......The ceiling... blurred into view.
...It was hot.
...There was a thin layer... of moist sweat on me.
...The voices of the cicadas permeating my room... were somehow grating to my head.
".........Wha...t...
Today's... not Sunday... is it...?"
I remembered today was a weekday... and quickly brought myself to consciousness.
And then, finally, I leaped out of bed.
The clock... read a little before 10.
...I was... totally late.
...When I wandered downstairs, my mom would get mad at me.
...There was nothing I could do, though.
After reviewing the schedule for the school day for a moment, I suitably rearranged the stuff in my bag.
I hurried and got dressed, then went down the stairs.
"............"
There was no sign of my parents anywhere.
...Maybe they went out somewhere together.
So that's how it was.
...My mother had probably woken me up once this morning, but then I fell back asleep without remembering it.
...And my parents, thinking I'd gone to school, left.
...Something like that probably happened.
...I went to the front door, and as I expected, it was locked.
Looked like I was right.
It was further evidence of my speculation being correct.
When I realized my parents weren't here, I suddenly felt less like I had to rush to get to school.
There was one portion of breakfast left in the dining room.
...Probably mine.
...The milk they'd poured in it had gone warm since a while ago.
...When I realized how hard it would be to sneak food for Satoko...
yesterday, I had cried.
Well... Thinking back on it, food wasn't the only issue in that regard...
I wasn't in a position where I could care for for Satoko by myself anyway.
...It's such a heavy thing just to save a single person.
I'd seen this on TV and in comics all the time...
Those feel-good words, about how you'll save your friends for sure, and such.
...Was that why I ran my mouth like that, swearing to save her—because I wanted to feel good about it...?
No... That absolutely wasn't true.
...Because the fact was I couldn't save her.
Because I didn't want to think like an adult... like I couldn't do anything but watch.
...Had Satoko gone to school today...?
I immediately realized that was a meaningless question.
...Whether or not she did... there wouldn't be a change in the environment she'd been placed in.
If I couldn't save her, and no one else could either......
then we could only pray for a miracle.
"......Are we...
so powerless...
...?"
With a vague goal of getting to school in mind... I sluggishly put on my shoes and stumbled out the front door.
I had only overslept by two or three hours, but the sunlight and air felt completely different from how they usually were in the morning.
...Well, of course they did.
Once ten o'clock came around, you could barely call it morning anymore.
......I didn't feel like walking the same old route to school.
I needed to ultimately end up there, but it was like... I didn't want to choose the shortest route, the most proactive one, to get to school.
...Put in a more positive light, maybe I wanted some time to walk by myself and think.
I had to go to school.
...Partly to make sure Satoko was safe.
But... I hadn't come up with any plans yet.
...Nothing since last night.
...So the path I took from my house was in the complete opposite direction.
...If I went this way, I'd pass Rena's house... and the dam site.
...It would be quite a detour.
I calculated how long of a detour it would end up being, then, satisfied with the answer, I started to walk...
...Rena had brought me to the dam site a few times.
One section of it had turned into an unlawful, oversized garbage dump, and Rena really liked going fishing for junk in there.
...Without that, she'd come off as a completely normal girl, too.
(...I can think of a few other qualities she could do without... but whatever...)
The view quickly opened up wide, and I was hit by a strong wind.
...There was no shelter... here at this big dam site.
...Maybe it was a good thing I came here, I thought.
...At the very least, it was more healthy to think about stuff in a place like this instead of my cramped bedroom.
I took a deep breath and filled my lungs with the rich, cold air unique to Hinamizawa.
...Ring rrring.
I turned around reflexively. It was a bicycle bell.
...Considering where I was standing, I don't think they were trying to get me out of the way.
...They'd rang the bell because they wanted something from me.
"Hey, excuse me.
You're from Hinamizawa, right?"
"......Yes, why?"
I've... seen this person around a few times.
...Right, I remembered.
...His name, I think, was Tomitake, a freelance photographer who lived in Tokyo.
He would zealously visit Hinamizawa every season to take pictures... or so Mion and the others told me, I think.
"Could you tell me how to get to the Furude Shrine from here?
I think I left my map at the inn.
I don't know where to go!"
"The shrine, from here?
.........Hmm..."
I knew where everything was in my head, but explaining how to get there was difficult.
I was a little irritated at having been bothered for this... but when I realized it meant my detour actually meant something, that feeling faded quickly.
"I'll tell you... but it's a little difficult to explain.
...I could bring you there, if you don't mind."
"Really?!
I would be in your debt.
Thanks a lot!
......But are you sure?
Did you have something to do?"
Tomitake-san finally appeared to have realized how strange it was for a student like me to be here at this time of day.
I smoothly told him not to worry about it, then turned my back and started walking towards the Furude Shrine.
Tomitake-san hurried to turn his bike around and came after me.
"Ah-ha-ha, sorry, sorry!
Don't worry—all guys have times when they need to split up from the pack and be lone wolves for a while."
...What a free-minded freelancer.
It was easier for me, too, that he was under that impression.
"I'm Tomitake.
A freelance photographer.
I specialize in wild birds and landscapes.
I'm still pretty unknown, though."
It seemed absurd for him to introduce himself when I was just showing him to the shrine, but he gave me his name, so I needed to give mine back.
"I'm Maebara.
...Pleased to meet you, I guess."
"Maebara-kun?
Pleased to meet you!"
He seemed like a pretty silly man... but that felt kind of good considering I'd been suffocating with worry over Satoko all night.
Along the way, Tomitake-san spoke at length to me about how precious the nature in Hinamizawa was and how it was a treasure trove of rare wild birds, despite my not having asked.
...I wasn't interested in what he had to say, but he seemed to be enjoying himself, so I left him to it.
"These steps will take you up to the shrine grounds."
"Thank you!
You really helped me out!
......Hmm... I think I'm a little late."
As Tomitake-san mumbled to himself, he left his bicycle nearby and started to climb the stairs quickly.
......I didn't have a watch, but as far as my internal clock could guess, it was still a little late in the morning.
...School wasn't very far from here.
......Maybe I could kill a little more time until then.
With that in mind, I went up the steps in pursuit of Tomitake-san.
When I reached the top of the long staircase... I arrived at the wide-open shrine grounds that were too grand-looking for this tiny village.
...Tomitake-san... oh, there he is.
...It looked like he was supposed to be meeting someone here.
Then he got lost and ended up being late.
...He was bowing to a lady who must have been the person he was meeting.
That lady... I knew her.
".........Oh, is that you, Maebara-kun?
Hello there.
Are you off from school today?"
"What?
Oh, Maebara-kun, you followed me...?!"
"I-I wasn't really planning to.
...I just wanted to kill some time."
"Oh my.
...Arriving at work late like an executive—how refined! You certainly are famous, taking the time to look like a bigshot."
...What was I, a celebrity??
...Well, she did say my name out of nowhere, anyway.
...I was oddly concerned about what she meant by "famous."
"Oh, you still can't remember my name?
...Hee hee."
"This is Miyo Takano-san.
She works at the village clinic.
Maebara-kun, you seem healthy, so you probably haven't been to the hospital much, have you?"
"Hee hee...
Now that we're finally acquaintances, the next time you're sick or anything, I suppose I'll give you a little bit of special treatment.
...Hee hee!"
This lady named Takano-san... I kind of didn't remember her.
...Maybe we'd passed each other on the street a few times, but I was pretty sure this was the first time we'd talked.
Well, this is Hinamizawa—even if I don't know a person's name, it's not unusual for them to know mine.
...I glanced at Takano-san and saw she had a bag and a camera.
"...Are you photography partners?
Was that why you were meeting each other?"
"Oh, we're nothing like partners.
I am but an amateur, and Jirou-san is gently initiating me into it.
Right...?"
"Mm... ha-ha-ha...!
T-That's not it at all!
Takano-san is a quick learner—she could take pictures just fine without my guidance!
I mean it.
Ah-ha-ha-ha...!"
......I couldn't tell which of them was ahead in the conversation.
...Well, they were certainly one couple you wouldn't get tired of watching.
"The festival is finally coming up the day after tomorrow.
I hope I can take some good pictures this year."
"I plan on taking some shots of the set-up tomorrow.
I want to capture the festival energy shown by the preparations for it, too."
Oh... I just remembered.
There was some village festival called 'Watanagashi' or something the day after tomorrow, on Sunday...
"They hold a service with a pile of old futons, in order to give thanks to Hinamizawa's guardian deity, Oyashiro-sama... I think?"
"Oh, you're correct.
...You have quite extensive knowledge despite just having moved here.
...Yes, it is a festival... to give thanks to Oyashiro-sama.
.........Hehe."
Takano-san smiled somehow meaningfully, but didn't tell me what part of a festival to thank Oyashiro-sama needed to be laughed at.
"...Cryptic as ever, Takano-san.
......But I do wonder what will happen this year."
"You know what they say—if it happens twice, it'll happen a third time.
And it's already happened four times.
I think there's less evidence that it won't happen a fifth time, don't you think...?"
I knew what they meant by their whispered exchange.
...On the day of Watanagashi...
A freak death always occurs, which people call 'Oyashiro-sama's curse'—and a disappearance occurs that people call being 'demoned away.'
These strange events had happened four years running... and Watanagashi, rapidly approaching the day after tomorrow, marked the fifth...
"Oyashiro-sama puts a curse on enemies of the village, eh?
...If it does happen this year... I wonder... who will find themselves at gunpoint?
...Oh, and I always come here to pray and donate money whenever I visit!
It won't be me for sure."
"...Oh, is that so?
They say that Oyashiro-sama has been especially harsh on outsiders recently, you know.
Maebara-kun may have only just moved in, but he's a proper member of Hinamizawa...
But you, Jirou-san, are a stranger who only comes once a year.
...I wonder... will he let you go this year?"
"Th-That's harsh! Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha...!"
Tomitake-san was the only one with a pained grin, but we all were smiling, me included.
...Oyashiro-sama—the one who used a curse to kill people involved with the dam construction project, one after the next.
He killed the dam construction manager,
killed Satoko's parents for supporting it...
and the next year, he even killed her aunt.
If the demoning away was part of that curse, then you could add Satoshi to the list of victims.
...As I thought about it,
I realized that in the serial freak death incidents, the overwhelming majority had the last name Houjou.
Half of the deaths and disappearances had come from the Houjou family.
...The Houjou family lived here in Hinamizawa.
...Did that mean Oyashiro-sama punished and cursed them particularly harshly because despite that, they had been in favor of the dam?
"......Have you heard the news that Satoko's uncle has returned?"
Takano-san, who had been enjoying a few words with Tomitake-san, was caught unaware by my sudden inquiry.
"Oh, I'm sorry.
What was that?"
"Umm... Satoko's parents were killed by the curse, and her aunt, too.
...So I was wondering if, maybe if you went in order... her uncle would be next.
...Her aunt had a miserable death from the curse last year... and her uncle let his fear take over and fled into town, right?
...Oyashiro-sama doesn't allow people to try and abandon the village, does he...?"
...I hadn't intended to be quite this persistent.
But those words... They just flowed out of my mouth without me thinking about it.
...Right.
Oyashiro-sama's curse.
...I didn't believe in something so unrealistic, of course... but the fact was that every year, unfortunate accidents and incidents happened to enemies of the village.
Like Takano-san said just now... it had happened four times.
No one could say there wouldn't be a fifth.
"......Hmm.
...That's an interesting suggestion.
It is true that if you look at those sacrificed in previous years, those named 'Houjou' come up quite frequently.
...Given how long it's gone on for... Her uncle being the one to die or disappear this year isn't out of the question.
...Hee hee hee."
"...Not again, Takano-san.
Don't laugh about it—it could really happen!"
"Ufufufufu, I'm sorry.
But Oyashiro-sama's curse is my life's work.
Hee hee hee..."
Takano-san gave off a mysterious, somehow intellectual impression... and her life's work was mysterious in its own right.
...She probably really liked inexplicable supernatural phenomena or something.
"...Takano-san, you seem like you know a lot about Oyashiro-sama.
...Give me your honest thoughts.
...Given that he's a Houjou and that he's returned, what are the chances that the uncle will fall to the curse?"
"...My, what?
...You seem like you really want this uncle of hers dead.
Hee hee."
"...That... that's not..."
"Ah, ahahahahaha!
Hmm... I wonder?
...It all depends on the whims of God..."
"...Maebara-kun.
Do you know the true identity of Santa Claus?"
Huh?
I got a strange question all of a sudden, and I couldn't immediately answer.
"What, you don't know?
......It's your daddy.
The daddies in everyone's family."
"...W-What?
...That's what you meant?
Well, of course.
Everything ultimately comes down to humans in the end.
After all, humans are the only ones living in the world.
All strange things should be explainable in terms of human actions."
I felt like I put that somewhat strangely, but Takano-san was not as dissatisfied with that reply as I might have guessed.
"Oh... It's impressive that you've caught on to that at such a young age. You're right.
Strange things that happen in the world of man are all caused by man for his own benefit.
...Maebara-kun, I'll ask you again then.
This time, not Santa Claus,
...but Oyashiro-sama.
...Do you know anything... about who Oyashiro-sama is?"
Takano-san... took a step towards me and gazed into my eyes... as she asked.
...Santa Claus was really the parents of every family's children.
If lionizing that legend was a corporate tactic to try and profit during Christmas sales, then...
what was Oyashiro-sama, really?
"...Um... hmm..."
"Oh... Didn't you already say?
There are only humans in this world.
Everything can be explained by human actions, right?
...Hee hee."
"......Maebara-kun.
Keep this to yourself, okay?
...This string of freak death incidents attributed to Oyashiro-sama's curse...
Takano-san's view is that they may be premeditated homicides, performed by the people of Hinamizawa and based on some kind of ceremony."
"No, don't misunderstand me.
My life's work is to research teachings, thoughts, and cultures from the viewpoint of folklorism.
I don't really care at all about who the culprit really is...
Just keep that in mind, please."
...Umm...... I could tell only that she was saying some crazy stuff.
...To use a food analogy, like you'd force-feed a duck to be fattened, she forced her words down my throat, that's what it felt like.
"To understand that in the first place, you have to go all the way back to ancient times, when Hinamizawa was called Onigafuchi—or 'the Demon's Abyss.'
The transcendents who lived there believed themselves to carry the blood of demons, and so were only half-human—"
Takano-san, having entered her home field, leaned forward and began to speak of ridiculous matters.
...Tomitake-san realized she was overawing me and interrupted for me.
"Takano-san, Takano-san.
You can't just chatter on about that stuff to Maebara-kun...
Look, he's really confused."
".........Oh, my... Are you?
If you want to hear more, ask me anytime.
I have heaps of the grotesque stories that boys your age seem to love hearing."
"...T-Thank you.
If I feel like it, I will..."
For now, I softly and safely gave my refusal...
Takano-san seemed a little unhappy that Tomitake-san had rained on her parade, but she stopped talking about it then.
Even so... it was still a very interesting story.
......That Oyashiro-sama's curse, which we thought of as strange, freak deaths...
were really homicides...
perpetrated by people of the village.
"Well, I mean... If you thought about it logically, it would have to be.
...People wouldn't be dying because of a curse.
...Someone's obviously killing people and making it look like one."
"Indeed.
...As for who that is... Hee hee, it might be safer not to try and find out."
"......You seem like you know, Takano-san.
...You may not have proof... but you seem like you believe it."
"Oh, my... Why do you think that?"
I just kind of felt it vaguely.
...It didn't seem like her extreme passion for this research would calm down just because these things were taboo, or because it was safer and easier.
This person... loved walking through the profound, forbidden abyss of risks and taboos.
"Let's leave it at that, Keiichi-kun.
...I just helped you escape, and now you're trying to talk about Oyashiro-sama again!
...Hmm... I wanted to take a nice walk while it was still cool..."
Tomitake-san seemed a little disappointed not to be able to go on the date he'd planned since I had brought up a weird topic.
......But right now... there was something I wanted to ask, just for a little bit.
...And that was......
...About whether... Satoko's uncle... will be chosen for the curse this year.
...If he was............ then...
another miracle would happen, just like last year.
...A terrible incident would happen again... but it would release Satoko from her unfortunate circumstances once more.
"......Well.
I do have a few suspicions as to the kind of people who would probably become involved, of course.
It's a natural, inevitable conclusion for anyone who's researched the history of Onigafuchi Village..."
"...Who... do you mean?"
...What would I do if I knew?
...I asked that question to the other me deep inside... but got no reply.
"How enthusiastic.
...What would you do if you knew?"
"......Nothing really."
"...If you found out, you might get into danger yourself, you know?
Maybe the fifth year's curse would be you...
Hee hee."
Takano-san, toying with taboo, gave a devilish, satisfied smile... as though nothing in the world would be more amusing.
...She was probably trying to tease me, but I didn't feel like going along with her little game one bit.
"...Hmm.
...You like to talk pretty big... but you don't really know yourself, do you, Takano-san?"
I had felt a tinge of irritation at Takano-san's roundabout way of speaking...
but those emotions escaped my mouth... like water flowing through a strainer.
...Even I was surprised at how directly I had spoken out about what I felt.
...Of course, I wasn't the only one taken aback..
"......Oh, my.
...You're something.
You may be just a boy, but you can still provoke people.
How unexpectedly rugged.
......I don't dislike people like that, you know."
Takano-san's tongue poked out of her mouth... and I was convinced that it was long, thin, and split in the middle like a snake's.
"All right.
...I'll tell you, then."
"........."
"...But you have to promise me three things first.
...One, not to regret it, no matter what I tell you.
Two, not to tell it to anyone.
Three, not to tell anyone I told you."
I gulped firmly... and nodded.
Tomitake-san made an exaggerated expression of distress, gave a dry, vague smile, and lit a cigarette.
"Please tell me.
...Who is putting this curse on people?
Who is it... who's deciding who gets cursed?!"
...And after I said that... I finally realized why I wanted to know...
Many of my classmates were playing freely in the schoolyard.
A few of them had just run out of the school building after putting on their shoes and tapping their toes to the ground.
...It looked like they had just finished eating lunch.
...From a time-manipulating standpoint, I guess I succeeded.
"Oh... Maebara-saan!
Are you okay...?!"
A few girls noticed me and came running over.
...It was only natural they were worried.
You'd think if someone wasn't there in the morning, they'd be out the rest of the day.
"Well, I'm... just late for school.
Don't worry about it.
...Anyway... What about Satoko?
...Did she come today?"
The girls exchanged glances.
...I saw a thin shadow fall over their faces and knew the answer without needing to hear them reply.
...Satoko... was absent today too.
When all was said and done, after being out three days, she'd only come back for one.
And now she was out again.
...Who knew if she would come tomorrow?
"...Yeah.
But the teacher said she got a phone call from Satoko-chan."
"She said she had a cold!
Chie-sensei said everyone should make sure to rinse their mouths out really well!"
...Wait a minute, Chie-sensei.
...That's a little too thickheaded, don't you think...?
You're a teacher, aren't you?
Why can't you be more sensitive and catch on to the fact that your pupil is sending out an SOS...?
But... Even if she did, there was nothing we could hope for.
...The most she could do was a home visitation.
...She didn't have any right to take Satoko from her uncle into safety.
...No matter the result, it would end up just like the public agencies—with a 'wait and see' attitude.
...It would just piss Satoko's uncle off... and her suffering would only grow deeper...
...Then wasn't saying she had a cold the best option?
"...She's right.
Be careful not to catch a cold, got it?
...You can go now.
There's still plenty of time left in lunch break."
The girls excitedly scattered into the schoolyard.
"...Oh... Keiichi-kuuun!!!"
Rena was yelling out the classroom window, waving her hand.
...A moment later, Mion and Rika-chan poked their heads out too.
"...We were very worried... that even you would be absent today."
"Thank goodness!
You don't seem sick—you look pretty okay!"
...I felt a little uncomfortable with her saying that I didn't look sick, but I didn't care that much.
"...What happened?
Overslept?"
"......Well, late is late.
...Think if I said I was late because of a train accident, she'd let it slide?"
"......You overslept?"
...Mion was being a bit persistent.
Was she going to put on her club president cap and scold me for being late?
...Well, maybe she didn't have it in for me, so I briefly stated that she was right.
"There's still more bento!
Everyone eat up!
Without Keiichi-kun here, we couldn't have any fun!"
"...Satoko... is still absent, huh?"
...Even Rena, feigning cheerfulness, couldn't stand to hear that, and her face darkened.
"............"
"She called this morning.
...Apparently she said her cold came back and she was staying home again.
She said it might go on for a while, too."
"...She must be sad, so we were all talking about going to visit."
"...What are you saying, Rika-chan?"
Not pleased with Rika-chan wearing a wide smile as though it was a happy occasion, I threw cold water on her.
"We know best of all she doesn't have a cold, don't we?
...Don't ever tell a fib like that again, even as a joke.
...I'll get mad next time."
......Rika-chan furrowed her brow, looked down... and mumbled an apology.
"...It's not just you, Keiichi-kun.
...It's hard... for everyone..."
"I know I'm not the only one worrying.
But none of us can do anything either, can we?"
".........That's... true, but...
...B-But...!"
...I got the feeling I would cause another fight if this exchange went on.
So I apologized first.
"Sorry.
...I'm sorry, so forget about what I just said.
...It's hard for everyone, right?
...It must be."
It was at least clear, however, that I was the only one who had worried so much about rescuing her.
...At the very least, everyone else probably got the normal amount of sleep last night.
Probably had good dreams, too.
...They definitely hadn't... stayed up all night thinking so desperately...
"...I know it might not be what you want to hear right after you get to school...
But you were late today, Kei-chan.
...Did it have anything to do with Satoko being absent?"
"Huh...?!
Mion, what are you talking about...?"
"...Sometimes you act kind of foolhardy, Kei-chan.
...When both you and her were absent this morning...
We seriously thought you might have kidnapped her and hidden her somewhere."
...Easy for you to say.
If I could have, I'd have done that last night.
...None of them had really thought... about how difficult that clear-as-day solution was.
I was... up thinking all night, thinking until the night was brightening.
...And then...
I concluded that...
I couldn't do anything of the sort.
"...Don't be dumb.
...I couldn't... I couldn't hide someone."
".........You're right.
...I'm sorry.
I apologize if I upset you."
"Don't worry about it.
...Anyway, let's eat some food.
I'm starving!"
I took my bento box out of my bag.
Everyone moved to make a spot for me to sit.
"Maebara-kun...!
Did you just get here?"
And just as I was about to stick my chopsticks in... Chie-sensei came along.
"Uh... yeah.
...Sorry for being late.
I overslept."
"..............."
...What the heck?
Even the teacher... was giving me that strange look.
"When you're finished eating, could you and the president come to the teacher's lounge?
...There's something I want to talk about."
......Probably about Satoko, I thought.
Sensei left it at that and went back out into the hallway.
"...Eating lunch can wait.
...Let's go, Mion."
"Mm... You're right."
Mion and I exchanged looks, nodded to each other, and got up.
"...It's probably... about Satoko-chan."
No doubt about it.
...They were saying she had a cold, but everyone in class knew the truth.
...I didn't think that wouldn't have reached the teacher's ears by now.
"......I kept playing dumb... so I think she gave up asking me."
...Revealing the truth to the teacher would only worsen the situation.
...Was that why she hadn't said anything?
...Or was it... because she was Satoko's friend...
and knew that she was trying to endure... the trial of her uncle's abuse... in order to get her brother to come home?
"...What should we do?
...Maybe we should use this chance to get a collective opinion."
"......What do you want to do, Rika-chan?"
"......Meep..."
Satoko's closest and best friend was Rika-chan.
...However much I pretended to be her Nii-nii... it didn't come close to the amount of time they'd spent together.
...So I felt like her opinion should be held in the highest regard.
"......I know... why Satoko is enduring her uncle's torture."
Everyone looked startled... and turned to me.
"...Back then, whenever Satoko was... abused... she probably cried and hid behind her brother.
...But Satoko thinks that... in the end...
that's why her brother ran away."
"............"
"......Who... did you hear that from...?"
"The coach, I bet..."
I nodded quietly.
"...Satoko believes her brother will come back if she can withstand the abuse... maybe that's why she's trying to push through.
But... that assumption has nothing to do with Satoshi coming back.
...It hurts to say that about Satoko... but it's the truth."
Everyone... hung their heads.
...Everyone... was thinking the same thing...
"...Satoko... probably won't be happy no matter who helps her.
...She wants to withstand everything with her own strength.
.........But is it... really right to respect that...?
...I don't think it is.
...Even if Satoko hates us for a while... I think there will come a time when we need to save her against her will.
...And I think... that time might be now."
...I told them all about what I saw and how I felt when I went to Satoko's house yesterday.
"......Keiichi-kun... so you think... we should tell someone?"
"Of course, only after we're sure that reporting it to a public agency will guarantee her safety.
...Without being sure of that, it could just get more dangerous for her instead."
"...It's a difficult problem.
...You think we can get a definite promise out of the teacher?"
I had no confidence.
...But we had to try.
Meanwhile... Rika-chan had her hand raised for a while... as if asking for an opportunity to speak.
"...I will... leave it to Keiichi."
"What... Is that okay, Rika-chan...?"
"...Keiichi is... thinking about Satoko more than anybody else here.
...If Keiichi thinks... that we need to tell someone, then I have no complaints."
"...Thanks... Mion, Rena, are you okay with that?"
Mion seemed to hesitate, not knowing if she should agree.
...But when she saw Rena's firm nod, she made up her mind and did the same.
"Okay.
...Let's go, Mion."
"...Right."
Only Chie-sensei was in the teacher's lounge.
...We didn't see the principal anywhere.
...The schedule on the blackboard under the principal's name said "training—going straight home."
...Our principal's sense of justice was too strong.
...Satoko's problems wouldn't be solved with something so vague.
...Maybe it was a stroke of good luck that he wasn't here.
When the teacher saw Mion and I come in, she closed up her curry bento, saving the rest for later.
"Sit over there, please."
She told us to take a seat in the chairs directly in front of the principal's seat.
...I hadn't sat in this chair since doing the paperwork for transferring in.
The two of us sat there uncomfortably... before the teacher walked over carrying a notebook and a ballpoint pen and sat in front of us.
"Maebara-kun, you were absent this morning—did something happen?"
"I'm sorry, I overslept."
"......Really?"
"...I have no reason to lie..."
She narrowed her eyes at me in suspicion.
...Now I was sure of it.
...She wanted to talk about Satoko.
"...In any case, I think you two already know, but your friend Houjou-san has been away frequently lately."
Neither Mion nor I had anything to say in response.
...But the teacher proceeded, not minding.
"...Would you happen to know anything?
There are some people in class spreading bad rumors."
Mion looked down and remained silent, as though she were being lectured.
......She sent me a quick glance.
...Everyone had made up their minds.
...They'd be leaving things to me.
"Mion-kun?
Or you, Maebara-kun?
...I won't get mad or anything, okay?
If you know something, I just want you to tell me."
"......Sensei.
Can we ask you a question first?"
She must not have anticipated that response.
...She looked surprised.
"...I don't know what rumors are going around about Satoko in class.
...But if those rumors happened to be true... what would you do, Sensei?"
"W-Well, what would I do?
...If it's true, then I can't leave it alone."
"Can't leave what alone, exactly? What would you do?"
Sensei's eyebrows shot up.
...Maybe I said it like I was trying to pick a fight.
"Maebara-kun!
I'm being serious here!!"
"...So am I.
...I'm also being completely serious right now.
Please answer me.
...If it were true, what wouldn't you leave alone?"
Sensei... took a few breaths... then began to speak slowly.
"F-First.
I'd have to visit Houjou-san's house to confirm the situation."
"Her uncle might get mad and drive you away, though.
...Well, okay.
...Let's say you did meet with Satoko and her uncle.
Then what?"
"Then I'd ask whether it was true.
Once I got the facts... I'd go from there."
"Please stop talking so vaguely.
What exactly would you do?"
...Even despite my tone being so provocative, Chie-sensei bit back her emotions and listened calmly.
......I thought then that she was a good teacher.
...Chie-sensei really did... have her students' best interests at heart.
...But... she didn't have the power or the authority to save Satoko.
If she let her sense of justice run away with her...
the situation could get more complex.
...Sensei folded her arms... and for a few moments, she closed her eyes as though mentally concentrating.
...And when they opened again... there was a strictness in her eyes I'd never seen before.
"There's a law called the Child Welfare Law.
It clearly states that abuse against children will not be allowed, no matter who it is."
"So it would seem.
...Then what?"
"I'd contact the Okinomiya child consultation center.
You said just now that I would be turned away, didn't you?
Child welfare officers can bring the police with them if the situation demands.
They will not submit to intimidation."
"How many days would it take after you contact the social worker and submit the paperwork for her to be saved?"
"It would be the same day.
Their job is to guarantee the immediate safety of children."
"I know that.
That's if they decide there's an urgent need.
...If they didn't... then they'd do the same as you.
They'd go from there—they'd just wait and see, right?
They'd just watch.
It would make Satoko's uncle's mood sour, and Satoko would be stuck with him there."
"......Kei-chan... that's going a little too far..."
"I'm not lying, am I?
Last year, or the year before, whatever—that's exactly what happened when the child welfare people came, isn't it?
And what happened then?
...You and Sensei would know about it a lot better than I would!"
...I had said too much—I didn't need Mion to tell me that.
...I was talking crazy and itching for a fight.
...I was supposed to be telling her about the situation only after I was sure we could save Satoko, but I basically told her everything right from the start.
Chie-sensei looked at the clock, stood up, and picked up the phone at the principal's seat.
"............Hello?
Put me through to extension 3455, please."
"...Is this okay, Kei-chan?
...Is this... really okay...?"
It was too late.
...The die had been cast.
...Now we could only... pray.
"Oh, thank you for answering my call.
I'm Chie, a licensed teacher at the Hinamizawa branch school—would Director Watanabe happen to be in the guidance office?
...Yes, that's right.
...Something urgent came up, so I'd like to contact the principal as soon as I can.
......Yes.
Thank you.
Please tell him immediately.
Yes, thank you..."
The teacher put down the phone...
and tilted her head back and took a breath, like I always did.
"...I'll ask the two of you again.
...Are the rumors going around class really true?"
".........Yes.
...Yesterday I went to Satoko's house... and I saw for myself just how bad it really is."
"You can leave the rest to me.
I'll definitely do something for Satoko-chan."
"...Something?
Please stop saying such ambiguous things.
Not something—we have to save her!!
If they end up deciding to wait and see again... how do you plan on taking responsibility!?"
While I was yelling, the phone rang.
Chie-sensei snatched the receiver up first.
"...Hello!
Oh... I apologize for interrupting your training.
......Yes.
Actually, it's about the issue with Satoko Houjou-san.
...Yes."
Sensei waved us away, telling us we could leave now.
...Mion went to leave, but I held my ground.
...I had a responsibility to make sure she stopped saying such vague, ambiguous things.
...If it didn't look like she was going to say anything substantial... then I'd tell them the truth, even if I had to steal the phone from her.
"......Yes.
.........No, I haven't contacted them yet.
......Yes.
...I haven't confirmed it... but it seems pretty bad from what the children are saying."
"It's not just pretty bad!!
Do something about it!!
Right now!!
If you're going to report it, then I don't care who you tell!!
But I swear, if they end up just waiting and watching...
I will never forgive you!!!"
I yelled angrily at Sensei and the principal on the other end.
...I wanted to somehow, some way... convey to them just how dangerous her situation was right now.
"I understand that!
I will tell them as much!
Mion-kun, please take Maebara-kun back to the classroom."
"Ah... yes, ma'am.
...Let's go, Kei-chan.
We should leave this to the teachers now."
".........You better... promise..."
Until the very last moment... I glared at Sensei.
...Chie-sensei... was feeling pressured by the likes of me.
...Idiot, this isn't the time to feel pressured.
...Now's the time when you give me a firm nod to reassure me...!
Even so... we've already left things in her hands.
...At this point... we really can't do anything but pray.
Bang.
...Mion shut the door to the teacher's lounge.