan taught her how to handle everything flawlessly...

All so that she could welcome back Satoshi at any time.

...So that she could show him she wasn't ashamed.

"......So... when is Satoshi going to come back?"

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

I asked Coach, but knew he wouldn't be able to answer.

...In any case, Satoshi ran away.

...He left Satoko and ran away from Hinamizawa.

......Someone said that when you leave Hinamizawa and run away, Oyashiro-sama's curse gets you, right?

...Then... that made sense.

...Satoshi running away, and his disappearance... that would obviously mean people thought it was the curse, right...?

...And they could smile...

as though it were his own fault... as though he got what he deserved.

...Hey, Oyashiro-sama, whoever you are.

...Satoshi didn't vanish because he ran away... you demoned him away with your curse, didn't you?

If that's not what happened... then I won't forgive you.

"......When did Satoshi run away?"

"...The night of the Watanagashi Festival last year,

when their aunt was killed by that deviant...

it was a few days after that.

......On Satoko-chan's birthday."

"...On Satoko's... birthday...?!"

Bang!!

I slammed my hands on the dashboard in front of me with all my might.

...Satoshi...

Of all the days...

he could have chosen to run away...!!

Their aunt just died a few days before, didn't she?

All your days of suffering were about to end, weren't they?

...You were just about to start thinking about a new life, weren't you?

It's wrong to be happy about someone dying... but for Satoko and her brother... her birthday had come at a critical turning point.

Their mean uncle had fled town, and the siblings would be left alone.

...They should have been able to be happy about that...

on Satoko's birthday.

...Satoko was probably... waiting for her brother to return the whole time.

...Waiting for her brother to return, when he never did.

...Waiting with bated breath for her brother to return... her hopes and dreams of a new life to come growing ever larger.

......But no matter how long she waited, he didn't come back.

He didn't even contact her.

Satoko, trembling in anticipation of a great present... Just when... when would she have to face the cold, terrible truth?

......Satoshi... you fucking idiot...

I could feel my blood rising to my head... in my anger at Satoshi...

I was frustrated.

I was aggravated.

...I couldn't forgive him...

...Satoko still respected and adored her brother...

and yet he so heartlessly betrayed her.

...Such a person...

wouldn't just come back...

now, when he was most needed.

...Yes—no one would protect her.

...Not even her real brother Satoshi.

"......So when... she started to see you as her Nii-nii... I was happy."

"......Huh...?"

"...I pray for Satoko-chan's happiness as well... but I have a position in society and a job to do every day.

...I have little time that I can devote to Satoko-chan.

...But you're different.

...You go to school with her, and you're closer to her and Satoshi-kun in age."

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

"...I know you think you can only do so much...

but you're in a position where you can give Satoko-chan a hand much better than I can.

...So... I want you to help her enough for the both of us.

That's what I wish for."

"...But that's...

Coach, you could..."

"Of course, with my job skills, there are plenty of things only I can help her with.

But in the same way, there are things only you can do for her.

...What I want to say is... we should both perform in every way we can."

...Was that a little too complicated...?

Coach added that... but I shook my head in response.

When I heard him say he had job skills, it reminded me that he was an adult, in a different position from all of us.

...Maybe I should ask him about it.

"...Oh... Coach... Do you know a lot about laws?"

"No, I know even less than the average person, why?"

...I thought back to when I argued with Mion and the others about Satoko.

Our children's argument had only left us with the conclusion that we had to wait and see, but what would an adult think...?

"Hmm, what was it... the Child Welfare Law?

As an emergency measure to secure the safety of a juvenile, they can force him or her to separate from the parents."

"They can do that...?!

So then... we could rescue Satoko from her uncle right away!"

".........Satoko-chan...

might not want that.

Unless the person being abused wants shelter, anyway—it doesn't go that far."

"Satoko... doesn't want it?!

Why..."

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

Coach didn't answer me.

...I didn't know why he didn't.

It was clear as day that Satoko's uncle was being violent and treating her like a slave!

...So then why...

I clamped down on my frenzied emotions... and waited intently for Coach to answer.

But he never did.

It wasn't like he was pretending he hadn't heard me.

...If I had to say... it was more like he wanted to explain, but couldn't put it into the right words.

"...Satoko-chan probably... thinks of this abuse as a trial."

"A trial?

...This isn't some weird religion we're talking about...!!"

"...You might know this, but Satoshi-kun always looked out for Satoko-chan.

...She always relied on him.

...Almost as though she was utterly dependent on him."

I'd known for a while that Satoshi had always protected Satoko from their aunt and uncle.

But that was his duty as an older brother, not something to worry about...

"...I think that may have traumatized her.

...Maybe she figured that depending so heavily on her brother had made him hate her."

And for Satoko, the current situation was a retelling of the story of a little over a year ago.

...But this time, Satoshi wasn't here...

"She wants to overcome this trial by herself, without relying on anyone else.

And that if she doesn't grow strong, then Satoshi-kun will never return.

...She thinks something like that now.

...or so I believe."

......Now that he mentioned it...

...Satoko had never said a word about how hard it had been before.

...I figured she was being threatened not to talk about it, but...

"...I talked with everyone and we were wondering... if we should report it to the child consultation center."

"I have heard...

that a social worker was visiting Satoko-chan last year."

"...Yes...

In the end they decided to wait and see... and we thought maybe that made her get tormented even more."

"That was......... Apparently Satoko-chan reported it herself.

...And as a result the abuse worsened, but was kept just out of sight.

...She was under even more torment, and the burden on Satoshi-kun for protecting her rose considerably..."

"...Huh... Could Satoko...

She wouldn't be thinking it's her own fault for reporting it, would she..?"

Coach nodded quietly.

"...Satoko-chan would probably either hate it if you suggested reporting the abuse or feign courage and say you didn't need to.

And even if you reported it in secret... she'd probably insist to the social worker that she wasn't being abused."

...Satoko always acts tough and doesn't readily admit defeat—so I could imagine that easily.

"And the child consultation center has enormous authority in these matters, they can take emergency measures without needing any permission from a court or the concerned child.

...If the abuse was known to the public, they could forcibly shelter her even if she denied it.

......For Satoko-chan... that would probably mean losing."

"T-This isn't about winning or losing!!

It's real life! Satoko, she's...!"

"...............Back on topic.

...After they placed her under their protection, she would be sent to a child care institution or the like.

...She would basically be living there... so it would mean moving away.

...And with the change in residence would come a change in schools, too."

"......That......

Changing schools...

It has to be done.

...If that's what it will take for her to be safe."

"Satoko-chan understands all those things.

All the more reason for her not to want it."

"...Why?!"

"Because Satoko-chan's reason for living is to wait at that house for Satoshi-kun to return.

......She was a husk, an empty shell after being abandoned by her brother... How did she find her reason to live?

...Try looking at it from Satoko-chan's point of view, rather than your own."

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

mm......

........."

...I felt like he was trying to confuse me with that hard-to-understand, roundabout way of talking so unique to adults.

The point was... that I couldn't do anything about Satoko wanting to stay in that house...

And that... I should watch... until she gives in.

...In the end...

no matter what I said... Coach himself was saying...

to wait and see.

"I...... I don't understand."

"...What?"

"...If... If I feel that Satoko is really in danger... I will report it without asking anyone's opinion.

...She might not be happy with the result... and she might hate me for it.........

But I believe that will ultimately be what brings Satoko happiness."

Coach turned to me... and gazed fixedly into my eyes.

...It was written all over his face... He was shocked... at what such a young kid had said.

".........Why... why would you go that far..."

...Coach... no, rather, normal adults... might not have understood.

So I taught him the creed and the values that I believed in.

"Satoko is my friend.

...And I am Satoko's Nii-nii... Isn't that enough of a reason...?"

I stared at him with a will strong and unbreakable as steel as his eyes betrayed a tiny bit of unrest.

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

...No... Of course that's enough."

...We were silent for a little while, until finally, Coach said only that.

"Didn't we make a promise?"

"...Umm............ I'm sorry... what...?"

"That we weren't going to ever let Satoko cry."

We made a vow on that day of the barbecue party.

...I didn't think about it hard at all... but Coach and I still made a promise.

...That we wouldn't ever let Satoko cry.

Coach gave a dry grin of regret, immediately apologizing for not remembering.

...One way or another... when he grinned like that... it made me think that his enthusiasm for saving Satoko... was a tiny bit smaller than mine...

He lightly hit the brakes, making a skidding noise, and my whole body suddenly fell forward.

"......Could that be your house there?

Oh... Right, Maebara-san would live at the Maebara residence, wouldn't he."

...Before I knew it... we were almost to my house.