Chapter 4: A Chance

"No more! That is it! What is wrong with these people?" Megumi's only real friend, Kaori Tanaka, to her, was nothing more than a pity friend. Just moments earlier, Kaori brought up gossip about three deaths in the same area of Sotoba, at the same time, which irritated Megumi, as it wasn't anything absolutely new. She completely lost her temper when Kaori's little brother, Akira brought up that they made the paper.

Megumi was running to no place in particular, until she turned her head to see a certain, violet-haired boy waiting for the bus, while staring off towards the City.
"Yuuki..."

Natsuno stood by the bus stop, it would be a while before the bus came. It was very hot today, not the nice hot weather people travelled abroad to sunbathe in. Sotoba always had hot humid weather, it was stuffy and made it hard to breathe. He stood there staring at the scenery, listening to the cicada. Down the highway, behind the mountain was the city. Natsuno would occasionally have dreams about running down this same highway, he could see the tall buildings in the horizon but no matter how far he ran he could never reach that place.

"Good morning, Yuuki."

It was her again, Megumi who always said the same thing every morning on a school day. As usual Natsuno ignored Megumi, he knew exactly what she was going to say next.

"Staring off towards the city, huh? Are you feeling homesick?"

"Not her again."

Natsuno could see her shadow on the road, she was leaning towards him waiting for a response but still he ignored her hoping that she would get the message this time.

"I guess you're still ignoring me, who can blame you. I mean, why talk to someone that you hate, right?"

There it was again, Megumi trying to make him feel guilty. It was as if Natsuno was wrong for hating her, but who can blame him. Megumi never left him alone. Megumi fully knew that Natsuno was aware of her stalking him, she just pretended she didn't. He had spotted her watching him in the bushes and she would quickly hide believing that he couldn't see her.

There was a pause, before Megumi said something again.

So no sign of the bus, yet?"

Megumi was still trying to get him to talk, but eventually she stayed quiet. Just when Natsuno thought she had finished she spoke again but this time more quietly.

"I can't wait to leave this village."

This surprised him, as Megumi had never said this before, and there was a slight sad tone in her voice as if she was sick and tired of something. Natsuno turned to look to see if she was upset. Megumi turned her eyes on him, she gasped then immediately smiled at him. Natsuno quickly turned his head back.

For some reason, this caused Natsuno to remember something that Connor said.

"You can't ignore your problems, nor can you run from them. You have to face them. That's the only way to get them to go away."

He was right, and Natsuno decided to do something he never did before...

"I don't necessarily hate you Shimizu." Guess it's too late to turn back now!

Megumi instantly lit up, "Oh my god, Yuuki just spoke to me!" she was unsure of what to say.

"I'm just not here to make friends." I'm gonna be leaving here anyway, no need to make it harder.

"Can I ask you something?" Megumi asked shyly.

"What?" Natsuno replied.

"What was the city like?"

This Chapter focuses on the improving relationship between Natsuno and Megumi(The two primary Protagonists), and is an example of how much Connor will effect the story.

For those who were expecting a description on the city, come up with your own.