Chapter 3

The next as Ellen walk to school she saw the same boy on the bike get into a crash again and got stuck in a trash bin. "That's where that stupid bike should be at this point...I guess I should help this time." Ellen thought to herself.

She helped him get out and he said looking grateful "Whew, you saved me. Thanks! Umm...Oh yeah, that's right. you're that transfer student, Ellen Narukami. I'm Yosuke Hanamura. Nice to finally meet ya."

"Finally?" Ellen asked.

"Well, I was gonna say hi yesterday but, I didn't think it was the right moment and you didn't look interested, but say did you hear about the incident from yesterday? They found that announcer lady hanging from an antenna."

"I know. People won't be quiet about it. They're like talking bees. Always clinging on the sweetest flower or in this case the sweetest news...Oh, sorry. My old school was nothing but-"

"Talking bees *chuckle*? Don't worry I get. I used to live in the city too...Oh crap, we're late! You want a ride? It's a little squeaky, but it should be fine."

"Uh...sure, why not?"

They rode to school together and afterwards she told herself she would never do it again. "He's defiantly from the city...he rides like a moron." Ellen thought to herself as she sat down and got her stuff ready for class. After a day of Morooka's bitching, the day end and Ellen was gonna go to the bookstore, when Yosuke came to her and said "So, you getting used to this place?"

"I'm getting used to it as much as I've been with the rest of them." Ellen said.

"...Take it you move around a lot."

"Right on the dot."

"There isn't much to do here compared to the big city, but there is that certain...something you can't get anywhere. The air's clean, the food's great...Oh, you know about the local delicacy? It's grilled steak! Like that's anything special, huh? I know a place where you can get it cheap. Wanna come? You helped me out this morning so it's on me."

Chie then came up to them and said "What about me, huh? No apologies? My "Trail of the Dragon."

"Urgh...You always come around when I'm talking about food..." Yosuke muttered.

"How about it, Yukiko? Don't you think he should treat us, too?" Chie asked.

"I'll pass...I don't want to gain any more weight. I need to help out at the inn today, anyway." Yukiko said.

"Wow, Yukiko-san! You started training to take over the business?" Yosuke asked.

"It's not like that! I'm just helping out when it gets busy. Well, I should be on my way." Yukiko said.

Then she left and Chie said "Oh well. We should get going too."

"Huh? Do I seriously have to treat two people...?" Yosuke said.

"You could make another offer but, that's probably gonna strike you later..." Ellen thought to herself.

They all soon walked over to Junes and had a quick snake and drink. Chie said angrily "THIS is the cheap place you were talking about...? They don't have grilled steak here."

"Yeah, well, once you hopped on the freeloader train, I had to change plans." Yosuke said.

"Still, that's no reason to take us to your place." Chis said.

"Dude, this isn't my place or anything." Yosuke protest.

"What are you talking about?" Ellen asked.

"Oh, right. I haven't told you yet, huh? I moved here from another city about six mouths back. This location just opened up, and my dad was assigned here to manage it. So our entire family moved out here." Yosuke said.

He takes his drink and said "Here, this is to welcome you to town."

"Thanks." Ellen said grabbing her's.

"Satonaka, yours is on me too." Yosuke said.

"Yeah, I know." Chie said grabbing her's.

"Like you had much of choice in the matter..." Ellen thought to herself.

They had a small toast and the conversation was animated over small talk. "So Yosuke, I've been hearing you've awfully nice to our transfer student." Chie said.

"W-What are you talking about?" Yosuke asked afraid to where this was going.

"I heard you gave her a ride to school and then you buy lunch. That's pretty nice of you, if you know what I mean." Chie said.

"D-Dude, it's not like that! She helped me! I just owe her!" Yosuke yelled.

"Uhuh, sure. I see how it is..." Chie said nodding to herself.

"It's not like that! I am not interested. C'mon dude, back me up-"

They both notice that Ellen pulled out a book, not really paying attention. "Um..." Chie said not sure what to do.

"Hey Ellen...ELLEN!" Yosuke yelled to get her attention.

Ellen snapped out of it saying "Huh, what?"

"Dude, how long were you reading?" Yosuke asked.

"I wasn't sure what you two were talking about, so I thought I'd get back to my book. I think I'm getting to a really good part." Ellen said smiling a little due to her excitement towards the novel.

"What's ya reading?" Chie asked.

"...A fantasy." Ellen said.

"Yeah, but what's it called?" Chie asked.

"Oh...um..." Ellen said trying to find words.

It was Iron Shield, a romantic, fantasy novel about a woman fighting in the armies to one day find her husband and be with him again. She always got embarrassed when it came talking about those kind of books. They're not very kid friendly books. Before she had to answer, Yosuke became her saving grace saying "Ah, leave her alone Chie. It's probably a collage book or something."

"Umm...yeah. That's it." Ellen said going with it.

"Alright then. You know, thinking about it now, it's only been half a year since this place opened up, but I haven't been to the local shopping district much since. A lot of stores there started closing, and...Oh, uh..." Chie said.

"...You can't blame it all on Junes, can you...?" Yosuke asked.

Before anyone could answer, Yosuke see's someone. A girl with light brown hair and wore a Junes uniform. Yosuke said "Hey, It's Saki-senpai! Sorry, be right back."

He soon leaves and Ellen asked Chie "Who is that?"

"That's Saki Konishi. Her family runs a liquor store in the shopping distract...I think she' working here part-time, though." Chie answered.

They listen to them talking with Yosuke saying "Hey, how's it going? You look beat."

"Heeey! I'm finally on break...What's up, Hana-chan? Boosting the family business by bring your friends here?"

"Madam, you wound me! Kidding aside...You look down. Did something happen?"

"...It's nothing. I'm just a little tired."

"Hey, if you need to talk, I'm always willing to listen. I..."

"*chuckle* I'm okay. Thanks, though. *sigh* Why'd I leave school early yesterday...?"

Saki looks over to Ellen and Chie and said "Hey...is she the kid who transferred here."

Saki walks over to the "Are you the transfer student? Oh, did you here about me already?"

"A little" Ellen said.

"It must be nice to have someone else from the big city to talk to, huh? I don't see Hana-chan hanging out with other girls much, if at all." Saki said.

"Uh-Not necessarily..." Yosuke said.

"He doesn't have too many friends, so I hope you two get along good. Hana-chan's a good guy, but he can get nosy sometimes. You gotta tell him right to his face when he starts to annoy you." Saki said.

Ellen shrugs her shoulders and says "Eh, I've seen worse."

"*chuckle*" Saki said.

"C-C'mon, Senpai. There's no need to worry about something like that." Yosuke said.

"Well, my break's just about over. Back to work I go...Laters!" Saki said then she left.

Yosuke sat back down and said "Hahah, Saki-senpai says I'm annoying, but she's even nosier than me. She has a younger brother, and she treats me pretty much the same way..."

"...Open your eyes, you poor fool." Ellen thought to herself. She felt something off with Saki.

Still Yosuke continues saying "She has a younger brother, and she treats me pretty much the same way..."

"Ohhh, you don't want her treating you like a brother, huh? Haha, I get it...So that's how it is...The daught of a local family-run liquor store and the scion of the invading chain...Hoho, the flame of forbidden love!" Chie said.

"Wha-!? Dude, it's not like that." Yosuke said blushing.

Ellen couldn't help but, giggle at that. Chie then said "Oh reaaaally...Well, I know just the thing to cheer up that lovesick heart. You ever hear of the Midnight Channel? You're supposed to look into a TV that's switched off, alone, exactly at midnight on a rainy night. While you're staring at your own image, another person will appear on the screen...And they say that person's your soulmate."

"What? For a second, I thought you were actually going to say something useful...How can you get all excited over such a childish urban legend like that?" Yosuke said.

"Childish, huh? You don't believe it , do you?!" Chie yelled.

"Of course I don't." Yosuke said.

"Well, it's raining tonight! Let's all try it out-then you'll see." Chie said.

"Try it out...? Wait, you haven't even tried it yourself!? Wow, I'm trying to remember the last time I heard something this stupid...All that aside...you know that "incident" yesterday? You guys think it was murder? Ooh, what if the culprit behind it was still lurking around...? Heehee..."

"Sheesh, you shouldn't joke about stuff like that. Now who's the childish one...? All I am saying is, you guys better try it out tonight...Ellen?"

Ellen was reading her book again. "ELLEN!" Chie yelled.

"Huh?" Ellen said snapping out of it.

"When did you start reading?" Chie asked.

"After you were done talking about the Midnight Channel thingy." Ellen said.

"Ah, ok then."

They all soon went home with Ellen thinking "Well, that was both interesting and stupid..."

Later that night, it was just Ellen and Nanako again. Ellen asked so the silence would stop "Don't worry."

"...Yeah." Nanako aid still looking worried.

The door soon opened and Dojima came home looking exhausted saying "What a day...I'm back. Did anything happen while I was out?"

"No. You're late again..." Nanako said.

"I'm sorry...Been busy at work." Dojima said.

Then he sits down and asks Nanako "Can you put the news on for me?"

Nanako changes the channel looking annoyed and the announcer soon said "Next, more details in the developing story on the incident in foggy Inaba. Announcer Mayumi Yamano's dead body was found hanging above a house in this isolated rural town. It is confirmed that Ms. Yamano had been involved in an affair with Taro Namatame, husband of enka singer Misuzu Hiiragi. The police plan to investigate this relationship and question any personnel involved with them. In addition, we now bring you an exclusive interview with local student who found Ms. Yamano's body."

"*sigh* An interview with the kid...? Where the hell did they find her?" Dojima said.

The scene change to a girl being censored and the reporter said sounding too existed "What went through your mind when you saw it? Could you tell she was dead? Did you see her face?"

"U-Umm..." the girl said trying to find words.

"Huh, she looks familiar..." Ellen thought to herself.

"Don't you think it's scary that someone was killed on a foggy day?" the reporter asked.

"Huh...? She was killed?" the girl asked.

"Oh, errr...So did you see anyone suspicious around here?"

"No, not really..."

"We heard that you found it when you left school early. Did you have some personal school early. Did you have some personal business to take care of?"

"Huh? That's..."

The reporter keeps going on and on and then it soon end, switching back to announcer said "-a tragedy that occurred near the local shopping district. Many storeowners are raising concerns about losing customers as a result..."

"Hmph. If they lose more customers, it'll be because you're making such a stink about it..." Dojima said.

A commentator appeared saying "It really is a bizarre case, isn't it? I mean, hanging someone upside down from an antenna...Id have to say it's a warning or a sign from the culprit."

"Yes, but so far, no one has come forward to take credit for the crime." the announcer said.

"Loads of prank calls, though..." Dojima said.

"So the cause of death is still unknown? And they don't have a single suspect yet? Taxpayers' funds are going to a police force who can't even figure out if this is an accident or a homicide?" said the commenter.

It soon went to commercial to Junes saying "At Junes, every day is Customer Appreciation Day. Come see for yourself, and get in touch with our products! Every day's great at your Junes!"

"Every day's great at your Junes!" Nanako sang.

Then she asked "Hey Dad...Can we go to Junes together sometime?"

Dojima didn't say anything and Nanako turned to face him saying "...No?"

They soon heard him snoring. He fell asleep. "*sigh* Geez..." Nanako said looking disappointed.

After awhile Ellen went to bed but, she couldn't sleep so she stayed up to see this Midnight Channel in action while thinking to herself "Ok, this has got to be the stupidest I've ever done...I doubt this will work..."

She stared at the TV until it turned midnight. One minute in and nothing happen. Ellen was about to go to bed when suddenly something did appear on TV. It was blurry but, it was a girl on there. It looked like she was in pain. Then it stopped and then her head began to hurt as she heard a mighty female voice "I am thou...thou art I. Thou are the one who will open the door..."

Then it stopped and Ellen had the thought to touch the TV and as soon as she did she began to get sucked in. After a bit of struggling she got out and smacked her head on the work table. After assuring a frighten Nanako that she was alright, Ellen thought to herself feeling the sweat on her neck "W-What the hell was that?!...That was...nuts...I'll just...tell those other guys tomorrow...I'm going to bed."