Title: Old Man || Series: Boundless Kakera, Chapter 3

Fandom: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

Synopsis: Keiichi has always been perplexed by Mion's "Old Man" persona. One day, he finally starts to ask why.

Pairing: KeiMii (Keiichi/Mion, M/F)

Posted: July 2, 2019 [REVISED SEPTEMBER 17, 2021]

His mind spiraled like a whirlpool, thoughts conflicting and raging around him. Thoughts that all involved one other person.

Keiichi recalled his initial encounter with her at a school so small it was composed of only fifteen students (and that didn't count the single teacher and principal there).

It was when he made his first appearance in the class as a transfer student. He politely introduced himself to the people he came to later known as his peers, silently noting how most of them were no older than eleven at best. Few of them were actually around his age.

They were quite welcoming. In fact, once lunch break arrived, they clustered around his desk and bombarded him with questions about himself; favorite food, hobbies, sports, or what life in the city had been like, etcetera. He was more than willing to openly reveal his interests and even made a fair share of friends for that.

Then, at some point, he was approached by her.

Her long, green hair had been worn in a ponytail, which, to him, seemed more like a cape from how it swayed with her assertive movements. Keiichi could pick up a strong scent of mint wafting in the air where she was. He wondered if that was how her hair got its color.

She hid her hands behind her head, arms spread out like wings. A smile danced on her lips the same way her turquoise eyes were dancing in mischief, and he was practically swimming in her eyes.

"...Ku ku ku~! Salutations, newbie! I go by Mion Sonozaki, though around these parts you call me Uncle."

"Wha...?" Keiichi blinked, thrown for a loop about that last part. "Sorry... uncle? "

"It seems you are one to be absent minded," Mion chuckled. "What was your name again? Hmm..." she tapped her chin, pretending to be in thought, before she smirked. "Oh, that's right. Kei~i~ chi~!" she tasted the syllables. "Noble One, huh?" [1]

Discombobulated, he said nothing.

"Well, Kei-chan—hope ya don't mind if I call you that by the way..." Mion crossed her arms, leaning back slightly. "While I am a senior looking out for the little fledglings here, this old man still needs some more fun in her life...and I think you're the right person to help provide me with that!"

"Me?!" Keiichi fumbled for words. "Y...You think so...?"

Mion laughed as she winked. "I got a feeling we'll be the best of friends, ku ku ku~! Better get used to Uncle Mion, 'cause you'll be seeing a lot of her from here on out."

That girl was nothing Keiichi could have expected.

Mion always referred to herself as either 'Uncle Mion' or 'old man'; she didn't even use the correct pronouns for that persona. Every morning, every school day, every evening, or whenever they crossed paths, Keiichi was often met with a girl who committed herself to the role of an old geezer.

Initially, he thought it was meant to be a whimsical joke of some sort. So he played along, gave her mock-salutes and 'hello's and made sure to call her Uncle. Honestly it was something that shouldn't have bothered him so much.

At least it wouldn't... had there not been that time when Mion took a complete one-eighty. He could never forget what he saw, back in Okinomiya last Sunday.

A princess doll held in the glass display of a toy store, the most unmanly thing he ever saw. Long, gold hair that made him think it was used for ribbon dancing given how it twirled down its shoulders. And the pink dress it sported looked so puffy he wondered if it were made from actual clouds.

It certainly was not to his tastes, but he could at least admit it didn't look incongruous. How could it be compared to the familiar tomboy who was there dressed in girly clothing? Who was drawn to the doll like a magnet? She looked tempted to pull a Rena and take it home. Had it not been for the glass barrier between them, she probably would have committed the act.

And even had it been for the glass barrier, Keiichi debated whether or not that was really Mion.

Women... what an enigma, Keiichi thought. Especially the epitome of riddles that was Mion Sonozaki. Someone who would think herself an old man, yet was a girl, and, when she believed no eyes were set on her, behaved like one; even dressed like one (which was something else because Mion in a miniskirt?).

There definitely was another side to Mion outside the sociable, gender defiant disposition that many were familiar with; a topic swept under the rug, a pique of the mind, and, most importantly, an unanswered question.

Keiichi, who loathed the concept of questions without answers, wanted to solve it. Like Mom the crime novel enthusiast always said, every mystery had an explanation.

What really mattered was striving to find it, and that was what he planned to do.

"Kei-chan!"

Speak of the devil. Breaking out of his contemplation, Keiichi turned to the person who called him. "Yes, Mion? Can I help you, Ms. I-Like-Deafening-People?"

"Stop drifting off into space and get your ass over here!" Mion huffed. "It's time for club games!"

"Yeah, quit stalling! Unless you like double penalties," Satoko piped.

Mion grinned. "That can be arranged. I don't mind making him crossdress right now."

Rena looked at Keiichi, concerned. "Is Keiichi-kun okay? He has been spacing out lately..."

Keiichi let out a sheepish laugh as he scratched his cheek. "I'm fine. Just thinking..."

"Thinking of something naughty you'll plan on doing to us in club activities?" Rika smiled, much to the subsequent pouting from Keiichi.

"Ah c'mon, Rika-chan, gimme some credit!"

"Sorry, good sir. You always look so forward to beating us at these games even despite how you lose. It's hard not to assume. But who knows? This might be your day..."

Mion barked with laughter. "Rika-chan sure knows how to tell good jokes, ha ha! But Uncle Mion believes we wasted enough time now. Sit your butts down while this old man picks out today's game," she turned away and walked over to her locker, "Who knows how long it'll be before I reach retirement."

There it was again; the old man who called herself Uncle. A frown settled on Keiichi's face as the other girls complied with their leader's orders. Now the only one standing, he observed the head of green humming a tune.

Mion was rummaging through her locker which was close to exploding, crammed with board games, card games, and costumes. She acted as if she had not been that person he saw last Sunday.

Suddenly, the itch to solve a mystery that seemed unsolvable resurfaced, this time tenfold and this time he had enough. The opportunity presenting itself, he had to ask.

"Oi, Mion!"

"Hm? Does Kei-chan need somethin—?"

"Why do you call yourself an old man? All I see is a young, beautiful girl."

Gasps went all around from the other girls. Pairs of blue, purple and red eyes stared at the boy, wide like pancakes. Then they looked over to their club leader.

Although her back was still turned, it was easy to see that Mion looked as stiff as a statue. Her hands ceased scavenging around the locker. That was when Keiichi sensed a sudden shift of atmosphere in the classroom. He found it harder to breathe.

"...Kei-chan..." Mion's voice was comparable to a breeze; quiet and something in it that made him shiver.

"Yeah...?" he responded tentatively.

She had finally turned to him. At that moment, Keiichi fully expected her to bite his head off, hence his instinctive flinch. Though his worries were washed away—replaced with curiosity—when he glimpsed more upon her disposition.

He could barely recognize her. If not for her looks and voice, he probably wouldn't have in fact. Before him was a demure, young lady gazing at him shyly; a far cry from the assertive uncle who would grin at everything without falter.

"Is...is that what you really see?" she asked in that same tone which seemed so foreign to him. It was surreal.

Keiichi blinked. "Yes? I'm sure of what I see. Hey, you alright? You're acting a lot stranger than usual."

Mion glanced down, interested in her shifting feet. "Well, uhm, you caught me off guard, that's all..."

"Likewise have you," he approached her. "I never seen you act like, well, a girl..."

She lifted her gaze, flinching when she met him in the eye. "Is that a bad thing?"

Keiichi took the time to think. Was it bad?

...he decided 'no'. Admittedly, it bugged him how there was another Mion who he never knew, though the actual person herself was indisputably not the issue. Far from it, she was someone he wanted to get to know better.

So he told her, "Nah. I like this side of you."

Her eyes widened. "You what ?"

"I said I like this side to you," he affirmed, cracking a grin. "Feels like another person I never really met until now. The only bad thing is that we didn't get to meet sooner."

"...Kei-chan..." whispered Mion, flabbergasted.

Keiichi chuckled as he patted her head. "It's funny. I feel as if I'm truly getting to know you... That may have something to do with when I saw you around the toy store in Okinomiya last Sunday."

Mion's jaw dropped. "You were there?!"

"Yup! Saw ya doting over the doll put on display. Totally surprised me!" Keiichi revealed.

"...Hau~!" Rena looked on with a dreamy look in her eyes, no doubt picturing the scene in her head. She seemed entertained at the thought.

Satoko whispered to Rika, "What's he talking about? Mion-san doting over girly dolls ? I think he's taken too many basin traps to the head..."

Smiling, Rika shrugged.

"Kei-chan, w...what are you saying?" Mion spluttered.

"That doll, you know—the one with gold hair and a pink dress. You really like it, don't you?"

Mion pressed her thumbs together. "Uh, well..."

"Keiichi-san!" Satoko rose from her seat and rudely chimed in, "Now I learn of your scheme! Trying to throw us off to get an advantage in club games? How indecent!"

"Don't be ridiculous, I'm not you," retorted Keiichi.

"Ho? Someone is a glutton for punishment today," Satoko raised a couple fingers, ready to snap them and unleash one of her traps on him.

"—I do."

The bickering two whipped their heads to see a bashful Mion, who averted her eyes upon the draw of attention toward her.

"No way..." Satoko whispered, disbelief written all over her face.

Keiichi blinked in confusion. "Mion, you..."

Mion closed her eyes as she folded her arms, an attempt at saving face. She said nothing else. Yet, to him, that told enough.

Suddenly, like a lightbulb that lit up, an idea went on in his head. The corners of his lips lifted. Keiichi knew what to do. "I'll buy it for you."

Just like that, Mion's eyes shot open. She looked at him like he had a second head. "W-Wha—?" she fumbled for the right words to say, and eventually blurted out, "Even if I like the doll, I'm Uncle Mion! A spunky, outgoing old man!"

"But you're also a girl."

Any more protest died in Mion's throat after those words were said. She stared at him, wide-eyed and dumbstruck.

He patted her head. "You're cool but you can be sweet too. That is what I see now. I should've known better than to think it was a mystery. It only makes sense you'd want the doll... and that's okay. I don't mind. Really."

Mion tried to speak, though the tied tongue in her mouth made that difficult to accomplish.

Keiichi then took notice of the deep shade of red on her cheeks, which made her greatly resemble a beetroot.

"Woah, Mion, your face looks like it's burning up. Are you okay? ...Actually, maybe we should get you to the infirmary."

Taking her hand, Keiichi turned and started to pull her toward the door.

He barely made a couple steps before suddenly he was grappling air. A loud thud was heard.

Alarmed, Keiichi spun around. Engulfing his vision was the sprawled form of Mion on the floor before him. "M-Mion!"

"What just happened? Keiichi-san, what did you do?!" Satoko cried out.

"I wish I knew!"

Rika chimed cheerily, "I did say today was Keiichi's day."

Rena giggled upon seeing the boy grow flustered. "Keiichi-kun certainly surprised Rena and Mii-chan. He accomplished a great thing!"

"Huh?" he looked at Rena funny. "How do you think this is great?"

"You did something Mii-chan always wanted you to do for her, even if she was too scared to admit it. Rena knows Mii-chan will be very happy about this!" the redhead chirped with a warm smile.

Keiichi could only blink, unable to trade words with that response.

Then he drew his attention back to the unmoving Mion. "Wow, who knew Mion wanted me to make her drop to the floor..."

It was the very next day when Keiichi decided to follow through with his promise.

He even met up with Mion on his way to the toy store, who was admiring the princess doll on display again. Her hair went down like a curtain and she wore those girly clothes again. Part of him wanted to ask about that but he bit his tongue. Perhaps this was her way of being more open by waiting for him like that, he surmised.

"Don't worry, you'll get that doll. I'll buy it for you right now," he said as he approached her.

She tore her gaze away at the display and eyed him curiously. "Really? You will buy me that doll?"

Keiichi blinked, wondering if she was pulling his leg or something. "C'mon... you seriously doubt me?" he thumbed to himself and grinned proudly. "I am always a man of my word!"

A smile graced her face as she let out a giggle. "Somebody's chivalrous! Okay, I'll humor you."

"Let's go in together then!"

As they entered the store, Keiichi glanced around. There was an assortment of stuffed animals, board games, and other toys inside. Miniature airplanes were suspended from the ceiling. No customers or employees appeared to be present though.

He hollered, "Excuse me! I wanna buy the doll you have in the window for a friend!"

"I'll be right with you!"

No sooner did he hear that voice answering his call for assistance, a teenage girl sporting an apron had appeared before him, and... huh?!

Upon the sight of him, she gawked. "K...Kei-chan!"

Keiichi was on a similar wavelength. "Mion?!" his head whipped back and forth between the Mion in the miniskirt and the Mion in the aqua jeans and sun-yellow shirt he was accustomed to seeing.

The Mion in girly fashion howled with laughter as she watched her tomboy counterpart pass out. Keiichi fell into a similar fainting spell and joined the tomboy soon after...

Indeed. This was also the day that Shion Sonozaki had been introduced.

[1] In Japanese, Keiichi's name translates to "noble one" in English, with "Kei" meaning noble and "ichi" meaning one.