Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni SAI

When They Cry Again

Disclaimer

I do not own Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni (Kai) or anything like that. My characters are obviously mine, though. That's Mikan, Nanaha, Nina, Kain, and Ayu..

Note

Ok, so I'm really bad at this horror suspense stuff so I'd love to know what everyone things of the story so far! ;; Guesses on who is who'll help me tell if I'm dong my job right too. Thank you so so so much for reading!

I changed the title to match the 'naming pattern' of Higurashi so far. 'Sai' means 'Again'. Haha. Lame, I know. If I find out it doesn't mean 'Again' I'll change it to whatever does mean again.. So correct me if you know I'm wrong! Thank you!

. A R C . O N E .

The Blood Tears Chapter

C h a p t e r 0 0 2 : Haunted

The walk to school seemed to be perfectly normal. Along the way there were, of course, a couple incidents but nothing the friends thought very much of. Mikan and Nanaha played tricks on Kain every morning, all the way to school, while Ayu and Nina discussed what the younger two considered "big girl talk"; namely how they'd handle the groceries and whether or not they should invest in a bigger table, since the little four person one didn't work while when all five friends got together; they were too big for that little thing now.

"I was thinking we could join forces and rent out a bigger apartment somewhere." Ayu suggested cheerfully, "Maybe even a whole house. With the orphan money the city council gives you every month and my family's obsession with my well-being, then add our job cash and Kain's crazy rich parent, we could get a little place all to ourselves."

Nina 'mm'ed, trying to listen to both Ayu and the amusing chatter of the trick trio behind her... or rather, the two tricksters and the poor trick-victim. Nanaha had just tripped Kain with her feet while he chased her in a circle around Nina and Ayu.

But everything seemed really distant to her. She was having a hard time keeping her mind 'on earth'. Sounds seemed beyond her and images were bright and blurry, hard to focus on...

"Nina...? Nina!"

Her friend's voice pierced the barrier just as Kain ran into her, pushing her to the ground. As she fell, Nina saw something out of the corner of her eye.

Her heart raced and she screamed.

"Nina?"

"Nina-oneechan?"

"Nina-mama?"

"Ow..."

Kain was pushed off the fallen girl by her fellow females, all three of them worried by the sound of terror in her scream. Not the terror of falling, but the terror of something else.

"Nina, are you ok?" Ayu asked, her presence being much more commanding than the two younger girls, enough so that they went silent to let their older friend check on the brunette. Nina moaned and rubbed her head, her heart still racing but calm coming back as her senses 'came back' to her. The figure she could have sworn she'd seen had vanished.

The girl breathed a sigh of relief and smiled.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry, Kain..."

He shook his head and got up, grinning. "Naw. Don't be. A little fall never hurt anyone."

"Y-Yeah." Nina nodded and also got up, but not without the help of the younger girls that treasured her so much. She smiled down kindly at them and pet each of their heads. "I'm fine, you two. Stop worrying. Kain just startled me. So get beat him up."

"What?!" Kain exclaimed, backing away as Nanaha and Mikan ran over to tackle him. Pretty soon had fallen back into chaos, as if nothing had ever happened. But, even though Nina was laughing and smiling, joining the chase after Kain, Ayu couldn't help but worry. Something was wrong and only Ayu seemed to realize it.

Class passed by slowly. Kain knew it wasn't because Ciel-sensei was a bad teacher, nor was it because the lessons were 'easy', because they sure as heck weren't, but it didn't change the fact he was bored. Then again, time did tend to pass by slowly when you were anxiously waiting for something.

Like after school clubs, for example.

"Ne. Kain." Nanaha whined, pulling her chair and desk over to his. Even though she was several years younger than him, Nanaha was in the same class as Kain. Every child in Hinamizawa attended school together since there weren't many kids. The town was mainly filled with old people who wanted to go back to the 'old good way of living'.

"Hmm? What's up, Nanaha?" Kain asked, looking down at her. The little girl giggled.

"I know you've only been here a year, so you probably don't know, but the Watanagashi festival is coming up." She explained happily, her voice practically dripping with over excitement, "Will you go with me?"

Kain blinked. That was a dumb question. Of course he would. "Sure...?"

"HOLD IT!" The random outburst caught everyone off guard and they all turned to Ayu. She'd gotten out of her desk and was pointing accusingly at Kain.

Everyone went back to work, but Kain and Nanaha. The 'Games Club' was known for being a bit crazy, even in class. Ciel-sensei didn't mind much anyway.

"What?" Kain started to ask, but he was cut off when Nanaha leaned forward and hugged him protectively. "Too late, Ayun, you lose" The little girl teased.

"I do not lose! This game was unfair!" The older girl argued, "No rules or anything! You rigged it somehow just know it!"

"I did not." Nanaha snapped back, "I'm just cuter than you are."

Kain was left to be confused while they fought, the war soon joined by Mikan. The only comfort came from Nina, who always sat next to him and was very observant. She giggled and reached out to pat his head.

"There there, Kain. They were just competing to ask you out on a date." She explained, as if it were no big deal. Kain turned bright red.

Had this just turned into a harem story? Three cute girls all asking the same guy for a date?

Of course, Nina skillfully killed that fantasy when she added, "They were bored and wanted to find out which of them was cutest. You were just the nearest pervert."

He let his head drop to the desk and sulked. "Is that all you guys think of me? That I'm a pervert?"

"Mikan used to think you were a serial killer." Nina said cheerfully, her response receiving a moan from a very unhappy Kain.

"Geez. You guys are always picking on me. What else do you think of me?" He asked, though it was obvious he was teasing and giving Nina an opening to say something even more cruel

But she didn't respond.

Kain waited a second or two longer, then lifted his head to look at his friend. "Hey, Nina? Nina?"

She still did not reply. Nina was staring in horror at something across the classroom, beginning to shake and go pale. When Kain looked in the direction he saw nothing.

"Nina? What's wrong?"

"NOOO! GET BACK!" She shrieked, trying to push herself out of her chair. The quick motion resulted in her pushing Kain out of his desk as well as her falling onto her back. The frightened teen was quick to scramble to her feet again, though, and look back at the corner she seemed to fear.

"Ah! Nina! Nina, what's your problem?!" Kain demanded. Still, she did not seem too concerned with him, just whatever she was staring at.

By this time, the entire class had turned their focus to her. Realizing something was wrong, Ayu dropped her current fight and rushed to her friend's side.

Nina screamed when Ayu got close.

"NO! NO! Stay away! STAY AWAY! It's a lie!" She yelled, waving her arms around as if to push something away from her. But nothing was there. Her panic increased when she realized her efforts to 'protect' herself were failing and she covered her head and ears, dropping to the floor and curling up.

"Stay back... Stop saying that..! SHUT UP! You're lying!"

"Nina!" Ayu exclaimed, falling to her knees and wrapping her arms around her trembling friend. Nina sobbed and hugged Ayu tightly.

"Ayu..! Ayu! Make it stop!" She sobbed. Ayu 'sshed' making, an attempt to sooth her friend when she pet her head.

"It's ok. Calm down."

"Nina-mama?" Nanaha squeaked, coming to join the two, "Nina-mama, what's wrong?"

"Oneechan! Oneechan!" Mikan echoed, running over to hug Nina. Since all the girls were hugging, Kain decided it was his lucky day and tried to join in, but Mikan boxed him out.

When Nina's panic fit had been reduced to little sobs, the class's teacher hurried over and talked to Ayu, who was holding a pretty-much-asleep Nina in her arms. They spoke in hushed whispers, so Kain couldn't quite understand what they were saying, but judging by the looks on their faces, he knew it wasn't good.

The class left their chairs to join the comforting and Nina began drifting off to sleep, but every once and a while, she'd glance to be sure whatever had been haunting her was not there.

It was a liar and she didn't want it saying bad things about her friends anymore.