Chapter 15
The next morning as Ellen walked to school, Yosuke came riding behind her. The bike he was on looked like it was about ready to break. "Yo!" Yosuke yelled.
"Hey." Ellen said.
"Dammit, I just fixed this thing...It's making squeaking sounds again." Yosuke said.
"Maybe you need a new one." Ellen said.
"Huh? Yeah...Hey, by the way...I'm sorry about the other day...You know, about what I said to Nanako-chan. After hanging out with Nanako-chan... I feel even stronger that we have to solve this case."
"We'll do our best, ok?"
"Yeah! Y'know, Chie and Yukiko seem different lately...They're a lot closer. Oh yeah, I was just curious, but are you...Ehh, never mind. If we keep chatting, we're gonna be late...*sigh* Man, school's such a chore. And now my bike's messed up too...The roads are much wider here than in the city, so I keep speeding...I guess that did it. *sigh* Oh well. Until I get my motorcycle license, I'll just have to walk." Yosuke said.
"It's good excise." Ellen said.
"...You sound like my mom."
"And you sound like quite the downer. C'mon let's go."
They went on and after school they all hanged out in the classroom as Chie said "Ugh...Why do the holidays have to end so fast..."
"At least they were peaceful." Yosuke said.
"Ditto." Ellen said.
"I listened in on the housewives gossiping at Junes, but it doesn't seem like anything happened and I haven't heard anything about someone disappearing suddenly, either...Y'think Yukiko could've been the last of the victims?" Yosuke said.
"I doubt this is over. It would be too easy if it was." Ellen said folding in her arms.
"Hmm..." Chie said.
"I don't know. But we shouldn't relax as long as the culprit remains at large." Yukiko said.
"I wonder...Will someone show up on TV again if it rains? If we only knew a little more about who the killer might be..." Yosuke said.
"Eh, it's no good fretting over it now. If someone does show up on the Midnight Channel, then we'll deal with it. It's supposed to start raining soon, but I hope this weather holds through next week...You know...Midterm..." Chie said.
"Ugh, you had to go and bring that up...I don't wanna think about it." Yosuke said.
"*sigh* I wish I had Yukiko's gift for studying...Hey Yosuke, why don't you have Yukiko go over some of the material with you?" Chie said.
"Hm? Oh, that's right. Yukiko's ranked at the top on every exam. Maybe I should ask her for some private lessons." Yosuke said.
"P-Private lessons!?" Yukiko yelled.
"Huh? What's wrong?" Yosuke asked.
She then slapped him in the face. Yosuke then yelled "Ow...! What was that for? I'm just asking you to help me study..."
"Oh, I'm sorry...You were talking about studying...I thought it might've been an off-color joke. Our inn has had some strange visitors lately..." Yukiko said.
"Oh Yukiko...where does your mind go?" Ellen thought to herself.
"If you thought it was a joke, then just shrug it off!" Yosuke yelled.
"Sorry. My hand moved without thinking..." Yukiko said.
"Geez...Thanks a lot, Chie, for bringing up the whole studying thing." Yosuke said.
"Wh-What did I do!? You're the one who made it sound creepy and wrong! "Private lessons," huh?" Chie said.
"Wha-Then it's mostly my fault!? Screw this, I don't have to take this! I'll just ask Ellen to help me." Yosuke said.
"Hands off my study partner!" Chie yelled.
Then they just kept fighting as Yukiko said to Ellen "Oh...I should start heading home."
"Ok, bye." Ellen said.
After everyone spilt up, Ellen remembered she had her day care job to go to. She headed over there. The job was the same as last time in that all in that the kids were tugging her left and right. At the end of the day her boss came and said "Ellen-kun! Most of the children have been picked up, so you can go home now. I'll see you next time!"
She got her pay of 5000 yen and went home. As she walked home she saw Yuuta's mother sitting at the table on the Plains. She walked over to her and she said "Oh you're...You're the caretaker I met the other day, right? Oh! It's already this late? I've been sitting here all this time..."
"Is something on your mind?" Ellen asked.
"...Oh, no, it's nothing. *giggle* You're a high school student, right? You seem so mature..."
"I get that a lot."
"I was heading over there...I was going to pick up Yuuta...But then something came over me...My legs just went weak all of a sudden. Every time I think about him...*sighs*...Have you heard? Yuuta and I aren't related by blood...He's my husband's child. I've lived with Yuuta for six months now...Only six months...Already six months...We don't ever talk to each other. My husband is away, so...heh...It's just the two of us, alone together in a dark house."
"...I don't have much advice on this cause I've never had to go through it but, just give it some time. Things will find a way to work itself out. They always do."
"Oh...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to tell you all this out of the blue...But I'm glad you listened to me, that you spoke with me...Haha, it's sad, but these days, I don't even get to have simple conversations like this..." Yuuta's mother said smiling weakly.
"I'm Eri Minami. Nice to meet you. Please take good care of him...Oh, that's right. I still need to pick him up. It was nice seeing you..." Eri said.
"I'm Ellen Narukami, it was nice seeing you too..."
Ellen then walked home as Eri muttered "Narukami...?"
Ellen came home to see Dojima home for once. As she came in he said "Hey Ellen. How're things? You should be used to life here by now. Haha, you bored? Well, have a seat."
She sat down with Dojima at the kitchen table. "We haven't had time to talk like this since you got here, huh?...Uhhh...Well, how's school?"
"It's interesting. I like it." Ellen said smiling.
"I see...That's good to hear. Your school days will be over before you know it. Make sure you have fun while you can." Dojima said nodding to himself.
Then he said "What else...? Oh, yeah...How about your friends?...Looks like you've made plenty of 'em."
"Trust me it's just as weird to me as it is to you..." Ellen said.
"How come?"
"Well, I've never really had any friends. I normally just kept to myself...not doing a whole lot, you know."
"Look, I'm not saying who you can and can't hang out with, but...You know what I'm talking about, right?"
"Yes." Ellen answered.
"Huh. So you did notice...For some reason, whenever there's an incident, there you are...I wish I didn't have to consider this, but...the killings began around the time you came to town. My job is all about eliminating the random element. I look only at the facts. If you keep getting caught up in my job, then..." Dojima said.
"...What's wrong?" Nanako asked as she walked up to them.
She then said "Big sis didn't do anything bad."
"I-I know. I didn't mean it like that." Dojima said.
"But you're bullying her..."
"I'm not bullying her. We were just having a little talk. It's getting late...Go to sleep."
"...Okay."
She went to bed and soon Dojima said "Sheesh...She's really taking a shine to you. Look...Just don't get yourself involved in anything dangerous. As long as you're safe, everything's fine. Your parents didn't ask me to raise your grades or anything."
"Alright." Ellen said nodding.
"Things here might be a little different from what you're used to, but this is a good town. Though it's a little dangerous right at the moment...Now then, it's about time for you to turn in. Get some sleep. 'Night."
The next day after school it was thundering and lighting as Ellen talk with Chie and Yukiko. Chie seemed to be on edge with the weather. Ellen herself didn't mind it as much though she recalled not liking it when she was younger, hiding under anything that covered her. Yosuke walked up to them saying "Hey Chie, I bought you a new copy of that "Trail of the Dragon" flick. It was a Greatest Punches version for 980 yen. If I knew then, I'd have just replaced it instead of buying you grilled steak."
"That's where panicking about a beating gets you..." Ellen said.
"Yeah, yeah..." Yosuke said almost used to Ellen's honesty.
Lighting struck and thunder rolled as Chie said worried "This is clearly getting closer...!"
"Huh...? What are you, scared of a little lighting?" Yosuke asked.
"Quiet, you! I'd be a goner if even one of those things hit me!" Chie yelled at Yosuke.
"Well, thinking about the times a lighting storms comes and the amount of times lighting actually hit someone, your chances of getting struck are second to nothing." Ellen said.
Lighting struck again and Chie gave out an "Eek!" while covering her ears.
"Hahaha, you're freakin' out way too much. C'mon, shouldn't weather like this help with your kung fu training? A bolt of lighting would hit and it'd give you the inspiration for a new move! There was scene like that in your DVD, wasn't there? And besides, Ellen's right. The chances of getting hit are slim." Yosuke said.
"You jerk! You don't even care how I feel! If lighting has to strike someone, let it be this guy!" Chie yelled.
Lighting struck and caused a black out in the school. "Huh? Is this a blackout?" Yukiko asked.
"Looks like it. Great, now I can't read my book..." Ellen said annoyed.
"That's what you get for saying that stuff, Chie...Looks like I better hurry up and head to work. Depending on how produce sells today, I might get a little bonus in my pay for the week. This weather may keep customers away, but I gotta do my best if I'm gonna save up for a motorcycle!" Yosuke said.
Yosuke's phone rings and says "It's from my manger..."
He answers it and says "Hello?"
"Yosuke-kun? hmmm...some of the power in the store is out after that lighting strike. Could you come in early today? All the refrigerated shelves have stopped running. It's looking like we'll have to close up the produce section early today." the manger said on the phone.
"Wait, what!? But my pay..." Yosuke said panicking.
"Anyway, I need you here to help deal with this mess. I'm counting on you! Goodbye!"
He hung up and Yosuke glared at Chie looking pissed off. Chie yelled "What're you looking at me for!?"
"Ugh, why did this have to happen!?" Yosuke yelled
"Hey, Yukiko...can we just go home?" Chie asked.
"Chie, do you know this story? A girl forgot her homework, so she snuck into school in the middle of the night, but she suddenly needed to use the bathroom...She venture into the girl's room, where all the light were off. No one should have been there, but in the mirror..." Yukiko said.
"Hold it right there! What're you talking about!?" Chie yelled freaking out.
"Huh? It's a ghost story. I thought you liked them." Yukiko said.
"Yeah, but why tell it now!?" Chie asked.
Chie looked like she was about to cry so Ellen tried to comfort her by tapping her on the back. She never really liked touching people and Chie reaction to the tap was the reason why as she yelled "Ack! S-Someone's here! It touched me! I-I-It's a ghost! Wait, was that you!? Sheesh...You suck!"
"I was trying to comfort you! Sheesh...I'm not use to this. Whenever a storm came I always hugged with-...Never mind." Ellen said blushing. She was about to say she cuddled with her teddy bear Mr. Wiggles.
"*sigh* Why don't you just have her escort you back home, Chie?" Yosuke asked.
"A-Are you making fun of me!?" Chie asked.
"Well, yeah. With how freaked out you are, can you blame me?" Yosuke said.
The lights on and Chie was quick to go home with Yukiko while Yosuke went to work disappointed about his pay. Meanwhile Ellen studied at the library for awhile as she heard the pouring rain and crashing thunder go by. She then went home to spend a precious evening with Nanako and soon after went to sleep feeling exhausted.
