(Sorry for taking so long! >_

Also, the official trailer for the Kanashii-hen VN is on youtube. My channel name is in my profile if you're interested in checking it out. Thanks again! Enjoy!

~WOLFEDEN)

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

Noroi-hen (The Malediction Chapter)

Will You Forgive Me?

I just want acceptance and belonging.

Will You Forgive Me?

I just want someone to ease this pain.

Will You Forgive Me?

I just want to be loved.

Can You Forgive Me?

Chapter 1: Fate

Part A

I was young then. I was sitting on my father's knee, looking out of the second floor window of my family's house. We were watching the clouds go by, the grass swaying in the gentle breeze, and we heard the chirping of the insects outside. Everything was so serene. This was my only memory of that place. It was the memory that I always treasured.

I heard my father laugh. I looked up at him. I saw his rich smile.

"What is it, Daddy?"

"Hm? Oh, it's nothing! I was just listening to the cicadas," he smiled at me with his eyes closed.

"That's what's making that sound?"

"That's right!" My father laughed. "Those are cicadas you hear. Aren't they beautiful?"

His voice was full of affection. He really loved those things. "I guess they are," I said, unsure of how I really felt towards them. Just being with my father was good enough for me. I didn't need anything else.

"I love them!" He hugged me. "Although, it's a shame we'll be moving soon. I won't get to hear them for quite a while." He sighed. "Let's enjoy them as much as we can before tomorrow. We have a long day ahead of us!"

"I'm really nervous about moving…" I trembled at the thought of a new place, with new people, and a new home.

"It'll be alright!" He cupped his hand around me ear. It amplified the chirping of the insects. "Just listen to their chirping! Whenever you hear them sing, they'll make you feel much better! They'll remind you of who you are, and where you came from! You'll never be alone!"

I think that's why I grew to love the sound of the cicadas. They soothed my soul, eased my weary mind, and made me feel at home. They reminded me of him.

My eyes twitched. I groggily opened them up. I was lying down and looking up at the bright afternoon sky. I was afraid whenever I looked up there. My stomach would feel sick and my head would start to pulse. I knew there was nothing to be afraid of, but I always had this odd belief that the sky would crash on top of me. I had this fear ever since I was kid. It followed me all the way to adulthood. I was twenty and I was afraid of such a childish fantasy.

"Oh, good!" A voice spoke. It came from above me. A girl's head peered down at me. Her long soft crimson hair fell upon my face. "I was beginning to think you died!"

"Shut up, Kaiko."

I stretched my arms out. I heard them crack. I rolled my head around. Smooth skin tickled the back of my neck. I loved that feeling. It was enough to drive me crazy.

"H-Hey! Don't roll your head around too much!" I could sense that she was blushing.

I did it anyway.

She slammed the side of her fist onto my chest.

I coughed and fell off of her lap. I clutched at my chest and squirmed around on the cold unforgiving floor.

"I warned you, Katsu!" Kaiko laughed evilly at me. "Serves you right! Maybe next time I won't let you fall asleep on my lap!"

I sat back up and rubbed at my chest. "Damn! That really hurts!"

She laughed again.

This girl's name was Akahana Kaiko. She was my best friend in all of Japan. Actually, she was my only friend. She had been with me every step of the way since I moved to the big city. I didn't know anybody when I first went to school here. She used to be the vice president of my class, before we graduated, and she found me one day, eating on the roof of the school by myself. She joined me and acted as if we had been friends all of our lives. We had been inseparable after my first year.

The two of us were now twenty and she was in college. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life, so I didn't attend. Maybe I would be a craftsman like my dad. I had no idea. My mind didn't drift towards the future. It was right here in the now.

Kaiko stuck her hand out to me. "Silly, Katsu! What're you doing lying on the floor like that?"

I turned my head at her hand, huffing at her.

"C'mon! I'm sorry for hitting you!" He smiled sweetly at me.

It was that kind of smile that made my heart melt. I looked back and took her hand. She pulled me up.

"You know, Kaiko, you can be the biggest pain in the ass sometimes!" I winked at her.

"You still love me!"

"I'll tell ya what else I love…" I eyed up and down her slender, but enticing figure, dangerously slow.

She sat back on the bench we were on moments ago. She sat very proactively, stroking the inside of her thigh with her thin finger. She was playing with the end of her skirt. I saw her lift the end of it by just a fraction.

"…You still wanna play with me, little boy…? Come on…I'm waiting…" Kaiko said suggestively. She batted her scarlet eyes at me.

I couldn't take my own eyes off of her. The sunlight hit her just right. She looked amazing. Every part of her was enhanced by the sun. My heart really was melting when I watched Kaiko.

"Ahaha!" She crossed her legs and pointed at me. "I got you again! You're too easy to tease, Katsu! You're so shallow!"

I shook my head. "I'm not shallow!"

"Oh really? Tell me then," she said as she walked up to me. She brought her face close to mine. "What were you thinking about just then?"

I gulped loudly. She caught me! "N-nothing…! I wasn't thinking about anything…!"

"You liar!" She slapped me lightly. "You were thinking about something impure, weren't you?"

I grunted and stuck my hands into my pockets. I looked away from her.

"I knew it!" She poked at my chest. "You're too easy!"

"Ugh…don't you have class soon?"

Kaiko looked at her wrist watch. "Oh, shoot! You're right! I gotta get going!" She grabbed her satchel near the bench and ran back over to me. "I'll talk to you later okay? Seriously, Katsu, you need to go to school here! Then we can hang out 24/7! It'll be fun!"

I folded my arms behind my head and smirked. I averted my eyes from her. "I'll think about it."

"You better! Well, see ya!" Kaiko petted my head and ran off down stairs to find her class.

I left the rooftop we were on and proceeded down to the main entrance of the school. It was quite a place. There was a whole sea of cherry blossom trees at the main gate. The wind blew the petals all around the area. I caught one of them in my hand. I smiled at it. I blew it into the air and watched it float among the other petals.

This was Kaiko's college. It was coming to the end of her second year. She was studying for her final exams and preparing for her next year. She was studying law so she could be cop. Her dad used to be a police officer, as well as her grandfather and his father, so she was carrying on the family tradition. It made me think about my own traditions and how I was next in line for my duties. When it came to being a police officer, Kaiko read too many comic books for "reference" during our time in high school. She always envisioned herself as this paragon of justice, smiting the wicked and protecting the innocent. If there was anybody who could clean up crime here in Tokyo, it was her. She'd do it by any means necessary.

While Kaiko had plans for a good future, I had none. I was just a country boy in the big city with no goals or ambitions. I only knew how to do simple things. I wasn't the best student, but I always showed care in my studies when it came to creativity, as I inherited my father's creative mind. He used to be a craftsman. He used to make furniture, some art, and did a little of architecture on the side of his main job. Maybe I'd do something like that. I didn't think I'd be cut out to take my father's main job: being a temple priest.

My name is Katsurou. I was just a simple guy with simple needs and desires. I wanted to get married, have a few kids, and just live out the rest of my life in peace with my remaining family and with my one and only friend, Kaiko. My mother and I lived together in a regular apartment, nothing special. Ever since my dad died, I needed to stay with my mother to look out for her. Actually, I wanted to look out for her. She was all I had left.

My dad died in 1963, when I was ten, after we came to Tokyo. Mom told me he used to help run a shrine back where we used to live. I barely remembered seeing him work or when he was in his robes. He suffered a stroke and passed away ten years ago. Mom and I were both devastated, but we managed to work through that tragedy. She worked as a clerk in a toy store while I took various oddjobs until I grew up. I was a waiter around this time. Money was always a big issue for us. That's another reason why I didn't go to college. I had to make enough money to support this family. I was the man of the house now and I had to provide. It was my responsibility.

We came all the way from Hinamizawa, Shishibone City. It was a very rural village in the countryside, but it had a charm to it. It was a very quiet place to live and it was very majestic, from what I could remember. Living in this city for ten years destroyed my country mannerisms and most of my memories. My mom had her Hinamizawan accent, while I sounded just like the regular city slicker. The culture in Tokyo sort of changed me.

Despite all of that, I still know where I came from. My father, before we left for Tokyo, sat me on his lap and he introduced me to the beautiful sound of the cicadas. I didn't hear many cicadas in Tokyo, but when I did, I instantly thought of him. I could feel his presence when I heard them. It was like my father took their form and chirped to me, trying to talk to me. I guess that's why I actually talked to those insects. I thought that they were my father.

I wandered around for a few blocks until I came to my apartment building. I jogged up the stairs to the first floor and looked for my door number. Good old 193. I unlocked the door and entered.

BAM!

"Ow!" I jumped up in pain. I fell against the wall and caressed my throbbing head.

"You're late!" a voice hollered at me.

"Jeez!" I spotted a muscular middle aged woman with gray hair, holding a broom in her hands. "Mom! What the hell's your problem?"

She spun the broom around and rested it on her shoulder. "You're late! You got work to do around here!"

"I just got home!"

Mom gritted her teeth at me. "That doesn't excuse ya!"

"Man, sonuva-"

She whacked me in the face again with her broom. "What'd I tell you 'bout cussing?"

I rubbed my cheek and stood back up. I felt a small cut on my face. I smiled weakly at her. "Sorry."

"Now go and get your uniform ready! You gotta take out the trash too! Now get movin'! You got work at four, remember?" She spotted my cut. "And go disinfect that cut! Sorry about that! Haha! Don't know my own strength too well!" She smiled and tried to appear innocent as she could be. That weapon in her hand prevented me from thinking she was, however.

"Mom, that's four hours away! I can hang out for a little bit, can't I?"

She just stared at me coldly.

"Ya know," I crossed my arms and narrowed my eyes at her. "I'm an adult now. I don't have to follow your orders anymore!"

Mom smacked the shaft of the broom into her free hand. The sound made me flinch.

I blinked at the broom and thought long and hard about my next words. "You know what? Why don't I get my uniform ready and take out the garbage? I got work in four hours!" I sprinted up the stairs leading up to my room.

"Yeah…that's what I thought you said!" She chuckled and swept the floor up.

That was my dear, sweet mother: a hard-ass slave driver with a heart of gold. My grandfather, on her side of the family, used to be in the army. His way of life rubbed off on her. It made her the toughest woman I've ever known. She could snap a guy in two with just one hand! She could even kill you with just a bobby pin!

This was kind of her way to cope with the loss of my father. Since I was the man of the house now, she had to whip me in to shape and take responsibility for every little thing I did or didn't do. Mom didn't have any time, or the patience, for laziness, incompetence, and for a bad attitude. She needed someone she could depend on when things got rough.

I was up in my room. I found my waiter uniform lying on my bed, wrinkled and rife with lint. I always hated doing this! I pressed it, cleaned it, and laid it out for when I needed it. I hated this thing! Kaiko always teased me about this getup! Sometimes she'd come down to my restaurant and act like she didn't know me. She would give me a hard time and I just had to stand there and take it.

After that was all set, I put a small bandage on my cut and gathered the trash from my room, Mom's room, the bathrooms, and from the kitchen. I placed all of the garbage into one big bag and sorted out the recyclables and placed them outside my house for the garbage men to take. This job was so tedious, but at least I could do something else to help around the house.

"Katsu! Get in here! It's dinner time!"

That was fast. She always made me supper early on the nights I had to work. She didn't want me to work on an empty stomach. My mom even held the world record for being the fastest cook in the world. She always started a meal, even when she wasn't hungry. By the time she was hungry, she had her food already done. She knew how to use time to her advantage.

I came inside to see dinner waiting for me on the kitchen table. Did she really have all of this done before I came home? How did she do this every time? She was inhuman!

"What were you doing out there for so long?" Mom looked at me suspiciously. "Something I should know about?"

"I was outside for five minutes! That's not long!" I sighed. I took my seat next to her. "I moved as fast as I could!"

"Meh…"

I grunted at her.

I didn't really eat too much. My mind drifted elsewhere. I was thinking about Kaiko and her university, about her dreams and how hard she worked. I was still wondering about what I could do to help this family. I couldn't think about anything else. My dreams and goals weren't important right now.

"Somethin' the matter?" Mom said. "You barely touched your food! You're gonna starve to death at work if you don't get something in your belly!"

"I'll be fine." I played around with my piece of steak. "Hey, Mom? I have a random question. You ever think about home?"

"We are home, Katsu!"

"No…I mean Hinamizawa."

Mom stopped eating for a moment. She smiled at me. "You've been thinking about your father again, huh?"

I was guilty as charged.

"You've been thinking about him a lot lately."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No, not at all!" She looked at her wedding ring lovingly. It was gold and it had a silver line that went around the sides of it. "I miss him too."

" Mom?" I thought for a second to form my thought. "Why did we move away from Hinamizawa?"

She folded her hands and held her chin up with them. Her warm smile was still on her face. "You don't like living in the city?"

"No, I do. I-I'm just curious as to why Dad wanted to move." My eyes focused on the wood of the table. I was becoming embarrassed for asking that question. "I can't remember much about that village, you know? It's weird…I only have one memory of that place but I still love it, if that makes any sense."

Mom smiled. "Well, your father wanted to be something more than what he was. You remember he was a shrine priest there?"

I nodded.

"His duties became too tiring and he questioned the purpose of his job. His grandfather and even his father had that one duty. It was so monotonous and troublesome that he wanted to expand his horizons. He didn't want to be stuck doing that for the rest of his life. He didn't want your life to be like his, confined to that shrine all the time."

"But...wasn't this duty a tradition? Aren't traditions supposed to be upheld?"

Mom laughed. "I guess your father wanted to be different! He never told me why he wanted to leave that life." Her face grew red. "But I think…maybe it had to do with us…he wanted to be with us. You were still young, and his shrine duties kept him away from us for so long. I think he felt guilty and decided to move us to Tokyo. He wanted to be around more! He didn't want anything to distract him again!"

I blinked at Mom. "Hey, are you okay? You're blushing…a lot!"

"Huh?" She covered her face with her hands and fidgeted. "I-I'm not! What makes you say that?"

"Hahaha!" I held my stomach. "You really were in love with the guy, huh?"

She had a twinkle in her eye. She was looking at her wedding ring again. "I was…I still am…and he loved you very much!"

"I know," I said with a small simper. "I just wished I got to know him a little better. He died when I was so young."

"He's still around you!" She patted my hand. "He's in the air, the trees, even in the simple sounds of nature!"

That reminded me of that memory. "I know. I bet he was a great guy."

"He loves us dearly. But those bastards in the village gave him such a hard time about leaving!" Her hand became hot. I could see her getting angry. "That guy, Kimiyoshi, he was friends with your father, and he didn't do one thing to help him! He's the worst of them all! He ended that friendship because of his upcoming duties to the village! He betrayed your father!"

My mind clicked. "Wasn't that dispute over something important? I know Dad left his shine duties, but didn't that really involve us leaving the village?"

"Yeah. They yelled at your father for taking us away from the village and for 'abandoning' his birth right." She huffed. "That's when that curse bullshit came up."

"Oyashiro-sama's curse?" I asked casually. I didn't bat an eye at that name.

Mom shook her head. "I don't wanna talk about that curse. You know that's just superstition! That's what got me, about the Furudes and Kimiyoshi: they kept spoutin' about that curse to scare your dad into staying in Hinamizawa. Why would a guardian deity go cursin' people? It's asinine! How dare they besmirch the name of such an honorable god like him? He saved the village from demons thousands of years ago! Why would he curse anybody?"

I at first believed in the curse when I was young. My dad died of a stroke conveniently after when we came into Tokyo. Dad had been showing health problems even before we moved away. It was just a coincidence. I knew better nowadays than to believe in some dumb curse.

"Let's talk about a happier subject!" Mom looked at me with these big hopeful eyes. "So…Katsu….how's Kaiko?"

Ah shit…not again.

"She's just fine!" I smiled at her. My iconic smile was my poker-face. "We hung out a little bit before her class today!"

"She's been treating you well, yes?" She narrowed her eyes, while grinning devilishly.

I knew what she was doing. She was going to break me this time!

"Yeah! She's the best friend I guy could ask for!" I stuffed my mouth full of steak and rice.

"Oh okay, I see." She looked away for a sec.

I did it! She was giving up!

"I was hoping you guys made out by now!"

I spat my food back onto my plate. "Dammit, Mom!"

"Gahahahaha!" She nearly fell out of her chair. "When are you going to grow up and ask her out? She's perfect for you!"

"She's a royal pain in my ass! Who would ask her out?"

"You would." She shot me another smile.

My heart thumped loudly. Now my face was the one all red.

"Well," she nudged me with her elbow. "When are you going to ask her out?"

"I'm not!" I furrowed my brow at her. "We've been friends for five years! That's where it ends!"

"You're afraid something might happen and you two won't be friends anymore, right?"

She saw right through me. That was my greatest fear. Maybe I liked her, I didn't know. I knew she would the perfect woman to have by my side, but I treasured our friendship. I didn't want to risk anything.

"If love is that powerful, it'll keep you two together! Even if one of you does something awful, you'll forgive each other and get through it! All you need is love, am I correct?"

I looked away. "Yeah…I dunno…"

"Trust me, Katsu!" Mom smiled brightly. "I've been there! And it turned out perfect for me! I got a great kid out of the deal!"

"Oh yeah, where is he? I wanna meet him."

"Oh, shut up! Don't talk like that!" She slapped me on the back of my head.

"Ow!"

"Gahaha!"

Part B

After dinner, I changed into my waiter's uniform and donned my jacket. I said goodbye and goodnight to my mother. I always came home late when she was sleeping. She got so worried about me walking the streets at night, but I was always fine. After all, she was the one who taught me how to fight if I ever got into a bad spot. Her father's martial arts' training was passed down to her and then to me. I was never really that good at it though. I knew a few takedown moves, but other than that, I was screwed if I ever fought somebody! I was a waiter, not a fighter!

I arrived at my place of business, the Gemini Club. It was a restaurant that also functioned as a small bar. It was one of the more popular places on the street. The pay was good and you got to meet lots of pretty ladies. I liked the job. There was nothing wrong about it, but I felt like I still could do better.

My boss welcomed me and immediately put me to work. I took orders here and there, brought them out when they were ready, and gave the customers their bill. The waiters here made decent tips too. Most of my coworkers got lucky with their tips; the best I had ever gotten was 1,000 yen. I made it my quest to get more than that, but I always came a few bills short of my goal though.

I was on break for about twenty minutes. When I sat a free table, reserved for employees, I looked out into the elaborately furnished club. The rugs were velvet, the booths were made of the highest quality of leather, the lights were dim to give off that romantic ambience, and there was a small dance floor in the middle of the restaurant. Some of the old timers got up and danced the night away, along with a few married couples the occasional boyfriend and girlfriend. It was a good place to work. There had never been any fights, disputes, or anything. It was one of the most peaceful places to eat and just relax.

As soon as my shift began again, my eyes noticed something that was different. The aura this place had was drastically different. It felt warm, very sweet, and very alluring. What the heck was it? It tickled my senses and made my body and brain feel hot.

I saw a woman being seated at a booth by her lonesome. She didn't look much older than me. She looked like she was twenty-four or twenty-six. She had short raven hair and she had long bangs with silver rings dangling from them. She wore a casual maroon shirt, a little low cut, and she had a necklace that glimmered in the small light. She wore a pair of dark blue jeans with maroon slippers that matched the shirt. But the thing that really struck me was her eyes. They were sapphire. They were absolutely mystifying. I feel like I could get lost within them. Everything about her shocked me.

One coworker was called over to her table, but I shoved him out of the way to get there first.

"Hey, there!" I said extremely happily. "Welcome to the Gemini Club! What can I get for you, tonight?"

The woman glanced up at me. She was looking at her menu. "I'll take the Teriyaki Beef entre, please." Oh, man…even her voice sounded divine! It was so soft and so enticing…I could have lose it!

My poker smile was activated. "Certainly, miss! I'll get that right out for you!"

She handed me her menu. My finger accidentally touched her hand. It was so smooth! And it smelled delectable! Her perfume was so good! God…thank you!

Without knowing it, I was staring at her. She was pushing her hair back behind her ear.

She noticed me staring. She smiled at me and batted her eyes. "See something you like?"

"Yes…no! I mean…uh…er…I'll get that entre out for you right away!" I bowed. "So sorry! A thousand apologies!" I dashed off into the kitchen. I could hear her giggle behind me.

I was skipping! I was literally skipping! This woman cast some sort of spell over me! I could tell my coworkers were getting irritated by my frequent sighs and trips to my fantasy world, but I didn't care. There was no harm in looking, right?

When her dinner was ready, I grabbed the tray and waltzed right out to her table. She was shocked by how fast I brought it out. I gave her extra utensils if she needed them and an extra napkin.

"Enjoy!" I said very charmingly.

"My! This looks great!" She smiled at the food and at me.

"Yes! We give excellent service!"

"I can tell!" She giggled at me again.

Oh crap…what do I say now? What do I say?

"You need anything, don't hesitate to call! I'll be over here faster than you can snap your fingers!"

Her smile became brighter. "I'll be sure to call you, sir!"

I waltzed off again.

Faster than you can snap your fingers? That sounded so stupid! Come on, Katsurou, don't screw this up, I thought to myself. You barely see as gorgeous as a girl like that in the club that often! This sort of event only happens maybe twice every other month! I couldn't blow it now!

When she finished, I brought her bill over. She didn't ask for dessert and declined my offer and recommendations. I hope I didn't scare her. I had a feeling that I did!

She paid and I brought back her change. I pulled her seat out for her and she got up. She looked back at me.

"This is for you," she said with a wink. She took my hands into hers and put something in them. "Thanks for such great service!" She spoke in almost a whisper.

I nodded furiously. "I-It was my pleasure! P-Please, come back anytime!"

She put her slender finger to her chin. She looked as if she was pondering what I said. "I think I will! Bye-bye now!" She gave me a small wave and strolled out the front door. I watched her until I couldn't see her anymore.

I looked at my hand. I opened it up and saw what she had given me. She gave me 2,000 yen! That was my tip? I felt such jubilation. I felt like I was going to die a happy man. She helped me break the cycle! She did! Miss…uh…what was her name? Dammit! Why didn't I ask for her name?

My shift ended around eleven o'clock. I was walking down the street towards home. I still couldn't believe it! That woman was so nice! I wished that I knew her name though! I ran into her for a reason though! I met her because it was willed by fate! I knew it was! I sounded so childish, like a kid who had a crush on some girl. But I couldn't help it. This mysterious woman was on my mind for the entire walk home.

When I got back to my apartment, I sneaked inside without making any noise. I could hear my mother snoring. I crept past her room and proceeded upstairs to my room. I went into my bathroom and quickly brushed my teeth and changed into my pajamas. I threw my money onto my desk and crawled into my bed. I lay there for about ten minutes, just thinking about that woman. I couldn't get her out of my head. Her scent was still in my nostrils: the scent of cherry blossoms.

I had such a weird dream. Images of multicolored flowers were before me. They were all blooming. I was in a forest, a bright emerald green forest. There was a large tree that was in the middle of everything. Flowers fell from the tree and down to where I was standing.

I looked off to the side. There was a little girl standing in a clearing. She wore this small light green dress and she had long dark hair. The girl was wearing a fox mask. She took it off and turned to see me. Her eyes seemed dull. They looked as if they were filled with great sadness and anguish, but I saw hope in those eyes.

I heard footsteps behind me. When I turned, the forest was gone. I was now in a long and dark hallway. There were windows to my left, but they had all been shattered. Another girl was here. She was walking towards me, in her bare feet. The glass from the broken windows cut her feet. There was blood dripping down her forehead and down her arm. She brought her wrist up to her cold lips. She flicked her tongue against her flesh. Her eyes were devoid of any emotion. They were reptilian and I saw pain and anguish in this one as well.

Again, something else grabbed my attention. I was suddenly underwater. I looked below me. There were two girls this time. They were both naked and their faces were right next to one another. Both of them looked the same, hair, face, and figure, but one of the girls had this fearsome tattoo plastered all over her back.

The girl without the tattoo opened her eyes and looked at me. I saw her stand up. She didn't stay there long, for she gripped at her heart and groaned. She fell to her knees, as the water turned into chilling blood. She raised her head to see me. Her eyes were fiercer than the bloodied girl. They were murderous and filled with rage and contempt for the world around her. This girl was like a demon.

I left that world and found myself in a new one. There was yet another girl, just as small as the first girl. Tears were streaming down her face. Her body looked frail and beaten. I think she had the most sadness next to the girl with the fox mask. She looked so innocent, but she looked so tormented.

I saw one last image. This time, it was of a young man. His back was to me, but I could make out most of his features. He wore a red vest and green shorts, while holding something in his hand. It looked like a baseball bat, but it might have also been a sword or something. Light seemed to shine off of that boy, but I saw something else. I saw claws gripping at his ankles. A dark mist came from those claws and they drifted up and all around him. Was this young man just like the other people I saw? It seemed so, but something about him was different. Light was with him, but darkness was as well. What did all of this mean?

I awoke after seeing that young man. After that dream, couldn't get back to sleep. My body felt so hot. I tried sleeping outside of my blankets, but I was still too hot. I tossed and turned, I even flipped my pillow over, but I still couldn't get any rest.

I sat at the foot of my bed. My cheek was itching. I scratched at the bandage I had put there. It wasn't helping at all. I needed to let some fresh air into my cut anyway, so it was a perfect time to do that. I peeled off the bandage. I scratched at it with my nail.

Itchy, itchy, itchy, itchy, itchy, itchy!

Why did it itch so much? It felt like there was something on my cheek. I picked at it, but couldn't get a hold on whatever it was. After a while, I grabbed hold of it. I pulled on it, but it was stuck on my cheek. I gave it a swift yank. After that, the itching stopped. I think I might have missed a small hair when I shaved the day before.

I held the item before my eyes. It was wriggling in between my fingers. It was covered in blood, my blood. It was wriggling very violently.

What was it? What this a…worm? A maggot?

I gasped and dropped the maggot to my bed. It was crawling towards me. It was smearing my blood on my blankets. In the small blood trail, I saw other maggots forming. They climbed from their primordial soup and joined the first maggot. There soon was a horde of them.

I jumped from my bed and went to the corner of my room. My sweat was trickling down my face.

"N-Not again…not again…"

The leader jumped onto the floor and kept crawling towards me.

"It's not real…it's not real…"

Its followers followed in a similar pattern.

"There are no maggots in my body…! This is just an illusion! If that's true…then why do they seem real…? This is just an illusion!"

One touched my big toe.

I gasped loudly and lifted my foot up and stomped on it. I kept stomping on the maggots until they were all dead. I felt their bodies squish under my bare feet. I felt their blood splash under my foot. I heard their cries of death. They shrieked at me as I killed them.

My neck started to itch now. I ran into my bathroom and looked into the mirror. I didn't scratch at my throat. I didn't dare to scratch at it. If I did, more of those things could come out of me! But I didn't have any maggots in my body! Why was I so afraid of something that didn't exist! This was just a nightmare!

I stared at myself in the mirror. My face was damp by my sweat. I desperately wanted to scratch at my neck, but I didn't. I might claw my way to my spinal column if I did that! My eyes looked different. They looked feral. They looked almost…demonic. I saw my mouth open wide, even though I never did that. I saw the image of myself clawing at his throat. I watched until blood spurted from his opened throat.

The blood shot from the mirror and landed onto my face. The maggots wriggled their way from the blood and crawled all around my face. Some of them penetrated my eye sockets, some of them entered my nostrils, and some came into my mouth. They wriggled their way into my brain.

I screamed in agony and flung my fist into the mirror. It shattered and I cut up my hand because of the broken glass. I was clawing at my eyes. As I did that, I felt something crawling on my hands. There were maggots coming out of the cuts on my hands too!

The next thing I noticed was that I was sitting on my bathroom floor, with my back against the tub. I heaved and I felt mucus dripping from my nose. I splashed some water onto my face and looked back into the mirror. It wasn't broken and my hands were fine. I was back to my old self. There were no maggots anymore and the image of me killing myself wasn't there. I felt around my cheek. There was nothing there but the small cut.

"Why is this happening…?" I whispered as I cleaned my face. "There's no such thing as a curse! There's just no way!" I walked back into my room and fell on my bed. I was looking up into the ceiling. "You love me, don't you? You're my guardian! You've been with me ever since we left Hinamizawa! You'll protect me, won't you? You still love me, don't you…Oyashiro-sama…?"

I lay there shivering on my bed until the next morning. I barely got a bit of sleep. I had more feelings of something crawling underneath my skin. I felt it swimming through by blood. I knew there was nothing there though, everything was so real. I knew I had punched the mirror in my bathroom and sliced up my hand. That pain was awful, but the mirror was fine and my hand was in perfect condition. These hallucinations needed to end.

I used to get nightmares similar to these when I was kid, but they were never this bad. I had the usual nightmares of monsters chasing after you in an endless void and the belief of evil creatures hiding under my bed used to plague me. Nowadays, I had dreams of maggots in my body and these of tortured young people.

When it was time to get up, I slid out of bed and freshened myself up. After I was finished, I was making my way to the staircase when I passed by my desk. Something caught my eye. There was a picture frame resting on top of the desk. It was picture of a man, with glasses that had circular lenses, standing woman holding a small boy in her arms. I smiled at the picture for quite some time.

"You'll protect me…you're always with me…Dad…whenever cicadas cry…"

Mom had already left for work. I had the night off from the Gemini Club, so it looked like I would be staying home tonight. Kaiko had some classes during the night so she was busy and I had nobody else to be with. This was going to be a boring night. At least I could spend my morning and a little of the afternoon with Kaiko before she had to go to class.

Before I left the apartment, I found a note Mom had left me. It was all wrapped up. When I opened it, something fell out of the note and onto the floor. I picked it up. It was coupon. A coupon for a free evening at…Eclipse? I knew that place! That was a hostess bar near the Red Light District just a few blocks from here! I remember Kaiko telling me some of the guys in her class go to that place every now and then. How come Mom had this?

I looked at the note now, hoping for some sort of explanation.

"Hey, Katsu! Just wanted to wish you a good morning and a good day! I have a friend who is the assistant manager at this place and she told me to give you this coupon! You remember Yuki-san, right? She said this one's on her! I won't be back home until later, so go out and enjoy yourself tonight! But don't have too much fun or I'll murder ya, ya hear? Thatsa a good boy!

Ma

I crumpled up the note and threw it down on the floor. My face was beat red. I stomped on the note, yet I was still holding onto the coupon. I sighed very loudly. I hated the idea of a hostess bar. They were places lonely guys go to hang out with girls who honestly couldn't give a crap about anything but their money. That business thrived on socially awkward, desperate males who had nothing better to do then to talk to some bimbo who'd tell them what they'd want to hear. Why in the world did she give me this thing?

I folded up the coupon and stuffed it into my pocket. I should have thrown it out, but it was either talking to a dolled up girl or spend the night alone doing nothing but watching television. I decided to play along. I'd humor whoever I was going to sit with. Everything was free, so I really didn't have anything to lose.

I left my apartment, only to find Kaiko waiting right outside my door. I was surprised she showed up here. We had a spot about a block from my house. She lived on that street and the small gate to her house was our meeting spot every morning. She rarely ever came to pick me up.

"G'morning, Katsu!" She saluted me.

"Hey there. How come you're at my house?"

"You say that like I did something wrong!" She pouted. "Is it so wrong that I wanted to see you sooner…?"

I panicked. "I-I didn't mean it like that! It's perfectly okay!"

She smiled normally. "Good! Now come on!" She jumped behind me and kicked my back hard. I nearly fell over. "Let's go!"

We were walking down her neighborhood a little while later. She was speaking to me, but I wasn't really listening. That coupon Mom left me was still bugging me. I stroked the edges of it with my finger.

Kaiko noticed I wasn't saying much. I could tell because she was very quiet as well. She was never quiet. She was always talking or abusing me.

"I got a question for you, Katsu. What do you think of those dirty districts across town?"

"What about them?" I looked at her funny.

"They're pretty scummy, huh? All those disgusting people and those shady businesses! I hate places like those!"

"I'd thought you like a place that was called the Red Light District. You're always stealing things or buying things that are red!"

"I-I don't steal! I purchase!"

Kaiko had this obsession with anything that had the color red. It was in her name, I suppose. She'd buy pounds of apples, her favorite food, not just because she loved the taste, but because they were red. She had red jackets, sweaters, earrings, boots, and some sunglasses that were red. There was something about that color that drove her nuts. One time I wore a red shirt when we hung out and she tried to steal it from me!

"What was last thing you bought that was red anyway?"

"Ohhhh, wouldn't you like to know!" She giggled.

Yeah, I actually would have.

"I don't suppose you'd tell me?"

"Quit dodging my question!" She wagged her winger at me. "Don't you think those places are dirty?"

"Yeah, I'm not a fan of'em." Where was she going with this?

"Especially hostess bars! Those places are awful!"

That sounded a little suspicious. That was too specific, even for Kaiko to bring up. I checked my pocket…it was gone! The coupon was gone! Where'd it go?

"Looking for this?" Kaiko unfolded the coupon and snickered at me.

My eyes widened. Oh, man…

"What do we have here? A free night of service to Eclipse?" Kaiko raised her brow at me, smiling that sickening sneer. "What kind of service are we talking about here?"

I snatched the coupon and stuck it back into my pocket. "It's nothing like that at all! I didn't even want this thing anyway!"

"Sure you didn't!" She laughed. "I bet you're gonna tell me your mom gave it to you now! Ahahaha!"

I looked away in shame.

"She did, didn't she? Ahahaha! That's so bad!" She pointed at me and wiped the tears that were in her eyes because she laughing so hard. "You can't get a girl so your mom had to play matchmaker! And I remember she specifically told me that she abhorred places like those!"

"I thought the same…" Something about this thing was fishy now that I thought about it. Mom did say that she hated hostess bars, but she gave me a coupon anyway. Something was up.

I looked back to Kaiko. I had had enough of this. She was going to pay. I threw my arm over her shoulder. I strategically placed my hard near her collarbone and I brought my mouth near her ear. I whispered very charmingly.

"Why would I run after other girls when I have you…? You're the only one for me…"

Her posture straightened up and she was staring at my hand. Her cheeks were getting hot. I got her!

She removed my arm from her and pushed me away from her. "A-A-Anyway! Let's get to my school, shall we? Haha!"

I had her! I actually won a battle for once!

I spent the morning and the afternoon with Kaiko. When she left for class, I decided to head back home and get ready for the evening. I didn't know how people dressed when they went to these places. I chose to wear my dress pants and a black jacket. I tried to put on a tie, but I had no idea how to tie one. I flung the tie aside and just went in a dress shirt, dress pants, shoes, and a jacket. It was better than walking in with my usual jeans, T-shirt, and vest.

Evening rolled around. I followed the directions on the coupon and found my way to the bar very easily. I stared at the door of Eclipse. I heaved a great sigh. This whole thing still bugged me, but if I was going to get to bottom of this, I had to go in.

I was immediately welcomed by a man in a uniform that very similar to Gemini Club outfit. I told the man it was my first time here and I presented the coupon. He smiled and looked at a list of names. What the heck was this all about? They were all names of girls, from what I could tell. He looked at the coupon and then at his list. After checking, he led me over to the main sitting area of the bar.

The carpet was more elaborate than Gemini's and the lighting was much more romantic. There were flowers on the side of the counter near the bartender, there was a pond with fish swimming about, and there were very beautiful paintings along the walls. Even the wallpaper was very decorative, featuring flower petals floating in a light breeze.

I was seated at a small table on an incredibly soft sofa. If I laid down on it, I'd probably fall asleep because it was so comfy! I looked around me one more time. I saw some guys sitting with very attractive girls. They were laughing and pouring each other drinks. The ladies seemed friendly. Maybe this place wasn't going to be so bad.

"Welcome!"

I looked up. My heart suddenly began to pound. I felt my eyes dilate.

It was her! The woman that I served at Gemini! She worked here? She had some blue lipstick on and I could smell her intoxicating perfume, the scent of cherry blossoms, all around this whole area. She was wearing a turquoise dress that matched her hair and she wore silver bracelets around each of her wrists. She even wore an anklet. The rings that hung from her bangs jingled as she walked over to me. She sat next to me and smiled one of the biggest smiles I had ever seen in my life.

"This is your first time here, yes?"

"Uh…y-yeah…" I barely got that out. To think that I'd see this girl again so soon!

"Hey," The girl brought her face next to mine. "Haven't I see you somewhere before?"

"Er…yeah….actually, you did."

"At the Gemini Club! I knew it! You were that funny waiter!" The girl laughed lightly. "You were so cute!"

She was just saying that, she had to have. I acted like such a dumb kid with a crush.

"Thank you for such a nice night! That dinner was perfect! I hope I can return the favor…" Her voice was sweeter than it was before. "I'm Aiyoku! But everybody calls me Ai! Pleased to meet you!" She held out her hand to me.

I looked at it for a moment. I smiled back at her and shook her hand.

"My name is Keima Katsurou."