Hinamizawa Hell

Ch. 2: Return & Realizations: Part 1

What could have been said of Shion's apparent struggle to get out of the hole, no words could describe. She clawed up the walls, and with every effort freed herself from the trap, at which she was helped up by the blonde haired boy. It didn't take long for Shion to jump into his arms and tightly hug him for what seemed like an eternity.

"Sa..Satoshi…Satoshi!!!!" Shion cried tears of joy at seeing Satoshi finally awake after so long. She cried in his arms, holding him as tight as she could. Satoshi smiled and wrapped his arms around her tightly, trying to calm Shion down a bit.

At the sound of his name, Satoko woke out of her daze, and saw Shion and Satoshi hugging, at which she also began crying tears of joy. Luckily for her, Keiichi was positioned correctly enough so that Satoko, along with Rika and Rena, merely jumped onto his back, and hopped out of the hole with enough leverage. They both ran to Satoshi, and began hugging him tightly.

"Nii-Nii...You're finally awake!" Laughs could be heard from above, as Keiichi groaned as his back spasmed in pain. Mion looked down, her anger disappearing for the meantime and a look of concern coming over her face.

"Keiichi!" Mion rushed to his side, and helped him get out of the hole. In moments, they were above the mound of snow on all fours. Slowly, they got up, and brushed themselves off, only to discover Satoshi's return. Mion smiled, and Keiichi stood there looking the new arrival over.

"Satoshi? It's about time you woke up!" Mion greeted him, but try as he might Shion, Satoko, and Rika were all hugging him too tightly to let an arm go free.

"Well, I actually woke up 2 days ago. Dr. Irie ran tests, and besides some muscle loss, I'm back to normal." Satoshi chuckled.

"Well, a little of our gaming club's penalty games will get you back in shape in no time!" Mion laughed. However, as she looked over to Keiichi, she saw him extend a hand to Satoshi.

"So you're the one I've been told, or rather, investigated a lot about. It's finally nice to meet you, Satoshi." Keiichi managed to shake hands with him, greeting him with a smile.

"Keiichi Maebara I presume. I must say, thank you for taking care of Satoko and Shion while I was gone. I owe a lot to you, from what The Coach tells me, hehehe." Satoshi returned the greeting whole heartedly, and looked down at his little sister.

"Satoko, those water traps back there nearly took me out. And here I thought you wanted me back…" Satoko merely looked up to her older brother and nudged him on his head, which caused everyone to laugh.

The group, not forgetting Hanyuu, who seemed to have caught a cold while out in the snow, helped her get back to the main roads towards everyone's respective houses. All the while, Satoshi was caught up on everything that happened, which seemed to amaze him in every way. It appeared to Rika and Hanyuu that things were finally right again; the way they should be. The glow and warmth of everyone's smiles was exactly what Rika had wanted all along, and for once, she felt that fate was now in balance with her life.

At the cross roads, everyone stopped and looked at each other, knowing that it was time to return home. Satoshi looked at everyone, and smiled again.

"Well, it looks like no one won the game today. Better luck next time, eh Keiichi?" Mion grinned, and looked over to the others; however, Satoshi shook his head.

"Actually, I won the game today. As I recall, I was able to remain victor as I pushed Shion into the pit last. Guess that makes me the winner, and someone else the loser for a penalty game." Satoshi grinned at bit, and looked at Mion for news of the penalty game.

"Well, I guess that does make sense, so we'll let you slide today as our winner. And since you won, you can choose any penalty for anyone of the losers to submit to. Usually, I have Keiichi here dress up in some maid or girl clothing, but that's just my opinion." Mion looked over to Keiichi with an evil look in her eye. Though she didn't win the game, it didn't mean that Keiichi didn't have to suffer.

However, Satoshi shook his head again. "I'll have Shion submit to a penalty game, but that's later. Right now, I think I have some catching up to do with my little sister." He looked down to Satoko and patted her on her head, just like he used to do long ago. Satoko looked up to him and smiled, but added in something extra to Satoshi's suggestion.

"Shion and the others can come along too. We can all go have lunch at our home." Satoko made it apparent to Satoshi to bring Shion along, as Satoko owed a lot to her for everything she did.

"That sounds great. Well, show me to this home of ours…" Satoshi began to walk, but Mion and Keiichi went ahead back towards Keiichi's home. He seemed to be in a lot of pain at the moment.

"I'm gonna take care of this one and make sure he's ok. I'll take a rain, or should I say a snow check on the luncheon." Mion winked to Shion, which Shion could only guess that Mion was playing a trump card on her man. Previously, Shion and Mion both joked about how they would get their men, and now it seemed like today of all days would be it. However, Shion couldn't believe that Satoshi was going to submit her to a penalty game. All the way back to Rika, Hanyuu, and Satoko's home, Shion daydreamed of all the things that Satoshi probably wouldn't do to her, but it was her fantasy anyway.

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After the group's separation a while later, Mion managed to help Keiichi back to his house. As she and Keiichi went inside, she called out a formal greeting to anyone else in the house, but no reply came. As they took off their shoes and winter wear, Mion looked down to Keiichi, wondering where his parents were.

"My folks are off on another business trip for at least two weeks. They left yesterday morning without telling me a thing. Luckily, they left me enough money to eat till they get back," replied Keiichi in pain.

*This is perfect! With no adults around I can finally spend some time with Kei-chan, maybe even do 'other' things…* As Mion thought her fantasies out, a giant blush came across her face, at which Keiichi raised his hand to her cheeks.

"Hmm…You're really red Mion. I hope you're not coming down with a cold," replied Keiichi a little worried.

Mion blushed even more, and in order to change the subject, she hurried herself into the kitchen, intending to make some food for them. If anything, food would take Keiichi's mind off her blushing.

"Well, since no-one's around, looks like I'll have to take care of ya!" Mion began taking out some ingredients and began cooking up something delicious for them to eat. Keiichi, on the other hand, went into the next room and lied down on the couch slowly, resting his back.

"Damnit Satoko, this must be the worst thing yet!" he groaned in pain.

After an hour of cooking, Keiichi, having dozed off, woke up to a delicious smell of food. He drooled as he inched closer to the kitchen, and looked in to see Mion setting up the table. As he sat down, he admired Mion acting almost like a wife to him, cooking in a cute apron and being graceful in her movements. It seemed that every passing day in Hinamizawa, and every moment he was with Mion and the others, made Keiichi realize just how thankful he was to be there.

The food Mion had cooked up tasted more than incredible. It wasn't extravagant in portion, but more than enough to satisfy Keiichi's hunger. As he downed every possible piece of food he was allotted, Mion merely smiled, glad that the one she loved liked her cooking. She merely watched him, and ate some of her food in the process; however, the feeling on her mind wasn't of food, but what she wanted to do with Keiichi.

*After all this time, Keiichi and I really have started to get closer, but I really don't even know if he feels the same way as I do. I thought he and Rena may have been an item a few times, but other times I felt that he only looked at me. Heh, kinda reminds me of that dream I had, or, more to say a nightmare…*

FLASHBACK:

The group of friends were running past all the trees under the thickness of the dark lit night, anywhere, just to escape. Their opponents were fast approaching, and the group had managed to gain a little distance. After a while, they came upon a car, armed and ready for battle. However, the group took out some of the enemy guards with ease, and planned to overtake two more men to get the car. However, just when things seemed like it was in their favor, a cracking blast from Takano's pistol shot a round straight at the leader of the pack, Keiichi. As time slowed to a crawl, Mion watched in horror as the person she cared most for fell to the ground in a pool of his own blood.

"NO! Not here, not now! Don't die Kei-chan!" Mion felt anger, sadness, and a stabbing pain throughout her existence, as she held the hand of her dying companion. Keiichi looked up to her and the others, unable to suppress the urge to cough up blood.

"I'..I'm sorry…Everyone…." Keiichi tried in vain to speak, managing to tell the others to just run away, as far away as possible. Mion shed tears uncontrollably, shaking all the while. She held on tightly to his hand, looking into his eyes, and watched as the life left his body.

Keiichi, in his degrading state, looked to Mion as if he tried to say someone, only to her.

"What…what is it Kei-chan…" she murmured.

Mion looked closely, and realized it was the words Keiichi never managed to say to her, nor she to him.

-I…love…you….-

Soon after, Rena pushed everyone along to run, just run far away and try to survive this nightmare. Mion was in a daze, and ran with the others, only stopping halfway, and telling the others she was going back. She felt broken and lonely, and had already made up her decision to be with Keiichi, no matter her fate. Shion saw her sister, and felt the same pain, but accepted it. Mion watched the others soon after run, and turned to walk back towards Keiichi's body. For those in her path, however, she would make sure she'd take anyone down to Hell with her for what they did to the one she loved. But like all the fates of the members of Hinamizawa, death would only remain the endgame in that existence.

END FLASHBACK

That nightmare was more than real to her. She felt every bit of what happened, and from what she remembered of Rika mentioning about past worlds, she believed that fate had taken different courses in different lives. As she pondered that memory, the groans of pain from Keiichi snapped her out from her mindset.

"You must have taken a number on your back. Is there any aspirin in the house that I can give you?" Mion asked, wondering where he kept the medicine cabinet.

"Heh, there's some upstairs in the closet across from my room." Mion got up from the table, and left momentarily, only to return with a pill bottle labeled "pain reliever". He thanked her, and downed two pills in quick succession, followed by a glass of water.

"Aaah…that should help with the pain for now. Thanks Mi-chan, I really appreciate the cooking and all." At his comment, Mion blushed and smiled. She got up and began to clear the table, as did Keiichi, for the time being.

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After lunch, Keiichi and Mion decided to watch t.v. in the living room. They chatted for awhile, reminiscing on previous adventures and what new games Mion hoped to get from her uncle this coming year. Apparently, he had connections with some game dealers in upper Japan, and promised Mion a lot of new sets for the club. However, as time grew on, Mion and Keiichi hadn't realized just how bad the blizzard outside had gotten. Keiichi, getting up and feeling dull pain, thanks to the medicine, went to the door to check out how bad it had gotten. Mion watched him go to the door, and heard only an "Uh oh…" from him. Quickly, she joined him and also viewed the ongoing storm's doing to Hinamizawa.

"Geez, it's completely impossible now to go anywhere. This must be Hinamizawa's biggest snow fall ever." Keiichi was astounded as to how much snow had come upon the village. Mion, on the other hand, put her now sockless foot into the snow, and felt it sink deep. It must have been nearly 3 feet of snow outside, which proved impossible to travel in.

Both Keiichi and Mion went back inside, and looked to each other; however, the phone rang, disrupting their thought processes. Keiichi went to the phone and picked it up.

"Hello, Maebara residence."

"Keiichi, its Shion. Is Mion still there or did she leave for home already?"

"No, she's still here. Hold a sec…" Keiichi gave the phone to Mion.

"Hey Sis, what's up?"

"Mion, its crazy outside. Why didn't you leave for home already?"

Mion looked to Keiichi for a second, hesitated, and then replied.

"Sis, I don't think I'll get home tonight." She blushed. Keiichi looked at her, and pondered some things on his mind. "Kei-chan wouldn't mind, right?" Mion chuckled a bit, a little flustered, and was surprised to see Keiichi studder a bit, also blushing.

"Ye…yeah..*gulp* sure!" replied Keiichi.

On the other line, Shion knew her sister was planning out her every move. Mion wasn't an idiot, but even so she knew her sister was just as thick headed as Keiichi when it came to being honest about such feelings. If it was one thing that separated them apart, it was their honesty for love, which Shion being truthful and Mion a blundering, gitty girl. She chuckled, and smiled, while watching Satoshi help cook dinner in her family's kitchen. Satoshi was staying the night, to Shion's pleasure, since the snow had blockaded them in. More so, no adults were present in the Sonozaki residence, as their family had left for a second honeymoon, and their grandmother was off to Kyoto to shop for a few days.

"Well Sis, it looks like I'll be staying the night. Have fun without me, and tell me how everything went with Satoshi," replied Mion. Shion agreed, hung up the phone, and made her way back to the kitchen towards Satoshi.

After Mion hung up, she looked to Keiichi and apologized.

"I'm sorry Kei-chan, but I guess I'll be sleeping over. I hope you don't mind." Keiichi looked at her, and smiled.

"Not one bit Mion, but I was gonna ask you anyway if you wanted to stay…." He blushed. Mion looked completely flustered at his suggestion, to which Keiichi changed the subject. "I'm gonna go look for some clothes that you can wear for bed, I'm sure I've got something that's tomboyish enough for you, heheheh." Mion, grinning, merely smacked him in the head and laughed.

After some chores around the house, and Keiichi finishing up some much needed room cleaning and laundry, Mion was given some clothes to change into later. It was a large, white shirt and a pair of red shorts, which she didn't seem to mind at all. However, while Keiichi had his back turned while sorting through some things in his room, Mion realized that the clothing he had given her was his own. She blushed, and set them aside near the bathroom.

"Would you mind if I took a bath for awhile Keiichi?" Mion hesitantly asked.

Keiichi turned around from what he was doing and nodded.

"I'll bring you some towels when the laundry finishes." Keiichi replied. Mion turned to leave the room, at which Keiichi let go of the nosebleed he was hiding from her. He blushed and began to fantasize about "accidently" going into the bathroom and peeking at her nude body. Just as he laughed about it, he was hit in the head with his own shoe from Mion.

"No peeking Keiichi!" she stuck her tongue at him teasingly, and went to the bathroom; however, deep down she really didn't mind if Keiichi did so. In all, Keiichi wouldn't do such a thing anyway.

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It was around 8 p.m. when Mion began taking a bath. After a long and hard day of playing with the club members, she was thankful for the soothing warmth of the hot water, taking away all the soreness in her legs. She took a washcloth and dipped it in the hot water, and folded it over her face, letting the heat soothe her head. Her long, green hair floated in the water, as the steam rose from the tub. In her opinion, it felt like heaven. After a while of soaking, she heard Keiichi open the door to the bathroom, and begin to lay down some towels as well as Mion's nightwear and panties to dress into after. She looked out from her washcloth and saw through the mist of steam what seemed to be Keiichi hesitating a bit.

*Maybe he thinks I can't hear him, the sly dog.* Mion tried her best to not to giggle, and merely watched to see Keiichi's next move. However, Keiichi didn't do anything perverted. He merely began to brush his teeth, and to Mion's surprise, in a blundering way.

Keiichi had blindfolded himself to prevent his wandering eyes from peeking at Mion. He fumbled with his toothbrush and toothpaste, and managed to do the job after a minute or two. When done, he merely felt his way around the walls to the door, and exited, not looking once at Mion.

When she finished combing her hair and getting dressed, Mion went to find Keiichi elsewhere. After a bit of searching, she found him on the couch watching t.v. and taking another couple of pills with a bottle of water. Mion merely sat down next to him, and laid her head back on the couch.

"Heheheh…that was funny Kei-chan. Here I thought you were just another pervert, and you actually proved me wrong with that blindfold of yours. Today has been quite an accomplishment. I underestimated you twice today," stated Mion.

Keiichi sputtered out the water he was drinking, coughing a bit much to Mion's laughter. He looked at her, embarrassed, but soon regained his composure.

"Well, I did as you asked Mion. Besides, had I won the game today, which I'm sure I still won, you'd still be naked next to me doing everything I asked of you, heheheh." Keiichi's laughter was heard throughout the house, however, Mion retorted him for what he did earlier.

"Speaking of that pitfall idea, had Satoshi not have shown up you would have had a lot more to worry about than just your back! I'm hurt that you didn't want to dress up for me again Kei-chan…" she pouted a little, but in the end it provided more laughter for the two.

When it got late, Mion and Keiichi headed upstairs. Keiichi slid open the door to his room and began to set up his futon. Mion, on the other hand, began to wonder if she would make any progress whatsoever tonight.

*Keiichi didn't act like a pervert, much to my amazement, but deep down I want him to take some notice of me, at least, more of me…*

Keiichi finished what he was doing and stood up, brushing himself off.

"Well Mion, you can sleep here tonight. I'll sleep downstairs on the couch…" Keiichi began to walk past her, but was unable to continue, as he felt Mion grab onto his arm. "Eh?" he looked back to her.

"Um…K..Ke..Kei-chan…umm…" Mion's heart was going into overload, so hard was her heart beating in her chest that it felt like it would burst out of her body. Keiichi looked at her, puzzled and confused; however, he blushed all the while.

As Mion turned to face him, her feet gave way to a bat laying on the ground, the very same one that belonged to Satoshi. She pulled Keiichi down on top of her, right onto the futon that had just been laid out. Keiichi was on all fours, holding Mion from the impact of the floor.

"You ok?" asked Keiichi with a look of concern. Mion nodded; glad she didn't hurt Keiichi from the fall, but was surprised and flustered when she discovered that the pressure on her right breast came from Keiichi having his hand on it. Keiichi didn't notice, and Mion could only moan a little from the feeling of it.

"Haa..Kei-chan…" Keiichi looked down, and immediately pulled his hand away, blushing incredibly. He tried to get up, but Mion kept him from moving. It was now or never for her, but try as she might, was she unable to form the right words.

"You know, ever since we stopped Takano, I've had these dreams of so many different places. I remember them clearly, but somehow they were all nightmares. In one of them, you and Rena tried to kill me, but it all ended with me killing you both in fear right in this very room. In another, Shion went mad because of Satoshi's disappearance, and you were saddened because I didn't give you the doll at the game shop. Another, Rena took over the school and threatened to kill everyone, all the while she bashed you with her cleaver for you lying to her. But the one I remember most…" Keiichi got closer to Mion's face "…was the one where I lied, dying, and looking up to you in sadness. You held my hand tightly, and seemed broken, tears going down your cheeks…"

"K..Keiichi…what are you…trying to say?" Mion was looking deep into his eyes, trying to find answers. His mentioning of the dreams had reaffirmed her thoughts about her own, but at the moment all she could focus on was Keiichi and how he was being bold with her.

"…All I knew throughout those dreams was the feeling of what I felt for you: when I took your life for the sake of my own, when I tried to save you from Shion, when I saved you from Rena, and when I held your hand while dying near you. It was the same feeling I have even now…"

Keiichi's face was extremely close to Mion's now, causing her to blush profusely. She began to slowly close her eyes, knowing what it was that Keiichi was about to do.

"Kei-chan…I…hope this isn't another dream…" She also inched forward, her lips nearly touching his.

"I know this isn't another dream…because now…Mion…that feeling…that my heart is telling me, is that I love you."

Mion closed her eyes, and pressed her lips against Keiichi's at last. Everything felt different around her, almost peaceful and fuzzy. The warmth from his body heated Mion to her core, allowing her to enjoy the newly discovered feelings. Keiichi wrapped his arms around Mion, and slowly laid his body comfortably on hers. It didn't take long for Keiichi to step up the mood, eventually French kissing Mion with his tongue. It felt new to both of them, as their tongues lightly teased one another.

Neither of them opened their eyes, as they wanted to make the moment last for as long as possible. Soon, though, they both pulled apart and looked at each other. Mion smiled and wrapped her arms around Keiichi, pulling him close to her. She buried her head into his chest, and murmured to him softly.

"I'd rather have you sleep on the futon with me tonight, Kei-chan….I don't mind…being with the one I love."

That night Keiichi and Mion shared a lasting moment, one that would define their relationship for the rest of their lives. It was their first soundless sleep together ever in their lives, as both of their bodies warmed each other throughout the night. Their dreams didn't consist of nightmares or past lives, but ones of each other and of happy memories. Not a thing disturbed their sleep, even when the blizzard still carried on in the early morning hours. The next day, were one to come across the two, it would be seen that Mion was snuggled close into Keiichi's chest, with his arms wrapped lightly around her, both sleeping soundly with the covers over them.

Meanwhile, Shion's night had only begun…