Chapter 2: Yasogami High School
- - - April 12 2011 - - - 6:00 AM - - - Dojima's House – Yu's Room - - -
Yu groggily raised himself from the bed as the alarm from his phone went off. While he wondered what the nightmare was about, he had to shrug it off. He turned off the alarm, and knew that he had to get ready for school.
That said, he stepped out his room, and went in the bathroom to take shower, then dressed in his school uniform.
Initially, he had the uniform shirt closed. However, the look didn't feel right to him. He unbuttoned the uniform shirt, then loosened the top button of the dress shirt underneath, then propped up the collar of the uniform shirt.
Looking in the mirror, he gave a nod of approval to himself.
"Breakfast is almost ready," Nanako yelled from downstairs.
"I'll be downstairs soon," Yu replied back as he walked out the bathroom.
- - - April 12, 2011 - - - 6:45 AM - - - Dojima's House – Kitchen - - -
"Good morning," Nanako said as she sat down in the chair by the counter, with Yu noting that she was in her school uniform already. She had on the Yasogami blouse and the yellow ribbon that the girls wore to school. However, instead of wearing the skirt that went along with the uniform, she opted to wear the pants that the boys wore.
"Good morning," Yu said as the toaster ejected the bread, both sat down at the kitchen counter.
"Okay, let's eat," Nanako said as she place the toast on two plates which already had eggs, and gave one of them to Yu.
"Did you do all the cooking?" Yu asked as he looked around, noticing the milk and juice on the table as well.
"I can toast bread and cook sunny side eggs for breakfast," Nanako said as she took a bite from her eggs. "That's about it for my cooking skills."
"Mom and dad taught me how to cook a few dishes," Yu said as Nanako continued eating. "They worked late a lot."
"Dad wanted teach me, but he can't cook either," Nanako said with a frown. "I usually buy dinner from Junes or get takeout from the shopping district."
"If you want, I can teach you a few dishes I know," Yu replied as Nanako cut her toast and ate a piece.
"That would be awesome!" Nanako said with a smile, as Yu's phone began to ring. Recognizing the number, he immediately answered.
"Hi mom," Yu said as he put his phone on speaker. Placing it on the table, he continued, "You made it to New York?"
"Arrived just a few hours ago," A woman with a pleasant voice replied. "I wanted to call as soon as I arrived, but it was 2:30 AM in Japan."
"It's okay Mom," Yu replied as Nanako finished her toast. "I know about the time difference."
"How is the town so far?" Yu's mom replied. "Do you like it?"
"Didn't get to see much yet," Yu said, before taking a pause to sip orange juice. "I mostly unpacked and spent time with Nanako and Uncle Ryo yesterday. Maybe I'll see more after school."
"There is a hill overlooking the town," Yu's mom replied. "It is a gorgeous view, especially during the Tanabata Festival."
"I'll check it out," Yu said, somewhat intrigued by the landscape view
"Is Ryotaro there?" Yu's mom asked.
"He left for work early," Yu said. "It's just me and Nanako eating breakfast."
"Sounds like Little Bro alright," Yu's mom said with a sigh. "Say hi to Nanako for me!"
"Hi Aunt Mai!" Nanako said cheerfully.
"Hi Nanako!" Mai said with a bright voice. "Are you doing okay?"
"I'm doing great!" Nanako replied.
"That's awesome!" Mai said with a genuinely happy tone. "Tell your dad to call me when he gets off work."
"Will do!" Nanako said.
"I'll let you two go ahead to school," Mai added. "I'll talk to everyone soon!"
"Sure mom, catch ya later," Yu said as he said goodbye to his mom. He hung up the phone, and ate the breakfast Nanako made by turning it into an egg sandwich.
"Let's go," Nanako said as she stood up from the table, and placed her plate in the sink. "Who knows, we might be in the same class."
"Good to know someone in the school already," Yu said with a smile as he took a bite of his makeshift sandwich, sensing Nanako's excitement as she walked to the front door and put on her shoes.
- - - April 12, 2011- - - 8:05 AM - - - Intersection near Yasogami High - - -
"We keep going straight from here, and we'll be at Yasogami—" Nanako said as they walked in an area after crossing a bridge over a river.
"Whoa!" a student on a bike yelled, which interrupted Nanako's sentence. The student on the bike clearly lost control on the wet roads. It did not help that he wore his headphones over his ears, steered with one hand, and holding an umbrella upright in the other.
Nanako sighed as the rider crashed into a pole. He skidded on the floor, with the handlebar of the bike whacking him between the legs. She walked toward the student, while Yu followed behind her, cringing as he understood the pain.
"Hanamura," Nanako said as she shook her head, "Are you alright? That looked painful."
He only groaned as he stood up, only to bend over and hop around in pain.
"I guess we should leave you alone for now, since we have to hurry to the school," Nanako said as she shook her head and started walking towards the school, with Yu shaking his head and following behind him. "I'll let our homeroom teacher know what happened, so he or she doesn't mark you absent."
After leaving the crash scene, the two cousins arrived at the school gates of Yasogami High School five minutes later. Yu wondered what kind of student life awaited him here. He noted the school was physically smaller than Gekkoukan High School, Yasogami had a mixture of a contemporary and traditional architecture, versus the modern architecture Gekkoukan used.
"Okay, I'm going to my class Big Bro," Nanako said as they entered through the gates. "You need to go to the Faculty Office to find out your classroom assignment."
"Where is the Faculty Office?" Yu asked.
"First floor of the main building, to your right from the entrance," Nanako directed.
"Thanks," Yu said as they walked through the front doors of the main building, and departed ways. Yu turned to the right, while Nanako stopped at her shoe locker to change her shoes.
Before going inside the office, Yu looked around the hallways. It was clear that the right side of the building had the offices and important rooms on both sides of the hall, such as the bathrooms and cafeteria. Meanwhile, he noted the left side of the main building had classrooms, and an open window view. Glancing outside, he saw that the open area was a large field, which included soccer, and a track.
Yasogami High was a different feel, but Yu Narukami liked it."
- - - April 12, 2011 - - - 8:30 AM - - -Yasogami High, Classroom 2-2 - - -
As Nanako sat at a desk near the back of a classroom, behind a girl wearing a unique green jacket, she noticed the chatter around the classroom, and paid attention to some of it.
"Talk about bad luck," one male student said as he sat at a desk near the window, not far from where she sat. "The homeroom teacher here is Morooka, isn't it?"
"Yeah, it's King Moron alright," another male student said in a dejected tone. "We get to enjoy his long-ass sermons every day for a whole year."
Nanako frowned and gritted her teeth. She did not want King Moron as the homeroom teacher.
"Hey you guys," a female student said as she approached the two guys. "I heard there's going to be another transfer student from the city in this class."
"Huh? Really? A guy or a girl?" a student said as Nanako had a smile on her face.
"A transfer student from the city?" the woman with the green jacket said as she turned towards Nanako with a smirk. "Sounds like your cousin is in this class."
"Good. Maybe I can get him to tutor us," Nanako said, not bothering to hide the smirk from her face. "You know, the talk in here is just like when Hanamura came here back in October."
"Like Yosuke? Well, that was disappointing," Chie said with a laugh. At that moment, the girls looked at the desk to left of Nanako, and noticed Yosuke resting his head on the desk.
"You look dead today," Chie said to Yosuke, noting he did not have his usual return reply.
"Yeah," Yosuke said in a strained and wobbly voice. "I don't wanna talk about it ..."
"What's with him?" Chie said as she turned to a girl wearing a red cardigan over her school uniform.
"Who knows?" a girl with the red cardigan said, as she turned towards Chie and Nanako. "He doesn't look well."
"He had a bike accident," Nanako answered directly to the girl in the cardigan. "He was trying to steer his bike in the rain with one hand, and an umbrella in the other. The handlebar landed on his—"
"They don't need to know the details Dojima-san," Yosuke interrupted as he lifted his head before Nanako finished.
"And you need to get a helmet for your bike," Nanako said with a stern voice. "You're lucky the handle bar only hit your balls."
Yosuke cringed and rested his head back on the desk, just as the door to the classroom opened.
"Alright, shut your traps," a man said in an authoritative tone as he entered the room with Yu. The man was dressed in a blue pinstriped suit, an ugly yellow tie, and one of the worst overbites anyone could imagine.
The class silenced themselves immediately, knowing who the man is from their first year in the school. Nevertheless, he introduced himself to the class anyway.
"I'm Kinshiro Morooka, your homeroom teacher from today forward!" the teacher said in a strict tone. "First things first! Just 'cause it's spring doesn't mean you can swoon over each other like love-struck baboons. Long as I'm around, you students are going to be pure as the driven snow!"
Many of the students in the class grew nervous at this declaration, except for Yosuke, who was still resting his head on the desk and recovering from his accident.
"Now I hate wasting time, but I better introduce this transfer student," Morooka continued as Yu wrote his name on the board. "This sad sack's been thrown from the big city out to the middle of nowhere like yesterday's garbage. And he's just as much of a loser here as he was there, so you girls better not get any ideas about hitting on him!" He turned towards Yu. "Tell 'em your name kid, and make it quick."
"Did you just call me a loser," Yu said to Morooka with a raised eyebrow, but kept his body language and voice relaxed. "That's very unprofessional of you as a teacher." It shocked nearly everyone in the class that someone had the courage to stand up to a teacher, let alone King Moron.
"Hmph, that's it, you're on my shit list, effective immediately!" Morooka said to Yu, who shrugged in return. "Now listen up. This town is miles away from your big city of perverts and assholes, in more ways than one. You better not even think of getting involved with the girls here, let alone abusing them!"
Yu just stared at Morooka as the teacher continued his rant about perverts, wondering how did he gain employment as a teacher.
"But what do I know," Morooka continued his rant. "It's not like the old days. Even here, kids grow up so damn fast. Every time I turn my back, you're fooling around on those damn phones, checking your life-journals, and your facepages—"
"Excuse me!" Chie interrupted. "Is it okay if the transfer student sits here?"
"Huh? Yeah, sure," Morooka said in a calm tone, before he turned back to Yu and his authoritative tone. "Ya hear that? Your seat's over there, so hurry up and sit down already."
Yu walked briskly towards the desk, and noticed Nanako sitting behind Chie. Nanako gave Yu a discreet nod as he sat down, which he returned.
"He's the worst, huh?" Chie said as he leaned over towards Yu. "Rotten luck for you to get stuck in this class. We'll just have to hang in there for a year."
"Shut it you two!" Morooka yelled to Chie and Yu, before returning his attention to the entire class. "I'm taking roll, and I damn well expect you to respond in an orderly manner!"
"Nice first impression Big Bro," Nanako said in a whisper, which was loud enough for Chie and Yu to hear. "Welcome to class 2-2."
- - - April 12, 2011 - - - 3:00 PM - - - Classroom 2-2 - - -
"That's all for today. You're dismissed!" Morooka said as he dropped the chalk and stopped writing on the board. "Normal lectures start tomorrow, and I expect all of you brats to be prepared." Students started leaving their seats when an announcement started over the loud speaker.
"Attention all teachers. Please report immediately to the Faculty Office for a brief staff meeting. All students must return to their classrooms, and are not to leave the school grounds until further notice."
"What happened?" Nanako said, loud enough for several people to hear.
"You heard the announcement," Morooka said as he stopped walking to face the class, as if to directly address Nanako. "Don't go anywhere until you hear otherwise." Morooka then left the classroom to go to the Faculty Office.
"He's seriously getting on my nerves," a female student said. Some of the students nodded in agreement and complained about King Moron for several minutes, and how they were stuck with him for an entire year.
However, police sirens blared outside the school building, eliminating those thoughts.
"Those sirens sound close," One male student said as several walked towards the window. Looking out the window, he said, "I can't see a damn thing. Frickin' fog."
"Something definitely happened," Nanako whispered to herself as she eased off her seat, and motioned for Yu to follow her, preparing to explain that it is very likely her dad will not be home tonight.
"Yeah, like every time it rains lately, it gets all foggy," a second male student noted.
"I wonder if the police caught the pervert," a female student said as she glanced outside the window. "They've been looking for him for a few days."
"You mean the dude taking upskirt photos of the girls here?" the first male student said. "About time. That's just sick."
"Hey, did you hear," a third male student said, changing the conversation. "I hear the paparazzi is looking for that announcer."
"You mean Mayumi Yamano, right?" the second male student said. "I heard some guys spotted her at Yomenaido Books in the shopping district on Saturday."
"Everyone saw her there," the female student said. "The paparazzi were all over the area."
"Actually, I heard that she was staying at the Amagi Inn," the third male student said in a whisper.
"Are you serious?" the second male student asked.
"Why not find out from the source," the first male student said as he glanced quickly at the girl with the red cardigan.
The second male student nodded and walked toward the girl with the red cardigan. "Hey, Yukiko-san, mind if I ask you something? Is it true that announcer's staying at your family's inn?"
"I can't discuss such things," Yukiko responded with a frown. "Privacy policy."
"Y-yeah, I guess not," the student said nervously as he ran back toward the window, while Chie walked toward her seat.
"Sheesh, how much longer is this gonna take?" Chie said as Nanako got up from her chair and stood by Yukiko's desk.
"There's no telling," Yukiko responded as she looked at the phone. Only fifteen minutes have passed since the announcement.
"I shoulda left before the announcement came on," Chie said, frustrated. "By the way, didja try what I told you the other day? You know, that thing about rainy nights?"
"Oh," Yukiko said. "No, not yet. Sorry."
"Ahh, that's okay," Chie said. "It's just, I heard a guy in the class next door yell something like, "My soulmate is Mayumi Yamano—"
"Attention all students. There has been an incident inside the school district." The announcement over the intercom said, ceasing all chatter inside the classroom. "Police officers have been dispatched around the school zone. Please stay calm and contact your parents or guardians as soon as possible, and quickly leave the school grounds. Do not disturb the police officers. Head directly home. I repeat ..."
"Called it," Nanako said with a shrug.
"Incident?" One student said. "That's what the sirens were about?"
"What, something actually happened?" a female student said nervously.
"C'mon, let's go take a look!" another female student said, which caused Nanako to shake her head in disbelief.
"Let's just get out of here," Nanako said as she walked around the back of the classroom, and towards Yu. "We can go to Junes or the shopping district. I don't think the incident they are talking about affected those areas."
"Are you two going home by yourselves?" Chie asked as she approached the cousins with Yukiko behind her. "Why don't you come with us?"
"Sure I don't mind, but we may go to the shopping district or Junes first," Nanako said before giving introductions. "By the way, this is Yu Narukami, the cousin I told you about."
"Oh, I nearly forgot about that. I'm Chie Satonaka," the girl said with a smile on her face. "You know I sit next to you, right?"
"Of course," Yu said with a smile, noting that Chie was slightly shorter than Nanako. "Thank you for stopping King Moron's sermon by the way."
"Don't mention it," Chie said, before turning her attention to Nanako. "He looks way better than the picture you showed us."
"That's what I keep hearing," Nanako said as she rubbed the back of her neck. "The picture wasn't that bad!"
"Apparently, the camera doesn't like me too much," Yu said as he laughed.
"Oh," Chie said before introducing the girl with red cardigan to Yu. "This is Yukiko Amagi. She and Nanako are my best friends."
"Oh, nice to meet you Narukami-san, I'm sorry that this is so sudden," Yukiko said as she bowed politely. Yu noted that she was slightly taller than both Nanako and Chie.
"C'mon, don't apologize like that. It makes me look like I got no upbringing," Chie said to Yukiko before turning her attention towards Yu. "I just wanted to ask about some stuff. Really, that's all."
Nanako sighed, knowing the conversation was likely to become an interrogation, before Yosuke approached Chie.
"Umm, Miss Satonaka?" Yosuke said with a meek voice. "This was really awesome. The way they moved was just amazing to see ... and ... I'm really sorry! It was an accident! Please just have mercy until my next paycheck!"
As Yosuke gave back a DVD cover to Chie, Nanako and Yu remembered the bike crash this morning, and after hearing his words, both realized what happened.
"See ya! Thanks!" Yosuke said nervously as he walked away quickly. On most days, he would be able to run, but thanks to the bike accident, he moved slower than usual.
"Stop right there!" Chie said as she ran after Yosuke. Unfortunately for him, she came to the same conclusion that Nanako did, minus the bike accident. "What did you do to my DVD?!"
Chie caught up to him and tackled him, with her knee landing on his groin. Everyone in the classroom that saw it, including Yu, Nanako and Yukiko, cringed.
As Yosuke got up and hopped around from the accidental groin attack while holding himself, Chie opened her DVD case, and confirmed everyone's suspicion.
"What the—" Chie wailed. "I can't believe this! It's completely cracked. My 'Trial of the Dragon' ..."
"I think mine's cracked too," Yosuke said with pain edging his voice. "C-Critical hit to the nads."
"Another one Hanamura?" Nanako said as she, Yu, and Yukiko looked at him with concern. "Chie, he probably wants children in the future!"
"A-are you alright Yosuke?" Yukiko said with sincerity as she and Nanako helped him off the floor by grabbing his arms.
"Oh, Yukiko-san ... Are you worried about me?" Yosuke said, sounding a little too hopeful. Enough that everyone nearby lost their sympathy for his ... condition.
"He's fine," Chie said as she placed the broken DVD in her backpack. "Let's ditch him and go home!"
"I agree," Nanako said as he pulled her cousin, while Yosuke limped around to alleviate the pain. "Let's just change our shoes and get out of here."
- - - April 12, 2011 - - - 3:45 PM - - - Yasogami High, Main Gates - - -
"Well, the first day is over," Chie said as she, Yu, Nanako and Yukiko left the main gates of the Yasogami High.
"What do you think so far Big Bro?" Nanako asked Yu.
"Not bad—" Yu was about to speak, but he was interrupted by a strange student approaching the group from the gate. Based on the uniform, it was clear he attended to a different school.
"Hey, aren't you Yukiko?" the student said nervously.
"Yes?" Yukiko said, confused as other Yasogami High students gathered around the gate. "Wh-who are you?"
"Come on," the strange student continued in an awkward manner. "Why don't you and I go hang out somewhere?"
"Back off! You're being creepy," Chie yelled as she stepped in front of Yukiko, while Nanako stepped toward her left side, which was closer to the strange student. Yu, on the other hand, walked to Yukiko's right.
"What's up with him," one of the onlookers said. "What school is he from?"
"Never mind that," another onlooker said. "He's going for Yukiko-san? Man, you'd think he'd at least wait until she's alone to make his move ..."
"He doesn't know Yukiko is off limits," the first onlooker said. "I bet you a can of TaP he gets knocked out by Satonaka before he gets rejected."
"No bet. Dojima will hold back Satonaka before she does any major damage," the second onlooker said.
"What's the big deal about asking someone out?" a female student with short black said as she walked past the gates, ignoring the story as she rolled his eyes. "She either says yes or no. It's not a big deal."
"Haven't you heard how difficult the Amagi Challenge is—" the first onlooker said to the girl, only for her to walk through the gate and ignore him.
"Um, s-so ..." the strange student said, ignoring the conversations around him as he leered at Yukiko. "Are you coming or not?"
"I-I'm not going," Yukiko said nervously. "Sorry, but I don't know you."
"Fine!" the student yelled at Yukiko as he ran away from the school gates. "Screw you! Stupid bitch!"
"Creepy asshole!" Nanako yelled back.
"I wonder if he's the pervert the police are after," Chie said as she unconsciously tugged at the bottom of her skirt.
"Wh-what did he want from me?" Yukiko said quietly, as the crowd started to disperse after seeing another victim of the Amagi challenge.
"Obviously, he was asking you out on a date," Chie said.
"Huh? Really?" Yukiko asked.
"He was definitely asking you out on a date Amagi-san," Yu said in a neutral voice.
"You really had no clue?" Nanako asked with a raised eyebrow. "Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if someone dared him to do it and he went along with it."
"That's possible," Chie said as she relaxed her posture. "He was way over the top to take seriously! It was still creepy how he called you Yuki, like he knew you."
"Yo, Yukiko-san," Yosuke said as he approached the group with his bike, apparently recovered from his second groin strike of the day. "Turned down another lovelorn fool, huh?"
"In front of most of the school this time," Nanako said to Yosuke. "And without her knowing it."
"Man, you're cruel," Yosuke said with a smirk. "You got me the same way last year."
"I don't recall doing that," Yukiko replied as she glanced upward.
"Whoa, you serious?" Yosuke said with a bigger smile. "So then, you wanna hang out sometime?"
"... I'd rather not." Yukiko said as she touched the tip of her bangs and glanced away.
"Two rejections within three minutes," Nanako said to Chie. "I think that beats her personal record."
"No worries, it's cool," Yosuke muttered as he got on his bike. "Besides, I have someone else in mind."
"Then why ask Yukiko out?" Nanako replied. "Shouldn't you focus on that someone else?"
"Anyways, you better not pick on the transfer student too much," Yosuke said, evading the question before he pedaled away.
"We're just curious!" Chie yelled at Yosuke. "That's all!"
"That's what I'm afraid of!" Yosuke yelled back.
"U-um," Yukiko said as she turned to Yu as the group walked away from the school gates, "I'm sorry for dragging you into this ..."
"Not a problem," Yu said, somewhat amused.
"So," Chie said as she turned towards Yu. "Nanako told us how you were living in Inaba for a year, but never said why you were coming here."
"It's my parents," Yu said. "They—"
"I think I know what you're about to say," Chie responded as the group crossed a small road. "Did they get a divorce?"
"Actually, no," Yu said, somewhat amused as he knows that despite being in their mid 40's, they still use public displays of affection, which tended to annoy other people, himself included. "They're happily married."
"Wait, let me keep guessing," Chie said as she placed her finger on her lip and glanced up. "Did one of your parents go to prison?"
"Really Chie?" Nanako said as Yu laughed, while Yukiko let out a small giggle. "My aunt and uncle would never do anything to get arrested! Plus my dad is a detective. He would never live it down if that happened!"
"Okay, so that's not it," Chie said as she slouched. "Maybe they are agents working undercover for a secret organization—"
"For god's sake Chie, they are executives working overseas for a year," Nanako interrupted, slightly annoyed, before turning her attention towards Yu. "Uncle Souji is in New York, and Aunt Mai is in London."
"Actually, it's the other way around," Yu said with a small chuckle.
"At least I got the cities right this time," Nanako said, recovering smoothly as they crossed another street. "I thought Uncle Souji was going to Paris."
"Ah, so you came here because of your parents' job," Chie said with a nervous laugh. "I thought it was something way more serious."
"Don't mind Chie," Nanako said to Yu as they passed by a rice field. "Her imagination runs wild sometimes."
"There really is nothing here, huh?" Chie asked Yu, who only shrugged in return as he glanced at the expansive rice field. "That's what makes it nice and peaceful, but there is nothing much we can show to people from outside."
"Though, there is something from Mt. Yasogami, I think," Nanako said. "I think our dyed clothes, pottery or something is kind of famous from there."
"Oh wait, there's the Amagi Inn!" Chie said as she nudged Yukiko. "Yukiko's family runs it. It's the pride of Inaba!"
"Huh," Yukiko said. "It's just an old inn. It's not that big of a deal—"
"No way! Yukiko is just being modest," Chie interrupted, as she turned her attention to Yu. "It's been in all sorts of magazines as a hidden treasure in Japan. It's been going for generations. Yukiko here is going to take over someday."
"The inn actually attracts a lot of visitors to Inaba," Nanako added. "It helps the town by being a vacation destination to get away from the city."
"... I don't think that's entirely true," Yukiko said as her lips flattened.
"So, tell me Narukami," Chie said as she changed the conversation and kept her focus on Yu. "Do you think Yukiko is cute?"
"Come on. Don't start this again," Yukiko said with frustration as she frowned.
"He just met her thirty minutes ago," Nanako said in defense of Yukiko. "It's not like he has an opinion on everyone."
"Oh, sorry," Chie said to Yu in a teasing tone as they . "I didn't mean to put you on the spot right in front of her."
"I don't know her, but Yukiko does resemble a natural beauty, like the actresses on television," Yu replied, to the shock of the three girls, while Yukiko turned away to hide the fact her face was turning red.
"That's why half of Yasogami High wants to ask her out on a date," Chie replied,
"Already pouring out the charm," Nanako muttered quietly so only Yu heard her before a smirk appeared on her face and she placed her hand on Yu's shoulder and spoke in a higher voice. "So what do you think about Chie?"
"Chie is cute," Yu said without hesitation, causing Chie to blush. "She reminds me of a popular girl from my old high school. She graduated in March though."
"Yukiko is the one who is really popular at school," Chie said. She barely contained her smile as she changed the subject slightly. "But she never had a boyfriend before. Kinda weird, huh?"
"It's not weird at all," Nanako said to Chie. "None of us have been on a date, let alone had a boyfriend."
"You shouldn't believe that, okay?" Yukiko said as the redness from her face disappeared. "It's not true that I'm popular, or that I've never had a boyfriend!"
"Says the person who has a dating challenge named after her," Chie replied. "I lost count of how many perverts Nanako and I pushed away!"
"Wait, you dated someone?" Nanako teased as Yukiko become nervous. "She's been holding info from us Chie!"
"So who was the lucky guy to break the Amagi challenge?" Chie said, picking up what Yukiko just said.
"Wait, no," Yukiko said nervously. "What I meant to say was, I-I don't need a boyfriend! Geez Chie."
"I'm sorry," Chie said after she laughed for a moment. "Sorry, but this is our chance to talk to someone from the big city, and you barely said a word—"
"Something is going on over there," Yu said, interrupting the conversation and saw a crowd of people at the base of the hill, and walked in that direction.
"Let's check it out," Chie said as she ran towards the area that Yu was walking toward.
"We're supposed to stay away from there," Nanako yelled to Chie and Yu, before she and Yukiko followed, just to make sure they stayed safe.
As they arrived at the base of the hill, they heard the whispers among the crowd gathered near a police barricade blocking the cross street.
"So that high school student left early, and as she came down this street ..." one of the women in the crowd said.
"Wow," another woman said. "Who could imagine that hanging from an antenna?"
"I wanted to see it too," the first woman said.
"You got here too late," a third woman said. "The police and fire department took it down a moment ago."
"Everyone is getting worked up over an object hanging from an antenna?" Nanako whispered to the other three teens as they raised their eyebrows. "The police are blocking the street and held up dismissal for something hanging from an antenna?"
"Okay, I agree. This is stupid," Chie whispered back. "Let's keep—"
"I can't believe a dead body showed up around here," the second woman said before the four teens left.
This, of course, surprised the four teenagers.
"Did she just say a dead body!?" Chie said nervously as she rubbed her arm.
"What do they mean, it was hanging from the antenna?" Yukiko added.
"That's what those housewives said," Nanako replied, equally nervous. Yukiko grasped her hands behind her back.
"How is that possible—" Yu said as he glanced at the rooftops of the nearby buildings.
"Hey, what're you kids doing here?" Dojima said as he approached the teens from behind the barricade.
"We were just passing by," Yu replied.
"School just ended, and we were going to hang out at Junes or the shopping district," Nanako added. "Then we passed by here and well ..."
"I should have figured that'd happen," Dojima said. "That damn principal. We told him not to let any students through here."
"We should keep going Dad," Nanako said. "We were going to show Yu more places in Inaba."
"Ah, right," Dojima said, before turning his attention to Chie and Yukio. "I hope you get along with him—"
"That's not a problem Dad," Nanako interrupted with a smile, causing Yu, Chie, and Yukiko to nod. "They're getting along great!"
"But you four really ought to stop wandering around and head straight home," Dojima finished. As he turned around to return to the crime scene, another man dressed in a blue suit and a loose red tie ran past everyone, bent over when he reached the bushes and vomited.
"Looks like someone just witnessed the body first hand," Nanako said to herself.
"Adachi!" Dojima yelled towards the man in the suit. "How long are you going to act like a rookie? You want to be sent back to the central office?!"
"I-I'm sorry," Adachi replied as he cleared his throat, and adjusted his jacket.
"Clean your face," Dojima said with a sigh. "We're gonna go around and gather information."
"Can't blame him for puking," Yu said as Dojima and Adachi went around the police barrier.
"Hey," Chie said to everyone. "I know the plan was to go to Junes or the shopping district, but this is creepy. Why don't we go to some other time?"
"Good idea," Yukiko, Nanako and Yu said at the same time.
"Alright then, we're taking off," Chie said to Yu and Nanako, before focusing her attention on Yu. "Starting tomorrow neighbor, let's do our best!"
Yu nodded as Chie and Yukiko continued walking down the path, away from the crime scene.
"Let's just go home," Nanako said to Yu as they saw the stretcher with the body bag. "I feel like I'm going to vomit too."
Yu nodded as he remembered the dream in the Velvet Room, hoping this was not the disaster that the dream was talking about.
- - - April 12, 2011 - - - 6:00 PM - - - Dojima House - - -
"Still no response," Nanako said as she put her phone down near the computer. "Sempai would have responded by now. It's not like her."
"She is probably busy," Yu said as he poured hot water into a mug. "I recall her saying she had a job. Maybe she can't take a break right now."
"You're probably right," Nanako said as she took a sip from a juice box, and turned on the television.
"Our top story this evening concerns a bizarre case in a quiet suburb," the reporter said as the television showed a crime scene near a river. "Around noon today, a woman was found dead near the Samegawa River in Inaba."
"Definitely the same incident," Nanako said as she watched the television. "Dad will be working late if the media picked up on it."
"The deceased has been identified as Mayumi Yamano, a 27-year-old television announcer at Okina City," the announcer on television said, showing a picture of a young woman with short hair, and wearing professional clothes.
"The reporter involved in the affair?" Nanako said with shock. "Half the detectives in Inaba will have to work on this case just to keep the paparazzi away!"
"It'll be alright," Yu said as he took another sip of his tea. "Dojima knows what he's doing."
"I know," Nanako said as she stood up and stretched. "That's his job, so this stuff happens."
"The body was found hanging from a large television antenna atop a local resident's roof. Authorities are uncertain as to why the body was in such a state," the television report continued
"Anyone would be confused about that," Yu said with shrug.
"With the cause of death also uncertain, police continue to investigate whether the death is an accident or a homicide," the reporter on the television said. "A thick fog common to the area has slowed their progress, and plans to fully canvass the area are delayed until tomorrow."
"Nobody hangs themselves accidentally on the top of a television antenna," Nanako said with a deadpan voice as the news went to a commercial break. "That still creeps me out."
"It would creep anyone out," Yu said as the cell phone by the computer gave off the Junes chime.
"Really Nanako?" Yu asked, somewhat amused by her choice of ring tone. "The Junes jingle?"
"I like the sound, and it's loud enough to hear," Nanako said to defend herself, while checking her phone, where she noticed she received two new text messages.
"Crazy day. Will call u around 9" the first message read, which was from Saki.
She then went to read the second message.
"Can't come home tonight. Have to continue the investigation." the second message read, which was from Dojima.
"No surprises there," Nanako said as she dialed another number and spoke to Yu. "I'm going to order Chinese takeout from Aiya. Do you want anything?"
"Maybe I can cook something?" Yu said as he got up to look inside the fridge. He frowned, finding the contents of the fridge lacking for his cooking needs.
"Yeah," Nanako said as she pressed a button. "I should have done food shopping today, but the incident happened, and—"
"I understand," Yu said with a shrug. "I'm going to start reading some of the books for class. Just order the same thing you're getting for yourself."
"You got it Big Bro," Nanako smiled as Yu went upstairs.
Author Note #3 Rant on Review Whores Hostage Takers (or RWHT)
Most writers on this site, including myself, love to receive reviews, as it sometimes provides constructive critique to improve writing, and it validates that people like your work.
That said, there are some authors on this site who refuse to update a story unless a story reaches x reviews. I call those writers Review Whore Hostage Takers, and it bugs me both as a reader and as a writer.
Rest assured, I will never do that. I'll update as fast as I can, which is usually about a week, give or take two days.
Author Note #4: Yu Narukami, Ladies Man
Atlus wisely does not state who is the official girl, because they know it would lead to a massive internet backlash from somewhere. (e.g.: I recall the ridiculous backlash from the Naruto fandom when it became official who the characters ended up with, including a petition to ban Naruto from America!)
Of course, it doesn't stop me (and the majority of writers) from making a pairing in a story. To be honest, I can see Yu with any of the women from the investigation team or female social links in his school due to how they all develop crushes on him.