Higurashi/Umineko series » Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kan: Kanashii hen
WOLFEDEN Stories
3. Chapter 3: Confession
Rated: T - English - Horror/Mystery - Keiichi M. & Rena R. - Reviews: 20 - Updated: 02-04-11 - Published: 01-24-11 - Complete - id:6683917
Chapter 3: Confession
Part A
My mind wasn't registering what Rena just said. My muscles were frozen stiff. My blood turned to ice and my eyes could not be taken off of Rena's calm but terrifying face. She said it so plainly. Mion and Satoko had been fighting. About what? What was it all supposed to mean?
"What…?" I replied dumbly.
"Mii-chan and Satoko have been fighting," Rena repeated in the same calm voice she used before. Her eyes were glued to mine.
None of it made any sense to me. Mion, Rika, Rena, Satoko, and I were the best of friends. We did everything together and never left each other out of the loop. We agreed on almost everything but we never fought each other. How come everything got turned upside so suddenly? It wasn't supposed to be like this!
Mion and Satoko were fighting. That was a lie. I never saw those two bicker or yell at each other. I never saw them fight and I never saw them act suspiciously around us. Rena didn't know what the hell she was talking about! That wasn't possible! Mion and Satoko couldn't have been fighting!
"That's a lie…" I muttered under my breath. I slammed my fists on the table. "That's a lie! How can you make up something like that?"
Rena was frightened. She stood up and backed away from the table, holding her hands up to her mouth. "Keiichi-kun! Calm down! You're scaring me!"
"Tell me the truth!"
"That is the truth, Keiichi-kun…" Rena peered at the floor.
"If it is, then why didn't I know about?"
"We didn't want to tell you. We were afraid to."
"Didn't want to tell me? What do you mean 'we?'"
Rena folded her hands and placed them over her lap. She was still standing, gazing at the floor like a child being punished by a parent. "Mii-chan and I."
I was hurt. I told them both of what happened to Rika and Satoko. I told them everything and never once hid anything from them. Then how come this was my reward? We were all friends. We weren't supposed to keep secrets anymore!
I was staring at the wood of the table and tightened my fists. "Why? Why did you hide this from me?"
"We were so happy together, all of us," I could hear Rena whimpering. "We fought so hard to live peacefully. We wanted this so much; you were always smiling and you were excited about spending time with us. You grew very close to Satoko, and Mii-chan saw that and didn't want you to think ill of her. She really cares a lot about what you think of her, Keiichi-kun. We didn't want you to know about what was going on. We were afraid our friendships would break apart."
The sound of Rena's crying hit me hard. My anger was justified, but what's is done. I released my fists and laid my hands flat on the table. When Rena saw me calming down, she sat next to me again. She played with her fingers, trying to think of what to say next.
"What was going on between them, Rena?" I asked as calmly as I could. I was still angry with her, but shouting wasn't going to solve anything.
"Um," Rena shifted her eyes from me to her hands a few times. "I promised Mii-chan I wouldn't say anything." She took a deep breath. "But, about a week ago, they got into such a feud. Mii-chan never told me the main details, but she said Satoko was threatening her."
"Threatening her?" I looked at Rena. What was that supposed to mean?
"Mii-chan called me one night and was hysterical. She was crying over something Satoko said to her. Satoko said she was threatening to tell you something. It's a big secret I think."
Mion never got upset over stupid things, but this secret had to big enough to make her so hysterical that Rena claimed her to be. Satoko was saying she was going to tell me something. What did that entail? Why was Rena being so cryptic?
"I don't know what it really is, but I may have a clue."
"What's your thought, then?" I asked.
Rena was awfully quiet. I was going to yell at her again, but that would only lessen my chances of figuring out what this secret was.
Rena's eyes met mine again. "She's been holding onto this for a real long time. You should hear it from her own mouth."
"Rena, please, what is it?" I was about to get on my hands and knees and beg her to tell me. It was eating away at me since she first mentioned it.
Rena smiled weakly. She rubbed the top of my hand with hers. Her soft skin made my spine tingle. It felt really good.
"You should already know." Rena stood up from her seat. "It's late. I should be going home now." She walked over to the door.
I got up too and tried to stop her, but she walked so quickly that she was already out the door. I stood at the door, watching her leave, when she turned around one last time.
"Keiichi-kun? Please don't tell her I told you about this, okay?" Her eyes flashed in the light.
I lay in my bed, glaring at the ceiling above me. Rena and Mion were hiding secrets from me. I couldn't excuse that. We were all friends, but why was everybody hiding something from me? If Rena knew about it, did Rika also know about it from Satoko? Why didn't she tell me either? Why was everyone betraying me?
Rena even asked me not to tell Mion she told me about this. But what was I not supposed to tell her? Rena didn't say anything to me! She never told me what this horrible secret was! Rena even said that I should know about what Mion was supposed to tell me. How was I supposed to know anything? If Mion cared so much about what I thought of her, then why was she hiding things? She knew she was always going to be my best friend. What was she afraid of?
I was also thinking about what Akasaka said about the culprit. He had to be somebody living in Hinzamizawa, he had to be somebody who knew every inch of the terrain, and it had to be someone who knew the perfect spot where to ambush Rika and Satoko. So not only did I have Mion to worry about, but I also had to worry about the enemy. Everyone in Hinamizawa was now a suspect.
A terrible thought entered my mind. I dismissed it right away, but what Rena said began to eat away at me again. Mion and Satoko were fighting. Wait a minute. No, that couldn't be true. It didn't make sense. She wasn't that kind of a person. She would never do anything like that.
Could Mion be the culprit? It was an insane idea. Mion was my best friend. She would never hurt one of her friends. She loved us. Why would she attack two of us? What could she have to gain by doing so?
Mion knew Hinamizawa inside and out. She knew where Satoko and Rika lived. She had been fighting with Satoko a week ago too. All of these facts assaulted my mind and broke my heart. I shook my head and tried not to think about it all. Mion was my friend. This had to be some misunderstanding. This argument she and Satoko had was probably nothing more than a stupid quarrel. Friends have fights, right? Friends have issues sometimes but they always work out in the end. But could a fight be so bad that it could make one friend attack another, maybe because of some secret? Could this same secret cause that friend to kill? No…it couldn't be true. It was impossible. My neck began to itch again.
I left home to go to school early again so my parents wouldn't see my neck. I waited a little bit beyond my house for Rena to come. After a while, she arrived. She spoke to me and acted like nothing happened the night before. She didn't say anything about Mion or Satoko, and she didn't remind me to keep my mouth shut. I didn't know anything to begin with, so what could I say about it?
We met Mion at her waiting spot. She teased us, calling us late. I said a hello, but I guess I was acting very awkward around her. Mion raised her brow at me. She inspected me to see if I was sick and questioned my neck. I gave her the lie I'd been telling everybody about. Rena watched me as I spoke. She was smiling like always, but her blue eyes didn't stop watching me. I was under her surveillance from the waiting spot to the school. She was watching my every move.
The school day went on as usual. Chie-sensei delivered her lecture and gave us free study afterwards. She looked tired. I could see the bags under her eyes. I guess the meeting lasted pretty late last night. I went up to bed after Rena left my house and didn't pay much attention to anything else. My parents came home late and they seemed pretty tired this morning when I saw them too. I guess the village leader had a lot of plans to discuss to the adults.
When the school day was over, Rena said goodbye to Mion and I. She said she had to clean her house since her father didn't get home until very late last night, the same story as my parents. I felt her cold eyes look at me as I plopped my head down on my desk. If she was trying to scare me to keep quiet, she was doing a good job. I was still upset about her and Mion keeping secrets from me, but that anger turned into fear when she began watching me. She was watching me during class too, I know it. That awful feeling when you know somebody's looking at you and you can't see them. Rena was probably still watching me now. If she was so concerned about me being quiet, then why did she bother telling me in the first place? At this point, I wished she never spoke to me about it.
"Kei-chan!" Mion spoke to me. She was standing at my desk with her hands at her hips. "Kei-chan!"
I looked up at her sleepily. I didn't sleep much last night either. I knew exactly how Chie-sensei, my parents, and Rena's father felt.
"Yeah, what?" I looked at her.
"You ok? You look like something's the matter." She leaned over to me provocatively. "Or is that this old man's body has totally bewitched you?"
She was sticking her chest out at me. I looked away, as if I didn't care. "I told you before: they're too big. I'm not interested."
"Oh yeah? Then how about this?" Mion grabbed my shoulders and pulled me to my feet. She then grasped my head and slammed my face right into her chest. "Take that! Puff Puff Attack!"
I managed to release myself from her clutches, with my face as red as an apple. "What do you think you're doing?"
"Ahaha!" Mion slapped my back hard. "It's so much fun to see Kei-chan so embarrassed! But then again, I'm sure you liked that!"
"No I didn't!" Of course I did.
"Suuuure!" Mion picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "Hey, Kei-chan, you got any plans for today?"
"Me? No, I got nothing to do. Why?"
"Weeell," she snickered. "You wanna stop by my house today? I got this cool new comic book that came in the mail! I think you'll like it!"
My body froze up again. Whenever she mentioned having me over to read or borrow comic books, she really wanted to just talk. Was she going to tell me something about Satoko and Rika now? My heart was already heavy with so much pain, feelings of betrayal, and anger, that I couldn't take anymore news. I wanted this all to end. I wanted all of these feelings to go away.
I started to stutter. I couldn't think of a response to say to her. I was afraid of her. I was afraid of what she might do.
"Or are you busy?" Mion frowned. "If you can't, it's alright. Maybe some other time then…"
Mion wasn't responsible. I was letting Rena get the better of me. So what if Mion and Satoko fought? It had to be nothing! It was all just a misunderstanding! Mion couldn't have been the enemy. She was my best friend. She was the closest I've ever been with, next to Rena. Mion and I were like two sides of the same coin. I wasn't going to let Rena's news change that!
"I can come!" I succeeded in putting on a smile. It was genuine; I knew Mion was innocent and I trusted her completely. "I'd love to!"
Mion was taken aback at my sudden smile and tone. I guess I sounded very excited because she turned her face away from me. She turned to show me her back. "Then let's go!" She laughed and ran out of the classroom. I followed after her.
We were walking along the road to her house. Mion cracked a few jokes here and there and we laughed. I felt great around her. My fears subsided now. Mion always made me happy, even when she made my life hell in the club activities; she always put a smile on my face.
As we were walking, I noticed she got closer and closer to me. We were at least fourteen inches from each other, but she closed the gap after a while. I glanced out of the corner of my eye to see her. I saw a bright smile on her face. Was she really happy that I wanted to come over to her house? She held her bag in front of her with both hands. I thought I heard her hum a song too. I think it was just my imagination though.
We arrived at Mion's house sooner than I remembered. I hadn't been there in a while so I guess I forgot how far it was from the school. Mion led me into her living room and opened up a door that revealed a majestic view of one of the house's gardens. She dropped her bag and went to get some tea for us.
Mion was acting so nice. I was wondering what it was all for. She knew about how I missed school the other day. Maybe she thought I was really sick and did this to try to make me feel better. It didn't matter to me though; I got to spend time with her. This was exactly what I needed. I needed to know Mion was still my best friend.
She returned shortly with two cups of tea on a small tray. She handed me one and sat in front me with hers. "This is my special tea!" She said proudly. "It'll treat any ailment imaginable!"
"Is that so?" My neck was still itching, so I strongly hoped that the tea would stop it. It tasted like the nectar of the gods. It made my body feel warm all over and it soothed my throat. It was just the remedy I needed. "You made this?"
"Uh-huh!" She laughed a little. "It's actually my grandma's recipe. She's been teaching me how to make it. She's not around today, since she's in the city on business, so she wasn't there to make sure I did right. I think I may have ruined it."
"Tastes fine to me!" I smiled at Mion. Her face turned light red. "So, Mion. You wanted to talk?"
"Oh, ahaha! You remembered our code, huh?" Mion kept smiling at me. "I wanted to see if you're feeling better! You had me worried when you didn't come to school."
"I'm sorry." I scratched at my head. "I had a lot of stuff on my mind. I just didn't feel like coming."
Mion knew what I really meant. "You know, the meeting went by well. Old man Kimiyoshi's getting search parties together to look for Rika and Satoko. He's going to do everything he can so we can put an end to this."
"…That's good." I held my cup in my hand and swirled the tea around.
"I…I wonder how they're doing…"
Mion sounded sad. That was my proof. She was innocent. There was no reason why Mion shouldn't be sad. She loved her friends. I sound like a broken record, but it was true. This secret or whatever she and Satoko fought about, it wouldn't make Mion do something despicable.
"Hey, drink up." Mion pointed at my cup. "That stuff's gonna make you feel better!"
I took another gulp, as if to drown all of my fears and all of my worries.
"Oh, I almost forgot!" She grinned at me evilly. "Did Rena give you the ohagi?"
Her name made me twitch. "Yeah. The ohagi she made was the one with the letter E on it, right?"
"Correct!" Mion applauded for me. "You're getting better at these activities! Uncle Mion approves!"
We shared a hearty laugh. I took another swig of my tea and remembered something myself.
"How's Shion?" I asked.
"She's taking a nap right now, actually." Mion said happily. "She's been feeling a lot better since you visited her. She doesn't stop talking about you. It's kinda creepy!"
"What's she been saying?"
"She said how you came over and took care of her. She said you cooked her some food and played a few games with her to make her feel better. I think she's crazy; Kei-chan can't cook! Ahaha!"
Shion was lying, but at least she left out the fact that she attacked me. I didn't want Mion to have to worry about her sister anymore, or about me. I could handle myself and I knew that Shion was just feeling angry about the kidnapping. There was nobody to blame.
"I'm happy she's fine! I was worried about her."
Mion looked into her tea. "You've been doing way too many nice things for me, Kei-chan. The teddy bear, looking after Shion for me. You're too nice." She sounded guilty.
"Well, you've done plenty of things for me too, so I wanted to return the favor!" I smiled warmly at her again.
She smiled at me too. Her eyes stared into mine. Her smile was getting wider and wider with every second that passed by. Seeing her like that made me happy. It eased my worries and lifted my spirits. Being with Mion was just what I needed.
"Hey, Kei-chan? Would you…like to take a walk with me?"
"Uh, sure! That'd be nice!"
We finished the rest of our tea and we stepped outside. The sun was shining brightly and the air was fresh. The sun warmed my body filled me with joy. It shined down on the flowers that filled the garden with vibrant colors and cascading beauty. It brought them to life. This place was a piece of paradise. Mion was very fortunate to have such a majestic place to live. To see the sun rise, the flowers bloom, and to hear the sound of nature emanating from her gardens. It was great. I didn't want to leave from there.
We walked along a pathway with a little stream beside us. A few butterflies passed by, fluttering in the cool breeze. Mion moved closer to me again.
"Can I…can I hold your arm?" She asked, trying not to look at me.
"I guess so," I said, with my voice cracking.
She took hold of my arm. Her skin was as soft as Rena's, maybe even softer. Her fingers wrapped around me and I felt her chest rubbing against me. Her fingers brushed against my skin as me walked. It was enough to make me go crazy. I didn't know Mion was like this. I knew she liked girly things, despite her appearance as a tomboy, but I didn't know she liked these kinds of walks.
She rested her head against my shoulder. Her finger was rubbing against my arm again. Her other hand moved down my arm and touched my wrist. The sensation of her hand sliding down my arm sent shivers up my back. I nearly jumped. I could smell her hair. It smelled like Shion's, but this scent was much more enticing. I heard her exhale slowly and happily. She seemed so comfortable. She could take a nap if she stayed liked this. I wouldn't mind if she did that. I welcomed it.
Our walk was cut short when we approached a large rusty gate. This was the gate leading down below the Sonozaki house to the torture chambers. Beyond that was the secret tunnel we used to go into the mountains a month ago. The mountains, I could recall, were just as breathtaking as the gardens here. An idea hit me.
"Mion? Why don't we use the tunnel here and go into the mountains for a little while? It'll be fun!"
"You really want to?" She looked at the door. "You don't want to go through there…"
"It's the quickest way, right? We can reach the mountains in no time! Plus, I'm not supposed to be home until later so we have plenty of time to hang out."
"But…"
"You wanted to make sure I was okay today? I think the mountain air will do me good!"
Mion was unsure about the idea. She didn't want the mood to be ruined by a short trek through the chambers. I saw them before and wasn't scared all that much. I knew who Mion was and I knew she wouldn't use these chambers for anything. She was a good person. There was nothing that was going to frighten me or ruin my image of her.
"Alright then," Mion said after much pondering. "I'll go get some snacks and I'll meet you at the ladder to the tunnel okay? Be careful!" She released my arm and ran back to the house.
I opened the gates and descended the stairs. The sunlight disappeared and I was now in the dark and dank chambers. I opened a few more doors and came to a room of tools. I saw hooks, scythes, nails, and hammers. There was wooden cross off to the side with restraints for the wrist and for the fingers of its victim. This must have been one of the places where people had the original Watanagashi. This and the Furude shrine.
My eyes examined the tools and the cross. All of that was in the past now. Nobody used these things anymore. That kind of Watanagashi was over now. That was part of Onigafuchi. This was Hinamizawa now. This was the not the land of demons anymore. There was only one demon though, the bastard who took Rika and Satoko from me. But we were after him. We knew about him and the village leader gathered all of Hinamizawa to fight him. This was a declaration of war. This new Hinamizawa wasn't going to see anymore evil.
I passed through the chambers and came to the prison. From there, I arrived at the ladder to the secret tunnel. I remembered how we used this to escape those Yamainu thugs. I really wished there was another faster route into the mountains, but this was the only way. I had to suck it up and get moving. I know I said I was going to wait for Mion here, but I wanted to climb down to remind myself just how far down the tunnel was.
I climbed down the ladder. It was cold to the touch and it seemed to go on forever. Luckily there was a lamp looking down so I can see. Somebody must have installed the lamp after what happened last month. It was a good installment! I thanked whoever did that!
I came to the bottom of the ladder. I hopped off of it and let my feet touch the ground. It felt squishy. It wasn't like the hard ground in the chambers, this felt like mud. I shifted my feet around in it. It was odd that mud was here.
I took a step. I heard something break. It sounded like a bone being snapped in two. It made me feel uncomfortable. What was it that I was stepping on? I looked down.
My body shook. My eyes were locked onto what I was seeing. My mouth was agape. I tried to speak but I was mute. The sight before me made my bones ache, it turned my stomach into knots, and it set my brain on fire. I was looking at a person whose hair was bathed in crimson waters with her eyes looking into mine, and the another person whose arms and head were sliced open too. She looked up to me with cold and dark eyes. Drool and blood was dripping from the sides of her mouth. I knew these girls. My voice returned; I screamed louder and cried harder than I ever had done before.
Part B
I scampered up the ladder as quick as a flash. I reached the top and tried to run but I tripped. The cold ground hit my face hard. I heard a voice call out to me as I lay there on the ground. It was Mion. She stood above, looking puzzled. How can she fake that? She had to know what was at the bottom of that ladder!
"Kei-chan!" she gasped. "What's wrong with you?" She reached out to me.
I feared her touch. I crawled away like a wounded animal. "Don't touch me! Don't you touch me!"
"What's gotten into you? Why're you so paranoid?"
"Don't act like you don't know!" I shouted at her. I was enraged. "What are they doing down there?"
"What're you talking about, Kei-chan?" She really didn't know? She had to know! She just had to! She moved over to the ladder, after seeing me tremble at the sight of it. She grabbed the lamp and increased the brightness of it. She peered down until she saw the very bottom. She held her mouth and slowly backed away from the ladder. "Oh my…" I saw her arms and knees shake.
I was frantically looking at her and at the lamp's light. Their faces were seared into my brain. Their looks of horror, pain, and anguish made up their faces. Mion must have felt the same way. But why would she feel that way?
Mion looked at me. She saw afraid of her I was. She saw my body shake and how my pupils were dilated. "Kei-chan…what are you…?"
"Why? Why do you do this?"
"Huh?"
"Why did you kill Rika and Satoko?" I hollered.
Mion was horrified at my accusation. Her body was trembling even more. "Keiichi…you think I did this?"
"Who did it? Was it you? Kasai? Who was it?"
Mion turned away from me. "…Kasai's innocent…"
"Then you did it!"
"I didn't kill them!" Mion looked back at me with tears in her eyes. "You have to believe me, I didn't!"
"That's a lie!" I finally stood up. I was walking towards her. As I did, she was retreating back into the walls of the prison chamber we were in. "I know about it! I know all about it! You killed them! You killed them and you dumped their bodies here! You didn't think anybody was going to find them! That's why you were so hesitant to come through here!"
"Keiichi…"
"I know why you did this." Her back hit the wall, but I still continued my approach. "It's because of Satoko right? You were fighting with her last week, weren't you? You were fighting about something awful. It must have been so bad that you wanted her dead! You waited for them to come home that night and you killed them! You murdered them!"
Mion was sobbing.
"And what about Rika? What did she ever do to you? Was it to shut her up? Was it to keep her quiet! Answer me! Mion!"
Mion fell to her knees and continued crying. I stopped my walk and stood over her. I was scratching at my neck again. Mion wailed and fell on her side. "Keiichi…please…believe me…"
I scratched at my bandage furiously. The itching was driving me mad.
"I didn't do this…please…"
"If you didn't do it then why are they here? Why are they here at your home?"
"Somebody…somebody's trying to frame me…"
I spat at that lie.
"Please, believe me!" She cried out me. She was shrieking at me.
I had what I needed. Rika and Satoko's corpses were here. Mion killed them. Akasaka had to know. I had to tell him what I discovered here.
I turned away from Mion and I was walking towards the exit to the torture chamber. I heard her mumbling to herself.
"How did you know…we were fighting…? How did you…? Wait. Now I understand. I understand everything now."
I looked over my shoulder. Mion was back on her feet. She was clenching her fist. She was doing it so tightly that the palm was beginning to bleed. Her nails penetrated her skin.
"That bitch…that Rena…she promised me she wouldn't tell you...! She told you everything, didn't she? It's all ruined now…because of her! That's it! I'm definitely gonna kill her…!"
Mion's eyes were red from crying, but I could see the serpent's vermillion gaze emitting from them. When I saw that, I fled from the torture chamber out into the garden.
I ran from the garden. I ran down the road from the Sonozaki house. I ran for so long that my legs started to hurt. I fought through the pain, however. The second I would stop to rest, Mion would be right behind me, trying to kill me. I trusted her. I believed she was my friend. And yet, she murdered my friends. What possessed her to do his?
I arrived at my house and locked the door. My parents weren't home yet. It was getting close to sundown. I picked up one of my father's golf clubs and hid in my room. I sat against the wall, holding on to the grip of the club for dear life. I was waiting for Mion to burst into my house and try to kill me. I wasn't going to let her!
I started to sob. I trusted Mion with my life. She was my best friend, the one person I felt closer to in all of Hinamizawa. Why would she kill Satoko? Why would she kill Rika? Whatever they fought about, I didn't care anymore. The only thing on my mind was Mion, holding a knife, stabbing and slashing at them. Making them bleed, breaking their bones, and torturing them. I felt like I was going to vomit.
Rena was trying to warn me. She told me about Mion and Satoko to make me aware of what Mion was capable of. Did Rena know about the murders and was threatened to keep quiet, or else she would be the next to die? All this time, I was afraid of Rena when I should have been afraid of Mion. Akasaka had to know. I had to tell him so he could arrest Mion. I had to put a stop to this.
I grabbed the nearest phone and dialed his number. It took forever for him to pick up.
"Hello, Okinomiya precinct?"
"Akasaka-san!"
"Maebara-san? What's wrong? You sound out of breath!"
"I know who kidnapped Rika-chan and Satoko!"
"Are you serious? Who did it?"
It hurt me to say it. It killed me to finally say it. "It was Mion! She's behind everything!"
"Sonozaki Mion? Are you sure?"
"Yes, yes! I was just at the house! I found their bodies in a secret tunnel! It's in the torture chamber in the main garden of the Sonozaki house!"
Akasaka was quiet for a solid minute. He must have been aching when he heard the sorrowful news. If he burst into tears right now, I wouldn't blame him. I now knew he really did have a strong connection to Rika.
"Akasaka-san? There's something else to. I think she might try to kill me or Ryuugu Rena next! Rena's the one that tipped me off about Mion!"
"I-I-I'll send some officers over to guard you and Ryuguu-san. Just stay put and don't do anything stupid. I'm on my way to the Sonozaki house right now!"
I hung up the phone after giving my condolences and thanks. Later in the evening, I told my parents about what was happening and they were astonished, as much as I was. They couldn't believe a nice girl like Mion would kill anybody. Parts of me wanted to believe she was innocent, but the evidence was right there. Rika and Satoko were at the bottom of that ladder, near the tunnel. Even if she tried to carry them somewhere else, the police would find her red-handed. It was all over.
I sat in my room that night, still holding the golf club. My parents were still up, talking with a police officer. I sat there, staring at the phone. I was waiting for the word that Akasaka caught Mion. I needed to hear those words. I needed to know that Rena and I were going to be fine.
I was going to be next, if not Rena. I was worried about her as well. I heard Mion say she was going to kill her. I hope that Akasaka would stop her before that. I knew he said he was going to send some men over to protect her as well, but I was still worried for her. Rena was all that I had left. She was the only person I could trust now.
I heard a footstep as I sat there in the shadows of my room. It was faint, but I could hear it. It was Mion, she was here to kill me! I know she was! I heard her approach the door to my room. I didn't see anything standing behind my door, but I knew someone was there. Someone was watching me, waiting to attack me.
I didn't move from my spot. I had my club ready to strike whoever entered my room. I wasn't going to die. I wasn't going to allow myself to be killed! Just as I was thinking about charging whoever was at my door, the footsteps vanished. I didn't hear them anymore. I furiously scratched at my neck again. That medicine wasn't working. The itch kept getting worse, but I couldn't worry about that. I had to protect myself from Mion!
I didn't go to school the next day. I stayed home, holding my golf club. I stayed in my room all morning. While my parents went to work, an officer sat in my living room keeping watch. He and my club were all that was between me and death. The doorbell rang. The officer looked through the peephole on the door and sighed in relief. I heard him and another man talking for a moment.
"Maebara-san? Are you here?"
It was Akasaka! He came here to give me the good news! Mion was caught!
I dashed down the stairs with my club still in hand. I met Akasaka and the officer in my living room. "Akasaka-san! You're here!"
Akasaka looked at my appearance. I was sweaty and my hair was greasy. He was shocked. "Are you okay, Maebara-san? You look awful! And what's with the golf club?"
"I'm fine, don't worry!" I was smiling strangely at him. I was happy he was here. He was going to tell me that everything was going to be fine, that I wouldn't have to worry about anything.
"Have you been up all night? You-"
"Have you found her?" I was shouting. "Have you found Mion?"
Akasaka gestured to my couch. I sat on one end and he sat on the other. "We checked out the house last evening an hour after you called." He choked up a little, but he tried his best to stay professional. "We found Rika-chan and Satoko-chan."
"I'm really sorry," I said as I was calming down. "What…are you gonna do with them?"
"We want to run a few tests to see exactly how they died. We couldn't find a murder weapon, you see. We checked the whole premises but we couldn't anything."
"What about Mion?" My heart was beating fast again. "You did find her, right?"
Akasaka grunted. "She got away."
The cry of the cicadas outside my house was all I could hear after he said that. They cried a painful dirge, a dirge for my Rika and my Satoko. They cried loudly enough for all of Hinamizawa to hear them.
"She…got…away…." I couldn't accept that. I couldn't accept that Mion was still around, free to kill anybody else.
"I suspect she used the secret tunnel to escape to the mountains. Some men of mine checked the immediate area of those mountains, but nothing came up. We didn't find a footprint, and weapon, anything. She just vanished!"
I was more furious than I ever was before. Mion robbed me of my happiness, my friends, and my life. She ruined everything. Hinamizawa was never going to be the same again for me.
"There has to be something," I uttered.
"We're still searching, Maebara-san. Something's bound to turn up! I got men combing the mountains and practically every place in the village. I even got people in Okinomiya looking for her just in case."
I thought about Shion. "Shion! What about her? She was in the house, wasn't she?"
Akasaka nodded. "She was. She was taking a nap in her room when she heard us storm the place. She questioned me what was going on, and after I found…you know…I told her. The poor thing didn't say a word. She just slumped to the floor. She didn't even move from that spot."
As I feared, Shion was broken again. I didn't think I was going to be able to heal her wounds this time. Her sister was a murderer and Satoko and Rika were dead. I didn't know how she was ever going to be the same again. Her smile was lost forever and her remnants of Satoshi were gone. We were both in a hell we couldn't escape from.
"It's not over yet, Maebara-san!" Akasaka placed his hand on my shoulder. "We can still end this! I'm not giving up until Mion is captured! I have to avenge Rika-chan and Satoko-chan!"
I slowly nodded to him, keeping my mouth closed and my eyes on my golf club.
"I'll call you if anything else turns up, okay? This officer will guard you until your parents get home. Ryuugu Rena-san has an officer staying with her so you shouldn't worry about her. Be careful, alright? Try to take it easy until I call you." With that Akasaka stood up and left my house.
I tried not to fall asleep that night, but I couldn't help it. My parents were home and another cop came around to protect us, so I felt some comfort. I haven't slept well in days and I had to be awake in case anything happened. The cold shower I took a few hours ago woke me up, but it didn't make up for the amount of sleep I lost. I did succumb to my desires though. My eyes shut and I felt asleep for a little while.
A sudden ping came from my window. I jumped up and my eyes were shot open. I slowly walked towards the window. My heart was pounding and my mind was fully alert. I pushed back the curtain and gasped. There was Mion! She was throwing rocks at my window!
She was standing there with a small friendly grin on her face. That pissed me off. She was smiling because she thought she was going to get away with it. I wouldn't allow that to happen. I had her right outside my window. I wasn't going to let her escape. I held onto my golf club tightly and decided what I was going to do.
I climbed out of my window. Once I got outside, onto my lawn, I walked out into the road where Mion was. She had her hands behind her back and that grin was still on her face. Not for long, I told myself. I stood a few feet from her, with my club at my side.
"Hi, Kei-chan," she said lowly.
"Why're you here?" I responded coldly.
She cast a look to the ground. "I-I just came to say goodbye before I go away for a while."
I was resisting the urge to attack, trying to think of how to subdue her without fail.
"I wanted to say that I'm sorry…" She looked back at me. Her eyes were tearing up again. "I'm sorry for everything I've done to you. I didn't mean for all of this to happen. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt my loved ones…"
"It's a little late for that!" I pointed my club at her. "You think apologizing is gonna bring Satoko back to me? You think apologizing is gonna make Rika smile again? Don't you dare try to insult their memory! Don't you dare try to make this up to me! That secret or whatever you're holding is the cause of all this!"
Mion took a step forward with her hands in the open. They were empty, but I took a battle stance with the club.
"Don't move!"
"Kei-chan," she said sweetly. "I regret killing them, really I do. But there's something else I regret the most."
"I said don't move!" I swung the club to the side to try to scare her off.
She kept walking towards me, slowly, with her hands extended towards me. "I wanted to see you one last time before I turned myself in to the police. I want to repent for all the sins I've done."
"What you've done is unforgiveable…" I felt tears beginning to form in my eyes too. This person looked like Mion, sounded like Mion, but I knew it wasn't. It was a demon. It was a demon trying to fool me.
"I wanted to tell you one thing before I go." She stopped walking when she was a foot away from me.
"Which is…?" I kept the club pointed at her.
"I never had the courage before…and I know I really screwed up, so I know you won't accept me, but I have to tell you this before I go."
She gently moved the club aside. I raised it up at a different angle to strike her and knock her out, but instead of the attack I was expecting, she embraced me. She wrapped her arms around my waist and caressed my back. She placed her ear on my chest to hear my heart beat.
I lowered the club and looked down at her head. "Mion…?"
"Keiichi," she whispered. Her emerald eyes met mine. They glistened in the moonlight. "I love you."
Before I could do anything, she kissed me. Her tender lips pressed into mine softly and sweetly. She kissed me slowly and passionately for a few minutes. My eyes were open the whole time. Her hands traveled up and down my back and she even held my face at one point. I felt the tip of her tongue enter my mouth. It touched mine. When she finished, she rested her head against my shoulder.
I dropped the club. I held her now. Something took control of me and held her close to me. I didn't know what it was. Maybe I did like her back, or maybe I was just absorbed in the moment. I had no idea. My mind was more screwed up than it was before. I was about ready to hit her, I hated her, I wanted to kill her, but now I was hugging her. All I knew was that Mion loved me.
"I'm sorry I never told you before. I was so scared you'd never accept me. I have nothing to lose now, so I figured I should tell you before I go to prison…"
"Mion…" Her name escaped from my mouth. I was crying again. My whole mind and heart was in such confusion. I didn't know what I was doing or why I did what I did. I hated her for what she did, but why was I holding her like this? Did I…love her too?
She kissed my neck a few times and then she kissed my cheek. She whispered in my ear before she kissed it. "I love you, Keiichi…"
I was quiet, but I held her even closer.
She giggled. "I did it. I did something she could never do in a million years…I did something she could never do…"
"Mion? What did you say?" I didn't understand her properly. What was she saying?
"You idiot…that's all you had to do! Hahaha, it's that easy…!"
"Mion?"
Her warm body trembled in my arms. "Now that that's settled…why don't I just kill this guy so he can join you…!"
I spoke her name once more, but I my body went limp. I heard a buzzing and crackling sound behind me. The back of my neck felt a terrible pain. I fell into Mion's grasp and then my whole world went black.
