Several hours later:
"Kaori. Did you see Megumi today?" Kaori's mother received a phone call from Megumi's parents.
"I met her in front of the gate when I took Love out for a walk." She responded, not wanting to bring up their argument. "Her mother said she hasn't come home." Kaori was surprised—even though Megumi hated the village, she always returned home—"What? Megumi is missing?" Akira couldn't help but blurt out. "Don't be stupid! She's just a little late!"
"But, look at the time!"
Word of Megumi's disappearance spread quickly(as rumors in small villages do), even Old man Ookawa heard, and he took nothing lightly. "What was that!?" He was yelling into the phone, "Shimizu's daughter went missing in the direction of the mountain!?"
"Atushi, let's get going!" He yelled for his son.
"Do I have to go too?" He was in his 30s and was still scared of his father. "Isn't Shimizu the one from lower Sotoba? Shouldn't we leave this to lower Sotoba's fire department..." his father punched him in the face(Not the first time, and certainly wouldn't be the last), "Let's go on a mountain hunt!"
Everyone was searching the area for any sign of Megumi. No luck. Even Natsuno noticed that she didn't call him to check on him like she normally did for the past three days. He walked out of his room to find his father about to leave. "What's going on?" he asked. His father responded, "Shimizu's daughter went missing!" Natsuno became concerned when he said this, Is that why she hasn't called today? he wondered to himself. He knew her well enough to consider her a friend, and as her friend, he had to search as well, so he grabbed a flashlight and went with his father. "Need an extra set of eyes?"
Past midnight:
"I found her!" Natsuno yelled out to the others. Megumi was laying unconsciously on the ground, her neck had what appeared to be two insect bites.