The next day, I had joined with Yu-san at his request for lunch. We sat together on the rooftop of the school, and gratefully, I who had not brought my own lunch again began to politely devour the California roll he claimed to have prepared the night before. There was more than enough for the two of us, and as soon as the sticky rice and crab meat touched my tongue, I experienced a restaurant-like sensation of flavor which I had not expected from someone his age. I briefly wondered if he had really made this himself, but I had no reason to doubt my Leader's honesty.

"This is quite tasty!" I observed, "I'm amazed you can cook so well, Yu-senpai…" In fact, I felt slightly jealous of his skill. I wished that I could cook like he did. "I'm a stranger to cooking... B-but perhaps I should learn to…"

"Eat up," he said kindly, "I made it for you."

"Really…?" I blushed slightly. "Well, that's very sweet of you. Y-you didn't have to, though…"

"It's my responsibility to take care of my teammates," he insisted, grinning softly. "Speaking of which… I heard about what happened yesterday." he looked at me sternly.

I tensed up in shame. "Oh," I stuttered, "So you did…"

"I know you want to better yourself for the team," he scolded, "But there's no reason for you to do it alone. We are all striving to find our own strength, and none of us could conquer that world on our own. We don't enter the TV under any circumstances, unless we do it together."

I reluctantly nodded. "I apologize for the trouble I have caused…"

"It's okay," he said, "Just be careful not to do something like that again."

"Of course," I said, taking another bite of sushi.

"And don't feel like you're any less than any of us," he added, "You're very important."

The words made me feel a small bit hopeful. I looked up at him shyly. "Really…?"

He nodded once. "To all of us."

Right, I thought, but was I really needed, or did I just serve as someone to put their thoughts into words…? Seeing nothing that I could do about the feeling, I simply nodded. "Right…"

The next day was November 3rd, and we had the day off from school due to a holiday. I decided to spend part of my day reading my new copy of "The Night Bells of Koroshi" which I had bought alongside Yu-san. Sitting at my desk and listening to the calming sound of rain beating down on the window, I read in my mind over the liquid-like poetic words I had grown to adore as a child:

"When the night was cool and silent like the soft air through an eagle's feathers, Detective Haruka gazed out expectantly over the inked horizon, as a cougar would its vulnerable prey. Then, as he had been awaiting, silently at first and then ascending in a crescendo throughout the deepest reaches of the city, he heard the Night Bells in their full glory as they sung their requiem once again. At this haunted chime, the detective gripped in his palm the golden cross he wore chained around his neck. He knew in his heart that some unfortunate soul had been claimed at their call…"

"I hope I'm not intruding, Naoto-kun," I heard my grandfather's voice from the hallway.

I almost jumped. I hadn't noticed that I'd been reading the book aloud. "No, it's quite alright," I said, "Is there something you wanted to tell me?"

"Well," Grampa said, entering my room, "It's more of something I wanted to ask you."

I nodded slowly. "Okay…"

"Naoto-kun," Grampa said, "You know that I would never judge you for any of the decisions you make, correct?"

I nodded slowly again, finding it hard to understand what he was getting at.

"Well," he continued, "There's no sense in skittering around the situation, right? So… I suppose I shall ask you straight out. Naoto… Have you been getting involved with that case again?"

Sweat began to bead on the back of my neck. Looking him in the eye, I supposed that it was not a wise thing to lie to a detective, especially a detective of my grandfather's experience and skill. Still, it would also not have been wise to tell him of my situation. If I was kept under surveillance, I would not be able to be of any help to the team. More importantly, the others could have been found out, as well. Then, there would be no one left to prevent the murders.

So, my solution was to lie, and to lie as well as I could to my own grandfather's face. It hurt me to lie, especially to my guardian, who trusted me so well. However, I did not have much of a choice. I tried my best to relax my heart rate, and glanced away from him a few times as if thinking about his words. A bad liar would have either refused to make eye contact or refused to break eye contact. Being careful to control my body language and remain calm, I told him "No, Grampa."

He eyed me carefully, studying my facial expression. "Don't ever lie to a detective."

I felt sweat begin to bead on the back of my neck, but thankfully, it did not appear on my forehead. "I'm not lying," I insisted, "I was taken off the case, remember? ...Why do you think that?"

He grunted, squinting suspiciously at me. "No reason in particular." he sighed heavily, rubbing his head. "Nevermind. With all this work lately I'm just getting a bit paranoid is all. I apologize."

"You should rest," I suggested as relief washed over me. "It was awfully nice of the police to give you the holiday off."

"Perhaps I should." My grandfather stood up. "Just… Don't go getting involved in things you have no business in, okay?"

I nodded. "I won't."

The rain had ceased by the time it got dark. However, it had started up again by the time I woke up the next morning. I was walking to school through the falling rain under my umbrella when I heard Yu's voice speak out my name from behind me.

"Oh," I said, acknowledging him. "Yes, Senpai?"

"It's going to be raining through the night tonight," Yu told me, "You should watch the Midnight Channel. I've already told Yosuke and Chie, and they're going to tell the others, too."

I nodded, feeling my heart thud with strong excitement. Finally, I was going to see this Midnight Channel with my own eyes. "Very well. I'll do as you ask, Senpai."

He nodded back to me. "Great. So… Have you started on that book you bought last week?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "Yes. I've read a good portion of it so far. I finally made it back to the part where I left off as a child. I'm excited to see if any of my theories will prove accurate."

"It sounds like you've been enjoying yourself with that," Yu-senpai grinned.

I nodded vigorously. "I have been."

We talked about books for the rest of the way until we reached the school. Classes seemed to feel longer than usual for some reason. Perhaps it was either due to my nervousness about seeing the Midnight Channel, or because I had started my day off with an exciting conversation regarding one of my favorite novels, and I longed to get home and finish it. I was so deep in thought the entire day that I barely noticed my name being spoken once the dismissal bell rang.

"Naoto-kun!"

"Huh…?" I turned to see Jin staring expectantly at me with a smile on her face. "Oh, Jin-san…"

"Hey, do you want to go hang out somewhere sometime, Naoto-kun?" she asked me in a rapid and upbeat tone.

"Uh?" I didn't know how to react at first, or what to say. I didn't exactly welcome the idea of going out with Jin, but I also did not want to disappoint her or be rude. "Yeah, um… Maybe at some point in the future. I have been rather busy as of late, though…"

"That's alright!" Jin cheerfully responded. "As long as we get to at some point!"

I nodded uneasily.

"Yay!" Jin cheered, "Well, I'll see you later, Naoto!" With that, she skittered off. For some reason I noticed that her face bore a slight tint of red to was she up to?

That evening, I sat in my room for a long while continuing to read "The Night Bells of Koroshi" as I drowsily awaited midnight. The TV in my room, which I was sitting in front of, was showing the news, which I had been watching earlier, but now used simply as background noise while I read.

"Environmentalists are growing concerned with the amount of fog we have been experiencing in the area lately, and are currently investigating whether it could have any negative effect on the population. The rate of car accidents has slightly increased as of late, which may have been caused by drivers' inability to see through the fog. Other than this, town officials believe that the fog should have no negative effect on the population. The local Environmental Concern Society has stepped up to the issue of the fog lately, and one member of the society, Mr. Kozai, has specifically been dealing with the anxiety surrounding the issue. He recently visited an elementary school located here in Inaba, asking the students about any difficulties they may have been facing due to the fog. He spoke in particular of one student, stating: 'In this day and age, one must stay aware of even slight changes in the environment and react politically. Today, I talked with a young student who spoke her own mind, free from the influence of those around her. It was an attitude and an example that we as adults can learn from. Our primary concern should always be to protect these children's futures.' Shortly after visiting the Inaba school, Mr. Kozai returned to Okina City and has also stated that he will be writing an article which is to be run in tomorrow's paper…"

I switched off the TV when I saw that it was almost midnight. Hardly noticing that I had drawn in my legs so that I was curled in a ball on my desk chair, I anxiously gnawed on my thumbnail as my eyes hastily scanned the last few pages. When I finally finished the last few words, I smirked in pride. One of my theories about the book had in fact been correct all of this time. I snapped the book shut, reading over the title once more, when suddenly a golden glow lit up in front of me. I kept staring at the book as the soft sound of static filled the room, mixing with the drumming of the pouring rain against my window. Slowly and cautiously, I let my head rise until my wide eyes fell upon the screen of my TV. The alarm on my watch beeped quietly. It was midnight.

What showed on the screen was simply too blurred for me to make out any particular traits. However, I could see that there was in fact a dark silhouette of a figure standing in the center of the screen, unmoving. I leaned toward the TV and squinted my eyes, but I could still not make anything out about this person. Then, it seemed that as soon as the image had appeared, it disappeared right in front of my eyes, as if the TV had just turned off.

I noticed when the static ceased that my heart was beating rapidly in my chest. Never in my life, before this case, at least, would I have believed that a phenomenon such as this would occur. Even if it were caused by a rogue video signal, it would have only been seen if the TV was powered on. This one, however, was most definitely off, as were the others that had experienced this Midnight Channel, as far as I had heard from the rumor. This was in no way scientifically possible, and it made me even more curious and frustrated to see this phenomenon take place first-hand. Officially, it seemed, nothing could be explained by a matter of scientific reasoning any longer. I had to accept that I had found myself in a scenario that was strictly supernatural.

I jumped when my phone suddenly began to ring. Hastily trying to retain my composure, I answered it and held it up to my ear. "Yes, Detective Naoto Shirogane speaking."

"Hello? Naoto? It's me, Chie!"

"Ahh, Chie-san. I'm glad you called. I just witnessed the Midnight Channel for myself."

"That's what I was calling about!" Chie-san said excitedly. "I saw it, too! It was really blurry, right!? I couldn't tell who it was, though…"

"Neither could I," I said, "Though the experience was quite remarkable. I'm very intrigued by this phenomenon."

"We all are," Chie added. "Ugh… This means someone else is gonna get thrown in though, doesn't it…?" she growled. "Jeez… Knowing that makes my stomach hurt…"

"Mine, too," I agreed. "Nonetheless, I think we should meet up to discuss this tomorrow."

"Yeah," Chie-san said, "We should. Get some sleep, then. We should all be as alert as we can be tomorrow."

"Yes," I said, "I will see you in the morning."

The phone hung up. I stared at the TV screen once again, sighing heavily. "The murders, the TV world, the Shadows, the Personas, and the Midnight Channel… What's going on…?" Even more importantly… How were we going to protect someone when we didn't know who they were… Let alone what they even looked like?

The next day, school seemed to be only a bother to me as I anxiously watched the clock, shaking my leg and chewing the end of my pencil all the while. When class was finally dismissed, I met up with Rise-san and walked with her to the Junes food court, where the others were already waiting to begin our discussion. Yosuke-san had bought us all drinks, and after a quick swig of soda to wet my throat, I looked at Yu-san with a hardened face and began the meeting.

"I watched the Midnight Channel last night, as you suggested," I told him. "To think a master of decuction and evidence would strain her eyes over an urban legend like this… And yet… I definitely saw someone."

"Could any of you tell who it was?" asked Yosuke-san.

"From a fuzzy picture like that?" Kanji-kun said, "No way."

"How about the regular TV?" Yukiko-san asked, "Has anyone become famous around here lately?"

"I can't think of any offhand…" I shook my head. Then, I remembered the news report that had aired the night before. It seemed that the man mentioned could have been a potential victim… However, if the murders all took place in Inaba, it would no longer be possible for him to be targeted. "I suppose there was that politician who visited to quell the rumors about the fog. His statement was read on TV… But the chances of him being the one are slim. He returned immediately to the city after his inquiry."

"Hrmmm…" Teddie seemed as if he couldn't focus.

"Hm?" Yosuke said, "What's the matter? Oh yeah, they stuck you with the midnight shift for falling asleep on the beds in housewares. I told you to use the TV in the electronics department, right? Did you remember to check it out?"

"How rude!" Teddie barked, "I made a promise with Nanako-chan and I'm serious about living!" He thought to himself. "From what I saw… Wasn't the person on TV last night pretty small?"

"I dunno," Chie-san replied, "It was too blurry to make out any details, including how tall or short they were. It was probably just a dream or your imagination. Either way, though, did you sense anyone in that world?"

"Nope," Teddie said, "No one's come so far."

Rise-san sighed. "Then we might have to wait one more night and see…"

"Yeah," said Yosuke, "I guess so… Good thing it looks like the rain'll keep up all night. Don't forget to check again later on."

We all agreed before disbanding.

"Good afternoon, Grampa. Good afternoon, Yakushiji-san."

They seemed to eye each other as I entered the front door when I returned. "Good afternoon, Naoto," my grandfather grumbled, taking a sip from the mug of coffee he held.

"Hello, Naoto-sama," Yakushiji said quietly, looking back to his computer screen. It seemed as if something was off. I wrinkled my nose after taking off my shoes, and stormed across the kitchen to the parlor. "Oh, is there something wrong?"

"Hmm?" my grandfather said, "What do you mean?"

"I just assumed that perhaps you were talking about me," I snarled, "Judging by the way you greeted me."

"...Huh?" Yakushiji-san looked up at me.

"Excuse me, young lady?" My grandfather was practically laughing. "When did you get so tough? If you wish to know, we were simply talking about an ATM robbery I was assigned to this morning." He stared straight into my eyes, not looking away and not moving his head. He then quickly lifted the mug to his mouth and took another hasty sip of coffee.

I squinted into his eyes, which were the same blue-grey as my own. I could feel his uneasiness. I could feel that he had been caught off-guard. I could feel it as if it filled the room, and like I could cut through it with a knife. Gritting my teeth, I looked straight at him and said in a low tone, "Don't ever lie to a detective."

He furrowed his brow. Yakushiji-san stood up and scolded me. "Naoto-sama… Listen to your elders."

"Listen to your elders," I mocked, "You don't suppose that I'm already told that quite frequently?" I sighed. "That aside, I'll be in my room." I turned and made my way up the stairs. The two men seemed shocked by my actions. I didn't care, though. I simply retreated to my room without so much as a glance back.

I spent the rest of that night watching multiple news reports, desperate to find the possible victim that had been shown on the Midnight Channel. Sure enough, it seemed that the only local reports that were airing lately were either about the ATM burglary that my grandfather had been assigned to investigate or about the politician who had visited Inaba. I began to grow frustrated and stared at the TV, hoping for some small hint.

"Mr. Kozai stated in a news article today that the Environmental Concern Society will be keeping a close eye on the fog's effect on the public, especially the effect on the children of the local area. He says that he has discovered a newfound care for the children of Inaba, and claims that he was inspired mainly by one child in particular who displayed exceptional qualities which he admired."

I switched off the TV in frustration. "Augh! Come on! I don't understand this at all. He's the only one being spotlighted on TV, and no one else seems to be gaining any popularity lately in the media." I slammed a fist down on my desk. "What am I missing…?"

I read once more through the newspaper that I had purchased earlier today. Other than financial issues with the town, as well as the ongoing problem with the local shops being driven out of business by Junes, the only thing being currently highlighted in the news was the article written by the politician. I gripped the newspaper in frustration and ran my fingers through my hair, retracing all of the factors of the case in my head and beginning to doubt myself as a detective.

"Why can't I find anything?" I asked myself, "I'm a Shirogane… I should be able to find at least SOMETHING that would help me identify a victim… Ugh… This doesn't make any sense!" I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the still broken mirror beside my desk, and stared pleadingly into my own eyes. "Am I slipping…?"

There had been times before where all seemed hopeless and the other detectives could not find any clues, and still, I had been able to sift out the smallest details that others had neglected to see. Why couldn't I do this now? Was I simply slipping in my ability? Could it have possibly been because being a detective was not my only purpose anymore, and that I had a new purpose with my friends? Were they distracting me from my prowess as a detective…?

I growled in anger, feeling hot tears well up behind my eyes. "Come on, Naoto… Someone is going to be kidnapped. You can do this… Find something. Anything. The evidence is all right there. There has to be something…" I read through the news article again.

"I am proud to state that the Environmental Concern Society will be keeping a close eye on the effects of the fog in the Inaba region. I would like especially to voice a special concern for the children of the area. I believe that we should all prioritize the health and safety of our children above all. After a visit to an elementary school in Inaba, I have discovered a newfound care for the innocence of our children. I admired one child in particular, who displayed exemplary qualities which we as adults could learn from. Her innocence and politeness was surely an inspiration to me, and could easily inspire all of us to awaken the child within ourselves. This is why our priority must always be for the lives of our children."

I read this article over and over again, hoping to pick anything out of it that may be relevant to the case. The children… It seemed as if he was very appreciative of this one child, and it made me curious as to who the child was. Then, I wondered if other viewers or readers could have been as curious about the child as I was.

That's when my eyes widened, and a revelation sparked in my brain. Teddie's words suddenly replayed themselves in my head. "Wasn't the person on TV last night pretty small?"

A child. The victim shown on the Midnight Channel was a child. I read the article again, and noticed something that my hasty mind had overlooked. "See page 3 for more details."

I hurriedly flipped to page 3. Sure enough, it was a page that I had seemed to skip over. And on that page, in the continuation of the article, was a picture of the child. My heart seemed to stop. The alarm on my watch began to beep, and the TV lit up once again. I turned slowly to see the picture that appeared on it. Unfortunately, my theory had been correct once again. This time, the picture was clear as day. The newspaper fell from my hands to the floor below.

Standing there on the screen, scared stiff with an expression that pleaded for help, was Nanako.

I burst out of my room and flew down the stairs, grabbing an umbrella from the coat rack near the door. "Grampa, Yakushiji-san, I'm going out for a minute. I'll be back shortly."

My grandfather made his way over from the living room. "What!? What are you talking about? It's midnight!"

"There's something I need to do," I stuttered, "I'm sorry, Grampa…"

"What could you possibly need to do…?" he said, and then his expression turned dark and angry. "You have been involved in that damn case, haven't you!? Despite my warning, you've been getting yourself involved. Haven't you!?"

I looked at him silently for a moment, realizing that it would be pointless to lie to him yet again. He knew the truth, and there was nothing I could do to hide it anymore. "Yes. I have been involved."

His face showed utter disappointment. "For how long?"

"I was never not involved with it," I said, "Ever since I was taken off the case, I've continued to investigate. But this can wait! I am urgently needed!" I slid open the door and attempted to dash out, but my grandfather suddenly caught hold of my hand.

"You're not going anywhere," he said. His usually gentle voice was not stern and angry. "I told you to drop this case! It's become an obsession and you have no place in it!"

"You don't understand!" I snapped, "I do have a place in it! I've been following it closely, and I know it better than any other detective in the area!"

"Listen," he said, gripping my hand, "I know that you've been passionate about this case, and I understand that it can be hard to let a case rest. But it would be best to let the police handle this case!"

"The police are completely hopeless in this case!" I shouted, "They don't know anything about it! I do. That's why I am needed. And right now, a little girl is in danger! So let go of my hand!"

"Respect your elders, Naoto-sama!" Yakushiji-san, who was now standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the parlor said.

"Respect my elders!" I snarled, "Respect my elders! That's all I hear from you higher-ups in the police force. Let me tell you something. I don't care about what my elders say. I don't care about my age or gender or any of that! I know that I'm a detective no matter what people say, and that's something that people can't take away from me!" I shivered slightly, adjusting to the gravity of that statement.

"Naoto…" my grandfather said, tightening his grip as I tried to pull away. "I understand how much this case means to you. But believe me, there's nothing you can do!"

I turned back to him, looking him in the eyes as my own began to water with rage and worry for Nanako. "No, Grandfather. You don't understand. There's nothing I CAN'T do."

With that, I ripped my hand out of his grip, sprinting through the doorway and leaping from the front steps. As thunder crashed in the distance, lightning flickering through the sky, I ran off down the street through the pouring rain. I had to reach Yu-san's house. I needed to make sure that Nanako was okay.

I didn't care about the case at this moment. I only cared about Nanako.