『Higurashi No Naku Koro Ni』

Yukidomarishi-hen

{Chapter 2}

Satoko and I arrive at Okinomiya. Satoko is excited about today's club activity. However, we came here early, so we ended up having to wait for the others to show up.

After a while, I finally see them heading towards us on their bikes.

"What took you guys so long? Me and Rika have been waiting forever!"

Satoko acts like she's upset, but I can tell that she's excited to see them.

Rena is the first to greet us.

"Satoko-chan! Rika-chan! Good morning!"

"Good morning. We're glad you could make it, you guys."

"Good morning! We're going to do this quickly before the police get here! Our goal is 1 billion yen!"

Keiichi jokes around as usual. However, Satoko is confused.

"Huh? What are you talking about, Keiichi-san?"

"Sorry that we're late! Kei-chan was didn't show up on time!"

Mion apologizes to me and Satoko for making us wait. And, as usual, it's because of Keiichi.

It's the same situation as before. Does this mean that this world will take the same course as that other world?

We finish greeting each other, and then all of us enter a toy store. This is where the club activity will be. This store is owned by Mion's uncle. Today, the store is crowded. There's a competition going on, and the grand prize is 50,000 yen. It's just like that other world.

"Au... au au..."

I can hear Hanyuu whimpering. She noticed it, too. We've been through this situation before, and it seems as though everything will turn out the same.

• • • • • • • • • •

We are separated into 5 groups. There are 3 kids in each group. The drawing was secretly rigged, so all of the club members got split into different groups. There can only be one winner from each group, and then the winners from each group compete in the final round.

I see. Mion set it up like this so that all of us club members would battle against each other in the final round.

I look at each of my friends' groups.

Satoko is playing a concentration game. The expression on her face makes it seem like she's having a hard time, but I know that she's waiting for the right moment to trap her opponents.

One of her opponents remembers all the cards. However, Satoko's already trapped him. He guesses one of the cards incorrectly. Satoko secretly switched the cards. It's no surprise.

I look toward Mion's group... She's just sitting there with a can of juice in her hand. She's already won the game. She's the club leader, so it's easy to guess that she would win.

Next, I watch Rena's group. It seems Keiichi is watching her as well. In fact, almost the whole store is watching her. She's playing an alphabet matching game.

Slaaaam!

Rena grabs the cards left and right. There are cute pictures on the cards. I see. She's in her 'Kawaii Mode'. Her opponents are losing this game. The look on Mion's face tells me that she knows Rena is going to win the game.

Lastly, I look at Keiichi's table. He's playing the millionare game... And he's losing, as usual. I don't even need to watch him, though. I've seen this before, in another world. He's going to convince his opponents to let him win. That's the kind of strategy the 'magician of words' will do.

I turn back towards my table. My opponents are handing me the small fishing rod. Oh, that's right. I'm playing the fishing game. I take the fishing rod from them.

It's an easy win for me.

• • • • • • • • • •

"Get back here, Mion!"

Keiichi shouts at Mion. Near the end of the final round, Mion suddenly stopped the game. This resulted in there being no winner.

"Sorry, Kei-chan. I have to go to work now!"

And just like in that other world, Mion stopped the game because of her work.

I've seen this scene before. I was afraid of what was about to come. Hanyuu was scared, too.

The store owner gave all of us consolation prizes, except for Mion. She didn't get one because she's a member of his family.

Keiichi pulls his prize out of the bag.

"What the heck is this?!"

It's a small doll. This doll is an expensive looking gorgeous one. It's the best one...

Satoko, Rena, and Mion are all staring at it. It looks adorable in my eyes, too.

"Aha ha ha! Kei-chan got the one that fits him the least!"

Mion acts big and teases Keiichi, but I can tell that she wants the doll.

"This is pretty and cute... I admit that... But it's not really my type of toy."

"Yeah. People will think you're a pervert if you carry that thing around."

Keiichi doesn't want the doll. He's trying to decide who to give it to.

"Here. It's yours. You can have it."

He gives the doll to Rena.

Time stops for a while.

"Rika..."

Hanyuu doesn't need to tell me. It seems everything will turn out the same as that other world.

In that other world, Keiichi gave the doll to Rena, just like he did now. Because of that decision, Mion's twin sister, Shion, ended up killing us all. She tortured me to death in that world. The same situation occurred in a different world, too. I didn't want to be tortured. I had already given up on that world, so I left the stage.

That would make this the third time this has happened. Should I give up? Should I move on, and search for the next Hinamizawa?