Legal Disclaimer: I don't own Higurashi no Naku Koro ni, but it's the sort of thing I'd think of on a rainy Sunday.

Content Disclaimer: This is really quite graphic. It may start out comparatively tame, but it will continue to increase in severity as the story goes on. Also, my Keichi is really not a very nice person. If you get offended by a character who doesn't exactly think highly of women, you may want to pass this story over. The views and opinions of the narrator are neither expressed nor endorsed by the author.

Grammar Disclaimer: There are points in this story with lots of run-on sentences. Dialogue in particular is handled very differently than it usually is in things I write. In this story, if it looks blatantly grammatically incorrect, it is probably intentional.

The Other

My name is Maebara Keichi. Look, I'll be honest, okay? I like Mion. Really like her. You know? Not like as in I just enjoy chatting with her, more like I'd also enjoy seeing her wearing very little clothing. You know how it is.

Which is why I was surprised that day to be seeing her wearing very little clothing, in this café nearby where I live. Why I had walked into Angel Mart, I'm sure you can understand. Sometimes, a person just needs a milkshake. Sometimes they also would like it brought to them by a pretty and scantily-clad woman. I was in that kind of mood.

You know those moods where you need to consume everything you can get? Only sometimes it's a very specific kind of craving, and you'll do anything to sate it. Yeah, you know how it is. I can tell. That was my mood, and my mind was screaming at me in its language without words that I needed to see a cute girl and soon, and I should also get something cold and thick to drink while I was at it. You know.

So I walk into this place, and of all people, she's the one that brings me the drink. When she saw me, she kind of stammered and blushed just a little, so I knew for sure it was her, not that anyone else could ever look remotely like her.

She said "Here's your order, sir" and I said "Hey, Mion, love the outfit" and she said she didn't know what I was talking about and I said "Oh, come on now! I really like it. But I'm surprised that you would work in a place like this" and then she said "I'm not Mion" and of course I laughed. I mean, really. That hair? Those eyes? Those…you know? "No one else looks like that" I said and she said "I'm Sonozaki Shion, Mion's twin sister" and I laughed and said "Okay, Shion, well since I'm a customer here I get respectful treatment right?" and she stuttered when she said "Of course" and I said "Well, when I win and get to decide on the punishment game next time we'll see just how respectful you can be" and snickered and she said "But Mion plays the games, not me" and I said "Oh, that's right, I'm sorry" and she asked me my name and so I said "Why, it's Maebara Keichi. Didn't Mion tell you?" and she said "I thought it was you from how she described you but I couldn't be sure, well I have to keep waiting tables" and by the time I replied "There's almost no one else here" she had walked away.

So I got my milkshake and I saw a cute girl in a revealing getup. It was a good day, all told. Did I like Mion before I saw her like that? Oh, yeah. What I saw that day was a different side to Mion, though; underneath the completely confident exterior, there was some glimmer of uncertainty, of- perhaps? - shame. I like that. Not that I'm a dominating jerk or anything, I mean I like knowing people's flaws. It helps me remember they're human.

The next day our afterschool game was hide-and-seek. I love this game. If you think about it, it's quite disturbing. Was this really a harmless game originally? Or were the hiders peasants and did the seekers have weapons? Note that I made sure to mention that it might not have been a "harmless" game at some point, for it was most assuredly a game no matter what. Regardless, in our hide-and-seek, everyone take's turns being It, and the person who finds everyone quickest wins, and obviously the person who takes the longest or gives up loses.

Everyone else did passably well, and then it was my turn. Of course, I knew that I simply had to beat everyone, but most especially Mion. I didn't want to embarrass her, per se, but I wanted to see the vulnerable Mion again. If the others knew about "Shion," they'd never mentioned it. I wasn't going to be mean and reveal Mion's problem to them, but I knew what the punishment for Mion would be if I won.

First I set out to find Satoko. It wasn't all that difficult, really. I heard a noise from inside the classroom, and when I glanced inside I saw what might be a dash of blond hair underneath one of the desks. Naturally, I raced outside and found Satoko peeking into the classroom from one of the windows. She loves setting traps for people, so I knew that wherever it was obvious that she was, she wasn't, but she would definitely be nearby.

Rika was even easier. When I glanced up onto the roof of the school, I saw her there, smiling at me. She said "Ni pah!" and congratulated me. She's strange, no doubt, but helpful. I still have no idea how she managed to get up there.

The two more difficult players were Rena and Mion, naturally. Rena was tough to find. She had hidden herself in a shack behind the school, and I only found her as quickly as I did because she sneezed. When I entered the shack, I didn't see her right away. It was dim inside, and the dust almost made me sneeze too.

I found her hiding there. I won't go into detail, because Rena doesn't interest me. Not that I don't like her, nothing of the sort. But she isn't alluring, really. Perhaps if she had some sort of more interesting aspects, then she'd be the apple of my eye. But since that's not the case, I won't bore you with frivolous details. It's Mion I want, and it's her I'm determined to have.

I didn't think she'd be in the classroom, but I decided to check back there anyway. I stood there in the seemingly empty room, hearing nothing but my breathing and the beating of my heart, like a deep and bloody metronome. I looked around. There was no motion. No sounds apart from my breathing.

I do so adore silence. I really started appreciating it in Tokyo, when I lived there. It's such a very noisy place, that quiet is hard to find, but silence, that lovely silence, now that is a diamond among rarities. In Hinamizawa, the nights are quiet, but not silent. The silence is broken by the whirring of cicadas in summer, those despicable cicadas. I hate them, but then they're only doing what they were made to do. How can any creature aspire to more?

Still, silence in Hinamizawa is attainable, as it was then, I thought. I decided to cease my breathing for a while, and listen to the nothingness surrounding me. It wasn't perfect, thanks to my wretched heart I shall never be free of it except in death those lucky bastards they have the perfect silence it's wasted on them, but it was beautiful, that quiet.

But it wasn't quiet.

No, no, once I stopped breathing, I heard that the breathing continued. A glance around the room revealed the source: a coat closet in the corner. Of course, closets do not breathe, and so I knew that only my lovely Mion must be the breather within. I believe I smiled, but made sure to not breathe as I crept quietly I can move quietly of course because I love the quiet so much I hate breaking it myself over to the closet, listening as the breathing turned to a relieved sigh. Rending the sigh apart, I wrenched open the door and closed it in on myself and Mion too quickly for her to react.

"Keichi, what are you doing?" asked and I said "Looking for you" and she said "Well, you found me. You scared me too" and I said "Have I found you? I can't see you" and she said "What are you talking about Keichi? You know I'm here" and I said "Maybe you are, there's now way to be sure" and she put her hand on my face her smooth skin on mine she's cold from being in the closet I think she might look pale in the darkness maybe she's afraid and says "Now are you sure?" and I put my hand over hers and she tried to draw away as she said "Your hands are freezing!" but I kept mine over hers and I could hear her heart racing just like mine was and perhaps she heard it too because she seemed breathless when she asked "What are you doing? Why are we still in here?" and I could have done more there but she wasn't doing it right she wasn't afraid and she wasn't vulnerable enough but it was showing just a bit and I thought maybe something else needs to happen here and so I put my other hand on her waist it wasn't that conspicuous we were in a cramped space after all and she said "Keichi, what are you doing?" and I said "What do you mean, Mion?" and she said "Are you" and then I let go of her and opened the door and said "I found you, Mion!" and left the closet.

As I came out, I turned and grinned at her and said, "Looks like I won!" She nodded, and the other girls came into the room to congratulate me and Rena was very impressed by well I'd done and how poorly Mion had done. I saw Mion wasn't blushing but was pale. I like that. I wasn't blushing either, I never do. For me, there's just not enough blood to go around. That's why my hands are like ice when…you know.

So everyone said I did very well and Mion congratulated me most of all on finding her the way I did (I explained, you see, how I'd stopped breathing in order to hear her breathing, very clever). Then we all started to go home. Rika and Satoko went one way, and Rena and Mion and I went the other way. As we got our bikes, I made sure my hand brushed against Mion's- ah, the incomparable feel of her flesh! I could get used to it- and delighted in her shiver. Whether one of discomfort, fear, or just a reaction to the cold, it was magnificent. When she shivered, her pupils dilated just a bit and her jaw clenched slightly, just enough so that one wouldn't notice unless one studied her face carefully. I wanted her. So badly.

But alas, Rena was with us on the way home. We talked of this and that on the way. No one seeing us would have found anything different from the day or week before, but then I've wanted Mion for a long time. And now she knows I know a secret. I didn't mention Shion or the Angel Mart at all. But I did ask her to come over to help me with a difficult part of the homework, one I knew Rena had already done. Rena wanted to come too, of course, but I protested, smiling and saying that she had helped me a few days ago, and besides, I needed to work out the specifics of the punishment game with Mion. Rena seemed disappointed, but agreed.

Mion, of course, didn't have to come with me. But she did. Such a foolish thing to do, you say? But I want nothing more than to treasure her. Perhaps she could sense this and that need to be needed that everyone has was awake that day like my need for a milkshake had been the previous day? I don't know, I'm no mind reader. But she came with me.

When we got to my room with some food, she asked to see the problem. I told her of course that I really had just wanted to talk to her alone. She seemed unsettled. So cute! She asked what I had in mind for her punishment. So adorable! I told her she needed to tell Shion to come by. She looked shocked and asked how I knew Shion. So perfect! I love this game!

"I met Shion at the Angel Mart" I said and she said "I didn't know she worked there" and I said "Well, I met her by chance and thought she was you" and she said "Well, we are twins" and I said "I can tell." She said "If Shion works at Angel Mart she must have been wearing something interesting" and I said "Oh, yes, very interesting" and she said "Yeah, well, it's her choice and all, but she should be careful" and I replied "Never know who might be watching" and before she said anything I said "She seemed to know who I was" and she blushed just a bit why isn't she pale I'd prefer that and said "Well, I've told her about you" and I asked "What did you say about me?" and she said "Just that you're a good friend, and I'm happy you moved here" and I moved closer to her and locked eyes with her and said "Is that all" and she said "I think so" but she stammered over the "th" in "think" and I knew she was lying even though I knew already and said "I'd like to get to know you and Shion better" and she said "We'd like to know you better too" and I could hear her heart beating faster and faster and faster and our eyes didn't move except to follow the other's trembling and I crept even closer so I could have licked her lips if I'd wanted to just then and I did I did want to so horribly but I wanted Shion right now not Mion and I asked "Maybe you could let Shion come over now and we can get better acquainted?" and she looked sad why is she sad what's wrong I want her you know and she said "I can get her to come over if you don't tell anyone" and I agreed and she closed her eyes and I knew I'd get to see Shion then but then Mion opened her eyes and said "Just so you know" and she leaned forward and kissed me.

I was unaware at the time how my body reacted. Maybe my heart started beating faster still, maybe I started sweating, maybe my tongue ran over her lips like I'd wanted it to before but all I was focused on was how soft her lips were against mine and how her eyes were open and staring into mine on the verge of tears but why tears clearly because she wanted me as much as I wanted her if that's even possible but then it was over and she said "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me" and after some similar excuses and my assurances that I wouldn't tell anyone she left.

Tell me, what do you think? Well, I'm no psychologist, but I know enough about disassociative identity disorder to identify it. Of course, the question of why there was a need for Shion wasn't known to me then. Separate personalities generally form as a result of very long traumatizing situations. But wait. Shion seemed more vulnerable. Was Mion the other, or the original? Were they both others, maybe? Oh, it didn't matter! I had my love's attention, and that was what mattered. My beautiful…Sonozaki, pink soft lips and strong nails and undoubtedly wondrous breasts and her beating heart they were the most beautiful things on the planet and I knew that what mattered was keeping that beauty to myself and owning every inch of it as I coveted it.

Oh, I remember now. When she kissed me, I mean. I clenched my fist so hard my nails dug into my palm. I didn't notice until an hour later, when I started feeling a bit dizzy and looked down and saw the trail of blood leaking from my hands. So ironic. Her presence made me unable to do what I needed to do after she was gone. Is that what she thought? I'll show her.

I did it through the pain. After a while the bandages I'd applied came a bit loose and I got blood on me. It was even more satisfying than ever before.

I love her so much.