Disclaimer: I don't own Higurashi or stuff.

A/N: Sorry that I've been off for so long, my brother and sister-in-law just had quadruplets so I've been busy helping them take care of the little ones. :D.

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Chapter 11: Reunion

This thou perceivest, which makes thy love more strong,

To love that well which thou must leave ere long.

William Shakespeare

Eric wandered the bleak streets of Hinamizawa alone and tired with his hands shoved in his pockets as he kicked at the dirt road, sending dust flying into the air and swirl around him. It had been about a week since Oishi's murder and yet it still felt like yesterday he discovered his final message to him in his PDTM. It was night now which was almost an improvement compared to the dismal gray clouds that had not left Hinamizawa since the old man died. He hadn't seen the sun in a week.

Eric was on his way to the police station, although he didn't know why his feet were dragging him there in the first place. He just let his legs move about on their own, his mind nearly devoid of thought. Finally he woke from his trance-like state as the station came into view behind the hazy fog that had rolled in that night. He stopped and let his eyes dart around the station absently as he watched silhouetted figures move about behind the windows. He saw his old office, disgruntled to see someone sitting in his desk. He dared wander a little closer to the station, glancing to his left and right cautiously before creeping to his old workplace.

It brought back so many memories…

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In his mind reeled the seemingly ancient memories of Eric's past, beginning with the first time he ever laid eyes on the old station. It was eleven years ago, back when he was still in the military and Daiichi was still alive, when he was walking up the tired old road leading to the station alongside his best friend.

Daiichi and he had been friends ever since they met at a military camp, where Eric was training to be a soldier and Daiichi was studying to work for the army as a scientist. Somewhere along the line though Daiichi had abandoned the world of science to join the armed forces with him after Jack had arrived. Back then Jack still had both his limbs and two fully functional eyeballs but he was still a twisted little bastard, he could sense that the moment he arrived in that heavily plated van and met with the scientists.

Daiichi had been particularly afraid of him but he wouldn't tell Eric why. As the weeks pressed on, Daiichi seemed to get more paranoid every day until he finally forced himself to join the army. At first Daiichi seemed to calm down and regain his youthful spirit… until Jack became a drill-sergeant. He seemed to take a disgusting amount of pleasure out of tormenting Daiichi until he would finally pass out from exhaustion during the daily training sessions.

And that day in front of the station they would meet him again after five peaceful years without him.

"You seem excited to see your dad," he had observed upon entering the station, "It has been a while hasn't it?"

"Yeah it has," Daiichi agreed with a chuckle, "Two whole years."

For those two years Daiichi had come to live in Kent with Eric to help him learn his English and just to be with his friend. But as part of their agreement, Eric would go live in Hinamizawa with Daiichi for a while after their time in England.

"But two years well spent," pointed out Eric.

"Meh… the food there kind of sucked."

"Your food sucks…" Eric grumbled.

"Ah shut it! You love the food here and you know it," teased his friend.

The happy atmosphere around them shattered when they opened the door to Oishi's office. There, behind the grand oak desk, sat a much younger looking Oishi. The wrinkles on his face were much fewer and his hair was only just beginning to gray with a silver strand of hair here and there. He was also much more fit, a flat and much firmer stomach in place of his enormous belly. But in the room with him was none other than Jack Lanyon, looking flustered.

Speaking of Jack…

Back in the present world, Eric had finally come upon the old man's office, surprised to see the light on. He crept closer, crouched down low to remain unseen and kept close to the walls. He could barely see the man standing behind the window and immediately recognized the missing arm.

Jack was reclined lazily in Oishi's desk chair, like he had been during their last meeting, and he was speaking to someone. From this distance Eric couldn't hear anything but muffled speech and the occasional laughter but even in this garbled vocalization he recognized the words he was speaking as English.

Well Jack was from England so that probably just meant he was talking to himself. But he could hear another voice coming from the room so he inched a little closer until he could hear everything almost perfectly from outside.

"-until you hand over our weapon?" said a man in an American accent.

"What's the rush?" asked Jack, trying to sound pleasant.

"What's the rush?! War, man! This is a war of arms! Whoever has the best weapons wins and that means whoever has Echo wins! We need it soon Lanyon or the Russians are going to blow us away with their damn bombs!"

"You can't rush perfection," he answered, "Echo still has a lot of bugs, using it now would do nothing short of killing your men."

"But how much longer?"

"As of now I can't proceed any further in the project," informed Jack, "Not until you get me that bleeding gas! It's essential to Echo's completion!"

"You need to tell us what you plan on doing with two liquid tons of bug-spray," insisted the other man.

"General, every second you spend arguing with me is a second that 'bug-spray' could be flying over here in a cargo jet and a second closer to getting you your weapon."

There was a brief silence as the general sighed deeply, sounding defeated.

"I won't question how you do your business as long as you do it," he grumbled, "I'll get ready to send it to you now… I'll be expecting Echo soon."

"After you get me that spray it won't be long."

"Fine. Over and out."

"God bless America, general…" said Jack. There was a low humming sound followed by a cocky snickering from Jack. "God bless America indeed…"

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The past week had been an uneventful one for both Keiichi and Ryuu. With the Kakou-Saishi rapidly approaching the time left to get a date was rapidly declining. Keiichi had come close to asking Mion during that storm that occurred about a week ago as he was holding her but their romantic situation ended when Ryuu barged in to search for the flashlight.

He had received a well-deserved beating for his intrusion.

As soon as the weather looked safe school began again and each day was the same for the boys with one failed love confession after another.

Ryuu had nearly scared Rena away when he asked her for the first time. Upon meeting her at the bridge with Mion everyone but the Ryuu began talking amongst themselves until Ryuu finally blurted, "Renachanwouldyouliketogotothefestivalwithme?!!" ten times too fast. He actually screamed it, causing her to scurry behind Mion in terror.

Luckily, no one understood what he had said.

Keiichi had no better luck.

"Sooo… Mion-chan," he said slyly after one particularly rigorous club activity involving a deviously designed obstacle course devised by Satoko, "That was pretty fun."

"Hm? Oh yeah, yeah," she agreed awkwardly. Their conversations were always like this now: awkward and full of disappointment.

"I thought you looked good," complimented Keiichi, earning him a confused blush from Mion. "Gah! NO! I meant you looked hot- warm! You were just really sweating and… ahhh… you played well."

"Oh," she said, sounding somewhat disappointed, "Thanks…"

There was a long, drawn out silence which ended as Keiichi bid farewell and went to go change out of his gym clothes, kicking himself.

The whole week dragged on with failed attempt after failed attempt, leaving the girls more and more confused by their odd behavior.

But the days of tomfoolery were marked with Oishi's upcoming memorial service and burial on Saturday afternoon. So that the whole village would be able to attend, Oryo had requested all the students to be let off school to which the principal generously obliged. The sun hadn't shown itself all that week and it hadn't decided to return on Oishi's funeral either.

It was noon and the boys were getting ready for the morbid service to come.

Even though Oryo had commissioned for this service she had decided to be lenient on the dress code, straying from her stubborn traditions this one time. Keiichi had chosen to wear a black dress jacket over a white button-up shirt that he was currently struggling with to fasten the top button on his collar. He stole one of his dad's black clip-on ties and snapped it on his collar before slipping on a pair of black dress pants.

He was examining himself in the mirror when Ryuu came busting in, wearing nothing but a sleeveless tee-shirt and his boxers. "I need a suit," he said, sounding distressed.

"This is my only one," Keiichi informed.

"What about Uncle Ichirou's?"

"Ha ha! My dad doesn't wear suits," he chuckled.

"Isn't he an artist? Shouldn't he keep one to wear for art-shows and stuff?"

"You'd think that wouldn't you?"

Keiichi snapped open a bottle of cologne and splashed some on his sleeves and on his neck.

"Just go get on some black," murmured Keiichi.

"I want to look respectful!" he snapped.

"I have a black sweater and some black jeans if that makes you happy."

"Fine, where are they?"

"In your room I think…"

Ryuu scurried out of the room and stormed down the stairs as Keiichi sniffed himself before splashing on a bit more cologne here and there. Finally the time had come to depart once the two of them were ready. The service was going to be held in a place Keiichi had never been to before, in some garden by the Sonozaki house.

The two cousins walked under the sad, gray clouds silently as they listened to the cicadas cry their lamenting screeches into the air which made the mournful mood even more depressing. Sonozaki manor became visible behind the shroud of trees blocking their view and as they passed the front gate the two cousins almost parted ways, Keiichi had his foot through the archway while Ryuu was continuing down the road.

"Where are you going?" they asked in unison.

"That's not the way to the garden," grumbled Ryuu.

"How would you know?"

"I used to live here, remember?"

"Isn't this Sonozaki property though? I thought you and Mion never really met so how would you know where it is unless she showed you?"

"I stumbled upon it once…" he answered vaguely, "Hurry or we'll be late."

Ryuu led him to a path paved with smooth stepping stones spread about ten inches apart each. The path led into the woods, through a large gap in the trees that was big enough for the two of them. As they neared it Keiichi could hear a chorus of sad violins from behind the barrier of branches that allured him closer. They stepped through the gap and came into a large clearing about the size of an American Football field that had rows and rows of chairs organized so that an aisle was created down the middle in front of the small stage that had a podium sitting on top of it.

A sea of black weaved around the mass of chairs as other mourners greeted one another. It seemed that the whole village and Shishibone had gathered here in the clearing to celebrate the life of the old, ancient detective who was forever resting inside the black marble casket that was swirled with white streaks in the stone. The casket was open, allowing the mourners to give the old man one final goodbye before sorrowfully standing aside for the others wishing to give their beloved guardian one last look.

Mr. Akira was standing in front of the casket now as the two boys approached. Despite the tears rolling down his cheeks, Akira seemed to be struggling to keep a strong looking face. He looked down at his foster father with sad yet strong eyes as the line grew behind him. Some were growing impatient, but he refused to tear his eyes away from the casket just yet.

Keiichi could see a lump growing in his throat as the young man fought back his sobs.

"I'll be strong for you, dad…" he said finally, his voice trembling, "…like I promised."

Finally he stood aside for the others, wiping his eyes with his sleeve and trying to regain his composure.

"That's so sad…" said Keiichi, "I never even knew Oishi had a son, let alone an adopted one."

Ryuu didn't comment.

Sniff, sniff… went his nose as he smelt the air around him.

"You okay Ryuu?" asked his cousin sincerely, "You sound like you're about to cry."

When he spoke, he sounded more angry than he did sad. "I'm fine," he said through clenched teeth, "I just can't believe—" He trailed off and relaxed his shoulders with a deep exhale, "Let's find the girls."

Among the sea of black it was easy to identify their friends on account of their unnaturally bright hair colors. The girls were all huddled in one group, looking miserable as they stood at the edge of the clearing in silence. As the boys approached no one was able to summon a greeting, the mournful atmosphere silencing them. They just exchanged nods and a few brief grins.

Rika and Hanyuu, priestesses of Oyashiro-sama, were the only ones wearing any bright color with their traditional white and red kimonos. Satoko stood next to them in a black sleeveless dress that went down to her knees, wearing a solemn look. Shion and Mion both were wearing the same outfits, a black kimono with a dark purple sash tied around the waist. The only distinction between the two was their usual hairstyles. Even Rena, who usually was brimming with girlish glee and happiness, wore an outfit almost identical to her normal getup but this one was woven with black fabric. He face was rigid, serious, and sad just like everyone else's.

They all turned back to the casket which was had a large queue forming behind it that seemed to stretch all the way back to the other end of the clearing.

"Just shows you how important that guy really was…" observed Mion sadly, "…to all of us."

"Here, here," agreed Ryuu with a small nod.

"He was the village's real guardian..." Rena said solemnly, "Not Oyashiro…"

Everyone gave her a surprised look, astonished to see Rena actually discredit Oyashiro for once. "Rena-chan…" Shion said, sounding alarmed.

"She's right though," said Hanyuu, "Oishi-sama was the one who spent years searching for the killer behind the murders… Oyashiro-sama didn't do anything but stand by and watch the village fall into chaos for years…"

"You sound like you were there Hanyuu-chan," Satoko observed.

"I hear they're choosing a new detective today at the ceremony," Shion said suddenly, "But I don't think anyone would replace Oishi."

"Maybe it's Akasaka-san," pondered Rika.

"I don't think so. He wouldn't move his family out here now that they've finally gotten settled over in Tokyo," contradicted Mion.

Sniff, sniff…

All eyes turned to Ryuu.

"…."

"…."

"Are you crying Ryuu-kun?" Rena asked seriously.

"No…" he answered darkly, "why do you ask?"

"You were sniffling."

"Was I? Guess this weather is just giving me a runny nose."

Their conversation was interrupted by the high-pitched whining of a microphone as Akira began adjusting it, silencing everyone instantly as they gave him their undivided attention.

"Thank you all for coming out here tonight…" he said into the microphone, his eyes glued onto the sheet of paper lying on the podium below him, "If you will all take a seat we will begin the ceremony. Thank you."

The sea of black shifted as everyone struggled to get seats closest to the front. Keiichi sat down next to Mion right in the front row while Ryuu and the others were forced to sit in the row behind them as all other available seats were filled. Everyone stared up at Akira, keenly waiting for him to continue.

"Thank you," he said again, "Most of you don't know me so I will begin my eulogy with a small introduction. I am Oishi's adopted son, Akira." The whole clearing erupted in hushed whispers; this was the first time most had heard of Oishi having an adopted child.

"Yes, yes. I know this is news to most of you if not all of you. My father… Oishi… sent me to a boarding school during the Hinamizawa dam crisis all those years ago to protect me from the potentially violent situation. He adopted me only a month before then, two years after his real son died who I'm sure some of you still remember," he paused for a moment and bit his lower lip, "What can I say about Oishi? What can I say about my father? He was protective, I'll give him that."

Light laughter buzzed among the audience.

"He loved his job too and he fought hard to protect the village he loved even more…" Akira looked out at the audience and grinned, "I'm kind of surprised by the turnout though, I know a lot of you hated him. Most are probably thinking, 'I just came out here to make sure that old bastard was dead,'."

Keiichi had to chuckle a bit at that. He was sure that if this were a few months ago, before he really got to know Oishi, he would have been thinking that very thing.

When the laughter died down he continued. "But… I want you people to know… he really did care about all of you in the most sincere way imaginable and he was willing to do anything to protect you. He spent years and years relentlessly working on finding the Hinamizawa murderer so that all of you people could sleep at night feeling safe and eventually he played a major role in bringing down the people responsible for those tragic deaths…"

An irritating sniffing sound came from behind Keiichi, causing him to finally turn over his shoulder to see Ryuu sniffing the air like some kind of dog. The others were staring at him with bemused expressions, unsure what to make of his behavior.

"Ru-kun?" Rena whispered tentatively.

He snapped out of it, blinking as he noticed the many perplexed eyes looking upon him and he flushed a little in embarrassment before silently hanging his head.

The eulogy dragged on for several minutes as Akira told unheard tales of the old man's heroism back in his youth. Keiichi learned a lot of things about that man like the fact he led a resistance force back in WWII when Japan allied with the Axis powers. Or the fact he had a family long ago that was torn from him by some man Akira refused to name. The list went on and on, opening the eyes of all the mourners to how great of a man Oishi had been.

"It just goes to show you," Akira said, drawing his speech to a conclusion, "You don't really know what have until you it's gone. Few of you saw what a gem Oishi was and the pain he went through to protect you was invisible to most of you. But now I hope you see what we have lost: a guardian, a father, and most of all a friend. Thank you."

Akira stepped down from the podium, leaving his speech behind, and took a seat among the others. Out of respect for the dead, nobody applauded. Instead they all hung their heads for a moment of silence.

Keiichi could hear some sniffling scattered upon the crowd and a few exceptionally teary eyed people had to get up and leave, dabbing their watering eyes with handkerchiefs and tissues. Keiichi felt his eyes sting and a lump form in his throat as he fought back the tears accumulating in his sad purple eyes. Mion held his hand tightly as she wiped her tear stained face with her free hand. He began stroking the back of her hand with his thumb and gave her a tight and caring squeeze as another man stood up to the podium. The man looked rather frightening to Keiichi, making him shift apprehensively in his seat. Aside from his missing arm and the black tattered eye patch that covered his badly scarred eye, the vibe he got from him was unnerving. His face was probably alone amongst all the others in the clearing that did not look sorrowful or even remotely sad. There was smugly victorious looking glint in his good eye and his mouth was quivering as if he were trying to hold back a fit of laughter.

He heard Ryuu shift behind him and saw him out of the corner of his eye, running down the aisle and away from the stage. Mr. Akira also looked surprised and even insulted by this man's appearance, for a moment Keiichi thought Akira was going to run up to the stage and viciously beat the man to death. Keiichi turned around and saw his cousin scurry down the aisle in a disheveled manor, limping on his left leg as though he had been shot there.

"Wonderful sentiments Mr. Akira, I was deeply moved," he said in a bored tone, "Indeed Detective Oishi was a treasure and one that will never be forgotten."

Keiichi fixed his eyes on Oishi's foster-son and saw him open his mouth but quickly close it, looking furious.

"He was a true guardian and will be sorely missed. But now this town is in need of a new guardian is it not?" his eyes lit up with excitement as he finally began the topic he had wished to discuss in the first place, "It has already been decided that I, Detective Howard Frost, should become this village's new detective."

The crowd took this news poorly, their mournful attitudes forgotten and replaced with outraged cries and raised fists.

Akira finally stood up to the stand, seething.

"It's a bit early don't you think?" he hissed dangerously.

"Not at all. This village needs protection and I have been chosen to deliver it," he answered slyly.

"So you just show up out of the blue and expect us to allow you to take that man's position?!" cried one of the mourners, "And what's with this Howard Frost crap? I can tell who you are even with that bleeding eye patch, Jack!"

All the adults in the crowd seemed to recognize him and they all seemed to hate him too as they shouted loathing comments and spiteful remarks at the one armed man.

Jack did not seem even the least perturbed that they had recognized him, his arrogant face shining brightly. "It's not for you to decide," he said to the man who had spoken out against him, "The military found me best suited for the job."

"The military?!"

"Since when did the military get involved in appointing detectives?!"

"What the hell are you up to Lanyon?"

Keiichi gave Mion an inquiring look but she looked just as lost as he did.

"I'm not up to anything," he answered, "You people know my history. Me and this village have a special relationship."

"Yeah after you tried to drown it!" snapped Miss Chie from somewhere in the audience.

"You've got some nerve showing your face around here again after you commissioned to build that dam you bastard!" shouted Oryo furiously in her croaky voice, "Why… if I had my katana right now I'd… I'd."

"Yes, yes we've already had that one," snickered Jack sinisterly, "Glad to see you're still alive Oryo-sama."

The old women spat rebelliously in his direction with a hateful look in her eyes, causing most of the other villagers to follow her example.

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Ryuu stumbled through the thick branches and tripped over the rugged ground several times, his head whining loudly. And old hatred he thought he had left at the asylum suddenly returned, quite uninvited, and was stirring up inside him again making him think thoughts of bloody work. The thorns were tearing at his already ripped pants, scraping flesh away with each passing. For a moment he thought something was biting him but he reminded himself that he was surrounded by thorns and trudged on further and further away from the clearing. On this side of the clearing the forest was much thicker; he had yet to see light leak in through the gaps in the branches.

"Why is he back? Why?" he thought to himself frantically, "After he was out of my life everything was happy again. I saw the village again, people again, I even laughed for the first time in four years! But now… now…"

Tears fell from his eyes and splashed upon the branches and dry leaves crunching beneath his feet. The perfect world around him that he thought would last forever was shattering before his eyes like a beautiful stain-glass window being smashed by a wrecking ball, sending the shards of his life scattering into all directions and completely out of his reach.

"Kill him, kill him, kill him, kill him," sung the voice in his mead merrily, "He's back again to hurt you. Kill him, kill him."

"No," he grunted defiantly, "I PROMISED!"

His pants-leg got caught on a long hooked branch, tearing as he fell to the floor and landed on the crinkly leaves and prickly branches head first. The thorny branches dug into his head and he could feel the pointy ends of the thorns scrape against his bone painfully. He cursed loudly as he removed the barbed branch from his forehead, glancing at the dark red blood dripping from the thorns. He threw it aside and struggled to free his leg from the branch that had snagged his pants leg, but to no avail. The rip in his pants only grew with his struggling but showed no sign of releasing him.

The many other spiky branches scattered around him began pressing into his arms and his side as he wriggled futilely for freedom. His heart began racing, so loudly he could hear it in his head so that he couldn't hear the cicadas crying around him from the trees. His eyes became fixed on his leg as his frustration reached its boiling point, causing his pupils to shrink and for a manic smile to flicker on his lips.

Suddenly something shot from the ground, something long and flimsy that Ryuu perceived to be a snake. It wrapped around his leg and around the branch, hissing at him while its unblinking eyes met his terrified ones. Ryuu began screaming and thrashing leg madly but the snake only tightened its hold.

"Sssssssss," it hissed menacingly, baring its large fangs at him.

"No! No! Get away!" he cried, "I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"

The snake tightened its grip.

"Kill it! Kill it! It'll bite you! Biting hurts… it really hurts!" warned the voice in his head.

"Ssssssssssssss," it went again.

Ryuu cringed fearfully before letting out a battle cry and hurling a rock at the snake, hitting it squarely on the head. But it didn't even flinch or show any sign of letting up. Ryuu grabbed one of the barbed branches, ignoring the cutting pain he received when he grasped it in his soft palm, and he began whacking it at the snake nearly oblivious to the fact he was tearing up his own leg in the process.

"Ssssssssssssst…" it hissed.

"Off! Off! Off!"

"Sssssssto….sssstop!" It was no longer just hissing, it was speaking and in a voice that sounded hurt and shaky.

He withheld his blows. Snakes don't talk… people talk… people do….

He blinked feverishly and the snake transformed before his eyes into a beautiful, teary eyed, red haired girl with her hands around his leg. It was Rena… her hand was bleeding and was torn from the merciless blows it had received from Ryuu and her arm had a small gash in it as well, no doubt from Ryuu's rock. "I… that was a hallucination?" he thought to himself in disbelief.

"Rena..." he said breathlessly, "Oh God… oh my God… what have I done?"

She unhooked his pants from the branch once he had become completely still, looking at him nervously. Ryuu laid there motionless, ashamed and horrified at what he had done. Maybe… maybe he did belong in a cell after all. Rena scooted closer to him and placed a hand on his forehead; examining the cuts that first thorny branch had given him. He could hardly believe she could willingly stand so close to him after what he had done… was she not afraid?

"What happened?" she asked sincerely, now turning her attention to his cut up arms.

"I tripped…" he answered, still sounding out of breath, "that branch caught me."

Rena only nodded in acknowledgment before looking at the leg he had cut up when he was trying to beat away the "snake". His heart fluttered when he saw genuine concern in those caring topaz eyes of hers. Even after what he had done to her she still was worried about him. She had stayed by him even after he unknowingly threatened to kill her.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered, "I wasn't myself. I don't know what came over me."

"It's alright," she assured with a relaxing smile, "Just so long as Ru-kun is safe."

He smiled at her in turn, his body warming as if he had just slid into a warm bath that calmed his nerves and slowed his heart. She suddenly tore a long strip of cloth from her black dress and scooted closer towards him, leaning in to tie the cloth around his forehead.

"What are you doing?"

"Ru-kun's head was bleeding a lot so I thought I should cover it up. There! Dr. Ryugu performs another perfect operation."

He smiled at her affectionately. "Thanks," he said softly, his cheeks tingling as they began flushing pink.

"No problem!" she cooed, "Just don't go running off into the woods like that anymore. Speaking of which, why did you come out here anyway? Huh? Huh?"

His smile faded as his troubles reawakened. For a blissful moment he had forgotten Jack was back and his perfect world mended itself one more time before crumbling around him again. He couldn't tell her about it either… not without revealing his awful past to her. Not only that, he couldn't offer any explanation as to why he tried to beat her hand off with a thorny branch, he couldn't just say he was hallucinating! He felt alone again… like being back in the dark cell. Alone, tired, and completely helpless. His body had gone numb with misery, making him oblivious to the tears rolling down his face.

"Ru-kun, are you crying?" she asked in a concerned voice, "Why I wonder… why?"

"It's nothing…" he sobbed.

"Is it your leg? Does it hurt?"

He shook his head and drew his knees to his face, "I'm fine," he lied.

She was looking at him side-ways, wondering if he was going to go into a rage again. But despite that chance she inched closer to him and placed a comforting hand on his, squeezing it softly. Ryuu looked at her kind and gentle eyes and then upon the hand she was holding so tenderly. Her hand was still cut and torn in many places from his manic thrashing and he felt a twinge of guilt in his throat.

"Why…" he began, choking on his words as he tried to get them out, "I threatened to kill you… I didn't mean it but… why didn't you stop?"

"Are you made at me?" she asked sheepishly, looking as guilty as he felt.

"No! No of course not! I just… I threatened to kill you and I even hit you with a rock. Why didn't you back away?"

Rena looked as if she didn't know the answer to that question herself as she bit her thumb thoughtfully and turned her eyes to the sky as if they would provide an answer. "You were in trouble," she said plainly, "Ru-kun was in trouble and Rena wanted to help. Even though you started to scare me when you yelled at me and stuff I knew you needed help."

"And you aren't mad at me for hurting your hand?"

She shook her head energetically, her glistening orange hair waving side-to-side. "I know you weren't yourself so I guess it was kind of like an accident."

Ryuu smiled warmly at her, their hands still intertwined with one another. A mutual blush streaked across both their faces as their fingers began instinctively mingling with each other until their hands were folded together tightly however their hand's loving embrace lasted for just a moment until they both pulled away simultaneously, looking embarrassed.

"Hauu~ my heart is going thump, thump really fast! I wonder why," she cooed suddenly, placing a hand on her chest, "My chest always goes thump, thump when Ru-kun is around!"

Rena did not realize the connotation of the words she was saying as she began chanting, "thump, thump," in sync with her heartbeat with a gleeful smile on her face. She was so happy right now… it was a refreshing sight for Ryuu amidst all of the tears that had been shed that day. Her happiness was like a light in the darkness for Ryuu and he never wanted to see that light go out.

He no longer felt alone and helpless like he had moments ago, in fact he felt more alive than he could remember feeling in a long time.

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The service ended with the announcement of a statue being erected in the clearing for Oishi that the Sonozaki family was commissioning for. This lightened the mood somewhat but the hateful wind that had delivered Jack Lanyon to the village still lingered. Keiichi didn't really know Jack well at all but he already hated him. From the outbursts of the spectators Keiichi had learned that Jack had commissioned for the dam's construction years ago and that he was responsible for the death of Oishi's real son. When these points were brought up by the audience Jack almost seemed to swell up in pride. He left when things looked like they were going to get ugly, assuring them all he would be seeing them around the village.

He was so smug it made Keiichi want to scream.

Finally the audience broke out in song to commemorate their beloved detective. Keiichi did not know the lyrics but Mion helped him along. The song was sad, so sad Keiichi thought it would drain him of all his energy. Finally Oishi's marble casket was buried in front of where his statue was to be erected, smack tab in the middle of the clearing. They all gathered around the casket to watch him be buried before everyone exchanged their goodbyes and began heading home, most of them in tears.

Mion had been crying for a good ten minutes now, using Keiichi's suit as a handkerchief to collect her tears. He was caressing her hair fondly as she sobbed heavily into his shoulder, her body trembling with each heaving breath. Keiichi hated seeing her like this; usually she was so confident and playful.

Eventually the entire clearing had emptied and the sun was beginning to set behind the thick, gray clouds that kept the village in darkness. Mion had stopped crying now; the two of them had sat down in two of the thousands of empty seats lined up in the clearing with her head resting on his firm shoulders as he held her close to him with his loving arms. To anyone else they would have looked like a couple but to them they were just a pair of ordinary friends trying to get over the death of someone they cared deeply about.

Neither of them had spoken since the end of the service until Keiichi finally decided to try and brighten the mood.

"So… Kakou-saishi is in just a couple days," he began awkwardly.

Mion's eyed widened with attentiveness as her heart did a backwards summersault in her chest while simultaneously releasing a swarm of butterflies in her stomach. "Y-yeah…" she stammered. This was the moment she'd been waiting for!

Awkward silence.

Keiichi clicked his tongue and checked his watch for no particular reason before clearing his throat and tugging on his shirt collar. "It's ahh… hot day today isn't it?" The temperature was fifty-four degrees Fahrenheit.

She nodded eagerly.

"Ask her, ask her, ask her, ask her," he thought to himself. "So yeah… anyone-anyone asked you yet?" he asked in a would-be casual tone if his voice weren't squeaking with each syllable.

"No," she said quickly, hardly able to contain herself.

Keiichi wanted to back out! He couldn't ask her now! Not now! Not now! Not now!

"Wanna go together?!" he blurted loudly.

She shot up, her face shining with a brilliant girlish glee that was almost blinding. "Yes!" she exclaimed jovially in a voice so loud it startled the birds from their resting places in the trees and sent them flying off into the air, away from the disturbance.

Keiichi blinked, not sure what to make of her speedy reaction. Finally realizing her own embarrassing excitement, Mion cleared her throat and put on her tom-boyish façade again. "I-I mean sure, if you want to. I don't want to end up cursed this year," she sniggered.

"Y-yeah…"

Awkward silence prevailed again.

The two of them were finding it immensely difficult to contain themselves, Keiichi wanted to scream with joy while bounding down the street without a care in the world while Mion developed a sudden desire to begin ripping through her wardrobe for something appropriate. He stood up mechanically, his joints stiff from all the pent up happiness welling up inside him. He wanted to say something but his jaws were locked together like a rusted hinge. In the end all he could sum up for a farewell was a simple, "Bye," which she returned with, "See ya."

Neither of them had ever felt this happy… not in their entire lives.

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A/N: Good, very good I feel. I liked typing this one out, lots of neat stuff went down here. But as usual, my opinion doesn't count for crap. You people need to tell me what you thought. Until then though, Happy Easter!