"Good morning Nanako, did your dad go to work early again today?" Yu inquired walking downstairs.
"No, he didn't come home." Nanako answered. "He called and said he might come home tomorrow, but he had to work late."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Yu mentioned. "Maybe I can call you after school and we can go to Junes ok?"
"I love Junes." Nanako said happily before looking down. "Except I can't go today, I promised my friend I'd go home with her."
"Alright, well maybe tomorrow." Yu offered.
"Ok, thanks." Nanako replied happily as Yu walked out of the room.
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"Oh, good morning Yu. Are you feeling any better after yesterday?" Chie inquired.
"Mostly, I just hope that my uncle and his partner can figure things out." Yu admitted.
"They will, oh yeah your uncle called Yukiko last night and she called me. If you ever want to talk we're both willing to listen." Chie mentioned as Yosuke walked up.
"Huh, did he make that good an impression on you two?" Yosuke questioned.
"It's not like that Yosuke." Chie argued. "Look, you can treat us to steaks as payment and Yukiko and I will explain when we get there."
"You mean you didn't hear?" Yosuke asked. "Yukiko-san isn't at school today, she needed to help out at the inn."
"Oh that makes sense, wait how did you know that before me?" Chie questioned just before the bell started to ring.
"Long story, I'll tell you after school." Yosuke replied before running into the school.
"We should follow him, the last thing we need is a lecture from King Moron right?" Yu asked with a smile.
"Yeah, you're right." Chie agreed as the two of them ran into the school.
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"Alright Yosuke, you owe us steak and an explanation." Chie declared the moment she walked out of Yasogami with Yosuke and Yu.
"Hold on, I never agreed to get you guys steak. Plus I thought you were supposed to explain what the deal was between you two." Yosuke argued.
"You did break her DVD Yosuke." Yu reminded him.
"Hey whose side are you on anyway?" Yosuke questioned. "Oh whatever come on, we can talk on the way to Junes."
"Junes, they don't have steak there." Chie complained.
"Hey don't blame me." Yosuke stated. "I can't afford to get you both steaks. Oh yeah, does Nanako want to come with us?"
"Not today, she's going home with a friend from school." Yu explained.
"Oh, that makes sense." Yosuke noted. "Well maybe next time."
"Yeah, I'm sure she'd like that." Yu agreed. "Actually I should let her know, she might want me to pick up something for her."
"Sounds good, we'll save you a table at the food court." Yosuke mentioned before walking ahead with Chie.
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"Wait, are you serious?" Yosuke asked in disbelief.
"Yeah, apparently when he was younger some creep killed almost everyone he knew and was never caught." Chie replied. "So Dojima-san asked Yukiko and me to help him get home."
"Oh man, and now that announcer's body was found so soon after he moves here." Yosuke realized. "Do you think there's anything we can do for him?"
"Well, we could try to take his mind off of everything that's been going on. In fact I just might have something in mind." Chie mentioned.
"What are you thinking Chie?" Yosuke inquired just as Yu walked up to them. "Oh hey, did Nanako-chan want anything? I might be able to get you a discount."
"Thanks, but she's ok as long as I bring her next time." Yu answered.
"Alright, no problem. You guys can come by anytime." Yosuke mentioned before getting up. "I'll be back with the food and then I'll explain how I knew about Yukiko-san."
"Oh yeah, you'd better explain that Yosuke." Chie threatened as Yosuke walked off. "Seriously, how the heck did he know Yukiko wasn't going to be in school today?"
"I don't know, maybe someone from the inn had to get something from Junes and he overheard it?" Yu guessed.
"Got it in one, apparently Yukiko-san's mom isn't feeling well so Yukiko needed to help out at the inn." Yosuke explained walking up to them. "She's probably just been busy and hasn't had a chance to call you yet."
"I guess, maybe I'll call and make sure she's ok later." Chie mentioned. "Anyway, have you guys heard the rumor going around school?"
"Hold on a second Chie, I'll be right back." Yosuke interrupted before walking over to a different table.
"Huh, who's that?" Yu inquired.
"That's Saki Konishi, she's our sempai and Yosuke has a huge crush on her." Chie explained. "Her family owns a liquor store in the shopping district, why don't you introduce yourself?"
Just as Chie said that, Saki and Yosuke walked up to them.
"You're the new transfer student right?" Saki inquired.
"Yeah, I just moved here a few days ago." Yu answered. "It's nice to meet you."
"Same, hey do you mind doing me a favor?" Saki asked.
"Sure thing." Yu replied.
"Well, Hana-chan doesn't really hang out with any other guys so I was hoping you'd keep an eye on him for me." Saki mentioned. "Of course he can be a bit nosey so if he starts to annoy you make sure you tell him."
"I don't know, Yosuke seems like a cool guy to me." Yu pointed out.
"I know, it was just a joke." Saki clarified. "Well, my break's almost over so back to work I go."
As she said that Saki walked off and Yosuke sat down at the table.
"She seems nice enough." Yu admitted.
"Yeah, anyway what rumor were you talking about Chie?" Yosuke asked.
"The Midnight Channel." Chie answered.
"Midnight Channel, I've never heard of it." Yu admitted.
"Apparently on rainy nights if you look into a TV that's been turned off your soul mate is supposed to appear on the screen." Chie explained
"Your soul mate, wow that's the dumbest thing I think I've ever heard." Yosuke mentioned. "Don't tell me you really believe that Yu?"
"I don't know, it might be worth trying at least." Yu mentioned. "Even if it isn't real what's the harm in trying it out?"
"I guess, but still it sounds completely stupid." Yosuke stated.
"Well we'll all try it tonight and they you'll see how stupid it is." Chie argued before Yu got up. "Huh, is something wrong Yu?"
"It's nothing Chie, I'll see you guys tomorrow to talk about if it was real or not." Yu answered quickly before walking out of Junes.
"Hey, do you think he's really alright, I mean the police still haven't…" Yosuke started.
"I know, but his uncle wouldn't let anything happen to him right?" Chie finished.
"I hope so Chie." Yosuke stated nervously.
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"There has to be something we're missing, the killer must have left some kind of clue right Dojima-san?" Adachi inquired.
"I know, but so far nobody we've questioned knows anything. Not to mention the student who found the body won't be home until later. We really need to talk to her." Dojima noted. "I need to catch the culprit and I need to do it before anyone else gets hurt."
"I know, and to be honest if anyone would be able to catch the criminal it would be you Dojima-san." Adachi acknowledged.
"I hope you're right." Dojima explained quietly. "I promised my sister things would work out here and now this happens."
"Yeah, I know what you mean. Actually why don't you go and make sure Nanako-chan and him are alright. I'll stay and talk with her." Adachi offered. "Besides I'm sure they could use you at home right?"
"You're right, thanks Adachi." Dojima said before walking off.
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"Oh you're back." Nanako mentioned with a smile. "Dad called, he's coming home after all."
"That's great to hear, did he call?" Yu inquired.
"Yeah, he did." Nanako answered as Dojima walked into the house. "Welcome home dad."
"Thanks, how are you two?" Dojima asked.
"We're ok, thanks uncle." Yu replied. "Actually, do you mind if…"
"We now bring you a special report with the young student who first discovered the body." interrupted a reporter on the television. "Excuse me sir, do you mind if we ask the young lady some questions?"
"Nanako change the channel for me." Dojima stated quickly before turning to see Yu's eyes glued to the screen. "It's alright, I promise nothing bad is going to happen, we'll catch the one who did this and everything will be back to normal in no time."
"Right, thanks uncle I think I'm going to head straight to bed though." Yu expressed nervously before going up to his room.
"Dad, is there anything we can do to help him?" Nanako asked.
"I don't know, right now Adachi's talking to the girl who found the body and hopefully she saw something helpful. One way or another we'll solve this case and then maybe things can calm down." Dojima explained.
"Oh, well ok." Nanako said quietly.
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"Huh, what are you doing up at this hour?" Dojima asked. "It's nearly midnight."
"I know, but a friend asked me to try something and tell her if it worked tomorrow." Yu explained. "I'll get to sleep right after this."
"Well make sure you don't make a habit of staying up all night, the year just started so you probably don't have too much work but that'll change soon." Dojima mentioned.
"I know, good night uncle." Yu stated calmly.
"Good night." Dojima replied calmly before walking back downstairs.
"Ok, let's see if the Midnight Channel is real." Yu told himself before staring at the screen only for nothing to appear. "I guess it really was a rumor after…"
Suddenly static appeared on the screen and the silhouette of a girl appeared on the screen.
I am thou… Thou art I…
"Huh, what, who's there?" Yu asked quietly before looking around only to see the TV had turned off. "Wait, who was that?"
As Yu asked that he reached towards his screen only for his fingertips to pass through the screen making him pull his hand back in shock before hesitantly reaching towards the screen again only for the same thing to happen.
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"I see, well thanks for everything miss Konishi." Adachi said politely. "You've been an incredible help."
"Right, and thanks for earlier with that reporter." Saki replied.
"It's not problem, you have enough to worry about. Well I'll let you and your family get back to bed." Adachi mentioned.
"We'd appreciate that detective." Saki expressed before Adachi walked out of the liquor store. "Honestly why did I have to leave early?"
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"Oh perfect timing." Chie mentioned while running under Yu's umbrella. "Sorry, I had my own but well…"
"Well…" Yu repeated.
"I kind of broke it copying a move from one of my movies." Chie admitted before pausing. "Actually, this is kind of awkward isn't it?"
"A bit, but you'll get sick if you walk in the rain and we are friends right?" Yu asked. "At the very least we're classmates."
"Yeah I guess you have a point." Chie replied thoughtfully. "Oh yeah, did you see it last night?"
"You mean the Midnight Channel, yeah I did." Yu replied. "What about you?"
"Of course, though I think we should wait and talk about it with Yosuke." Chie suggested.
"Yeah, you're probably right." Yu agreed as the two of them walked into the school.
(Chie has revealed the rumor of the Midnight Channel to Yu and Yosuke, and Yu has learned he can apparently pass through the television. Next chapter Yu will reveal his power to Yosuke and Chie. As always any reviews or critique is appreciated.)