Hinamizawa Hell
"The Truth of Fate" Arc: 3
Ch. 3: Horror Night
/
As day turned to evening, and evening turned to night, Keiichi sweated and toiled to clean his house up. As he moved from room to room, he looked over everything he had to do, took mental note of it, and worked his way through shining every glass-like surface and vacuuming every carpet space. For the past few weeks during his parents' vacation getaway, Keiichi had rather lacked in some areas of maintaining the household. For instance, the kitchen held some rather dirty looking plates in the sink…ones that piled high well above the countertop. And second, from all the rather intimate nights Keiichi and Mion were having together, his room was littered with dirty clothes and other articles. It even had a smell to it, one that would cause anyone to shake their heads in dismay.
"Geez…this house is a mess!" fumed Mion. She couldn't believe how dirty the place really was, though she couldn't blame Keiichi given that she contributed to a great portion of the mess.
"Um…sorry Mi-chan. Guess I just let it go like this for too long. No one's perfect you know…heheheh…" Keiichi chuckled nervously. He knew Mion very well, and considering that she possessed one very bad pet peeve of being in a dirty house he had to guess that she wouldn't want to stay over another night. If Mion had to deal with this house the way it was, she'd rather go back and spend the night at her house. For that matter, she announced to her temporary yet soon to be permanent slave that a good couple of hours of cleaning would be underway. Keiichi had no other choice in the matter.
After the whole place sparkled and smelled of fragrant odors, they looked over their handiwork and smiled. They sat down and sighed from all the work they did, and laughed about how much of a mess it really was. However, Mion still couldn't believe the whole scenario. In a few ways, it was as if they were really a married couple.
"Kei-kun, if you and I are gonna get married, you better live up to being a better man than this!" she grinned. Keiichi blushed in anger, gritting his teeth none the less.
"Excuse me if I'm just a little lazy. Trust me; this wouldn't have progressed as bad as it did if you didn't make me clean your own house the other day. I could have very well done this all on my own thank you very much!" he went back at Mion in response. She just puckered her lips in retort.
"Nah, you can't do anything without a woman's help. Besides, you're my slave, so no complaining! Now get your Mistress a soda, and make it snappy!" she cackled darkly. Keiichi sighed in defeat, getting up and grabbing a soda bottle from his fridge. However, Keiichi gave one more remark which made Mion blush ever more.
"Well, it was fun at least. I definitely wouldn't have gotten through all this today without your help. It kind of felt like we were an actual newlywed couple too!" Keiichi couldn't see it while sticking his head in the fridge, but if he could he'd see Mion smile, her blush as red as a tomato and her fingers touching each other in embarrassment. It seemed Keiichi managed to charm her with words once again.
"Heh, yeah…Kei-kun and I like a married couple…" Mion spaced out at this thought, fantasizing about their life together once they were married. These thoughts, though, were ones that might be shared even earlier than expected. Once Keiichi's parents gave them the ok, Keiichi and Mion would soon be living together. This mock version of their future lives could become a reality in a matter of days.
"But I am curious though…" Keiichi went up to Mion, who thanked him for the drink. She began gulping down the crisp drink, enjoying its cooling nature. Keiichi continued on "…you took a long time in my room though. There didn't even seem to be a lot in there to do anyway, besides picking up the clothes, taking out the trash, airing out the room, etc. What were you up to…"
*Spurt*
In an instant at this remark, Mion spit out all the soda in her mouth that moment, unfortunately onto Keiichi's face and shirt. She blushed again, more so this time, and caused Keiichi to look on, his eye twitching. He knew something was up, as Mion would never get so flustered over something unless she had some guilt to bear in it.
"K…K…K…Kei-kun! Um…I wasn't doing anything…I was umm…umm…ummm…"
"Mi-chan…you're blushing a lot you know. And you won't even look me in the eye. Something is fishy here. So spill it…and not literally this time with the soda…" Keiichi glared at her, wondering what was up. Mion's eyes met his, and with what she thought was all her courage to resist she gave in once she looked into his eyes.
"Ah…um…well, I was just…um…enjoying my time…"
"What? Did you think I had something to hide in there?"
"NO! It was nothing like that, I swear! I was just…um…" Mion waved her hands in front of Keiichi, trying to persuade him onto some other idea of what happened. In moments of piecing the puzzle together, Keiichi decided to take a shot in the dark and see what happened.
"What were you enjoying exactly? The rank of the room or the dirty clothes on the…floor…" Upon seeing Mion suddenly blush more, Keiichi understood that he hit the nail right on the head. Mion looked up at him, still stuttering. It was apparent in her face that Mion did exactly just that.
"Well…you see…I didn't mind the smell…and…um…your clothes were on the ground too so while I picked them up I was remembering everything we did in bed and…um…um…"
"Mi-chan, you are really a pervert sometimes. You were sniffing my clothes again…"
"Ugh…I can't help it! When the smell gets to me, it really gets to me damnit!" Mion began crying a little at this idea, feeling some shame in her being caught from before. She didn't feel extreme shame for being a pervert, hell she even outwardly challenged Keiichi sometimes as to who the real pervert was, but in front of him it seemed shameful somehow. However, as much as she was dwelling on it, Keiichi merely patted her on the head, sending her worries right out the window.
"Hehe…just another quality I love about you Mi-chan. A tomboy and a girly girl; just the way I like you." Again with his charming words, Keiichi managed to make Mion's heart skip a beat.
"So…you don't hate me for doing that?"
"Why would I hate you for that? Sure, it's funny, but I feel the same way. I don't mind the smell; it's a rather peaceful reminder of your presence next to me when we sleep together. I enjoy it too. But I'll admit it; between you and me it seems you're the bigger pervert. Seriously, when you were even under the syndrome's influence you were sniffing my shirt, and winding your hand down into my pants and…"
"HEY! That's not fair!"
"Heheheh! Ok then, I'll let off it. Anyway, let's make dinner before the movie. And since you made a mess of me, I'm all sticky, so I'm also going to take a shower…" Keiichi took his shirt off, causing Mion to blush again; a sudden nosebleed on the verge of appearing. It seemed all he was doing that night was causing her to blush more and more.
As he got up to heat their dinner, having already made the main portions before which sat in the fridge, Mion murmured from the table just loud enough for Keiichi to hear.
"Um…can I…also join you then?"
Keiichi turned to her, embarrassed from the thought of Mion and him tightly knit together in a hot shower. He swallowed whatever pride he had and nodded in response to her, unable to choke out the words to answer.
Tonight, would definitely be an interesting night for the two…
/
"Mii…it really is going to pour tonight. Should be some lightning show too! Nipah!" Rika noticed the dark clouds begin to scatter droplets of rain all over Hinamizawa, the wet blanket hitting the warm pavement and causing steam to rise over the streets and plains of the cozy village. The rain particles hit the windows and rooftop of Rika's home, sending noise into the living room where she stood. While Satoko prepared dinner for the three of them, though as tired as she was from spending time with her older brother and self declared older sister, Hanyuu was just coming from the kitchen to join Rika. She opened the nearby sliding door which led to the backyard, the rain starting to turn anyone's view almost impossible to see.
"Hmm…it's really beginning to rain hard. We need it though; it's been really hot lately, huh Rika-chan?" Hanyuu rested against the side of the doorframe, her eyes set outward into the motion of the rain drops falling on the ground. From Rika's perspective, Hanyuu's gaze was so strong and still that it seemed as if she saw the rain in a different light; the droplets falling slow enough to be counted even.
*Hanyuu…you seem so different lately. We're supposed to be friends…more so, blood-relatives. Isn't that strong enough for you to tell me what's going on?* Rika silently thought. With Hanyuu as a human, and as time went on, their connection seemed to grow very distant; each other's thoughts not being heard anymore. This only really started to show in the past few weeks, and from what Rika could guess Hanyuu may or may not have intentionally tried to severe their connection at will. Though at times Rika could hear some of Hanyuu's thoughts, it was as if there was no connection even there to begin with. Hanyuu didn't even take mention to it, avoiding all Rika's questions about it or attributing it to her human form.
"Yes. The rain will definitely cool everything down. It's a miracle even for us to have it so late in the summer." Rika replied. She put on a fake smile, doing her best to hide her worries and fears.
"Not everything is a miracle, right Rika-chan? This was just random chance, that's all." Hanyuu smiled. She sat down on the steps, now pulling out a book from a nearby shelf. They had time before dinner, so she began reading it to herself. It was one of Komoto's books from his attic, and from what Rika saw it was a book of poems.
"You really seem to be into that book, huh Hanyuu?" Rika was curious as to what exact poem Hanyuu was taking interest to.
"Yeah, I love reading about poems. It was something I often did with…an old friend…"
Rika caught something, ever so slightly in Hanyuu's reaction. At first, the mentioning of poems brought a new, unreal smile to Hanyuu's face; one that was very soft and very loving. However, as she drifted on dwelling on some unknown memory, Hanyuu's smile turned to a frown, her eyelids slightly drooping.
"Really? So it's your favorite pastime?" Rika tried to break the ice a little.
"…yes…"
The rain continued to fall harder, the sound of thunder in the distance. Between the darkness of the passing clouds in the sky, and the shade over Hanyuu and Rika in the doorway of the house, the tears of Hanyuu and the falling rain drops could not be distinguished from one another. Rika could feel it; feel the sadness and loss in Hanyuu's aura. That much was enough for her to press on.
"Hanyuu…will you open yourself to me and tell me what has been troubling you so much lately?" asked Rika, concerned. She peered into Hanyuu's depths, trying to reassure her friend that she was there to help. However, Hanyuu could only shake her head and cast it to the floor.
"Rika-chan, I'm alright. Don't worry about me. Everything is fine…and everything is the way it should be…" She smiled again, trying to seem cheerful to Rika. That response, though, wasn't good enough. More so, Rika grew tired of Hanyuu's antics as of late. This, in turn, caused her darker yet wiser side to come out again.
"Hanyuu…you should know better than to keep things from me. I will not easily give in to your wishes if they should pose a threat. I care for you, and if I am able to help, then you have to tell me how I can. Don't let me sit by and worry about you so much…"
"Heheh…Rika-chan, you will help me. Trust me…you are the most important of all to me. You will mean the most when the time comes…So for now, don't dwell on me. Promise me you won't do that?" Hanyuu, even after seemingly being scolded by Rika's inner self, still put on a smile. Rika's face became more solemn this time, her expression turning to another frown. All she could do was sigh; feeling helpless in her efforts to aid Hanyuu. If that would please her, then Rika could all but deny that request.
"Fine, if that's what you wish then so be it. I promise I won't worry about you anymore…but you have to promise me something too!"
"Hmm? And what's that?" Hanyuu looked at Rika confused, taken back by the sudden request.
"Promise me…whatever happens that you'll still be the cheery Hanyuu I know, alright?" Rika, without knowing it, formed tears in her eyes. Her genuine concern for her friend hurt Hanyuu in the depths of her soul, but she casted that aside to reassure Rika.
"Ok, I promise that without regret. Nipah!" Hanyuu smiled at Rika as she wiped away the tears. Suddenly, as if on cue, Hanyuu's stomach growled causing Rika to stare at her with wide eyes. "Oh dear, I'm so hungry…"
"Hey you guys, come on. Dinner's been ready for 5 minutes. Come eat before it gets cold!" piped Satoko from around the corner. She held out a ladle, like a mother to her children would do in the kitchen. Rika instantly got up and acknowledged the order. Hanyuu, otherwise, looked out into the pouring rain some more, her eyes glowing a soft yet red hue.
"Promise…" she murmured.
/
"So tell me, what's this movie called again? It better not be one of those ghost ones again. They're so overplayed these days…"
"Don't worry about it. This one had some spice to it I think. I don't remember the name, but its one of my father's most treasured ones. It's got everything: zombies, cut-throat serial killers, demonic entities…you name it! Trust me; my Dad says this one is sure to give you nightmares!"
"Nightmares? Um…Kei-kun, will it be ok if we watch it?" Mion sat on the couch, watching Keiichi put in the video cassette into the VCR. The room was quiet and warm, the rain just beginning to lightly fall outside. She wore her favorite nightwear: a long yellow nightgown which was perfect for the seemingly hot night. Keiichi, on the other hand, wore a white t-shirt and some black shorts for the occasion. In front of them was a bowl of popcorn and some drinks; the perfect night to watch a movie together. While putting the tape in, Keiichi turned his head and grinned.
"What? Afraid are we now? I thought you were tougher than that…"
"HEY! This old man isn't scared! I was just concerned for you. I know how easily frightened you get!" she retorted. Keiichi felt like he was stabbed through the heart on that one, though he didn't know why. He sighed and tried to defend himself.
"Hey, I've gotten stronger since I left with Komoto this summer. Don't think I'm the Keiichi Maebara that would nearly piss his pants from seeing someone hold a giant cleaver above their head…I'm a lot tougher since then…" he grinned.
"Definitely a lot sexier too…" Mion coughed and murmured under her breathe again, daydreaming of the moment she saw Keiichi return from his trip; his stature and appearance very different since last she saw him. She had to admit, Keiichi was completely right about all that. However, it didn't mean she couldn't poke fun at him for it.
"Huh, what was that?"
"Oh, nothing…but hey, we'll see who's the scaredy cat after this film, alright!" She laughed. Keiichi looked at her for a moment, a large smile appearing on his face just as the movie's opening trailers played. Mion looked at him with some curiosity.
"That brings something to mind. When you throw up a challenge like that between us, we have to do a penalty game then. So since it's been a while since our last club activity, let's make a wager. Whoever gets frightened the most over this movie by the end of the night loses, and must submit to the other winner's utmost wish. What do you say?" Keiichi folded his arms, daring Mion to say otherwise. She only pulled him down into her lap, setting off his prideful mood for a second.
"Heheheh, that's a wonderful idea! Fine, name the wagers then!" She said it to him in an almost seductive yet confident attitude that Keiichi refocused his moment of nervousness and blushed.
"Umm…yes, the wager. If I win…then…you have to give me the most seductive and thrilling massage of my life! Full body, hours of it too! No complaining, and you even have to feed me grapes that are still on the vine. The whole Roman Emperor treatment!" It wasn't his best of ideas, but with what Keiichi had in store for Mion with this movie he was sure to win. Besides, if anything he wanted to be fair enough to Mion that she herself may enjoy it. He wouldn't be cruel or anything, but if it meant that he could make up for the whole summer slave thing then he'd take the opportunity for it.
"A massage? Interesting…ok, I accept that. But I'm not gonna tell you what this old man is thinking until I win. You said it was the winner's utmost wish, and that could be anything. So when you lose, and I know you will, I'll tell you then, ok?"
"Aww that's no fun, but fine, I accept! So are you ready for this?" Keiichi turned off the lights and plopped himself next to Mion, his arm around her soft and delicate body for the duration of the movie.
"Yeah, let's do it!" Mion said with defiance. She snuggled up to Keiichi, watching as the screen of the TV went dark and began the introduction of the movie. By this time, the rain came down harder than before.
An hour and a half later…
"Heh…that was…"
"Umm…how should I put it…"
For over an hour and a half, as the storm and thunder raged on throughout the duration of the movie, Keiichi and Mion bore witness to one of the scariest films ever created by man. Their expressions said it all after the end of the movie; blank slates with mouths draped open, and faces as pale as white stone. The lightning and thunder didn't help the situation at all, but increased the tenacity of the film's power while watching it. For them, it was a movie of a lifetime.
"So…are you scared?" Keiichi turned his head slightly, trying to recover from the movie's powerful fear factor. He wasn't really freaked out about it, but it did leave an impression on his mind, that was for sure.
The entirety of the movie included zombie's eating victims in the cruelest and goriest of fashions, the demons and serial killers maiming their prey in ways which frightened the viewers from every turn of the corner. Even the music gave each scene a grisly turn of events with misplaced timings; catching the viewers off their game on expectations when the worse would show it. It was truly a movie among horror films.
"H..hell no! That was just a cheap B-rated film. I mean, I could even see the strings on the bats at one point too! Next time get a better movie before trying to scare me Kei-kun!"
"Really? You're not scared at all?" he asked with genuine curiosity. Mion merely defied his question with utmost confidence, turning her head away and grinning widely.
"Nope!"
"Not even just a little?" he asked again, narrowing his eyes.
"No way! That was so lame!" she lied. Mion's brow sweated from just remembering the film. It wasn't that scarring on her mind, but it still gave her a good scare on the inside, causing her heart rate to skyrocket at some points. Keiichi, however, just grinned at her and picked his right forearm up for her to see.
"So you're telling me that grabbing my arm like this the entire time wasn't you being afraid?" Mion looked at his arm, seeing the slight bruising from her hard grip during the movie. She freaked out a little, more concerned for what she did to him.
"Oh my God! I'm so sorry Kei-kun, I didn't mean to…"
"Heh, don't worry, it was cute none the less. Can you just get me some ice from the kitchen though, it is kind of sore…" he asked. He began to rub it a little, cringing from the soreness of certain areas. Mion frowned and tried to repair the damage dealt.
"Yeah, no problem…"
As Mion entered the kitchen and readied an ice back for Keiichi, she bent over the kitchen sink and ran some cold water into the bag. However, as she thought about the movie that much more, she realized that she was doing the exact thing one of the female victims did.
*Heh, it was kind of funny too. That one girl was also getting an ice pack for her boyfriend, and then when she looked up she saw one of her dead friends looking like a zombie outside the…window…*
At this thought, Mion chuckled and looked outside into the darkness of the stormy night. She couldn't see much, given that there were no lights on in view of the back yard from the kitchen window. However, as she looked closer and heard thunder, she realized that, what she thought was her friend Rena covered in mud outside looking dead straight at her in front of the window, was there one moment in the flash of lightening and gone the next. Mion blinked her eyes twice, watching as the lightening illuminated the back yard and showed that no one was there. All there was were a lot of trees and a muddy lawn. Mion's eyes went wide, and she shook her head trying to dismiss the sight.
As she turned away, though, in the next instant of lightening someone taking on the look of a very dirty, muddy, and wet Rena appeared in front of the window, mouthing words with wide eyes.
"Ok, I think the movie may have been a little scary…" she murmured as she went back into the living room. Keiichi looked up to her confused.
"Something wrong Mi-chan?" he asked.
"Um…well…when I got you the ice pack I could have sworn I saw…never mind, it's just my imagination! Heheheh, this old man's mind is going, ya know!" she laughed, trying to calm down.
"Ok, if you say so. But I think that you're just too scared from the movie. Looks like I'm gonna win the bet before midnight! You better prepare yourself if I win!" grinned Keiichi. He threw the ice pack onto his arm for awhile, turning on the TV to pass the time with. Mion sat down and rested against his shoulder for the time being.
*Rena should have been with Ryuu-san tonight. There's no way she would be here…right?* Mion thought. Feeling Keiichi's warmth, though, eased her worries, which allowed her to snuggle closer to him.
"Hmm…there's nothing really on. Why don't you find something for us to watch while I go use the bathroom, ok?" asked Keiichi. Mion nodded as he left, taking reign of the remote control.
/
While she flipped through the channels, she realized Keiichi was taking his sweet time, and so dwelling on this thought for a moment she got up and made her way to the bathroom. This time, she had an idea so as to cause him to really lose their wager that night.
As Mion walked down the hallway, she noticed that the bathroom light was on, its rays showing from under the doorframe. Creeping softly up to the door, she made sure that the entire house remained dark; the lights turned off completely except for the bathroom. Hiding in a corner for a bit, she listened intently as to Keiichi's movements.
*Heh, I'll get you yet Keiichi Maebara! Just like old times, all you need to do is come out, notice no one is around, and fall into my trap! I'll scare you just like I always did before you…went with Komoto-san and got all…bulked up and…* Again, Mion fantasized about Keiichi, oddly enough couldn't understand why. Maybe it was just from how attracted she was to him or how much she loved everything about him, but thinking of Keiichi like that really threw her off her game. She shook her head and wiped away the drool, saving her thoughts of her utmost wish for later.
However, as she waited in one part of the hallway, Mion heard Keiichi suddenly flush the toilet and then, for a few minutes after, heard nothing at all. She grew agitated at this, not understanding what was taking him so long. Growing tired of waiting, she went up to the door and knocked on it, feeling defeated in her plans to scare Keiichi.
"Hey, Kei-kun, are you ok in there? Hello?"
No response came from the bathroom. There wasn't even a notion of life in there for that matter. Putting her hand on the handle of the door, Mion decided to just go in and, with luck, managed to open the unlocked door with ease. Turning the handle, she moved the door open and found the room to be completely empty. That's when her inner defenses began to rise at an alarming rate.
"K…Kei-kun? Where are you?" Mion spoke. Her eyes went wide, unable to comprehend where Keiichi had gone to. The window was closed; there was only one doorway to the bathroom, so that only left…
*Ah hah! Hiding behind the shower curtains, are you?*
"Take that!" she yelled, grinning at her ability to foil Keiichi's possible counter-measure to her scare tactics. Unfortunately for her, as she pulled the curtains away, there was no one there but a dripping showerhead. The room was completely empty.
"What the hell! Kei-kun, this isn't funny, where are you?" she yelled. She went back into the hallway, noticing that no one was there at all. There seemed to be no life in the house, and from what Mion could tell she was left all alone for whatever reason now. She suddenly started to sweat, her fear steadily growing.
That's when one large crash of thunder struck outside, and the power instantly went dead in the house. Mion quickly fretted and hugged a nearby wall, her eyes trying to adjust to the sudden darkness. After a while, she could manage to see a few feet in front of her.
"Damnit, I can't see anything! Kei-kun, where are you?" she called in vain, receiving no response. Walking along the wall and around the corner, Mion managed to find a light switch and flicked it on. As her worst fears were confirmed, the power was dead from the lightening strike. However, though she couldn't see in the house she was much more scared for Keiichi's wellbeing.
"This isn't good. For all I know Kei-kun is playing a trick on me. Stay strong Mion! Don't let his game get to you, you hear me? If I remember correctly, I just need to go down to the kitchen and find the flashlight in the drawer. At least then I can see…"
Mion continued to curse under her breath, finding every obstacle in the darkness on her path to the kitchen unrelenting. She even stubbed her toe once or twice, forcing herself to grit her teeth in pain. Mion persevered, though, eventually making her way downstairs.
"Finally!" Mion opened the drawer and shifted her hand through the contents. Grabbing the flashlight, Mion turned it on and was thankful for the light; her surroundings more illuminated now.
As she casted the light over the ground and furniture, though, Mion's fear escalated for the worst. On the ground, Mion discovered muddy footprints leading from the doorway, towards the kitchen, down one hallway and then up the stairs she just came from. Something wasn't right here.
In a moment of fear, she grabbed a nearby kitchen knife, her breathing becoming raspy from panic and her body temperature rising from the sudden discovery.
"A hehehe! This…has to be some joke…it has to be! Kei-kun, if you think you're going to scare me you need to do better!" She yelled into the seemingly empty house in defiance. No reply came though, causing Mion to tread with caution. She decided it was best to follow the muddy tracks, hoping to find Keiichi and get pay back on him.
Going down the first hallway, Mion found the dirt tracks lead into a far off bathroom in the back of the house. Turning around the corner, she heard the thunder and saw flashes of lightening illuminate the whole house. Peering over at the right moment, she thought she saw a figure in the bathroom, someone looking like Keiichi.
*Got you now Kei-kun!*
As the lightening illuminated and darkened the house again, she raised the flashlight quickly in the direction of the figure and shed light on its hallway. However, no one was there again. Mion's mind began screaming at her to run away, that this was some horrible dream.
Again, there were muddy tracks on the ground, leading into the bathroom this time. She looked down side hallways, finding no tracks leading in those directions. With all her courage and might, Mion went into the bathroom, finding it empty as well.
*Ok, this is getting out of hand. Kei-kun, if this is seriously you playing a prank on me I'm going to…*
Again that night, the thunder and lightening did not help. This time, as the light in the room grew again, Mion noticed fog on the nearby mirror; the words "Hi Mion…behind you…" written on it. Her heart raced even more now, taken back by this sudden discovery. By this point, she thought the sounds of breathing were just her raspy ones or that belonging to her soon to be murderer.
As quickly as she turned around, Mion again found nothing in the bathroom; nothing even behind the curtain this time. Confused as to what the hell was going on, she cautiously made her way back to the hallway, and for the third time that night found something horrifying.
On the ground, leading again near the doorway and back down the hallway, were another pair of muddy tracks; small droplets of blood this time leading along the same hallway. Mion covered her mouth from screaming, her only wish now to find Keiichi and get out of the house and to the closest police station for safety. What was more terrifying, though, was that these pair of tracks displayed some terrifying fact.
*Someone…was here…and watching me. They were upstairs too! But how? I went down those steps…unless…someone is in this house, hurting Kei-kun…and toying with me…* Mion suddenly noticed that her grip on the flashlight and knife now shook from fear, resulting in her again summoning enough courage to move on and try to find Keiichi. With the power out, calling for help was impossible. All she could do was locate her beloved and save him from any threat.
As Mion came into the kitchen again, she suddenly heard footsteps for the first time upstairs, and from what she noticed breathing around her. Mion whipped the flashlight to and fro, keeping the knife in front of her for protection. Again, there was no sign of life this time, just the mud from the doorway to upstairs indicating the only traces thereof. This time, Mion called into the house, trying to draw attention to any threat.
"WHO'S THERE? TELL ME BEFORE I FIND YOU AND KILL YOU MYSELF!" she yelled, anger and fear in her voice. What she received this time, though, was greatly unexpected.
"A HA HA! A HA HA HA HA!"
Accompanying the loud, shrill and creepy laugh of some female figure was the sound of banging and more footsteps upstairs. Mion could hear the sounds grow louder, almost too much to bear as she stood motionless on the spot.
"That voice…was Rena's?" Cautiously, Mion went up the stairs again, making sure not to make any notion of her presence known.
*I'm not scared…I'm not scared…I'm Not Scared…* she thought over and over again, trying to reassure herself that this was just some horrible prank on Keiichi's part. But the more she thought about it, the more Mion realized that maybe this wasn't a game. *I saw Rena before…outside…with her cleaver too! Did something happen? And now she's hurting Kei-kun?* she panicked more and more thinking about this, almost rushing too fast up the stairs. She tried her best to make sure the creaks of the stairs weren't heard. By the time she reached the top, using low light from the flashlight and her hand to show just enough of her area, Mion slowly treaded down the hallway to Keiichi's room; the tracks ending there.
*Ok…it's time to end this! It's do or die Mion Sonozaki! Hopefully…it's the former…*
With one quick lunge into the room, Mion began whipping the knife around, ready to take on any intruder. This time as she was expecting some fight to ensue, Mion didn't find anyone at all in the house. Giving in to the stress of the whole spectacle, Mion began hearing more and more laughs and creaks around her; the flashlight not finding a single thing in sight. She couldn't understand what was going on.
"WHO ARE YOU? STOP THIS! PLEASE, GIVE ME KEI-KUN BACK!" she screamed, the fear too much for her.
Suddenly, without notice, something grabbed her legs and pulled her down onto the ground. As she struggled in the darkness, the flashlight and knife having tumbled away into the nearby wall, Mion fought against her captor; kicking and punching in ways which only she learned from Mizuho that previous afternoon. Managing to land a couple blows, she only heard more laughter and steps in response; still unable to see anything.
As Mion continued to fight on, bearing through all the terror in her mind, more of her arms and legs were restrained; her whole body now immobile. With wide eyes and sweat beading down her entire body, Mion struggled to free herself in vain, feeling the cold touch of a pair of hands make their way up her body.
*I'm not scared…I'm not scared…I'm…not….*
"AUGH! KEI-KUN!" Mion screamed Keiichi's name out, closing her eyes as tears began to form. Her cries were heard all around in the room, shattering the threat which was seemingly imposed on her.
As she called his name out in terror, the grip on her arms and legs suddenly softened and gently let her go. Breathing hard on the floor, Mion rushed into a nearby corner of the room, picking up the flashlight and revealing who held her down.
"Ah! That's too bright Mi-chan, it is!" piped Rena. She looked extremely muddy; her boots and dress covered in dirt and grime. At her side was her cleaver, dripping wet with water. She herself seemed very drenched from the rain.
"Ow, ok, too bright!" Ryuu, the man who was Rena's boyfriend and Keiichi's cousin, covered his eyes likewise. He seemed irked for some reason, he himself covered in mud too. He sighed from all the handiwork performed.
"R…Rena? And Ryuu-san?"
"Yup, it's just us? Did we scare you, did we?" asked Rena, giggling at her friend. Mion just looked on, still defensive where she sat.
"What the HELL is going on?" she yelled at them, frightening both Ryuu and Rena at the same time. They cowered in the other corner of the room, unable to match her wrath.
"Umm…well, you see…"
"AND WHERE THE HELL IS KEI-KUN!" she demanded. Mion somewhat thrashed against the wall which she sat, but somehow after sitting for a few moments she realized the wall was very warm and flesh-like. Upon this realization, she felt warm breath tingle her neck side; whispering one word.
"Boo…"
"GAH!"
*SMACK*
Now reeling from the sudden blow to his face, Keiichi fell into the wall, just as the power to the house returned. It seemed the blackout was temporary, but surely this moment would remain forever on their memories.
"OW! Damnit Mi-chan, calm down! It was just a joke!" Keiichi yelled, tears in the side of his eyes. He rubbed his cheek where she smacked him, the red imprint comically left on his face.
"What? Kei-kun, what the hell were you doing to me?"
"Well, Mi-chan, Keiichi-kun called us up earlier today and wanted us to come by after the movie to give you a little scare. It seems like it worked too!" she laughed, unable to contain herself from seeing Keiichi get smacked like that. Ryuu had a good fit of it too.
"Heheheh! Well, I can't tell you I didn't see this coming, cousin. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted!" stated Ryuu, priding himself.
"Don't worry about it Mi-chan. It's over now, we had our fun. I just asked these guys if they wanted to get in on giving you a little scare. I figured if they made some mud tracks here and there that you'd get frightened. Besides, I still can't figure out what you can really take yet in terms of being scared. Guess we now know for sure…" Keiichi laughed, rubbing his cheek some more. However, Mion casted her face away from him, feeling hurt on the inside. She looked up to Ryuu, wanting some answers.
"Tell me…how were you able to be so close without me seeing you? I couldn't even hear you at all…" she stated, not meeting Ryuu's eyes.
"Well, Keiichi jumped from the windowsill and helped us inside using the house key. He figured that while you were up in the bathroom wondering where he was that I and Rena could start making tracks and following you in the dark. Good thing the power went out when it did, or else it would have been a lot harder following you downstairs. Plus, the carpet helped conceal my footsteps too! Then, when you came up here, we were gonna end it by tickling you to near death…" spoke Ryuu, smiling again. Everyone but Mion chuckled, glad that the ordeal was over. However, Keiichi could still sense tenseness in Mion's direction.
"So…Kei-kun masterminded this whole show, huh?" Mion asked, her face casted in darkness. Rena sweated a little, sensing this was her and Ryuu's time to exit.
"Um, well, it was just a joke Mi-chan. I hope we didn't scare you so much…" Rena tried to defend Keiichi in some part, but her girl instincts told her otherwise. That, and the alarming notion in her head to run.
"Oh, that's fine, don't worry about it actually…I'm just impressed Keiichi took this one to heart so much…"
"Oh that's good. Well then, look at the time, Ryuu-kun and I really overstayed our welcome here…come on Ryuu-kun…now!" Rena suddenly grabbed Ryuu by his good arm and left quickly, pulling him forcefully without another word. He seemed confused, but just waved his cousin off in motion, not caring otherwise.
"Well then, see you later cousin!"
"Hey, wait a minute, why the rush? You guys…" Keiichi held a hand out, trying to stop them. It was no use though, as he and Rena were out the door before he knew it. With them gone, that just left him and Mion together in the house, who still hadn't turned to face him once.
"Well…I guess that's it then. Sorry Mi-chan, it was just too good to pass up…"
As suddenly as he tried to apologize, Mion got up, held Keiichi hard by the shoulder, and threw him out of the room forcefully. Without having a chance to speak, Mion locked the door behind him, not allowing him to come in.
"HEY! What are you doing Mi-chan?" he stuttered, trying to open the door again.
"You…idiot…go clean up your mess, slave!" Mion yelled, gritting her teeth.
"Wait a minute, will you just…"
"NOW!" roared Mion, extremely pissed off. Keiichi tried to speak, but thought better against it. Somehow, he felt like he messed up big time, this prank going on far enough. It was simple to him, but he should have known better, Keiichi thought. As he sighed and went to clean the other parts of the house as quickly as he could, he could hear soft crying coming from inside his room; his heart panging for causing her pain.
*Damnit…I really did it this time…*
/
About 30 minutes later, Keiichi trudged upstairs in some clean clothes, and listened on inside his room. Pressing his ear against the door, he could hear Mion begin to cry again, murmuring to herself. By this point, Keiichi sat down near the door, his back against it. Giving it a couple of knocks, Keiichi heard Mion stop crying and moving, listening to what Keiichi was going to say.
"Mi-chan…I…"
"You know, Kei-kun, that has to be one of the stupidest things you've ever done to me…" This one comment from Mion definitely left its mark in his heart; the pain beginning to take its toll on him. He really felt like he messed up this time somehow.
"I'm sorry…I was just trying to win the wager, that's all…"
"DID YOU EVEN KNOW HOW MUCH I WAS WORRIED ABOUT YOU? I SAW BLOOD DOWNSTAIRS FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!" she yelled. Keiichi cringed this time, trying his best to regain his composure.
"Speaking of that…I cut my hand a little jumping onto the ground. I thought it would add to the dramatic effect of the whole scene. Mi-chan, listen please…can you just hear me out for a moment?"
A few moments of silence passed between them, followed up by some more tearful gushes on Mion's part. When she was ready, she allowed him to continue.
"Fine…go on…"
"Thank you. Mi-chan, I got carried away, ok? I wanted tonight to be fun for us. I thought that if I had the others come over that we could give you a scare. You're so stubborn and hard to figure out sometimes that you can't admit that you get scared. Besides that, I really wanted to have another penalty game match just against you. It seems like we haven't done it in such a long time…I didn't want to lose that part of ourselves…"
Keiichi could hear Mion stop crying completely, her focus in listening intently to his every word. If Keiichi really was the magician of words, then now was his time to shine. To do that, he needed to convince Mion of his truest wishes…
"And Mi-chan, you were the one who taught me to do whatever it takes to win. So I did just that…but…I messed up I guess. I forgot to take into account how much you would worry about me…and whether this was just some childish prank or really happening. I'm sorry for worrying you…so will you let me in so I can see you?"
"Why…should I do that, huh? I should force you to sleep outside tonight for this…you love the mud and lightening so much, why don't you do just that?" Mion murmured, loud enough for Keiichi to hear her.
"If…that's what you want, then I'll do it. I'm sorry…" Keiichi casted his eyes to the ground, his tail in between his legs like a scolded dog. Slowly getting up, he rose from where he sat and decided to honor Mion's wishes, not disobeying her or anything. If it would make her feel better, he'd do it. Besides, he had been through much worse with Komoto anyhow.
As Keiichi began to walk away, he heard the door unlock to his room. Stopping midway, he turned around, but didn't walk up just yet. He waited to see if Mion would come out or not.
"Mi-chan…"
No response came from inside his room. Keiichi remained where he was, noticing the room was very dark; the thunder sounding outside and the lightening illuminating the room every other moment. He couldn't see anyone in the room, but he could hear movement. He called out again to the darkness, wondering what Mion was up to.
"Mi-chan…can I…come in?" he asked. No response came again, which started to worry Keiichi. He thought it over for a few seconds, and decided to go into the room to confront Mion. As he moved closer to the doorway, he slid it open; the creaking sounds giving an eerie feel to the whole situation. Using the hallway light for illumination, he peered into the room, finding Mion just murmuring to herself and rocking back and forth in the middle of the area.
Seeing Mion like that stung Keiichi to his core. He couldn't believe how this little prank went so out of control as it did, and so he wanted to make it up to her in any way possible. Treading cautiously so that he didn't cause Mion any more anguish, he moved closer to her and knelt down, studying her for a quick moment before doing anything else.
"Mi-chan…are you ok?"
She didn't respond to Keiichi, but just turn a little to him, her face casted in darkness from his view. He could see wet spots on the ground where her tears fell, causing him to wish he could reset time and never do this to her.
Thinking quickly, Keiichi reached out to hold Mion, pulling her into his arms and running his fingers into her hair. He could hear very silent murmurs of her voice, but couldn't quite make out what she was saying. After staying like they did for a few moments, Mion pushed back from him, causing Keiichi to wonder if she was ok at all.
"Mi-chan…I…"
"Kei-chan…"
At the mentioning of his name in that context, Keiichi remained motionless on the spot. Mion hadn't referred to him in such a way for almost a year. It was as if he went down a rank in their relationship, something that Keiichi couldn't fathom as a result from his prank. He chuckled nervously, confused and stunned as to what was about to occur.
*Wait, Mi-chan doesn't call me that anymore. Why did she say that?* he thought.
"Um…what is it?"
"Kei-chan…you remember your promise to me, right?" Mion spoke with darkness in her words. Keiichi looked on, his heart rate beginning to steadily increase with each passing moment.
"Which one? I made a lot to you, remember?"
"Oh, Kei-chan…you know that one. The one where 'your heart belongs to me and only me'?" Under the bangs of Mion's hair, Keiichi saw a small grin appear, one that foretold violence was on the horizon.
"Yes, why do you…"
Suddenly, Mion threw herself onto Keiichi, his back to the floor and both of his arms and legs restrained. Her position on his body made it almost impossible for Keiichi to get up, and likewise forcing him to remain silent. All this was perceived from his stance, Keiichi's gaze looking into Mion's green eyes which were illuminated by the lightening here and there. He was definitely scared of her, that was certain, but for him to even grasp what was about to happen made Keiichi motionless with fear.
"M…Mi-chan, what are you doing?" he managed to squeak out. Mion merely chuckled, an insane look on her face.
"Why Kei-chan, you should know better. I don't go down so easily…"
"What the hell are you talking about?" he yelled back. Keiichi shook with fear, while Mion's hips were seductively positioned over his. She moved her head closer to Keiichi's, causing him to cringe back somewhat. However, he remained strong and listened to what she had to say; not giving any force into fighting back just yet.
"Kei-chan…come now, don't you remember just who I am? I almost killed all of you…even you…" she cackled.
At this point, Keiichi tried to get up, although, ceased any attempts as Mion gripped his throat hard; her fingers digging into his artery. He almost felt like choking, but he resisted. He was about to throw her off even, had not Mion suddenly revealed a knife and aimed it at his chest. He could feel the cold tip of the blade begin to press into his skin, but not enough to draw blood.
"Kei-chan…I told you…you can't kill a demon…"
"YOU! IT CAN'T BE!" he screamed. Mion's eyes lit up when he finally realized what was going on. Her grin grew wider, Mion's menace impossible to defy. Keiichi couldn't understand how any of this happened.
"Correct Kei-chan! So let me continue where I left off. I think I'll carve out your heart first then keep it as a souvenir…"
Mion suddenly threw the blade under his white shirt, and instantly cut it off him. Keiichi's revealed chest rose high and low at a fast pace, his eyes wide with terror at Mion's sudden actions. With her grip too tight on his throat, Keiichi couldn't seem to find any strength to push her off. Likewise, this special technique was taught by Komoto to both of them earlier that day, though he worried as to how to get out of this situation.
*Damnit! We're going over defenses and escaping submissions next time. Damn you fate!* he thought in vain.
"So you're the demon Mion killed before? How did you come back, TELL ME?" he retorted, defiance in his eyes. Mion only grinned more.
"Kei-chan, you should have known better than to treat Mion like this. You know, we Sonozaki members may seem tough on the outside, but we're all vulnerable on the inside too. You hurt Mion…again…and likewise she accepted me back with open arms; her hate for you too strong. Oh, how right I was all along!" she chimed. Keiichi's eyes filled with tears this time, his breathing becoming harder now.
"I guess…I deserve it if I broke this promise to Mion. So do what you will to me…"
"Anything I want? Is that true?" Keiichi's heart continued to race, unable to control his inner fear. Suddenly, after nodding to her question, Keiichi felt Mion's hands go to his shorts, and in turn felt them slowly be taken off. She moved the knife away from his chest, and just as he thought that she wouldn't kill him she instead put the cold steal against his certain unmentionables this time.
This is when Keiichi screamed like a little girl on the inside…
"DEAR GOD!"
"It's not going to be fun for you, Kei-chan. I always pictured your next death like this, so let's begin shall we?"
"PLEASE STOP! YOU CAN DO ANYTHING ELSE BUT NOT THIS!" he pleaded in mercy, the cold steel on his genitals now slowly beginning to feel pressure. Mion chuckled, looking up to him with a twisted expression.
"Oh, what, are you scared? The mighty Keiichi Maebara is not afraid of death, but nearly wets his pants from a little pain and torture like this?" she genuinely asked. Keiichi shook his head and formed tears in his eyes, unable to cope with losing his manhood before death. Just the mere thought of losing his genitals and bleeding out that way made him want to vomit all over the floor.
"PLEASE…D…D…DON'T…"
"I ASKED YOU KEI-CHAN! ARE YOU SCARED?" Mion screamed, her face full of anger and rage. Keiichi looked on, knowing this was the final moments of some sick nightmare or his real life. Closing his eyes and unable to win, he gave in to her.
"YES…I'M SCARED DAMNIT!" Keiichi looked on with fearful eyes, his last moments that of losing what every man on earth fears.
"AND…DO YOU HAVE ANY LAST REGRETS? TELL ME, I'M DYING TO KNOW!" Mion chimed again, grinning darkly at Keiichi. He wished with all his might that this wasn't happening. More so, he couldn't understand how this could happen.
"My last…regrets? I guess…*gulp* I wish I didn't cause Mi-chan…so much pain. I wish…she would carve my heart out and have her fill of causing me pain…if that would appease her in the end…but I wish most of all…that when I go to hell for what I did to her…that I'll bring you with me!" he yelled, closing his eyes shut.
And just as quickly as this all transpired, it ended…
/
"Nah, if I did that then what good of a slave are you to me?"
"Eh? Wha…"
As he slowly opened his eyes, Keiichi felt the sound of a knife plunge into the space to the right of his head in quick succession. In the tatami mat now was the knife, sticking straight out into the air. With the thunder and lightening ceasing for a few moments, and the moon peering out from the clouds, the room was illuminated again with natural light. Keiichi slowly gazed up, finding Mion sitting on him and idly looking down at him with a big, big smile.
"Kei-kun, I admire your tenacity, but…" while Mion spoke, the chimes of the clocks in Keiichi's house suddenly went off 12 times, signaling the coming of midnight "…you lose…"
"I…lose?"
"Yup, you admitted you were scared before I did! Too bad, it must have taken you forever to come up with your plan and get Rena and Ryuu-san to join in. Alas, you will never trump me. All it took was five minutes, a knife, and darkness to make you nearly piss your pants."
Mion sat sideways of a half naked Keiichi, stretching her arms out from being in the prior position. Keiichi looked around at her, slowly catching on to what exactly Mion did.
"You…were just…"
"Yup!"
"And the demon isn't…"
"Yup Yup!"
"And you nearly cut off my…"
"NEVER!" Mion screamed out. Keiichi cringed back at this sudden statement, a smile slowly growing on his face nervously. Mion blushed again, smiling and grinning. "…I rather like that part of you, A LOT! So no…that stays!"
Sitting for at least five minutes in his stupor, Keiichi finally pieced together how Mion Sonozaki, the love of his life, had put him in his place again. He looked at her, confirming this with her story.
"You know, what you did scared me, but to get payback on you I just needed the knife and to get you in a position where you thought I was the demon again. But you should have known better, I killed that thing with my family's sword in the dungeon. If Mion Sonozaki defeats an enemy, they stay down!" she cheered, Keiichi sat up again and remained there comically with his pants off.
"So you did all that to get back at me and win the wager?"
"Yup, you're hopeless when it comes to scaring me…"
"I'm glad…I thought…I really lost you again there for a moment…"
Keiichi's eyes welled up with tears, as Mion looked on sadly from causing him such a thought. She sighed, shaking her head and smiling from the good in this outcome.
"Now you know how I felt. It isn't fun, huh?"
"No…you're right."
"So let's promise that this will never happen again, ok? Promise me you and I won't make the other think that their dead or gone, ok?"
"Heh…it's a deal." He made a pinky promise with Mion, causing her to blush once more.
"Good. And by the way, you get reward points for that last comment. It really brings you back from being a crying child, huh?" Mion grinned again at Keiichi, causing him to blush again. He retorted her, trying to defend himself.
"Hey, I won't give up so easily! You may have won the penalty game, but that doesn't me I'd ever give up resisting!"
"Resisting? Speaking of which…"
Mion rose from where she sat and moved to the doorway. Closing the door and locking it shut, Keiichi lost most of his sight in the darkness of the room. Sitting there with a confused look, Mion went over to his drawer for a second, pulled something out, and brought it to where he sat. It was some box, but he couldn't see what.
"Wait, what are you…"
"I won the penalty game, which means you have to fulfill my utmost wish. Anything…I…want!" she singed to him, causing Keiichi to blush greatly this time. As he was a man, and she a woman, and knowing what was in her hands for their 'protection', he could guess what was about to happen.
"So…what is it that you wish, Mistress?" Between Keiichi's legs, a part of him was slowly rising and becoming hard; a sight Mion enjoyed thoroughly.
"Well, first, I'm gonna say that I want to fulfill your wish…how do you like that?"
"Eh? You're gonna give me a massage?"
"Yeah, but I can do that some other time. Tonight, since I won, I'm gonna have my wish fulfilled."
"So, what will it be then?"
"I'm going to put that leather restraint bench to good use at my house next time. It's the only torture device I didn't get rid of, beside some other useful things…"
*Oh my God, Mion is…* The last parts of his thoughts couldn't be considered, as Mion boldly pressed her lips against his and pushed him back onto the floor. Keiichi couldn't resist, but put his arms around her body; their warmth mingling together.
"So you really want that?" Keiichi chuckled, whispering into her ear and sending shivers up her body. Mion nodded, but gave Keiichi one last surprise that night.
"That's one part of my wish…but tonight…I want it all. I don't have you sitting without pants on for nothing, huh Kei-kun?"
From that moment on, Keiichi remembered that he should never try to get one up on Mion.
/
Wallowing in the darkness of the cold room all alone, Shion Sonozaki sat against a wall. She rocked back and forth, murmuring in some lost context where her mind was gone and all logic ceased. For her, she was a lost soul basking in her utmost sins: killing her own sister, her own grandma, her own friends; innocent people who likely did not deserve such tortures and punishments in their ends.
While Shion sat against a wall, her eyes grew wider as the room became colder. She felt like she couldn't breathe; the room spinning and becoming an aspect similar to a twisted dream. Her hands gripped hard into the clean carpet floor, her body sweating profusely while her neck felt so itchy. More so, her heart felt like it was going out of control; the foreshadowing of a heart attack on the horizon.
"DIE! Hurry up and DIE ALREADY! You've been marked, Shion Sonozaki! You think we'll let you live after what you've done!" echoed the voice of some unseen being; one sounding much like that of her deceased sister.
The feeling of cold hands slowly inching their way over her throat suddenly appeared from her backside. Shion gritted her teeth, unable to move for a moment from this demonic entity almost ready to rip her to pieces. She threw herself against the floor ahead; anything to get away from what she believed to be her sister coming back from the depths of the darkness; her will hell bent on exacting punishment on Shion for her crimes against her friends and loved ones.
"AAAAAAAAH!" she screamed, scrambling on the floor expecting to find her sister, Mion, but in vain found nothing at all.
"You're DEAD! DEAD DEAD! DEAD! DEAAAAAAAD!" screamed her sister's voice again. Mion's tone of voice spelled that of cursing Shion and marking her for dead.
"SHUT UP SHUT UUUUUP!" Shion's view came over her nearby window, the only means of escape from her prison.
And what she thought would be her only way to escape this nightmare, her realizations came to light that she was reliving another life…
"GAH! AAAAAAH!"
"Wha…SHION!"
In the heat of their dark room, Shion sprang up from her bed, her body drenched in cold sweat. She felt like she had just run a marathon all across Hinamizawa, her heart ceasing to slow its pace. Feeling for her neck, she began checking herself for any injuries, however, didn't really know the reason why. In the onslaught of waking from her nightmare, Shion honestly believed that she was back in another world; one where she had murdered so many people while under the delusion of believing that they were the cause to Satoshi's disappearance.
As she screamed from her dream before realizing what was going on, her beloved, Satoshi, stirred from his sleep in their bed and suddenly sobered up. Finding Shion hugging herself in fear caused him to question why she acted so from their peaceful slumber. That, and why her naked body was covered in cold sweat; the bed even drenched in the bodily fluid.
"Shi-chan! What's the matter, are you ok?" Satoshi held her body against his own; their bodies both bare from their previous evening. That, and the humidity of the storm made it quite unbearable to sleep in clothing; the heat making everything sticky. As Satoshi held Shion, the storm outside their home continued to pour rain; its unrelenting melody of the thunder and lightening illuminating their room.
"S…Satoshi-kun…I…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" Shion murmured, dazed from the dream and the reality she now lived in. Satoshi looked at her confused, not understanding what was going on.
"Shi-chan, what are you sorry about?" Satoshi asked, unable to understand why she kept apologizing to him. He began to run his fingers through her hair, somewhat managing her to refocus.
"I…killed so many people…"
Satoshi stopped for a moment and replayed these words in his head. Shion looked up to him, tears welling up in her eyes and gliding down her cheeks. Shion felt like she was at a complete loss, unable to understand why or what just happened.
"Shi-chan…you haven't killed anyone, what are you talking about?"
"Yes I did! I killed my sister…my grandmother…Rika-chan…Kimiyoshi-san…and even…even…Satoko! Oh, Satoshi-kun….I'm sorry…I'm…"
Shion threw her face as far as she could into Satoshi's chest, his shirt soon becoming wet from her tears. She wailed loudly in their room, gripping at his shirt as if she were afraid of losing him. Satoshi only continued to brush her hair with his fingers, eventually calming her down minutes later. When she looked at him again with wonder, her eyes red from crying, Shion found him smiling at her; the same kind of smile which could melt away all of her worries.
"Shi-chan…its ok, don't cry anymore." Satoshi reassured her. She shook her head, pleading to him that she was guilty of some unknown crime.
"But I killed them; I killed all of them, because…I thought…"
"Our friends are ok, and your sister is probably with Keiichi right now. Shi-chan, you didn't kill anyone…I know that, ok?" She patted Shion on the head, causing her to blush profusely and cast her eyes away.
"No…you don't understand…in some other life…I know I killed them…"
"…I knew that already…"
The lightening outside illuminated the room, causing Shion to look up at him and find Satoshi staring at her with serious eyes. He didn't smile, but show a look of understanding.
"What? But…how did…"
"Rika-chan…she explained everything to us, remember? Even when I came back she told me…of those worlds. I know what you did, but that didn't matter to me. For awhile, though, I questioned if you would ever do that to my sister again…"
His words casted more shame in her heart and mind. To Shion, this was the first doubt she had ever heard of Satoshi mentioning about their relationship. Her eyes welled up with more tears, causing her to move away from him in despair. Satoshi merely gripped her hand, preventing her from doing otherwise.
"Muu…Shi-chan, please listen. It was wrong of me to think that, but I couldn't believe you would ever kill Satoko or the others. You are practically like a sister to her, and I know deep down you care about everyone. But Rika-chan told me about what happened, and I questioned it. But…" This time, he pulled Shion close to his chest, close enough to hear his heart beat steadily. It became very peaceful and loving all around her, enough to keep Shion from completely defaming herself. "…I never believed you would. And when we were in the dungeon, Mion's inner demon even said you 'killed her twin sister off'. You repented for your sins Shi-chan, and I will love you regardless of what you do. No one is perfect…"
Satoshi smiled again at Shion, her blush returning and her tears growing less with each passing moment. He chuckled, wiping away her tears. She regained her composure for now, but the memory of the dream and that other lifetime still remained in her thoughts.
"I promised myself that I would never betray any of my friends again. I'm not going to let this dream get the better of me…"
"Shi-chan, that's in the past. Now, come back to bed with me. I'll stay up until you fall asleep, ok?"
"Ok…thank you Satoshi-kun…" Shion moved forward and kissed him on the lips, her passion for him ever loving. They both pulled away after a few moments passed, blushing from their mutual feelings. Slowly lying down into Satoshi's arms, Shion nudged her head into the crook of his arm and soon fell back into a peaceful sleep without a care in the world.
For Satoshi, though, Shion's dreams and mentioning of another world brought to mind his own sins. That, of course, was him having murdered his own aunt; a person he despised whole heartedly.
"No one is perfect…" he stated, thinking no more on the subject and going back to sleep. It had been a long time since Satoshi blamed himself for killing such a vile woman, and he wasn't going to start now.
/
What is the Past to you?
Was it the moment you decided one over the other?
Or was it when you regretted something that you wished to change now?
What is the Future to you?
Are they things you cannot foretell or predict?
Or are they hopes and dreams you wish to accomplish?
What is the Present to you?
Is it the here and now?
Or is it that which is?
What are the Past, the Future, and the Present?
That, I thought, was Life itself…
But I couldn't be more right and more wrong…
Next time on "Hinamizawa Hell" Arc 3 Ch. 4: Blank Slate
Can you keep a secret?