A few days later…

The Cotton Drifting Festival was a few days away. Today was a busy day. Everyone was at work setting up for the festival. All along the road, people were busy setting up booths and decorations. The clatter of tools could be heard all over.

Keiichi was helping put up one of the booths. He and all the other students had been helping with festival preparations all day. Rena was helping some of the other ladies do some last minute patch up work on the festival banners. When he got to the festival grounds, he saw a man setting up a booth. Keiichi did not know who he was. He wasn't one of the villagers, or at least Keiichi did not remember seeing him before. The man was about average height and looked to be in his late 30's or early 40's and had short black hair

"Thanks for your help, young man," the man said as they finished up. The man was on his knees, checking some of the lower sections of the booth. "It was no problem." Keiichi answered, "All the kids in the village have off today to help with the festival."

"I see" the man said as he got up and wiped his brow. "My family and I live in Okinomiya, so we don't know about that." he explained.

"Also, my wife needed our son's help today with something today."

"So you're wife is doing something for the festival too?" Keiichi asked. "No," the man answered. "She needed him to help with her class."

As Keiichi looked over the work he had done, he noticed that the stand did not have a banner or sign on it. "So what kind of stand are you going to be running?"

"It's a surprise" the man answered. "This will be the first time we will have a booth in the festival. So we are going to have something new."

"Then I'll have to stop by during the festival," Keiichi said as he started to walk away.

"Thanks again for your help and see you at the festival." the man said.

Keiichi continued to help others around with the set up, along with all the other students. Well, almost all the students.

"Where the hell is Mion?" Keiichi grumble.

"She's at a meeting." a voice answered from right behind him. Keiichi almost jumped in surprise at that. He turned around to see it was Shion. She was carrying a tray of drinks. That was not unusual for Shion. She did work as a waitress at the Angel Mort, a restaurant in the town of Okinomiya. Too bad she's not wearing one of their uniforms, Keichii thought. Shion noticed the look on Keiichi's face and realized what he was thinking. So she took one of the cups she had and tossed the water in it in his face.

"What was that for?" Keiichi demanded.

"Don't play innocent. I know what you were thinking."

Thankfully, the sun was out and it was hot, so being soaked in water was not too bad.

"So what was that you were saying about Mion?" Keiichi asked to get back on topic.

"She and Rika are at a meeting of the village elders."

"A meeting about what?" he asked. "It must be important if Rika is there. I thought she would be practicing for the ceremony."

Shion shrugged. "I don't know." she said. "It probably has something to do with the festival."

Meanwhile, at the village hall, the village elders were all gathered there, including the aged head of the Sonozaki family, Oryō Sonozaki. Also present were Rika, Mion, and Dr. Irie. "We have called this meeting at the request of Dr. Irie," Oryō began. "He has an important issue to bring to our attention." With that, Irie stood up.

"Before I get to the matter I asked all of you here for, I will start at the beginning."