Higurashi no Naku Koro ni: ai no Omoide
(When cicadas cry: Loving memories)
School's out again. To my and everyone else's disappointment, Mion had to work for her uncle today and club was canceled. It had been a month since the struggles we had in June. We had saved Rika-chan's life and made a future based on the right decisions. Things were pretty much back to normal. Sakato and Rika-chan smiled and waved as they headed home. I Looked over at Rena, who's disappointment was even more obvious than mine.
"Keiichi-kun?" She asked all of a sudden.
"Y-Yeah?" I asked startled.
"W-Well... Since club is canceled for today... I-I was wondering... W-Would you like to g-go treasure hunting with me? Would you?" She was stuttering more than usual, and her face was even more flushed than it usually was.
"Eh? Well, s-sure. I'm free." I said. Why was I so nervous all of a sudden?
"R-Really? T-Thanks Keiichi-kun!" She said smiling. I was barely able to speak and didn't understand why.
As we made our way to the old dump where Rena's "cuuute treasures" were, I started feeling strange. I saw those memories again. The ones from another Hinamizawa. I saw myself in a room. Mion was dead...! And I was standing over a blood-soaked Rena. She stretched out her hands, smiling and blushing slightly.
"I believe you." I heard.
I was unable to hide my sudden surprise and fear. I gasped.
"K-Keiichi-kun? Are you okay? Are you?" She was worried. I could see it in those blue eyes of hers.
"Y-Yeah... It's nothing. Nothing at all."
"I-If you say so Keiichi-kun." She said quietly. She didn't seem very convinced.
As we continued to walk, I saw more and more things. Although they weren't as gruesome as the first, they were startling. We were on the roof. I remember it well now. The fight atop the school, where a metal bat met with a large cleaver. We treated it like one of our club activities. I said she would be my maid if I won, and would say "good morning" to me every day when I wake up and "good night" when I went to bed, as well as all my bidding in between. She wanted the same thing if she won, excluding the maid part. I recalled her saying: "No matter what happens, you and I will be together."
"Together..." I muttered.
"Huh? W-What did you say Keiichi-kun?" She asked a bit startled. I realized then that my face was bright red.
"Eh? Oh n-nothing at all!" I stammered. What was I so nervous for?
"O-okay Keiichi-kun." She repeated, although she seemed to believe me even less now.
We had finally reached the dump. Rena's face seemed to glow happily at the sight of all these possible "cuuute" things. I sat down a moment while she ran around searching through trash. I was seeing another memory... However, this one happened in this world. When Rena accidently swallowed that magic red magatama bead. She became love struck over a few people, until we managed to lift the spell. Just before it happened, Rena said something. She told me the magatama's power was building up again. It was then I told her that she needed to share those feelings with the person she loves. She then said:
"Rena Ryuugu really loves you." It may have been because she was under the magatama's influence, but now for some reason I'm not so sure. The memories continued to flash in my mind, faster and faster. I remembered more and more things about the other worlds of Hinamizawa.
"I believe you." I heard again. I saw Rena's face again, covered in blood as I was standing over her. I... I killed her... She was only trying to help me... Why did I kill her?
"K-Keiichi-kun! W-What's wrong?" She asked. She Looked very worried. I realized then that there were tears rolling down my face. I shook my head and tried wiping the tears away, but they just kept coming. Rena then came over to me slowly and sat down beside me.
"N-nothing! It's not-" I tried to say through my tears.
"You're lying!" Rena said loudly. I could hardly look at her. I looked up at her at last, expecting to see cat-like eyes, like that time... However, when I looked over at her, she had tears sparkling in her eyes.
"Keiichi-kun... Don't push Rena away... Don't you trust me?"
I Looked down at the ground for a moment.
"It's not that... I just don't want to worry anyone." I said at last.
"Keiichi-kun... You can tell Rena what's wrong." She said softly as she placed a soft hand on my shoulder.
I looked into her blue eyes, full of worry.
"I-I'm so sorry Rena... I'm sorry." I kept saying... I just couldn't stop the tears.
"W-Why are you sorry Keiichi-kun?" She asked looking very surprised by my words.
I could no longer doubt my friends. I swore before that I would never again doubt them. I told Rena about the memories from the other Hinamizawa.
"Y-You tried to help me Rena... And I... I..." I stuttered.
I felt her arms wrap slowly around my shoulders.
"It's okay Keiichi-kun... It's okay... Rena is right here." She said softly.
The tears finally stopped. I was blushing hard and my heart was pounding.
"Keiichi-kun... Is there anything else bothering you?" She asked.
I thought for a moment. I shouldn't bother her with the magatama story. She was under its influence. I was sure of it.
"N-No. I'm okay. Really." I told her.
She still seemed uncertain, but smiled brightly anyway.
"Okay Keiichi-kun! I'm gonna find some more cuuute things before it gets too dark!"
She ran off further into the dump. I could hear her talking.
"S-so CUUUTE!~ I'm gonna take you hooome!"
I heard a loud crash moments after. I ran to where I heard the sound as fast as I possibly could.
"Rena! What happened? Are you okay?" I cried out. Rena was sitting on the ground. There were small scratches on her arms and face.
"Keiichi-kun... I found something so cute up there... I climbed up to get it... But I fell down...". I looked up to the mountain of garbage in front of us and I saw what Rena was talking about: A small doll decorated with flowers and tiny jewels in a handcrafted straw basket. I thought to myself: "How could anyone throw something like that away?". I smiled at Rena and said:
"Hey, don't you worry! I'll go up there and get it for you myself." Rena's eyes widened and her face went slightly red again.
"R-Really? That's s-so nice of you Keiichi-kun." She said. And so I began my climb up the mountain of old garbage. Just as I had started to make my way up, rain began to fall. I thought to myself then: "Oh no! The rain will ruin the doll. Rena would be so upset." I had no choice but to climb faster up the slippery trash pile. I nearly lost my balance a few times, which caused Rena to look worried again. I had finally made it to the top when thunder began to roar and lightening began to flash.
"Keiichi-kun! It's very dangerous up there! Don't worry about the doll! Just come down quick!" Rena exclaimed. I couldn't quit now. Not when I was so close to getting what she wanted. Just then, lightning struck the ground near the pile, causing it to lose it's support and begin to fall apart. Rena cried out in worry as I was about to fall. "The doll! It's going to fall!" I thought to myself. I had to try and save it, so I reached for the doll with everything I had. Just as I had the basket in my grasp, the pile began breaking apart quicker. I was falling... I had to keep the doll safe... So she would smile. I held it close and changed the direction of my fall so that I would land on my back. At last, with a loud thud, I had hit the ground hard. My back and shoulders were hurting and slightly bleeding. Rena was running towards me with tears in her eyes.
"Keiichi-kun!" She cried. I looked up at her and smiled through my pain.
"We've gotta get out of this storm. Is there any shelter nearby?" I asked.
"Y-yes! I know just the place." She said as she helped me up. My body was in a lot of pain, but I was able to endure it. Rena and I ran through the dump until we came to what seemed to be an old van. Rena opened a window and we climbed in. She then turned on a small lantern and the van was lightened up. There were so many things in here. This must've been where she kept all her treasures she found around here. I looked over at Rena. She was crying.
"K-Keiichi-kun... You got hurt... It's all my fault!" She sobbed. I had to stop those tears somehow. Then I remembered what I had in my hands. I tapped on her shoulder and handed her the basket. The doll survived the storm somehow. Her eyes widened a lot and her face filled with color.
"K-Keiichi-kun... W-why did you go to s-so much trouble for that? For that?" She asked.
"Well... It was because you looked so sad. I wanted to see you smile." I said. Her face was beet red now. She seemed to be at a loss for words. The rain continued to fall hard on the dump.
"Keiichi-kun...?" Rena asked after a while.
"Yeah Rena?" I replied.
"I-I remember now." She said.
"Remember what?" I asked confused.
"It happened in another world. I doubted you and all my friends... I did terrible things to Mii-chan. I could have killed Rika-chan. I... I could have hurt you Keiichi-kun... B-But... Even when it was dangerous for you... You smiled at me the whole time. The promise we made that day... I remember it now. I told you I wanted you to say good morning to me as I wake up, and good night as I go to bed. I wanted you to fill me with joy and kindness. Keiichi-kun... You've filled me with so much kindness... I'm beginning to overflow." She said at last. My face was turning as red as Rena's. I decided to ask at last.
"R-Rena?" I asked.
"Y-yes Keiichi-kun?" She answered back.
"W-when you swallowed that red magatama that one time... You went around falling in love with random people. When we finally got the white magatama back, I-I swallowed it by accident. As we were getting the spell removed, you told me something. You told me "Rena Ryuugu really loves you." A-and... I had to ask... Was it just the magatama's power making you say that?" I finally said. Rena's face went as red as humanly possible. As she opened her mouth to speak, one of the windows of the van flew open and a gust of wind and rain put out the lantern. I heard Rena gasp in shock. I could barely see in there. I could hear Rena's breathing had gone sharp. I could tell she was frightened. I felt around in the darkness, and found her hand. She was shaking from fear and the cold wind. I put my arms around her gently.
"K-Keiichi-kun!" She exclaimed.
"Rena. It's ok. As long as we're together, you don't have to be afraid." I said softly." We stayed like this a while. The rain finally stopped after a while, and the moonlight shown inside the van. Even in the light of the moon, her blush was easy to see.
"Rena, we should head home now. Our parents will be worried if we don't head back soon." She nodded as we exited the van. My back still hurt but it was bearable. We were quiet for some of the walk back.
"Keiichi-kun?" Rena said suddenly.
"Yeah?" I said back.
"A-About your question earlier. I..." She began.
"Rena, it's like I told you that day. You should show those feelings towards the person you truly love." I said.
"Keiichi-kun... Even though those magatama made me fall in love with different people... It was different for you... What Rena said to you that day... That was Rena. Keiichi-kun... I..." She said softly. She then looked down as though ashamed. I noticed we were at Rena's house now. Rena looked up and said:
"Keiichi-kun... I... I love you!" She said at last. I felt my blush deepen.
"Rena... We'll be together always. That promise will never be broken!" I said with a smile. Rena's eyes widened.
"Keiichi-kun..." She whispered as we both leaned our heads toward one another. Our lips met under the light of the moon. She wrapped her arms around me. I held her close. After a while we broke the kiss. We were both blushing intensely. We smiled brightly at each other. Rena then walked towards her door. We stood at the steps for a moment, staring into each others eyes. As she turned to go to the door, I opened my mouth to speak.
"Rena!" I said. She turned around a little startled.
"Y-Yes Keiichi-kun?" She asked. I placed a hand under her chin and whispered into her ear:
"Goodnight Rena." Her eyes watered a little as she smiled. She ran into my arms again and we kissed once more, not wanting this moment to end. Finally we broke apart again.
"Goodnight Keiichi-kun." Rena said with a warm smile. She opened her door, looked back at me a moment, and went inside. I then decided to head home myself. I was tired, but also very happy. I got home. My parents freaked out of course because of my blood stained shirt. I explained to them (some of) what happened. I got bandaged up and went off to bed. The next morning I awoke with a smile. I got dressed and was out the door. As I walked outside, I thought to myself:
"Looks like I've come to like this life in Hinamizawa." The reason for that is:
"Keiichi-kun! Good morning!"
END
That's it everyone! This was my first complete fan fiction. I hope you enjoyed it! I'd like to know what you guys thought, so reviews would be appreciated.