Satoko heard a knock at Rika's front door, and even though she was sure she knew who it was, she still flinched because she was so used to her uncle shoving her into the direction of the door. She shook her head and sighed, as she let the warm shower water run over her back. She had not been able to take a shower as ralaxed as this since her parents were alive.
She heard the front door open, a few shuffling foot steps, then Rika's voice, "Satoko, it's Mi-Chan."
Satoko didn't take but a moment to answer. "Okay, I'm almost done, I'll be out in a moment." With this she stepped out of the shower, and turned the water off. Normally she would not have even thought about taking a shower, but she knew that Rika wouldn't mind her only taking one shower in her home. That was only a few more yen on her bill, and if anything, the Sonozaki family paid for all of Rika's household bills.
She covered herself in a towel, and dried her hair with the second towel that Rika had placed in the bathromm after Satoko got into the shower. She shook a little, even though the shower had left steam in the room. She couldn't help her skiddish nature, even though at Rika's house she should feel safe.
She finished drying her hair and let the towel around her head fall. She put her black hairband on and shook her head, getting it to settle in place. She then let the towel wrapped around her body fall, and looked at herself in the mirror that Rika's bathroom was equipped with. All she could see was scar after scar, of where her uncle had abuse her. She also saw her bones. She had never really noticed, but she was really near death. There was no way she would've lived much longer with the way she looked.
Satoko shook her head, to get those thoughts out. She was going to eat from now on. There was no doubt that she would live. Something like starving herself was not going to take her life. If she was going to die, it would be from something honourable. Not something idiotic.
After a few minutes of looking at herself in the mirror, she put the pajamas on that Rika placed delicately on the counter while she was showering. She hadn't really anything else to wear, so she just wore what she was given, even though she was going to be greeted by Mion as soon as she left the bathroom. But Mion saw her in worst. She was her right after waking this morning, and Satoko's face had been bleeding a little then. At least now it was more scabbed over.
She took one more glance in the mirror, before stepping out of the bathroom. She gasped when the first thing she was met with was Mion's arms. She felt Mion embrace her tightly.
Mion couldn't help but hug Satoko, even though she was wet. "It's over." Mion murmured into Satoko's ear.
Satoko hugged Mion back, and nuzzled her face into Mion's chest. That was all she needed to hear before being so happy. Just that sentence told her that she was saved.
Rika watched the two with a simple smile on her face. She had seen the little spots of blood on Mion's shirt. She had also remembered that Satoko said that Mion was planning to murder her uncle. Which meant that Satoko's situation must be fixed.
Satoko held on to Mion for a moment, then pulled away. "It can't be just this easy right?" she asked, rather bluntly. Satoko knew that nothing worked so simply.
Mion nodded, "I need you to call the police and tell them that you found your uncle, and then ran over here in shock." she replied, qick to the point as well.
Satoko nodded, and then turned to Rika. "May I use your phone?" she asked.
"Mii." Rika said, in reply. She turned a little, and pointed to the hall, "It's right in the next room."
Satoko nodded, then looked up at Mion, "And I should act shocked and rather upset, right?" Satoko asked. She wasn't so sure that she could act this way, but she needed to try her best.
Mion nodded, "I'm sure you can do fine.." Mion seemed like she was going to say more, but didn't continue.
Satoko turned away and said, "Okay." she started to the hall. She didn't hasitate to the next room. In Hinamizawa, they didn't have a 911 system set up, but all the children were drilled to know the number to the Okinomiya Police Station.
She picked up the phone, and dialed the number. She thought about Satoshi, and about her parents, and imagined finding them dead, to mentally work herself up to sound upset about her uncle's death. She wanted it to sound as realistic as possible, so that they wouldn't suspect her, like they did for her parents.
"Hello, Okinomiya Police Station, Ooishi speaking." Satoko hear Ooishi answer.
She took a deep breath, and blurted out, "My uncle's dead!" she said, trying to sound as upset as possible. "I was out playing, then I came home, and when I walked through the door, he was on the floor dead! I panicked and ran to Rika's, where I am now." she said, making herself get worked up.
"Calm down, calm down. Tell me your name." Ooishi said.
Satoko grinned to herself. She obviously sounded convencing, or he wouldn't have told her to calm down. "Houjou Satoko." she said, talking a deep breath in, as if to be calming herself down.
"Okay, okay, and you say that your uncle is dead? Did you check for a pulse or if he was breathing?" Ooixhi asked her.
"No, no, no!" Satoko said, letting more emotion run out into her voice. "I didn't want to touch him! He looked so lifeless though!"
"Okay. Satoko, you live in Hinamizawa, right?" he asked her.
"Yes, I do." Satoko said, hoping that this phone call would end soon. She was tired of acting.
She heard Ooishi grunt, "I've been to your house before. I will go investigate then... Where are you at now?" he asked, dispite her telling him already.
"I'm at the Furude house. I ran here as soon as I found him.." Satoko said, still trying to put on a very panicked front. She wasn't sure if he was buying it by now, but Ooishi wasn't always the smartest man.
"Okay. After I go to investigate, we will pick you up." he said, catching her off guard.
"No, no, that's fine. Rika said that I can stay here. And if not here, then I've also been invited to the Sonozaki home."
"But you are a minor. We can't just leave you in someone's home. We need to get in contact with your parents-" He didn't get to finish he's sentence.
"I have no other family. My mother and father died 3 years ago, my aunt died and my brother came up missing last year, and my uncel is dead. Rika is the only family I have left. She realy is.." Satoko said, being completely serious, and getting ginuinly upset.
"Fine, fine." Ooishi said in a rather lazy voice, as if he really just didn't want to deal with it any longer.
"Thank you very much." Satoko in a soft voice, trying to sound a little relieved but still clearly upset.
"Well, we are going to investigate. I will come to the Furude house afterward, to see how you are doing." Ooishi said, before grumbing something under his breath. He than spouted, "Good-bye!" and hung up.
Satoko looked at the phone in her hand and shook her head. What was that all about? She didn't really ponder then answer as the put the phone back on the reciever and sighed. She knew that Ooishi wasn't going to let her go that easily. She expected that Ooishi would come to get her to take her to the city. Even though Mion was going to confess when Ooishi got there, she was one of the 3 houses, and Satoko was Hinamizawa's most hated. Whenever there was a crime anywhere near Hinamizawa, they would go after Satoko, even if she was honestly clueless about the crime, and had a good alibi.
Satoko left the hall and went back to where Mion an Rika were. "He is such a pest." she commented, and sat on the futon that Rika had laid out for her.
"Ooishi? I know. I was really hoping that it would be Akasaka or Kuma that answered the call." Mion said, her brow furrowed together.
"Mii... Akasaka-San went back to Tokyo to care for his wife." Rika chimed in.
Mion nodded and looked at Satoko, who was getting relaxed on the futon. "Are you going to sleep?" Mion asked.
"Yeah, I'm really tired, and pretending to be upset is exhausting."Satko slid under the covers, "Oh, and if I'm sleeping when Ooishi gets here, he might believe that I cried myself sick." she said, closing her eyes. "You should tell him not to wake me, that I slept on the floor last night." she didn't go into spacifics but Mion remembered Satoko's previous situation, and anger welled over her again.
"I will. Me and Rika will be quiet as you sleep." Mion said, trying to cover her rage with kindness.
"I'll tell him not to wake you. You look like you need the rest." Rika smiled, before turning to Mion. "Let's go to the kitchen and I'll make us some tea."
"Okay." Mion said, getting up from against the wall where she was leaning.
Satoko relaxed her eyes and let the heavy sleep take over.