Chapter 11: The cursed past. Revelations of Sotoba part 3: Haunting discovery and anger.

I do not own anything from both series.

Everyone was feeling disturbed by the revelation. It made them feel uncomfortable, knowing what they may witness.

"I know you all have questions, but they'll be answered by the next month of memories. Ruby, have you rested long enough" Jin asked.

"Yes. I also had a look at your memories as well... They are disturbing" she commented.

"Either way, it's the start... The next month will answer your questions" Jin stated.

Although they were disturbed from the unknown activity, they decided to watch the memories. Yukari held on to Jin's hand, shaking like a leaf.

"You don't have to watch it, since you saw them" Jin said.

"No... I want to know more about your past" Yukari said with conviction.

"Same for me. I want to know why you have such a broken mind" Mizore said.

Jin relented. The magic screen opened, showing the next memories.

######

It was Thursday, September 1st. In a restaurant, Ritsuko was chatting with a villager. Jin was present, trying to help with the situation. He knew the villager's name.

"Takami's family moved out of the village? That's right after Takami died" Ritsuko said.

"That's right. His wife and two kids moved out on the same day without saying a word to anybody" the male villager said.

"On the same day" Ritsuko questioned.

"Yes. What's strange is that they left their personal possessions behind" the villager said.

"Anything else we need to know, Masaki Tashiro-san? Anything suspicious that seemed out of the ordinary" Jin asked.

"There was something else. The contractors suddenly appeared in the middle of the night and took the previous owners' possessions away. It was a truck with the name 'Takasago Matsu' written on its side" Masaki said.

"Did anything seem rather odd?" Jin questioned.

"There was a successor for the residential police box by then. I head his name is Sasaki. Between all of us, he doesn't look friendly" Masaki explained.

"That does raise suspicion... It's rather odd that a seasoned officer suddenly comes here, in spite of the low crime rate" Jin stated.

"Takami-san looked young so it was bound to happen" Hasegawa said.

"Couldn't the next police officer be decided on such a rapid pace?" Ritsuko asked.

"That may be the case, Ritsuko-san. However, the number of people leaving and falling ill is increasing. Something doesn't seem to add up" Jin said.

"Come to think of it, I've heard a similar story" Ritsuko said.

"Really? Please share it with us" Jin said.

"The Shinoda family moved using movers with a truck with Takasago pine trees on it. They left at the dead of night, without saying goodbye to their neighbors. Since it was so sudden, people wondered if they skipped town" Ritsuko said.

"The people from Kanemasa moved in during the dead of night. Is this some kind of fad happening here" Masaki asked.

"Not certain. It sounds too suspicious for people to be moving out of the village at night. What's also strange is the people moving in... They came during the night, not during the day" Jin said.

"A moving company that works in the dead of night? That does sound suspicious. Anyway, here's your pasta lunch set, Ritsuko-san" Hasegawa said, handing the meal.

"Wow, this looks delicious! Thank you for the food" Ritsuko said.

"In any case, Jin's right. The strange moving's and outsiders... The occurrences in the village have been becoming stranger and frequent" Hasegawa said.

######

Outside, Jin was walking around the village. He noticed Natsuno at a bridge above the village river.

"Hey Natsuno. What are you doing?" Jin asked.

"Nothing really. Just thinking of some stuff" Natsuno said.

"I see. I've been trying to think of the events of the village. Things have been getting mysterious for the past month" Jin said.

"How so?" Natsuno asked curiously.

"There has been villagers moving out of Sotoba at night. Another strange thing is the newcomers that only show up at night. Don't you think this is weird that people are suddenly moving away and coming in at night" Jin questioned.

"You have a good point there. The occurrences have been getting rather frequent" Natsuno said.

######

(Play Shiki OST - 13th floor)

It was Wednesday, September 7. An ambulance arrived at the Yasumori residence. Toshio was applying CPR to a boy, whose skin turned pale.

"Damn it, just hang on Susumu... Don't die on us" Jin said.

The paramedics rushed in to provide medical help. The Yasumori elders were frantic.

"He had a cardiac arrest just now! Hurry" Toshio said.

Jin walked up to the elders to reassure them.

"Setsuko-baachan, Tokujirou-baasan... We're doing what we can to provide him with medical help" Jin stated, emotionally exhausted.

"D-Doctor... Is Susumu...dead? Is my grandson dead?" Tokujirou asked.

"That doesn't mean we have lost hope in reviving him" Toshio said.

He looked at a picture of Nao in thought.

'Could it be that Susumu contracted Nao's illness and got infected?' he thought.

By then, Mikiyasu walked in. He looked paler and emotionless. His posture appeared lethargic.

"Mikiyasu... What are-?"

Toshio stopped and noticed the state his friend is in.

"Toshio-san... Is Susumu dead?" Mikiyasu questioned.

Jin walked up to him and felt his pulse on his left arm.

"Toshio-sensei... He has tachycardia... I'm sure you noticed the shallow breathing and his sclera" Jin said.

Toshio nodded in response. He then heard Mikiyasu explaining to him.

"Last night, Susumu was sleep-talking and calling Nao... He sounded less energetic and looked sickly. That became...his last words" Mikiyasu said, shedding tears.

Toshio became frantic. He was worried for his friend's health.

"Hold on a second! Him, too! Take him to the government hospital. But let me acquire a blood sample before you go" Toshio said.

Toshio began to extract some blood from Mikiyasu. While Jin watched, he took notice of what appeared to be insect bite marks at the brachial arteries.

"Toshio, those look like insect bite marks... I'll talk about it when we head to the clinic" Jin said.

Toshio understood the message and remained quiet.

(13th floor OST ends here)

######

"That night at the Ozaki clinic, Toshio and Jin were talking.

"So you noticed the same bite marks on Mikiyasu like the previous victims? This does seem strange" Toshio remarked.

"I know. Those don't look like bite marks from a bloodsucking insect. They look like leech bite marks. However, the only leeches capable of hematophagy here are the Japanese mountain leeches. It seems rather farfetched for the villagers to suddenly have a bite mark like that... The strangest part is, the insect bite marks don't seem to cause any uncomfortable sensations. Don't you think that's odd though? Plus, the marks have minor bruising, but it's not like a sting from a wasp or a bite from a tick. It must be something else, but I can't find the exact answer" Jin explained.

By then, the phone rang. Toshio picked up the phone to answer.

"This is Ozaki clinic" Toshio said.

"Good evening, Seishin" a familiar voice said.

"Oh, Seishin. Hold up a minute" Toshio said, placing the phone down.

"Jin, I need you to perform the complement fixation test on the blood while I talk with Seishin" Toshio said.

"No problem. Glad I could help" Jin said, performing the test.

Toshio went back to the phone to talk with Seishin.

"So, what is it that you want to talk about?" Toshio asked.

"I heard that Mikiyasu's son was taken to the hospital by ambulance so I wondered... What did you tell him?" Seishin asked.

"Currently, I'm having some help from Jin, who's examining the peripheral blood sample from Mikiyasu right now" Toshio said.

"Jin is running the test? Does he know what he is doing?" Seishin asked.

"I'm monitoring him right now. He's currently doing the test right now" Toshio said.

"What are the results?" Seishin asked.

Jin was looking at the microscope on the blood sample. He relayed the results to Toshio.

"According to Jin, his hematocrit level and hemoglobin concentrations are below average. This is obviously anemia. Judging by the smear preparation, the reticulocyte cell count has multiplied" Seishin said.

"In other words, it's..." Seishin said in a pause.

"...the same thing" Toshio finished from Seishin's pause.

"I'll have a look around the village for more details on the victims prior to their deaths. Maybe there might be a clue to this" Seishin said.

"Wise choice, Muroi-san. Please do so, but be careful out there" Jin said.

Seishin grunted in response and hung the phone.

"I'll handle the other tests myself, Jin. Head home to rest. You have been helping the clinic for the whole day" Toshio said.

Jin nodded and left the clinic.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Momento Mori)

It was a quiet night in Sotoba. Jin was heading home at a slightly fast rate. He didn't like how quiet the village was at night.

'The village was never this quiet... Occasionally, the wild dogs would be howling at this time... Did something disturbed their habitat?' Jin thought.

He then heard the bushes rustle. This made him look at the direction of the sound, expecting anything. Nothing came out of the bushes.

'Something's stalking me right now... I need to run now' He thought.

Jin ran to his house as quick as he could. The faster he ran, the more he heard the bushes rustle. It made him feel more nervous and spooked.

'I'm not dying from a stalker...! I have much to think of the future, but I have to help the villagers' Jin thought.

He ran as quickly as he could till he made it to his house. There was a faint figure prowling outside, watching him. The figure was female, judging by the sound of the giggle, which echoed.

######

Back in Natsuno's house, Natsuno was sleeping but had a disturbed expression. A figure was watching approaching the window sill. It was getting closer, showing a familiar pink color.

"AAAAAAHHHH!"

Natsuno was breathing heavily from the nightmare. Sweat was precipitating from the experience. He looked at the closed window, feeling paranoid due to the recent nightmare he experienced.

'Was that a dream...!? That felt too real to be one... What on earth was that on my dream?' Natsuno thought.

The figure he saw in his dream appeared at the window. Its shadowy form was approaching the window. Natsuno could faintly see a red, dull glow at the eyes. By then, the figure came to light. It was Megumi, only she looked harrowing. Her skin was a pasty white color. She was wearing an all-black dress, adding it to her nightmarish form. She was coming closer till her eyes surrounded his view.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Natsuno woke up, feeling more disturbed than usual. He was breathing heavily, sweat perspiring off of him. He looked at the window, expecting the image he saw, only to find nothing.

'A lucid nightmare... That was a horrifying experience... Why am I having these nightmares?' He thought.

(Momento Mori OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Epitaph)

Near the mountain temple, a glint of light was shining. Seishin was looking around the area with a flashlight, thinking of possible answers.

'Mikiyasu-san and his son probably caught the infection from Nao-san... They're probably doomed, due to the high fatality rate' Seishin thought.

Seishin was near an old church, which looked abandoned for years. Despite it not being used, the foundations of the building were okay.

'This is rather strange though... Anemia is usually caused by two major factors: genetics and iron deficiency. How would anemia suddenly have a fatal time at 3 days? Plus, there's no one born with genetic conditions for anemia' Seishin thought.

A fallen twig snapped near him. This got Seishin's attention, making him look at the source of the sound. It was Sunako, wearing an old style gray dress with a red corset.

"You're Sunako" Seishin said in surprise.

"Good evening, Muroi-san. Where am I? Where did I get to?" Sunako asked.

"This is the temple's estate" Seishin answered.

"Temple?" Sunako asked.

She looked at the temple with curiosity.

"Isn't that a church? No, it isn't" Sunako deduced.

"It is a church, according to the people who were building it" Seishin said.

"I see" Sunako said.

"There are some spare flashlights inside the temple. I can lend you a spare if you need one. This place is like a secret base for me" Seishin said.

(Epitaph OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Twilight)

Seishin and Sunako went inside the temple. Seishin lit a candle to provide light in the church. Sunako was looking at a glass mural with curiosity.

"It's stained glass... What a creepy painting. A man being immolated" Sunako commented, looking at the glass murals.

"The one with the burning man is called 'Mino Odori'" Seishin replied.

Sunako looked around and came to a conclusion.

"So the people who built this church were martyrs, weren't they?" she asked.

"I believe they were martyrs. Kanemasa built this place single-handedly before the war" Seishin explained.

"I have known of that area before. It's what the villagers call the place my family live in" Sunako said, giggling.

Seishin felt somewhat unnerved of Sunako's arrival in the middle of the night.

"Sunako, do you always go out at this time?" Seishin questioned.

"I can't go out during the day. I have a body condition that prevents me from being exposed to ultraviolet rays. We moved here to help me deal with the condition" Sunako explained.

This made Seishin calm down, hearing the facts.

"You don't have to feel sympathetic for me" Sunako said in reassurance.

"It's not about you, Sunako. My childhood friend and his son were afflicted from an illness and I fear they might not survive" Seishin said.

"You aren't sad when the elderly pass on?" Sunako asked.

"It's not that... Don't you think it is a terrible sight when two young people suddenly die" Seishin asked.

"Death is never a pleasant sight. Be it young, old, good or evil. It's the same for everyone. There's no especially horrible deaths. That's what makes it so fearsome" Sunako said, twirling on the floor.

Seishin watched as she continued her explanation.

"Behavior, age, character, wealth, and beauty matter when you're alive. But when death comes, none of that matters. It brings all to naught" Sunako explained.

Seishin was surprised on what Sunako said. He couldn't utter a word from how much understanding Sunako had on the concept of life and death. Sunako was heading to the door of the church.

"I should be heading back home now! Mind if I come back here again?" she asked.

"Well, you are free to come over... But the night roads are dangerous. I wouldn't advise you to" Seishin answered.

"People are only half-free. I won't give up to a relative sense of danger. Next time, I'll bring a book over. Mind if I get an autograph if we meet again?" Sunako asked with a giggle.

Seishin watched as Sunako's form disappeared into the forest. The darkness was too thick for him to see beyond.

######

It was a sunny Monday, September 12. Natsuno and Jin looked terrible. Natsuno dashed to the outskirts of Sotoba, feeling more inclined to head back to Mizobe Town.

'There's something going on in Sotoba... Whatever it is, it has been disturbing me. Most likely Jin may have the same experience. I briefly saw him walking to the clinic with a tired expression' Natsuno thought.

He was overlooking the view of Mizobe Town as he watched the horizon. It made him feel concerned for his friend.

######

Jin used his bicycle to head to the clinic. He looked somewhat haggard, due to lack of sleep.

'Those random encounters are beginning to be more disturbing... I have to be careful now... Wandering outside at night doesn't seem safe anymore' Jin thought.

When Jin was about to step inside, he heard Ritsuko talking to Toshio.

"Sensei, Dr. Taniguchi from the government hospital is on the phone" Ritsuko said.

Toshio went to the phone as soon as Jin entered.

"Ah Jin. Could you wait a moment please?" Toshio asked.

Jin nodded and sat down on a nearby seat. Only few words were exchanged from Toshio.

"Sensei, was it about Mikiyasu Yasumori-san?" Yasuyo asked.

Toshio said nothing for a few seconds. He then turned to the nurses behind him.

"Yasuyo-san, Ritsuko-san... I'd like to hold a meeting in the lounge after the morning consultations. Please inform everyone immediately. Jin, I need you to attend this meeting" Toshio said.

"Yes" both nurses said.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Muddy Water)

The meeting began for the people in the clinic. Toshio began his explanation to the staff.

"Mutou-san and Towada-san, this might be difficult for you to follow since you do the admin work. Feel free to ask questions if things are unclear. Mikiyasu from Yasumori Construction passed away on the 10th. This puts the total death count in the village at 19" Toshio explained.

The staff was surprised of the number. It made them look at Toshio with shock.

"19...!? That many?" the staff whispered.

"Toshio's right. There were indeed this much" Jin stated.

"Some of the deaths occurred outside of the village. Including them and the deaths reported to the village office, Mikiyasu is the 19th victim. We're in the midst of something abnormal. It's no mistake to consider this an epidemic" Toshio said.

"However, this one is not an existing epidemic. It was suspected to be an allergic reaction to a foreign substance. However, there were no foreign chemicals or traces found on the victims. Plus, they showed no allergic reactions to any medical treatments as of yet" Jin said.

"Indeed. In any case, unless we can verify the cause of death, we can't risk requesting assistance from the federal government" Toshio said.

By then, Tohru's father, Mutou, began to question Toshio.

"Can't we ask the local government to investigate the cause" he asked.

"I'm currently working on it. But in order to do so, we need to gather data to write a report. The only physical symptom that comes to note is that it starts with anemia. Jin and I performed the tests on every blood sample from the victims. According to the results, it's classified as normocytic-normochromic anemia" Toshio explained.

A radiologist from the clinic decided to provide answers of the issue.

"The cause would be bleeding or hemolysis... That would explain why Nao used the CT scan. However, she showed no signs of internal bleeding" the radiologist said.

"That makes it more confusing, Shimoyama-san. If there was no internal bleeding, then the likelihood may have been external" Jin said.

"Then hemolysis is the factor" Ritsuko questioned.

"If all possibilities are eliminated, that's the only one to think. However, the test results can't confirm it whether the erythrocytes are undergoing lysis. It's likely a drug or poison was used. However, that possibility is null, since the patients we know don't show traces of Amy foreign chemicals. It's important to note that they die during the night most of the time" Toshio said.

"Could it be PNH then?" a nurse said.

Jin noted the nurse appearing at her early middle age. Her hair was a dark green bowl cut. Her eyes were black in color.

"PNH, also known as Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria" Yasuyo said.

"Good call on that one, Nagata Kiyomi-san, Hashiguchi Yasuyo-san. However, there's an indication when the victim has that condition. Also, factors on chemical exposure, like chloramphenicol antibiotics and benzene would show in the person's bloodstream. The typical symptom is a red, discolored urine sample due to the presence of hemoglobin, fatigued, rapid heart rate, and labored breathing. If the cells began to lysis, due to this condition, then PNH would've shown due to the presence of PIGA, also known as phosphatidylinositol glycan A. This is what makes this condition a type of acquired, chronic condition" Jin explained.

"If you're deduction is correct, Sora-san, then how Nao did passed away?" Ritsuko asked.

"It's not the form of PNH... It's likely she was drained of blood. From what I can understand, her last day coming here showed symptoms of severe blood loss. Also, bear in mind that PNH can cause arterial blood clots. If that's the case, she would've died sooner from heart failure than usual" Jin answered.

"PNH also has the possibility of kidney failure too" a young nurse said.

Jin looked at the nurse who stated more facts. She was reaching her early 20s. She had soft brown hair with matching eyes.

"That's another possibility there, Isaki Satoko-san. Remember, if the kidneys had the hemoglobin flowing in the nephrons, the urine would turn red. The large proteins would cause damage to the kidneys in response. Also, PNH tends to occur slowly, not rapidly" Jin answered.

"Come to think of it, Gotouda Fuki-chan's death was ruled as kidney failure" Satoko said.

"Again, a urine sample would've been acquired to test for any presence of hemoglobin. If that didn't work, there's the flow cytometry. But that would take some time, due to needing careful analysis" Jin said.

"Jin's right though... I wonder if it's a severe case of PNH" Yasuyo said.

Toshio began to speak out.

"As you can see, the nurses are very capable and understanding. It's likely that may be the case. However, Mikiyasu's test results showed signs of disorders. The lungs, kidneys and liver showed signs of damage" Toshio said.

"Sounds like Multiple Organ Failure, otherwise called MOF" a young, red haired nurse said.

Jin noted the nurse who spoke. She had red hair with multiple pigtails behind her. Her eyes were an olive green.

"Sounds like it, Shiomi Yuki. Nowadays, it's called secondary MODS or Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome" Jin stated.

"That would mean the entire body would break down" Toshio said.

"That would be due to SIRS, a form of sepsis. That would be easily detectable if the lymphocyte count was below 4000 cells per mm^3, greater than 12000 cells per mm^3, or the presence of over 10% immature neutrophils" Jin said.

"In any case, the outbreak starts as an initial sign of anemia. It then reaches at MOF in about 3-4 days, leading to death" Toshio said.

"But, what is the transmission of the illness? If it's a direct infection, the patient's family are the first ones to be infected, right?" Satoko questioned.

"Especially us" Yasuyo said.

Jin noticed the medical administrator paying attention to him. He looked amazed of his knowledge in medical terms.

'I know a lot about medicine here, Towada-san. I want to provide assistance to help stop this outbreak' Jin thought.

"What about likely vectors?" Yuki asked.

"Rats and mosquitos...? Hmmm, not likely. Unless the mosquitos are carriers of a viral strain, the victims should've shown a trace of the viral proteins within the bloodstream. Plus, they're acting in warm climates like right now. If that were the case, the village would've been infected" Jin deduced.

"Perhaps most of them are unaffected" Ritsuko said with uncertainty.

"There were some families that have been hit by several deaths. The others were left unscathed" Yasuyo said.

"Could it be a genetic immunity?" Yuki questioned.

"At the moment, I'm inclining to suspect it was vectors. In any case, let's focus on gathering data from the cases. I know you are all worried, but if we're careful, we can possibly prevent the infection. The most important thing is not to make the clinic a spruce of infection. Also, don't spread word about this until we know for sure what we're dealing with. We don't want to start a panic" Toshio said.

Jin was thinking carefully of the case. Toshio took notice of him and decided to ask him.

"What are you thinking about, Jin?" Toshio asked.

"It's about those bite marks we often see on the victims. They may have been caused by mosquitos. However, they're not" Jin said.

"Something you've been thinking about lately?" Yuki asked.

"I had to venture to guess, but those bite marks are not your typical insect bites. I even looked up the bite marks from leeches. Of course, they weren't the same. Those marks are also like a segmented line. Toshio-sensei, you recall seeing those marks making a straight line roughly 1 inch in length" Jin stated.

"Yes... That was the distance between the pair of bite marks. What does that have to do with the case?" Toshio asked.

"Mosquitos don't have that much capacity to feed on that much blood that rapidly. Even an Amazonian leech would have problems feeding that much blood to induce anemia. I had a close look on one of the notes from one of the patients and tried to find out what was the cause. Fortunately, it wasn't leeches. However, what I did notice was the diameter of the bite marks. If one were to measure the distance, they appeared to be made from a human mouth" Jin said, shocking everyone.

"A human mouth!? Are you suggesting someone is suffering from Clinical Vampirism, also known as Renfield's syndrome!?" Toshio asked.

"It's a likely factor. The bite marks were the clue to what caused the cases of anemia in the village. If that's the case, then the one who has been feeding on the victims is also suffering from Porphyria, otherwise known as vampire syndrome" Jin deduced.

"How were you able to get this information?" Mutou asked.

"It took some searching on the Internet, but I was able to research these conditions. Turns out that the incisors grow long enough to essentially reach the same diameter to an adult's mouth. However, it varies on some cases. Since the syndrome is also rare, chances of finding a victim with clinical vampirism, Porphyria and Renfield's syndrome are almost null. However, we have a likelihood, due to the bite marks. That's our likely cause of hemolysis" Jin explained.

"But if the victim was bitten, wouldn't they be alert of it?" Yasuyo questioned.

"It's likely the culprit is using fast acting anticoagulants or local anesthetic sources to block off the nerves. Hence why our victims couldn't describe any pain from infliction" Jin said.

"As you all can see, Jin's deduction on the cases are extraordinary for someone his age. He has helped this clinic numerous times in most cases" Toshio said.

The meeting was over in the clinic. Everyone was impressed of Jin's deduction in such a calm tone.

(Muddy Water OST ends here)

######

Natsuno walked to a nearby building and was sitting on the rooftop, watching Sotoba village from a distance. This was making him think more about the town far off from Sotoba.

'Father, mother... We should have moved back to Mizobe Town... Something wrong is happening here' he thought.

Natsuno left the rooftop and went to take the bus back to the village. He was exhausted from the lack of sleep.

'Might as well take a nap to calm myself down' he thought.

Natsuno fell asleep in the bus. Despite the seemingly quiet nap, he heard a voice that was eerily familiar.

"Good morning, Yuuki-kun" the voice said.

This made him wake up from his nap. He then noticed a familiar girl with pink hair and two blue spotted ribbons. This shocked him of seeing 'Megumi' in the bus. 'Megumi' turned her head, showing her eyes glowing a dull red. Natsuno stood up from his seat in shock. When he did, Megumi wasn't there.

'Damn it... I was hallucinating... She's dead first of all. She shouldn't be here' he thought.

######

Natsuno got off from the bus. He took notice of Jin, who was there. Both looked disheveled from today. They were walking unsteadily back to Sotoba. While walking, Tohru showed up.

"Natsuno, Jin. What's the matter? You two are walking in a shaky way" he said.

Tohru noticed their fatigued state and was surprised.

"Whoa...! You both look terrible. What seems to be the problem?" he asked in concern.

"I think...it would be a...good time to ask...if we can stay over for tonight" Natsuno said.

"Sure. How about you Jin?" Tohru asked.

"Count...me in... Today's been...rather stressful" Jin said tiredly.

"Okay. There's something I want to talk to you two about too" Tohru said.

"It's hot, you know" Natsuno said.

######

In Tohru's house, the mother was watching TV. Tamotsu and his father were playing Shogi. Tohru's sister was asking the family something.

"Oh? Where's Tohru-chan, Natsuno and Jin?" she asked.

"They're in Tohru's room" the mother said.

"Natsuno and Jin have been coming by frequently. I wonder if they have any friends" the sister commented.

"Hey now, Aoi" her mother said.

"Game over" Mutou said.

"Eh!?" Tamotsu said in surprise.

######

In Tohru's room, he was playing video games. Natsuno and Jin looked exhausted, laying near a wall.

"Natsuno, Jin, I know you two have a desire to leave the village. But if you two continue to overwork yourself without rest, you're bound to get sick" Tohru said in slight worry.

"I'm doing what I can to help the clinic, Tohru. It's stressful yes, but at least I'm providing help" Jin retorted.

Natsuno, and Jin were somewhat tired, but they had a book to study with.

"Geez, Tohru-san. You can at least study with us instead of playing video games" Jin said in a playful tone.

"Hahaha... My bad. I'll be joining you guys to the study group" he said.

"You can at least stop calling me by my given name" Natsuno complained.

Natsuno merely sighed. He appreciated Jin being with him. Both boys didn't want to sleep at their houses after the experiences they have dealt with.

'This study group oddly feels comfortable to have. I guess I've grown more tolerant with my friends' Natsuno thought.

"Say Natsuno, Jin. Can you two do me a favor?" Tohru asked.

This got the attention of the boys. They listened to Tohru's favor.

"That's something new... What do you need help with?" Natsuno asked.

"You two know Rit-chan, right?" Tohru asked.

"Oh, Kunihiko Ritsuko. We know her" Jin said.

"Well, I want to go on a drive with her this weekend, but I'm not confident to ask her out. Can you guys come with me when I ask her" Tohru asked.

This surprised Natsuno, making him wide awake.

"Isn't she always in the car while you practice driving?" Natsuno asked.

"Well, I want to call it a date instead" Tohru said.

"Hold on a minute there. She may look young, but she's older than you by a few years. I mean, not that there's anything wrong with being into that, but..."

Natsuno's explanation made Tohru quiet for a while. He knew that Natsuno was concerned for him, but decided to remain silent. Reluctantly, Natsuno decided to help.

"Alright... I'll help you and come along" he said.

Tohru's demeanor quickly changed to positive. This surprised the boys.

"Really!? Thanks for the help! I knew you two would come around" he said.

Immediately, Jin stopped him by holding on to the shoulders.

"Too close there, Tohru" Jin said, making Tohru laugh.

The boys continued studying for almost an hour. Natsuno was feeling tired from the relentless study. Jin was also tired as well. Tohru noticed the boys looking completely exhausted.

"I'm really exhausted" Natsuno said.

"If you guys are planning to stay for the night, I have a couple of spare futons for you guys. You two can come over whenever you like" Tohru said.

"I appreciate that" Jin said.

"Okay" Natsuno said somnolently.

Natsuno merely nod off on Tohru's bed. Jin was able to drag him to the futon Tohru set up.

"Don't fall asleep yet" Tohru said jokingly.

"He's really pushing himself to study hard for those exams... Don't take it harshly from him, Tohru. He's a kind hearted person once you get to know him" Jin said.

"It's ok. I know he means well" Tohru said smiling.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Silent Night)

The boys were sleeping quietly. Unknown to them, two figures were watching them. Their eyes were glowing red. One figure was a male with sky blue hair. The other was female with pink hair. The female giggled, knowing the people she likes are inside the house.

Natsuno and Jin felt their presence. They began to stir from their sleep.

The female figure opened the foyer door and was walking inside. The footsteps were loud enough for the boys to hear them. Jin and Natsuno were unable to move, due to sleep paralysis. They felt their bodies sweating profusely as the figure was moving closer to Tohru's room.

'Shimizu Megumi' Jin and Natsuno thought.

The boys felt the presence encroach towards the door. Fear was gripping them in cold hands. The figure opened the door, but it wasn't the figure they thought of. It was Mutoi Aoi. The boys quickly shut their eyes and pretended to sleep.

"Aw... They all fallen asleep... I'll have to ask Otou-san for help on my homework" she said.

Natsuno and Jin breathed in relief.

"It was Aoi" Natsuno said.

"That was scary" Jin commented.

The boys began to slowly fall asleep. However, a haunting voice called them.

"Yuuki-kun... Sora-kun" the voice said.

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

The boys were immediately frightened from the sound. They looked to the source to find Megumi lying on her back, hiding underneath Tohru's futon. She was staring at them with a haunting smile. The boys were breathing erratically.

"Good evening Yuuki-kun, Sora-kun" Megumi said.

She slowly slid out from the futon. Bones were cracking loudly along with the sickening sound of flesh being pulled. Megumi stood up, looking at the boys, who were powerless. They couldn't move at all due to their sleep paralysis.

Megumi was wearing a red-black gothic corset. Her skin was pasty white, like a dead body. Her eyes were completely black, but a faint glow of red was starting to show. The irises started glowing brightly, scaring the boys.

'It is her' Natsuno thought in horror.

'It can't be...! She supposed to be dead' Jin thought in horror.

By then, Megumi noticed Tohru and looked crossed. The boys noticed her looking at him.

"Honestly, I don't like your friend. How come you two have so much time with him instead of sparing a moment for me? Why is that, Tatsumi" Megumi asks towards the window.

A male figure was shown, eyes glowing red. The boys were surrounded by the shiki. They couldn't do anything due to sleep paralysis. They were completely engulfed in fear.

(Eau de Vie OST ends here)

(Play Shiki - OST Pendulum)

"Well then" Megumi said, not finishing her sentence.

She then smiled and opened her mouth. Two fangs were shown from her incisors. She slowly went to Tohru's neck.

'No... Stop...! LEAVE HIM ALONE!' the boys thought with fear.

Megumi's mouth encircled Tohru's neck and bit him.

(Pendulum OST ends here)

######

Natsuno and Jin woke up from the nightmare. Both were sweating profusely from the shock. They quickly looked at Tohru, who was fast asleep.

"Tohru! Are you alright!?" Natsuno asked.

"Wake up, Tohru" Jin said.

Tohru woke up, but was still tired. The boys noticed his neck didn't had a bite mark. Both of them fell to the ground in complete relief. This confused Tohru as he saw the boys fall on the floor.

'It was a dream' Natsuno thought.

'That felt too real to be one... I hope that was a dream' Jin thought.

"Sorry for waking you up, Tohru... Just a bad dream" Jin said.

"Goodnight" Natsuno said.

"Goodnight" Tohru said somnolently.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Epitaph)

It was a sunny Tuesday, September 13. Seishin was riding a scooter, trying to find answers of the village deaths.

'The villagers are dying one after another... What is this illness that gnaws at the people of Sotoba? It's already bad enough for me to put the surviving family members through it, but I need to know of the state of the deceased prior to death. I might be able to find a clue somewhere' he thought.

Seishin arrived at what appeared to be a greenhouse farm. In it, a man was working with the crops.

"Good day to you, Masaji Shimizu. It's been a while" Seishin said.

"Well hello there, Junior Monk" Masaji said.

"I heard about Ryuuji-san, who passed away the other day. I thought I could at least provide some incense" Seishin said.

######

Seishin was at an altar that was made for Ryuuji. He provided the incense to the altar and rung the altar bell.

'I'd like to visit every person and hopefully, I'll find a clue' Seishin thought.

After the incense providing to the altar, Seishin began talking with Masaji about Ryuuji.

"Shimizu Ryuuji told us that the results of his spring physical showed no problems. Yet, out of nowhere, he passed away from heart failure" Masaji said.

"Did he showed signs of being ill prior to his death?" Seishin asked.

"Well, we don't know much, but I heard he turned his resignation that same day" Masaji answered.

"A resignation?" Seishin asked in surprise.

"Yes. He made a big fuss, demanding approval of his immediate resignation and fainted after" Masaji said.

"That sounds as though he was not doing well" Seishin said.

"I'm not certain... If he was doing well, he could've just called in sick. I don't know what he was thinking" Masaji explained.

"Thank you for telling me this. I must get going" Seishin said.

"Please be careful, Junior Monk" Masaji said.

######

Seishin was driving across Sotoba, thinking of the recent deaths. He arrived at an area of the village called Naka-Sotoba.

"Hirosawa Takatoshi from Naka-Sotoba passed away on August 11th. The deceased Hirosawa-san was never one of the temple's parishioners, but I thought you might know something about him since you're a caretaker for Naka-Sotoba, Masaharu Koike-dono" Seishin said.

"No... In the old days, I could talk about someone as if we were a family member by hearing their name only, but..."

Koike paused as Seishin listened carefully.

"Then" Seishin said, waiting for an answer.

"The first time I heard of Hirosawa Takatoshi-kun's funeral from the Hirosawa family was at his own funeral. According to his parents, he fainted in a pachinko parlor in Mizobe Town and never woke up" Koike said.

"Then, was there any sign that he was sick" Seishi asked.

"Well, he fell unconscious in a pachinko parlor, so... The surprising thing was that he quit his job three days prior" Koike explained.

"He quit that suddenly?" Seishin asked with uncertainty.

"Not even his parents knew. Sign of the times, maybe" Koike said.

'Suddenly quitting his job and not informing anyone... It seems that something that hasn't been overlooked is causing the issue' Seishin thought.

"Thank you for providing this information" Seishin said.

"Anytime, Junior Monk" Koike said.

######

Outside, Seishin was riding his scooter across Sotoba, thinking about the details.

'Hirosawa Takatoshi. Shimizu Ryuuji. Those two quit their jobs prior to their deaths. This sounds very strange. I may need to pay a visit to the Yasumori family for more information' Seishin thought.

He arrived at the Murasako household.

"Oh, Hi Junior Monk. How can I help you?" Munehide said.

"Good day to you, Murasako-san. I have some questions regarding about Oota Kenji" Seishin said.

"Oota Kenji-san... It's regarding about what happened to him, correct" Munehide said.

"Yes" Seishin replied.

"Right before he passed away, it seemed he was planning to quit his job as a teacher. Since it was in the middle of the school year, he was persuaded to stay. Speaking of which, Saeki Akira, one of my neighbors, quit his job before he passed on too" Munehide explained.

"Did he appear sick or anything unusual?" Seishin questioned.

"No" Munehide answered.

"Then the recently deceased..."

Seishin paused, waiting for an answer from Munehide.

"I heard that Takashuma Yasuo quit his job as well. What is happening to the people in this village?" Munehide questioned.

Seishin couldn't answer the question. He too was also seeking answers.

"Two families have moved out of this shopping district alone. There have been a large number of funerals lately. It's as though the village is being abandoned" Munehide said.

Seishin felt the man's concern. He remained silent in response.

(Play Shiki OST - Youth)

"Until my grandchildren get older...

######

Natsuno was on his way to school via bus. He felt somewhat calmer than usual but he recalled the nightmare he had.

'I can't sense Shimizu anymore. Yet, why do I have a sense of foreboding?' he thought.

Natsuno felt confused, not knowing of the impending danger. He continued riding the bus.

######

Seishin was driving in the shopping district of Sotoba. He was looking for more answers.

'Old man Ookawa is one of the relatives of the deceased Mr. Gigorou Ookawa' Seishin thought.

Right when he was making he turn, he heard a sudden beating. He saw Atsushi thrown out in the street. This made Seishin quickly stop his bike.

"I told you to take care of it right away, didn't I?! At least Jin's providing help" Tomio said.

By then, Tomio heard the phone ring. He went to answer it.

"Matsu...! Do you have any idea what time it is?" Tomio said angrily.

"What? Your daughter? What about Yasuyo?" Tomio questioned.

This got Jin by surprise. While he helped stack the items in the store, he listened to the conversation.

'Yasuyo...?! That's Muramatsu Yasuzou's daughter' Jin thought.

"Well, um... She passed away" Yasuzou said.

"She died? Since when?" Tomio asked in surprise.

"She was sick this morning, so I called an ambulance, but she died just a short time ago... I just don't know what to do" Yasuzou said.

"You fool! At times like this, you really need to get it together! Are you at the hospital!? I'll be there, so clench your teeth and wait for me!" Tomio shouted.

"How awful... I hope Muramatsu-san feels better" Jin said in sympathy.

"What a waste" Atsushi commented.

This earned him another smack on the head, courtesy of Tomio, his father.

"Nice one" Jin said.

Tomio noticed Seishin outside the liquor store.

"Oh, Junior Monk" Tomio said respectfully.

"Old man, has Yasuyo..."

Seishin was interrupted of his question when Tomio was heading out.

"Yes. I'm heading out to check on Matsu. Jin, when you're done, you can leave. I appreciate the help" Tomio said, driving off.

(Youth OST ends here)

The young monk was contemplating on the recent event. He decided to broaden his search.

(Play Shiki OST - Fir Trees)

'There's a library across from the Ookawa Liquor Store. I guess I'll ask the librarian Mr. Yuzuki some questions too' Seishin thought.

######

Seishin arrived at the library to talk with the librarian. It was a middle aged woman.

"Oh, Junior Monk, I'm sorry. Yuzuki-san quit his job all of a sudden" the female librarian said.

"What? Don't tell me... Did he passed away?" Seishin said in surprise.

"What? No, no. He just quit his job. That's why I'm working two jobs - here and the nursery next door. He was a popular person among the children. We're all surprised when he suddenly asked for retirement. He seemed to like it here... I wonder if he's heading somewhere" the female librarian explained.

######

Back at the temple, Seishin was writing out information from what he heard.

'Shimizu Ryuuji, Hirosawa Takatoshi, Oota Kenji, Saeki Akira, Takashima Yasuo... All of them quitting their jobs so suddenly' he thought.

"Mr. Yuzuki quit his job all of a sudden."

The female librarian's voice provided another clue needed.

######

It was a cloudy Friday, September 16. Natsuno and Jin were at their school. They noticed a familiar girl nearby.

"Oh Aoi" Natsuno said.

"Ah, Natsuno and Jin. What is it?" Aoi asked with a happy tone.

"What happened to Tohru? He's absent again" Jin said.

"He's probably playing hooky" Aoi said.

"What?" Natsuno asked.

"He recently bought a new video game, so he has been playing it all this time. He was laying around like he's in a trance" Aoi said.

"I see" Natsuno said.

"Well, I want to go on a drive with her this weekend, but I'm not confident to ask her out."

Natsuno and Jin remembered what Tohru asked for.

"Are you two going to stop by today?" Aoi asked.

"Oh, not today. We'll be stopping by earlier than usual tomorrow" Natsuno said, smiling.

(Fir Trees OST ends here)

######

It was a sunny Saturday, September 17. Natsuno and Jin were on their way to visit Tohru for his date.

'I still can't believe that Tohru would be dating Ritsuko' Natsuno thought.

'What Aoi said yesterday... It's starting to bug me. I have a bad feeling about this' Jin said, quickening his pace.

Natsuno noticed Jin walking faster till he noticed him running to Tohru's place.

"Jin! What's wrong?" Natsuno asked.

By then, Toshio arrived at the house, much to Natsuno's shock.

'He's from the Ozaki Clinic...! That means...' Natsuno thought.

Jin rushed his way inside, seeing Toshio coming in frantically. Aoi and Tamotsu were waiting for the doctor.

"Otou-san, the young doctor came! Jin is also here" Aoi said.

"Doctor" Mutou said frantically.

Natsuno now felt a dreadful sensation creeping on his back.

In Tohru's room, Toshio and Jin were examining Tohru. Toshio used a flashlight to find any pupillary reflex on the eyes. Jin was looking for a pulse. The Mutou family was waiting for an answer. Both noticed their down hearted expression. Jin was emotionless, realizing he lost a dear friend.

"Mutou-san, this is..." Toshio paused.

Natsuno was slowly walking up the staircase to Tohru's room. The sensation was growing stronger with each step.

"Hey... What is wrong with Onii-chan? Is he sick?" Aoi asked reluctantly.

Mutou forcefully closed his eyes, hiding his pain.

"Your brother is... Tohru...is dead" Mutou said.

(Play Shiki OST - Pray)

A wave of shock spread across the family. Natsuno also realized the nightmare he and Jin had. The cold sensation showed him that the dream was real. He saw Megumi's figure biting Tohru's neck. There was blood on her lips. This shocked Natsuno deeply. Jin walked away from the family like a zombie. Everyone noticed his actions. They couldn't do anything for him.

'Shimizu' Natsuno thought.

(Pray OST ends here)

######

Natsuno was at his place, feeling depressed. He heard a knock on his door. His mother, Azuza, showed a comforting expression.

"Natsuno? We should go to the wake now" Azuza said.

"Please go on ahead..." Natsuno said.

"Okay. Ah yes. You got a postcard. It's an end of summer greeting card" Azuza said.

Natsuno looked at the card and saw who it was sent from. He saw the surname 'Shimizu' written on the letter. This shocked him when he saw the name.

"This 'Shimizu-san' is the girl who passed away last month, right? To think that you're receiving her postcard right now" Azuza said.

Natsuno calmed himself down. He reasoned his mother with a logical sentence.

"It's probably due to a delay in the delivery. It's nothing we should be worried about" Natsuno said calmly.

######

Outside, Jin was walking. He had an emotionless expression on his face. From the Murasako house, Masao noticed Jin. He was surprised to see one of his friends looking so zombie-like.

'Tohru... Your friends and family are missing you now. Jin is in shock' Masao thought with concern.

He then heard an adult male voice shouting frantically.

"Tou-san! Hiromi is...!" The voice said.

"What? What is the matter?" Munehide asked.

Masao went downstairs and saw his older brother rushing.

"He's looking strange. We'll take him to the Ozaki clinic immediately" Masao's brother said.

"What? Is he feeling sick? Complications from a cold or something? Does he have a fever?" Munehide asked.

"No" Masao's brother said.

"Yet, why is he like that?" Munehide asked.

"Hiromi! Hiromi! Hey, it's your grandpa. Can't you hear me?" Munehide called to Hiromi.

Jin noticed the Murasako family heading out. He noticed their frantic actions.

"You have a sick patient? I'll phone Toshio-sensei so he'll know" Jin said.

The Murasako family were surprised of Jin wandering about. They noticed his expressionless face.

"What happened to you, Jin?" Munehide asked.

"I'll answer later" Jin said.

Masao noticed Jin helping the Murasako family. Although slightly envious, he felt bad seeing Jin like this.

"We're heading out to the clinic" Masao's brother said.

"Alright, I'm coming too" Munehide said, going into the car.

Masao looked at the car, noticing Hiromi looking unresponsive.

'Hiromi isn't feeling well at all. Jin was right, something strange is happening' Masao thought.

"Masao, take care of the house while we're gone" Munehide said.

Masao watched as the car left to the clinic. Jin was nearby, showing an emotionless look.

"Snap out of it, Jin. This isn't like you" Masao said.

"Tohru's dead... My best friend...was killed" Jin muttered.

Masao didn't hear him, but he can feel Jin's pain.

"Today... My parents had the same illness that Hiromi has... I saw them looking sick" Jin revealed.

Masao was shocked of his friend. He looked so broken from his mind. He brought him in his house to calm him down.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Blue Bell)

Natsuno was looking outside his window with the postcard Megumi sent him.

'Shimizu... I'll never forgive you for taking Tohru's life. It's meaningless for you to get my attention' Natsuno thought.

He proceeded to rip the postcard to shreds. After shredding it, he tossed it out and closed his window.

######

In the Murasako household, Masao's elder brother was talking with his wife of Hiromi.

"Do you want me to carry him?" he asked.

"It's fine. I'll send him back to bed" his wife said.

He looked at Hiromi with a sullen expression.

"It took pretty long to run the tests... I wonder if he'll be alright" Munehide said.

"Oyaji, although the young doctor told us that it might be a difficult anemia case, he told us to bring Hiromi in again if he gets sick, even if it's the middle of the night" Masao's brother said.

"Even so..." Munehide paused when he saw Masao and Jin.

Masao's older brother noticed them and took note of Masao's expression. He looked worried for Jin, who appeared emotionless.

"Jin, are you alright?" Masao's brother asked.

"Munetaka Murasako-san... Don't lose sight of any of your family members from now on... I've already lost someone I knew. I don't plan on losing another friend" Jin said.

Munetaka and Munehide were surprised of Jin telling them this. They felt terrible, seeing Jin become like this.

"I hope Hiromi feels better... I'm worried about Chizuko-neechan. The number of people getting sick and dying are increasing... I fear for the other's safety" Masao said.

"Watch your tongue, Masao" Munehide exclaimed.

Jin looked up with a cold expression at Munehide. This stopped everyone as they noticed the cold sight.

"What should I say, Otou-san...? That people are just getting sick and we shouldn't worry about it? Jin's already lost a best friend and he's become depressed for the whole day. Tell me, what should I say!?" Masao exclaimed.

"Masao!" Munehide yelled.

Munetaka placed his hand on his father's shoulder to stop him.

"Enough already, Masao! You're acting unreasonable since Hiromi got sick!" Munetaka said.

"That's what I'm trying to tell you! It would be a wise choice to watch out for everyone. Whatever is spreading in Sotoba, it's going after anyone. I'm already concerned enough for you all, along with my friends" Masao said in concern.

Munehide responded by slapping Masao. This got Jin angry enough to clench his hand on Munehide's arm.

"What...are...you doing, Murasako-baasan?" Jin said coldly.

Munehide noticed Jin looking angry. He didn't like the fact that he was squeezing his arm harshly enough to bruise it.

"I'm growing tired of your callous attitude with Masao-san. Get it together for once, Murasako-baasan!" Jin yelled.

Munehide was surprised of Jin becoming angry. He didn't take note how serious his expression was.

"If I end up hearing Masao getting ill and he's dead..."

Jin went to a nearby rice bag and punched it harshly. The blow caused it to spill the bag's contents out.

"...then you won't like what you'll see me then" Jin said, showing his cold, dark expression.

(Blue Bell OST ends here)

Munehide didn't want to cause a scene but was frightened of Jin. He reluctantly left the room to calm himself down. Munetaka went to the boys to talk with them.

(Play Shiki OST - Pray)

"Forgive me of my father you two. He has been over the edge since Hiromi was ill" Munetaka said.

"All the more reason for me to act like that since he showed a careless attitude to my friend" Jin said.

"Still, I never seen you like this, Jin. What became of you to become so cold like this?" Munetaka asked.

Jin looked at Munetaka's face. He noticed Jin's expression which was full of sorrow.

"Today...is Tohru's funeral" Jin said.

Jin left the house in sorrow. Masao followed along, trying to help comfort him.

'Masao... You're not a self-centered person after all... Otou-san was wrong in spoiling him, yet Jin was able to help break that out of him' Munetaka thought.

######

Outside, Jin was running. Tears were streaming out of his face. Masao followed him, trying to catch up to him.

"Jin, wait up man! Calm down" Masao shouted.

Jin stopped and noticed the funeral happening. Masao noticed it and was worried for him.

(Pray OST ends here)

######

In the funeral home, everyone was mourning. Jin walked inside with Masao following.

'Tamotsu and Aoi-chan are here' Masao thought.

Jin and Masao took notice of the Masao family being quiet. They heard the parents sobbing.

"Everyone... Forgive me for coming suddenly. I came to see Tohru for a final time" Masao said somberly.

Tamotsu and Aoi nodded in response. Natsuno walked in, getting Jin's and Masao's attention.

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

"Where's Tohru?" Natsuno asked.

Tamotsu pointed to the coffin, where Tohru's body lied in. Jin, Natsuno and Masao walked up to the coffin. They took note of Shizuko and Mutou, weeping uncontrollably.

The boys looked at coffin with sorrow in their hearts.

"May we see his face?" Jin asked.

"Sure" Mutou said.

Mutou went to the coffin and opened the two small doors that showed Tohru's face. The three boys stared at his corpse, feeling a dreadful sadness encompass them.

'He's but an empty shell' Natsuno thought.

'I wonder where he went' Jin thought.

'I wish there was a way to bring him back' Masao thought.

"Please accept our condolences" Natsuno said while bowing down.

Jin and Masao followed along. The boys don't know what to say or what to express.

"We don't know what we should say at a time like this" Masao said.

"It's frustrating for all of us" Natsuno said.

"So frustrating" Jin followed.

"You three are right... I'm disgusted with myself, and so angry" Mutou answered.

"So are we" Natsuno said.

The three boys left the funeral home, feeling the sadness within them grow. Masao couldn't take it anymore and was mourning quietly, tear shedding. Jin held his emotionless look, but his face was laced with tears.

'Tohru' they all thought.

(Eau De Vie OST ends here)

#####

In the Mutou household, the three boys were with Tohru's siblings. All of them were depressed.

"Tohru was a good man. He always looked out for his friends" Masao said.

"He was a great guy. He always stayed close to the people he meets" Jin said.

"We often used to fish together at the stream. It was fun times with him. I'll miss those days with Tohru" Masao said somberly.

(Play Shiki OST - Dead Sea)

Natsuno remained quiet, not wanting to say anything. This irked Masao a little, but Jin placed his hand on Masao's shoulder.

"We're all mourning, Masao... Even Natsuno" Jin said.

Masao looked at Natsuno and calmed down. He began to realize that Natsuno wasn't a cold person.

"Nothing will help bring him back if we sulk... It's time we keep an eye out for what's happening in the village" Jin said.

"What do you mean?" Natsuno asked.

"I have my suspicions, but this case of anemia is already making me more alert. I'll let you guys know of this in advance. Don't invite anyone in your house during the night. Also, don't bother going out in the late night either" Jin said.

Natsuno and Masao were confused at first, but understood the message.

"I swear... I'll find whatever took Tohru's life... If possible, I want to find whatever's responsible for killing him" Jin said coldly.

Aoi and Tamotsu were surprised of the cold demeanor. They stood up and went to him.

"We can help if we can" Aoi said.

"No, I don't want you two to risk yourselves because of what I'm trying to find. You need to stay alive as long as you can" Jin stated.

"Jin, I'll try to help as well. Masao, you also want to find the real cause for Tohru's death right?" Natsuno said.

Masao nodded in response, feeling determined to find the exact cause.

"Alright, I'll follow along. What do we need to do" Masao asked.

"I need to confirm something from Natsuno and you, Masao. We'll talk about this back in Natsuno's place. My home isn't safe anymore" Jin whispered to Natsuno and Masao

Natsuno was shocked of what he heard.

'Jin, your parents were attacked from a vampire, weren't they?' Natsuno thought in question.

"Alright, I understand" Natsuno said.

######

Natsuno, Jin, and Masao left the Mutou household. They all walked in separate directions.

"Let's head back to our places quickly. It's no longer safe" Jin said.

The boys took off quickly, heading back to their homes.

(Dead Sea OST ends here)

"Jin... If whatever comes up and it gets to me, be sure to provide a peaceful burial for me" Masao said.

Jin placed his hand on Masao's left shoulder.

"I'll make sure you won't die, Masao. You're someone whom I can relate with for Tohru. He would want us to get along with each other" Jin said.

Masao was surprised and slightly moved with tears. The boys walked to the Murasako household. Masao went to open the front door.

"Tch, Otou-san must have locked it when we left to see Tohru. Don't worry, we can head in from the back" Masao said.

"I'll follow along. I don't want you to get afflicted from a disease" Jin said.

Masao and Jin went to the back of the Murasako shopping house. While walking there, they noticed a figure walking, wearing a white, funeral kimono.

"Who was that?" Masao said.

"I don't know, but I got a bad feeling about this" Jin said.

They followed the figure, noticing it going to the back of the house.

"I don't think going in conventionally will be safe. Good thing the drain pipes are sturdy enough for a person to climb on" Jin said.

They suddenly heard bushes rustling near them. Before they had the chance to see what was near them, a flurry of leaves obscured their vision.

(Play Shiki OST - 13th floor)

Masao noticed a figure falling on to him.

'That's Yuzuki-san, the librarian!' He thought in shock.

Jin couldn't move the flurry of leaves surrounding him. He noticed Yuzuki falling near Masao.

"MASAO! LOOK OUT!" Jin yelled.

It was too late. Masao was attacked by Yuzuki. He revealed his teeth, which showed vampiric fangs. Jin heard flesh being torn. The leaves were shaken off and he was able to see what happened. Masao was bitten by Yuzuki.

"MASAO!" Jin yelled.

Yuzuki fled from the area immediately. The Murasako family heard Jin yelling.

"What happened" Munehide asked.

"Masao... He... He was stricken with the same disease" Jin said in a shaking tone.

The Murasako family noticed Masao, looking fatigued and expressionless. He was looking paler than usual.

"Let me set up a futon for him! When did he start getting sick?" Munetaka asked.

"He starting acting sick when we got here...!" Jin revealed.

Munetaka was shocked from what he heard. He quickly placed Masao in his room and in his futon. Munehide remained silent, now realizing the situation.

"Why did you lock the shutters for the front door...?" Jin questioned.

Munehide didn't answer. This made Jin angry.

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU LOCK THE SHUTTERS OFF WHEN WE LEFT!?" Jin questioned loudly.

"It's because I'm tired with Masao" Munehide said.

Jin was about to punch Munehide but didn't reach his face. Munehide didn't expect the punch and closed his eyes in response.

"Just forget it... I'm not wasting my time and energy arguing with you" Jin said emotionlessly.

(13th floor OST ends here)

######

It was midnight on Monday, September 19. Megumi went to Natsuno's place and noticed the torn postcard she sent to him.

'Yuuki-kun' Megumi thought.

She went on her knees to examine the torn postcard. She was left in tears upon seeing the pieces. She slowly picked up some of the fragments, examining them.

'Why can't you accept my feelings...? Not even Jin would accept me' Megumi thought.

She walked away from the house, still crying. Her eyes were black while she looked. Upon looking back at Natsuno's place, she turned away with an angered expression. Her pupils glowed red in the dark.

######

In the Murasako household, Toshio and Jin were examining Hiromi. Jin's expression didn't alleviate. He was still expressionless, still in shock.

"Forgive me" Toshio said with sadness.

A wave of sorrow came up to the Murasako family.

"How could this...?" Munehide said in question.

"Hiromi! HIROMI!" Chizuko said in sadness.

Munehide silently mourned, but noticed Jin. It felt as though realization struck him harshly on his heart.

In Masao's room, he was unable to move. His anemia left him bedridden. He couldn't speak nor do anything physically demanding. It felt like his body was turning like a statue.

######

During the evening, Natsuno looked at where he tossed the shredded postcard.

"Just as I thought. She did come here" he said.

He looked at some of the fragments, noticing traces of moisture.

"However, I won't be so killed easily" Natsuno said with determination.

######

During the night of Tuesday, September 20, Masao passed away. No one bothered to find him, leaving him to die alone. In the Kirishiki's mansion, Sunako looked at a cup of blood with a smile.

'The plan is going well and the people don't know it yet. This village, along with Mizobe Town shall become a place where all my kind can roam freely' Sunako thought.

######

During the morning, Toshio and Jin were examining a patient.

"His name is Katou Yoshihide. According to his wife, Katou Sumie, he was bedridden for quite some time" Jin said.

Toshio was concerned for Jin's mental state. He looked worse for wear. Despite that, he was doing his best to help the clinic. He resumed his examination of Yoshihide.

'High heart rate, abnormal rapid breathing, excessive construction of the pupils, and bluish discoloration of the skin due to lack of blood... It's the same thing. The bite marks... The infections IS caused by vectors. Jin may have been right, but we don't know whether it was a person biting them yet' Toshio thought.

Sumie began explaining what was happening to him.

"He was bedridden for two to three days. He said he'd be fine if we slept, but now he's like this. Doctor, don't tell me its pneumonia" Sumie said.

"I'll have to draw blood from an artery to know" Toshio said.

"Yes sir" Ritsuko said.

"We don't know the exact cause, so a sample is needed" Toshio answered to Sumie.

"I really thought it was a cold. He also said that to me. So I gave him herbal remedies to help. My mother-in-law taught me how to make it" Sumie said.

This irked Jin and Toshio as the woman explained.

"It was made to revitalize the body, but it didn't work" Sumie said.

"What on earth were you thinking?!" Toshio yelled.

This surprised Sumie, along with the other nurses.

"Cyanosis is occurring! Why didn't you call an ambulance?! On top of that, you have him herbal medicine?! Why would an amateur like you make a diagnosis and give him medicine on your own?!" Toshio yelled.

"Calm the hell down, Toshio-sensei" Jin said coldly.

Toshio heard Jin's voice. It was dark, and cold. To the people around him, it looked as though, the bright and cheerful boy they once knew that helped them, is now fading away.

"Forgive me for the outburst... I was stressed to find out the exact cause of this illness" Toshio said respectfully.

"In any case, we'll call an ambulance and have him taken to the government hospital" Jin said.

######

At the meeting room, the nurses were talking of the sudden yelling from Toshio and the cold stare from Jin.

"I was pretty surprised. I've never seen the doctor yell at an outpatient's family. Plus, Jin's expression was completely opposite of how I saw him" Yuki said.

"Yeah" Kiyomi said.

"I can understand, though" Yasuyo said.

Yuki and Kiyomi looked at Yasuyo, who proceeded to explain.

"The people are becoming worried since there have been so many deaths recently. We have been very busy with all the people coming to the clinic over even the smallest of matters, right? On top of that we have yet to find any preventive means for the epidemic. Plus, these are people that Jin grew up with" Yasuyo explained.

"Well, when someone's that tense, of course one would get upset when told they used herbal medicine from a family teaching" Kiyomi said.

"It really has been getting busy lately. Today's morning consultation hours got extended to this late in the day too" Yuki said.

######

Outside the clinic, Toshio and Jin looked physically and mentally exhausted. They were sitting on the garden bench to relax their thoughts. Seishin arrived and noticed them looking fatigued.

"Is that you, Seishin?" Toshio asked.

Jin looked up and noticed the monk. He bowed in respect to him.

"We're you able to get anything useful from the villagers?" Toshio asked.

"Yes, although I don't know if it had anything to do with this matter" Seishin said, handing a sheet of paper, showing names.

(Play Shiki OST - Dead Sea)

Toshio read the names listed on the paper.

"Oota Kenji, Hirosawa Takatoshi, Saeki Akira, Takashima Yasuo, Shimizu Ryuuji, and Ookawa Shigeru... These six people had jobs outside the village, and they all quit prior to death" Seishin said.

"It's rather unrelated to the epidemic. But all of them?" Toshio said.

"There's more. The population is starting to decrease" Seishin said.

"I'm well aware of this, painful as it sounds. Are you teasing me?" Toshio asked.

"No. Not only because of the death count, but there have been people suddenly moving out of the village without notifying their neighbors. Just from what I was able to find out, there were twenty-two families, but no one reported a change of address" Seishin said.

Jin looked at the names. He read them carefully. Toshio looked uninterested, but the facts were slowly becoming truthful.

"So? What of it?" Toshio asked.

"Don't you think it's strange? Even Takami-san, the resident police officer's wife, didn't report it. It's no mistake that something is happening to the village" Seishin said.

Jin remained quiet, listening to the details.

"Isn't the epidemic just one of the phenome-?" Seishin was interrupted by Toshio.

"That's enough already! Who gives a damn about people who left of their own free will?! The epidemic is increasing in momentum! There are more people dying than we could save! And yet you're investigating things that have nothing to do with it!" Toshio yelled.

"Toshio-sensei...! Look, I believe Seishin found a vital clue of this. There may be a way to stop the cause of the epidemic" Jin said.

"How will this provide any help?!" Toshio yelled to Jin.

Jin showed a cold expression on his face.

"I'm as stressed as you are...! For God's sake! Get a grip of yourself for once, sensei!" Jin yelled back.

Toshio was shocked and calmed down.

"Sorry about that, Seishin... I'm just stressed out from handling this epidemic" Toshio said.

Seishin understood and calmly bowed.

"It's okay. Try to relax yourself" Seishin said.

Toshio was angry at himself. He felt uncomfortable of his actions.

'I'm just like him... My father' he thought.

"So, what are you proposing to do?" Toshio asked.

"We'll have to monitor the village to make sure no one has the symptoms or show any signs of refusal. This includes moving out, performing unusual actions etc... This will help provide a chance for us to intervene and treat the patient" Jin said.

Toshio was a bit surprised but he didn't like the idea. It felt too much of a problem than dealing with the clinic alone.

######

Jin was at the Chigusa restaurant, having green tea. He felt his sorrow increase with each sip.

"It feels like one funeral is happening after another. Men and women, young and old... What in the world is happening?" Tae said.

"Toshio and I are still finding the cause. However, we have yet to find out the deaths that have been occurring" Jin said.

"Jin-chan... I hope you're doing okay" Motoko said, hugging him.

Jin was not okay. He tried to hide it, but tears were slowly welling up. Motoko noticed his expression, and hugged him close, trying to relieve him from his pain.

"It's ok, Jin-chan. Don't hide the pain anymore" Motoko said.

Kasumi and Tae watched Jin wailing out his sadness and felt sorry for him. They saw him at Tohru's funeral.

"Its okay, Jin. We're still here" Kasumi said calmly.

"Please... Make sure you keep yourselves safe for the night... I fear for all of you" Jin said.

Kasumi and Motoko didn't understand what Jin meant. He looked at them with his teary eyes.

'It's painful for someone as young as him go through such pain and loss' Yae thought with sympathy.

######

In the hidden church, Seishin was sitting inside, trying to sort his thoughts out. He heard the temple door open, knowing Sunako would be arriving.

"Muroi-san?" Sunako called out.

"Sunako" Seishin said.

"I saw the light from the window of my house, so... Remember the promise?" I brought your book to have you autograph it" Sunako said.

(Play Shiki OST - Twilight)

Seishin proceeded to autograph the book Sunako brought in.

"This is kind of embarrassing" Seishin said bashfully.

"Thank you. I'll cherish it" Sunako said, walking out of the church.

"Sunako... You shouldn't be going out so much at this time" Seishin said.

Sunako looked back at him, feeling offended.

"Oh, so you are bothered by having your territory violated" Sunako deduced.

"No, that's not it. With your condition, it's easy for you to catch infectious diseases, so..." Seishin said.

"Oh? You checked up on my illness? That makes me happy. But you don't have to worry about it. We have a live-in doctor at home since my mom has the same illness" Sunako said.

"I see. The. Your mother needs to know this as well. I want you to keep it a secret, though. An unidentified illness had been spreading around the village right now" Seishin said.

"Unidentified?" Sunako asked.

"Yeah" Seishin answered.

"Is it a dangerous disease?" Sunako questioned.

"It is" Seishin replied.

"That's terrible... We came here all the way to recuperate, but it's more dangerous than staying in the city, isn't it? These things do happen, though. After I was lucky enough to meet you... Is it alright if I come here once in a while?" Sunako asked.

Seishin didn't realize it, but Sunako was making a fake impression of her being concerned.

"It's not something that requires my permission. But do be careful" Seishin said.

Sunako noticed Seishin's expression looking sullenly

"Are you feeling down again?" She asked.

Seishin took a calming breath to relieve himself.

"Toshio is feeling more down than I am. He's feeling impatient, frustrated, and angry for not being able to save his patients. Plus, a helping person named Jin is also stressed as well. I want to help them somehow. But I can't do much for them. Toshio almost lost it but Jin calmed him down. He has been upset with himself. Normally, he doesn't let himself act like that. That's why it's so heartbreaking" Seishin explained.

Sunako looked at Seishin with sympathy. She placed her right hand on his head to calm his worries.

"Your feelings don't connect, huh? I feel sorry...for both Doctor Ozaki and you, Muroi-san" Seishin said.

(Twilight OST ends here)

######

It was a sunny Wednesday, September 21. The day was not pleasant for Jin. He was at the Murasako family house.

"Yes, what seems to be the problem, Jin?" Chizuko asked.

"I'm here to visit Masao" Jin said.

Chizuko led Jin to Masao's room. When he approached the door, he smelled a pungent stench. He opened the door and noticed Masao, dead with a horrified expression. This made Jin more bitter and angry.

"Where the hell is his father and brother?" Jin asked, barely restraining his anger.

Chizuko called Munehide and Munetaka. They came to Masao's room and noticed Jin, restraining his anger.

"Why the hell didn't you call the clinic for him?" Jin questioned.

"He was a spoiled brat and would increase our bills" Munehide said without hesitation.

Jin immediately dashed and uppercut Munehide to the face. Munetaka and Chizuko were surprised of what they saw.

"You bastard! You only killed Masao off because of your carelessness! You're no longer someone whom I can trust ANYMORE!" Jin shouted at the man.

Jin left the house in anger. Munetaka looked at his father with shame. Chizuko also looked at Munehide.

"Jin was a positive influence for Masao... He wanted him to become more mature and understanding. He was starting to, but you killed him off. My own brother, died alone with no treatment and no one to see him" Munetaka said with disgust.

######

In Mizobe Town, Natsuno was at a video store. He found a couple of DVDs relating to vampires.

'This feels rather awkward, but what choice do I have...? The only thing that helps in understanding the circumstances that are happening is to know the common myth of these 'vampires'' Natsuno thought.

He bought the DVD movies and went back to Sotoba.

######

Later in the night, Natsuno went to Tohru's place.

"Good evening" Natsuno said.

"Oh, Natsuno. What is it?" Aoi asked.

"Nothing. Just came by to visit. Where's Tamo-chan?" Natsuno asked.

"I think he's upstairs with Jin" Aoi answered.

Aoi made a sad expression. This got Natsuno's attention when he saw it.

"Did you go to the wake for Masao?" She asked.

Natsuno was surprised of what he heard.

"Masao died...?! Damn it, did the doctor find out what caused his death?" Natsuno asked.

"The doctor couldn't tell, but Masao was left alone in his room" Aoi said.

'Damn it... They had to attack one of us now. I'll find out what are they and I won't let them get away with this' Natsuno thought.

"You're a caring person" Aoi said to him.

"I'm trying to find any answers as to what is happening in Sotoba. I was out in Mizobe, looking in the library" Natsuno said.

Natsuno went to the guest room and proceeded to watch the vampire movies. Tamotsu came by and noticed the number of DVD cases.

"Would someone normally rent a horror movie and watch it a house of a family in mourning?" He asked.

"Would a comedy movie have been better?" Natsuno asked on retort.

Tamotsu read the title on the DVD case.

"'Draculady?' Is that really comedy? You like this kind of stuff?" He questioned to Natsuno.

"No" Natsuno answered.

Jin walked by, noticing Natsuno watching the movie.

"Watching vampire movies, Natsuno...?" Jin asked.

"It's something I need to find out" Natsuno said.

Jin understood what he meant.

"If I'm not interrupting anything, how about dead people coming back to life?" Tamotsu asked.

This got Natsuno's and Jin's attention. Tamotsu noticed their body language, knowing he hit the mark.

"Ah, taking the bait already? We have what are called the "Okiagari" in this village" Tamotsu said.

"'Okiagari'?" Natsuno questioned.

"It roughly translates, 'The Risen'" Tamotsu said.

Natsuno and Jin looked at him with surprise.

"That certainly got your attentions now, huh?" Tamotsu asked.

Natsuno looked away but Jin continued listening to the conversation. This made Tamotsu laugh in response.

"Since we bury the dead in the village, legend says the dead would rise up at night and come to punish children who misbehaved. When I was a kid, if I stayed up late, Dad would scare me by saying 'the Okiagari will come to get you!' Tamotsu said.

This intrigued the boys, now knowing new details. They decided to pay a visit to the folklore library tomorrow.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Momento Mori)

Wednesday, September 22. Natsuno and Jin were at the folklore library. They were searching for books regarding about the Okiagari.

'There aren't any books on the Okiagari or vampires at all...' Natsuno thought.

'We may have to search carefully to find what we need' Jin thought.

Both boys were thinking carefully. They then looked at the librarian's office.

"Could it be...?" Natsuno said in sudden thought.

Jin followed Natsuno, behind the librarian's desk. Natsuno opened a drawer to find several slips of paper. All had the name 'Muroi Seishin' written on them since August 28.

"Muroi-san has been reading these books? We should be heading to the village temple to talk with him" Jin said to Natsuno.

######

The temple was a long walk up. The stone staircase was rather long, reaching up to 2/3 of a mountain's height. Both boys were able to climb the staircase, but they were fatigued.

"I'm sure Muroi-san is here. We'll have to find him" Jin said.

Natsuno nodded and proceeded to look around with Jin following along.

"Oh? We have two charming visitors, dear" a woman in an elegant kimono said.

"Hello" Natsuno said.

The boys took notice of two figures at the atrium. They noticed the woman who appeared young for her age. She was wearing an all-black elegant kimono. Her hair was tied up to a ball on the back. Her bangs covered her forehead, giving her an elegant appearance. Near the woman was an elder man. From Jin's understanding, the elderly man was the head monk of the temple. He was bald, but had long facial hair. He couldn't move from his bed at all, due to a spinal injury. The man looked somewhat encumbered by his inability to walk, but kept an aura of serenity.

"That's Muroi Shinmei and Muroi Miwako" Jin said.

"I know you two. You're the son of Yuuki-san who moved into the village last year right? I've seen you a couple of times in the village" Miwako said to Natsuno.

"Next to you is the son of Sora Homuro and Sora Hikari. You're becoming the helper of the village, Jin" Miwako said to Jin.

"Pleased to meet you, Muroi-chan. Um... Do you know where Seishin-san?" Jin asked.

"Oh, you wanted to see him? I'm sorry. He's out on business. I think he'll be back soon. Would you mind waiting a little? Why not have some tea?" Miwako offered.

"Oh. No, thank you, Muroi-chan. He checked out some books we wanted to see from the library, so we stopped by hoping that he'd let us check them quickly" Natsuno responded.

"Oh, so Seishin interfered with two students' studies? He writes novels on the side, so he often checks out lots of library books to use as research material" Miwako said.

"Oh... So he's a novel writer. Maybe one day I would be able to read one his works" Jin said in slight admiration.

"Research material for novels, huh?" Natsuno questioned in surprise.

The boys bowed respectfully to Miwako and Shinmei.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Youth)

It was a cloudy Friday, September 23. The villagers were talking about a recent death. Jin was passing by, hearing them out.

"Hey, I heard that old man Yoshihide of the Katou family passed away last night" an elder female villager said.

"Oh my..." Another elder female said.

"That old man drank a lot and broke down many times, so..." An elder man said.

"I'd better watch out how much I drink, too" a middle aged woman said.

"Still why?" A male elder asked.

"There'll be more and more!" A voice called out.

(Youth OST ends here)

Everyone, including Jin, looked to a red haired elder.

'That's Itou Ikumi-baachan. I wonder why she's here.' Jin thought, drinking a small can of coffee.

"My word... Ikumi-san, you say that every year, don't you?" An elder woman said.

"Kanemasa! The incidents in this village have been happening since they moved here! Those people must have brought this calamity with them!" Ikumi said.

"No way" the elder man said.

"It's true!" Ikumi retorted.

"Despite that, the people at Kanemasa moved in after those people in Yamairi died" a middle aged woman said.

"This all happened ever since that house was built! That place is bad luck! They shouldn't have built that house there!" Ikumi shouted.

Jin didn't shake his head in disbelief. Ikumi inadvertently revealed another clue.

'If I'm correct, the first case started with Megumi when she was ill. She said she visited the house prior to her death. Ikumi-baachan, you have no idea that what you said might help a great deal' Jin thought.

"Well, that house sure is out of place in this village, but..." The elder male said.

"You guys are hopeless!" Ikumi said, walking off.

Jin sighed and started to ride his bike on the way to the Ozaki clinic.

######

Jin arrived at the clinic, taking note of a new patient.

'That's Etsuko Gyouda-san. She must've fallen ill from the anemia epidemic' Jin thought.

Jin took notice of Toshio, looking tired.

"Does Etsuko-san have the same thing?" Ritsuko asked.

"Probably" Toshio said.

"How do we treat her?" Ritsuko questioned.

"Let's provide her with some iron and vitamin supplements. We don't want to use antibiotics too much, so give her small doses. We also need to try a complete blood transfusion. I feel bad for the patient, but at this point, we just have to try a variety of things" Toshio said.

"Yes sir" Ritsuko said.

Jin helped with the IV machine. He applied the blood bag on to the tune to begin the IV therapy.

######

At the lounge, the nurses were discussing of the current events. They were having their lunch.

"I wonder if Gyouda Etsuko-San also has it" Isaki said.

"Yeah, it looked that way, judging by the color of her skin" Yasuyo said.

"It's rather...scary to see it now" Yuki said with worry.

The nurses remained quiet, feeling the threat of the disease becoming more encumbering to them. They eventually heard the phone rang. Ritsuko went and picked up the phone.

"Oh, Takano Fujiyo-san? Didn't you say that you'd take the day off today?" Ritsuko said.

"Yes. Um, is the doctor in?" Fujiyo asked.

"He's currently meeting with someone right now. Would you like me to get him?" Ritsuko replied.

"Um... No, that's okay. Well, would you just tell him that is like to quit my job as of today? I'm sorry to quit when it's busy, but I'm already scared enough from this outbreak. Many people have died one after another... It's making me think I might be the next victim... I just..."

Fujiyo's tone was so frightened, Ritsuko could hear her sobbing in fear. This unnerved her as she listened to Fujiyo.

"The doctor says we'll be fine, but the truth is, we don't know, right? When I dispose of the used instruments, I get dreadfully nervous, worrying about some needles sticking out" Fujiyo said.

"Alright. I'll let the doctor know" Ritsuko said.

The other nurses heard the conversation and were shocked.

######

It was a clear Saturday, September 24. Toshio and Jin were at the Gyouda household. Both looked concerned for Etsuko.

"Etsuko-san, I thought we informed you to come first thing in the morning today" Toshio said.

"Yeah, but I haven't been feeling well today" Etsuko said in an eerily calm tone.

"It's true that you seem a little better, but with your condition, you shouldn't let your guard down. Now, come here. I'll draw some blood" Toshio said.

Etsuko turned around from washing dishes. She had an emotionless look on her face. This unnerved Jin as she got close to Toshio. When she sat down to get her blood drawn from her left arm, he saw the telltale bite marks on her arm. He mentally shook his head to calm himself down.

"Be sure to come in tomorrow. I'll open the clinic at one o'clock" Toshio said.

"But tomorrow's Sunday" Gyouda said.

"Don't worry about it. If you don't come, we'll drop by here again" Jin said.

######

Jin and Toshio were outside, walking.

"We gave her vitamin supplements, blood transfusion, and antibiotics. She recovered from her anemia quickly. The strange thing is, an ordinary person shouldn't recover that quickly" Jin said.

"I noticed. It means we may have a chance to treat the others as well" Toshio

"In any case, I'm gonna pay a visit to the Maeda household. Somehow, I feel concerned for the family" Jin said.

"Alright. You can see them, but don't stay too long. I need your help in some procedures since the nurses have their individual roles" Toshio said.

"I understand, Toshio-sensei" Jin said.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Crimson)

Jin arrived at the Maeda house by bike. He knocked on the door of the Maeda household.

"Excuse me, is Maeda Motoko here?" Jin asked.

"Coming" Motoko said.

Motoko came to the foyer and noted Jin's arrival. Her kids came up to him, following their mother.

"Oh, Maeda Shigeki-chan and Maeda Shihori-chan. How are you two doing?" Jin asked in a calm tone.

"We're doing alright, Onii-chan" Shihori said in a cute manner.

"Nii-san, can you come play with us?" Shigeki asked.

"I'm sorry you two, but I'm pretty busy. I'm helping Ozaki-sensei treat people who were feeling sick" Jin said to the kids.

"Aww... We'll wait till you come back Onii-chan" Shihori said.

"Okay" Jin said.

The kids left outside to play near the house. They managed to catch a dragonfly while playing.

"Look, Onii-chan! Shigeki-nii caught a dragonfly" Shihori said.

Jin took notice and was impressed of the boy.

"That's amazing, Shigeki-chan. Keep practicing so you can catch one for your friends or sister" Jin said.

Motoko giggled, seeing the interaction.

"You're like an older brother figure to this family, Jin-chan. I'm glad that you're with my kids when they were young" Motoko said.

(Crimson OST ends here)

Jin scratched his head while laughing nervously. He noticed a middle aged, but muscular man lying on a basket chair and watching TV. He had a Caesar's haircut style but his hair was white. He was wearing a red, muscle shirt and dark brown pants. He looked fatigued and was ready to fall asleep.

(Play Shiki OST - Muddy Water)

'That's Maeda Iwao, Father-in-law of Motoko. I know that he has a brutal personality. People say he's stubborn like an ox' Jin thought.

Motoko noticed his condition and felt concerned for him.

"Um... You don't look so good today. Maybe you should go see the doctor. I heard that people have been getting sick from a summer cold that's spreading" Motoko said.

"Why should I? I'm fine and there's nothing wrong with me" Iwao said in a fatigued tone.

"That's right, Motoko. See for yourself" a woman said.

Jin looked back and noticed an elderly woman with blond hair. She was wearing a pink sweat shirt with blue outlines and black pants. Jin didn't like this woman at all, due to her judgmental, and harsh attitude. He remembered how abusive she was with Motoko, often reassuring her till she was brave enough to stand against her.

'Of all the people I've encountered in Sotoba, Maeda Tomiko is the worst' Jin thought disdainfully.

"He's healthy as a horse. You make a fuss about the littlest things. You're just a timid deer. Heck, you're even scared of your own shadow" Tomiko said.

"Shut up... I'm heading to bed early. Some rest is all that I need" Iwao said.

'I sincerely doubt that... Better inform Toshio about this' Jin thought.

Tomiko looked at Jin and made a rude look at him.

"Is there something that you find unpleasant about me, Maeda-baachan?" Jin asked.

"You, working with the doctor, despite now having a college degree. It sickens me to know that a child like you has an outstanding performance in the clinic" Tomiko said.

"I'm using my knowledge to help the doctors find the cause of the summer cold. Geniuses may be born once in a while, but it depends on how one aspires to be in the future. I don't boast about my intelligence so watch your mouth" Jin said with a hint of anger.

Motoko placed her hand on Jin to calm him down. Tomiko left in disgrace, having been retorted by Jin's explanation.

(Muddy Water OST ends here)

"Forgive me of my sudden loss of composure, Maeda-chan" Jin said.

"It's okay. Also, it's fine if you call me Motoko-chan. You have been a familiar figure to the village for the past seven years" Motoko said.

"Thank you, Motoko-chan. Anyway, I should get going. Toshio's waiting for me in the clinic" Jin said.

"Alright, Jin-chan. Be careful out there" Maeda said.

"I will" Jin said, riding his bike to the clinic.

######

It was a breezy Sunday, September 25. Toshio and Jin were impatient, waiting for the call from Etsuko. Reluctant, they decided to call the household.

-Hello, Gyouda residence- a man said.

"Oh, Gyouda Bungo-san. This is Ozaki, calling from the clinic" Toshio said.

-Oh, Waka-sensei- Bungo said.

"Is Etsuko in the house? My partner and I were expecting her to come to the clinic today" Toshio asked.

"No, well... She says she doesn't want to bother you on a non-consultation day, so I thought I'd see how she does and have her see you on Monday" Bungo said.

This irked Toshio. It didn't seem right that she suddenly showed disinterest to the clinic.

"I asked her to come in" Toshio said.

Bungo was surprised but didn't say anything.

"I'll stay at the clinic waiting for her. If she doesn't want to bother me, please come by at the promised time and let me go home soon" Toshio said.

"Alright, Waka-sensei" Bungo said.

Toshio hung up the phone, feeling a sense of dread.

"Jin, I'll allow you to stay over the clinic. I know that your parents feel ill, but I'm sure we can prevent them from dying. I'll bring them to the clinic so they can rest" Toshio said.

"Thanks, sensei. I'll do what I can to help you" Jin said.

(Play Shiki OST - Epitaph)

'Normally, doctors don't have the right to order their patients to come in. It's a breach of a patient's autonomy and privacy. They also don't have the responsibility to supervise villagers' lives' Toshio thought.

######

Monday, September 26. In Natsuno's place, he was making a cross using wood and aluminum strings. He felt somewhat doubtful of the cross he made.

"Will this thing really work?" He asked himself.

He laid down on his futon, trying to understand the situation. Images of Megumi suddenly came to him. This agitated Natsuno, forcing him to pound his futon in anger.

'The Okiagari... I won't let them get me or Jin... We lost two friends already. It's already frustrating enough to know that these 'things' exist. Damn it, I hope Jin is safe out there' Natsuno thought.

(Epitaph OST ends here)

######

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

During the night, Jin was heading back to the clinic on bike. While he was riding his way, he heard several bushes rustling in the forest. This got him on edge, forcing him to peddle faster.

'It's that same feeling... Someone's stalking me just like at that time a month ago...!' Jin thought.

He noticed Yuzuki in his funeral kimono going after him.

"No way in hell I'll die from you, you bastard!" Jin yelled.

He pedaled as quickly as he could. Jin noticed several figures in the darkness following along. He was starting to panic, realizing that he was being chased. He quickly made a sharp turn to a nearby road to lose the figures.

'I don't think they lost me yet. Better make sure they don't go after me' he thought.

Jin quickly hid up in a tree, remaining very still like a statue. The leaves masked his scent, allowing him to hide from the Okiagari. He noticed Yuzuki, looking for him.

"That's strange... I thought he was here" Yuzuki said out loud.

"You do realize that you're risking us of being discovered...! Do yourself a favor and stop targeting the kids! This'll alert the village" a female voice said.

Jin noticed a 6 year old girl nearby. Despite her appearance, she sounded mature for her appearance.

'Dang it... This is making things complicated... I hope the wild dogs arrive to distract them' Jin thought.

Much to Jin's luck, the wild dogs were scavenging in the woods. This forced Yuzuki and the young girl to leave the forest. This provided Jin a rough escape, but he made it to the clinic unscathed.

"That was scary...! I was lucky enough to avoid the Okiagari before they could bite me... I need to head in and sleep in the clinic. I can't stay in my house anymore. Hopefully, my parents get transferred in. They're starting to grow sicker" Jin said to himself in worry.

(Eau De Vie OST ends here)

######

It was a cloudy Tuesday, September 27. Jin and Toshio were examining Iwao, who was dead. Tomiko was wailing of her husband's death. Motoko and her husband, Isami Maeda.

"He hasn't been feeling well?" Toshio asked to Mokoto.

"Yeah. He seemed really exhausted lately" Motoko said.

"Did he seek help?" Toshio questioned.

"No. He said that he wanted to get some rest" Motoko said.

Tomiko immediately looked at the doctor with an irritated look.

"That's right! He's hardly ever been sick in a day of his life! My husband was as strong as an ox! He knew he didn't have health problems in the past!" Tomiko shouted.

"Well, for now we'll diagnose his death via heart failure. However, we're not truly certain without conducting an autopsy" Toshio said.

This made Tomiko angry in a second. She proceeded to argue with the doctor.

"What did you say?! Watch your mouth, young man!" She said, planning to slap Toshio.

Toshio dodged the slap effortlessly, but was almost caught off guard.

"I will not allow you to cut my husband's body!" Tomiko said with conviction.

"That's going to be a problem for the rest of you... If you don't allow us to find the exact cause, you're risking yourself to catch what he had. He didn't seek any medical help 24 hours prior to death. Toshio won't be able to issue a death certificate by then" Jin said coldly.

Toshio was nervous that Jin almost let the idea of the outbreak slip. This however, provided a positive effect of shutting Tomiko's mouth. She reluctantly decided to listen, albeit immaturely.

"Okay, I see now. This is why I hate doctors" Tomiko said.

Jin and Toshio were concerned for the woman's mental state. They knew she would lash out at any moment.

She went to a drawer from a shrine to get her purse out

"So, how much does it cost to get a death certificate these days?" Tomiko questioned.

'She's completely nuts' Jin thought disdainfully.

"I think there's been a misunderstanding" Toshio said.

"That's how it works, doesn't it? I pay additional fee and in return, you write up a death certificate for me" Tomiko said.

Jin and Toshio shocked their heads, losing their composure. They both stood up, keeping quiet. Jin looked at Tomiko with a cold expression.

"You just kept ranting on how healthy your husband was! Healthy people don't drop dead! There was OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH HIM! AREN'T YOU EVEN CURIOUS OF WHAT CAUSED HIS DEATH!?" Jin shouted.

"Why should I be!? What good would it do?! Knowing what killed him won't bring him back!" Tomiko retorted.

Jin sighed to calm himself. He began to provide a reasonable explanation.

"You're right about that... It won't bring him back from the dead... But, IF YOU HAVE TAKEN HIM TO A DOCTOR IN THE FIRST PLACE, WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS ARGUMENT IN THE FIRST PLACE!" Jin shouted, causing Tomiko to move away, gasping.

She then looked at Motoko with an insane look. Jin quickly realized she was about to slap her. He quickly grabbed Tomiko's right arm to stop her.

"Don't even think about taking your problems to someone else, you OLD HAG!" Jin said angrily.

He then proceeded to squeeze her arm harshly, bruising her. Toshio and Isami pulled them away before both could break into a fight.

"This all happened because of her! She wouldn't stop nagging at him! She's always worrying about everything and finally too exhausted for him to treat. She's the reason my husband died!" Tomiko said with insanity.

"QUIT BLAMING OTHERS JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE WAS CONCERNED! YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A SENILE PERSON WHO RELISHES ON PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM YOUR ABUSES!" Jin retorted.

Toshio held Jin on a tight leash to prevent him from lashing out. Jin calmed down, but was still angry.

"I've said enough... Isami-san, Motoko-chan... Forgive me for losing my composure like that" Jin said in shame, bowing to the couple.

"It's okay. We didn't expect you to suddenly lash out like that" Isami said.

By then, the kids came in. They worried of what they heard.

"Come now, you two. Let's head to a different spot to play at" Motoko said.

Toshio got a call from his cellphone. It was from the Gyouda household.

"We better head to the Gyouda household, Jin. Let's hurry!" Toshio said.

Jin bowed to the Maeda family and left the house quickly.

######

They were in the Gyouda household, checking on Etsuko. Both showed a melancholy expression, bringing Bungo to tears. Both left the household in complete despair.

"Damn it...!" Jin said.

Toshio was also stressed. He threw off a temper tantrum by punching and kicking the air. Jin wasn't fairing any better. He kept punching and kicking a nearby tree, making his hands bleed from splinters.

"What the hell's going on!?" Jin shouted.

Both of them noticed Natsuno from a distance. They regained their composure, but felt dreadful. Jin and Toshio walked up to Natsuno.

"Hey Natsuno" Jin said with an exhausted tone.

"Hey Jin, Sensei" Natsuno replied.

Toshio began to talk with him.

"Good to see that Jin is friends with you" Toshio said.

"Yes. Anyway, I have a question for you, Sensei" Natsuno said.

"Oh?" Toshio said in surprise.

"It's about Shimizu Megumi. You two examined her, right?" Natsuno asked.

"Yeah. But I was the one who wrote her death certificate" Toshio said.

"Was she really dead? Well, there are sometimes cases of brain death, right?" Natsuno asked.

Jin knew what he was asking. He let Toshio do the talking, preferring to remain silent.

"It wasn't a brain death. Her death was due to acute heart failure. She also showed liver mortis and rigor mortis. If there were even the slightest possibility of her being alive, we would've treated her, even if the family tried to stop us" Toshio answered.

"Then... Then there's absolutely no way that Shimizu-san would come back to life?" Natsuno questioned.

Toshio laughed from the question. Jin knew what Natsuno was asking.

'Natsuno, you thought ahead. Thanks for helping provide the hint to him' Jin thought with a grateful smile.

"If she did come back to life after all this time, she would be either a zombie or a vampire" Toshio said.

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

Immediately, Toshio got shocked of what he said. Jin smiled, knowing he was somehow understanding what's happening.

'What the hell did I just say?' Toshio thought in question.

"Okay. Sorry for asking such a weird question" Natsuno said, bowing to the doctor before leaving.

"Hey! Why did you come to ask that question?" Toshio asked.

Natsuno stopped in surprise and looked back. He remained quiet for a few seconds till he left. Toshio began to remember the cases of the victims. Various voices, including his own, surged in his head.

"It starts off with anemia. No injuries, save for insect bites. The population of the village is decreasing. There have been many sudden moves. In this village, we still have a custom where we bury the dead. Some families continuously have deaths while others don't. I wonder if it depends on their genetics. The complete blood transfusion was effective?"

All the voices surged in his head, essentially providing the clues he needed. This made him pull out a cigarette to start smoking. He tried to produce a fire from the lighter, but nothing came out. He slowly began to realize the true cause of the outbreak.

'This is...not an epidemic?' Toshio thought in question.

######

At the hill in Kanemasa, two kids were overlooking the Kirishiki mansion. Akira and his sister, Kaori, were watching the place. Akira was armed with a steel baseball bat.

"Did you really see him here?" Kaori asked her brother.

"I told you I saw him wondering here, didn't I?! There's no mistake on whom I knew. It was Yasuyuki from the lumber shop, who should've been dead. I saw him Coke into the Kirishiki residence!" Akira said.

"Yasuyuki-san from the Ootsuka family..." Kaori said.

"The villagers are dying one after another because they're doing something!" Akira suspected.

"Still, I'm afraid of what might happen let's talk to an adult and get their help" Kaori said in a shaking tone.

"I also told you this! The adults wouldn't believe our story, even if we explain it. We have no choice. We have to do this!" Akira said.

Unknown to the siblings, they were being watched by Tatsumi. He heard everything from them and was amused of their vain efforts.

(Eau de Vie OST ends here)

'I'll commend on their bravery for once. However, they're a threat to all the shiki. I need to kill them off' Tatsumi thought.

He began to sneak his way to the kids. However, he noticed Natsuno and Jin arriving.

'Tch... What timing... No matter, I'll let them live a little longer' Tatsumi thought sadistically.

"Hey" Natsuno called out.

Akira and Kaori were surprised and turned to the source of the voice.

"What are you guys doing here?" Jin asked.

Akira and Kaori moved back to the bushes. Kaori went behind Akira, who was ready to attack. They then noticed Jin and Natsuno. Both calmed down and began explaining.

"U-um, we were..." Kaori said frantically.

"Hmm? I remember you. You're Shimizu's friend, Tanaka Kaori, if I recall" Jin said.

"Uh, y-yes" Kaori said.

Akira looked at his sister, feeling concerned.

"Kaori, who are these guys" Akira asked.

"Come with us" Natsuno said.

They were both surprised but followed Natsuno and Jin.

######

They went at the base of the Kanemasa hill. Natsuno began to explain.

"There was someone watching you two" he said.

This surprised Kaori and Akira.

"We didn't notice the person watching us" Kaori said.

Natsuno looked at Akira with a serious expression.

"What were you doing there?" He questioned.

The siblings remained quiet, but Akira answered.

"Nothing" he lied.

"Carrying a steel baseball bat at this time..." Jin said before pausing.

Natsuno also paused and realized something.

"You guys also had suspicions of the family in that house, do you?" Jin asked.

This got Akira's and Kaori's attention.

"No way... You saw them too?" Akira asked.

Natsuno and Jin nodded. Akira dropped his bat in shock and relief. He went to Jin and dashed at him, crying.

"What's wrong?" Jin asked in surprise.

"You're the first one! There's someone who believes in me! No listened to me! We tried to talk with our parents about the recent and deaths and who was responsible! They didn't believe us at all! I saw it! I saw someone who was supposed to be dead go inside the mansion" Akira explained.

'Knowing Tanaka Yoshikaze and Tanaka Sachiko, they wouldn't. Any ordinary parent wouldn't believe their kids saying something like this' Jin thought.

"Calm down. In any case, we can't speak out here" Natsuno said.

"You're right" Akira said.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Momento Mori)

The group arrived at the sacred springs of the village. Natsuno began explaining to the Tanaka siblings on the information he found with Jin.

"The people refer to them as the Okiagari, right?" Natsuno asked.

"Eh?" Akira said in confusion.

"In this village, that term is used to refer on those who died and suddenly come back to life from the grave, right?" Natsuno said.

"That's right, the Okiagari! Yasuyuki from the lumber shop died in August. He didn't seem like the Yasuyuki I knew. He was always nice to us, so there's no way I'd confuse him with someone. His eyes... They were black with a dull red glow on them" Akira said.

"Jin and I saw Shimizu" Natsuno said.

"What?! Megumi is back from the grave?" Akira asked in surprise.

"No way... Before she died, Megumi-chan told me she saw Kirishiki-okusan. Even Yasuyuki-san" Kaori said.

This caused Kaori to gasp and hyperventilate. Jin quickly leaned down and supported her.

"Take deep breaths... Don't let yourself pass out, Kaori" Jin said.

Kaori was able to calm herself down.

"But even so..." Kaori couldn't continue, feeling uncertain.

"I had another encounter with one of them. More specifically, the former librarian, Yuzuki" Jin revealed.

Natsuno, Akira and Kaori were shocked of what they heard.

"What happened?" Akira asked.

"Masao and I were walking out from Tohru's place and heading to the Murasako household. The moment we went to the back door, Yuzuki suddenly attacked us. We tried to run away, but Masao was caught and bitten. I saw him collapse and ran while Yuzuki chased me down. He...killed my friend" Jin in a shiver.

"God... That sounds worse than seeing Megumi" Natsuno said in shock.

"That's not all... During the night, when I was often heading back to my home, I often felt someone stalking me. The feeling was unusual, not to mention creepy. Each time I head to my place, I was lucky enough to evade whatever was stalking me. However, I had a brief glimpse of what I saw. It was Kirishiki-okusan, trying to attack me" Jin said.

The gang now realized that Jin had more horrifying experiences than Natsuno, Akira, and Kaori combined.

"Why didn't you tell me this?" Natsuno questioned.

"You wouldn't believe me if I said 'I have a bunch of vampires stalking me down' would you?" Jin retorted.

"Good point there... We'll have to find out for sure" Natsuno said.

"Meaning?" Jin asked.

"We'll have to dig up Shimizu's grave" Natsuno declared.

"What?!" The siblings said in unison.

"Natsuno's right. We'll know from then on whether she has risen or not" Jin said.

"You're right about that, Jin-niichan, Natsuno-niichan! We should do that!" Akira said.

The group was being watched by Tatsumi. He now realized that Jin and Natsuno were aware of the threat since the start.

"Hah!" He said in mock laughter.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Crimson)

It was midnight on Wednesday, September 28. Masao woke up in a flower field. He took notice of several lotus plants on the ground he was laying on.

'Is this heaven...?' He thought.

He slowly realized that he was alive. His vision shifted to a dark, enclosed space with dead lotus plants.

'What the hell...?! I'm supposed to be dead! How am I still alive' Masao thought.

He proceeded to bang on the coffin roof, trying to find a way to get out. He was trying to yell, but he couldn't make a sound. He realized that he wasn't breathing from his lungs.

'This isn't right...! What could have caused me to suddenly rise up from the dead...?! Am I an Okiagari?' Masao thought frantically.

Masao kept banging on the coffin. He was making gurgling sounds, trying to scream.

'I remember now...! That librarian... He attacked me each night, draining my blood... Yuzuki... That bastard kept biting me till I was sucked dry of my blood' Masao thought.

By then, he heard the dirt being shoveled. He remained quiet, not knowing what is happening. The coffin opened, revealing Tatsumi with a rolled up, periwinkle shirt and pants.

'Who is this guy?!' Masao thought.

"Hi! You lost your voice, right? Don't worry. There's a trick to talk. When you speak, do I like you're breathing" Tatsumi said in a friendly manner.

Masao then realized something. He wasn't breathing at all.

'I'm not breathing... But how...?' Masao thought in shock.

"Don't worry, Murasako Masao-kun. You'll get used to it soon. Here" Tatsumi said, helping Masao out of his grave.

Masao was brought out of his grave. When he looked down, he realized that he was truly buried. This made him panic.

"Calm down!" Tatsumi said.

Masao stopped and felt dreadful of his current state. He looked at Tatsumi with despondence.

"That's right! That was your grave you rose out from. You...were dead" Tatsumi revealed, shocking Masao.

"I died?" Masao struggled with each gurgle.

Masao was unable to comprehend his sudden resurrection. It almost induced him in a panic attack. Tatsumi placed a reassuring hand on Masao's right shoulder.

"Like I said, calm down and listen to me. You came back to life" Tatsumi said.

"Came back? I'm one of the Okiagari?" Masao said in shock.

"Sounds like that's what you call it in this village. You came back to life, though you're no longer a human" Tatsumi revealed, shoveling the dirt to hide the grave.

"The Okiagari?!" Masao said.

Masao began to shake violently, trying to adjust to his current nature. It felt too foreign for him. This made Tatsumi sigh in response.

"Would you prefer to go back in your grave? It's not like everyone comes back to life, you know" Tatsumi said.

Masao remained silent, not intending to answer. He was despondent of his current form.

"I'm afraid that your nephew, Murasako Hiromi, didn't come back to life" Tatsumi said.

"What?!" Masao asked.

"You can smell the sweet scent of decomposition in the air, right?" Tatsumi said.

"Hiromi died... What about the others that the Okiagari killed?" Masao asked.

"Only a select few people can come back to life. In other words, your special" Tatsumi said.

"Special?" Masao questioned.

"That's right. You are now our precious friend" Tatsumi said.

'Friend...? How can I consider him a friend after what they have done?' Masao thought.

"But listen, Masao-kun. Although you won't die from illness or age, that doesn't mean you're invincible" Tatsumi said, fully covering the grave up and placing the tombstone.

"If you get decapitated or get staked through the heart, it'll kill you. But would anyone actually do things like that?" He questioned to Masao, who shook his head reluctantly.

'Only if you realize that you'll make the people fight back. Jin, I can't be present near you now... Please forgive me for coming back as an Okiagari' Masao thought.

"Also, you're vulnerable to sunlight. If you're exposed to it, you'll be burned like candle wax and die after a while" Tatsumi said, shocking Masao.

"That's right. If you stay here until morning, you'll be burned to death" Tatsumi revealed.

"Then, where am I supposed to go?" Masao questioned.

"That's why I'm here" Tatsumi said.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Muddy Water)

In Yamairi, Masao and Tatsumi were at an empty house.

"Yamairi?" Masao questioned.

"Yes. You'll go to sleep at dawn and wake up at sunset. The sleep is very deep, almost coma-like. You won't be able to fight against it, so it leaves you vulnerable. You'll know what k mean when morning comes" Tatsumi explained.

He led Masao in a different room for him to sleep at.

"You'll be okay sleeping in here. Also, what's important is nourishment. If you don't feed, you'll die from starvation. The only form of sustenance is human blood" Tatsumi said with a smirk.

'Blood?! No way would I want to feed on someone's blood...! That means, I'm already a vampiric being' Masao thought.

"You can call ourselves whatever you like... Bloodsuckers, vampires, nightwalkers etc..." Tatsumi said.

"Are you telling me to freely attack people for sustenance?!" Masao questioned with anger.

"Yes, that's what I'm implying. But it's nothing to be concerned about, right? It's no different than humans killing animals to eat them" Tatsumi said, attempting to brainwash him.

Masao looked at him with mild surprise.

"You've eaten beef and pork, right?" Tatsumi asked.

Masao didn't answer, knowing that Tatsumi would attempt to brainwash him.

"This is needed for survival. Care to give it a try?" Tatsumi said.

Tatsumi opened a door to a mid-sized room. Masao saw a young boy that was kidnapped from Sotoba. His Shiki instincts started to kick in, but he was repulsed of what he was doing. He moved back, not wanting to bite him.

"Who is that?" Masao asked.

"You don't need to know. When you feed on him, he'll die. We weakened him for that purpose" Tatsumi said with a hint of sadism.

"I refuse to drink from a human..." Masao said.

Tatsumi looked at him with a serious expression.

"Do you just want to leave? The moment you do, morning will come and you'll fall asleep. This will leave you vulnerable as the sunlight will burn your flesh till you die" Tatsumi said.

Masao struggled with his thoughts. He didn't want to attack the boy, but he was concerned of not informing Jin what he heard. Tatsumi started to walk up to him.

"I told you that you're our precious friend, didn't I? How do you think the others would feel if you acted however you please?" Tatsumi asked at Masao's face.

Masao couldn't answer from the intense stare. He held his ground from Tatsumi.

"I happen to be exceptional, even among our people. I can stay awake during the day, and can go out in the sun with no ill effects. I might throw you outside after you go to sleep. I might even stake your heart or decapitate you" Tatsumi said, his eyes glowing red.

This made Masao lose his ground. He collapsed, feeling despondent of the situation.

"Well, it means that you can't be selfish like humans forever" Tatsumi said in a calm tone.

Masao felt guilt-ridden. He didn't want to hunt humans down.

"Take a look over there. You see that glass in the corner of the room? This happens to everyone. It takes a bit of courage to attack your first victim, so it's okay for you to choose that, too" Tatsumi said in encouragement.

He then pushed Masao to the unconscious boy. Masao looked back at Tatsumi who watched.

"Don't worry. As long as you follow my instructions, everything will be fine. You have the privilege to kill" Tatsumi said, closing the shoji.

Masao looked at the kid and struggled. His Shiki instincts took over, forcing the sclera of his eyes to become black. His pupils turned blood red, which glowed in the dark. He didn't attack the kid. He chose the cup of blood. He drank about 1/4 of its contents.

(Muddy Water OST ends here)

######

It was a sunny Thursday, September 29. In the clinic, a new patient arrived.

"Sensei! Waka-Sensei! Setsuko is..." Tokujirou said.

(Play Shiki OST - Fir Trees)

"Tokujirou-baasan, bring her here" Jin said.

Toshio brought Setsuko's prone form to the bed. She looked weak and terrible. He and Toshio provided space to Tokujirou.

'Nao, Susumu, Mikiyasu, and now, even Setsuko...' Tokujirou thought.

"How could this keep happening, Waka-Sensei? Toshio-kun, Jin-kun... Please be honest with me. What is happening in this village?!" He questioned them.

Toshio stood up, albeit in an exhausted way.

"Tokujirou-san, I'm thinking of having Setsuko-san stay at the clinic" Toshio said.

"Stay at the clinic?" Tokujirou said in question.

"Don't worry. We plan to protect Setsuko-san" Jin said.

######

It was Friday, September 30. At the Tanaka household, Akira and Kaori brought a couple of garden spades.

"Where are you guys going?" Their mother, Sachiko, asked.

The Tanaka siblings quickly hid the spades behind their backs.

"W-we're heading out" Akira said.

"Be sure to come home soon, okay? I have to attend funeral duty tonight. Be sure to stay home while I'm gone" Sachiko said.

"Funeral duty? Did someone else die?" Kaori asked.

"Old lady Motohashi Tsuruko" Sachiko said.

The siblings looked at each other, unable to say anything.

"I'm getting called out on business like this all the time lately" Sachiko complained.

######

Outside, Akira was in a good mood, humming a song in an amusing manner and walking like a soldier in a funny way. This irritated his sister.

"Oi Akira. Why are you in such a good mood all of a sudden?" His sister asked.

"Huh? Why else?! They'll know we're right eventually!" Akira said.

Kaori stopped walking for a second.

"On second thought, we shouldn't do this" Kaori said, making Akira groan.

"I'm sure Natsuno-san and Jin-san will change their minds too" Kaori reasoned.

This made Akira groan louder.

"We shouldn't do things like this" Kaori reprimanded.

"Listen to yourself, Kaori... What has gotten into you? We're not a kid anymore" Akira retorted.

(Play Shiki OST - Blue Bell)

"Of course we're kids! Especially Natsuno-san and Jin-san. Both of them are a year older than us. Believing in vampires or the Okiagari is childish to start with, right? For a stupid reason like that, I can't... I can't mess with Megumi-chan's grave. She was my friend!" Kaori said.

"It's no stupid reason. Jin said it himself. He saw more than just one of them. He had close encounters with some when he was heading back home" Akira said.

Kaori stopped and realized what she said. She felt terrible upon thinking of it.

"Natsuno-niichan and Jin-niichan will be there. We'll need proof to let everyone know! If you're acting like a coward, by all means, head back home! I'll be helping them" Akira scolded to his sister.

######

At the Ozaki clinic, Toshio was with Seishin. Toshio's mother was also there. Jin was also present with them.

'I didn't think Ozaki Takae would show up here. Either way, I need to help the clinic. No time for distractions' Jin thought.

"About what happened the other day...? I'm sorry for my sudden anger" Toshio apologized to Seishin.

"Don't worry about it. Was there something you want to talk about?" Seishin asked.

"Yes" Toshio said.

"I also have something I want to tell you, too. Can I go first?" Seishin asked.

"Sure. What is it?" Toshio responded.

(Blue Bell OST ends here)

Jin was listening to the conversation. He decided to find more information of the village.

"Ishida-san from the village office went missing. Prior to his disappearance, he told me that recent death reports and forms were all missing from the office. Now we won't be able to let the people outside the village know about the numerous deaths here" Seishin said.

'Ishida-san went missing...?! This is going out of control... Those Okiagari are going to pay for this' Jin thought with anger.

"Oh, I see. That's the situation" Toshio said.

"Do you understand what this means? As it stands, we won't be able to involve the local government in this case" Seishin said.

"Well, forget about the epidemic" Toshio said.

"Toshio..." Seishin said in surprise.

"Say, Seishin. At some point, you wrote in an essay that this village is surrounded by death, right?" Toshio asked.

"What's this about, all of a sudden?" Seishin questioned.

"I think...that's the state this place is in right now. It's like the momi firs that symbolize death in this village are trying to swallow everything, don't you think?"

(Play Shiki OST - Epitaph)

"What are you trying to say exactly?" Seishin questioned.

"I think I've found the answer to these mysterious deaths" Toshio said.

"He's right. About time you finally understand, Sensei" Jin said.

"You knew all this time?!" Toshio asked in surprise.

"You didn't consider my theory of the case" Jin retorted.

"Well said... Anyway, there were various symptoms, starting with anemia. Pale skin and lethargy were evident. Cold sweat was being exuded from their skin. The pulse is hard to detect but it's rapid and the heart rate is fast. In the end, multiple organ failure follows, leading to death. I was so obsessed with the idea of an epidemic that I overlooked the idea of hemorrhagic shock" Toshio explained.

"But you said there were no external injuries or internal bleeding" Seishin said.

"Oh, there were. Marks that look like insect bites at first glance. But, according to Jin, they're not made from insects. Not even the Japanese mountain leech can make the same shape. It sounds farfetched, but I believe it's the Okiagari" Toshio said.

(Epitaph OST ends here)

(Play Shiki OST - Eau de Vie)

Like a shockwave, Seishin was shocked from the sudden revelation. He quickly sat down in shock, trying to cope with the strain.

"Toshio... That can't be right" Seishin said in shock.

Toshio lit his cigarette. He was also stressed of the revelation.

"The Okiagari... You can call them vampires, too. By just accepting such an absurd existence, we can deduce all the answers from here" Toshio said.

"Wait..." Seishin said.

"Dying from hemorrhagic shock is one thing, but no disease would force people to quit their jobs or move out so suddenly. It's likely they possess a hypnotic effect on their victims, telling them to move or quit their jobs to hide their existence. This is also used to hide the mortality rate, so it won't go up. It's possible for the Okiagari to do this" Jin explained.

"Toshio..." Seishin said.

"You have more knowledge of the occult than both of us, Seishin" Toshio said.

"That's not the point" Seishin said.

"You have a better explanation then?" Jin asked.

Seishin didn't respond. He remained quiet.

"Then, let's find out" Toshio said.

"How?" Seishin questioned.

"For now, we'll assume the Okiagari exist" Jin said.

"Right now, we have Yasumori Setsuko staying at the clinic right now. We decided to protect her by keeping a night watch in her for a while. They'll come out at night. If things go well, we might discover or capture the enemy. Seishin, please help us with this" Toshio said.

Seishin remained silent for a bit.

"Let me think about it a bit" Seishin said.

By then, an alarm blared from Jin's stopwatch.

"Toshio, I'm heading out to see Natsuno. Think you can handle the clinic from here?" Jin asked.

"Yes, I can take it from here. Come back during the night, alright?" Toshio said.

######

Jin arrived at the meeting point, where Natsuno was waiting.

"Good to see that you came here, Jin" Natsuno said.

"Likewise" Jin replied.

Akira and Kaori arrived at the spot.

"Natsuno-niichan, Jin-niichan" Akira said.

"Good, you all made it" Natsuno said.

"Of course!" Akira said with enthusiasm.

"Jin, take one of these" Natsuno said, handing Jin a shovel.

"Okay, this is good for me" Jin said.

"You too" Natsuno said to Kaori, handing her a weeding hoe.

"You guys know where Shimizu's grave is, right?" Natsuno asked.

"Yes, but..." Kaori said nervously.

"Let's go. We can't back down from this after seeing what's happening here. We have to find out the real truth" Jin said.

######

On the way to the grave, the sun was starting to set.

"Hey Natsuno-niichan, Jin-niichan. Won't it look suspicious with threnody is carrying things like these?" Akira asked.

"Just act confident. They'll believe what they see" Jin said.

The siblings were confused at first till Natsuno explained.

"If you act like you're going to help dig a grave, no one would pay it any mind" Natsuno said.

"I see! You two know your ways. It's amazing" Akira said.

Kaori remained quiet, remembering Megumi's funeral.

'This is the path the funeral services carried Megumi's coffin through. The path that the adults took to being Megumi to a dark pit...' Kaori thought with hidden fear.

The group arrived at Megumi's grave. Natsuno and Jin began to put on their shovel gloves.

"A-Are we really going to do this?" Kaori asked with surprise.

Jin nodded and finished equipping his shovel gloves. Kaori gasped, staring at the grave. She felt a sickening feeling in her stomach.

'Megumi is down there...' She thought.

"Here we go" Jin said.

(Eau de Vie OST ends here)

Kaori began to imagine seeing Megumi's decaying corpse in the coffin.

"No!" She said, losing her balance.

Kaori fell on to the ground and noticed a small gift box.

"This is..." Kaori said.

"What's that?" Natsuno asked.

"This was the birthday gift that I got for Megumj. It was on her coffin when she was buried. She wanted to go to college in a big city, so I got her a good luck charm. Why is this here?" Kaori questioned, holding the omamori on her hand.

(Play Shiki OST - Momento Mori)

"It means someone may have dug this grave up already" Jin said.

"Then Megumi really did..." Kaori said, leaving the sentence open for an answer.

"Come on! We can't stay here when the nighttime hits" Natsuno said.

Jin nodded his head and began digging. Akira followed along, feeling determined.

"Akira, wait" Kaori said.

"I'll help" Akira said.

"Megumi, forgive me!" He said.

Kaori watched as the three boys were digging the grave up. She then picked up the weeding hoe to help them even the dirt.

######

Dusk was coming, providing little time for the group. They kept digging in the grave, despite how much time has passed.

"It sure is deep. Kaori! Be sure to even the dirt out so it won't fall back in, please" Akira said.

"Don't be bossing around" Kaori said to her brother.

By then, Jin and Natsuno felt a solid mass. The shovel made a 'thunk' sound, indicating they hit the coffin.

"Did you two hit the coffin?" Akira asked.

"It sounds like it. We're almost there. We need to speed up before the sun sets" Jin said.

######

Night has fallen. The group managed to reach the coffin, finding the doors that reveal the face. Unknown to them, someone was watching them.

"Alright, we've dug enough to force it open" Natsuno said.

"Yeah. At any rate. The cover usually gets nailed shut, right?" Akira asked.

"That figures. We suspected as much" Natsuno said.

"Natsuno-niichan, Jin-niichan" Akira said.

"Wait a minute!" Kaori said in surprise.

"We're gonna open the cover!" Natsuno and Jin said.

Akira and Kaori were feeling queasy but Akira was ready to see what was inside. The moment Jin and Natsuno opened the coffin lid, Kaori closed her eyes in shock.

(Momento Mori OST ends here)

"It's empty" Akira said in shock.

True to Akira's words, there was nothing inside, save for the dried up lotus flowers. There was an indent of a human figure in the middle, indicating laid there.

"Looks like we're right all along" Jin said.

Kaori opened her eyes and noticed the empty coffin.

"Now we know. Shimizu has returned from the grave" Natsuno said.

"No way... That's impossible. Megumi-chan..." Kaori said in disbelief.

The group's guard was low, causing the figure watching them to attack. The figure snaked its hands on Kaori's mouth, preventing her from screaming. Natsuno, Jin and Akira noticed.

"What's wrong?" Natsuno asked.

Jin realized that Kaori was being dragged away! He rushed to her while Natsuno and Akira followed.

"Kaori! Give her back!" Jin shouted.

'What? What is happening?! Is this a person? The skin feels cold like ice' Kaori thought.

Jin raced his way to Kaori's position. He noticed a shadowy figure with red, glowing eyes. It was about to bite Kaori's neck. She saw the fangs in plain sight.

'Oh no!' She thought in panic.

She reached out in her pocket and pulled out the omamori from her pocket.

'Please help me, Megumi-chan' Kaori thought in desperation.

The figure released Kaori upon seeing the omamori. A male voice sounded out, which sound frightened.

"Get down!" Jin shouted.

Jin swung his shovel on the man's head. Upon seeing the figure, he was shocked of what he saw.

"Guys, are you two alright!?" Natsuno asked.

"Y-yeah" Kaori answered.

"What's with that guy?" Akira asked.

Jin went to his nose and mouth to check for breathing. He was shocked of who the person is.

'That's Hirosawa Takatoshi...! He was supposed to be dead!' Jin thought in surprise.

"He isn't breathing. This guy wasn't breathing at all. Plus, his skin feels cold" Jin said.

"What?!" Akira asked.

"This man is Hirosawa Takatoshi. He has been dead this whole time, yet now he became an Okiagari" Jin said.

"D-Did you kill him?" Akira asked in a frighten tone.

"I don't think so. He appears to be knocked unconscious" Jin said.

"Still, you saved Kaori. Thanks, JIN-niichan" Akira said

"No problem. The only thing we need to do is hide him" Jin said.

Natsuno and Jin began dragging the body to Megumi's grave.

"Hey, you shouldn't do that! What are you two thinking?!" Kaori asked.

"This body has no body heat the moment it attacked you, Kaori. If Hirosawa-san was still alive, the body heat would still be present" Natsuno said.

"His hand was cold when he grabbed me" Kaori said.

"I told you all... He's an Okiagari" Jin said.

(Play Shiki OST - Day and Night)

"He appears to be like a regular person no different from us, except his skin. It looks pasty white" Kaori said.

"Again, if he was still alive, there would be body heat and breathing present. Hirosawa-san didn't exhibit those signs" Natsuno said.

"Does that mean he might start moving again?" Akira asked.

"It probably might be the case... Let's throw him in Shimizu's grave" Natsuno said.

"Are you sure?" Kaori asked.

"We'll come back here again, tomorrow. Even if someone finds it, as long as they don't know we were all here, it'll be fine. Plus, if he's still moving, then he would leave the grave by then" Jin said.

"We're all scared of what we did just now. However, this is probably something that need to be done. Unless someone does it, this village will meet its end" Natsuno said.

"Let's take care of this" Jin said.

The group dragged the body to the grave. It was an arduous task but the group dragged Takatoshi to Megumi's grave. They partially buried him.

"That should do" Natsuno said.

"But he isn't completely buried yet" Akira said.

"Precisely. If he's an Okiagari, it's be better if he's found by the adults. Everyone will then realize what is happening in the village" Jin said.

"I see... You're right" Akira said.

"Let's all head home. We'll come here first thing tomorrow morning. Try to relax yourselves and get a good night's sleep" Natsuno said.

"Yeah" Akira said.

Kaori looked at Takotashi's unconscious form. She then shivered and ran back to her brother.

(Day and Night OST ends here)

######

In the Tanaka household, Akira and Kaori were too nervous to sleep.

'How are we supposed to get a goodnight's sleep after what we saw?' Akira thought.

By then, he heard wood creaking outside from his bedroom door. It frightened him to the point that he was scared stiff. In his imagination, he was seeing one of the Okiagari, glowing red eyes in the dark. Truthfully, it was his sister, who was also scared stiff.

"Akira, I'm too scared to sleep. Can I sleep with you?" Kaori asked.

Kaori didn't see his brother, for he was trying to hide from whoever came in his room. This frightened Kaori, not seeing her brother.

"Akira?" She said with fear.

She heard rustling from the bed, making her gasp and move back. It was her brother, wielding his steel baseball bat.

"Geez, Kaori... Don't scare me like that" Akira said in relief.

"W-Who do you think it was?" Kaori asked.

(Play Shiki OST - Blue Bell)

The siblings were on the same bed.

"I wonder if it's okay" Kaori said.

"What is?" Akira asked.

"That man... All we did was cover him with a little dirt" Kaori said.

"Natsuno-niichan and Jin-niichan said that it's be better if the guy was found, right?" Akira questioned.

"What if he wasn't found?" Kaori asked.

"What?" Akira said, looking at Kaori.

"What if he leaves that place and nobody finds him?" Kaori questioned.

Akira remained for a few seconds silent, unable to answer his sister's question.

"I... I'll try telling my classmates the next time I go to school" Akira said.

"I wonder if they'll believe you" Kaori said.

"I'm not certain. But I have to try telling them" Akira said.

######

Back in Natsuno's place, Natsuno wasn't faring much either. He remembered seeing the person's face after seeing Jin knocking him down. His hands began shaking.

'The feeling that remains in my hands... It no longer matters whether Hirosawa-san was dead from the start or not' Natsuno thought.

His hand continued shaking throughout the night.

(Blue Bell OST ends here)

######

In the Ozaki clinic, Jin's hands were shaking uncontrollably.

'That time when I felt Hirosawa's skin... It was cold as snow. I wonder if I'll end up like one of them. I'm already afraid enough of turning into one of them' Jin thought.

His hands continued shaking, causing a heavy chill to encompass his body.

######

Takatoshi's body remained unconscious for several minutes. His fingers began to move, bringing him back to consciousness. His irises began glowing red in the night. Be rose from the grave site and felt his head.

'Those brats...' Takatoshi thought in disdain.

He then left the area, concealing any evidence of his presence.

######

(Play Shiki OST - Epitaph)

Sunako was at the monastery with Seishin. She was wearing an all-black dress with a red rose in the middle of the chest.

"Absolute solitude... Those who are unfairly discriminated against... The pain of being forsaken by God..." Sunako said.

"What are you talking about, Sunako?" Seishin asked.

"It's about your novels, Muroi-san" Sunako said.

"My novels?" Seishin asked.

"That's right. They're the same phrases you used constantly in your novels. After reading your books, I felt that the author may have also felt lonely. He seems like someone who has been forsaken by God. But it's strange... Why?" She asked.

Seishin looked at her curiously.

"Your stories are all like that, but you don't look like someone forsaken by God. Why?" She asked.

"Well, I don't know" Seishin answered.

"Right now, you do look a little like that" Sunako said.

"I do?" Seishin questioned.

Sunako remained quiet for a few seconds film she asked a question.

"What are you concerned about? What about me causes your concern?" Sunako asked.

"Your condition, Sunako" Seishin said.

"Why? Because I'm worried about you" Seishin said.

"Even if you're concerned, my illness won't be cured. I'm all right. See? I can talk to you like this, can't I?" Sunako said.

"In my eyes, you look very lonely. You look as though you have been isolated by the world of the night" Seishin said.

"Yeah... You might be right. The pain of being forsaken by God... You may be right" Sunako said somberly.

Seishin was surprised of the response. He remained silent, not wanting to say anything.

######

The magic screen disappeared and Ruby was tired. Everyone was now showing sad looks, but none were more sorrowful than Mizore, who hugged Jin.

"Take a rest, Ruby. We'll need you to cast the magic screen by night" Jin said.

"My God... You had to go through that many deaths, despite helping the clinic" Tsukune said.

"How cruel of them... Causing all those deaths. That guy, Tatsumi... No wonder you have such hate against him. He's only enticing the newly created to embrace the sadistic nature of vampires" Gin said.

"What a heartbreaking story" Moka said painfully.

Her Rosario shined, causing the jewel to morph into a cat's eye.

"Now I'm understanding why he holds such resentment... He has been fighting off his nature because of his disdain of becoming one. He lost a couple of friends that meant a lot to him. Those creatures have made him become what he is now" Inner Moka said.

"It was like a nightmare, even for me... I don't think I would want to experience something like that" Kurumu said.

Yukari remained silent, feeling sad, but also frightened of the memories.

"It gets worse... That's the second part of the memories of Sotoba. The third part might shock you more. When nighttime hits, Ruby will create the next series of memories" Jin said.

"These...scenarios... Are they going to get worse, nya?" Shizuka asked.

"They will. October was the month that will involve a deep scar for me" Jin said.

Mizore hugged Jin, crying in sympathy for him.

"I never thought of you as the medical prodigy though" Gin said.

"I'm still am... I never showed it" Jin retorted.

Yukari walked up to Jin and hugged him close. She was crying after seeing the memories.

"It's okay, Yukari-chan" Jin said.

That's all from here. Be prepared for the next chapter, for this will be difficult for me to write it.

Please note that Masao's character change was intentional.

Also, I'm trying my best to write on this fanfic due to some events from episode 21.5 being mixed in.