***"Someone is Always Watching You"***
Those same three biker thugs from last month found out where I worked. They came to harass me a week or so after meeting that new boy. Speak of the devil, Keiichi appeared just when I got off work. The brave but foolish boy tried to defend me and almost ended up getting beaten to a pulp by the bikers.
Finally, though, a small crowd of witnesses—Hinamizawa's helpful citizens—gathered around. The biker thugs got spooked and hurried away. Keiichi said he came to return the bento box and thank me for the lunch I made. Since I had made no such lunch, I assumed Mion must have done it.
Oh, I thought, so that's it. The few times I had met Keiichi, he either flirted stupidly or acted flustered and shy. I figured he must like me. When he mentioned Mion's lunch, I realized that it probably wasn't me that Keiichi really liked. I was sure he fancied my sister. And after all, if he insisted on believing I was Mion, I should make him like "Mion" more. I decided to flirt because I had a twisted sense of humor and enjoyed teasing Mion. Of course, I wasn't being serious at all. I would never dream of trying to steal Keiichi from Mion. I had long since lost interest in boys. Satoshi would remain my only love.
The two of us were walking down Hinamizawa's Main Street, where the market and many small shops gave way to a few bakeries and specialty cooking stores.
"It kind of feels like we're on a date," I said sweetly, hugging Keiichi's arm to my chest.
The boy didn't seem displeased, but he stopped walking, hesitating and stammering.
"You know," I told him with a (falsely) innocent smile, "I think I understand why my sister likes you so much. What's wrong? Can't I have a little crush on you too?"
Keiichi blushed. "Uh, look, Mion," he managed at last. "You're right; you should never judge a person by how they look. And I now understand that you have a girly side too, and it's really cute. So there's no need to pretend to be this twin sister that you made up."
At that moment, as planned, we passed in front of the bakery. That was the place my sister had started working at recently. Mion stood outside, waving goodbye to a couple of customers, when she saw me arm-in-arm with Keiichi. The unfortunate boy lost his cool entirely, pointing, staring, and saying he couldn't believe we were really twins. Mion glared daggers at me, and I silently laughed to myself. That was how Keiichi discovered my identity.
During that short month of June 1983, I frequently met with Mion, Keiichi, Rika Furude, Satoko Hojo, and Rena Ryuugu. We all enjoyed ourselves. Mion jealously guarded Keiichi from my insincere attempts to attract him. However, as Watanagashi drew close, I happened upon a few odd, alarming experiences. One day it happened when Mion and I were arguing over Keiichi. Tired of teasing, I gave up, and prepared to bike home on my own. When Keiichi said goodbye, he patted my head again, and looked for all the world like a darker version of Satoshi.
Not wanting to dwell on those memories, I hurried away. Leaving Mion and Keiichi in the forested park, I ran until I met with one of the familiar dirt roads of Hinamizawa. As I sped along, I heard the sound of someone stepping onto the road several paces behind me. Turning and looking, I saw nobody at all. However, I distinctly felt the presence of another person. The breeze picked up and made the low-hanging roadside branches shake and hiss. I stood there, knowing something was watching me.
All I could think of was Satoshi. It had to be his spirit watching me. Overall, my worldview tended to be atheistic, but I kept my culture's traditional view that the spirits of the dead persisted in some form, in some world, after death. It was respectful and proper to pray to the deceased, at least on some occasions. Popular culture, of course, did not widely believe in ghosts, but to me it made sense that sometimes the spirit of a friend or family member might appear to some people. Even if it was a baseless delusion, though, I would have believed it. Satoshi's spirit was following me.
Thinking of the golden-haired boy brought tears to my eyes. I suddenly felt guilty for flirting with Keiichi.
"I'm sorry, Satoshi-kun," I thought, fighting back tears. "I'm sorry! I promise I haven't forgotten about you! I still remember everything. My life without you is lonely and colorless. It's worthless without you." I suddenly recalled Keiichi smiling and patting my head. "No," I prayed, shaking my head, "that boy isn't warm like you! I don't like him at all! He's an insensitive jerk and I hate him. Satoshi-kun. Oh, Satoshi-kun! Where are you? Where did you go? Are you really dead? Even if you are…" A faint, weak smile crossed my face. "Satoshi, you're with me now, watching me."
I suddenly realized that I was weeping fit for a funeral. My body leaned against a streetlight pole, and my hands covered my face. Quickly, I tried to regain composure.
***Watanagashi 1983***
On June 19th, Hinamizawa celebrated Watanagashi once again. This time, I thought attending the festival might actually be diverting. I had learned some interesting facts from Miss Takano and her research; attending the festival could lead to yet more discoveries. For an example, the tradition of tearing cotton to float in the stream only started eighty to a hundred years ago. Before that, Watanagashi celebrated the gutting and eating of a human sacrifice. They would wash the innards in the stream and let the inedible parts float away.
The most surprising thing about this horrid history is that it happened until relatively recently. It made me wonder how many of Hinamizawa's old, violent traditions were still celebrated. The tools in my family's torture shrine hadn't looked rusted to me, and the denailing device was still used. In the back of my mind, I was still playing detective. I wanted to find out anything I could about the deaths and the disappearances that happened on Watanagashi for the last four years. I might find a clue about something at the festival. I might hear some actual solid evidence against the Sonozaki or Kimiyoshi families.
That evening, I was supposed to meet up with the others in front of the Furude Shrine. Although things started out awkwardly, I had come to be friends with Shion's classmates: Rena, Rika, Satoko, and Keiichi. They all acknowledged me as a different from Mion but neither inferior nor superior to her. In contrast with my dark reasons for attending the festival, I also just wanted to see my friends. This year, ten-year-old Rika would give her first performance as the Furude Miko, or Shrine Maiden. I wanted to sincerely congratulate her and encourage her to think differently than the other two Chief Families.
Lost in thought, and hurrying to see my friends, I accidentally bumped into someone. I ran straight into the tough body of a notably tall, buff man. My face hit his elbow and I drew back. I apologized for my carelessness and looked down, trying to ignore the soreness of my face.
"Oh! Shion-chan!"
That voice sounded familiar. I looked up and saw Miyo Takano standing next to the large man. She looked as eccentric as ever. She carried a hefty purse that she couldn't possibly just need for a night out. Her blond hair looked slightly raggedy and her chestnut eyes still looked zoned out. The researcher wore a pale lilac polo, olive green jacket, and long, black pants.
I started to greet Takano, when the well-built man beside her stepped forward to shake my hand. In contrast to the burly body, this fellow's face was kind, smiling, and almost inane. He wore glasses and his hands were too strong-yet-soft to make him any kind of manual laborer.
"I believe this is the first time we've met," he said politely. "My name is Tomitake. You're Mion's twin sister, right? I've heard all about you."
"You must be that famous photographer," I said kindly, shaking his hand. Mion had mentioned him.
"You might have the wrong idea," the burly photographer said humbly. "My works aren't popular at all."
"You haven't shown up at the library in a long time," Takano addressed me suddenly. "I wanted to collaborate with you, someone who might help with my research."
She sounded disappointed. To be honest, she annoyed me. She was practically demanding for me to help her with research, without having any idea of my personal life. I had a reason for not going to the library. The more I played detective, uncovering the dark history of the village, the more I began to suspect the Three Great Families of crimes. If Oryo or even old man Kimiyoshi knew that I seriously suspected them, I might be killed. To them, it would only be a matter of finishing what they started: killing the twin who wasn't the heir. Still, I politely told Takano that I might head to the library next time I felt up to it.
"I should go," I told my two acquaintances. "I heard the drum in the Shrine. That means it's almost time for little Rika's dance. You're going to watch it too, aren't you?"
Takano exchanged a nervous look with Tomitake, and then spoke. "Actually… we're going to explore the ritual tool shed."
She meant the small Shrine now used as the Furude storehouse. Despite the fact that it wasn't currently used for worship, the shed was rumored to enshrine a statue of Oyashiro. Since the little building contained such a religiously valuable item, nobody was allowed to see the inside. However, the ritual tool shed was not privately owned by the Furude family, so they would be hard-pressed to sue for trespassing. I had already tried to enter once but everything was locked. I told Tomitake and Takano that the old place was padlocked.
"Ah," said Takano, dreamily looking over at Tomitake, "but you see, Mr. Jirou here is a very capable and surprising man. …Come along with us if you feel like it. This might be your only chance."
With those mysterious words, Takano turned her back and walked away, with Tomitake following faithfully. It took me a moment to realize what that eccentric researcher meant… but it had to be lock-picking. Jirou Tomitake must be able to pick into a lock. Those two idiots truly intended to trespass. Should I stop them? If they messed anything up, the village leaders would know. They might even try to punish or eliminate the young couple.
I decided I wasn't going to let that happen. Instead, I would accompany Tomitake and Takano to the ritual tool shed. If I watched them, and made certain they didn't break or steal anything, nobody could complain. There was a plus for me as well: I might be able to find out something about how Satoshi was killed. The religion and folklore of Oyashiro definitely had connections with the doings of the Three Great Families. For once, I could play detective again and look for clues.
But, to go alone… I was scared. It wasn't just that I was a coward, though. I wanted to bring along a trusted companion who could remain coolheaded and would know how to play along with me if we were caught. I missed Satoshi desperately. He would have never ratted me out like I was afraid Mion might. Even Satoko or Rena might tell Mion about it. There had to be a way to ensure our safety, even in the event that the savage Sonozakis discovered our trespassing. Of course—the only way was to appeal to Mion. Mion was the Sonozaki heir, and she also happened to be in love with Keiichi. So, Keiichi, then. All I had to do was use Keiichi. All I had to do was bring him with me.
***Breaking In***
I hurried through the crowds of people. All were on their way through the torii and up the three terraces to the platform in front of the Furude Shrine's haiden. There, Rika would perform. I found Keiichi near the back of the crowd, jumping up and down trying to see the start of the performance. I took his hand and urged him to come along. He protested, so I quickly lied about going to somewhere with a better view. I thought Keiichi would get the picture and sneak along with me once he realized that we were heading away from the main Shrine area. However, Keiichi was a bit dense. When we had walked through the woods at a quick pace for five whole minutes, he finally hesitated.
"What's this place that has a better view of Rika's dance?" he asked, smiling naively.
"You took that seriously?"
"Then why did you lead me all the way out here?"
"Just come on," I told him. "We're almost there."
A minute or two later, Keiichi and I emerged from the woods. We entered the small clearing around the tiny, unused shrine. Takano and Tomitake were already there. The latter was picking apart the lock while the former stood guard. I startled them by calling out to them, but when we got close, Takano smiled. It looked like she had been eagerly expecting us.
"Are two out on a date?" Tomitake asked laughingly.
"No! This isn't a date!" Keiichi spat back at him.
I pretended to be stern like Mion. "What about you, Mr. Tomitake? Why are you two out so late? It looked to me like you were picking the lock."
"Well, there's no helping it now," Tomitake chuckled, fidgeting with his tools. "You both got me. Miss Takano and I are trying to break into the shed. It's not on Furude property, but still. Probably best if nobody knows about this."
If they had already gone this far, I thought, then nothing I said could stop them. Even still, I didn't want to see the people around me walk into danger without knowing or caring. My three companions were ignorant of the threat of the Three Great Families. Even though the Furude family was kinder than the other two, a Furude might also stoop to crime if they believed the Family had been insulted. My companions, unlike me, were not driven by purpose to find out the village's dark secrets. It made sense for me to break in, looking for clues about Satoshi, but surely it would only be seen as disrespect if the others entered so unknowingly. While I intended to protect these three—with Keiichi acting as insurance—there was still a chance something could go wrong. In case of such an event, all people present should be warned. I had done my research on this shed. It was time to tell everyone.
"You know, I heard that's where they keep the tools for their rituals," I said seriously. "Rituals in Hinamizawa used to be very brutal. So, listen. No one is allowed inside this shrine except the Furude family—and maybe a small, select group of people." All those who plan the mysterious deaths, I thought. "Anyway, unless you're a Furude family member or someone very close to them, it's believed that you will bring impurities into the shrine."
Keiichi caught on for once. "If that's the case," he said, "then we should definitely not go in there."
The adults did not pay any attention to the warning. Tomitake finished opening the lock and Takano chuckled. They opened the double doors of the old shrine. Just as Takano lit up her lantern, I decided. Let them see. We were already here, so we might as well all participate. Let Tomitake and Takano see the shrine—nothing would stop them anyway. And let me see it—I had some important clues for which to search. And let Keiichi see, too. Didn't he deserve to know what was going on? Didn't he deserve to know why I dragged him out here? Wasn't it wrong to keep a friend ignorant of the danger? Plus, I suddenly realized that nobody would continue my investigations if the Sonozaki family ever eliminated me. What if Keiichi were to learn about them? Could he carry on if I failed? He wouldn't know where to start, though, if I didn't show him something extreme.
"You must be curious," I urged Keiichi. "Let's go inside, too."
"Wouldn't that be disrespectful?" Keiichi asked concernedly.
"Well," I told him honestly, "since I'm a Sonozaki family member, I already have a pretty good idea of what's being kept in here. It's nothing holy. Trust me. Besides, it's something I really want you to see."
Tomitake called over to us while taking a seat in front of the doors. He said he was going to keep lookout while Takano went and looked for her research. Both of them invited us once again. Keiichi finally gave in, begrudging telling us "fine, whatever" and "I'm leaving if it's boring." Thus, Takano, Keiichi, and I entered the ritual tools shed. Tomitake closed the doors behind us. It took a moment before my eyes adjusted to the dim lighting produced by Takano's lantern.
