A few days later, Ayato's funeral ceremony was held - his schoolmates and Ayato's family were present, and so was Mei, whose presence Kouichi did not expect, due to the fact that she usually avoids funerals of other class members with a few exceptions.

- So did you come? - Kouichi asked himself when he spotted Mei in the crowd.

- Misaki's family has ties to the Anju clan, so in a way I should come - and I did.

- Ties?

- Still from feudal times, despite the collapse of that system, some families in Yomiyama maintain special relationships with the Great Clans, these families are : Hiiragi, Shinozaki, Akazawa, Kamiyama and Akazawa.

- Wait a minute..., so Izumi also had something to do with the Great Clans?

- Probably not directly, but her parents certainly did.

Also at the funeral was Koutarou Misaki - who exchanged a few sentences with Mahirou Anju - leader of the Anju Clan - and one of the most influential people in the Yomiyama area.

Ayato came from a lateral line of the Anju Clan - his grandfather was the younger brother of the Anju Clan, and as a result he did not inherit as much fortune as Mahirou Anju, and lived a fairly normal life after the war, unlike his brother who was rebuilding the influence of the Anju Clan - lost after the war, Ayato's grandfather Rentarou Anju died in 1976 at the hands of an unknown perpetrator at the age of 50.

Azusa, Yuka and Soichirou - grief-stricken - were approached by Mahirou Anju along with his son Sakutarou Anju and grandson Michihide Anju.

- As the current leader of the main line of the Anju Clan, I would like to express my sincerest condolences along with the rest of the main line of the Clan, we are deeply sorry for the death of your son and brother...

After them, condolences were offered by various people until it was time for Naoki, Naoki did not know what to say so he said in a quiet but contrite voice "my condolences" and was about to leave when Yuka remembered Ayato's farewell letter to Naoki and Mei.

- Ayato wanted to give you...

Yuka gave Naoki two letters, out of sadness she couldn't even maintain eye contact with him.

- Will you pass the second one to Misaki Mei-san?

Naoki nodded his head in an act of agreement, taking both letters from Yuka, after the funeral ceremony he could not find Mei, so he decided to give her the letter the next day.

At the same time, he intended to read the letter that Ayato had written for him. - Before going to sleep, he decided to open it and read it.

"Naoki. I didn't lie with the fact that I love you, so I hope that in a way you will understand why I had to do these two cruel things.

I was the one who poisoned Misaki Fujioka - a certain person close to you told me that it was the only option for you to survive the curse - because you were close to death - which was the attractor of the curse, I didn't want to do it, but Misaki would have died anyway - I would have lost both of you then , but regardless of that I couldn't live with it any longer, I'm sorry that I lied to you for so many months, I'm sorry and... And I hope that you will still find peace in your life - Ayato"
Naoki after reading this letter bent it and threw it in the garbage he felt a mixture of anger, sadness and frustration after discovering that however Misaki Fujioka had been poisoned, and on top of that by Ayato Anju, who committed suicide because of it - after accepting this Naoki wondered who could have been this "close person to him"

"Other than him, Misaki and Kaito, I didn't have anyone I could call close to me." - he thought and decided to wait for Kaito when he returned from work, he had a difficult operation today - which was successful, however Kaito was terribly tired when he got home - Naoki was waiting for him in the living room.

- Kaito.

He said coolly in a slightly accusing tone.

- Naoki, could you reschedule for tomorrow what you want from me? I am terribly tired.

- It won't take you long

- Well, okay, but really only for a while.

Kaito took off his glasses and his coat and looked at his nephew with tired but patient eyes.

- Well, what you wanted?

Naoki, after a moment for breath, activated his skill on Kaito - Naoki felt no pain, as he could use this skill on other members of the Muneyoshi clan without feeling a severe side effect, however, he could only do it once, and Kaito will retain all memories of this.
- Did you manipulate Ayato into poisoning Fujioka?

Naoki looked with eyes full of anger at Kaito - and the latter, being influenced by his skill, replied

- No, I didn't do anything that could harm her.

After a moment, Kaito woke up from the stupor caused by being taken over, and shocked, he asked Naoki about what had just happened.

- Naoki... you... you thought I could do something like that? Or Ayato?

Naoki with a slightly resigned voice - hiding his sadness said quietly.

- Ayato himself admitted it in his farewell letter, he also added that a person who is close to me was behind it
It was obvious that I would suspect you for doing this.
Kaito fumed, then calmly tried to provide light emotional support for Naoki.

- Naoki... I'm a doctor, I couldn't contribute to something like this, and even if I didn't I would have to force Ayato to do something like this

Naoki blinked for a moment then looked suspiciously at his uncle

- In that case, who do you think might have been the person Ayato was talking about?

All the people I thought were close to me except you are dead.

- Maybe he meant someone from his persepective who might have been close to you?

Naoki mused for a moment then came up with the absurd idea that it could have been Ayato referring to Mei "Impossible" - he thought although he didn't know Mei well enough yet, from what Misaki had told him the relationship with Mei was perfect, although somewhat secret from their families - but still Naoki wanted to clarify it with Mei.

It was already late in the evening when Naoki decided to call Mei, he didn't know if she would answer as he was calling at quite a late hour, nevertheless he dialed the number and called.

After a minute, Mei didn't answer - which made Naoki think that Mei was usually asleep, and so he decided to meet her already at school.

The next day Naoki came to school - the atmosphere was quite nervous and uneasy - some students feared that Ayato's death was the return of the curse, as it had been about the same number of days since the beginning of Class 3-3 to the death of Yukari Sakuragi as it had been since Ayato joined Class 3-3 and since his death.

Naoki saw the worried and somewhat frightened faces of some of the students talking about the possible return of the curse - so the first lesson was a parenting lesson with Chibiki, which Naoki - like most of the students - went to.

After a few minutes, Chibiki entered the classroom - he was calm although he also realized that there was a possibility of the curse returning.

- Dear students, as you probably know your classmate - Anju Ayato took his own life a few days ago, this is sad however I believe that for now there is no cause for concern, in 1983 - when the curse was stopped the first time there was no return of the curse, however we are in a slightly different position as a new student joined us in November, therefore I believe that the Countermeasures should be re-selected just in case.

I would therefore ask you to elect a new leader of this body from among you here by voting.

Soon the students took to voting, after 5 minutes Chibiki announced the results of the vote.

The new head of Countermeasures becomes Mochizuki Yuuya, congratulations.

Yuuya was a bit in shock that he was elected however he thanked the rest of the class for the nomination.

- As Countermeasures are reinstated, the ignoring of not one but two of the students also needs to be reinstated - a choice will be made in the next lesson, as this needs to be arrived at through a lengthy debate.

I think that despite the fact that the curse is unlikely to return I would like to take care of your well-being - especially since you will soon have final exams.

After the lesson, Naoki approached Mei, pulling a letter from Ayato from his pocket.

- Do you have time to meet after class?

Mei turned to him, noticing the letter in Naoki's hand she decided to make a grim joke.

- But I told you that Misaki is dead

- It's not about her, I mean it is, but she doesn't want to send any letter to her

- You have no sense of humor I see

- You are the last person from whom I would expect such an answer, nevermind do you have time?

- I have, we can meet in the library after class.

- Don't take Sakakibara with you

Mei nodded after which she pointed to the letter

- In that case, who is the letter to?

- To you, from Anju-kun.

- From Anju-kun?

Mei seemed a bit surprised as Ayato avoided her as much as possible when he was alive.

- You'll find out everything after reading, probably.

Mei, somewhat curious about Naoki's answer, answered him in a somewhat confused voice

- Will you let me read the letter myself first?

- No problem.

A few hours later, Kouichi and Mei met in front of the classroom, Kouichi had yet to talk to Mei about the current situation in the classroom.

- Do you think you will become ignored again?

- Perhaps

- Then who do you think will become the other person?

- They will probably choose Naoki, after all, he somehow broke free from the clutches of death which comes under coming back to life right?

- Indeed, however...

- Exactly

Kouichi realized that the curse could return - with Naoki as a possible extra person

- Are you sure the curse hasn't returned?

- I don't see the color of death on anyone - so the curse probably hasn't returned, or ignoring probably me and Naoki will work, although I don't think it's a comeback of the curse.

- Well in that case, I guess I will have to ignore you again.

- I can handle it, worse for you.

- Do you think I'll break the rules again this time?

Mei smiled gently.

- I don't think so, although you may subconsciously break a few times but I doubt it will have any effect.

- So... shall we talk some more before they start ignoring you?

- I don't mind.

After talking with Kouichi, Mei went to the library where Naoki was waiting for her, holding a letter in his hand.

- After you read it, come out and invite me inside.

Mei took the letter and went inside the library and started reading it.

"Misaki-san, I want to give you this after what I'm about to do.
Fujioka-san, who is probably your relative did not die naturally, I poisoned her, therefore I do not deserve to live, I regret my decision, but I had to do it, farewell"
Mei did not react in any special way to Ayato's farewell letter, she walked to the door and opened it signaling that Naoki could enter, Naoki entered the library and closed the door behind him.

- What do you think of this?

- You were right, however, it was your friend who poisoned Misaki, not the Hironiwa clan.

- He wrote to me that he was forced to do it by a person close to me, no one but Muneyoshi-sensei is close to me, at least not now.

Thus, it is unclear who forced Ayato to poison Misaki.

Mei looked at Naoki

- Are you sure?

- I'm absolutely sure, it wouldn't be about you after all, but on the other hand your father is my maternal uncle - Koutarou Misaki isn't it?

- Do you think Misaki's family would poison Misaki Fujioka? - That's absurd, they wouldn't do that, no one from my family would do that, maybe I mean the other side of your family? - After all, they would be people close to you in a way.

- No one from my family is alive.

Naoki answered briefly, wanting to drop the subject, however then he remembered a fact from his family's life - as far as he knew his father's body had never been found, and Shion Muneyoshi himself was still considered a missing person

- No, impossible, he said to himself, then started thinking about other people who were 'close' to him.
- What is impossible? Mei inquired

- Never mind, it's impossible, it wouldn't make any sense anyway, although...

he would be capable of it.
- Who?
- Most of my family from my paternal side

Naoki said ironically.

- And that's my father to be exact, although in theory it's unclear what happened to him
- What is the official version of events?
Mei sensed that the story of Naoki's father's fate was convoluted
- In the official version of events, my father was murdered outside the house where I lived.

At this point Naoki realized that he had said too much to Mei, however, suddenly Mei interrupted him.

- After all, you know what you shouldn't, that Misaki Fujioka was my biological twin, so tell the whole truth.

Naoki sighed, however, he didn't want to argue with Mei about it - as he inferred Mei and Misaki's relationship himself, and Misaki later confirmed it.

- According to the official version of events, first my father was killed in an unspecified place, or he was abducted and then my mother and younger brother were killed, if Shion is alive

The expression on Naoki's face suddenly took on a slight expression of anger.

- If he is alive it means that he is responsible for what happened that day and both for the poisoning of your sister, to sum up - he is our common enemy, we know absolutely nothing of his motives, he is unpredictable, extremely intelligent and able to blend in despite his disappearance 12 years ago, if only I remembered his face...

After a moment of silence, Naoki came up with the perfect solution to this problem.

- Misaki-san, do you happen to have a photo from my mother's wedding?

-What?

- My mother was your "aunt", this makes us cousins in theory, even though biologically we are not related.
Mei nodded her head at this information.

- I don't know if I can find anything

- I myself will ask Kaito and other people or institutions for a photo of my father from the past, and by the way, just in case, I will ask Kiyoshi Hiiragi if he knows anything about whether my father is alive, and although I doubt it, if he is staying in Yomiyama.

So, until our next meeting.

- Bye.

The two dispersed after this conversation to their respective homes - Naoki as he had trouble trusting other people after leaving the library looked around to see if anyone was around - however, his fears were unnecessary - no one overheard his conversation with Mei, which made him go to his home.