Higurashi/Umineko series » Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kan: Kanashii hen
WOLFEDEN Stories
2. Chapter 2: Suspicion
Rated: T - English - Horror/Mystery - Keiichi M. & Rena R. - Reviews: 20 - Updated: 02-04-11 - Published: 01-24-11 - Complete - id:6683917
Chapter 2: Suspicion
Part A
"Maebara-san? Maebara-san, are you with me?"
My world was beginning to collapse around me. All of the happiness I had for that single month was undone by one sentence. Rika-chan and Satoko were missing. I didn't hear anything else after that. My eyes were cast down to the floor of Akasaka's car. I didn't blink; I didn't move a muscle, not even a single strand of my hair moved.
Rika and Satoko were missing? That was impossible! Mion said that Kasai, Shion's bodyguard, dropped them off at their house last night! He told Shion, who told Mion, who told Rena and me. How the hell could they be missing?
Dark thoughts dominated my mind. I replayed what Shion said when we were riding home: Kasai drove them home and dropped them off. If that were true, they would have showed up for school. They would be having lunch with us! They would be laughing with us and planning the next club activity! But it wasn't true, no matter how hard I tried to think about it. Rika and Satoko were missing.
"Maebara-san!" Akasaka shook me.
I regained focus. I shot him a furious leer. "They're missing?" I shouted.
"Yes." Akasaka's hand was still on my shoulder. "Stay with me, Maebara-san! Keep your cool, okay?"
"How can I keep cool when they're gone?"
"I said calm down!" He yelled at me. His thundering voice shut me up. His glare returned to an emotionless expression. "I don't know much about this. The department got a call from someone in Hinamizawa so I came to check it out. I just came from the scene."
"What'd you find out?"
"I can't say for certain yet. I have to collect my thoughts and what little evidence I have before I make an opinion."
"What are you talking about? You have to know something? You have to-" Kasai's name kept hovering in my head. It wasn't until then that I realized something. "That Kasai guy!" My thoughts finally escaped my parched mouth. "Mion told us Shion had him drive them home!"
"She did?" Akasaka's face looked ashen. He flipped through his notebook again. "That would explain the car reports I've been hearing about. Residents who were up at the time last night heard a car arrive somewhere in Hinamizawa, while others saw a similar car leave the village. They claimed the vehicle was black and that it may have been a Sonozaki vehicle. They didn't get a look at the driver, however, but if what Mion said was true, then Kasai was the one driving that car. It makes sense that he should be driving it since he's affiliated with the family."
Akasaka groaned. "I really don't like the sound of this." He was talking to himself. He forgot that I was sitting in the car with him. "Maybe the people in Okinomiya would recognize the car too. They should know it because he drives Shion around. He's her guard, right? If both those cars are the same one in question, then I'm afraid Kasai might be a suspect."
"Did they say where the car parked?" I spoke quickly before Akasaka continued his rambling.
"No, they couldn't tell." Akasaka sighed. "But it's too troublesome to get a car up to Rika-chan's house. She and Satoko must have walked from where they were dropped off."
"What if they weren't dropped off? What if Kasai kidnapped them?" I was starting to sweat again. My heart was beating rapidly. I was furious, depressed, and confused all at once. My head was about to burst.
Akasaka blinked at me.
"It's obvious, isn't it? He drives them home, but in reality, he was just going to kidnap them! He probably took them somewhere secret and is holding them prisoner!"
Akasaka thought for a moment. "Rika is an important member of this village. If this was for a ransom, she would be the perfect target. But I can't believe Kasai would do such a thing. We fought alongside each other last month against the Yamainu! Without his help, we probably wouldn't have gotten as far as we did! It doesn't make sense why he would suddenly turn on us!"
"That doesn't excuse him from all of this! He's the last person to see Rika and Satoko! He has to know something!"
He rubbed the back of his head with another grunt. "I'll question him once I get back to Okinomiya. I'll question Shion too to see what she knows."
My heart sunk. I was feeling awful that Satoko and Rika were gone, but how would Shion feel? She loved Satoko dearly. I loved her dearly. The three of us were connected by a strong bond. Shion's heart would break and her spirit would be crushed if she found out about this. I was about to ask Akasaka to not tell her, but that wouldn't do any good. Shion deserved to know, just like Rena and Mion did.
If they were in my position, they would probably tell me too. I didn't want to keep any secrets from my friends. They had to know everything that was going on. Once I told them, they could help out with the search. I wouldn't get anywhere with just me and Akasaka. Rena, Mion, and Hinamizawa had to know. When one of us was attacked, all of us were attacked. That was the unwritten creed of Hinamizawa. We were all in this together.
I couldn't stop thinking about Shion though. She was going to be devastated. As I was like Satoko's brother, it was my duty to help her and Shion. Shion needed someone to be with her. I was going to be that guy; I needed to be the guy.
"Try to go easy on her," I warned Akasaka. "She's gonna take it very hard, especially with Satoko."
"I'll do my best to ease her pain." Akasaka nodded strongly to me. "I'm also going to do my best to find and punish the ones responsible for this!" I saw tears in his eyes. He must really have had a strong connection to Rika. "But I can't do this by myself. I'm going to need help."
"I'll be here whenever you need me, Akasaka-san!" I looked at him like a soldier speaking to his commanding officer. "I'll do whatever it takes!"
He nodded to me with a slight smile. "Thank you, Maebara-san. You should get back to your friends. I'll head back to Okinomiya and see what I can dig up. Once I get my thoughts together, I'll fill you in. Be careful though, okay, Maebara-san? Notify me if you hear anything that may help."
"I promise that I will." I exited the car.
Akasaka waved back at me and drove off into the distance. Though I showed courage and determination to him, it was all a façade. I wanted to get on my hands and knees and cry for as long as I could. I knew deep down that crying wouldn't bring them back to me, but I felt so horrible. I should've stayed with them! I shouldn't have let my guard down!
I kicked the wall of the school hard. I pounded on it with my fists. I cried a little, even though I was trying to hold back the tears. Satoko and Rika wouldn't want to see me cry. It wasn't like me. But how could I not feel so disgusted and depressed?
Whoever did this, I told myself, I would kill him! I would murder him! I would tear him to shreds with my bare hands, bash his skull in until his brains spilled out of his head, break every bone in his body, and leave him as carrion for the ravens! I'd get all of Hinamizawa and mutilate him! I'd make him regret the day he ever laid a hand on Satoko and Rika! I'd make him pay!
My blood began to boil. My vision became fuzzy. My fists were clenched tightly. I wasn't Maebara Keiichi anymore; I was a feral beast hunting for my prey. I wouldn't stop until I clawed at his flesh and picked it from his bones. I wouldn't care what happened afterward. I just wanted him dead!
After a few moments, I regained my posture and calmed myself down. I knew killing someone wasn't going to do me any good. It would just leave a bigger hole in my heart.
The cicadas eased my anger somewhat. The vision of a world gone red vanished from my eyes. I was back in Hinamizawa. I was back to being Maebara Keiichi.
I returned to the classroom with my fists still clenched. I found Rena and Mion eating the rest of their lunches. They saw me; they saw my puffy eyes, my vibrating fists, and the look of anguish in my eyes. I told them everything Akasaka told me. I told them about how Rika and Satoko never came home. I told them everything.
"That's horrible!" Rena gasped as she held her hands to her mouth.
"Who the hell did this?" Mion scowled.
The kids in class overheard the story, even Chie-sensei. She cancelled the rest of the class and asked us to go home. She left the classroom and informed the principal. I could hear them as Rena, Mion, and I walked out.
The three of us stood on a lonely road away from the school, with our satchels in our hands, feeling depressed and infuriated.
"I still can't believe it," Rena whimpered. "Everything was going so well and now this happens!"
"It's alright," I tried to comfort her. I knew those words were the last thing she wanted to hear, but I had to say something. "Akasaka is handling it. We can count on him!"
"I hope the village leader does something."
"He will." Mion crossed her arms and furrowed her brow. "Rika is just as important to Hinamizawa as everybody else! He's not going to let the culprit get away with this! I refuse to let that happen!"
"Even so," Rena wiped the tears from her eyes. "We can only do so much."
"We will find them," I reassured her.
"Just who would do this?" Mion stamped her foot down on the ground hard.
Kasai's name entered my head. I knew he had to be guilty. He was the last person to see them. He had to be responsible. Once Akasaka interrogated him and arrested him, we would find Rika and Satoko. Everything would go back to normal.
"Hey, Mii-chan?" Rena seemed to calm down a bit. "Wasn't Kasai-san the one who drove them home? Didn't you say that?"
Rena was thinking my thoughts. She must be suspicious of him too.
"Kasai wouldn't do anything dirty like that!" Mion raised her voice a little. She knew exactly what Rena was getting at. "He's incredibly loyal to the Sonozaki family! He loves Hinamizawa! He would never do anything stupid like this!"
"Are you sure?"
"I'm positive!
"I mean, he was the last one to see them, right?"
Mion got more and more frustrated with Rena's pursuit. It took everything she had not to lash out and scold Rena for thinking that way.
"I'm sure he's innocent!" She responded as she grinded her teeth. She was trying not to scream.
"Okay then," Rena said with a light sigh. "I just wonder what happened…"
There was a strong tension in the air as we walked home. When we came to Mion's cutoff point, she said a small goodbye and went on her way. Rena was extremely quiet when she and I walked home together. It wasn't like her at all. She was always happy and smiling; she would always spot something cute and try to take it home. This time, however, she was quiet. She scared me the most when she was like that. It was like she was a different person.
I was fortunate I didn't say anything about Kasai in front of Mion. She looked as if she was about to rip Rena's head right off of her shoulders. If I was the one who brought him up, Mion would probably do the same thing. Thankfully, I was able to keep my mouth shut.
When we reached my house, I invited Rena in for some tea to lift her spirits, but she declined. She said she wanted to go home and inform her father about what was happening. She said she was going to look for any leads on Rika and Satoko later as well. I told her to wait until the village leader knew. I knew I was always brash, but this time, we couldn't afford to be hasty. We had to play this smart. Rena agreed and walked off towards her house, looking down at the ground.
My parents weren't home yet. It was still in the afternoon. The adults were still at work. We all had the rest of the day to ourselves, but we didn't feel like doing much of anything. I sat at the kitchen table, holding my head in my hands. I felt like I was going to start crying again.
The phone began to ring. It startled me and knocked me out of my trance. I quickly walked over to the phone and took up the receiver.
"Hello, Maebara residence?" I said.
"Kei-chan? It's Mion."
Mion? How'd she get home so fast? She must have sprinted home when we lost sight of her. I wonder what she wanted.
"Hey, what's going on? I just saw you a little while ago."
"What Rena said really bothered me."
"I could tell."
"You don't think Kasai is behind all of this, do you?"
Dammit. She had to ask what I was thinking. How was I going to get out of this one? If I told her the truth, that would make her angry with me. If I didn't, I'd be lying to her and she would probably find out and get even angrier. Either way, I would lose.
"Um," I thought for a second. "Akasaka says Kasai has been a great ally since last month; he doesn't think he could have anything to do with all of this."
"I wanna know what you think, Keiichi." Her voice sounded irritated.
"I…uh…it's hard to say. I mean, Shion did say he was going to take care of them."
"I don't believe any of it! I know Kasai! He's been with Shion for such a long time, why would he kidnap Rika and Satoko? It doesn't make any sense!"
"I think it's weird too." I tried to be as calm as possible.
"Now Akasaka's gonna question him and Shion's gonna find out! She's gonna be a wreck!" I thought I heard crying on the other line. It wasn't like Mion to cry. I don't think I've ever heard her do that before.
"Mion?"
"I don't know what to think anymore!" She sniffled. "I wanna believe he's not involved, but he's the only person who saw them last! I don't understand!"
"Mion, it's okay!" I said as warmly as I could. "Akasaka's gonna find out everything! He's gonna figure it all out! We're gonna solve this together!"
"Kei-chan…I…"
"You need to take it easy. Go lie down. I'm as much a mess as you right now. We need to take things one step at a time! We can't afford to just rush in!"
"Haha," a small laugh came from her. Did I say something questionable? "Since when did you become so levelheaded? You always rush into things head first. That's not the Kei-chan I know."
I laughed too. "I guess I'm growing up!"
"Haha. Hey, Kei-chan?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm-I'm holding onto that bear you gave me yesterday." Her voice was trembling. Her tears seemed to stop though. "It's making me feel better now."
"Good. Just keep holding onto him and you'll be fine. I'll take care of everything! You just relax, okay? Maebara Keiichi is on the job!"
"Thank you... but, Kei-chan. I'm worried about Shion too. She's going to be in pieces when she finds out."
I knew how she was feeling. I was concerned about Shion as well. "What would you like me to do, Mion?"
"I think Shion needs you too. You, her, and Satoko are very close. She's going to need help, especially since Kasai is going to be questioned by Akasaka. I don't think my voice is going to reach her. I believe only you can truly help her."
"Is that what you want? I can go to Okinomiya later and check on her if you'd like."
"If you would please. I know it's out of your way…"
"I don't mind at all." I was speaking more warmly to her. I knew I said I was going to see Shion, but I didn't want to leave Mion. I felt guilty about leaving her alone while I would go talk to her sister in person. "Mion, can I call you afterward? I want to make sure you're okay too."
I heard a tiny gasp from her. "You would do that?"
"'Course I would!" I chuckled.
She laughed a little. "Okay! I'll be waiting for your call. Please, make sure Shion's fine."
"I promise I'll take care of her."
She hung the phone up.
Mion always claimed she hated Shion for all the things she did around us. She said she hated her company, the way she talked, and the way she behaved around us. She especially hated it when Shion teased me because that was her job. I knew deep down that none of it was true. I knew she loved her sister. Mion loved everybody. To hear her in this depressed state broke me. I didn't want to see any of my friends hurt. I wanted them to keep smiling.
A few hours later, I changed clothes and hopped on my bike. I rode it all the way to Okinomiya. On my ride, I was thinking about what Mion said. She said that I changed. I knew I was changing. I used to be the kind of guy that ran into everything, throwing caution to the wind. But after everything that happened in the past month, I guess that that part of me was gone. I was refraining from diving straight into the action and I was now approaching everything with a keen eye. Diving into things only starts more trouble, you had to be careful. That was what my friends taught me, it was what Hinamizawa taught me. I wouldn't be the person I am without that village.
I arrived at Okinomiya station around 3 pm. I remembered the way to Shion's apartment. We visited her one day and had a club activity with her there. We played a special kind of poker. If you lost a round, you would have to do something designated by the winner, which would be Mion most of the time. I was the object of so much abuse from her! I did win occasionally and got my vengeance, but only to have it come back to bite me in the ass. The club is a dangerous thing after all!
Her apartment was pretty simple. A twirling staircase led right up to her floor. I ascended it after chaining my bike up to a post. I found her room number; I knocked on the door and awaited a response. The door opened up. A grief-stricken Shion stood at the threshold. She had been crying for a long time because her eyes were so red. She was sniffling when she saw me standing before her. She looked awful.
"Shion!" I held my breath at her disheveled appearance.
"Kei-chan," she said emotionlessly. "Why are you here?"
"I-I came to make sure you're okay. Mion's worried about you."
"Haha," she chuckled darkly. "Sis is worried about me, huh?"
"Yeah. She asked me to come and make sure you were okay."
"Do I look okay?" Her voice was sharp. It cut right down to my bones. Her emerald eyes tore my heart open. They held the same emotions I had before: anger, sadness, disgust, and confusion. I knew that pain; I was still feeling it myself.
"That's why I'm here," I said, gathering my courage. "I'm here to make things better."
"Ha. I'd like to see you try."
We stood silent for a solid minute, just watching each other.
"C-Can I come in?"
Without a word, she stepped aside.
I entered her apartment. Some of her clothes were scattered across the different rooms. I saw skirts on her bed, underwear hanging off of the table, and some of her jewelry next to her TV. It was a mess.
I sat at her kitchen table and she sat opposite me. She played with her nails, looking at her lap. We were quiet for a long time. I couldn't find the right words to say. I was also afraid of her. Her cold stare, her body language, and the way she presented herself drained me of what little fortitude I had to face her. She looked exactly like I did when Akasaka told me the news. It was safe to say that he had been here already.
"Akasaka came here," she finally said. She must have seen what I was thinking on my face. Rena was always able to do that. I wish I could hold my emotions to myself better.
"You know, don't you?" It was a stupid question I had to ask.
"He took Kasai to the police station. He's probably interrogating him now."
I looked away from her. "I'm sorry."
"For what? It's not like you had anything to do with Rika's or Satoko's disappearance."
"What can you tell me about them?" I felt like a cop getting a statement from an innocent bystander.
"The last time I saw them was when I told Kasai to drive them home after they were done shopping in the city. He said he watched them like a hawk. He didn't let them out of his sight. He said he dropped them off in Hinamizawa near some phone booth. They didn't want to bug him so they made the rest of the trip themselves on their bikes. He told me clearly over the phone. I told Sis after I finished with him."
I looked back at Shion. She was still playing with her nails.
"Akasaka's a great cop," I said, trying to build her spirits up. "He'll find them! Chie-sensei at school told the principal and I think they contacted the village leader. All of Hinamizawa will know about this! Everybody's gonna do their best to help out! Have faith, okay?" I smiled at her. It was the warmest smile I ever made.
"Everybody…everybody's gonna help find them?"
I walked over to her. I knelt down to face her. She didn't look at me. She turned her head away from me.
"Yeah! It's all gonna work out! Rena's going to help, Mion will help, Akasaka's doing his best, and all of Hinamizawa is going to help. We'll catch the lowlife who did this!"
"Kasai didn't do it."
"Huh?"
"He couldn't have. I know him better than anyone."
"Mion thinks that too." My hand twitched. His name still bothered me.
"He can't be the culprit. It's impossible." Her body was shivering.
"We'll find out the truth."
I placed my hand on her head. I rubbed it lightly. Her hair was soft. I could smell the shampoo she used from here. It smelled delectable. I rubbed her head for a minute or so.
Her head slowly turned to face me. When her eyes met mine, I immediately took my hand back. I fell back. I was the one trembling now. The aura around her morphed into something hideous. Her presence made my veins and pulse tremble. I never saw her like this.
Her eyes were like a serpent's. They looked deeper into my own eyes. Her face contorted into that of a cold-hearted monster. I couldn't take my eyes from her; her gaze paralyzed me. The gorgon had me in her trap.
Shion rose from her seat and stood over me. Her eyes still had me under her spell. I didn't move, I couldn't move. She wasn't going to let me go, not without a fight. She got on her hands and knees and looked over me. She looked at my neck and then my face. She tapped my chest with her finger.
"Why did you do that?" she asked. Her tone sounded calm, but her eyes were anything but.
"Huh? I was only trying to-"
Her finger slid from my chest up to my neck. Her nail glided over my skin. I thought she was going to claw my throat out. She drew circles around my neck with her finger.
"Shion, what're you…?"
"Why did you do that?" she repeated, this time in dark tone.
"I was only trying to make you feel better! I'm sorry if I angered you!"
A small laugh escaped her cold lips. "I'm not the one you should be worried about." Her fingers curled around my neck. "You should be worried about what I may do when I get my hands on the one who took Satoko…and Rika."
"I want to make him pay too! C'mon, let me get up…!"
"You're not getting it, Kei-chan." She flashed her teeth. "Silly, silly, boy…!"
She squeezed my neck tightly with just one hand. I gripped her forearm with my hands and tried to shake her off of me. But her grasp was too strong. Where'd she get this strength from?
"How do I know you're not behind this?" She climbed on top of me; she looked down into my eyes. She was going to kill me!
"What're you…talking about…? I would never-"
"STOP IT! YOU'RE LYING! YOU'RE LYING!" Her grip tightened. Her free hand took hold of my neck too. "You've been treating Satoko terribly lately! What'd she ever do to you? She looked up to you as a brother and you teased her like that! How can you betray her like that? You're despicable!"
I was teasing Satoko lately, a lot. I was only playing with her, much like she was with me. We got carried away a little bit and got on each other's nerves sometimes, but I never wanted her gone. I never wanted this to happen to her! Why was Shion suspicious of me? I loved Satoko!
"Shion…" My vision was blurry. The life was being squeezed out of me little by little.
"Give her back to me!" she screamed at me. Her thighs squeezed my sides. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. "Give her back to me, you bastard!"
I managed to bring my foot underneath her stomach. I kicked her hard. She flew off of me and landed on the floor on her back. I got up to my knees and wheezed hard. When I looked up, I saw Shion was already standing, with a stun gun in her hand. My eyes twitched and they were opened as wide as they could get. She squeezed the switch and that awful buzzing sound came from it. She was holding a bolt of blue lightning, waiting to strike me down.
"Kei-chaaaan," she sang. "Tell me where Satoko is and I may just-"
"Shion, STOP!" I yelled. I was still breathing heavily. "I don't know where she is! I'm not responsible for this! I didn't make her or Rika disappear!"
She walked closer to me. She was very slow and that wicked gaze did not leave her face.
"I love them dearly! I love Rika! I love Satoko! We play pranks on each other a lot, yeah, and we bug each other sometimes, but that doesn't mean I want her to disappear! You know that!"
Her mouth was slowly opening. She was still squeezing the switch on the stun gun.
"Satoko's like my little sister! I love her! I'm like her Niinii!"
Shion suddenly dropped the stun gun. She staggered over to me. I backed up into a wall. She was looking at the floor the whole time she approached me. I braced myself for another attack, but she didn't lunge at me again.
She looked at me. The serpentine eyes she had minutes ago were gone. They returned to her normal eyes. They were filled with tears and she was sniveling. She wrapped her arms around me and stuck her face into my neck. Her tears soothed the rash she gave me when she was choking me. I had small cuts around it too when I kicked her off of me because of her nails.
She was crying loudly. She clutched at my back and pushed her body into mine. I wanted to put my arms around her, but I was cautious to do so. I remained still, watching her every move.
"I'm sorry," she said pitifully. "I'm sorry, Satoshi-kun, I'm sorry…forgive me…"
"I'm not Satoshi…" I said quietly.
"I know you love her…why did I attack you? It's the demon dwelling within me…it's the making me do this..."
"Demon?" That was the first time I heard her say that before. She was skipping from one statement to the next. What was going on with her mind?
I felt her kiss my wounds. Her lips were hot. The kiss she gave me was passionate and tender. I didn't know what was going on with her, but I was glad she was fine now. Did she really think I was Satoshi? Whether she did or didn't, letting her cry like this calmed her down. I put my arms around her and held her. Shion needed a good cry; she needed to let it all out. She needed to get rid of every negative emotion that plagued her. The demon within her was quiet, and I hoped it would stay that way forever.
Part B
I told Mion the story when I returned home that night. I told her Kasai was being interrogated by Akasaka, and that Shion was incredibly distraught. I left out the fact that she attacked me. Shion wasn't in the right mind set. She was grieving over Satoko and Rika and lashed out at the closest person: me. She didn't know what she saying or doing. I managed to calm myself down when Akasaka informed me back at school. If I didn't, I believed that I would turn into a different Maebara Keiichi, much like how Shion became a different Shion. I was fortunate to control myself, but as for her, she definitely needed help.
Mion suggested that she invite Shion to stay with her in the Sonozaki house until this whole thing blew over. I agreed to that. Shion needed her friends and her sister. Rena and I could visit them and we could try to lift their spirits up. We could eat dinner together and spend as much time as possible together. We also could look for Rika and Satoko together. Everything would be fine, we had to believe that.
I didn't sleep that night. There were too many thoughts in my head that kept me awake. I thought about Kasai and how guilty he was. He obviously kidnapped them. I didn't understand why Akasaka was wasting his time; he had the kidnapper right there with him. I didn't care what he said, or what Mion said. The fact was that he saw them last. He was the prime suspect. He just had to be the culprit!
As those thoughts swirled inside my head like a maelstrom, my neck was beginning to irritate me. It was itchy, very itchy. I scratched at it all night. Even though I kept scratching at every possible spot on my neck, I could never get rid of the itch. The burning sensation I felt was driving me insane. Was there nothing I could do to stop the pain?
In the morning, I checked myself out in the mirror in my bathroom. My neck was all red. The rash Shion had given me when she was choking me was still there, along with the cuts from her nails. My own nails missed the wounds, but they made the rash worse. It was still itching.
I didn't tell my parents about it. I said I was going to leave home to get to school early, but I was really going to go to the clinic. My mom was surprised at my wish to leave early. Rena always came to pick me up and we would meet Mion. She asked me why, but I ignored her and ran out the door before she me. The sensations on my neck were extremely irritating. I could barely put up with it. We didn't have any cream or anything in the bathroom to soothe the pain, but I knew the clinic must have something.
I arrived at the clinic in no time, mostly because I was sprinting there. I didn't want Rena or anybody to catch me. If they saw my neck they would worry about me. I wasn't their priority, Rika and Satoko were. This minor irritation was nothing compared to what was happening to them. I was just going to get some medicine to stop the itching and head to school. I would have to come up with a convincing lie to hide my neck though. I would worry about that when the time came though.
Irie's new nurse led me into his office. He didn't have that goofy aura around him. He was quite serious. He must have heard about Rika and Satoko. The ladies in the waiting room were talking about them too. That was good news. All of Hinamizawa should know now. It would only be a matter of time before everybody went after the asshole behind the kidnapping.
"Maebara-san," Irie said with a depressed tone. "What brings you here?"
"I came to get a small check-up." I pointed to my neck. "I got this yesterday and it hasn't stopped itching. Can you treat this for me?"
Irie rose from his desk and sat me down on his chair. He put on some gloves and felt around my neck. His eyes didn't blink at all. I thought I saw a drop of sweat roll down his temple.
"So," I said trying to lighten the mood, "how're things at the clinic?"
"They're fine." He didn't seem to have any intention carrying on that conversation. "Where did you get this rash…and these cuts?"
Shion did it, but I couldn't tell him that. She was just angry and sad; she had no idea what she was doing.
"Uh," I thought for a moment. "I tried this new cologne but I guess I'm allergic to it!" I laughed lightly. "It was really itchy that I scratched at it enough and kinda cut my neck with my nails."
"You're sure?" He looked into my eyes. He was more serious than when I entered the office.
"Yeah, of course."
Irie took his gloves off and disposed of them. He put on a new pair and went out into the hallway for a moment. He was talking with his nurse. After a few minutes, he had a bottle in one hand and a syringe in another.
"I'm going to give you some cream to stop the itching and some disinfectant. I also want to administer a shot."
"A shot? Why?"
"Can't be too careful, right?" He tried his best to smile genuinely. "We don't want you to get sick!"
I never heard of getting a shot for a simple rash. But Irie was the doctor here, not me.
He gave me the shot and disinfected my cuts. He put the cream around my neck in a light coat. He then wrapped small bandages around my individual cuts, and then a bigger bandage around my neck to keep the cream on. When he was done, he disposed of his new pair of gloves. He was scribbling some notes down at his desk.
"I want you to put this cream on whenever your neck starts to itch, okay? Just dab it on and wrap a bandage around yourself. That should stop it. If the itching continues to persist after you're done with the bottle, come see me again. I want to make sure this isn't anything serious."
"Um, okay, thanks!" I stood up. He was still scribbling in his notepad. He didn't lift his head up to wish me goodbye. "Irie-sensei?"
"Hmm?" He turned to face me finally. "Is there something else you need?"
"I just wanted to tell you that…Akasaka is doing everything he can to find them."
Irie glanced at the wall. "I know he is. He called and told me about the situation."
I didn't know what to say to Irie. He loved Satoko as much as I did.
"I heard he was interrogating Shion-chan's driver, that Kasai. I don't want to believe he did this, but from what he's told me…"
I didn't respond. I was afraid I was going to lash out if he continued talking about that bastard.
"Oh, Maebara-san! In speaking of that, the village leader is going to hold a meeting tonight for the adults. Make sure you tell your parents to attend if they haven't already heard. He stressed that everybody has to know the situation and what they can do to help."
"Alright, I'll tell them. Irie-sensei? Thanks for helping me; we'll find them! I know we will!"
Irie smiled weakly. It wasn't much, but it meant something. I think that was what Irie needed to hear. You need hope to solve any problem. As long as there is hope, anything is possible.
I exited the clinic. I sighed heavily. Irie wasn't any better than how we were all feeling. I felt good about paying him a visit though. I think he needed to see a friendly face. I walked along the road with my hands in my pockets and with my bag over my shoulder. I looked at my watch for a second. It was still morning; I didn't miss much of class.
I heard a car pull up behind me. I heard its horn honk at me. I thought it was the driver telling me to get out of the way. I wasn't in the mood for this bullshit. I turned around sharply and I was going to yell at the idiot driver, when I noticed it was Akasaka.
"Maebara-san!" He waved.
I approached the driver's side of the car. I peered into the car and found him with a hand on the wheel and his arm on the side of the door. "Akasaka-san! Why're you here?"
"I came to look for you. Hey, what were you doing at the clinic? You're not sick or anything are you?"
"No, I just had an allergic reaction to some new cologne I was wearing. I just went to get some medicine."
"Well if that's all it is then, that's good. Do you have school now?"
"I was just on my way there, actually."
"Do you think you can come with me for a little while? I haven't had breakfast at all today! I know a good restaurant we can go to! My treat!"
My mind felt funny. Had I done this before? Didn't someone I know offer me breakfast or lunch when I was heading to school? Was I just imagining things? My mind was in such a haze, like Shion. I was still grieving too. I was worried about the girls so much that my mind was playing tricks on me.
"You alright, Maebara-san?"
"Yeah, I'm fine!" I understood what Akasaka really wanted to do. He wanted to discuss what was happening. I was one of his links to Hinamizawa, I was the first person he told the news to.
I accepted his offer and climbed in the car with him. If there was anything he wanted me to do to help, I was ready. We drove out of Hinamizawa and we ended up in Okinomiya. I had a suspicion where this guy was taking me. There was only one restaurant in Okinomiya that everybody I knew went to. It practically was the best restaurant in the whole city. There was no other place like it! Where else could you see beautiful women in such dazzling and revealing outfits?
Angel Mort never looked better. We were greeted by a cute waitress with short hair. She had this cute way of walking when she showed us to our seats; she kind of wiggled her behind as she moved. I couldn't help but be bewitched. It reminded me of the time I first met Shion. I thought she was Mion in disguise! Still though, I wondered what Mion would look like if she wore one of those outfits.
I was hoping to see Shion back at work, but I didn't. How could you blame her though? I hadn't seen her since yesterday, but I was hoping she was alright. Mion was probably taking care of her right now. The thought of that eased my weary mind a little.
We took our seats and were told that our real waitress would come back to take our orders soon. I watched her leave and I snickered at Akasaka.
"This was the place you mentioned? Kukuku! Akasaka-san, I'm surprised! I thought you were a happily married man! What would your wife think if she saw you here?"
Akasaka's face turned red and he looked away from my perverted expression. "I-I like the food here, that's all!"
"That's the not the only thing you like!"
"Anyway!" Akasaka hid his face behind the menu booklet. He was trying to regain his composure. "I wanted to discuss something with you."
I quit playing around now. "What is it? You have something new on the investigation?"
"Well, kind of." He put down the menu and folded his hands. "I interrogated Kasai. He denies being involved with the kidnapping."
"Of course he would!" He said disgusted. "He's guilty and he knows it!"
"I trust what's he saying, Maebara-san." Akasaka sounded stern. "He dropped the girls off around 8 pm on the night in question, near the old phone booth in Hinamizawa. The girls insisted that they would be fine and didn't want to trouble Kasai any further. He acknowledged after a lot of convincing. He phoned Sonozaki Shion-san minutes later. He later took Shion out for ice cream when she returned to Okinomiya, after she went to the Sonozaki house with Mion-san for a quick visit. Shion vouched for him."
I recalled how I found Shion yesterday. I tried to forget about what I saw.
"I had to make sure Kasai told the truth. Shion forced him to take her out. Around 8:30 pm, right when Kasai and Shion were having ice cream, Rika and Satoko were kidnapped."
"How do you know?"
"The village leader, Kimiyoshi-san, reported them missing."
I remembered Chie-sensei and the principal were about to tell him about what I said in school. He must have said he already knew about it and decided to get this village meeting together to inform all of Hinamizawa.
"He borrowed something from Rika-chan and went to return it. He heard the laughter from the girls; they were approaching the house from the road. He was going to greet them but they never came. He went down the road to find them, but he couldn't. He swore it was their voices he heard. He checked the bushes and the surrounding trees, believing they were trying to play a prank on him. He found Satoko's headband and Rika's sandals behind a bush."
My heart was beating fast. My eyes were beginning to widen.
"I heard this story from him yesterday when I met up with him. I went to the place where they were kidnapped and examined the area. I saw three sets of footprints. I saw Satoko's caused by her shoe, the other by Rika's, and then a pair that looked like they were caused by boots. They were small though. I didn't tell you before because I wanted to be sure about everything before I could mention it to you. I didn't want you to rush in and get a search party so soon; it would have screwed up the police's plans.
"I checked their house too. Their beds hadn't been slept in. The door of the house showed no signs of forced entry. Nothing was out of place. The house didn't have any essence of life in it since they left to play in Okinomiya with you guys.
"I'm getting more bad feelings about all this, but I have narrowed down my search! The culprit has to be someone who knows the area of the village like the back of their hand! They have to be someone who knows every inch and every shadow that Hinamizawa has! That's how Rika and Satoko were captured! The kidnapper had to know everything there was to know about the terrain!"
Akasaka was getting more excited as I became more afraid. My knees were shaking and sweat ran down my face. I was expecting the next set of words he was going to say. That was what I feared the most!
He looked me right in the eye. "The real culprit is living in Hinamizawa!"
The kidnapper was living in Hinamizawa the whole time? If what Akasaka said was true, than Kasai couldn't have been guilty! He lives in Okinomiya with Shion because of her job in Angel Mort, he takes care of her! Even if he was innocent, I still didn't forgive him. He left Rika and Satoko to walk in the dark. I didn't care if they were strong enough to take care of themselves! He should've stayed with them!
The kidnapper was in Hinamizawa. I couldn't get that out of my head. I was becoming increasingly concerned. If he was living in the village, then he could be anybody! If he was living in the village, who's to say he wasn't going to stop with just Satoko and Rika? There could be more victims! I felt nauseous. The lunch I had at Angel Mort was about to come up.
Akasaka dropped me off at the road next to my house. I exited the car and thanked him for the food and for keeping me in the loop.
"Keep an eye out for me, Maebara-san!" he said to me with his brow furrowed. "I still need all the help I can get, but you need to think sensibly before you act, okay? I'm counting on you!"
"I'll do everything I can!" I pounded my chest. It was false bravery. My soul was shaken and my fear took over my body. Despite that, I had to make Akasaka believe that I would help no matter what.
"Also…watch your back."
Those words made my body colder than it was. The thought of just anybody being the culprit frightened me. Everybody was a suspect now. I couldn't trust anyone but myself and my friends. I questioned what was true and what was false. I questioned the very peace we had won for Hinamizawa. All of our efforts to create a Hinamizawa absent of malicious entities were dashed when Satoko and Rika were demoned away by an unknown enemy. It wasn't over. It was never over.
It was a little after noon and I didn't feel like going to school today. My parents were at work so I had the house to myself. I locked the door right away. I found a note from them on the refrigerator. They said after work they were going straight to the village meeting Irie mentioned. The village leader must have contacted all of the adults in Hinamizawa. After reading the note, I threw myself down on the couch near the TV. I didn't turn it on. I didn't feel like doing anything but stay there, curled up into a ball.
The cicadas cried out to me. Their cry was sorrowful and filled with anguish. They were warning me. They were trying to tell me something important. I couldn't understand their plea.
I regretted getting into the car with Akasaka the other day. If I didn't, I wouldn't be involved in this mess. But was that really true? I was bound to find out at some point. There was no point in lamenting over the past. The point was that the enemy was in my village, under the guise of a normal person. My stomach was beginning to hurt again. The thought of that person looking at me, watching me, waiting to strike at me, waiting to kill me, made me shiver.
I was defenseless. I absolutely hated that feeling. I had to be brave. I couldn't cower in my house like this. I had to find this enemy and beat him. If I didn't find him and beat him, then how could I save my friends? I was so useless. Akasaka was doing his best and I barely did anything. I helped Shion and soothed Mion's weary mind, but I haven't made any progress in getting any closer to the missing girls. I had to find something to go on. Even if it was the smallest lead, Akasaka and I could follow it until we came to something bigger. But he didn't want me to be overzealous. I wanted to help, but all I could think about was getting my friends together and hunting this bastard down. That wouldn't do Akasaka any good. Why was I so useless? I couldn't do anything!
It was evening when I got off of the couch. My neck started to itch again. I applied the cream Irie had given earlier today and wrapped a fresh bandage around me. It relieved the awful feeling from me, but it didn't heal all of my wounds.
The doorbell to my house rang. I ignored it at first, but the bell was rung several more times in rapid succession. I washed my hands and went to the door. I unlocked the door and was about to take the chain off when the door flung open as far as it could go. I took a few steps back.
A girl wearing a white dress stood before me. "Keiichi-kun! How are you?"
It was Rena! She was a sight for sore eyes.
"Jeez! Don't scare me like that!" I scolded her. I had enough excitement today from Akasaka's deduction and I didn't need any more surprises.
"I'm sorry," Rena cast her eyes on the ground. "You weren't in school today so I got worried…"
"Oh, yeah. Sorry about that. Something came up today so I skipped."
"I stopped by to come get you, but your mom told me you left for school early. When I didn't see you there, I got very concerned! Oh! Did something happen to you?" She pointed at my bandage. "Keiichi-kun, are you hurt?"
"This? Oh, it's nothing! I just had an allergic reaction to this cologne I tried out. I went to the clinic to get something for it."
"You wear cologne?" She was smiling at me. Her soft eyes stared at me. "Why didn't you come to school? If you went to just get medication for your allergies, you could have still come! Chie-sensei wouldn't have minded at all!"
"I-I was also feeling bad about…you know. I didn't feel like doing anything."
Rena was quiet. She kept smiling but she knew I was referring to Satoko and Rika.
"Keiichi-kun shouldn't try to carry the world on his shoulders! The police will find them! Yeah, I know it!"
I wanted to believe her, I really did. I know I said having hope was important, but fearing for the worst was getting the better of me. I had to calm down.
"Anyway, Rena," I said, realizing she was still outside. The door was the only thing between us. "Are you here to make sure I'm okay?"
"Uh-huh! Mii-chan wanted to come too, but she had to go to the meeting as a representative of the Sonozaki family. So I decided to come by myself and bring you a surprise!" She held up a pink lunchbox. "I made some dinner for you!"
"Dinner? You made dinner for me?"
"Yeah!" She giggled. "Everybody's parents are at the meeting right now, so everybody had to make their own dinner. I though Keiichi-kun might be hungry, since he can't cook so well! That's why I brought this!"
"Hey! I can cook just fine! Where do you get off talking to me like that?" I shook my fist at her playfully.
"Ahaha! Just kidding! May I come in, Keiichi-kun?" Rena was playing with the chain on the door with her fingers. "It'll just take a second to get ready!"
I remembered this…I remembered this happening before. Didn't Rena come by my house on one occasion with Mion to give me food because I missed school? Or did Rena come by herself and offer to make me dinner since my parents were out? This all seemed familiar, just like when I entered Akasaka's car, and when he took me to Angel Mort. Come to think of it, these experiences of déjà vu began when I first saw Akasaka at school.
"Keiichi-kun? Can I come in, please?" Rena continued to play with the chain on the door. She was still smiling sweetly at me. "Eat dinner with Rena!"
"Yeah, okay."
I unlocked the chair and opened the door fully. Rena danced in and twirled into the kitchen. She made me stay at the door until she was ready. After a few minutes, she invited me into the kitchen. I saw the pink lunchbox with two plates on the table. Rena sat in one seat and motioned for me to sit next to her. I obeyed and waited for the special treat she brought for me. I was starving!
"Are you ready?" She giggled again and opened up the lunchbox. "Tada~! This is Mii-chan's grandmother's special homemade ohagi!"
"Ohagi? Sounds tasty!" I noticed there were toothpicks in the ohagi with a white piece of paper on them. Each piece of paper had a letter on it, from A to E. "Rena? What's with the letters?"
"Mii-chan wanted to play a little game, but I'll carry it out for her in her absence! All of these are made by Mii-chan's grandmother, except for one. I made that certain one! Can you guess which one is mine? I wonder!" She closed her eyes and kept smiling at me.
I folded my arms and leaned back in my seat. "So, I just gotta pick yours and I win, right?"
"If you guess wrong, Rena has to give you a punishment!"
"Oh boy! That's just like Mion to try and torture me! I guess I'll have to pick wisely!" I looked at each of the ohagi and examined its texture, its color, and its smell. They all looked alike and smelled the same. I looked at the one with the letter E. That might be the one. I decided to give it a try. "I choose this one!"
I picked up the ohagi with the letter E. I removed the paper and held it up. Rena watched me as it approached my mouth. Before I took a bite, I hesitated. My head was playing tricks on me again. Don't tell me, I thought to myself. I sat there holding the ohagi, just looking at it. It was just food, right? Then why was I so afraid of it?
"Come on, Keiichi-kun! Eat, eat!" Rena clapped her hands. "It's not like Mii-chan and I put a needle or anything bad in it! Ahaha!"
That really bothered me. I was just thinking about a needle in the ohagi. That's what I was afraid of! But that didn't happen before! How could it happen? Rena never came over to my house with dinner, did she? If she did, I didn't remember it! Why did I remember things that never happened? Why was I so afraid to eat this ohagi? It was just food; Rena and Mion wouldn't pull a trick like sticking something dangerous in it! If it was just food, then I could eat it without having anything happen to me. I had to prove to myself that my mind was just delusional from grief.
I took a bite. My mouth stung. The feeling I had in my mouth was nothing like I ever felt before. I thought I was going to die. I thought I was going to die because it tasted so good!
"This is great!" I gave Rena my approval. "The flavor is perfect! You made this one, right?" My fears were all for naught.
"I'm impressed!" Rena clapped again. "Keiichi-kun did it!"
"I'd recognize your cooking anywhere! It's flawless!"
Rena blushed and put her hand to her mouth. "Well, I…um…hauuuu…"
"Now if only Satoko can cook as good as this!"
I wish I could've taken that back. I killed the mood with that one sentence. Rena stopped blushing and glanced at the floor. I was yelling at myself for saying something so stupid. The atmosphere felt perfect though. It was like Mion, Rika, and Satoko were with us. It felt just like a few days ago when we had lunch in school. My tongue slipped and I regretted it.
"I didn't mean to bring up-"
"It's okay," Rena grinned very weakly.
"I just miss them…"
"I do too."
I clenched my fists together. "What kind of monster would do that? It's horrible!"
Rena stayed silent.
"I hope somebody finds them soon. If not, I'll tear apart all of Hinamizawa until I find them!"
"…Keiichi-kun?"
I looked to her with my brow raised. "What's wrong?"
"There's another reason why I came tonight."
The air suddenly became acrid. It was getting difficult to breathe. The tone in Rena's voice was normal, but her smile was gone. The carefree Ryuugu Rena was no longer with me.
"It's about Mii-chan…"
"What about her?" My mind started jumping to conclusions. "Is she okay? What happened?"
"Mii-chan's fine, it's just…something I should have told you about before."
"What? You should have told me what?"
"It's not like I was trying to hide anything from you…I didn't mean to deceive you at all…"
"Dammit! What is it? What about Mion?" I started to shout. If something happened to another one of my friends, I wouldn't know what I would do. But Mion couldn't be missing. Rena said she was at the meeting! She was fine! Then why was she acting so mysterious about her?
Rena's eyes calmly met mine. They were blank, devoid of any sign of character.
"Mii-chan and Satoko have been fighting."
