"Now I am really worried about you…" Hanamura looks at Francis with concerned eyes.
Chie then comments with cheer. "Could just be a dream. It is a really interesting dream, though. The idea of you almost hitting yourself in the face due to the TV being too small is so realistic. I know, you should become a writer."
"Speaking of dreams, I had a couple of strange ones when I first got here. Can't really remember what they were about though." Francis says as he tries to remember the dreams he had.
Francis turns over to Hanamura and asks politely. "By the way, how did it go with Konishi-san?"
"Well," Hanamura panics, "Taking it slow."
"Really, now," Chie says playfully, "Someone might actually take her away at this rate!"
"Oh, really," Hanamura looks to Chie while speaking mischievously, "What about you, Satonaka-san, when you are planning to get a boyfriend?"
As Hanamura says that, Francis freezes for a bit.
"Well, boys here are just not good enough for me!" Chie responds with bashfulness.
"Chie-san is cute. I am sure boys will fight to be with her." Francis says, to which Chie responds by blushing.
"If by fight, you mean getting their asses kicked by her…" Hanamura jests.
"Girls who can fight are cool." Francis goes on.
"Until they try to fight you…" Hanamura keeps going as well.
"Anyways, it is raining tonight, so I am checking it as well. Maybe I will finally find someone good enough." Chie responds cheerfully. She then turns to Francis and jests. "And Francis-san can see if Konishi-san is his type."
Soon enough, Francis finds himself facing the TV again under a rainy midnight.
"Right, remember, stay calm…" Francis says to himself in English as he takes deep breaths.
Soon enough, something appears on the TV. To his surprise, the image is far clearer this time. Francis sees Konishi seemingly run down what appears to be the Central Shopping District.
"What the…" As Francis speaks, he reaches inside the TV once more. "Maybe I can… no… nothing."
As he reaches inside the TV, Francis doesn't feel anything. This time, he tries reaching his head inside. Though the rest of his head was too big, he was able to get his ear inside.
"This is really stupid…" Francis comments.
"No! That's not true!"
A shout in Japanese surprises Francis as he gets shot out the TV once more. Before he falls over, Francis swiftly reaches his hand inside the TV. As his hand sticks, it prevents him from falling.
"Well, sh..." Franics mutters. He goes to sleep, deciding to share with the others tomorrow.
"It was like super clear last night!" Chie says. "I could totally see her. But really, a girl? I don't swing that way, you know."
As Chie says playfully, Hanamura looks the ground with concerned eyes.
Seeing Hanamura sad, Chie asks playfully. "Hanamura?"
"She looks like she was scared…" Hanamura says with concern.
Chie's face shifts to worry after seeing Hanamura's expression. 'It's… it's just a rumour anyway… I am pretty sure Konishi-san is still safely in class right now!"
"Do you guys happen to know a TV I can enter?" While Hanamura shifts his gaze slowly, Chie looks at Francis with a perplexed expression.
"Are you serious, Francis-san? You still going on about that going into the TV thing?" Chie asks playfully.
"Look, when I put my ear in last night…"
"You heard something?" Hanamura cuts off Francis hurriedly.
"A woman's cry." Francis says solemnly.
As silence hangs in the air, Chie chuckles awkward. "Guys, come on, it's just a rumor."
"The announcer…" Francis blurts out with a somber tone. "Her death was weird. I had a bunch of weird dreams, and I literally put my hand into the TV."
Francis looks over to Chie. "I am sorry, Chie-san. But anything is possible right now, and if Konishi-san is in danger…"
"Junes electronics department…" Hanamura says gravely. "There should be TVs big enough to fit both of us…"
"Both of you?" Chie asks.
"If Senpai is in danger, I am coming too…" Hanamura speaks.
"HOLD ON!" Chie shouts, prompting Francis to look at her. "What are you two talking about? Konishi-san in danger. Going into the TV. Do you hear yourself talk?"
As Chie goes on, students in class start to whisper.
"Get prepared." Francis says to Hanamura. "I am not going in empty handed."
Francis the looks to Chie. "I don't suppose we can buy some equipment from the smithy, right?"
"Those are like super expensive! If you get all that and it ends up to be nothing…" Chies replies while being baffled.
"I should be able to get us something. Give me your number, I will contact you."
Hanamura and Francis exchange contacts.
"Can you go check with the third years?" Hanamura asks Francis as he leaves. "If Senpai is safe, call me."
As Francis makes his way to the third years, Chie follows behind.
"You don't have to come, you know." Francis says to Chie kindly as he goes up the stairs.
"Hanamura looks like he is serious. And you too." Chie says with concerned eyes.
"I told you. Anything can happen, I would rather make a fool of myself than let something bad happen." Francis replies with confidence. After Francis replies, he keeps on walking.
Chie growls for a bit before running after Francis.
As per Hanamura's suspicion, nobody has seen Konishi at school today.
"This is a joke, right? A bad prank. Maybe she's at work." Chie says anxiously.
"We can confirm at Junes." Francis says calmly as he makes his way down the stairs.
"Konishi liquors. Her family runs a liquor store in the Central Shopping District." Chie explains, her tone carrying the anxiety she has been showing for quite a while.
Francis takes out his phone. "Number?"
"Uh…" Chie stares dumbly at Francis, who sighs.
"It's okay." Francis smiles, speaking kindly as he does, before turning over and keeps on walking.
On his way out of school, Francis and Chie walk past Amagi.
"Oh, Yamada and Chie. Going home?" Amagi asks politely.
"Yes." Francis says as polite as he can. "Sorry, I am in a rush." He says as he walks hurriedly out the entrance.
"Uh, Yukiko, see you tomorrow!" Chie says while running after Francis.
At the central shopping district, Francis hears a rumor about Konishi.
"It seems the girl has run away from home. Her mother was so mad about it this morning." A bunch of housewives chatter.
As Francis turns around to go to Junes, he hears more.
"But still, for her to support Junes even while her family business is suffering. I hope my boy doesn't grow up to be like that!"
"Chie-san, what are they talking about?" Francis asks Chie as he makes his way to Junes.
"Well, you see, after Junes came, the Central Shopping District suffered. And so, many people were not happy with Junes, and Konishi-san for working there."
"I see…" Francis replies as he walks. He then turns over to Chie for a bit before turning back. "Thanks, Chie-san."
Francis and Chie both decide to go to the Electronics department. There, Francis notified Hanamura, who came soon enough.
"No news of Senpai, as I feared." Hanamura says as he holds onto a multitude of things.
"A golf club?" Francis says as he holds onto the club Hanamura gave him.
"I didn't exactly have the time to get a proper weapon." Hanamura says as he holds onto two batons.
"By the way," Hanamura turns to Chie, "Thanks for coming, Satonaka, hold onto these."
Hanamura hands Chie a stick and two ropes. One of the ropes has its other end tied around Hanamura.
"What is this?" Chie asks with concern as she accepts the things handed to her.
"We don't know what's going to happen." As Hanamura speaks, he ties the other rope around Francis, who complies. "This is a backup measure."
"Listen, Satonaka, if something happens, just act like you are admiring the TV, got it?" Hanamura says as he and Francis get ready to go in.
As Francis puts his hand to the TV, his heartbeat increases.
"Don't f**k this up…" He thinks to himself in English.
As his hand slips through, he hears Chie shout in surprise. "That's impossible!"
"Do you think I can go in?" Hanamura asks. Francis grabs him by the wrist.
"Let's try." As Francis passes through the TV, he feels Hanamura following him.
Soon, his vision is clouded by darkness, and it feels as if he is falling through a tunnel.
Outside the TV, Chie holds onto the ropes nervously. As a family gets closer to where she is. She pretends to move in closer to admire the TV. After making sure the family has passed, Chie takes a step back and breathes. All of a sudden, she feels as if the load on the ropes got lighter.
To her surprise, the waves on the TV disappear, and the ropes fall onto the ground.
Chie falls onto her knees as she lets go of the wooden stick. She takes a quick look around, and swiftly stands up to not arouse suspicion.
"Should I call the police?" Chie thinks to herself.