Thursday, 5 May, Evening
Knowing it was unlikely that his uncle would be there, Souji made sure to fix dinner as soon as he got home. It had grown sufficiently routine that he was starting to think he would have to write down his best recipes, to make sure Dojima and Nanako had some good food when he left.
He watched the news closely, hoping for something new on the murder cases. Such was not to be. "A suspect has been arrested in the ATM theft case," the anchor said. "The alleged thief is Pumena Sushin, a 26-year-old former employee of the company which had reported the stolen vehicle."
Disgruntled ex-employee, Souji thought in disgust. That figures.
"According to the police, Pumena Sushin was. . . ."
The sound of the front door opening drowned out the TV. "I'm home," Dojima said, sounding tired. He sighed, shaking his head. "Just how many days is that kid going to call in sick? I swear, these rookies are all–"
Nanako rushed to greet him. "Welcome home!" she said, smiling.
He set a bag down next to the low table. "Hi. I'm really sorry a broke my promise again."
It's really eating at him. Souji looked at his uncle and cousin with carefully-hidden sadness. At least he's trying. Some parents would just forget. He forced the thought away. It wasn't the time for his darker musings.
"It's okay," Nanako said. "Um, my big bro and his friends played with me instead."
Dojima looked at Souji, smiling in evident relief. "That so? Thanks."
"I'd promised to introduce her to my friends anyway," Souji said, shrugging. "When Chie showed up at the door, it seemed like the perfect opportunity." He smiled wryly. "The fact that Yosuke works at Junes helped."
It had, he admitted to himself, been one of the most enjoyable times in his Inaba stay thus far. His previous living arrangements hadn't left much time or opportunity for just hanging out with friends, and Nanako's cheerful innocense was a welcome distraction from the pressures of the investigation. Not that he could tell his uncle that.
Nanako's gaze lit on the shopping bag. "Hey, that's a Junes bag!"
Dojima laughed. "Good eyes, Nanako." He opened the bag and reached in. "Since it's Children's Day, I bought you this," he said, handing her a small fabric bundle.
She unfolded it, revealing a white t-shirt with a stylized platypus on the front. "Oh, a t-shirt! The picture is so funny-looking!" she said, laughing.
Dojima reached into the bag again. "And, Souji," he passed another bundle over, "this is for you. You're not really a child anymore, but still, fair's fair."
A pair of swim trunks, dark green with an odd design. "Thanks," Souji said.
"Hey, don't mention it," Dojima said. "You should have some use for it in the next month or two. Summer gets pretty warm around here."
"Yosuke mentioned a good swimming spot a couple days ago," Souji acknowledged. He jerked his head at the TV as Nanako got up to get them drinks. "Were you working on the ATM case?"
A look of faint disgust crossed Dojima's face. "Yeah. Typical small-timer with a grudge," he said, giving Nanako a reassuring smile when she looked concerned. "It happens sometimes."
Dinner went by peacefully after that. Though careful to steer clear of the murder case, Souji casually questioned his uncle about police work in general. Even leaving aside current events, he found the process intriguing. It certainly beat his father's corporate lectures.
Friday, 6 May, Early Morning
The sky was cloudy, but no rain fell as Souji made his way to school. He mentally reviewed his plans for the day as he walked. No basketball or drama practice as near as he could remember, with exams close at hand.
Maybe I should hit the library after school. Whatever the crowd at my last school might have thought, I'm not omniscient.
A slow, grating squeak distracted him. Pausing, he half-turned to see Yosuke slowly peddling his yellow bike. "Morning, Yosuke."
"Yo." The "Junes Boy" sounded –and looked– somewhat grumpy. "Dammit, I just fixed this thing, and it's already squeaking again."
"Maybe you need a new one," Souji suggested. "Repairs can only take you so far."
Yosuke shook his head. "Nah. I'm already studying for my motorcycle license; might as well wait for one of those now." He sighed. "Y'know, after hanging out with Nanako-chan, I feel even more that we have to solve this case, bring the psycho doing this to justice. For Nanako-chan."
"I agree," Souji said, shivering as he remembered the fates of Mayumi Yamano and Saki Konishi. "We can't let it happen to anyone else." Possibly the most cliche thing he could have said, but no less true for all that.
Yosuke chuckled lightly. "Yeah. Say, is it just me, or do Chie and Yukiko-san seem different? They're a lot closer than they used to be."
Souji had noticed as well, though he hadn't really given it much thought. To him it seemed only natural after the kind of ordeal they'd gone through together. Regardless of the reason, it was a marked improvement, especially for Yukiko.
"By the way, have you ever– never mind," Yosuke cut himself off. "If we just stand here and chat, we're going to be late, and we really don't want that."
Souji winced at the thought of King Moron's likely reaction. Sloth-face would tear long, bloody strips off both of us, and enjoy every minute of it. He'd be happier as an SDF drill instructor than a teacher. Then again, the SDF probably wouldn't want Kinshiro Morooka, either.
"Let's get moving, then," Souji said.
After School
Classes went by without incident. Morooka was no more unpleasant than usual, and Souji's preparedness with his homework had mollified him (insofar as it was possible to mollify that refugee from a dentist's office, at least). All in all, an ordinary day.
Chie stood up from her desk, wincing as several joints popped. "Ugh, what do the holidays have to end so fast?" she complained rhetorically.
"Sometimes I think the universe has a sadistic streak," Souji agreed. "At least I didn't hear anything out of the ordinary. What about you?"
Yosuke shrugged. "I listened in on the gossip at Junes, but there wasn't anything about the case. Just the usual stuff that nobody cares about." He drummed his fingers on his desk. "Maybe Yukiko-san was the last one."
Souji shook his head. "I doubt that it's over," he said grimly. "It's too easy, and the culprit is still at large."
"I agree with Souji-kun," Yukiko said. "It would be nice if I was the last victim, but I don't think this is the end."
From the looks on their faces, Yosuke and Chie really wanted to disagree, but couldn't. The killer had struck three times, twice successfully. Unless he'd gotten bored, which Souji thought unlikely, he had no reason to stop. Even with Yukiko safe, they were no closer to finding the one responsible.
"I guess we just keep checking the Midnight Channel," Chie said. "It's supposed to start raining soon, but I hope the weather at least holds up through next week. Midterms. . . ."
Yosuke groaned. "You just had to bring that up," he said. "I don't even want to think about it."
"Neither do I," Souji agreed, grimacing. "I always want to burn my textbooks afterward."
The others looked at him in varying degrees of surprise. "Never thought I'd hear that out of you," Chie said. "You're the one who's got his nose in a book half the time."
"Chie, just because I like to read doesn't mean I enjoy exams," Souji countered mildly. "Especially with someone like Sloth-face around; if I get anything less than a perfect score he's going to have ne doing extra assignments for the rest of the year."
Yukiko had an odd look on her face. "Um, 'Sloth-face'?" she repeated carefully.
"My private nickname for Morooka," Souji explained, feeling slightly sheepish. "It's the overbite."
She giggled. "I see what you mean."
Chie glared at them. "At least you're having fun. Damn, but I wish I had Yukiko's gift for studying." She glanced at Yosuke, her face relaxing. "Maybe you should have Yukiko go over some of the material with you."
He seemed to brighten. "Hey, that's a good idea. So, Yukiko-san, feel up to some private lessons?"
Souji winced; the sentiment was innocent enough, but he had a feeling the phrasing would cause trouble. Sure enough, Yukiko stood and slapped Yosuke in the face. He just can't catch a break.
"Sorry," Yukiko said, immediately contrite. "I thought it was an off-color joke; we've been getting some strange people at the inn lately."
"Then why didn't you just let it slide!?" Yosuke demanded, rubbing his abused cheek. "Come on, you know me better than that by now."
Chie snorted. "Well, you're the one who made it sound perverted."
Souji pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. He was already accustomed to the way Yosuke and Chie sniped at each other, but it could get wearing at times. Being a leader, he reflected, had more than its share of complications.
"All right, that's enough," he said before Yosuke could muster a retort. "We'll keep an eye on the Midnight Channel, but otherwise put this aside until after the midterms. It's fine if we go in to visit Teddie, but we should stay in the central area." He smiled. "I'd rather not fail my exams because of Shadows."
He was amused to see Yosuke and Chie grimace in almost perfect unison. Yukiko, by contrast, appeared perfectly calm. As well she might; odd though she was, Souji had overheard enough gossip to know Yukiko routinely got top marks in her exams.
"Anyway, I'd better get home," Yukiko said, standing. "Even with the murder cases, the inn is pretty busy right now."
"I'm just glad you're holding up better," Souji said with a smile.
Yukiko blushed a little. "Thank you."
Roughly twenty minutes later, Souji found himself on the Samegawa flood plain. Chie had asked him to come with her, saying she wanted to talk. With neither basketball practice nor Drama Club on with exams so close, he had nothing better to do.
"So, why come all the way out here?" he asked casually.
Chie was bouncing from foot to foot, as usual. "This is the perfect place! For training," she added at Souji's puzzled look. "I have to get stronger, or I can't pull my weight."
"I think you've been doing fine so far, but you should still practice," Souji agreed. "You can't do it at home?"
She looked just a bit sheepish. "I tried, but after I kicked a hole in the shoji, my parents told me to train somewhere else."
Souji had to firmly suppress an urge to laugh. He could easily imagine Chie breaking things left and right indoors. If anything, he was surprised the damage was so minor, given her sheer enthusiasm. He wouldn't have put it past her to knock down a wall. With Persona boosting her abilities, she could even do it.
"Anyway," Chie said, slightly embarrassed, "would you mind helping out a little? I mean, don't get me wrong, Yosuke's a good guy, but I don't think he's up to this, and it's definitely not Yukiko's area."
Souji stroked his chin for a moment. "Sure, why not." He smiled. "I'm more of a swordsman, but I can handle some basic exercises."
Chie grinned. "That's the spirit!"
As it turned out, Chie was hard to keep up with. Souji had been accused of being something of an exercise freak at his last school (he merely saw it as essential for a healthy mind as well as body), but in that Chie far outpaced him. He'd never seen some of the exercises that were apparently routine for her.
By the end, Souji felt almost ready to collapse, while Chie was barely even winded.
This is not how it's supposed to be, he grumbled to himself. A leader has to be able to keep up with his people.
"Whew!" Chie said. "Now that's a workout."
"If you say so," Souji said, hands on his knees.
She flashed him a grin. "Aw, tired out already? It's just a light workout."
"If you think this is 'light' then I'd hate to see your idea of heavy," Souji countered. "Maybe it's not as tiring as fighting Shadows, but it's still more than I'm used to."
Chie laughed. "Hey, this is nothing!" She quickly sobered. "Maybe I'm overcompensating," she conceded. "I just feel so pathetic, knowing there's 'another' me inside."
That explained it. Chie was determined, almost desperate, to prove that she was more than her Shadow. It was hard to blame her, but moping like that could lead to additional problems down the line..
"Chie," Souji said, laying a hand on her shoulder. "You're not pathetic. And this isn't just me saying it; Yosuke doesn't think that way, either, and you know even better than I do that Yukiko doesn't." His lip twitched. "You're one of the most determined people I've ever met; that counts for a lot."
"You think so?" At Souji's nod, Chie straightened her shoulders. "Thanks, Souji, that means a lot." She nodded sharply. "Okay! I'm not gonna let this get me down! We're gonna catch that bastard, right?"
"Right," Souji said, smiling at her change in demeanor. "Now, you'd better get some rest. I need to get home; Uncle Ryotaro won't be happy if I miss dinner, and I've got to get some studying in."
Chie nodded in understanding and turned for home. "Gotcha, Souji. Laters."
Evening
Souji was tired enough that he was grateful his uncle had ordered takeout from a local ramen shop. He practically collapsed into a chair; after Chie's idea of a training session, he barely had enough energy to lift his chopsticks.
"You look pretty tired," Dojima said, setting a cup of coffee next to Souji's bowl. "Here, it should perk you right up."
"Thanks," Souji managed. "I still need to get some studying in tonight."
Dojima sat across from him, looking faintly amused at the way he ate. "So what were you up to that has you this exhausted? I thought you didn't have basketball practice this week because of exams."
For a brief moment Souji was afraid his uncle had caught on to the Investigation Team's activities. Quickly recognizing that the timing was wrong for that, Souji took a sip of coffee. "I don't," he acknowledged. "This is Chie's fault; she roped me into a training session after school." He grimaced almost comically. "She called it a light workout."
Dojima laughed. "If a light workout left you looking dead on your feet, I'd hate to see her idea of heavy."
"That's what I said," Souji agreed.
For a while they ate in silence, something Souji was deeply grateful for. He really didn't feel up to deep conversation just then. I'd better get serious about an exercise regimen, he thought At this rate,, she's going to leave me in the dust.
He was just putting the dishes away when he saw something odd about Dojima's expression. His uncle was looking pensive, almost, and Souji was fairly certain it was directed at him.
"Uncle?"
Dojima shook himself. "Sorry. I was just thinking." He pursed his lips. "You seem to be right at the center of the action."
"Pardon?" Inwardly, Souji was beginning to sweat bullets, but he maintained his calm. To do otherwise would have ended very badly indeed.
"It seems like whenever there's an incident, you're right there," Dojima explained. "Now, I'm not accusing you of anything, mind, but it's something you have to watch out for."
Understatement of the millennium. "Inaba is a small town," Souji pointed out, choosing his words with great care. "It's hard to avoid running straight into any major event, especially when it happens right in the school zone."
Dojima nodded. "That's true. I just don't want you to get hurt." He fixed his nephew with a piercing stare. "You haven't gotten into anything shady, have you?"
Not unless jumping into TVs to fight manifestations of the human subconscious counts as shady. "Of course not," Souji said. He allowed himself a small smile. "If anything like that came out, Morooka would rip my head off."
Dojima's expression lightened. "I'm glad to hear it. As long as you stay out of trouble, it's fine. Your parents didn't ask me to raise your grades or anything."
Not that you'd need to, Souji thought, stifling a yawn. "Speaking of grades, I need to get in some studying before I go to bed."
"All right. 'Night, Souji."
Saturday, 7 May, Early Morning
Souji was in a decidedly foul mood. It wasn't the somewhat awkward conversation with his uncle the previous night; that had quickly blown over. Nor was it the rain, despite the danger he was coming to associate with such weather. No, it was the conversation he was overhearing ahead.
"Ugh, I hate the rain," a girl in his year was saying. "It's supposed to keep raining until this evening; talk about miserable." She groaned. "And speaking of misery, know what we get next Monday? Midterms."
Thanks for the reminder, Souji thought sourly. Something else for Sloth-face to badger me about.
"And what's worse, they post the results for everyone to see!"
I kinda knew that. Trust me, getting top marks has a downside.
The other girl brushed it off. "Oh, don't worry about it," she said. "None of that really means anything."
"Are you crazy?" the first countered. "The better your grades, the more popular you are! That has a big impact down the road."
As the two girls passed out of earshot, Souji shook his head in resignation. Just what I needed to brighten my morning.
Morning
Mister Hand-Puppet's class. Weird, but at least he isn't Morooka.
"Mister Hosoi?" a girl a couple rows to the front asked. "Have you picked up the latest Timid Teacher yet?"
Souji had heard of the series, along with two or three others. The Timid Teacher line were self-help books masquerading as novels, or so Yosuke had said.
"Certainly I did," Hosoi said, smiling. "But with this rain, I don't know how I'll get it home without drenching it. Um, does anyone have a book cover I can borrow?" He coughed. "But enough of that; I shouldn't let books distract me. Today we're covering free morphemes."
Not Souji's favorite subject, but at least it wasn't brain-twisting. Chie, though, was almost in tears; he could tell she was thinking about the upcoming midterms.
"A free morpheme is one that can stand alone," Hosoi said, all business now. "New words are found by combining free and bound morphemes. 'Juice,' 'fruit,' and so forth are free morphemes; as you might expect, bound morphemes can't stand alone."
Souji had a feeling he knew what was coming, judging by the way Hosoi was looking at him.
"Let's see if Souji-chan can answer this," Hosoi said. "Which of the following is not a free morpheme: ion, ionize, union?"
Dead easy, but why is he calling me "chan"? Stifling his annoyance, Souji replied, "Ionize."
Hosoi smiled. "Correct. Just a bit tricky, wasn't it?"
Not really.
"The word 'ionize' can be divided into the word 'ion' and the suffix '-ize,' so it isn't a free morpheme," Hosoi said. "It might be on the test next week, so keep this in mind."
To Souji's carefully-hidden amusement, Chie's face went visibly pale at that. He made a mental note to see if he could help her study a little; a good leader helped his team in more than just battle, after all. Besides, she's helping me train. Only fair that I return the favor.
Evening
"Welcome home, big bro!"
Those words brought a smile to Souji's face. As an only child, he found having a "little sister" to be a strange but pleasant twist in his life. Nodding a greeting to his uncle, he sat across from Nanako at the low table.
"Did you have a good day at school?"
He took a bite of ramen. "Mostly. We've got exams coming up next week, so I have to spend more time studying. And helping other people study; Chie's been having some problems."
Nanako gave a solemn nod. "High school sounds hard."
"It can be," Souji acknowledged. He smiled reassuringly. "But if you pay attention in class and study hard, you'll be ready by the time you get there." He squeezed her shoulder gently. "Cheer up. It'll be a few years yet before you have to worry about it. I'm sure you'll be ready."
He meant it. Nanako Dojima, he'd already noticed, was quite precocious. If Souji didn't know better, he'd have almost taken her for at least nine years old. It was almost scary sometimes.
This is why we're doing our best to solve the case, he thought, watching his innocent cousin. So people like Nanako-chan can grow up in a better world. Cliche, he knew, but no less true for it.
Sunday, 8 May, Daytime
Souji had spent the morning studying, but even a bookworm like him had his limits. To clear his head, he spent the afternoon simply wandering about, making sure to drop by the Tatsuhime Shrine to visit his new vulpine friend. It being a Sunday right before exams, he didn't see anyone he knew; even Chie was at home.
His wanderings took him to the bookstore in the shopping district. He ignored Witch Detective; Souji enjoyed mysteries and fantasy, but he'd heard too many bad things about that book.
"Thank you. I've been looking for this one for a long time."
That voice. It was the same person he'd run into at the shrine a few days before. A somewhat effeminate boy, or so it appeared to Souji, whose eyes closely matched his navy-blue hair. Not a Yasogami student, though; this one's manner just screamed "out of town."
The boy looked up at Souji, a spark of recognition in his eyes. "Ah, the one from the shrine." His voice was cool and polite, but not unfriendly. "Are you well?"
"Mostly, yeah," Souji said. "Needed a break from studying; it was starting to give me a headache."
"It does sometimes have that effect," the boy acknowledged. "A change in scenery can help the mind stay in shape." He lifted his bag meaningfully. "Though a good book can help, too."
There's something weird about him. Souji couldn't put his finger on it, but he was somehow convinced this wasn't a normal boy. On the surface, there was nothing out of the ordinary, but Souji knew better than to take such things at face value.
Not that it really mattered right then. "I shouldn't keep you, then," Souji said.
"Nor I you," the boy said, nodding politely. "Good day."
Monday, 9 May, Early Morning
The overcast fit Souji's mood a little too well. Walking to school at the start of exams had always felt to him like the last kilometer before an execution, even without the likes of Kinshiro Morooka presiding. Exams, in his experience, were akin to purgatory.
He was also preoccupied by the encounter at the bookstore. Something about that unnamed teenager was still picking at his mind, like a mental splinter. The insane thing was that he couldn't think of anything out of the ordinary about the boy, save perhaps for his effeminate appearance. Well. There was his unusual speech patterns, on the erudite side for someone who looked to be around fifteen or sixteen.
A weary "yo" brought his attention back to the present; Chie moving toward him at a trot. "Morning, Souji," she said. "Exams start today, huh," she said. "I am so not looking forward to this."
"Have you studied?" Souji asked, though he had a feeling he knew the answer.
Chie was almost in tears. "Do I look like I'm ready?" she asked in despair. She shook her head. "Well, whatever happens here, we can't forget about the case. This isn't over yet."
"One thing at a time," Souji advised her. "Let's get through the exams, then we can talk about the case." His lip twitched. "Besides, get too distracted and Sloth-face will skin you alive."
Chie shuddered. "Don't remind me."
Exams, Souji had long since learned, tended to make time blur. And not in a good way; the days seemed to crawl by, an endless stream of papers, leading to what felt like permanent writer's cramp. By Wednesday time ceased to have any meaning; there was only the mass of papers on his desk.
Being as academically successful as Souji was did nothing to mitigate the pain. Indeed, in some ways it was worse; once one scored at the top, there was immense pressure to stay there. Depending on the school and how demanding one's parents were, the consequences of backsliding could range from embarrassing to catastrophic.
An eternity later (or so it felt to Souji and his friends), the agony of exams mercifully came to an end.
Thursday, 12 May, After School
With a sense of profound relief, Souji stuffed the last textbook in his bag. That has to be the worst yet, he thought, rubbing his wrist. I don't even want to think about what senior exams are going to be like. Especially since he would be expected to ace those as well.
Yosuke stretched. "Phew, am I glad that's over."
"I hear that," Souji said. He flexed his right hand. "Sometimes I think exams are a secret experiment designed to see if writer's cramp can be fatal."
He had to force himself not to glare resentfully at the now-vacant lectern. Morooka, he was sure, had structured the philosophy portion of the exam specifically to get back at him for his snark at the start of the school year. It would have been just like the man.
"Hey, Souji," Chie's voice broke into his thoughts. "What did you pick for the tallest mountain in the solar system?"
"Olympus Mons, on Mars," Souji said promptly. "That was an easy one."
The look on Chie's face made very clear what she thought of Souji's definition of easy. A look that was instantly transferred to the inn heiress when Yukiko added, "That's what I picked, too."
Chie's face fell. "Damn, if you both picked it, then it must be right." She scrubbed her hands over her face. "I am so dead."
It's not the end of the world, Chie. Not that he could say it aloud. She wouldn't believe him, especially with the likes of Kinshiro Morooka for a homeroom teacher.
Yosuke groaned. "Man, I can't wait for our exam scores to be posted for all to see. Dammit. . . ."
Souji opened his mouth to offer commiseration, but voices a couple of meters away distracted him. A pair of students (one of whom he knew slightly from Drama Club) were discussing some kind of upcoming event.
"Hey, did you hear?" the Drama Club member said. "There's going to be a TV outfit doing a major report here this week."
His friend waved a hand dismissively. "What's the excitement for? It's probably just a follow-up on the hanging corpse cases."
"It's got nothing to do with that," the first said. "A friend of mine occasionally goes to biker gang meetings. I heard about it from him."
The other stared. "Seriously, what are you doing hanging around with a guy in a biker gang?"
Souji pinched the bridge of his nose. Biker gangs, just what we don't need. As the scion of a respectable corporate family, he hadn't had any dealings with such people himself, but it was hard not to hear about them at the various schools he'd attended. In a town that already had three disappearances and two deaths within a month, that could only mean trouble.
"Biker gang?" Yukiko said.
Chie looked up. "Oh, yeah, they race a ruckus every once in a while. Guess you live too far away to hear 'em."
"We live right by the road," Yosuke said with a grimace. "The noise can drive you insane."
"I've heard my uncle complaining about them a little," Souji said. "He says they're the only major criminal problem in Inaba outside traffic violations. Actually arrested a couple the day before I got here; petty theft, I think it was."
Ironically, like Yosuke he'd been thinking about getting his motorcycle license. Make him that much more self-sufficient if nothing else. But not one of the loud ones, he thought. I am not going to make people's ears bleed whenever I go by.
"Y'know, rumor has it there are a few members who go to school here," Chie said.
As if it couldn't get any worse.
"Yeah, I've heard that, too," Yosuke said. "Supposedly there's this first year who's a total hell-raiser. A guy at Junes says he's been a legend ever since middle school." He paused. "Come to think of it, though, I'm not sure he was actually in a biker gang."
Yukiko's face lit up. "Did you say he was a legend?"
And now Yukiko reminds us that her brain doesn't work quite the same way as normal people's.
"Sorry to bail on you like this," Souji said, standing, "but I've got practice today." He'd seen the look on Chie's face, and wasn't really interested in being caught up in things right after exams. He just didn't have it in him.
Practice was the same as ever. As usual, only Souji and Kou showed any real enthusiasm, though there wasn't much grumbling, and even that was muted. If Souji hadn't known better, he'd have thought his teammates were coming down with Apathy Syndrome.
"That's that," Kou said, closing the storage closet. "How about we grab something to eat."
Running footsteps forestalled Souji's reply. "Sounds good," Daisuke said. "I'm down for some Aiya."
Which was exactly what Souji was going to suggest. After a long week of exams followed by basketball practice, Aiya's idea of a hearty meal was just what he needed.
Kou shook his head in mock sorrow. "You always show up when I'm talking about food," he said. "All right, let's get changed and– wait, I can't!" He slapped his forehead. "Sorry, forgot I've got some personal stuff I need to take care of. See you later."
Souji and Daisuke watched in puzzlement as he dashed off. It seemed rather out of character for Kou to suddenly change his plans like that, especially when food was involved.
"Oh, I get it," Daisuke said quietly. "Today's the day he goes before the mighty 'House of Ichijo'." His mouth quirked at Souji's puzzled look. "Come on, let's get something to eat. I'll explain there."
". . .So that's how it is," Daisuke finished half an hour later. "Kou's adopted, and his family is a really strict, traditional one. You know how that goes, right?"
"Yeah," Souji acknowledged. "My family's the same way; not as strict, maybe, but upholding the family honor and all that is important." He sipped his drink. "I'm allowed to play basketball because it's a more or less harmless outlet."
Daisuke nodded. "See, so you know what he's going through. Anyway, I wanted to ask you to keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't lose it, you know?"
"I can do that," Souji said. "Come to think of it, I think I've heard of his family before. Not exactly rich, but they have a long history and they're proud of it. I can see how Kou would feel a bit stifled." He signaled the waiter. "I'll take care of it."
"Thanks, man."
Friday, 13 May, Evening
A typical evening for the Dojima household. Souji and Nanako sat to either side of the low table, the former sipping a cup of coffee, while Dojima half-sprawled on the couch, reading a newspaper. Souji was watching closely for the special report.
"Young men recklessly riding their motorcycles, disturbing the peace of a small rural town." There it was, the report on the biker gangs. Souji set his cup down, intent on the story. "Our special report took a turn for the violent when one of the apparent leaders attacked the camera crew!" the reporter intoned dramatically.
"The hell are you punks doing here!?" an angry voice demanded. Though the face was understandably blurred, the speaker was definitely young and male. Souji's eyes narrowed; unless he was seeing things, the violent youngster was wearing a Yasogami uniform.
There was a rustling sound as Dojima lowered his paper. "That voice. . . ."
"This ain't a show; get bent!"
Not a good first impression, Souji mused. Is this the guy Yosuke was talking about yesterday?
Dojima sighed. "Still up to the same old tricks, is he?"
Nanako looked up, curious. "Do you know him, Dad?"
"Sort of." Dojima sighed again. "I know him through work." He grimaced. "His name's Kanji Tatsumi, and he's quite a handful. He's been getting into trouble ever since middle school. Word is, he beat up a biker gang all by himself because the noise was keeping his mother up at night."
"Hard to blame him," Souji said. "Those gangs are bad news."
Dojima nodded reluctantly. "That's true, but it's the wrong way to go about it. At this rate his mother's going to have to apologize for him again." He rubbed the stubble on his chin. "Thing is, I'd heard he finally got into a high school and started attending class."
Souji cleared his throat lightly. "Is he a first year?"
"I think so." Dojima raised an eyebrow slightly. "Why do you ask?"
"Yosuke mentioned yesterday that there was a first year at our school who's a real 'hell-raiser,' as he put it," Souji explained. "And that's definitely a Yasogami uniform."
Dojima grunted. "That's probably him, yeah. Mind you, he's not really dangerous if you don't provoke him, but he definitely has a temper." He shook his head. "That blur is pointless; it's completely obvious who it is."
This is something to keep an eye on, Souji thought. I don't think he has any connection to the announcer case, but jumping to conclusions will only confuse things even more. He made a note to discuss it with the others after school.
Saturday, 14 May, After School
It had been raining all day, as expected. Not, Souji knew, a good sign under the circumstances, especially after the special report he'd seen the previous night. He was only relieved the weather had cooperated enough that they didn't have to worry about exams and the Midnight Channel.
"Hell of a downpour," Yosuke observed. "Means that freaky show's gonna be on tonight."
Souji had been writing up some last-minute notes, not wanting Morooka to catch him flatfooted so soon after exams. "We'd better keep a close eye on it," he said.
It was perhaps the most obvious statement possible for them, but his tone brought the others' heads around. "Do you think someone is going to appear tonight?" Yukiko asked, a touch of worry in her voice.
He shrugged fractionally. "I can't be sure, but I have a hunch." He raised a hand to forestall questions. "I'd rather not say what just yet; there isn't enough to really go on."
"If you say so." Yosuke appeared unconcerned. "Hey I knew right away you were the smartest of us. If you think it's a bet worth making, I'm game."
"I hope we don't see anyone, though," Yukiko murmured.
Souji gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "We all do, Yukiko," he said. "But just in case. . . . Yosuke, do you have a Junes shift today?"
Yosuke cocked his head. "Yeah, why?"
"When you get the chance, poke your head in and ask Teddie if anything's happened," Souji said. "We haven't heard of any disappearances, so I doubt anyone's in there besides him, but I'd rather we cover all the bases."
"Makes sense," Yosuke said. "Right, I'll check with him on my break."
I really hope we're jumping at shadows. Souji covered a wince at the mental pun. But there's a really good chance that we aren't. That special report is related somehow, I'm sure of it!
Evening
As expected, the rain wasn't showing any sign of stopping. Gazing out at the rain-swept street, Souji felt a deep sense of foreboding. Maybe it was just the atmosphere, but he somehow knew something bad was about to happen. Not catastrophic, but enough to further deepen the mystery,
Midnight. Sure enough, with a burst of static his TV lit with the eerie view of the Midnight Channel. The image was blurry, but there was definitely someone there. Souji took a step closer, squinting in a mostly ineffective attempt to resolve the picture. It was a male figure, moving with some agitation, but he couldn't tell anything beyond that. It was nagging at his mind, though.
Disproves the crackpot 'soul mate' theory, at least. I haven't found anyone who really interests me, but I know I don't swing that way.
Yosuke was number three on his contacts, after his father and mother. He pressed the speed dial button, still staring at the now-blank TV.
It only rang once. "Good timing; I was just about to call your cell," Yosuke said. "You saw that, right?"
"I did," Souji acknowledged. "Definitely male this time, so we can probably rule out some kind of sex pervert."
"Dunno about that," Yosuke said. "I've heard some really creepy stuff before. Don't ask; trust me, partner, you really don't want to know."
Souji grimaced at that. Anything that made Yosuke Hanamura sound like he was about to lose his lunch was something to be avoided at all costs. "I'll remember that," he said. "Any idea who it might be?"
There was a frustrated-sounding hissing noise at the other end. "Not a clue. Way too blurry to tell anything more." He made a contemplative sound. "Let's get together tomorrow and talk about it. See you then, partner." The line clicked off.
Souji dropped his cell phone on the table, almost glaring at his TV. They had just enough information to be uneasy, but still nothing solid. It was maddening.
Sunday, 15 May, Daytime
It was still overcast, but the rain had stopped by the time the four of them gathered at the Junes food court. Chie was inhaling her lunch, as usual, to Yukiko's evident amusement. Souji contented himself with a chicken sandwich and coffee, though his choice of drink had Yosuke looking at him oddly.
Yosuke cleared his throat when they'd finished. "We will now hold a meeting on the kidnaping/murder case here in Inaba."
"Y'know, it actually sounds pretty cool when you say it like that," Chie said.
"So, does that make this our special headquarters?" Yukiko put in.
Typical of her flights of fancy, but it actually made a certain degree of sense. Here they were, a collection of teenagers who had the audacity to think they could solve a multiple murder and kidnaping case that had the local police stumped. Having their own "special headquarters" fit the theme.
Yosuke appeared to agree. "Excellent way of putting it, Yukiko-san," he said, then looked at Souji. "What do you think, partner?"
Souji downed the rest of his coffee. "Sounds good to me," he said. "It's close to our area of operations, and we can come without attracting too much attention." He set the cup aside. "Anyway, Chie, Yukiko, did you watch last night? I talked with Yosuke right after."
"I did," Chie said. "Couldn't tell who it was, but it was definitely a guy."
"That's what I saw, too," Yukiko said. "But, weren't we thinking the victims were all females connected to the first case?"
Souji leaned forward. The same thing had been bothering him from the moment he realized the latest Midnight Channel star was male. "I was wondering about that myself," he admitted. "The theory was just that, a theory. We didn't have anything solid; still don't really."
Yosuke lifted an eyebrow. "You got some idea, Souji?"
"I'm not sure," Souji said, looking at their newest member. "Yukiko, your abduction actually punched a hole in the theory, since you were only involved on the fringe."
Yukiko frowned. "That's true," she said slowly. "I've been doing a lot of work at the inn, but I only met Ms Yamano once, and that only for about a minute."
Souji nodded. "Like I said, on the fringe. Now, I couldn't tell who was on last night, but he looked like a high schooler. That at least gives us something to go on."
Yukiko pursed her lips. "You said the image changed after I was kidnaped, right?"
"Yeah," Yosuke said. "It suddenly got real clear, and it looked like some kind of low-budget TV show."
"Complete with bad acting," Souji added with a grimace. "It was just about the most twisted thing I've ever seen."
Yukiko nodded. "Right. But last night's image was too blurry to tell anything but gender, meaning he's probably not inside the TV yet."
"We can call that one, Yukiko-san," Yosuke said. "I talked to Teddie last night before I left, and he hadn't sensed anyone."
Souji drummed his fingers on the table thoughtfully. "So he's probably still safe," he said, half to himself. The question of who it was still nagged at him. "Still, we can't let our guard down. If at all possible, we need to find out who it is before he's taken. Maybe it won't matter, but it would at least give us more of a lead."
Yosuke sighed. "Guess we're going to have to wait another night," he said. "Maybe tonight the image will be clearer. But y'know, I think I've seen him before."
So, I'm not the only one? Maybe there's something to it after all.
"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing!" Chie said. "Pretty recently, too."
"I agree," Souji said. "It's been preying on my mind since I saw him last night. Yosuke's right, we'll have to watch again and hope for a clearer picture." He met each pair of eyes in turn. "Watch closely, guys, and keep your phones handy. We can't afford to mess this up."
Four heads nodded as one.
Evening
The rain had started up again practically the moment Souji stepped through the door. Preoccupied with darker musings, he gave only absent greetings to his uncle and cousin before heading upstairs. Nanako was concerned, but Dojima (to Souji's relief) reassured her that teenagers were like that sometimes.
Not quite true here, but at least it's enough to keep awkward questions away.
He had his cell phone in hand, thumb on the speed dial. Once the Midnight Channel was over, he needed to get in touch with Yosuke. Preferably Chie as well, since she had Yukiko's number and Souji didn't.
His TV screen lit up, right on cue. The image was still blurry, but not quite as much as last time. Definitely male, at least as tall as Souji, with what looked like a Yasogami blazer draped loosely around his shoulders. As before, the figure was moving about in some agitation.
It hit him just as the image faded, and evidently he wasn't alone; his phone beeped before he could even think of moving. "Seta," he said.
"Did you see that?" Yosuke said breathlessly.
"Kanji Tatsumi," Souji replied. "I'm sure of it. Build was right, so was the way he moved, like he was in a rage."
"That's what I thought, too," Yosuke said. "He was on TV just a couple days ago, that special report about the biker gangs!"
Souji nodded. "He's not one of them, but my uncle says he's still been getting in trouble a lot. Guess he's a loose cannon."
Yosuke snorted. "No kidding. He's one scary dude; did you hear him yelling at the camera to 'get bent!'? That's just insane."
But understandable, from what Souji had heard. Rumor had it Kanji Tatsumi had not had an easy life by any means.
"Let's not jump to conclusions, Yosuke," he said aloud. "We know better than most that what someone's like on the surface isn't necessarily their true self."
He could practically hear his friend shuddering. "Okay, you got me there," Yosuke conceded. "Anyway, at least we've got a solid lead. Let's get together after school tomorrow." He paused. "Say, this is off-subject, but since I have you on the line, I wanted to ask you. Chie or Yukiko, which one's your type?"
What brought that on? With a mental shrug, Souji answered, "Neither, really. Don't get me wrong, they're both very pleasant company, but I just can't see them that way. Chie can get a bit overwhelming," and I know perfectly well you like her, "and while Yukiko is certainly fun, classical beauty doesn't really do it for me."
Yosuke laughed. "Hey, I understand. Beauty's in the eye of the beholder and all that." Souji was mildly surprised he knew the saying. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna blab or anything. It's between you and me, partner. That's what friends are for."
Souji felt a smile crossing his face. "Yeah, of course you're right. See you tomorrow."
Monday, 16 May, After School
Only a handful of students remained, but Souji wasn't concerned. Maybe it was because of how weird things had gotten in town of late, but he wasn't all that concerned about being overheard. With all the rumors floating around, it was unlikely to get anywhere.
"The one last night, it was that guy, wasn't it?" Chie's question was largely rhetorical. "The one from the special report."
Yosuke grimaced. "Kanji Tatsumi, eh? He sure didn't look like a social type."
"People who have run-ins with biker gangs and the police tend not to be," Souji said dryly. "He probably has a bit of a persecution complex."
Chie snorted. "Talk about an understatement. Did you guys see him on that report the other day? Sheesh, I'd almost rather deal with the police."
Yukiko had a faraway look in her eyes. "He wasn't like that when he was younger, though."
The rest of the team stared at her in abject disbelief. Of all the people who might have known Kanji Tatsumi, Yukiko Amagi was just about at the bottom of the list. Even Souji was floored by the revelation.
"Hold on," Chie said when she'd regained her voice. "You know him, Yukiko?"
The heiress nodded. "His family runs a historic textile shop, and we've been customers of theirs for many years."
"Tatsumi Textiles, is it?" Souji said. Yukiko nodded. "I've gone past there a few times when I was having a look around the shopping district, but it never occurred to me to connect his name with that shop." He smiled wryly. "He sure doesn't look or act like a cloth dealer."
Yukiko giggled. "That's true. I haven't talked to him in a long time, but I do see his mother fairly often while running errands. Maybe if we go to the shop we can see Kanji-kun."
"Sounds good," Chie agreed. "Okay, yeah, wouldn't want to meet him in a back alley, but I doubt he'll go nuts on us at his family's shop. Bad for business."
Don't be so sure, Chie. Souji had dealt with that type before; there had been a thriving Yankee subculture at his last school.
"All right," he said. "We'll pay Tatsumi Textiles a visit. Just don't let your guard down; I'm not so sure Tatsumi will be feeling sociable, especially after that special report."
Tatsumi Textiles was a quiet establishment in the shopping district. Entering was like stepping into an era gone by; everything about the place save for the phone and cash register at the counter looked like it had come out of the nineteenth century at the earliest. Souji could see why the Amagi Inn would buy from them.
Glancing at the counter, he felt a brief jolt. The effeminate youth he'd run into a couple of times before was speaking to an older woman he assumed to be Kanji Tatsumi's mother.
What's he doing here?
"Hello," Yukiko said, smiling at the shopkeeper.
The older woman's face brightened. "Yuki-chan, it's nice to see you. And you've brought friends, too."
Souji was still looking at the other visitor. He thought it unlikely in the extreme that the boy was there to buy fabric, though he supposed it was possible A friend of the Tatsumi family, perhaps?
"Well them, if you'll excuse me, ma'am," the boy said.
Or maybe not. A friend wouldn't be quite that formal; even Father sometimes relaxes with friends. So why?
"I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help," Tatsumi said.
The boy shook his head. "Don't worry about it," he said with a smile. "You've given me a lot to think about." He turned to leave, twitched visibly in surprised recognition when his eyes met Souji's, then gave a respectful nod and departed.
Yosuke stared after him, looking mildly befuddled. "What was that all about?" he wondered. "Weirdo."
"New kid in town," Souji explained. "I've met him as couple of times. Nice enough."
And I'm sure there's more to him than meets the eye. No way is his visit here a coincidence.
"Yuki-chan, you're as beautiful as ever," Tatsumi said. "You're looking more and more like your mother when she was your age."
Yukiko bowed. "Thank you, Tatasumi-san."
"So, what brings you here today?" the shopkeeper asked. "Are you out shopping with your friends?"
Souji stepped forward. "Actually, we came because of some rumors." Between them, he and Yukiko gave a brief account of the purpose of their visit, carefully leaving out the more otherworldly details and anything that would draw his uncle's attention.
Fortunately, the elder Tatsumi was quite pleasant. A widow, she and Kanji had kept the shop going well enough since her husband's death some years before. It was, in fact, one of the few businesses in the shopping district that had been mostly unaffected by Junes. Probably, souji reflected, because a department store seldom carried such high quality textiles.
"Hey," Chie said, breaking into his thoughts. "I think I've seen this scarf before."
Following her gaze, Souji felt a chill. The red scarf was definitely jogging his memory, and not in a good way. Where did we see that before?
Yosuke had the answer, and it was every bit as disturbing as expected. "Yeah, we've seen it before, all right. It was in that creepy hotel room from hell in the TV world." He cursed under his breath. "There's our connection. Mayumi Yamano must've head one."
Tatsumi heard that last. "Are you friends of Ms Yamano?"
"Not exactly," Souji said. "We've mostly just heard a lot about the case. Did she have a scarf like that?"
"Yes." Tatsumi sighed. "It was part of a special order she placed, a double set. In the end, though. She told us she only wanted the woman's scarf, so we had to sell the other one separately. And then, of course, she died."
Doubtless the other scarf had originally been intended for Taro Namatame, with the order canceled when news of the affair broke. Namatame himself may well have never even known about it.
Tatsumi then excused herself to pick up a delivery, so Souji and the others made their farewells and departed. The scarf was a clue, but not a definitive one; unless the killer was completely insane, it seemed unlikely that a mere scarf would be the motive. Still not enough information.
"Huh?" Yukiko said. "It's Kanji-kun."
The focus of their investigation was talking to the boy from earlier. Souji took a cautious step forward; he didn't like eavesdropping, but they needed all the information they could get. It was entirely possible that Kanji Tatsumi's life would depend on it.
"Tomorrow then, at the Yasogami gate?" the boy said.
Kanji scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, that'll be fine. I'll be free after school."
"I'll see you tomorrow, then." The boy walked off.
Him again. Is he looking into the same things that we are? If so, why? We're the only ones who know the truth about the Midnight Channel, so it can't be that.
Kanji chose that moment to look their way. His face, Souji noted uneasily, bore a remarkable resemblance to a thunderstorm. "The hell are you punks doing here!?" he snapped.
Discretion, Souji swiftly decided, was definitely the better part of valor. He had little doubt he could take Kanji in a fight, but it was unlikely he would emerge unscathed. More importantly, it would lead his uncle to ask some very awkward questions.
"So much for not flying off the handle at his family's store," Yosuke gasped when they stopped running. "Damn, no wonder people are afraid of him."
"The question is, why did he appear on the Midnight Channel?" Souji said. "He doesn't seem all that involved in the shop, so targeting him doesn't make sense on its face."
It was true that the scarf connected the shop to the initial case, but that still wouldn't necessarily make Kanji a target. As far as anyone knew, he'd never actually met Mayumi Yamano.
"Maybe it's like my case," Yukiko suggested. "If you think about it, my mother fit the profile better, but I was the one targeted."
Souji shook his head. "We still don't know enough. Tomorrow we can try again; he's going to be meeting with that kid at the gate, so we start there."
"Sounds like a plan," Yosuke agreed. "But what if he doesn't show? I've heard he's been skipping class a lot."
Good point. Souji rubbed his chin. "I think he'll keep his word, but just in case we should also watch the shop," he said. "We can't take the risk of missing him."
"Right." Yosuke nodded. "Oh, and Yukiko, can I have your cell number?"
Chie looked at him sharply. "Wait a minute. Was this your plan all along?"
Yosuke's look of calculated innocence didn't fool Souji for an instant. Or Chie, judging by her expression. "Hey, we all need to be able to keep in touch," he protested. "And besides, the "Y" section in my address book still needs filling out."
Wrong thing to say, partner. Should've quit while you were ahead. Souji fought the urge to facepalm at the by-now familiar bickering. It's a wonder they haven't killed each other.
Yukiko, for her part, seemed oblivious. "That reminds me, I need to pick up tofu on my way home."
Souji had a powerful desire to laugh at the look on Yosuke's face. "She didn't hear a word I said," the "Junes boy" said.
Evening
On a pretense of grocery shopping, Souji stopped by Junes on his way back. Passing through the nearly-deserted electronics department, he paused long enough to consult Teddie. Hearing that there was still nothing new in the TV world, he finished his shopping and went home.
Dojima was apparently working late, but Nanako's cheery "Welcome home, big bro!" warmed his heart. He smiled back at her, before fixing himself a cup of coffee, hoping it would keep him awake enough to study. Running from Kanji Tatsumi had taken more out of him than he'd expected.
"Is your father working late again?" he asked casually, moving to the stairs.
Nanako nodded. "He said he'll be home before I go to bed, though," she said, eyes on the TV.
"That's good." Souji glanced at his watch. "I need to study, so could you come get me when he gets home? If he's working late, I'd like to have something ready for him."
"Okay."
Tuesday, 17 May, After School
True to his word, Kanji did in fact appear at school the next day. His presence was unusual enough that it caused something of a stir; Souji found it trivially easy to confirm the delinquent's arrival. Unsurprisingly, many of Kanji's classmates were more than a little unnerved.
Now the four of them clustered at the corner of the school gate, just out of sight of most students. "Has the target arrived yet?" Chie hissed. Souji had to fight to keep a grin off his face at the pseudo-professional air she and Yosuke were affecting.
"Target entered the operation zone after his midday break, with mother-issued rations in hand," Yosuke said. "Current status: in the bathroom fixing his hair."
Just a bit over the top there, partner.
"I wonder what kind of plans they made," Yukiko murmured. "It didn't seem like he knew that boy very well."
"I don't think anyone does," Souji said. "He looks to be even more of a newcomer than I am." He held up a hand. "Here they come."
Kanji Tatsumi was just emerging from the school gate. On the surface he looked the same as usual, your basic tough guy, but Souji thought he saw a bit of unease in the first year's posture. Perhaps the toughness was mere bravado?
The unknown boy appeared within a minute. "Good day," he said, inclining his head at Kanji. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting long."
Kanji scratched the back of his head. "Nah, it's no problem. I just got off myself."
The pair were soon out of earshot. Souji felt his eyes narrow; whatever Kanji may have thought, he did not for an instant think it was a social occasion. Though courteous enough, the new boy didn't come across as very sociable, and he knew from experience that Kanji wasn't.
"All right," Souji said. "We'll split into two groups. One will follow Kanji and that boy, while the other stakes out Tatsumi Textiles." He rubbed his chin. "Yukiko and I will take the shop; she knows the place best."
"Suits me," Chie agreed. "Guess that means Yosuke and I get shadow duty."
Souji's lip twitched in a faint smile. "You could pretend to be dating," he said, knowing exactly the reaction he was likely to draw.
He wasn't disappointed. "What!?" Chie said incredulously. "Me, date Yosuke? As if!" She actually sniffed at that, but to Souji's eye her cheeks seemed to be faintly red.
Contrary to popular belief, I'm not completely dense on the subject. You two have more in common than either of you would like to admit.
Stifling a chuckle as the pair trailed after their target, bickering all the while, Souji turned to Yukiko and inclined his head in the direction of the shopping district. She jumped, apparently having lost herself, then nodded quickly and followed him.
Souji caught a glimpse of the fox he'd managed to befriend as they arrived; the textile shop was just a few steps from Tatsuhime Shrine. While Yukiko went to a vending machine to get them drinks, he whistled quickly in greeting and got a friendly yip in return.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," Yukiko said, trotting up to him, and handing him a soda can. "This one's yours."
"Thanks," Souji said, pulling the tab. "Stakeouts can be thirsty work."
She lifted one elegant eyebrow. "Speaking from experience, Souji?"
"Not personal experience, no." Souji shrugged. "I've read my share of crime novels, though, and I live with a police detective. Maybe his instincts are starting to rub off on me."
Yukiko laughed lightly. "I can imagine."
There was little activity around them; those few who bothered to look their way likely assumed they were out on a date. A wrong assumption, to be sure, but Souji wasn't going to complain, so long as it didn't lead to any unwelcome rumors in that direction. It would still be better than Uncle Ryotaro finding out.
"I wonder if the killer will show up here," Yukiko murmured. "No one knows where Ms Yamano or Saki-senpai were, but I was kidnaped right from the inn. The culprit must have nerves of steel."
"If he does show up, I'll protect you," Souji said absently, not realizing the significance until he saw his companion blush.
"Um, thank you," Yukiko said. She looked down the street. "I've noticed that Chie has been doing a lot better," she said. "I mean, she's always been more outgoing than I am, but she seems a lot happier now."
Souji tilted his head. "What do you mean?"
"Chie's fun-loving, but she's always had a lot of pent-up frustration," Yukiko said. "I'm one of the few who've really seen it. But since she started hanging out with you and Yosuke-kun, it's like she's been more relaxed." She looked away, embarrassed. "I feel the same way, to be honest."
"That's good," Souji said. "It means you're finally starting to be at ease with yourself." He didn't know exactly when he started being an amateur therapist, but he wasn't planning on making a career of it. "That reminds me, we should exchange cell numbers. I need to be able to contact everyone at a moment's notice."
Yukiko nodded, pulling out her cell. "Good point."
They spent the rest of the time making small talk, all the while keeping an eye out for their friends, Kanji, and whoever might be the culprit. In such a small town, Souji mused, a kidnapper couldn't possibly stay hidden forever.
It was roughly an hour later when Yosuke and Chie returned, looking rather disheveled and out of breath. That alone told Souji that their end of things had not gone well.
I shouldn't have expected anything else. Kanji probably thought he was being stalked.
It was still a bit weird when they actually bowed, though. "We regret to inform you . . . that our mission was a complete failure," Chie gasped.
"We were completely overwhelmed," Yosuke moaned.
The details were more or less what he'd expected. Yosuke and Chie had gotten close enough to listen in on Kanji's conversation with the mysterious boy. The boy had asked Kanji if anything unusual had happened, and while Kanji had seemed slightly flustered, the delinquent denied knowledge of anything out of the ordinary.
It was at that point, when the boy had left, that Kanji spotted Yosuke and Chie. After a brief chase, they had been able to lose him, and made their way back to the rendezvous.
"Back to square one, then," Souji said, sighing. "Don't beat yourselves up; you did the best you could."
Kanji himself chose that moment to appear. Seeing him, Souji mentally kicked himself; they were standing right outside the delinquent's home, something unlikely to put him in a cooperative mood. No choice but to try, though.
"What are you guys doing?" Kanji demanded. He looked at Yosuke and Chie. "Hey, you're the lovebirds I saw earlier."
Chie flushed. "Dammit, we're not a couple!" she snapped.
"Calm down, Chie," Souji said. "I apologize, Kanji-kun. We just wanted to know if anything strange or unusual had happened here lately."
It seemed a perfectly ordinary, innocuous request. Kanji tatsumi apparently disagreed; his eyes went briefly wide, then narrow as his mouth twisted dangerously. It was almost enough to make Souji wish he'd brought his sword.
"What the hell are you talking about!?" Kanji clenched a fist. "There's nothin' strange here 'cept you guys!"
Here we go again. Realizing that further questions would only maker things worse, Souji led his team at a light job down the street. Okay, perhaps a bit more than a light jog, anxious as they were to put as much distance between them and Kanji as possible.
Chie almost doubled over. "Too . . . much . . . running," she gasped.
Yosuke slumped against a light pole. "Well, at least we know he's safe," he said gamely.
"For now," Souji said, looking back they way they'd come. Kanji was no longer in sight; presumably he was in the shop. "I'm still sure he's the one on the Midnight Channel. More rain is expected tonight, so we had best check anyway."
"You really think he's next, Souji?" Yosuke said.
Souji's mouth tightened. "It's happened too many times to be a coincidence," he said. "Ms Yamano, Saki-senpai, Yukiko, all of them appeared on the Midnight Channel before they disappeared. Two could be a coincidence even after what Teddie told us about that world. Three is pushing it; four is almost solid. We'll find out tonight."
He had never so hoped he was wrong.
Evening
It was the first time he'd felt like time was going by both too quickly and too slowly. He could practically feel every second passing, yet it was nearing midnight almost before he knew it. Though he maintained an outward calm, the tension was beginning to eat at him.
The sound of his phone beeping almost came as a relief. "Seta."
"Hello, it's Yukiko," the familiar voice said. "I'm sorry to call so late, so I'll get right to the point. It seems Kanji-kun is missing!"
Souji felt a jolt. "You're sure?" he said.
"I had to make some calls for the inn, so I called the textile shop as well," Yukiko said. "His mother told me he left the house earlier today, and hasn't been seen since. She did say it happens all the time, but. . . ."
"But it sounds bad after what we've already seen," Souji finished.
Yukiko sighed. "Right. It's almost midnight, so we'll be able to see soon. I'll talk to you later." The line clicked off.
Five minutes to midnight. Souji stared hard at his screen, as though he could forced the Midnight Channel early through sheer force of will. It was absurd, of course, but he didn't much care.
Then it lit, the image clearer than it had been since Yukiko's abduction. The image was a bit fogged, but after a moment Souji realized it was due to steam, not the omnipresent fog of the TV world. Which somehow made it seem even worse.
"Hel-lo, everyone!" a male voice said. "It's time for 'Bad, Bad Bathhouse'!" The voice was unmistakably Kanji Tatsumi, a thought confirmed by the camera a moment later. Kanji (or rather, his Shadow, Souji suspected) was clad only in a towel wrapped around his middle.
This does not bode well. This seriously does not bode well.
Kanji grinned. "Tonight I'll be introducing a superb site for those searching for sublime love that surpasses the separation of the sexes!"
What. Souji felt his gorge rising, and fought it down. This was several orders of magnitude more disturbing than Yukiko had been.
"I'm your host, Kanji Tatsumi, serving you this scandalously special sneak-in report!"
He's got the "scandalous" part right, at least. Ugh.
"Goodness gracious, just imagine what might happen to me in there! Ooh. . . ."
I'd rather not. You're making me sick to my stomach as it is.
"Well, let's get this show on the road! Tootaloo!" The ersatz Kanji turned and ran inside.
Souji took several deep breaths, trying to bring himself under control. It took a few tries, but he managed. I hope I never have to see something like that again. There are no words in any language to describe how disturbing that was.
His phone beeped again. "Seta," he said, pleasantly surprised that his voice wasn't quavering.
"Did you . . . that was.. . . ." Yosuke was barely coherent, not that Souji blamed him.
Still, they needed to keep their heads clear. "Calm down, Yosuke," Souji said as gently as he could. "Take a deep breath."
"But that was completely over the top!" Yosuke protested. "It really was Kanji, though," he added in a much calmer tone.
"It was," Souji agreed. "Looks like we were right. Unfortunately."
Yosuke blew out a thoughtful breath. "Yeah, we were. Guess we'll have to get in touch with Teddie. After school tomorrow, like usual?"
"Yeah," Souji said. "Same time, same place."
"Gotcha. See you later."
Late thought it was, Souji pulled a textbook off his shelf. Studying was a good way to focus his mind; he was not going to sleep with that at the forefront of his thoughts. Not for anything.
Wednesday, 18 May, After School
It was downright perverse, Souji reflected, that the latest stage in their investigation would be on a bright, sunny day. Had he been more superstitious (a difficult temptation to resist, given what he and his friends routinely dealt with), he might have thought the weather was mocking them.
"That was him, all right," Chie said, shuddering. "Creepiest thing I've ever seen, but it was definitely him."
Yosuke sighed. "Which means, given the pattern thus far, that he's already inside the TV."
Souji nodded, scribbling in a small notebook he'd taken to carrying around. "The place we found Yukiko in was consistent with the background from her Shadow's appearance on the Midnight Channel," he agreed. "I don't think I want to know why his reality would be bathhouse, though."
"Ugh, don't even go there, partner," Yosuke said, looking like he wanted to throw up.
Yukiko had a distant look in her eyes. "What is the Midnight Channel, anyway?" she wondered, echoing some of Souji's own musings. "If we knew, things would be a lot clearer."
"I always thought it was one of those 'paranormal' things," Chie said. "You know, like on those ghost hunter-type shows? But it's actually real."
Souji tucked his notebook away. "If we hadn't actually gone in and met Teddie, I would have thought it was just a hallucination," he said. "But like Chie says, it's real. Dangerously real."
"But most people don't know that," Yosuke said. "I mean, it sounds ridiculous. Nobody would try something that crazy unless someone urged them on." Here he looked significantly at Chie, who stuck her tongue out at him. "But if this keeps spreading, and more people start watching it. . . ."
Chie winced. "It could send a lot of people into a panic."
"Like the Nyxist incident," Souji said. "I've been reading up on it, and it's pretty obvious something crazy happened early last year."
The sheer lack of detail was enough to convince him that there had been supernatural forces at work. All he'd been able to find were a few references to a cult leader named Takaya Sakaki, who had vanished in January of 2010. Authorities presumed him dead.
Before coming to Inaba, Souji would have dismissed it as irrelevant. Since the murder case began, he was less willing to believe in coincidences beyond the most innocuous.
"This is a bit off-topic, but it's kinda preying on my mind," Yukiko said. "It's entirely possible the killer is watching the Midnight Channel, too."
"Yeah, I'll bet he's getting a real kick out of it," Chie said, visibly disgusted. "He must be like, 'I want to see it all, Yuki-chan!'" Her lip twisted. "Yeah, I'll bet that's it. Ugh."
Yosuke grimaced. "Great, now I'm getting this image of a total sicko."
"I think most serial killers could be described that way," Souji said dryly.
Chie, seething, stomped one foot on the floor. "All right guys. First, we save Kanji! Then we catch the killer, and after that we send him to hell! Got it!?"
Souji covered a smile. "Get your gear together, people. We need to see Teddie."
Teddie was waiting for them as usual when they entered the TV world. Souji wasn't certain, as Teddie of course was not human, be to his eye the cartoonish bear looked rather depressed.
"Oh, it's you guys." Teddie's tone matched his body language. Apathetic and dejected.
Much as Souji wanted to commiserate with him, their mission was too urgent. "There's someone else in here, isn't there?"
Teddie barely twitched. "Yeah, I think so."
"Do you know where he is?" Evidently Chie had picked up on his mood, too, as her tone was much gentler than usual.
A helpless shrug. "I dunno."
"We think it's a boy named Kanji Tatsumi," Yukiko offered, trying to stir him up a little.
Teddie merely repeated, "I dunno."
Souji surreptitiously glanced at his team. This was nothing like the ebullient, eager-to-please Teddie they'd come to know, and they all clearly knew it. Something was very off.
"You okay?" Chie asked hesitantly.
Teddie sighed, closing his huge eyes. "I sniff and sniff, but no matter how hard I try, I can't tell where the smell's coming from."
Another roadblock, right when they could least afford one. Souji forced down his reflexive irritation. It was hardly Teddie's fault, after all, and they weren't helpless. If Teddie needed their help, so be it.
"Aren't you thinking a little too hard?" Yosuke said. "I mean, last time you were wondering who you were and where you came from, stuff like that." His mouth quirked. "You're head's empty as it is, dude. Don't sweat it too much."
Previously, that would have sparked outrage, or at least a glare. This time, however, Teddie merely turned away with a sigh. "Yeah, you're probably right."
He's really taking it hard. Part of it, Souji suspected, was Teddie just feeling useless. The bear had finally found some kind of purpose when he met Souji and Yosuke, and now was suddenly unable to fulfil that purpose. It was undoubtedly demoralizing.
"I know!" Teddie spun back around, looking much more lively. "You should give me a clue about this Kanji person."
Souji blinked. "A clue?" he repeated. "Anything specific?"
"Just tell me a little more about him," Teddie said. "With just a little more information, I should be able to sniff him out."
Souji looked at the others. "Any ideas?"
"Well, we know he beats up bikers, but somehow I don't think that's enough," Yosuke said. "Yukiko-san? You're the one who knows him."
She shook her head. "It's been so long, anything I know would be out of date," she said.
Somehow, I knew it was going to turn out like this. "Okay, then we do it the hard way," Souji said. We split up, and canvass the town. Someone should have the information we need."
The hard way is right, Souji thought morosely half an hour later. He'd heard that in a small town everyone knew everything about everyone else. Apparently that was an urban legend; he'd only heard bits and pieces, precious little of it useful.
He avoided talking to police; Kanji's history made hinting at any association potentially dangerous, and that was without alerting his uncle.
The shopping district was at least a starting point, since Kanji lived in that area. He saw Yosuke nearby, but the other student didn't appear to be having much luck. Probably, Souji reflected, because everyone knew about his Junes connections.
Then he spotted Kanji's mother, and mentally kicked himself for missing something so obvious. "Excuse me, Tatsumi-san," he said. "Do you have a moment?"
"Oh, are you here to ask about Kanji, too?" the old woman said, and smiled when Souji rubbed the back of his neck in mild chagrin. "I'm wondering where he's wandered off to. He does this a lot." She sighed. "You know, there was a young man about your age who was also asking about Kanji. I spoke to him briefly, but he doesn't seem to have been around lately."
Souji tilted his head. "A young man? What did he look like?"
Tatsumi rubbed her chin, thinking. "He was quite slender, perhaps a head shorter than you. Dark blue hair cut short, wearing a very elegant blue coat and cap. He was very polite, and quite friendly, if a bit too serious for his age."
Him, it has to be. "Thank you, Tatsumi-san," Souji said, bowing. "You've been a big help."
He didn't know what that boy's connection to the case was, but it was the first solid lead they'd yet gotten. Souji's eyes flickered from side to side, looking for his teammates and any sign of the blue-haired boy. The bookstore, maybe. That's where I saw him a couple days ago.
Yosuke almost collided with him outside Aiya's. "Whoops, sorry, partner," he said.
Souji shook his head. "Forget it. Look, we've got a lead. Kanji's mother said someone else had been asking about him. Keep an eye out for that boy we ran into at Tatsumi Textiles."
"Him?" Yosuke blinked, but didn't question it. "Sure, gotcha. You think he's around?"
"Tatsumi said he hasn't been around today, but that doesn't necessarily mean anything." Souji nodded at the bookstore. "He's been there once or twice, so we at least have a place to start."
Yosuke nodded. "Okay, I'll ask around. Where you going?"
"Flood plain," Souji said over his shoulder. "Call it a hunch, but that seems to be a popular spot for newcomers."
The sun was alarmingly low by the time he reached his destination. He had to make it quick, or Nanako would be lonely, and his uncle (assuming he was home) might start asking questions. Souji wasn't sure which bothered him more.
No sign of the unnamed boy, not that he was really surprised. As late as it was, the boy was probably back in his lodgings for the evening. Still, asking around probably wouldn't hurt.
"A boy in a hat?" an old man said. "Sorry, I haven't seen anyone like that."
"I might have." This from a girl by the gazebo. "Then again, I might not. It's all in how you look at it."
O-kay, I'll just leave this one be.
Glancing at his watch, Souji grimaced. He didn't dare stick around any longer, not if he wanted to get home on time. Sighing, he spoke to one more on his way past. "Excuse me, have you seen a teenager in a blue hat here? He isn't a local."
"Actually, yes," the man said. "I've seen him at Junes a couple of times. You might be able to catch him tomorrow."
Finally. "Thank you, sir." He pulled out his cell phone long enough to tell Yosuke they should call it a day. And what a day it had been; Souji decided right then that he wanted nothing more to do with the case until morning. He just didn't have it in him.
Food, study, sleep. I can deal with the rest tomorrow.
Evening
"Welcome home, big bro!"
Souji smiled at Nanako's cheerful greeting. She really did seem like a little sister by now. "Evening, Nanako-chan," he said. "Your father not home yet?"
Nanako sighed. "He said he'll probably be late again." Her face quickly brightened. "But I'm not alone now. I have you with me."
"That's right," Souji said. "Let's get dinner ready."
For the next half hour they busied themselves with normal household tasks. Souji made sure Nanako could see what he was doing, so she would someday be able to do it herself. Most of the cooking was simple; Souji had too much on his mind for anything more.
"Um, Souji," Nanako ventured when they'd finished eating. "Can I ask you a question?"
Souji blinked. If he wasn't mistaken, that was the first time Nanako had called him by name, or at least close to it. "What is it, Nanako-chan?"
"Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
He barely kept himself from wincing. Things had been better for him, ironically, since the murder cases had started, but Nanako's innocent query made him realize his wounds were far from healed.
Nevertheless, she deserved an answer. "No," he said. "I'm an only child, just like you."
For some reason, Nanako seemed very pleased by this. "Just like me," she repeated, before looking away. "Dad told me that our family won't ever get bigger," she said quietly. "But I have you now, so even when he isn't here, I'm not lonely."
And that alone made it worthwhile. "That's right," Souji said. "Just remember," he added, crouching down to meet her eyes properly, "even though he's not always here, your dad loves you." He smiled just a little sadly. "I've been where you are. Am now, really; the only reason I'm even here is because my parents are busy overseas. But for all that, I've never doubted that they love me."
Nanako seemed to consider that, then nodded slowly, suddenly looking several years older. "Okay."
He gave her a quick hug. "I need to get some studying in. Call me if you need me."
Thursday, 19 May, Lunchtime
Morning was uneventful; even Morooka seemed more tolerable than usual. Not that Souji expected it to last; his homeroom teacher was very inventive when it came to finding new ways to harass and otherwise irritate his students. It was only a matter of time before the other shoe dropped.
That, however, was in the back of his mind. He was talking with Yosuke after the lunch bell rang, when the door slid open and another student burst in. "Hey, they've posted the exam scores!" he said, and was gone.
Yosuke groaned. "Here it is, the awful moment of truth. Might as well get it over with."
His friend had reason to worry, sadly. Yosuke and Chie were both near the bottom for second years, just above a girl named Hanako. Looking for his own name, Souji saw that Yukiko had scored quite well. He smiled, glad to see how well she had recovered. Still not finding his score, he looked up, and froze.
1. Souji Seta.
It took a moment for the number to register. Souji wasn't given to false modesty, so he didn't try to pretend he was academically ungifted, but being first in the class still came as something of a surprise.
"Hey, not bad, partner!" Yosuke said, clapping him on the back. "I'm almost as happy as if I'd scored the top."
At least he's not jealous, Souji thought.
After School
After a hurried apology to Yumi for missing drama practice (he dared not specify, but she seemed to accept the generic "urgent business" excuse), Souji made a beeline for Junes. He dared not miss out on the one solid lead they had.
There. His luck was holding; the blue-clad boy was standing near the elevators at Junes, looking out the window. With the barest hint of trepidation, Souji walked over, trying to look casual. "Excuse me."
The boy looked his way, surprised but covering it almost at once. "May I help you?" he said.
"I was wondering if there was something wrong with Kanji Tatsumi," Souji said, getting right to the point. "He seemed a bit off."
The other tilted his head. Souji had the unsettling feeling that this boy could somehow see through him. Those blue-gray eyes were piercing, and left the impression that their owner was older than he appeared.
"Very well," he said at last. "It seems to be a matter of some urgency, so I will be frank. Tatsumi-san seemed normal at first, if a bit nervous. However, when I asked him if anything odd had happened lately, he grew agitated, and insisted things were perfectly normal."
Fits with what we saw. He really didn't take it well when we asked him.
"Based on that, I conclude he has some kind of complex, though I would not presume to guess the details." The boy held Souji's gaze for a moment longer. "I hope that was helpful."
Souji nodded. "It helped a lot, thank you."
What is with him, anyway? Souji quickly sent a text message, gathering his friends at Junes, and put the mysterious boy out of his mind. It sounded like enough for Teddie to go on, and if it wasn't, well, they would cross that bridge when they came to it.
He refused to consider the possibility of failure.
Author's note: Better late than never, I guess. This is far from my favorite part of the game, so I had to work to spice it up at all. Still, it's moving along better than I expected.
As usual, any suggestions for improvement are welcome. ~D.S.