''Rika, that's your fifth glass now...you should really stop, au au au...''

''Shut up. Leave me alone. Whether you're sick to your stomach or are just worried about me, I don't care. I want to be alone.''

Rika said the words through gritted teeth and anyone would be able to tell that she was angrier than ever. Hanyuu realized it was useless and faded away, scared she might make Rika get to the point of yelling.

But it definitely wasn't about how Hanyuu felt, she really was worried for Rika's well-being and all the alcohol seemed to just be worsening Rika's mood. Rika had just gone through the most awful world yet and the next time she awoke it was already nighttime in this world. She had not even bothered looking at the calendar or anything, she got up from her futon and went straight to the cabinet where she hid her wine. She just kept drinking and drinking, clenching and unclenching her fists. She spilled one glass and almost shouted, but kept her cool as it would wake up Satoko.

Satoko...Satoko...Satoko...

In the last world she had been in...Teppei had killed Satoko and ran off.

After five days of being absent instead of the usual three, and no Teppei calling in, Chie finally went to check on her. No one answered the door, but it was unlocked and Chie decided to go in. Then she called the police.

Satoko had died due to strangulation according to the police and Chie announced it to the class through her sobbing after she came back. The class went silent, and then some of the younger kids started wailing loudly. Mion ran up to Chie, grabbing her by the shoulders and violently shaking her. She screamed at her to stop with the bad jokes, and both her and Rena sobbed as Rena tried to pull her off. Rika just stared at her desk, feeling numb as the tears poured out.

She didn't even know why he had killed her or how he could ever do it. He was disgusting enough before but...but this was the first time he had killed her...why...why...? Rika was dying to know why it even happened. Was this just a random whim of his in this world? She had always thought he was too cowardly to ever do something as far as murdering her...

Rika was snapped out of her thoughts when Keiichi roared, after having just stared ahead in shock for a few minutes. He pushed his desk over and ran over to the lockers, opening and punching them till his fists were bleeding. Everyone just looked at him, too terrified to stop him. Rika, however, continued to just stare at her own desk.

Finally, Keiichi came across Satoshi's locker and his bat. He took it, laughing like a maniac for a while. All the other kids were now behind Chie, Rena and Mion. They tried to call to Rika to come over to them too, but Rika just stayed as she was, not even really hearing them. Keiichi started smashing the lockers with the bat, screaming and crying till he finally collapsed in exhaustion. Rika finally walked over to him, and patted his head. He flinched wildly at the touch, but didn't move away.

Then, Rika spoke. ''I know you want to kill him, but it's useless, you know.''

Keiichi snapped his head up to look at her, anger and insanity in his eyes. ''How...did you know I was thinking of that...?'' He picked up the bat and got up, pointing it at her. ''Are you going to stop me?''

Rika suddenly laughed, causing Keiichi to step back a bit in surprise, but he did not stop pointing the bat at her.

''Stop you...? No, as if I could...I'm just telling you...it's useless...ahaha...haha...''

Keiichi was shocked at her deeper voice, but still spoke angrily, ''What do you mean it's useless...?''

Rika looked at him, pissed off.

''I mean what I said, you idiot. You can kill him now too, but Satoko is already dead. So it's really pointless...hee hee...yes...yes...it's pointless...as always...even when she wasn't dead it was already pointless...''

''It...it's not pointless!'' Keiichi screamed at her. ''Satoko may be dead, but I won't let her death be in vain...I'm going to find that bastard...I'm going to find that piece of shit and I'm going to kill him for killing Satoko!''

Rena was comforting some of the kids who were still crying, especially because of their fear of Keiichi. However, inside she was thinking about helping Keiichi...

But Mion spoke up. ''Kei-chan...c-calm down...''

''Shut up! How am I supposed to calm down?! Do you just want the police to find him and lock him up?! Him rotting in jail isn't enough! He needs to suffer, he needs to be murdered, he needs to go through worse than what he did to Satoko! It's only fair!''

Mion looked down, hurt at his tone...but she found herself unable to argue with him.

''I don't care what any of you do...do as you want...'' Rika spoke again. ''But this world is doomed...yet again it's all doomed...I don't care about any of you or this world anymore...I'm going to go look for the next Hinamizawa...ahahaha...! But it'll just fail again! Right?! But at least Satoko will be there...'' Rika laughed madly, but tears began to stream down her face again.

Keiichi walked to the door of the classroom. ''I don't understand any of your talk, but I don't care either! I'm gonna find him and murder him.''

Rena ran after him, her pupils in thin slits. ''I'll come too, Keiichi-kun...I agree with you completely...we can't get the happy days back, anymore, but...we can still kill him...''

''Rena, don't tell me you've gone mad too?!'' Mion cried.

''Mii-chan...help us...why don't you help your friends? You can make it up to Satoshi now, you know...''

''R-Rena...'' The hurt and disbelief in her tone was high.

Rika had already slipped past them all of them and out the door at this point, everyone too worried about Keiichi and Rena to notice, and Rena and Keiichi too mad to notice her. She walked for a bit, still vaguely hearing the three old friends arguing. Then, she began running, not stopping for anything. Through the halls, out the door. She tripped and cut her arms up on the rock covered ground, but got right back up. She was heading for Satoko's house, wanting to see her one more time.

But of course, the police were still there. It was pointless to come here. One of the officers, Kumagai, saw her.

''Ah, you there! This is no place for kids! This is a crime scene! Shouldn't you be in school?''

Ooishi came over to them to see what the commotion was all about. ''Ah, Rika-chama...!''

His look said he knew why she was here. Rika just glared at them and figured they would not let her in the house, so she ran off again, back to her own house.

''Ah, wait-'' Kumagai started, but Ooishi placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head.

''She doesn't need to go back to school. I imagine school will be let out soon anyways, or already has been due to this incident. If not, and she's skipping...well, who could blame her...? Let's not force her back, na ha ha ha...''


''Rika! Rika, please don't!''

''Shut your mouth, there's no reason for me to keep going on with this world!''

Rika thrust the knife through her throat, collapsing to the ground, choking on her own blood. She was dead in no time. Hanyuu fell to her side, sobbing.

''Rika...Rika...!''


The fifth glass ended up being Rika's last, due to the fact the wine bottle was empty now and there were no more wine bottles left.

She took the glass and the wine bottle, and slowly crept out the door, staggering a lot as she went. It was hard to tell whether it was more from the drunkenness, or the misery. She walked till she was far from the house, and then she tossed the bottle and glass to the ground. They shattered into pieces, and she crouched down, grabbing one. She cut at one arm till it was covered in blood, laughing as if it was a hilarious joke, beginning to cry.

She had just wanted to smash something, but why was she doing this now? She looked at the blood, laughing and crying some more. She buried her head in her knees and continued to sob for what could have been two minutes or twenty as far as she knew. She finally got up, blood dried and all the scratches she made on her arm obvious...she thought of a way to explain to Satoko, but couldn't think of anything at the moment...she started for home, too tired to care and wanting sleep.

When she got home, she swallowed and started up the stairs. She looked and saw Satoko still fast asleep with her back turned to her, and felt relieved. She went to the bathroom, cleaning the blood off her arm, unable to figure out a way to hide the cuts. She sighed, cleaning the sink a little next, then she turned off the light and went to her futon. Unable to sleep now, she stared at the ceiling.

Should I say I went outside during the night for a walk and fell into a bush with sharp thorns and sticks...? Then it should have cut more than just this arm...should I say only my arm fell in since it's just so unlucky...? I can't just say I broke some glass and then cut my arm up for fun, that's for sure...

Rika turned to one side, and then before she knew it, started sobbing again. She tried to stop or at least be more quiet, but then...she felt someone move closer and wrap an arm around her.

''Rika...?''

It was Satoko.

''M-mii, what is it...? Did you get too cold?'' Rika tried to speak, adding a horribly done giggle at the end.

''Rika...I heard you leave...and I followed you.'' After a moment of silence, she continued. ''I saw...''

''A...ah...''

''When you got up, I went through a shortcut and got home first.''

''S-Satoko...''

''Rika? Will you turn around and look at me?''

Rika gulped, and did as Satoko told.

She was startled to see Satoko smiling at her. Satoko pulled Rika loser, arms wrapped around her tightly. She rested her head on Rika's shoulder and said, ''It's okay.''

Rika shook, wrapping her arms around Satoko tightly as well, and wailed.

''Sato...ko...Satoko...I'm so...rry...I'm...sorry...''

Satoko ran a hand through Rika's long hair, repeating the two words over and over again as Rika cried. And then...

''Don't be sad anymore, it's alright...I'm here for you...''

Rika buried her head into Satoko's chest, and her sobs slowly came to a stop as she began to drift to sleep...

Satoko didn't really understand why Rika did what she did, and she knew there were a lot of things she didn't understand or know about her. Things she might never understand or know. But...that wasn't important right now. Rika needed her and was suffering right now, so Satoko had to do what she could. She would be there for Rika and help her feel safe. She would not give up on her. And if Rika wanted to forget this night ever happened, Satoko could honor that wish. She might make sure she and the others keep a closer eye on her from now on, though...to prevent her heart from getting so hurt once more.

And so, the two laid together closely and held each other for the rest of the night...