Hinamizawa Hell
Omake 1-6
Ch. 20: An Unlikely Revenge
What seemed like a never ending duel of wits, deceit, lies, and utter chaos in such a simple game between friends actually turned out to become a first for Komoto Hagara in his official debut into the gaming club. He was a formidable opponent, that much was true, but against gods such as the other gaming club members, he had to rely on luck and a miracle to beat fate. Goddess of speed and all that was cute: Rena Ryuga; The cunning and witty trap master; Satoko Houjo; The elusive yet valiant warrior: Satoshi Houjou; the God of Hinamizawa and master of worlds: Hanyuu Furude; the young and aged youth who kills with charms: Rika Furude; the cunning yet charismatic goddess of disguise: Shion Sonozaki; the brave and fearless club leader: Mion Sonozaki; and last but not least, the magician of words: Keiichi Maebarra. Every one of these unique and mysterious individuals became the materialized fear of Komoto Hagara. For every game played, he had nothing to rely on, not even little Rika, to help him; only his own skills and knowledge to outwit and outlast the others.
On what seemed the coldest of winter days that holiday week, Komoto had casually arrived ten minutes before school had ended for the younger ones. He had finished his day with some normality for once: sleeping in with Mizuho in bed, cleaning the house and his weapons for most of the day, and shoveling and salting the snow that had fallen and would soon befall his driveway, as another oncoming storm seemed to be on the horizon for Hinamizawa. With Mizuho out looking for a job, something which Komoto himself began to ponder about for his future homestead career, he had enjoyed the most part of his day. That is…until he arrived at the school.
"Heheheh…I smell some fresh meat here today!" Mion was eccentric at seeing Komoto fulfill his promise to the others and join up with the club after school. Upon him entering the classroom did Mion snicker at her masterful plan in her mind; playing out the scenario of defeats from game after game for the one who owed the most to her and the others. It was made clear that a death warrant was out; one that had Komoto's name written all over it.
He sat down in one of the nearby chairs and looked before him as the others settled down. Komoto calmly cracked his neck and arms a bit before getting down to business. He looked at Rika, who smiled and winked at him. If Mion thought she was going to obtain revenge on him for everything that happened that past month, she was still amateur at best when it came down to it all.
"So, how does this all work? Regular game and loser submits to a penalty?" he asked, knowing full well of all the rules in his mind.
*Heh…piece of cake. I know of every trick in their book. Marked cards, special abilities, heh, this is gonna be…*
"Well, the rules of the club are to put your very best into everything you do, do what you have to in order to win, and never give up, understand?" stated Rena.
"And just to be fair today, we're going to use a new set of cards for a simple game of old maid. I already know Keiichi probably told you about how we used marked cards to beat him the first time, but we'll go easy on you today!" replied Mion. She seemed unusually cheerful today to Komoto, from which he probably guessed that Mion and Keiichi had a good date the previous night.
*Damnit. Oh well, fair is fair. Knowing everything all the time doesn't always come in handy I suppose.* he thought in his mind.
"Yeah, don't worry Komoto-san. We'll go easy on you. Besides, it's your first time here, and we wouldn't want to scare you away, heheheheh…."
Keiichi and the others gave dark, snickering stares at Komoto, sending chills up and down his spine. For a second, he believed that he may have needed an adrenaline suppressant just to stay in the game, moreso just to calm his already battle beaten heart rhythm, but his normal fear subsided; allowing him to regain his composure and stand up to the others.
"Card games, board games, even strategy on a battlefield. I can take anything you throw at me." He replied with full confidence.
"Komoto-senpai shouldn't be too confident. Confidence can kill, Nippah!" Rika, telling Komoto a piece of advice like that, instantly decreased his confidence, making him question what he was really in for.
*Tap Out*
"No…this can't be…how?" Komoto tapped out onto a table and waved a little white flag into the air, submitting to his utter defeat in the games. He felt burned out for once, unable to even grasp the fact that he was not only defeated by mere teenagers, yet, massacred by their awesome skills in gaming. He looked over to everyone, bearing a massive look of failure and depression on his face.
"Oh ho ho ho! Hagara-san, you really shouldn't have underestimated us like that! You really should have paid more attention to detail," stated Satoko.
"Satoko-chan is right. I can't believe it, but Mizuho-san was correct in her assumptions," stated Shion. Komoto looked at her as the others completely agree to this odd statement, causing him to blush red in anger a bit.
"Paid more attention? To what? The games were played all the way fair and square? And exactly what was it that Mizu-chan said about me?" he asked, red in the face.
"Well, you rush too quickly into the battle and only intend to win it. Where's the fun in any of that?" stated Rena.
"And you only went solo into these games, when really you could have had any one of us as an alley for support," replied Rika, hinting at the suddle idea of teamwork.
"And most importantly, you didn't do everything in your power to win. Every game you thought we played fair and straight, when in actuality we could have been cheating easily the entire time." Mion pointed over to a section of the ceiling, showing Komoto a tiny and well placed mirror above his seat. It had every advantage of revealing his hand of cards to everyone else. At seeing this, his jaw dropped and he turned stone cold.
Everyone laughed at this sudden realization, causing Komoto to blush at his own underestimation of them. He felt like he should have given them more credit at the strategy, for which he mentally bashed himself. But the damage was done, so he admitted defeat in this battle, but in the long run, not the war.
Mion grinned evilly at her final accomplishment of getting back at Komoto. She strode over to him, ready to deliver out one of the many penalties for him. Carefully held in her pocket for the time being was a brand new permanent marker, one that yearned to draw crazy symbols and words across Komoto's face. Mion stood above him with a high ego, snickering at his defeat.
"Well well well. The tables have turned for once. Time for your penalties, Komoto-san! Club members, converge!"
Mion ordered everyone to converge on Komoto, walking like zombies that had just cornered a meal. Each one of them began to take a different limb and hold him to the spot, wearing all the while dark glares of evil and malice. They laughed all the while, even Keiichi and Satoshi, as Shion and Mion both took duel markers out and walked over to Komoto, ready to defame his face.
Oddly enough, however, he didn't cringe at all. Komoto picked his head up, a new fire burning in his eyes. Mion and Shion didn't stop, however, and just decided to savor the moment.
"Your first punishment is to allow us to draw whatever we feel on your face with these markers! This was how we got Keiichi initiated into the group, and now it will also be your time to shine! Afterwards, we'll have you dress in some weird cosplay, fulfill a wish for every member here, and drive us all home in that van of yours outside. That should cover the 11 games we played today and the penalties from losing all of them, Komoto-san…heheheh!" stated Mion.
"Wow, this must be the most penalties ever given out in a single club day!" stated Shion.
As they both raised the markers high and ready for a face mauling, Komoto looked over to the girls and said one word which utterly stupefied them for a few moments.
"Cancel!"
"EH?!"
"You heard me. As a fully fledged member of this club now, I'm invoking a "Canceling Rule" into play!"
Everyone looked at Komoto for a second and stopped. The ones without markers just let go of him for the moment, while Mion and Shion looked at one another.
"Canceling Rule? There's no such thing in the club Komoto-san. You'll just…"
"Really? Mi-chan, and the rest of you. You highly disappoint me if you think the games are over. Even when you are not playing a game, you will always still be playing one. That is my one of my many fundamentals that I live by. This will coincide with your rule of "putting everything you've got into winning"," Komoto stated with great pride. Rika looked at him curiously, somewhat guessing where this was all leading. No matter how you could look at it, Komoto made the club very interesting even in unseen times.
"Ok then. Explain yourself! We'll give you one chance, so we'll hear you out!" said Shion.
Komoto regained his composure a bit and organized his thoughts. It was a mere chance, and he knew the club had no real rules in stone writing, but he had nothing to lose. Besides, he was a master of weapons and tactics alike; his true nature and outshining ability in this dire moment. He addressed everyone, especially Rika, and explained his stance.
"Since I have nothing to lose and everything to gain, it goes like this: Mion and Shion: You've stated already before that there are exactly 11 penatlies that I need to fulfill to everyone here today, and furthermore you have stated that there are 8 wishes to each member plus the marker massacre, cosplay dressing, and driving everyone home for the day. The penalties are already named. However…"
Komoto sat in a desk and laid back in the chair casually, in a playful manner much like himself.
"…what you did not take into account is that I have a trump card. A card I can pull out anytime on Kei-chan and you, Mi-chan!" he stated. Rika began to control whatever laughs she sputtered at this point with her fist, amused at the fact that Komoto had decided to bring up their penalties.
"What! What penalties are you talking about?" asked Keiichi and Mion in unison.
"Eh? You don't remember? That night after the whole battle at the Irie Clinic, you and Mi-chan were completely drunk. Rika-chan and I took full advantage of that and submitted you to some games which a child in a sober mind could easily do. But you two were completely out it, so at last count I believe that you two owe us at least 13 penalties!"
Mion, who was spinning one of the markers in her hand, suddenly stopped and looked at Komoto with some anger in her eyes.
*No way in hell he is getting out of this one. I want my payback!* she thought.
"So what? We'll do those later, but you still have 11 on your head mister!" stated Mion.
"Oh? Well, Mi-chan, I'd rethink that if I were you. See, since you still haven't done those penalties, and they came before this game day today, I can technically make you and Kei-chan fulfill those in stead and save my penalties for another day. And trust me Mi-chan…"
Komoto walked up to Mion and looked at her darkly, sending some terror into her mind and heart. Keiichi stood at her side, doing his best to prevent any bad blood, but he knew somehow it was Komoto just having some of his own fun.
"…Mi-chan, after you all showed your true colors to me today, I can definitely come up with some penalties that you and Kei-chan would consider to be either torture or your worst nightmares…hehee….so I'll give you this option: take the penalties today and fight another day, if you survive my wrath, or let me invoke the "Cancel" option and eliminate all the penalties incurred on me today, but be warned, you'll have two penalties left at Rika-chan and my disposal. Discuss it with the others and make your decision…"
Komoto moved over to the corner of the room and shut his eyes, keeping his back to the wall and leaning against it in a cool fashion. He may have scared the others with his display, even Mion who sweated in fear, but on the inside he was clearly bluffing his way out of his own death sentence. For him, it seemed like it was working, but he knew all too well that they could just deny his idea and screw him over entirely.
Everyone but Komoto huddled into a group, except Rika who felt a little left out from her backstabbing. She just wondered how the events would unfold.
"Umm…" was all Mion could say.
"Sis, don't be scarred! You and Kei-chan can't be intimidated by this! Stand up for yourself!" said Shion.
"But Shi-chan, he's right. I remember the penalties that night and club rules state that whoever has a penalty needs to fulfill it. It is up to Mi-chan and Kei-chan with this decision…" Rena was clear on her stance, leading Mion to look at the others for an answer. They couldn't give one, only agreeing with Rena on the situation. Mion sighed, but in the end looked to Keiichi for help. He didn't seem worried at all, giving her a bit of courage.
"Well, I guess there's no other choice…"
The group got out of huddle formation and addressed Komoto, seeming disappointed in the whole situation.
"Fine. It's agreed then Komoto-san. I guess it was us that really underestimated you, and you really are putting your heart into winning right now, no matter how much cunning skill and deceit you are using on us. So, our decision is final…" Mion sighed and did her best to stay calm at that moment.
"Mi-chan, just let me make it clear to you: submit defeat to me now and cancel the penalties for today, leaving me and Rika-chan to go easy on you, or option B: fulfill your penalties and take revenge on me today somewhat, but I assure you in the utmost respect that my wrath will far exceed your expectations…" Komoto looked at her with an evil stare, showing a fearsome side like never before to the group. Mion didn't budge, and had clearly shown her mind was made up. Keiichi even held her hand unbeknownst to the others, strengthening her resolve.
"Fine…then…we decided…to take Option B!!!"
"What?!!!"
It was blissful. Komoto seemingly had won the battle for that day, and cornered Mion into a hard place, but never did he think she would say those words. His jaw dropped at the final decision, but he didn't show it nor even remotely display that reaction to anyone.
Everyone but Keiichi looked at Mion, standing proudly like a commander on a field of battle. They all expected Mion to cancel the penalties and try again for vengeance another day, but her decision had switched the tables on the whole situation.
"Kei-kun and I aren't afraid of you Komoto-san! We'll do whatever you want for penalties and have no remorse for enduring your so-called wrath. But in exchange we'll have you fulfill our named penalties just as well. Then we'll all be even and squared away."
There was a dead silence as Komoto moved off the wall, walked up to Mion, who looked up to him with some sweat beading down her forehead, and faced her. His expression seemed like an executioner about to deliver out his final judgment on a victim. Rika looked from one to the other, glad to know the whole idea was amusing but sad in the fact that the whole event could turn for the worse. But, again that day, she was surprised…
"Fine. I guess there's no other way around it then…" he stated.
"I guess not. So what do you want us to do?" stated Keiichi. He looked to Komoto, grinning a bit, but not enough out of pride, which Komoto liked.
"Okay then. I forfeit all my penalty wishes to Rika-chan…."
"Eh?!" Everyone looked at him, confused as to what Komoto was doing. He seemed crazy, even suicidal, at even thinking of such an act.
"Hehehe…" he began to rub the back of his head a bit, smiling at everyone "…I couldn't be that mean to any of you. I don't take pleasure in torture like Mi-chan or Shi-chan here, so I'll leave my penalties to Rika-chan. She made you guys do most of the games while drunk anyway, so it's really her penalties to dish out. Besides, I'm impressed by you all. You'll take on death like its childs-play, even fight an enemy to the very end when there's no hope of winning, and all the while have no fear in it. Trust me when I say that what you all possess is something unique. I'm not gonna hold anything against you. Today was really fun, and I learned a couple of new things about you all. So I'll submit and let you have your fun, ok Mi-chan?"
Komoto held his hand out to her, as if a general surrendering a long fought war to his opponent. Mion looked at him confusingly for a moment, smiled a bit, and shook his hand.
*I guess he's not that scary or bad after all. He's really kind at heart…* she thought.
"Ok then. Since you forfeit your penalties over to me, and I want to save them anyway when it's not so cold out, that just leaves your penalties Komoto-senpai. Nippah!" Rika smiled at everyone, showing a clear sign that the terror was over. However, Komoto looked at the clock and realized Mizuho would be there any moment to pick him up, so he began to pack before addressing the others again.
"That's right. You still have to give me 11 penalties, right? So go ahead and have a field day on my face I suppose…" He sat in a chair and waited for them to deal out their punishment, but oddly enough nothing came. He watched as the others moved over to a corner of the room suddenly, begin to whisper for a few minutes, and readdress him as if reaching a final decision. By this time, Mizuho showed up, carrying with her a manila folder to leave on Chie-sensei's desk.
"Hey Komoto-kun. Ready to go home?" she asked him.
"Ok, then…we've picked out your punishment for the penalty games," stated Mion.
"I take it you lost hun? Too bad I guess," spoke Mizuho. She patted Komoto on the back, but in good faith and laughter. He just grinned a bit, and looked to the others again, awaiting their final decision.
"And?" he asked, ready for anything. However, he wasn't clearly ready for their response at all.
"We also forfeit our penalties and give them to Mizuho to dish out for ya…" They all smiled in unison, agreeing that it would have been a joke at most for Komoto and the others, but how he responded was in shear terror.
Komoto jumped from his seat, even sending the chair against the far side of the room, and looked as if he had seen a ghost. Sweat instantly protruded from his forehead, with chills running down his spine like none other. He looked from Mizuho to the others, who at the time were just giving him smiles like it was no big deal. However much the situation may have seemed normal to the teenagers, for Komoto it became that much more of a worse punishment.
"WHAT!!! NO, WAIT, YOU'RE JOKING RIGHT?!!!" Komoto waved his hands frantically in the air, hoping that at best the others were just pulling his chain. In vain, though, it was all true in the final decision.
"We'll be nice and let Mizuho-san give you the penalties. At the very least you won't have your face markered now, right? Keiichi just smiled at Komoto, giving him the thumbs up as if it was no big deal.
"Yeah, we figure that Mizuho-san would eventually like to join in on our games, so why not give her a taste of what penalty games are all about," stated Rena. She smiled to him, unaware at how serious Komoto was making the situation out to be. It seemed to Komoto that everyone was completely blunt to the whole event of what transpired.
"YOU GUYS!!!WAIT, YOU HAVE IT ALL WRONG! IF MIZU-CHAN…"
It wasn't until the others saw Mizuho suddenly lash out a hand onto Komoto's shoulder that the reality of the situation drastically became apparent. Her grip seemed so tight on him that even the fabric bended to her power. Everyone looked to her, even Komoto with a worried expression, as she grinned in the most evil manner at him. Mizuho even barred her fang in the moment, smiling with crimson red lips and dark eyes behind her long, blue hair.
"My my, what do we have here? It looks like I'm going to have a lot of entertainment in the near future, love…" she whispered, causing Komoto to suddenly think about escaping the room and heading off to some far away tropical island.
Everyone else witnessed this and actually staggered back into a corner in fear. They were just joking with the whole thing, but in reality they really did sign Komoto's death warrant, no matter how much of an accident it was.
In moments, Mizuho suddenly whipped a chain out of nowhere, and wrapped it around Komoto's neck. Forcefully, she dragged him out of the room, as he tried his best to grab anything nearby in panic. Chairs, tables, even the doorway couldn't prevent Mizuho from stealing away Komoto back to the house for whatever punishment awaited him.
"Oh, by the way, would you all like rides home…"
"NO! Umm…thanks…but…we'll walk," everyone said in unison. However, as they left, Komoto tried his best to make his last pleas of help heard.
"Guys…please…help me!!! She's going to kill me!!! Anything else, any other type of penalty I'll do…just please…don't do this!!!" he screamed in terror. As he was dragged across the floor by the smiling Mizuho, everyone just laughed, grabbing their ribs and almost dying from the shear amount of laughter.
"Hehehehe…I love irony. Nippah!" spoke Rika-chan as Komoto's dying screams were heard down the hallway.
In the luminescent bedroom of Komoto's home, lit by candles around the walls, Mizuho lied in what was a plush bedcover, wrapped in comfortable blankets warmly and securely. She sighed in pleasure, enjoying her unexpected fortune that day. Even giggling at the fact of what happened, Mizuho had to give credit to Mion and the others for coming up with such a decision. She was going to use this golden opportunity to treat herself to a homemade spa treatment, courteous of her newly made slave.
"Ah…this is just what I needed. Komoto-kun, I'm ready for my massage when you are. And you better be wearing the cosplay that I had Mi-chan loan you…" she singed at the doorway. She closed her eyes and rolled onto her stomach, resting her head on a pillow. At this perspective, for the upcoming massage Mizuho was completely naked, baring the fact that the covers kept her decent for the time being.
At the sound of footsteps coming into the room, ones that had heavy trudging sounds of despair as a prisoner made his way on a death march, Mizuho grinned all the more merrier. She hummed to herself, ignoring the despair of the one who now carried in a glass of wine, grapes, and a bottle of lotion for the massage. Komoto Hagara, the man with tactical knowledge and skills to kill, was now belittled to a mere servant. For his attire, thanks in part to Mion, was a brand new maid cosplay, adorning frilly dress clothes and complete with a collar around his neck.
"You rang, Mistress?" spoke Komoto in a defeated tone. Mizuho instantly piped him up, making sure he sounded at least like a cheerful slave.
"Say it with a smile and some pride, love. That's an order."
"Ugh…Yes, Mistress!" he piped up, obeying her wish. Deep down, he began to plot evil machinations for revenge.
*Mion…and the rest of you…how could you do something this stupid! I'll get you all…ugh!*
"That's more like it. Now pamper me with that massage. If you're good, then maybe I'll just reward you with something I know you like." Komoto blushed at her comment, gulped, then went over and began to perform his very best at the massage. At hearing her coos of pleasure did he know that she was enjoying herself very much.
*On second thought, screw it. I'll take this anyday!* he smiled.
"So…ahh…Komoto-kun…I see it that you had some fun with the others today…auuu…I can't believe you lost to them… ooohhh…" Mizuho purred in pleasure, wondering how the hell Komoto was so good at these things. He just continued in his motions, hitting every area he knew could cause release of tension.
"Oh, if I wanted to I probably could have won, but honestly I was screwed from the very beginning by their cheating. Damn mirror trick…I can't believe I fell for that one, clever I must say the very least…" he muttered. Deep inside, though, he didn't mind. It was fun for him, and being out bested every once in a while was good for him, as if keeping him on his toes.
"Heheheh…I told you, don't rush into situations so fast. You need to…"
"I know, I know. Pay attention to detail. It wasn't a battle, so I wasn't on par this time I guess. Whatever, I'll get them next time, trust me…" he replied.
"Hmm…go higher please…ahh, right there…anyway, do you know what is going on for Christmas? Are we going to spend the night alone?" she asked.
"Well…I was thinking…"
The day before Christmas vacation for the kids of Hinamizawa was the final school day for the group. As such, was another day of club activities spent indoors this time, given that there was another cold front of the horizon of Hinamizawa. For the teenagers that day, Mion and the others were having trouble on deciding what to do for the club's activities.
"Arg! I can't figure out what to do for us. It's too cold for anything outside, and we've already outplayed a lot of our usual games, so redoing any of that today would be pretty boring…" Mion pouted. She began to arrange the desks together for the group with her sister Shion, as the others converged into the room for the club.
"What about the Zombie game Mi-chan?" asked Hanyuu.
"If we play that one, we're surely going to kill the fun in it. Best that we at least let it rest for awhile till after the holidays…" replied Shion. Everyone agreed with her statement, which created more pondering for the group.
As they settled down, they noticed their schoolroom door slide open. As they looked, their looks of confusion as to the club's proposed activities turned completely south, forming into small grins then bursting in laughter. Before them, in all glory and blinding resilience, stood Komoto dressed in what appeared to be only flip flops and his swimming suit. His body color looked almost blue to them in a comedic way, which only increased their laughs.
"Just…hahahahah…what happened to you?" squeeled Rika-chan.
"Auuuu! He's so cute! I want to take him home!!!"
Rena immediately went up to Komoto, clearly attempting to go into "take it home" mode. She latched onto him and actually picked him up, trying her best to move to the door. However, thanks to the intervention of Satoko and Satoshi, Komoto was sparred the tyranny of Rena's love for cute things. Once back down, Komoto responded, quiet coldly to the others, of his situation.
"Well…thank you for asking actually. Since yesterday, you all condemned me to a living hell and after all I had done for you for that matter, Mizu-chan submitted me to unspeakable tortures including pampering her on every whim. As of now, I was forced to wear my swimming gear all day even while I had to salt the driveway and get some ice off around the house, to provide entertainment for my current love. And now, I come back here with nothing more than a hell bent revenge on all of you, including you, Rika-chan!" Komoto pointed a finger at his soon to be former comrade, gazing at them all with a dark and vengeful look. They all gulped in fear, wondering just what was in store for them.
It wasn't until they eyed the box in his left arm that they began to really worry, thinking he really was going to kill them with some unspeakable horror.
"Ah…Komoto-san, we really didn't mean any harm in it! Please, believe us! We were just doing what you did for us yesterday with the penalties!" Mion and the others began to hug into the back of the room, trying their best to separate themselves from Komoto with the desks.
"Oh, really? Is that so?" he replied, very coldly again.
At this point, Rika began to wipe away some of her tears of sadness. Komoto and the others stopped what they were doing and looked down at her, wondering what was going on.
*Sniff* "Komoto-senpai, we really didn't mean any harm. We were just trying to be nice to you is all…" she seemed like she was on the verge of tears, but deep down she was just using her innocent, childish skills to fend off any seemingly horrible fate that was about to unfold for them.
The group looked from Rika to Komoto, holding their breathes in fear of sparking off the seemingly full keg of gunpowder in the room. In moments, what seemed like a horrible twist of fate took a completely different direction.
"Aww…I couldn't be mad at you and the others Rika-chan. I'm sorry; I was just pulling your legs…" Komoto said, quickly moving up to the now smiling Rika and patting her head. The others just fell to the ground, stupefied at the fact that Rika had just saved their lives and that Komoto was just screwing with them like he always did.
"A…anyway Komoto-san, that was the truth of the matter, and sorry that you're in this mess. By the way, what's in the box?" Keiichi asked, rising back up from the floor while helping Mion.
"Oh…this? Well, since Mizuho and I couldn't really figure out what gifts to get you all for Christmas, and that we really didn't have time with all that has been going on, we decided to make it up to you with this and something else. This was Mizu-chan's idea, so thank her later when you see her."
He presented a large box to the group, setting it down on one of the tables. They looked at it with eager anticipation, from which Komoto opened it up for them and revealed its contents.
"Wow! It's a poker set! I couldn't find one of this anywhere in my uncle's shop. We just use marbles with our set to bet," Mion was ecstatic at the new game for the club. It was just what they all could use for the activities that day.
"Thank you very much Komoto-san! We really appreciate it," said Satoko. She picked up the different chips and looked at the creative designs that engrossed them.
"Hey, it's no problem. Now…" Komoto took his seat, wrapping himself in a blanket that he had found in the nurses office prior to the club. "...I noticed that you were still debating yesterday about where to hold the Christmas party. Have any of you reached a decision yet?" he asked.
"Not really. We were going to do it at Mi-chan and Shi-chan's home, but their grandmother refused, thinking the holiday wasn't important enough. Why do you ask?" asked Rika.
"Well, as part of my present to you all, I was thinking you could hold the party at our home. Also, I was hoping that you'd invite your families along too so that we could get to know each other a bit better. Mizu-chan and I are going to be living in Hinamizawa, and truth be told we actually only know you and a few others real well. So, how does that idea sound? I'll even cook all the food, so you needn't worry…"
Komoto looked to the others for their answer. Mion stood up and addressed everyone, bearing a smile across her face.
"Well there you go folks! How about it? All in favor of wrecking Komoto's house for the Christmas party say 'Aye'!" she resounded.
"AYE!" everyone responded happily.
"Well, I'm glad that…hey, wait: wreck my house?" he asked. Everyone just laughed at the joke.
"Anyway…I do have a couple requests. First, I'd appreciate it if you and any of the guests would refrain from going upstairs into my…umm…weapons room? Second, Rena-chan has to help with the cooking. I loved the cookies that she made, and I feel if I don't get some soon I'm going to go insane…" Rena blushed at his remark, nodding happily to his request. "…third, as far as decorations go I don't have anything. So if you have anything I'd appreciate it for setting up tomorrow," he asked.
"That's no problem. We'll borrow my father's set at home. We weren't even going to use it this year anyway," stated Keiichi.
"And I have a small collection of lights that are very cute! I'm sure we can add them to that stock!" piped Rena.
"Yeah, and we also have a few sets around in storage at our house," replied Satoko.
"Wait, you at least have a Christmas tree, right?" piped Mion. Keiichi could easily guess that was the biggest part of decorations she hoped to see for one of her first Christmases.
"Hmm…you mean like an evergreen tree? If Satoshi-kun and Shi-chan aren't doing anything tomorrow, then I'm sure I could find a suitable one," he responded. Everyone nodded to the idea.
"Good. Then it's settled. Now, let's play some poker…" Mion said, shuffling the deck of cards. "…The game today is 5 card draw, leading into Texas Hold'em…"
Author's note: Hey guys, back again with another update. I'll be going off to college soon again, so updates will be slower I'm sure, so bear with me on this and please don't give up on the fan fic like many others do to the other Higurashi fanfictions. I'll do my best, with one last chapter for the Omake, leading into the next arc. Till then, enjoy.