Higurashi When They Cry Ch.4 Himatsubushi-Hen

Higurashi When They Cry: Himatsubushi-hen
Higurashi: When They Cry
Who is the murderer, you ask?

Why don’t we search for them in this story?
Who is the murderer, you ask?
Do you even know what they did?
Who is the murderer?
Who will murder me this time?
-Frederika Bernkastel
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A.D. 1985
Midsummer
Himatsubushi-hen
I had misread the time, and ended up arriving too early.

The schedule board flipped with a series of clacks. My flight to Sapporo was still a bit
later on. I still had over an hour before boarding.
...Well, I might as well close my eyes for a bit on that bench over there, then. I came
here directly from work, so maybe the fatigue from that was making me sleepy.
Finding a suitable bench, I put my luggage on the seat next to me and settled down.
"...Phew..." I sighed like an old man.
I had hoped to stay young forever, but had become splendidly middle-aged. ...Appar-
ently the rumor that "even people in the latter half of their twenties experience a decline in
their physical strength" wasn't a lie.
It had been mind-numbingly busy at work lately, so I rarely had any time to myself.
This might have been the first time I'd been able to enjoy a journey alone like this since I was
a student. ...The reason behind this trip was to meet with an old friend.
It was a bit strange to call him an old friend... in fact, it might be better to call him a
bad one. After retiring a couple of years ago, he moved to Sapporo, his mother's hometown.
His mother passed away soon after, and he was now peacefully enjoying his second lease on
life.
His name was Kuraudo Ooishi. He was a former detective from the Primary Investiga-
tion Unit at the station in Okinomiya, XX Prefecture. To be honest, the only direct contact
we ever had didn't last more than three days. After that, we exchanged New Year's cards, but
never met again. So, this would be the first time meeting him in... seven years.
In other words, we met seven years ago. In 1978.
There was something I just had to ask-- to talk to him about concerning that time. To
explain that... it was impossible not to recall the incident that happened back then. ...That kid-
napping, the details and resolution of which were resigned to darkness. Also... it was impos-
sible not to recall a certain mysterious girl.
...
My name is Mamoru Akasaka. It was a year that had been strangely hot even though it
was only June...
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A.D. 1978
Himatsubushi-hen
"Goodbye, teacher!!
"Okay, bye. Watch out for cars. And don't drop in at a friend's house along the way.
Make sure you get your textbooks in order for tomorrow before you go to bed."
Clatter clatter clatter! The lively sounds of children running towards the hallway.
"Hey now, didn't I tell you before!?"
"I already have one of those!! I don't need any more!!"
The unique high-pitched voice of youth. The energetic shrill of the cicadas went com-
pletely unheard by their ears.
Children, returning home from school, split off one-by-one from their groups of
friends as they went through intersections in the residential area.
Even though there were several of them in a group as they left the school, as they got
closer to their homes, their numbers dwindled. ...That's why the fewer friends you were walk-
ing home with acted as an indicator that you were that much closer to your destination.
"Later!! See ya!"
"Yeah, see you tomorrow."
He finally parted ways with his last friend.
...A van was parked at a bend in the road. The window was open, the sound of the
radio leaking outside. ...It must have been the news or something.
"...for that reason, the three of them were arrested for traffic violations and obstruction
of justice. Due to the protests against the Hinamizawa Dam Project resulting in bloodshed
when clashing with riot police last month, things have only become more violent. The police
are therefore taking precautions against radical activists causing yet another incident. Last
week, there was also a direct confrontation with Minister Inugai on the steps of the Ministry
of Construction..."
The boy's ears perked up at the mention of the name 'Inugai'.
At that moment, a man's face peeked out suddenly from the window of the van.
His behaviour was a little different than that of a man looking around to see if there
was any incoming traffic before he opened the door of his vehicle. ...His eyes meeting sud-
denly with the unfamiliar man, the boy panicked slightly...
"...Nightingale, okay. Skylark, okay. They've secured the two blocks around us. ...We're
good to go!"
The man in the passenger seat whispered quietly. Nodding in acknowledgement, the
man opened the door... and stood before the boy.
"...You. ...Are you Toshiki Inugai?"
While asking that, the man peered at the boy's nametag.
..."Toshiki Inugai"... the name was written plainly there...
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The phone rang for a third time.

If he reached out, he could easily pick up the receiver. ...However, he was concerned
that if he picked it up before it had even finished ringing once, whoever was on the other end
of the line would think him a fairly cheap person.
That's why he normally never picked up the phone until the third ring. Even he thought
it was a worthless habit. ...However, his thinking that "there isn't much meaning in waiting for
just three rings, wouldn't waiting for five be all right?" was very much a reality.
His mind filled with such trifling thoughts, he picked up the phone after the third ring
had finished, its reverb dampened by his action...
"...Yes. ...Hello...?"
"..."
"......Hello?"
"..."
He knew that sometimes due to a malfunction at the switchboard, calls didn't connect
well. At those times, it was best to hang up and let the person on the other end call again.
...Thinking that, the moment he began to hang up the phone... ...He sensed that he was defi-
nitely connected after all. He felt the prescence of the person on the other end of the line,
keeping silent...
"......Hello...?"
"..."
There was no way they didn't hear his question. ...What was the meaning of this?
It wasn't like he didn't know that people could use silent calls to harrass others. How-
ever, he'd never received a call like that until today. ...Maybe he was just lucky before, but he
didn't believe that he would receive such a call on this phone.
There were no direct calls to or from this line. Everything had to go through an opera-
tor. Therefore, there was absolutely no way the call would be connected unless it was verified
there was somebody else on the other end of the line. That's why he didn't understand how to
deal with this silent call, and instead settled into confusion...
"...I don't know who you are, but if you have nothing to say I'm going to hang up.
Please call again some other time."
Intending that to be a parting line, he made to slam down the receiver. ...It was at that
moment, the person on the other end spoke for the first time.
"...You didn't say who you were, so I was anxious. If you're not Minister Inugai, please
hang up right away."
He couldn't help but be surprised by the extremely strange voice on the other end of
the line. ...Was there a human alive who could speak with this hoarse and metallic voice? ...
No. ...This was... a voice he had heard somewhere before.
That was the kind of voice that was on those lowbrow documentaries, that they'd use
when they wanted to hide the identity of a speaker, wasn't it? ...The voice he was hearing over
the line was exactly like that.
"... Who... are you?"
Himatsubushi-hen
"....As I said, that's what I want to ask. Are you Minister Inugai?"
He --Inugai-- hesitated to answer. Unable to discern the intent of this suspicious phone
call, he had a vague feeling that something was off.
He thought about hanging up the phone and asking the operator who initiated the call.
...However, he forced himself to restrain that urge, and for the time being, chose to state his
name and listen.
"...That's right. This is Inugai. ...I said my name, now you say yours."
"...My name doesn't matter. First of all, let's begin by thinking about the situation
you're in right now. ...Right now, you're sitting in your chair talking on the phone, yes? Then,
why don't you try opening the lower drawer to your right."
The lowest drawer to the right of the minister's chair. ...There was a lock on on it. Not
enough to function as a safe, but nevertheless it was a drawer that contained some valuable
things. That's why Inugai thought that the person wanted some of the important information
contained within that drawer.
"...Sorry, but I don't have any intention of opening that. I have no reason to follow or-
ders from somebody who won't even give me his name."
"If you don't open that drawer, I'll hang up the phone. ...You will most likely end up
regretting that. Why don't you think about opening that drawer first?"
Inugai didn't like following orders from this suspicious person one bit. ...However, he
was concerned about what the man said about "regretting it", so he decided to open the draw-
er.
He took the small key he kept stowed in his wallet, and unlocked the drawer.
...His hand stopped right before he opened it. What if there was a bomb inside... and it
would explode if the drawer was opened...? That delusion took hold of him.
He quelled that instinct, and opened it.
"...Did you do it? The thing that's in there, do you know what it is?"
"This is... What is the meaning of this!? Hey!!"
"I don't think there's any need for me to explain, is there? I'll give you some time, so
please think about it a little. I'll contact you again later. Now then, pardon me..."
"Hey! Wait!! Hello!? HELLO!?!?"
The call had already ended. That would not change no matter how much he yelled at it.
...Even still, Inugai, without realizing that, continued yelling into the receiver for a while.
...The drawer was still open.
...On top of the folders crammed into the drawer, it lay there.
"Toshiki Inugai" Written in plain lettering on a grade-schooler's nametag... just lying
there. Enshrined there, completely out of place, as if it were cowering...
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...Do you remember, Yukie? This picture.

This is where I first proposed to you. ...That brief moment before you nodded back, you
probably wouldn't know just how much it seemed like an eternity to me.
Yes. I would have never thought that amount of time could feel like an eternity. Com-
pared to how long I had to wait for you to propose to me, it was...
Hahahahahaha...
From the moment I met you until today... ...Compared to the time I've spent since I was
born, it might only be a brief period, but... They were definitely precious, beautiful days that
deserved to be called an eternity.
...That time continues even now. ...From now on. I wonder if it'll be a boy... or maybe a
girl? ...Either one is fine. Boy or girl... either way it's living proof that we love each other.
If it's a boy, we'll name it after you: "Mamoru". If it's a girl, we'll put the "Yuki" from
my name in hers... Thinking about names is so fun that in the end we still haven't decided yet.
There's still time to puzzle over it. ...Not that long of a time, actually.
....You see, Yukie. ...There's something I have to apologize for today. ...It's my job.
...Sorry. ...It looks like an annoying bit of work has come up. ...In the worst case, ...I
might not be able to be there for the delivery. It's fine. You have a very important job. What
you do protects the way we live.
....Compared to you, it's nothing. Please, go ahead. When you return, I'll be waiting
here with our child.
Thank you. ...Also, I'm sorry. ...Please don't apologize. If you feel guilty about it...
then you can just atone. If I atone that much, no matter how much money I have, it won't be
enough. Hee hee. It's a joke. ...Now ...Go on..
As I left the room, I bumped into an elderly man. ...It was Yukie's father. ...In other
words, my father-in-law.
"...Father."
"I didn't want to intrude. So I waited in the hall."
"..."
"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I heard. ...Go. Yukie is that kind of girl. ...No matter
what happens, she doesn't want to hold you back."
"...I've... forced Yukie to give up on so many things. To put her through this during
childbirth, such an important time in her life... I'm ashamed."
"...If you really feel that way, ...When you're done with your work, make some time for
Yukie. ...She'll be happier with that than you passing your work off on someone else."
"...Thank you."
"I know full well you do important work. Be proud in what you do. Yukie is looking
forward to your triumphant return..."
"...Yes."
I jumped into the taxi that was waiting outside.
Compared to the time when I first got here, the numbers on the fare meter had grown
Himatsubushi-hen
considerably. ...It seemed the modest time Yukie and I had spent together wasn't so modest
from an objective point of view.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Go ahead."
"...No worries. Well then, off we go."
The taxi jerked as it changed gears to accelerate, soon burying the hospital my wife
was in behind a throng of buildings.
...If it was to end up as a really troublesome ordeal... I probably wouldn't be return-
ing for quite some time. To call a rookie like me, and on top of that, one who's off duty... It
seemed that the section chief was calling for all hands on deck.
The veteran upper brass gathering on an emergency basis happened occasionally... This
was the first time, though, that I experienced everybody gathering together like this. Whatever
was happening, there was no doubt it was going to be something novel.
...Right when my wife was ready to give birth. ...If I wanted to spend the time to curse
my misfortunes, I'd be here all day. Even the verdant gingko trees lining the street that always
brightened my mood seemed to lack some of their usual lustre...
Eventually, the government office came into view. Briefly holding my breath... I let the
feelings of tension course through my body once again. ...I had to remember the work I was
doing was important, necessary... and difficult.
I composed myself and sharpened my wit.
...Ready.
The taxi stopped in front of the building.
OKINOMIYA POLICE STATION
"Chief, everyone's here. Akasaka-kun, could you close the blinds?"
The blinds were usually closed when they needed to use the projector, or if the discus-
sion was going to contain some particularly disturbing content.
The blinds closed with a satisfying sound, darkening the interior of the room. ...Im-
mediately, the inside of the room was completely drained of the pleasant morning atmosphere,
leaving behind only the cold illumination of the fluorescent lighting.
After the supervisor ensured that everyone was present, he nodded to the section chief
once again. ...With everybody on the edge of their seats, the chief stood up solemnly, and be-
gan to give his report.
"Approximately 48 hours ago, the Minister of Construction's grandson, who is also the
son of one of his staff leaders, is believed to have been kidnapped. It is believed the Minis-
ter, in an effort to resolve matters amicably, chose not to report the situation to the police and
plans to cede to the demands imposed upon him."
It seemed that approximately 48 hours earlier, the Minister of Construction's grandson
and those of his senior staff members were kidnapped. The reason why it was phrased that
way was because the person in question didn't admit it had happened.
"Based on the results of surveillance conducted on the Minister's residence, multiple
suspicious phone calls from what is believed to be outside the city took place. The abducted
child is said to be under treatment for some illness, but there's no trace of any hospital records
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or witnesses to such effect. Due to that and various other reasons, we believe without a doubt
that a kidnapping has occured."
...Here, they omitted the details that brought this incident to light. If you think about
it a bit, that meant that before this incident happened, the Minister's residence had been under
surveillance already (I won't use the words "spied upon").
Of course, there wouldn't have been court approval for this, and it would have been
very hard to explain to ordinary citizens... However, it was quite an effective method to catch
wind of incidents like this before they got worse. I'd like for you to understand that dealing
with these cases before they become a problem is the job of the Public Safety Division.
"Why is he just following their demands instead of reporting this to the police?"
"The fact that a Minister can't even trust the police, what is the world coming to?"
"It seems the group of perpetrators demonstrated that they have quite a high level of
surveillance on the Minister themselves when they conducted the kidnappings. Enough to give
the Minister pause before calling the police."
"'We'll find out right away if you call the cops', more or less?"
"So it's possible that there's a mole close to the Minister."
Several of the higher ranking members who seemed to have experience with this kind
of thing let out deep sighs...
"The goals of the perpetrators, their demands, as well as this entire incident are as of
yet unclear, but in any case, the possibility that this may grow to threaten national interest is
extremely high."
If their goal was to simply have their demands met for monetary gain, that would have
been nice. ...However, if this was some politically-motivated shake-up, things would get a lot
more complicated.
"Since we're not receiving any cooperation from the victim, that means that we're not
privy to any of the details of the threats or demands..."
"Due to the fact we believe there may be a mole involved in this incident, this inves-
tigation is highly classified; only the people in this room are to know of this. Furthermore, as
this case is our utmost priority, we'll be placing a hold on everybody's normal duties. Under-
stood!?"
After that, the supervisor continued on, tactfully explaining our course of action.
If this incident were to become public, it was possible that the Minister's political life
would be over. ...I'll spare you the explanation of how the rest of the dominoes would fall, but
in the end, support in the Diet would decline, followed by a no-confidence vote and a snap
election, and it might even expand communist influences. ...In other words, we wanted to
handle this delicately.
"Kawasaki and Saeki, monitor communications from the Minister and the child's resi-
dences 24/7. Find out what the Minister is doing. Report anything that happens. The remain-
ing members, investigate whatever is related to the case as assigned to your units. Focus your
line of investigation on the Commies, Reds, and Confeds. Don't discount the possibility of
foreign involvement, either!"
I've experienced one or two... unamicable situations before. This, however, was the first
Himatsubushi-hen
time I've seen things get so hectic.

Several sophisticated conversations were progressing without the involvement of a
rookie like me. ...I didn't intend to be timid, but I couldn't hide my confusion at this unfamil-
iar situation.
"--and cover that. As for Akasaka,"
I snapped back to alertness upon hearing my name called.
"Y-Yes!"
"You investigate the environmental groups that have petitioned the minister. Among
them, there's that group protesting the Hinamizawa Dam Project that made the papers. Make
sure you investigate them thoroughly. I doubt this is the act of some citizen group, but we
have to eliminate every possibility we can."
"Understood. So those opposed to the Hinamizawa Dam..."
"It's probably best if you go to the location personally. Get some information from
the local authorities. They're a fairly radical organization, so the Public Safety Division there
should have them marked as well."
"Understood. I'll head over there."
"...Your wife, she's almost ready to give birth, isn't she? I apologize for the timing of all
this, but I'm counting on your cooperation. We can't take our time with this, so we just have
to brute-force it with our boots to the ground."
"Yeah, I know. ...My wife hates to interfere with my work with her own circumstances
anyways."
"Sorry, and thanks. ...So then, as for Kawasaki-kun and Saeki-kun, to help support
your..."
...I didn't want to take a business trip when my wife was about to give birth. Even if I
was a little busy, as long as I was in Tokyo, I could head to the hospital right away. ...On as-
signment, though... that would be difficult.
Even so, I knew the work I was doing was important, and fully understood that I was
in no position to be so selfish. I'd have to make it up to my wife for having to be away at such
an important time.
My wife-- Yukie, would probably forgive me with a smile. The only thing she could
hate doing would be holding me back. ...My male ego, though, at least wished she would have
tried to stop me.
Sorry... Yukie. I don't mind if you always complain to our child that their father
couldn't come to the hospital when they were born because he was too busy with work...
...The next day, I took the bullet train to Nagoya, and from there transferred to the
train to XX Prefecture.
Getting to my destination by land took several hours. If I was travelling by air, in that
amount of time I could probably get as far as Hong Kong. ...XX Prefecture was by no means
close.
I never sat in first class except for work, but whenever I did the seats seemed stiff.
Closing my eyes, I mentally reviewed the documents I read yesterday.
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The group under investigation: the "Onigafuchi Defense Alliance."They were a group
of residents opposed to the development proposed under the Hinamizawa Dam Project.
The local protests were quite heated, and were getting more radicalized. Even limited
to what was written in the newspapers, there was bloodshed that occured during a clash with
riot police, interference with the dam construction... too many to count. The number of peti-
tions, sit-ins, and direct appeals to the relevant organizations were innumerable. ...As an exten-
sion of that, there was a direct appeal to the Minister of Construction the other day. (This was
the reason why we were investigating this group in the first place.)
...The land that they lived on was going to be submerged, so it was no wonder they
would go into a frenzy over it. Even given that, though... could they really be capable of doing
something like kidnapping the Minister of Construction's grandson in order to halt the project?
From my take on it, I had serious doubts. This kidnapping plot was extremely sophis-
ticated, and complicated enough that it was believed there was some political backing. ...This
wasn't something that could be pulled off by some group of local protesters.
...Well, just like the chief said, the plan was to eliminate all possibilities. While I'm in
the XX police's reference room taking my time investigating, the higher-ups in Tokyo would
probably solve the case. Without my involvement entirely.
...Even if that was true, I couldn't regret being away from Tokyo while my wife was
ready to give birth. This was work. ...There was really nothing that I could do.
Ding dong.
The announcement that we would be arriving at our destination soon snapped me back
to wakefulness.
PREFECTURAL PUBLIC SAFETY DIVISION
"The Onigafuchi Defense Alliance? Yeah, they've been quite active around here."
The Prefectural Public Safety Department already had the documents and a cup of tea
ready and waiting for me.
"The short of it is they're a group of residents opposed to the dam. Really, it's probably
better to say that every resident living on the land that's going to be submerged is rising to ac-
tion, though. Like the old saying "fight to the last", they're a determined and well-prepared lot.
It'd be nice if they drew the line at just being a moderate residential organization."
The stack of papers they had prepared for me in the document room was by no means
thin.
"At first, they were pretty much your average citizen's initiative, but ever since that
incident with the riot police they've really started to heat up. Now they've got a violent mental-
ity, on top of growing increasingly radical."
Violent organizations usually indicate ones that enforce their own ideology without
regards to the democratic process. Breaking that down, many of those organizations held
extreme-left revolutionary ideologies. ...Considering that, I couldn't help but be surprised that a
citizen's group would end up going this far...
Radical citizen's movements happen occasionally. It seemed, however, that this group...
was nothing as trifling as that. ...It seemed that I would have to reconsider exactly what this
Ongafuchi Defense Alliance was.
Himatsubushi-hen
"...The Defense Alliance's demand, in other words, the withdrawal of the dam project...
how far would they go to have that demand met?"
The kidnapping of the Minister's grandson was classified. ...That meant of course, I
couldn't tell the XX Prefectural Department about it either.
"As you know, there were arrests after last week's confrontation with Minister Inugai.
There's enough reason to believe they could use illegal means to assert their demands."
I skimmed over the list of the criminal records related to the Onigafuchi Defense Alli-
ance recorded in the documents. ...The contents were all violent, not giving me the barest hint
of a feeling that these people were trying to uphold the law.
"Could you give me a basic rundown of the types of illegal activities the Onigafuchi
Defense Alliance are engaging in?"
The chief opened up a manila envelope, fished out several unorganized sheets and
spread them out on the desk.
"It seems that raids on the construction site are the most common. At first, they were
committing relatively petty crimes like cutting power cords, jamming locks, and breaking of-
fice windows by throwing rocks."
Of course, what really happened first were things like demonstrations, sit-ins, and dis-
tribution of pamphlets; lively but democratic forms of protests.
However, then the demonstrators and police clashed, which started a riot, leading to
numerous injuries and arrests. It was from then on that the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance, like
their name implies, began to take a more demonish form of resistance...
"If the raids were frequent, didn't the local police up their patrols?"
"Well of course they were on full alert, but they were up against locals, you know?
There wasn't much the police could do if they were sneaking around under the cover of dark-
ness."
You might as well label the entire map of Hinamizawa Village around the dam con-
struction site 'enemy territory'. No matter how alert the police were... the locals would just
show them exactly how easy it was to sneak around.
"Actually, it was after the police upped security that the protestors started getting
ever more extreme, as though they were being provoked. ...See here? Can you tell how things
started to heat up?"
"...An office set on fire. ...The destruction of heavy construction equipment. ...Destruc-
tion? They couldn't have used explosives?"
"No way. You see, they crammed the gas tanks full of sugar cubes. If they do that, it
fouls the engines."
Even in Japan, it seemed there had been people doing that to the vehicles of occupying
forces right after the war. ...Compared to misdemeanors like breaking windows, it was ex-
tremely violent and aggressive.
"...After being toyed around with to that extent, the local police have completely lost
face."
"The arson was a bit much. After that, the local police drastically increased the num-
ber of personnel they had stationed there around the clock. The raids on the construction site
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quieted down a bit after that."

He used the words 'quieted down'... but that was still smack dab in the middle of the
list of crimes.
"See, after that, they.... After they found that attacking the site had become difficult,
they started resorting to personal attacks. ...The first people targeted were the construction
workers."
After that, there was silence. What was being described to me was a guerilla war
fought in the jungle... Threats and violence against the workers. Harsh words and harsher
rocks were thrown.
"...There's quite a list of accusations here, but there's not a whole lot of convictions."
"Of course not. First of all, there's no witnesses. On top of that, even if we identify the
perpetrators, they have alibis coming out of the woodwork."
"...? What do you mean by that?"
"Hmmm. ...Take for example, you're walking around Hinamizawa, when a certain man
stabs you with a knife. You remember the person clearly, and even know his name and ad-
dress. However, the knife doesn't have any fingerprints on it, and there's no other physical
evidence. ...Well, you'd think this would be a run-of-the-mill case of assault, wouldn't you? In
Hinamizawa, though, it's a perfect crime."
Everybody is... the entire village, they're all in on it. To protect the man who was the
perpetrator, they'll get their stories straight and prepare an alibi. ...To that end, they'll probably
even forge some evidence.
"There's nothing they can do but put them on trial. On top of there not being any mate-
rial evidence, though, people testify one after another to cover his side of the story. ...Any
prosecutor would hesitate to file charges. I'm not sure about murder, but if it's something like
opening a gash on somebody's forehead with a thrown rock, or leaving a bruise after hitting
someone, even if you could single out the suspect, there's enough reasonable doubt to not con-
vict."
Every case is without a doubt perpetrated by someone in Hinamizawa... but they can't
identify who. Even if they could figure out who it is, they're unable to obtain enough circum-
stantial evidence through due process... The villagers were all extremely well-informed about
this, and so the malicious, vicious... and tenacious personal attacks continued...
"The victims can't have been okay with that, right? Couldn't they have filed for an ap-
peal?"
"Well you see, about that, everybody on the Inquest Committee didn't want to get
involved with something so troublesome. They won't stick their noses into anything related to
Hinamizawa."
The Inquest Committee is comprised of a random selection of local residents. ...In the
event the prosecutor fails to get a conviction, they have the power to order a retrial. It's a sys-
tem designed to assert the will of the people on the actions of expert prosecutors in the legal
world... ...In this case, however, being composed of local residents has backfired.
"They don't want to get involved? Why is that?"
"...Hmmm.. How do I explain this... You could say they're afraid... ...Since it's a little
Himatsubushi-hen
special there."
"...Special? Is it an outcaste community?"
"No... it's a little different from that... ...Well... just think of it as them being afraid. It's
a little hard to explain it just now. ....Oh, right. There's an easier way."
Wiping his forehead with a handkerchief, he opened a file labeled as a list of members
of the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance.
"The power of the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance, you see... Is the fact that they count
many people among their members who are influential in neighboring areas. Could you take a
look at this?"
...I looked. What I saw startled me. Prefectural and municipal assembly members. Staff
members of the Chamber of Commerce. An executive of a business association. ...An execu-
tive of a town council association and a PTA liaison... there were more than a few people with
a lot of say both locally and in the neighboring regions.
"Around here, you could pretty much expect your actions to be observed by those
against the dam project. ...If you said something in its support... who knows how it'd work out
to your disadvantage. In any case, every town in this area is being held by the throat by some-
body from Hinamizawa."
"The list of Inquistion Committee members is undisclosed, isn't it? There has to be
some measures in place to make sure they'd avoid retribution, no?"
"...Well, it is undisclosed, so their privacy is assured, but... The person in charge of that
is from the Okinomiya Municipal Office. ...In other words, a local. While you might expect
some professional confidentiality... you can't know how everybody is connected. The people
from Hinamizawa have a lot of tight bonds in that regard."
...When you consider the obligations and duties people have to the region, the web
of information thereby formed is nothing to scoff at. It's not uncommon for housewives in
a neighbourhood to know which kid from which house is what grade in which school, what
subjects they're good at and what vegetables they hate, among other things.
"...You see, there's a yakuza organization here with strong ties to Hinamizawa and the
surrounding area. It would seem that they're providing full support in these recent incidents.
They seem to be proving most effective."
"Gangsters? Siding together with the residents opposed to the construction of the dam?
...It's a little hard to see what their common interest is."
"It's not that difficult at all. You see, actually, one of the lieutenants in that gang is
originally from Hinamizawa. He was adopted into a rather influential family in the village."
...Exactly what was this Hinamizawa? I had thought it was some desolate rustic vil-
lage. However, for some reason they exterted a strong influence on the surrounding areas, and
had a strong sense of unity. They would protect their village by any means necessary, even if
that meant resorting to violence. The chief had said that they were afraid because there were
numerous influential people living there, but somehow, I got the feeling that they were afraid
of the village itself.
There was something clearly different from what I had read in the documents in To-
kyo. This was no simple residential protest against the dam.
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Page 17
For some reason, an uneasy feeling began to nestle itself at the back of my mind. I
chose the most basic way to ask my question. ...In other words, I directly asked what I wanted
to know.
"...Chief. ...This is just a hypothetical situation, but..."
"Huh?"
"This... Onigafuchi Defense Alliance. In order to halt the dam project... ...Do you think
they could, say, threaten somebody important to accomplish that?"
The chief replied immediately.
"It's possible. Truth be told, they've already gone to municipal and prefectural offices,
as well as local offices of the Ministry of Construction and done things that could be con-
strued as intimidation. Several of the worker's families have also reported that they're being
followed around by some suspicious people."
...Well, that would make sense. To halt progress on the dam, they raided the construc-
tion site, destroying heavy machinery and lighting the construction office on fire. If they didn't
have any qualms about doing that... threats and violence against people related to the dam
would probably be no problem. ...But... that was it. Even your everyday hoodlum could use
threats and violence.
However, this time it was the kidnapping of the minister's grandson... an abnormally
high-level crime. Not only was pulling off the kidnapping difficult in the first place, but so
was maneuvering to have the minister surrender to their demands immediately. There was no
way this was the work of amateurs. ...Did these people have the power to enact this large of a
crime...?
That was the heart of the matter. Was the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance an organiza-
tion capable of pulling this off? ...In order to ask that question, once again... ...I chose the most
basic method.
"...Again, hypothetically, do you think... They could kidnap a relative of someone of
political importance?"
There's no way they could pull off something that big.
That was the answer I most hoped for. If it was that answer... my work was as good as
halfway done. I might be able to get back in time for my wife to give birth. ...That was how it
was supposed to be.
The chief, without a hint of hesitation, replied:
"They just might. There's no telling how far they'd go."
...Sorry, Yukie. ...It seemed like my work wouldn't end so simply after all.
Himatsubushi-hen
"...Oh, Akasaka-kun. Good work. How's the information gathering at the XX Prefec-
tural Office?"
"It's coming along. It seems I'll be able to meet with their local Public Safety Depart-
ment, so I'm planning on heading out that way. How's the investigation in Tokyo going?"
"The others are progressing along, but the number of groups we have to investigate are
countless. Time isn't really a luxury here."
...There were no new developments at this time. No matter how suspicious the Onigafu-
chi Defense Alliance was, if they solved the case in Tokyo, my job was done. ...It looked like
my wishful thinking wouldn't come to pass.
Hanging up the phone, I let my gaze drift outside the window to the valley of unfamil-
iar buildings...
"Akasaka-san. A car you can borrow just returned. I'll take you to it, so follow me."
"Ah, thank you."
He showed me the elevator to the underground parking lot where a battered sedan was
waiting for me.
That the steering wheel kept drifting to the left was a little concerning, but it would be
enough to get me around for a while.
My destination was Shishibone City, XX Prefecture. ...An area under the control of the
Onigafuchi Defense Alliance. The Okinomiya Police Station was right on the front lines.
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Page 19
OKINOMIYA POLICE STATION

Shishibone City was, as far as provincial cities went, rather behind the times. Okin-
omiya, recessed in the mountains, was even more remote.
With little change between the seasons, all that was left was the tepid passage of time...
it made for a rather drab town.
There were no tourist attractions or local delicacies. Without even a strong regional in-
dustry, it was simply dull. Just looking at the monotonous and peaceful townscape, it was hard
to catch a glimpse of the radical resistance of the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance...
The atmosphere of boredom didn't hint of the Okinomiya Police Station being on the
front lines of the dam conflict, nor of the numerous incidents that I heard about at the prefec-
tural headquarters.
"Good morning. Are you here to pay a fine?"
"No, I have an appointment with Motodai from the Public Safety Division. Please tell
him it's Akasaka."
"Ah... m-my apologies. Please wait a minute..."
The clerk (who thought that I was here for a parking violation at first glance) after
fumbling with the unfamiliar extension number, told the person on the line they had a visitor.
"Welcome, welcome! Akasaka, was it? It must have been tiring travelling out all this
way! Sorry we have to do this here. I tried to reserve a reception room, you see, but the coun-
cillor suddenly woke up and chased me out! Wahahaha!"
I would hesitate to call where we were a conference room, as it was very small and
cluttered. ...The cramped space was packed with lockers. I had the impression that it was more
of a change room that doubled as one for smoking.
Listening to his crude chortles, I didn't get much of a feeling that Motodai, who was
head of the local Public Safety Division, was much of an intellectual. But I knew that, in ex-
change, he had both experience and absolute confidence in his instincts.
"I apologize for interrupting you during such a busy time. I'm Akasaka from the Met-
ropolitan Police Department. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
"Motodai from the Public Safety Division. Nice to meetcha. I was threatened by
Sankai from the Prefectural Gangbusters to be generous with my cooperation. Wahahaha!"
"Gangbusters? You mean the Prefectural Crime Prevention Division?"
"You see, we're treating the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance as an extension of the local
yakuza. You'd have to be a newbie if you think they're just a residential protest group, waha-
haha!"
They said at the prefectural office too that the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance was linked
to the local mob. If I recall correctly, the adopted son of somebody influential was a lieutenant
in that gang...
"It's the other way around. The complete opposite. The yakuza put up the protest group
as a front to justify their actions. Just think of it like that. Completely the other way around.
Wahahaha!"
Motodai was just about rolling with laughter. ...This was slightly different than the info
Himatsubushi-hen
given to me at the prefectural office, but somebody embedded locally would be more knowl-
edgable.
While we were talking, occasionally some people who seemed to be detectives would
come in and change. ...One of those individuals, noticing Motodai's guffaws, came up to us.
"I was wondering what you guys were talking about. Nfu fu fu fu!"
"Oh, Kura! Perfect timing, why don't you join us? This here is Inspector Akasaka, who
came all the way from the Tokyo Police Department."
"An Inspector? I-I'm still a rookie. My name is Akasaka, pleased to meet you..."
"It must be nice to be so fresh-faced. Did they hire you this year? Nfu fu fu!"
I couldn't help but think I was being ridiculed, so I only responded with a forced
smile... I could tell that this new person was like Motodai, the type who had confidence in
their instincts and experience. ...I really didn't like those types of people.
"Let me introduce you, Akasaka-san. This is Ooishi from our Investigative Depart-
ment. Regarding the S File you were asking about, he's familiar with it."
"...S File?"
"S for Sonozaki. If something is an S File, it means it has something to do with the
Sonozaki family... it's something of a codename."
Sonozaki? ...Come to think of it, I remembered when I was poring over the documents
at headquarters, there were quite a few people with the last name Sonozaki popping up.
"...If I remember right, there's a Sonozaki who is one of the executives of the Onigafu-
chi Defense Alliance. I'm pretty sure they're the treasurer."
The two of them were surprised when I rattled off what post that Sonozaki held. ...Af-
ter a moment, both of them erupted into laughter.
"Akasaka was it? Na ha ha ha! You're quite the studious one! Could it be you've memo-
rized all of the central figures in the Alliance? Na ha ha ha ha!"
"I wouldn't say memorized, exactly, but I've at least read the list of Onigafuchi Defense
Alliance executives."
"Nfu fu! Then, who are the president and vice-president?"
"The president is the mayor of Hinamizawa, K. Kimiyoshi. The vice-president is the
priest of the local shrine, Furude. The treasurer is O. Sonozaki, the auditor is Makino. The
liason is Y. Kimiyoshi, the PR Head is Y. Sonozaki..."
"Na ha ha...!! Akasaka, you're pretty good! The pay sucks, but you want to work here?
You're just the type we're looking for. Nfu fu fu! ...By the way, Yoshio Sonozaki is head of the
Youth Department. So close! The Head of Public Relations is actually Tadayoshi Sonozaki.
Euheh heh heh!"
Feeling like I wasn't being complimented at all, I started settling into an uncomfort-
able mood. ...However, I was becoming more and more aware that I was the weakest link in
this investigation, so I just had to bear with it. I didn't mean for that feeling to show up on my
face, but the crafty detectives didn't let that slip by.
"Na ha ha ha! I didn't mean to make fun of you. ...To make up for it, why don't I show
you around the village?"
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Page 21
For somebody with no feel for the area like me, it would be a great help. I couldn't
have asked for more.
"In the end, the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance is nothing more than an alias Hinamiza-
wa is using to deal with the outside world. ...I think getting to know the village would speed
up your work. ...How about it?"
The residential movement, in other words, held influence over the whole region. So the
leader of the movement was the leader of that influence. Just like that, the thought processes
in the region would become the overall personality of the movement. ...Just like Ooishi had
said, in order to learn what they were really like, this regional force behind the dam protests,
getting to know the village was the quickest way.
"...If you would!"
Nodding back without skipping a beat, Ooshi laughed in satisfaction and stood up.
If I took the information I learned at the prefectural office and from Motodai to heart...
if my position was exposed, my personal safety was at risk. The opponent was an extremist
group that had no qualms about using threats or violence against somebody. If my personal
info was leaked, it wouldn't be hard to imagine that I'd be in danger, whether on the job or
not... ...Thinking that, I felt a little nervous.
"These guys are quick to remember faces. If you're seen with me, they'll probably do a
lot to hinder your work. This might be a little cliche, but put these on."
Ooshi handed me an incredibly suspicious disguise comprised of a baseball cap, sun-
glasses, and a mask. I didn't want to get all hot and stuffy, but Ooishi's warning was probably
right on the money. ...Considering that, I put them on with appreciation. I looked so suspicious
that Ooishi had to smile wryly...
"...How much did I tell you again? ...Let's see..."
"To the part where you were talking about how these three ancient families control the
village."
The Onigafuchi Defense Alliance was the same as the village of Hinamizawa itself.
Meaning, there was a direct correlation between being an executive in the Alliance and be-
ing a leader in the village, as Motodai had told me a short time ago. If the village was ruled
by three ancient families... then it would mean the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance was ruled by
those same three families.
"What did the documents at the prefectural office say? About the leader of the Defense
Alliance or whatnot."
"..."
...The documents I was using were classified. If I responded to Ooishi's question it'd
be a breach of security. ...However, most likely... This man, I judged, was more well-versed in
the situation than any of the documents at the prefectural police department, so I decided to
answer him.
"That the president of the Alliance is the current mayor of the village, Kiichirou Kimi-
yoshi."
Ooishi, upon hearing that, let out a small chuckle.
For him to ask like that, and to laugh at the answer as it was recorded in the docu-
Himatsubushi-hen
ments... ...meant that wasn't the case in reality.

"...So then... that means there's somebody else other than Kimiyoshi behind the scenes.
Contrary to what the prefectural office thinks, or rather, what is commonly known."
"Nfu fu... Old man Kimiyoshi is nothing more than a figurehead. In the first place, the
post of mayor in that village is nothing more than ceremonial."
"In other words... there's something else in charge of both the Alliance and the village?
Would that be the three families we just talked about?"
"Well, I'll explain that part right now. ...Nfu fu fu!"
All of a sudden, with a 'thunk', the car suddenly lurched.
The paved road had given way to a gravel one. At the same time, the scenery outside
the window changed.
"The Hinamizawa Dam Project Must Be Withdrawn"
"Overthrow the Shameless Puppet of a Governor!"
"The Dam Will Submerge the Natural Beauty of Hinamizawa!"
"Protect the Village from the Unethical Dam!"
"Fear the Wrath of Oyashiro-sama's Curse!"
"Demolish the Dam! Those Involved Must Go Away!"
"The Construction Office Must Respond!"
"The Office Manager XX Must Negotiate With Us!"
Signs and banners crowded the roadside... Even reading the brush-scrawled words was
daunting. It was as though where the road just changed was a border with a different country.
...At that moment, I was startled by the car suddenly braking.
Looking ahead... a barricade had been erected. About 5 or 6 protestors, wearing masks
and helmets to hide their faces, were blocking the road, yelling at us angrily to stop.
"...W-What is this!? A checkpoint!?"
"Hmph. ...These guys never learn."
Ooishi snorted as he rolled down the window and leaned out.
"Hey hey hey, you guys, you can't be blocking the road like this here."
As Ooishi glared at them with a malicious laugh, they visibly faltered.
"...Clear the way. We can't get by like this. Nfu fu fu!"
...Who would have thought it was Ooishi's car... That panicked thought seemed to make
them lose their presence of mind.
"...Ah, if we had known it was your car, Detective Ooishi, we wouldn't have been so
rude. ...Detective, what happened to your usual car? Is it in for maintenance?"
"Something like that. I just can't get used to this car they loaned me, nfu fu fu!"
...Judging from their brief conversation, I could guess that they were familiar with the
license plate of the car Ooishi normally used. In other words, if they knew the car belonged to
the police, they would have hidden the barricade.
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Page 23
What they were doing was obviously obstruction of traffic. A blatant crime.
"...Who's that suspicious guy? You, could you show us your face?"
The man glared at me menacingly. Wearing a mask and sunglasses made me look
particularly dubious. ...Would not showing my face get me into some unnecessary trouble...? I
turned to Ooishi to see what I should do...
"Give him a break. He's still a shy little rookie, nfu fu!"
"...We just wanted to make sure he wasn't anybody suspicious. ...Hinamizawa has been
in a bit of a stir as of late."
"Na ha ha ha! Have you looked at yourself in the mirror? That mask you're wearing is
way more suspicious! Na ha ha ha ha ha!"
The men and Ooishi continued to talk like that, feigning smiles at one another...
...However, from the beginning to the end, I couldn't get over the feeling I was sitting on a
powderkeg.
"Has the number of trucks illegally dumping still not decreased? It's a real hassle deal-
ing with it all the time."
"If the police could understand and cooperate it would really help... hahahaha..."
During that conversation, the barricade was moved, leaving a gap wide enough for a
single car to get through. Ooishi lightly honked the horn once, and began to roll the car for-
ward. I could see the men's antagonistic glares at the back of the car in the rearview mirror...
"What was that just now? Blocking a public road like that!"
"Of course it's a crime. Still, if you get worked up over that, it'll never end. Nfu fu fu!
Those guys, see, claim there's an infestation of trucks illegally dumping in the village. Their
story goes that in order to stop that, they're halting suspicious vehicles for inspection."
"Illegal dumping? Like corrupt contractors just tossing industrial waste away?"
"Their line of argument is that if the police aren't going to do anything about it, they'll
take matters into their own hands. ...Well, the industrial waste is just something they're doing
by themselves anyways."
"By themselves?"
"They have a pretty good strategy. You see, in order to hinder construction, they've
spread industrial waste over by the dam site. ...Then, blaming it on corrupt contractors, they
start instituting these inspections. There, they stop every construction vehicle coming through
and interfere with them as much as possible. Nfu fu fu!"
"...So then, it's one of the methods the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance is using."
"With that inspection just now, this car's license plate has probably been recorded. ...It
shouldn't get stopped from here on out. ...Those guys know very well not to get me angry. Na
ha ha ha ha!"
"..."
"See, rumor is that if they figure a car is related to the construction in some way, not
only would there be checkpoints stopping it at every turn, but they'd be throwing rocks and
planting road spikes as well. ...It's best you be careful so you're not identified. If they find out
you're from Public Safety, who knows what you'll suffer through... Nfu fu fu!"
Himatsubushi-hen
Ooishi was acting like we were talking about something fun, but for me it was no
laughing matter...
"...It almost feels like we've wandered into a civil war in the Middle East."
"Na ha ha ha ha ha! That's a good way of putting it. It's pretty much just what you
said."
Ooishi turned to me with a grin and menacing laugh.
"You see, this here's a warzone."
The car slowed down a bit as it went down a narrow road through some farmland.
"You see that house in that forest over there? That antiquated one."
Looking at where Ooishi was pointing, there certainly was an old, traditionally-de-
signed house.
"That belongs to the mayor, old man Kimiyoshi. You could say it belongs to the main
Kimiyoshi house as well. There's a lot of branches, but they'd be one of the Three Families."
"...The Three Families. ...The ancient families that control Hinamizawa?"
"That's right. And, one of the others is the Furude family. Their house doesn't even
have a single branch, as all that's left is the head priest's family. ...Right over there, there's the
shrine. He's the priest there. By the way, the Defense Alliance's office is on the grounds of
that shrine."
The office of the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance... ...if these guys were the enemy, that
would make the shrine their stronghold.
"Can we go look over there?"
"The shrine is the Furude family's private property, you see. Being police, we can't set
foot there without a warrant. See, they've got a member of the Diet with ties to the village
backing them up. ...Basically, being the police has its strengths and weaknesses."
"..."
"Well, even when we talk about the Three Families... that's something from a long time
ago. Way back when, those three families used to hold councils to decide things about the vil-
lage."
"Meaning... it's different now?"
"...You've got a pretty good nose. That's what I expect from an academic. Nfu fu fu!"
The car braked to a halt with a squeal. Ahead of where we were stopped were several
signs.
"Private Property Beyond. No Trespassing."
"Beware of Poisonous Snakes! Danger! Turn Back!"
"Intruders Will Be Charged An Entry Fee of 1,000,000 yen."
Signs were erected there with things like that written on them. The road was separated
from the forest by a chain link fence wrapped in barbed wire...
"...Since this is private property, this is as far as we go. There's several surveillance
cameras set up further in. Saying that we just got lost won't work with these guys."
"...They're beyond here, right?"
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Page 25
The people currently controlling Hinamizawa and the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance
were neither the Kimiyoshi family nor the Furude family, but the last of the three.
"Yeah. ...Beyond here is one of the Three Families, the Sonozaki family. They're the
ones controlling Hinamizawa from the shadows."
...Among the list of executives recorded in the documents, the number of people with last
names from the three families was quite high. ...Of course, Sonozaki was no exception. How-
ever, at the top was the Kimiyoshi family.
...If the Kimiyoshi family seemed to be in charge, the rulers behind the scenes were
the Sonozaki family. This double-layered structure implicitly told me that this village had both
a light and a dark side...
"The current head of the Sonozaki family is an old lady named Oryou. ...She has
enough clout that you could call her 'Empress Sonozaki'. Be careful, she's no small fry. She's
enough of a VIP that even the mayor of the city has to bow before her. ...Well, in Hinamizawa
and the surrounding area their relatives amount to a block of several thousand votes. No politi-
cian could show disrespect for that. Nfu fu fu!"
"In other words... That would make her the actual leader of the Onigafuchi Defense
Alliance, right?"
"You've got it."
With those words, Ooishi pulled out a well-worn cigarette box.
The suspected kidnapping of the Minister's grandchild and subsequent threats. Were
these part of the hidden plot by the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance in order to have the Hinam-
izawa Dam Project cancelled?
"...You came all the way from Tokyo to investigate this, didn't you?"
"...Huh? Ah, yeah! That's right. ...Something the matter?"
"Ah, then... Is it related to that direct appeal incident with Minister Inugai? If that's the
case, then Public Safety has them marked on a watchlist? Something like that? Na ha ha ha
ha."
"Having you guess that so quickly makes this easy."
While exhaling out cigarette smoke, Ooishi smiled broadly, like I'd just pulled a good
one on him... ...or so I thought. His smile disappeared suddenly.
"That's a lie, isn't it?"
"...Huh?"
"I mean, the direct appeal putting them on a watchlist. That's a lie, isn't it?"
"..."
Ooishi knew there was no way that Tokyo HQ would dispatch an investigator over
something as minor as a direct appeal. ...If they were to dispatch someone, it had to be for a
more... dire reason. He had figured out as much.
...I thought of myself as the type of person who doesn't let things show on their face.
In front of his watchful gaze, however, I felt that what I was thinking was completely laid
bare...
Himatsubushi-hen
Ooishi silently lit another cigarette, as if waiting for me to interject during this awk-
ward pause. ...I see... so this was a veteran detective's way of getting someone to spill informa-
tion.
But, as long as I realized this, there would be nothing more. ...If I didn't open my
mouth, I wouldn't have to lose anything. All I had to do was stare out the window and enjoy
the scenery until Ooishi gave up.
"Nfu fu fu! You really are bad at hiding things, you know. Being so young and earnest
isn't so bad."
Ooishi smirked as he twisted out his third cigarette, while I tried not to let him notice
that I had yielded completely.
...At first I'd thought I had won, but at the very least Ooishi had ascertained that I was
hiding something. ...Meaning that I might have ended up marching to his tune.
Ooishi started up the engine once again, and began to move the car.
"...If you'd just been honest with me, I thought I might have been able to help you."
"...How would you help?"
If the cat was out of the bag, I might as well use it to catch some mice.
"Well, this depends on what we're talking about, but I might be able to set you up with
someone who's knowledgable about the goings-on in Hinamizawa."
"An informant?"
"...Nfu fu fu! I see, is that what you call it?"
"...Why are you interested in my case, Ooishi-san?"
"Well, I'm the same as you. ...Isn't it our business to know things?"
Being able to meet with Ooishi's informant was an extremely compelling opportunity.
We were looking to recruit somebody familiar with the area to collaborate with for intelli-
gence. In the end, there was no better method for finding people than asking.
We were always taught, however, that the rank-and-file police were no better than
monkeys. Unlike us, they were careless with confidential cases. We looked down on them like
they'd run their mouth off in a drunken stupor. ...Ooishi was an outlaw even amongst them.
And here I was lost on whether or not I should tell him about the kidnapping of the minister's
grandson.
"...This informant, exactly how knowledgeable are they about the Onigafuchi Defense
Alliance?"
"Na ha ha ha! If you're from Public Safety, you'd know, wouldn't you? Something like
that is something I can't just tell you."
...Protect your sources. That was the first principle of dealing with confidential infor-
mation. ...In that regard, it seemed that Ooishi wasn't one of those monkeys. Should I trust
him, ask for his help, or not?
"It's just that you work for the feds, and I work for the prefecture. I don't think that our
jobs are that different. ...I think I can be of help."
...However, I had trouble believing that this crafty old man would simply help me just
like he claimed.
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Page 27
"I find it hard to believe that someone of your standing would help me out without
strings attached..."
"Na ha ha ha ha... Well, it's not like I'm completely without an ulterior motive. As I
recall, you guys have space in your budget allocated to pay informants, right? Something you
don't need to submit a receipt for. ...Just a little bit of that would be the cost of meeting with
the informant."
"In other words, give the compensation earmarked for the informant to you first?
...Well, it helps that the details of this deal are so clear-cut."
He certainly was something else for being able to brazenly state his ulterior motive
like this. Rather than him doing this out of the kindness of his heart, everything was a lot
clearer if he was being compensated for this deal. ...I felt that he was the type of man who
was good at these backroom dealings.
"Don't misunderstand me, please. It's not me who needs the money, it's the informant,
okay? Well, in regards to the payment, I'll be handling the money. Nfu fu!"
"When do you want it?"
"Right now would be good. If you don't have it on you, tomorrow works as well."
...I pulled out a wallet that was different from my personal one. The price was pretty
much fixed depending on what kind of information I was paying for. ...In this case, the pay-
ment was up front. Also considering the fact I didn't know what kind of info I would get, I
shouldn't pay too much...
When I suggested that, Ooishi suddenly stretched out his hand and tightly grasped the
contents of the wallet.
"At times like this, it's best you not be so stingy. It's all right, it's all right, it won't go
to waste."
"....I understand. I won't be stingy."
"And? What kind of information are you looking for? Depending on what you what,
how we approach this will probably change..."
"...You swear you won't spread this information to anybody else, Ooishi-san?"
"I can't swear as much. I'm the same as you. I can't withhold information obtained dur-
ing the course of my duties."
"..."
"Na ha ha ha ha! I got it, I swear. Nothing here gets said anywhere else. On top of
that, thanks to you, I can pay back what I owe from my mahjong debts. In any case, I won't
break a promise that involves money. Nfu fu fu!"
I was still unsure if I should trust him until the very last moment... but in the end, I
broke down. Ooishi wasn't the type of guy I could trust 100%, but there was no mistaking he
had access to underground information networks. In order to accomplish my mission swiftly, I
needed his cooperation. ...I set my resolve.
"I'm investigating whether or not the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance is related to a cer-
tain incident."
"Certain incident?"
Himatsubushi-hen
"There's a possibility that the Minister of Construction, Inugai, is being coerced by

someone."
"...Saying there's a possibility is kind of a roundabout way of putting it."
"It appears there's a mole close to the minister. And due to that mole, the minister had
been monitored quite thoroughly, and was seemingly forced to cede to their threats right away.
None of this was reported to us or the police."
"...I see. So that's why you're saying there's only a possibilty he's being coerced. ...In
that case, isn't it a little strange? If the minister didn't report this to anybody, how did you
guys know about this incident?"
If we didn't spy on the minister's private life, we would have never found out.
"...I don't think we have to provide that explanation to the informant, so I'm omitting
it."
Ooishi had apparently caught on, and quietly chuckled when I refused to explain.
"I see. ...There's a spy close to the minister, so Public Safety made it a highly classified
investigation. That certainly isn't a very amicable story, is it."
"If this matter became public, not only would this affect the minister's political career,
but the possibility of there being a shift in the political landscape is extremely high. If the
perpetrators' aim is indeed that, then this could develop into a very grave situation."
"...Well, with the government having development projects all over the country, they've
butted heads with quite a few people. It wouldn't take much wrongdoing for the left wing par-
ties to suddenly garner more support."
"We're currently investigating what demands are being forced on the minister. But at
least we have a good idea of how he's being threatened."
"...How?"
"The minister's grandson... was kidnapped. They're denying it, but judging from when
he was last seen, it's believed it's already been over 72 hours since the kidnapping."
"So, three days. ...If they were just after ransom money, this would have been settled
by now."
"It may be this isn't for monetary gain. The possibility that they're forcing the minister
to do something politically is extremely high. ...That's something we just can't consent to."
"So then, the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance was listed as one of the possible perpetra-
tors."
"That is correct."
"...Kidnap the minister's grandson, and demand the cancellation of the dam project...
Hmm..."
"What do you think, Ooishi-san? ...From your point of view, do you think that's pos-
sible?"
Ooishi seemed to ponder the idea for a while. The section chief at the regional of-
fice had responded immediately with: "It's possible." ...However Ooishi, who was this well-
informed about the matter, was hemming and hawing...
...Finally, just a little bit... ...He said something that was really just a little bit strange.
Ryukishi07
Page 29
"...This was before the Meiji Era, you see. This area wasn't named Hinamizawa Village
back then--it was called Onigafuchi. ...Nahahaha, this is just what I heard from my grand-
mother."
...This topic was so completely and suddenly unrelated to the subject of the kidnapping
of the minister's grandson that I was taken slightly aback.
"Onigafuchi? ...Oh, so that's why they're called the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance."
"...You see, the village of Onigafuchi was said to be inhabited by demons that devoured
humans. Even now, it's believed that the blood of these demons partially courses through the
veins of the villagers."
"...D-Demons that devour humans?? Ooishi-san... what are you saying?"
"It's information. I got a lot from you just now. A little too much. In exchange, I'm giv-
ing you a little freebie."
Ooishi finally smiled, but it didn't seem like he was fooling around.
"...Please continue."
"You see, these human-devouring demons... Normally they were were revered as Tao-
ist 'transcendants', and lived tucked away from the rest of the world. ...But they ate people,
after all, so apparently they'd go to villages in the foothills regularly and abduct their prey.
...They used to call that being 'demoned away', or 'Onikakushi'."
Demoned away... ...It was the first time I heard such a peculiar phrase. However, I felt
something slightly ominous from this horrifying tale of demons abducting people in order to
eat them.
"...Look, you know how there's the common phrase 'spirited away'? When people sud-
denly go missing one day, they call it that. ...When the same thing happens around here, they
call it being 'demoned away'."
"...How does that old tale relate to the matter at hand?"
"...Oh no. There's no direct relationship, I'm just making some small talk here. It's
just..."
Kathump kathump.
The car shook. ...At some point the gravel road had changed to a paved one.
"It's just...? Just what?"
"...That around here, the phrase 'demoned away' is somewhat of a code for disappear-
ances and kidnappings. I just thought I'd mention that. I don't know if this has anything to do
with the kidnapping of the minister's grandson. ...Well, there's no deep meaning behind it. It's
just, there's that little bit of history, nfu fu fu fu....!"
"Onikakushi"... human-eating demons coming down to the foothills and abducting their
prey. Then... in order to cancel the dam project that threatened to submerge the village they
lived in, did they 'demon away' the minister's grandson? ...Then, had they already made an
example out of the minister's grandson and eaten him alive??
"...Hahahahaha. It's a bit of an interesting old tale, isn't it?"
"If you set foot into the demons' village without reason, you'll promptly be captured
and eaten alive. So don't go near Onigafuchi. ...Kids these days wouldn't have these supersti-
Himatsubushi-hen
tions, would they? Even amongst the older folk in Okinomiya born in the Meiji Era, there's
quite a few who wouldn't heed these warnings."
Hinamizawa Village was feared by the people in the area. I recalled that piece of infor-
mation I heard from the Prefectural Public Safety Division.
"In any case, we're in the boonies out here. It's kind of expected that there'd be some
superstitions around. Na ha ha ha ha! Somebody from Tokyo like you, Akasaka-san, probably
couldn't even begin to imagine it, could you?"
...The man-eating demons, as the price for violating the sanctity of their village, kid-
napped the minister's grandson... and swallowed him whole. That ludicrous idea flew through
my head.
...It was so absurd, I was half-disgusted with myself. Ooishi was just teasing me. ...Stu-
pid. It was all really so stupid.
...Come to think of it, by then, I may have already been seized by the curse of that
dubious village. ...For me to realize that... would take a little more time..
Ryukishi07
Page 31
Himatsubushi-hen
Tip #1 - A Phone Call

"...Oh really? It's tough when it's such a sudden assignment... Please be careful. Where
are you headed? You're already there?"
"..."
Whenever I headed out on assignment, she would ask where. ...Not just Yukie, but any-
body would have asked the same question.
If it was a cold place, she would urge me to pack a thick jacket. If it was far, she'd
warn me to be careful on the drive over. ...It was just normal everyday concern that led to
asking such an obvious thing. I felt sad that I couldn't answer such a run-of-the-mill question.
"...Sorry. It's something that you can't talk about, isn't it... Please be careful."
"...Sorry, Yukie."
"...At some point, you started apologizing right away. Even though when you first
started your job you were all gung-ho about it. ...Hee hee."
Yukie laughed as though she had realized something. At times like this, Yukie had the
magical power to see right through me.
"...It's already been quite a while since I was admitted to the hospital. Are you finally
getting lonely?"
"D-Don't tease me. I'm too old to get lonely..."
"...Hee hee. Oh really? You actually like to be doted on, don't you...? Don't you start
getting a little faint of heart when I'm not around? Hee hee hee."
"...Aww, geez... I can see the little devil horns sprouting from your head right now...
You've always been like this."
"...You can't hide it, you can't hide it. If I don't play with you, you get aaaallll lonely. I
can hear your tail wagging over the phone. Hee hee hee..."
This side of Yukie wasn't something you could guess existed from seeing her usual
modest behavior, and it was something that she didn't show to anybody else but me. Normally
I'd poke her to hide my embarrassment and bring an end to the conversation, but I couldn't do
that over the phone. ...Of course, Yukie was clever. She was teasing me because of that.
"...Hee hee hee. I wonder when I figured out that giving you grief was this much fun..."
"Give me a break... ...In any case, it's good to hear you so lively."
"...I know, right? ...Did I cheer you up?"
I had called Yukie to keep her from feeling lonely when she was by herself in the hos-
pital room. ...Of course that was nothing more than a pretense that I, being shy, had come up
with. It seemed that Yukie had long since seen through that act.
"...Yeah."
"Please phone again... When I'm not feeling up to it, I'll get my father to talk with you.
...Although, if you're talking with my father, I get the feeling that you'd be standing at atten-
tion on the other side of the line. Hee hee hee."
For a while longer, Yukie kept teasing me without letting me end the call...
Ryukishi07
Tip #2 - Record of Opening Remarks
Chairman XX, Members of the XX Party, Congratulations are due, as
we are celebrating 25 years since our founding.
These past 25 years have seen much growth in XX Prefecture. The

once quiet scenery of nothing but fields, now has seen the open-
ing of a new stop for the bullet train, and with the development
of the highway, we've seen the rebirth of a modern city bursting
with youthful energy.
We've reaped the benefits of new businesses and industry. And

with the special reverence the residents of XX Prefecture have
for time-honored traditions-- history and culture, business and
industry--with these ideals in harmony, they have accomplished
in growing their city into one of Japan's foremost metropolises.
Of course, the development of XX Prefecture couldn't have happened
without the growth of the XX Party.
We are resolved to see every one of our campaign promises to fru-

ition, reaching our targets definitively and expediently like ar-
rows fired from a bow. With these arrows as the fundamental bases
of the XX Party, our members have sought to pierce the obstruc-
tions preventing the happiness of the residents of XX Prefecture.
But I do believe that everybody here is unlike an ordinary ar-

row. While being as unfaltering and straightforward, we have not
neglected in seeking solutions that conform to the current day
and age while also keeping an eye on the future. An arrow, once
loosed, can only fly to its destination.
Everyone here, however, is no simple arrow. Even once loosed from

the bow, without neglecting our studies, while employing new
methods, and implementing more effective and flexible ideas, thus
being able to change trajectories midflight-- we are magical ar-
rows.
The modern age marches ever forward. Sometimes it marches faster

than the time taken from planning to execution.
(The following part was not in the script. It is thought to have
been adlibbed by the Minister.)
For example, there have recently been numerous problems with the
Hinamizawa Power Plant Project. Rather than forcing through the
project solely because it was decided upon by the government, it is
necessary to reflect on and adjust to the ever-changing needs of
the residents, the region, and the next generation. The protests by
the local residents that surround the Hinamizawa Dam, these are
also the will of the people of XX Prefecture. If you feel that there
is no need to listen because the project has already been final-
ized, then you do nothing more than shed a poor light on Japan's
postwar democracy.
(The following is as per the script.)
For the lasting happiness of the citizens of Japan and the resi-
dents of XX Prefecture, please consider these policies thoroughly.
I believe, however, we have all gained something from the flex-
ibility and foresight of the XX Party.
I've taken up much of your time, however, allow me to say the fol-
lowing to celebrate the 25th anniversary of our founding. Chair-
man XX, members of the XX Party in attendance, thank you very
much for today.
--From the opening remarks of the XX Party Prefectural Forum and

25th Anniversary Celebration.
Tip #3 - Gears and Fire and the Taste of
Honey
The world is filled with people blessed with relationships. Of
course, that doesn't mean that everyone is connected to each other.
It's obvious that on the other side of the planet, there are people
laughing and crying who can't possibly have an effect on you. How-
ever, in the extremely limited community of the neighbourhood,
that sort of connection is just a matter of fact.
It's quite possible that a single remarkable event could have mas-
sive consequences inside a small community. If you were to in-
crease that in scale... a perfect stranger on the other side of the
globe might become enough of a legend to have an effect on our
lives.
Well, it's not always that way. Like I said at the beginning, the
links between people basically aren't that relevant in the grand
scheme of things. Whether some household nearby is having steak or
croquettes doesn't matter to me. When I put on my shoes, it doesn't
matter to anybody whether I put the right one on first or the left.
...This much the average person can understand. But actually, in

reality, this is the truth. The bonds between people are quite well
defined. It's not just a matter of distance, of being far or near.
For example, let's say that Person A's actions have some effect on
me. Even then, Person B's actions could have absolutely no conse-
quence on my life. The reverse also holds true. Just because my
actions affect Person A, that doesn't always mean that they affect
Person B as well.
Let's put it bluntly. If the bonds between people are like gears in
a machine... The gear that represents me meshes with some people,
but is isolated from others.
There are some who would try arguing against this. Those people
would bring up the example of gears in a clock. Each gear indeed
only directly meshes with one or two others... However, if you ro-
tate one gear, the one next to it is moved, which connects to the
next one, and the next... in the end, all the gears are moving.
...There is a logic behind this, more than enough to convince the

average person. Why is the argument convincing? ...The answer is
simple. The relationships between people are ambiguous, and can
only be described conceptually. How the gears are connected and
how their movements are chained together can't be used as a fun-
damental explanation, so it throws a wet blanket on that argu-
ment.
So for the people who like that explanation, I'll use the example
of a clock again to refute it. First of all, to say that this world
is a singular clock would be wrong.
That is, there isn't only one clock. There exist many clocks in
this world, each counting their own time. If you think about it,
the idea that this world is just one big clock is the height of ar-
rogance.
Even if you use the analogy of gears to explain human relation-

ships, then you should be able to explain it using an analogy of
multiple clocks unrelated to a single gear. Neighbours A and B. A
is a gear in the same clock as me, so it's best to remain civil. B
is a gear in a different clock, so he doesn't really matter to me
at all. That's the kind of clear distinction I'm talking about.
You want to say I'm being fallacious?
Then let's change the analogy to something more familiar, so you

can understand. You've probably heard the phrase "a fire on the
opposite shore" sometime in your life, no? For example, if your
neighbour's house was on fire, you'd probably try and help to put
it out, wouldn't you? It'd be awful if the fire spread and burned
down your own house, after all. But what if that fire was in a
town on the opposite side of a river?
Would you still go out of your way to help? You wouldn't, would
you? Even though it would be the wrong thing to do, there's no way
the fire could spread to your own house. Even if it turned into
a huge conflagration, there's no relation between the houses that
will spread fire to yours and those that won't. With this basic ex-
ample, you should be able to see the difference between gears that
are or aren't related to your own.
...Having said that, there's still a lot to think about, even with-
out a river to divide it. After all, it's not a spatial problem like
being on the other side of the river, is it?
Tip 4 - The Chick in the Trunk

The car had stopped.
But he didn't know any more than that. For not only was he blindfolded, but locked in
the trunk of the car. How could people become this powerless just by being robbed of their
sight? He absolutely wouldn't have known this without experiencing it firsthand.
He soon realized it was pointless to try and undo his bonds, with the confines of the
trunk quickly making him lightheaded. He had no choice but to let this mild torture dull his
senses. That's why, when the car stopped and the unpleasant vibration ceased as the engine
was killed, he couldn't help but delude himself that he was being set free, even though nothing
had been resolved in reality.
Of course, he was soon removed from that delusion. He strained his ears when he
heard one of the men who had abducted him and an older man he was hearing for the first
time strike up a conversation...
"...Nice to see you. The chick is in the trunk. He struggled so much that he's probably
exhausted right now, but there's not a mark on him, just as ordered."
"...Ohh, musta been a handful."
The trunk opened, letting in a blast of fresh, cool air.
Even though up until just now he had been thinking about getting out of that stuffy
trunk, when it was actually opened, he suddenly became uneasy. ...Enough so that he wished
that the lid of the trunk would once again close, separating himself from them.
Suddenly, somebody stroked his head. Of course, since he was blindfolded, he couldn't
tell if the hand was petting him or simply evaulating how easy it would be to remove his
scalp. Unable to tell the difference, he could only freeze as he imagined the worst-case sce-
nario...
"...Poor li'l bugger... 'E's shakin'... Jus' stay calm for a bit..."
The older man said that kindly as he gently stroked the boy's head.
"This mus' be real tough for ya... But ya see, yer gramps is a nice man. 'E'll 'elp ya
soon enough..."
Having heard nothing but the average standard dialect his whole life, the older man's
distinct intonation left a deep impression on the boy. But he had no idea what he was saying.
For 'yer gramps' to register as meaning 'your grandfather' took a while to process...
Eventually, the hand that was stroking his head loosened the blindfold.
"...Can't keep his eyes covered... if he splits his face open it'd be bad."
"Hm... An' with tha'... We migh' as well take out tha gag. 'E kent breathe like tha'..."
"...It'll be trouble if he yells... Leave him to us..."
"...Geez, ya guys dunno how ta treat somebody!! ...Tha main family said no rough
stuff. Ya better remember tha' well..."
"Yeah. We won't do anything stupid. ...As long as the kid cooperates, that is."
The man's hand prodded roughly and repeatedly at the boy's head.
A rugged hand, unlike the affectionate one that had been stroking his head before. Just
Ryukishi07
Page 39
stay cooperative. If you struggle, there's no guarantee what will happen. That cliched threat
was literally beaten into his head.
Himatsubushi-hen
Day 2
Waking up in a cheap hotel in the city was by no means pleasant.
I remembered even during the long camping trips we had during grade school, I
wanted to get home quickly, counting out the days left on my fingers. ...Waking up this morn-
ing, I was somehow reminded of that.
...Was it a need to be with my wife when she gave birth? A particular type of home-
sickness? As a productive member of society, as a public servant bound to fulfill his duties...
it was pathetic indeed. Those negative emotions faded as I downed my breakfast, which was
surprisingly not half-bad...
The meeting with the informant that Ooishi had provided would be tonight. Until then,
I couldn't just be lazing around.
The Onigafuchi Defense Alliance was protesting the dam's construction in various
ways.
Included in this was a strategy for improving public relations, which could be catego-
rized into two major forms: combative and peaceful. In regards to the former, as an attempt
to keep law enforcement in check, they appealed to the public's sympathy by highlighting the
oppressive and inhumane tactics of the police and the brutality of the riot squads. The latter,
peaceful, route stressed how precious the natural surroundings of Hinamizawa was, seeking
people who would oppose the dam on environmental grounds.
As a part of that, the village of Hinamizawa had invited celebrated zoologists and
botanists, as well as environmental groups, to advertise the nature surrounding the town. Ac-
cording to the news, in recent years there had been a group calling itself 'Hinamizawa Nature
Watching' setting up free sightseeing tours. ...I would have liked to have taken advantage of
the opportunity, but when I called the village administrative offices, they responded that it
was too late to put in an application for the tour, and they were still undecided as to when
they'd be doing another one.
"...I see. So there's no applications for next time. ...Too bad."
"Are you a member of an environmental group? Or maybe somebody from a maga-
zine?"
"No, just here privately."
"Privately? Then you're a tourist?"
"...Something like that. It's my hobby to take pictures that display how beautiful nature
can be. I read in a magazine that there were some precious nature reserves here, so I was
looking forward to it..."
I knew there was an article that had something like that written in it, but I hadn't actu-
ally read it.
Was it this ad-libbed lie not going to work...? However, contrary to my expectations,
the person I was speaking to laughed happily.
"Wa ha ha! Then come, come. The village is a little busy right now, but you're totally
welcome here! Wahahahaha!"
"In that case, I'll graciously accept the offer. Thank you."
Ryukishi07
Page 41
"How are you getting around? Car? If that's the case, could I ask you for your license
plate number? No, no, there's no ulterior motive behind that... wahahahaha!"
That was probably related to the checkpoints they'd set up on the way to the village. If
I didn't give them my license plate number, I'd most likely be hindered in various ways...
I thought about using the car I had borrowed from the prefecture, but I was lost on
whether it was okay to tell them that plate number.
...If the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance was behind this incident... There was no guar-
antee that they wouldn't be able to find out who I was. ...I had to play it safe, so I elected to
refrain from using the car.
"No... actually, I'm not using a car. If there's a bus or something, I'd prefer that..."
"We do have a bus, actually. The route is going to be discontinued soon, though. You
can take that. It departs from Okinomiya Station."
"Thank you very much. I'll look out for it."
"When will you be coming? Is it your first time in Hinamizawa? If it is, you must be
unsure about a lot of things. If you let me know, I can have somebody show you around."
"Oh no... I couldn't ask that much of you."
"Wahahahaha! Don't worry about it. That's just a bit of PR we do, to protect nature
around the village~."
Judging by what I saw at the checkpoint, the villagers were at the very least wary of
outsiders. That's why in order to move in and out of the village freely, I had to travel with
somebody like Ooishi, or side with the dam protests.
Having an interest in the natural environment surrounding the village tied into the
peaceful type of PR that the village was using. ...I was a bit against having a watchdog at-
tached to me, but that might actually work out in my favor. The entire village was fired up
about the dam protests, so I might be lucky enough to hear some especially candid opinions
from the residents. ...Given that, there was no real reason for me to refuse their offer.
"Is it really all right...? If so, that'll really help."
After that, I was shown the bus schedule, and directed to which bus I should get on. Some-
body would come and meet me at the bus stop in the village.
...After showing me around a spot I'd take an interest in, there was no doubt they'd
bring me to somewhere like an anti-dam information centre. Then, over a cup of tea, they'd
try and indoctrinate me into accepting their principles and beliefs. Well, if that was their aim,
there'd be a lot freebies involved. The world is about give and take, after all.
...I couldn't be going in a suit. I pulled some plain clothes out of my travel case, and
changed into something more casual.
After that, after calming down by watching some local television, I left the hotel and
set out for Okinomiya Station.
The bus route that I was told would soon be discontinued certainly didn't look that
way.
There was more than enough trips on the schedule, and the number of passengers was
by no means sparse. It was the main link to Okinomiya, the only town in the area.
Himatsubushi-hen
The types of passengers that stood out were older folk who didn't look like they could
drive and housewives who didn't seem like they had a license.
...If the area was submerged at the bottom of the lake, it wouldn't matter if there was
a bus route. That's why it was going to be discontinued... in the unnatural scheme of things. I
could catch a glimpse of the government's intent in cutting off their means of transportation to
bully the village into emptying out sooner.
It makes sense... according to the documents, talks between the Ministry of Construc-
tion and the locals broke down quite early. ...The government decided from the start to take an
aggressive stance on the matter. ...It was like the fairy tale with the North Wind and the Sun
trying to get the traveler remove his cloak. ...Even their bullying had meaning to it.
The reason why the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance resisted so violently... was because
the government was doing unseemly things like that. I was somebody who lived in Tokyo, so
for a village or two out in the boonies like this to be submerged didn't seem like a big deal.
...But, I guess for somebody actually living here, it would be a vitally huge problem.
"This route will be discontinued on the XXth of XX. Thank you for your patronage up
to this point. We look forward to your continued patronage on our other lines. XX Transporta-
tion."
Gazing lazily at the notice of discontinued service posted inside the bus, I counted
down the number of stops until the designated one...
Along the way, we passed through the checkpoint before without stopping. They knew
what time the bus was coming, so they had opened up the barricade ahead of time. ...From
here on out was enemy territory. My palms had at some point become coated in a thin film of
sweat...
"Now arriving at Ukita Waterworks~. Now arriving at Ukita Waterworks~. Are there
any passengers disembarking?"
I hurriedly pressed the stop request button as the designated stop was announced. ...For
none of the numerous passengers to be getting off here meant that it must be quite a remote
place.
In actuality, the stop I got off at was so abnormally run-down that I could tell it was
barely used. As soon as I stepped out, an intense atmosphere completely different than the
interior of the bus assailed my body.
Right now, Ooishi or Motodai weren't beside me. That's right--at present, I was alone
in the middle of enemy territory. My adversaries probably thought I was just an ordinary tour-
ist, but that was nothing more than a ruse. ...But if by some mistake my true identity was to
be exposed...
It brought back the terrifying words I had heard at the prefectural office... that if some-
body was attacked in Hinamizawa with a knife, there wouldn't be any evidence left behind...
...I didn't seem suspicious, did I? My clothing was currently casual. It was exactly the
type of clothing that a city slicker that viewed the countryside as a wholesome getaway would
wear.
A camera and knapsack. Inside were various things needed for hiking. ...It was still
only June, and maybe it was unusual, but the sun was shining down like it was already the
middle of summer. ...The fact that I didn't bring a hat must seem odd... ...No... It wasn't some-
Ryukishi07
Page 43
thing to be that concerned about...

It's alright... ...I was just a normal tourist. ...Just normal. Was there anything suspicious
about me...?
Asking that, as I turned around to look at the bus that was departing... ...All the pas-
sengers by the window were staring down at me, silently.
They were... staring right at me... ...As if they had seen right through my proud little
outfit... ...Just staring... looking down on me.
Countless stares rained down like needles on me from the windows opened to air out
the bus. ...All that rained down were stares. ...None of them... were saying a word. ...But, all
the more... ...Their silent stares told me more than a million words could.
...Hurry up and go back to Tokyo. You outsider.
"....N-no... I'm..."
There was no reason for me to speak. ...My quiet voice was drowned out by the sound
of the engine.
The bus, as if to torment me... set out slowly, and after doing more than enough to
intimidate me, sped off...
...A thin film of sweat began to rise from my entire body. According to the documents,
it was a village that seemed wary of outsiders. ...Its population was small, as well. If they saw
an unfamiliar face, they would be quick to identify that face as an outsider.
...On top of that, nobody else had gotten off at this stop. ...It was a bus stop that they
normally just passed on by. Somebody actually getting off there... there was no doubt that had
drawn some attention.
...But... this wasn't a slip-up... They were the ones who directed me to get off at this
stop. ...There was nothing... to worry... about.
...I knew that I was just nervous, since this was my first undercover assignment. ...My
more seasoned colleagues referred to us as "the new generation that didn't know how to lose
their cool"... but that wasn't true at all..
".....Phew."
In order to calm my breathing down... I exhaled the unpleasant air residing in the pit of
my stomach.
I couldn't help but pray that my apprehensions would disappear like the white clouds of
exhaust expelled from the bus.
There was a small shed there to serve as shelter if it rained, and it was there I decided
to wait.
Inside the shed, one wall was plastered with posters advertising the dam opposition ef-
forts. It was like the heartfelt screams of the villagers were recorded on that wall. ...Inside that
shelter, I felt an inexplicable pressure. ...It wasn't like I had any real relation to the dam proj-
ect, but it still made me feel hesitant about being inside there. That was just how filled with
the force of denial that space was.
And... inside that uneasy space... was a girl.
Inside that shed covered in words written in broad brush strokes berating the policies
Himatsubushi-hen
regarding the dam and calling for action... there was a girl sitting there with a drowsy gaze, as
if half asleep. The two images clashed so much that I could only stand there dumbfounded for
a moment, trapped in such a surreal environment.
If I stepped inside, who knew what kind of oafish noises I would accidentally make. ...I
couldn't be disturbing this girl's slumber like that... Having thought this, I gave up on entering
the shed.
It was just a sleeping kid, so why was I so worked up about it?
...Finally, I realized. This girl... to us, as a married couple, was the very image of our
ideal child. Even after numerous examinations at the hospital, we didn't know for sure what
our child's gender was. ...Whether we could tell if they were a boy or a girl was, in the end,
dependent on whether or not we could get an image of their genitalia.
There was, of course, no guarantee that it was a girl... but with things the way they
were, the possibility was high. Even so, Yukie had been saying that the chances that it was a
boy or a girl were even. ...But in my heart, I had already decided that our coming child... was
a girl.
Since the day I decided that until now... it was so fun to imagine how our child would
grow up that I couldn't help myself. Amongst those those numerous imagined forms... the one
that I thought to be the most ideal had materialized right in front of me.
...Of course, a little of it was due to the circumstances. ...In my ideal image, her hair
would be on the short side. The girl in front of me, though, had long hair. It was almost if...
somebody had taken my ideal and made some small adjustments... ...It certainly wasn't some-
thing unpleasant.
Even so, I felt like I was sullying her just by looking at her like that. ..She had an im-
maculate... no, a divine air about her.
"Hngh... waaaa....."
That girl with an angelic smile, with a yawn wide enough you could see her molars,
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woke up all of a sudden. ...I didn't mean to peep. ...But locking eyes with a girl who had just
woken up like this... somehow made me feel like I was playing a prank on her. I wasn't doing
anything shady... but I became flustered.
The girl spoke. ...No... cried out?
"...Meep."
...Meep? Like that character on the show with the puppets? With the orange hair?
I thought it was just one of those greetings kids do. ...So in order to prove I wasn't a
suspicious person... I responded in kind.
"...Meep."
"...Meep?"
"...Mee ...meep..."
The girl, stared at me dubiously with a doll-like expression--cute, but cold and hard to
read. ...Well... I wouldn't be surprised. ...There was after all, an unfamiliar man right in front
of her when she woke up, who responded with 'meep' when she said the same. ...Suspicious.
She definitely thought I was suspicious.
"...Meep."
"...Mee... .....Meep..."
"..."
"......"
We were both at a loss for words. No, the only one lost was me... ...The girl in front of
me, as if inquiring about my motives, stared at me intently. In this silence... I felt like I was
the one who had to say something first. ...Dammit ...This girl was way better at interrogating
somebody than Ooishi...
"I--I'm not anybody suspicious... ...I'm...."
"...Nipah~~."
"Ni.... Nipah...??"
"Nipah~~~."
What I could have only described as a cold expression suddenly blossomed into a
smile, one that soon infected me. ...You might be familiar with the term 'angelic smile'... to me,
it was like that phrase was created just to describe the smile she gave me... The girl smiling
while saying 'nipah~~', probably wanted me to return the favor in kind...
That's right... this was a kid's form of communication. Having the other person emulate
what you just did was a rudimentary form of mutual understanding...
"Ni... Nipaaah..."
"...Nipah~~."
...It was a beautiful afternoon in the early summer. ...What... was I doing?
"...Nipah~~."
"Ni, ...Nipah~~~♪."
...Well, whatever... This was interesting in its own way...
Himatsubushi-hen
If making somebody happy with just a smile was the work of angels... ...then this girl
was definitely one of them. ...I couldn't help but pray that my own child, who was soon to be
born... would grow up to be like this girl...
That strangely gentle moment, was finally brought to the end by the arrival of a car.
An older person waved at me from the driver's seat, a dry smile plastered on their face.
"Hi there, good afternoon~! Sorry for being late! You're the tourist who phoned yester-
day, right?"
"Huh? Ah... yes!"
"Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm running a little behind because of the farm! Hop right
on in. It looks like the weather isn't going to hold up for much longer, so I'll show you around
real quick."
"...Huh? The weather?"
"It changes fast around here~. There'll probably be evening showers again today. If that
happens, you won't be able to take any pictures. Come on, get in, get in."
"...Meep."
Turning around, the girl was standing right behind me with an intrigued expression.
...Her body language somehow reminded me of a stray cat that followed you around after you
played with it a little... so charming.
"Hmm... well if it isn't Rika-chama!! Praise be... praise be~..."
"...Nipah~~."
A girl named Rika with an immaculate smile, and an old man praising her while rub-
bing prayer beads in his hands. ...It was a rather mysterious sight to behold.
"...Are you going to work, Makino?"
"It's not exactly work, per se. I was asked by the mayor to show around a young'un
who came to the village for some sightseeing."
"...A young'un who came to the village for sightseeing."
The girl, Rika-chan, said that with a smile as she clung onto my arm.
"Well... yeah. I heard that this village is surrounded by a precious nature reserve, so I
very much wanted to record that with my camera. ...Even though I look like this, I really like
to take pictures..."
"...Tomitake Mk. II."
"Huh? Tomitake?? Huh??"
"...Makino. Is it okay if I come along too?"
"I-I couldn't. You could come along, Rika-chama, but there's nothing interesting to see!
You should go play near the shrine or something!"
"...Meep."
A distinctly displeased expression creeped across Rika-chan's face. Being able to show
one's emotions honestly on their faces was a privilege young children had.
"If it's not too much of a problem, could you bring this child along with us?"
When I said those helpful words, another smile spread across Rika-chan's face with
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another nipah~~ as she clung to me again. ...Aaah... ...Not bad at all... I want this girl... to call
me Papa... ...No, ...Father, Dad... ...Daddy... ...Hrrrnnnngh...
...What am I doing? ...Ever since I met this girl, I was completely off my game... ...Just
calm down.
"Nothing I can do, I guess. Rika-chama never listens even if you say no. ...Come on,
hop on in. Come now, Rika-chama too."
The old man descended from the driver's seat and opened up the sliding door of the van,
which had 'Onigafuchi Alliance Town Council' stenciled on the side.
Rika-chan brushed me aside, dove into a seat, and began bouncing around right away.
...It seemed like she was thoroughly enjoying the bouncy springs.
"Come on now, Rika-chama! If you're like that our guest can't sit down!! Hey, Rika-
chama!!"
.....Haa ...girls are nice... I wonder if my child will play around like this, too... No no no
no! It was was written in that guide to raising a child that you shouldn't dote on them... Kids
are kids... If you don't raise them strictly without spoiling them...
"...It's soft and springy, nipah~~~."
"Ni... Nipah~~..."
...I am definitely going to be a terrible father... It was decided that I would be a doting
parent before my child was even born.
"Well then sir, I'll show you around some places that I think look nice. Have you eaten
lunch yet?"
"Yeah. I had a light meal at the hotel."
"Is that so? Well then, let's get going."
"....We're setting off on a tour of Hinamizawa. Yaaa~y."
"Ummm, is it all right if I call you Rika-chan?"
"...Sure. My name is Rika Furude. I can already do addition in the tens digit."
"Oh, is that true? That's... amazing. Hahaha."
"...I don't count on my fingers. I can do it all in my head."
The way she insisted upon that was just too cute. At some point, the nervousness I had
about being alone in enemy territory had evaporated like it was never there at all. ...I had to
be at least a little thankful that I met this girl.
"Well then, let's get going!! It's time for Hinamizawa Nature Watching!"
The old man stepped on the gas with a great deal of gusto.
...The old man (who was apparently named Makino... ...was he the same Makino that
was listed as the auditor of the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance?) showed me around places that
were all breathtaking. Even though I wasn't really here for sightseeing, I couldn't help but be
impressed.
First of all, this was different from the simple scenery of a city. The scenery of a
charming village like this, no matter how mundane it seemed to the villagers, had a tranquil
appeal to it.
Himatsubushi-hen
At first I was only releasing the shutter as part of my tourist act, but midway through I
found myself taking pictures out of pure interest.
Tourist traps had their own unique allure to them, but there was nothing like that here.
...I was especially captivated by the unspoiled nature of the place. ...If there wasn't that whole
uproar over the dam, I would want to bring Yukie with me here some other time. I wanted her
to breathe in this fresh air, as well as show her this rejuvenating verdant scenery.
"....Is something like this that interesting? You're a strange person, Akasaka."
"No, these cylindrical mailboxes are rare nowadays. They have a certain nostalgic air
about them... you wouldn't happen to think they're elegant, would you? Hahahahaha."
"...Is Hinamizawa fun?"
"Hm? ...Yeah. It's fun. Once she's discharged from the hospital, I'd like to bring my
wife here at least once. ...With the child that would born by that time."
"..."
"Right now she's in the hospital waiting to give birth. ...She's due any day now. ...Haha,
it'd be nice if they're a cute girl like you."
"Sir, it seems like congratulations are soon to be in order! Still, that's not good! To
leave your wife behind and play around in a place like this!"
"..."
I was momentarily at a loss for words. ...It was exactly how Makino said. There was
no good reason for a man who was waiting for his wife to give birth to be playing around idly
in this place. ...Did I slip up?
"Ah... ahhhh... well! We had already planned this trip to Hinamizawa a long time ago...
...My wife's family is with her, so it's all right."
"If you had this planned so far in advance, then how come you didn't make the sign-
up deadline for the Nature Watching? If you did, you could have toured around on a nice bus
instead of being cramped up in here."
It didn't seem as if Makino was actually digging for anything. ...But, if this conver-
sation continued any longer, it would put some unexpected holes in my cover. ...I halted the
conversation by pretending to take another picture.
"Well then, for our last stop, I'll take you to the place with the best view!"
It was slightly before evening. The sun was still burning brightly, but a cool breeze had
begun to mix itself into the air. It seemed my exploration of Hinamizawa with Rika-chan was
just about done.
"...The place with the best view?"
"Well Rika-chama, where else could it be but the view from around the shrine?"
Hearing that, Rika-chan smiled even more.
"...Well then, I'll introduce you to my home, Akasaka."
"Huh? By Rika-chan's home, you mean... huh?"
"The shrine. Furude Shrine. There's an observation platform. You can see some real
pretty scenery!"
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"...Furude... Shrine."
The girl who called Furude Shrine her home, Rika. ...If I remembered correctly, her
full name was Rika Furude. ....And Furude was... that's right. ...One of the Three Families.
Even if the Sonozaki family is said to hold all the actual power... it was still one of the old
houses that held some authority.
...No, more important than that right now was... Furude Shrine. If I remembered cor-
recly, Ooishi had told me. ...Within the grounds of the Furude Shrine, there were the offices
of the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance. ...And since the land around Furude Shrine were private
property, the police couldn't set foot there heedlessly.
Furude Shrine... where even Ooishi couldn't simply set foot into. The main base of
operations for the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance. I had been given the unexpected opportunity
to enter there. ...I couldn't have asked for more.
"I-I'm looking forward to it. Please, if you would."
"Well then, let's get there quick! The weather seems to be getting a little iffy!"
The sky had suddenly become overcast. ...It wouldn't be odd if it started raining soon.
The cicadas, as if if trying to finish their daily allotment of chirps before the evening, cried
out even more fervently.
Himatsubushi-hen
Day 2 Part 2
The van stopped in the shrine's parking lot. Also parked there were numerous other
vans with loudspeakers mounted on top of them to act as makeshift propaganda vehicles.
On the side of each vehicle was scrawled: 'The Dam Project Must Be Demolished',
'Defend our Homeland to the Last!', 'Know Oyashiro-sama's Anger!', or a slogan of a similar
kind. They gave the feeling that even without using the loudspeakers, there was enough to
ovewhelm any onlookers.
Vertical banners were erected in various places. ...The contents of those banners were
similar. They were all objections against the dam, or crude insults towards the government.
There were horizontal banners, placards, and so on and so forth...
...They proclaimed that without a doubt, this was the headquarters of the Onigafuchi
Defense Alliance. For Rika-chan, however, this hectic place was also her home.
"...We've arrived. I'm home."
Rika-chan crawled over my lap and exited the vehicle first. Makino had noticed that I
was looking at protest banners.
"The shrine also has the offices of the Anti-Dam Movement. For you, this probably
brings back memories of the anti-security treaty conflicts back in the day! Heh heh heh heh!"
...Student movements against government policies, movements that bordered on terror-
ist activity, were at one time commonplace, if only in order to garner global attention. Stu-
dents holding out in lecture halls, brawling with the riot squads that charged in... It was an age
where wasting one's youth like that was widely considered a road to glory. ...It was slightly
before my time.
"I'm not really an activist or anything. I studied without incident, and graduated with-
out incident. I don't really agree with the violence or occupations they used to protest the
government's policies."
"...Ooh? ...You have quite the nice opinion there..."
"...If you have an opinion on a policy, vote for the candidate who shares your view, or
enter the political world yourself and assert your beliefs in a lawful manner. That is the foun-
dation of democracy. I don't think that's something you should challenge with violence."
For a young'un... you have some fine beliefs. ...I saw that feeling of respect reflected in
Makino's gaze.
At that moment, something tugged at my sleeve.
"...I have no idea what Akasaka is saying."
Rika-chan, feeling like she was the only one who didn't understand the conversation,
had a look of displeasure on her face. That expression was so charming, I had to keep myself
from grinning like an idiot. It's often said that a father wants to spoil his daughter rotten... I
think I understood that feeling very well.
"Sorry. ...It was a little bit hard for Rika-chan to understand, wasn't it? ...Japan is a
peaceful country, so you have to argue your point in a peaceful manner. You shouldn't resort
to violence, in other words."
No matter how much I explained, a girl who was just boasting about being able to
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carry digits over when adding things probably wouldn't understand. ...It probably wasn't some-
thing to talk about in front of Rika-chan, anyway
"...So then, Akasaka. ...How do you think we should keep our village from being
flooded by the dam?"
Even if I regretted my careless words, it was too late now. Here I was, at the main
headquarters of an organization, telling them their way of doing things was illegal... Preaching
that violence was not the answer...
A complicated feeling had mixed itself in with the respect in Makino's gaze. It was
then I finally realized... ...It wasn't that simple. There wasn't a soul who would argue that what
I was saying wasn't correct. Using violence to get one's way was something that everybody
knew you shouldn't be proud of.
However... right now... Hinamizawa was in a predicament that couldn't be overcome
with peaceful means alone. The legality of the Hinamizawa Dam Project, through the efforts
of the various propaganda campaigns enacted by the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance, was be-
ing called into question. ...If they further strengthened their campaign... they might be able to
suspend or change the construction plans.
But... that was at the most just a possibility. If the government proceeded with the con-
struction as planned, it wouldn't be long before this place was at the bottom of a lake. ...If it
wasn't for the unrestrained resistance of the residents of Hinamizawa, this place might already
have been underwater.
"...We can't live anywhere else other than here. ...We can't live in the city."
The words of this remarkably young girl were all too accurate, carrying with them the
screams of the hearts and minds of the residents of Hinamizawa. Of course... there was noth-
ing I could say to respond to that.
...I could only respond to Makino and Rika-chan's heavy words with silence...
"...I'm sorry. ...This isn't a problem that an outsider should lightly just poke their nose
into, is it? ...I apologize."
Makino, unsure of how to reply for a while, could only laugh pointlessly.
"Heh... heh heh heh! It's nothing that concerns guests that make their home somewhere
else. If you enjoy it here... please tell all your friends that Hinamizawa is a wonderful place,
please. If word spreads to dozens, maybe even hundreds of people... then that ridiculous plan
to submerge this place at the foot of a dam will eventually fall apart."
He followed that with a smile that said: 'please don't think much of it.'
Makino letting me not worry that much really was a stroke of good fortune. Becoming
infatuated with the idea of making friends with a little girl had made me completely forget my
apprehension at being in enemy territory. ...Being reminded of this right before I was going to
step foot into their headquarters... might have been a good thing.
If we'd had this exchange in the middle of their office... ...If there was a short-tempered
youth in there, they might have come at me. ...Thinking of how extreme they were... in the
worst case, my life could have been in danger.
It seemed that I looked quite despondent at that moment.
Makino, thinking he had said something wrong, became flustered trying to think of a
Himatsubushi-hen
way to improve my mood...

"I was a bit careless just now. I'm very sorry."
"No... Don't worry that much about it..."
"The sights you showed me around the village were all beautiful, wonderful places.
...I really do want to come here one more time. ...If this beautiful village is going to be sub-
merged at the bottom of a lake... I can understand why you would fight so desperately."
I had somehow managed to use my despondent look to change the topic in my favor.
After a bit, Makino had returned to his usual high spirits. It seemed he believed I completely
sympathized with his point of view.
"Now now! Let's leave the talk at that for now. There's a place around here with a re-
ally great view!"
"...Let's go, Akasaka."
Rika-chan, seemingly happy to be free from all the boring and gloomy adult talk,
bounded up the stone steps.
There was no real need to run, but in order to catch up with her, I also darted up the
steps...
There were several tents belonging to the town council erected on the shrine grounds.
Inside the tents were several folding tables and chairs, and a number of the older town
council members were livening things up with chit-chat. They weren't saying anything in-
cendiary, like "The Dam Project Must Be Destroyed!"--it was just some relaxed idle chit-chat
between local geezers. ...The normal sort of calming scenery.
...At the entrance of a shed that looked like a meeting place, there was a large sign
erected, with 'Onigafuchi Defense Alliance Headquarters' written in bold brush strokes.
That was... their base of operations. ...To be honest... it was a bit of a let-down. If you
asked what I had been imagining... This is a bit embarassing, but I'd have thought it would be
something much more dramatic. With barbed wire fences and barricades...
My first impression of the place, though, was completely different from that... it looked
like a simple, backwater town hall. ...It didn't look like anything other than exactly that. The
old folks who were chatting had noticed Rika-chan's presence.
"Well isn't it Rika-chama. It's time for little kids to head on home!"
"...This is my home."
The old foks guffawed, since she wasn't wrong. From that exchange, I could tell that
this Rika Furude girl was loved by everybody.
"Makino-san, who's that? The tourist who phoned?"
"That's right. This is the mayor of Hinamizawa. Mayor Kimiyoshi."
He smiled brightly... but there was no mistaking he would be scary if he got angry. By
the looks of things, this old man was the president of the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance, none
other than Kiichirou Kimiyoshi himself...
"Welcome to Hinamizawa. What do you think? ...It's a quiet and relaxing place, isn't
it?"
"...Y-Yeah! I was able to appreciate a multitude of beautiful places throughout the whole
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day. I'm thankful for being granted this rare opportunity."

"...Hmmm... Even though you're one of those young'uns, you're quite the gentleman...
Mmmhmm."
"...Kiichirou. I want to show Akasaka a cool place."
Thinking that the formalities between myself and the mayor had gone on for too long,
Rika-chan butted in to the conversation. ...For her to call the mayor by his first name... ...I felt
it was a little strange, but none of the villagers seemed to mind.
...A girl of the Furude Household, one of the Three Families. ...She was probably dif-
ferent than the average villager.
"...Akasaka, over here."
Rika-chan tugged at my sleeve.
Not resisting, I allowed myself to pulled over... ...and waiting for me was a magnificent
view.
"...This is... amazing..."
It was an observation deck that looked down on the village.
They, knowing that this was the best view in the entire village, kept quiet as I stood
there awestruck. ...I was holding a camera, but had completely forgotten to even glance
through the viewfinder.
This view... no matter what kind of film it was printed on, it wouldn't be able to show
everything. If there was a way to explain it... it would only be what I would be able to put into
words. It was just such a breathtakingly spectacular view that I struggled to find a compari-
son.
For a while, I was left awestruck.. I could only stand there in wonder. A cool breeze
helped abate the heat rushing through my body. ...That comfortable sensation also left me
speechless... Rika-chan, who had been holding onto my sleeve the entire time, spoke.
"...This is my favorite spot."
As she said that, she showed me another adorable smile. That smile seemed very fleet-
ing. ...If you ask why, that was because the view from her favorite spot... would eventually be
submerged under the deep green waters of the dam reservoir.
"...I just can't believe that this village is going to end up at the bottom of a lake."
I said it quietly so that only Rika-chan could hear it. ...I regretted it as soon as I did.
...For those words were all too cruel.
However, Rika-chan didn't let them cast a cloud on her expression. ...In fact, she re-
plied with a smile.
"...It won't sink. The dam project will definitely go away."
It was just like a little girl to say something like that. There was no basis for her say-
ing so. It was just her wish.
"...Akasaka, do you think that this village will be submerged?"
"...It's not that I want it to be."
...I knew how important the dam was. I knew that it was necessary. ...I just didn't want
Himatsubushi-hen
to recognize the sacrifices that would be made.

I agreed with the project in general, but couldn't agree with some of the details... But...
if it meant that this girl's beloved scenery wouldn't be taken away from her... ...I might be able
to object to the dam. ...I might be able to ignore the interests of the nation, the development of
Japan, all for the sake of one girl's smile... ...I'm not really much of a humanist but... ... ...how
sentimental of me...
"...It won't be submerged. Because the dam project will soon go away."
Her words weren't just hopes and dreams... but were seasoned with a hint of resolve.
As if she was talking about an unchangeably predetermined outcome. As surely as the sun ris-
ing in the east...
"...It'll be gone soon...?"
Wanting to ask her why she believed that... I turned around.
"...Yes. ...It'll be gone."
"What makes you say that?"
"...Well, you see... ..."
She seemed to want to answer, but as though unable to find the right words, she swal-
lowed back what she was about to say.
"...Regardless of what Akasaka does... The dam project will end this year. It's already
been decided."
That was a lie.
If something like that had already been decided, then the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance
would have no reason to continue existing. From my point of view, it was like they were doing
nothing more than throwing themselves into an endless battle. If they knew the dam project
was cancelled... it would feel much more relaxed around here. ...This village, though, could
hardly be called relaxed.
...For evidence of that, I just had to remember how charged the atmosphere was at the
checkpoint, or at the bus stop. The villagers, with their misplaced resolve... were still fighting.
And this girl, even knowing the villagers' grim resolve... ...had already declared their
victory. The villagers, throwing themselves into this endless war, and this optimistic girl who
said they had already won. ...That contrast was somehow strange.
"...Why do you think that? If you know something that makes you that confident, could
you tell me?"
Rika-chan stayed silent for a while, seemingly choosing what to say...
"...Because."
"...Because...?"
She looked like she was lost on whether she should continue or not. ...As if she was
troubled on whether it was okay for her to say it... that kind of expression.
"....It's already been decided. ...There's no other way to say it."
"I-It's already been decided, huh..."
...It really is just like a little girl to say something like that. ...I couldn't believe it was
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actually true. ...She was the only one saying such things with such confidence.
My real mission, that I had forgotten about during this fun-filled day, resurfaced at the
back of my mind. ...The kidnapping of the minister's grandson...
Had the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance kidnapped the minister's grandson and already
succeeded in negotiating the cancellation of the dam project? Did Kimiyoshi actually already
know that and was just playing dumb? ...Was that what this girl was really telling me?
"...Akasaka."
The girl called out my name suddenly.
"...What is it?"
"...Go back to Tokyo."
Huh...? I wasn't only surprised at that sudden command.

...Ever since I came to this village, I had never once mentioned I was from Tokyo.
Well... based on my accent, she might have been able to guess where I was from... ...What was
I getting so worked up over?
...It was probably the sudden and complete change in her demeanor.
"...You should definitely go back to Tokyo right away. ...If not, you will woefully regret
it."
The girl had been holding my sleeve the entire time. She'd been tugging at my sleeve
since hurriedly dragging me over to show me this wonderful view. But this was the adorable
Rika-chan, who I'd spent the entire day with. There was no way she could have been replaced
with a doppleganger when I wasn't looking.
...She had been holding onto my sleeve this entire time... But somehow this girl... was
someone other than Rika-chan. She looked like Rika-chan, but she wasn't. ...She was some
girl I had never met before.
That girl had told me in an indifferent voice... That I would eventually... regret coming
Himatsubushi-hen
to this village from the bottom of my heart.

"That would be an incredibly pathetic thing to see. ...So I thought I'd warn you right
now."
"...Why...would I come to regret it?"
"...Stop whining."
...I couldn't believe that I was hearing such cold words come from Rika-chan's mouth. I
just couldn't believe it. ...Was somebody impersonating her, using ventroliquism or something?
Thinking that, I wanted to take a look around but... ...The girl's gaze had me pinned
down, making me unable to move.
"...When you tried crossing the road when the Don't Walk sign was up, did your parents
finish explaining why it was dangerous before pulling you back to the sidewalk? They'd pull
you back right away, wouldn't they? They'd pull you back before explaining why it was dan-
gerous, wouldn't they? ...In other words, it's something like that."
The girl I had spent time with... Rika Furude... would not speak like that. She would
speak with a cuteness befitting her age, with brief, childish remarks... expressing her emotions
honestly... ...She definitely wouldn't speak with such pointed words.
"...I've warned you. ...Don't get the wrong idea... it's not like I'm saying this because I
hate you. ...You don't need to tell somebody who's better off dead that they're in danger."
"...Who... are you? ...You're not Rika-chan."
"...Hm? ...Tee hee hee hee hee...!"
As soon as I accused her of not being Rika-chan, she let out a strange, quiet giggle.
...It was a laugh not befitting a child of her age. ...It was like she was possessed by
something... Her change was just that total and complete.
Was Rika-chan being attacked by some terrifying phenomenon? ...That occult idea
came to mind without any sort of hesitation.
Rika-chan is acting strange... somebody... help!
Thinking that I'd yell that, I turned to where the mayor was. ...I immediately realized
he was looking at us with a smile.
That's right... to him, it looked like nothing more than me and Rika-chan fooling
around. He didn't notice that there was something terrifying happening to her.
"...Akasaka is such a coward. ...Tee hee hee hee hee...!"
The girl had obviously grasped that I was afraid. Noticing that and calling me a cow-
ard, she laughed again.
That cackling girl, approaching me in a strange manner while still laughing... lost her
balance, and fell flat on her face.
...Rika-chan fell down.
If it was just a while before, I would have extended a hand to help her up without
hesitation. ...But now... extending a hand to this ominous girl who looked like Rika-chan but
wasn't... required a bit more courage than I had at the moment.
"...Meep."
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The girl cried out thus. She then squirmed upright and dusted herself off. ...After-
wards, she looked around restlessly as a blank expression crept across her face.
...You've got to be kidding me. Was she making fun of me...? That way of acting... ...It
was as though... after being possessed by something... she had lost her memories of what hap-
pened...
"...You're joking, right...? ...Rika... chan...?"
"...Meep."
I don't know if Rika-chan had heard me or not. ...She just cried out like that, as if
questioning herself.
"Hey, mister~! Rika-chama too~~! Tea's ready~~! There's some snacks too, so please
come and have some~~!!"
An old lady wearing a smock was waving energetically from the entrance of the office.
Hearing that there were snacks, Rika-chan's expression changed.
"...Yaaaaaay."
A carefree smile. ...That was a familiar smile-- the one that belonged to the embodi-
ment of my ideal daughter. Any hint of the creepy girl that was just there, spouting sinister
words... had vanished.
"C'mon Rika-chama~! Wash your hands first~~!! There aren't any manjuu here for
dirty hands~~!"
"...I'll wash them real good~~! Meeeeep!!"
Rika-chan responded with vigor, running off to the washing station that was along the
side of the office.
She stopped halfway, turning around to call to me.
"...If Akasaka doesn't hurry up, I'll eat his share of manjuu too. They're steaming
fresh."
"Huh... ah..."
"People who don't wash their hands aren't allowed to eat any manjuu."
...No matter how you looked at it, that was Rika-chan. Those words and the way she
said them... no matter how you heard them, they were definitely Rika-chan's.
"C'mon now, mister~~~! You're the adult here, so show her how it's done~~!!"
The old lady urged me to wash my hands. ...Without any resistance, I lined up beside
Rika-chan at the wash station.
Splish splash. ...I stared at Rika-chan... intent on washing her hands properly, like she
had probably learned at school.
"...Meep...? ...Did I do something wrong...?"
"...Huh... by wrong... you mean..."
"How I'm washing my hands. ...I only got 4 gold stickers for it. ...I'm probably bad at
washing my hands."
"Y-You're not doing anything wrong. If you're washing them that carefully, that's more
than enough..."
Himatsubushi-hen
"...But it's not, Akasaka. If you don't use a brush and clean out the dirt underneath your
fingernails, you won't get a gold sticker."
"Um... hmmm. ...Rika-chan, you're very diligent... that's something to be proud of..."
"...Nipah~~~. I was praised by Akasaka."
No matter how you looked at it... it was Rika-chan. ...There was no trace of that girl
from before. Exactly what was that sinister girl...?
"...Rika-chan... what was the meaning of what just happened now?"
"..."
"...Just now, you told me... to go back to Tokyo... didn't you?"
"...Did I say that?"
"..."
...I was at a loss for words. ...She didn't remember what that girl just now had said.
Like I would ever believe something as occult as that could happen... Like I would ever be-
lieve that Rika-chan could be possessed by that strange girl and say those creepy things...
"...Rika-chan... you definitely said that."
"...Meep..."
Her expression told me that... despite my saying so, she had no idea...
...She wasn't playing dumb... she actually... didn't know. ...Exactly... what was that just
now... Just as Rika-chan had... I let a look of confusion creep across my face. ...The two of us,
both looking like we had no idea what was going on, must have certainly been a humorous
sight to behold.
While partaking of tea and snacks, I was shown a propoganda film shot by the Defense
Alliance that highlighted their resistance efforts.
Older folks talked passionately on how long and gruelling the fight against the dam
was, but they fell on deaf ears. ...I was transfixed by Rika-chan, who had heard these stories
countless times before, and was nodding off.
Eventually Rika-chan noticed I was staring at her, and smiled as she rubbed her eyes.
...That smile was Rika-chan's, after all... there was no hint of that sinister shadow.
...After that, my unreasonable fear of Rika-chan lessened with the passing of time... but
I could by no means forget what had happened.
It evenutally grew dark. The mayor said that they had prepared dinner, but I said I
would come again tomorrow and took my leave. ...I had to return to the hotel and file my
regular report with the section chief.
"I see. ...Well then, please come again tomorrow! If you phone, we'll send somebody to
pick you up right away."
"I appreciate your hospitality. I'll probably come again and enjoy myself tomorrow."
"Yes, please do! It seems that Rika-chama has taken a pretty big liking to you!"
"...Akasaka, are you coming again tomorrow? I finish after fifth period, so if you could
come at around three o'clock, that would make me happy."
...Please come again. That pure smile urged me to do so. ...There wasn't a trace of that
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evil aura. ...Depending on what happened next... all that might end up as nothing other than
my hallucination...
Thinking about it logically... ...If the daughter of the Furude houshold, one of the Three
Families, had taken a liking to me... then this was a strong foothold for my investigation from
here on out. It was like a free ticket for a reason to visit Hinamizawa.
If only I could treat that little incident as a figment of my imagination... then having
this girl who was the embodiment of my ideal daughter grow so attached to me... wasn't bad
either... I had successfully dove into the belly of the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance, and had
the mayor as well as other important members of the Alliance welcome me with open arms.
...This was a great turn of events. However... I still felt uneasy.
...Getting back to the hotel, I forced down an almost painfully cold beer until I could
clear my mind. The shock from that incomprehensibly strange incident continued to torment
me...
Himatsubushi-hen
Tip #5 - Going Smoothly

The sound of the car grew closer, followed by the sound of it braking as the engine cut
out.
At that moment, his up-until-now lackadaisical footsteps grew decisive as the man in
the room dashed up to the wall beside the window and carefully peered outside...
...It was his comrade's car. Even so, he still didn't relax his guard. Eventually, the
sound of footsteps approached the door. ...Thump, thump thump thump. It was the passcode.
"...I'm back. Open tha door already."
"Ahh, you must be tired. I'm opening it now."
After the locks were undone and the door opened, a man appeared, his arms laden
with swollen plastic grocery bags. The bags in his hands had "Sevens Mart" written on them,
with bread and milk cartons able to be glimpsed within.
The contents of those bags were then spread out over a sheet on the floor.
"I bough' some cup noodles, so go boil some water. ...Whas' the kid doin'?"
"Hm? He's been sleeping the entire time. Thank god he's not causing any trouble. He
did struggle a bit when he was about to shit himself."
"Don' let 'im crap 'is pants. It'd suck if it started smellin' like an outhouse in 'ere."
"...Yeah, I know."
"Check tha gag every now and then. We don' wan' it ta get loose, so keep it tigh'... but
not so tigh' that 'e stops breathin'."
"I said, I know... Huh? Didn't I ask you to pick up another can of gas for the portable
stove? We're out."
"Ya never asked, ya ijit."
"...Gaah... seriously? Come on, work.... Dammit!!"
He rattled the portable stove as he struggled to get it to light. ...Seeing that, the man
who went to buy supplies let out a deep sigh.
And with a backwards glance at that sight, began to walk to the corner of the room.
...The kidnapped boy was sprawled out on a sheet that was spread out on the floor.
"....Boy, ya doin' okay?"
Of course, the man didn't assume the kid was able to hear that question.
That was because the boy's ears were plugged, with his eyes and ears thoroughly cov-
ered by packing tape. Also, his mouth was gagged with a thin, twisted-up towel. ...Because of
that, the boy was unable to close his mouth properly, his cheeks sticky with his own saliva.
Of course, that wasn't the only reason. Both his arms were tied tightly behind his back
with a leather belt.
"Ya seem ta be doin' okay. At leas', yer not gonna die. ..If yer grampa wanted to play
tough, we migh' have had ta lop off an ear.. it'd be great if we don' have ta... If tha Main Fam-
ily says we do, though... tough luck. ...I can' even imagine wha' kind of cruel things they'd
have us do. ...Tha Family says not one scratch on 'im though, so it seems to be going well for
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tha time bein'..."

"The Minister is discretely withdrawing the dam project. The Hinamizawa Dam is
indefinitely postponed. ...I wonder when we're letting the boy go. ...I just want to be done with
this already."
"Tha Main Family seem ta be gaugin' tha timin'. I don' know when it'll be, but prob'ly
soon."
"Isn't that great, kid? You'll be let go real soon, heh heh heh..."
The men didn't know if their voices were heard by the boy. ...For him, there was noth-
ing he could do but continue to sleep to escape his harsh reality...
"More importan'ly, wha' are we gonna do about tha gas? We can' eat the cup noodles
raw!! If we're out of gas say something, geez!!"
Himatsubushi-hen
Tip #6 - Why I Like Rainy Days
The weather forecast had predicted that it wouldn't rain at all
this entire week.
It's not that I hate sunny days or anything. When every day is the
same, unchanging, sunny weather, however, anybody would long for
a rain cloud or two. If it's simply clear skies for a week, a month,
a year--anybody would long for a rain cloud or two. The weather
specialist said that they had carefully scrutinized a large quan-
tity of past data, so it wouldn't be so likely for the forecast to be
wrong. I knew as much.
...But even then, there was occasionally a day where I was hoping
that it would be wrong, as I stared up into the clear blue sky. Was
I being mischievious in hoping so?
I waited and waited, feeling almost suffocated by the boring blue

sky undisturbed by a single cloud. If you could die from that suf-
focating feeling... then the population of Earth probably wouldn't
have increased to this point. In other words... the only person who
was being suffocated by this was me.
And so... I welcomed the summer evenings where not even the weath-
er forecast could predict a sudden shower. If I were to explain it
like this, would you understand a bit more about how I feel?
Let's say that tonight's dinner was going to be curry rice. But,
when you're called down to the dinner table, what was waiting for
you was instead an eggplant and bell pepper stirfry. This is just
on your mother's whim, by the way. I would be delighted by such
whimsy. I don't really like eggplants or bell peppers, but still, I
would be delighted.
The fact that that the pre-established routine of curry rice had
been broken would be amusing. If tonight was repeated a hundred
times, and a hundred times you had to eat curry rice... Yet for just
this one night, that was changed to an eggplant and bell pepper
stirfry, there's no way you couldn't enjoy that chance happening.
I hate pre-established routines. I really hate when things are all

decided beforehand. I have no love for boredom. I always get my
hopes up that something today will be different from yesterday, no
matter how trivial.
It's been decided that this entire week starting today was going
to be clear skies. The weather forecast decided upon it, so the God
of Weather must also feel obliged to do so. But who's to say that a
rain cloud might not just show up one day on a whim?
...It's something that nobody can say for sure, but because that
thought remains in this world, a creature such as myself can con-
tinue living without being suffocated. Tomorrow will probably a
hot and clear day. However, I'm the only one that knows that prede-
termined fate, even with but a slim 1% chance... sometimes changes.
Hoping for that 1%, I hung up upside-down weather charms on my

sunlit eavestroughs. In the end, I spend my days waiting for those
unexpected things in life to happen. I pondered why I was hoping
for it...
Why was I hoping for a rain cloud?
...The answer was simple. I've had my fill of clear skies.
Then why was I hoping for a rain cloud?
...The answer was simple. The fact that it was going to be sunny
tomorrow was boring.
So why was I hoping for a rain cloud?
In the end, it doesn't really matter whether it rains or shines to-

morrow. Basically, it was just that the rain would water my heart,
which was withered from boredom. That's why rather than a TV dra-
ma where the plot's already been decided... ...I prefer to look up at
the sky.
Tip #7 - Barley Tea and Black Tea and a Millstone

"Your blood pressure has improved. For you to recover this quickly at your age, I'm
rather impressed. At this rate, you'll still be kicking after a couple hundred more years, Ory-
ou-san."
The young doctor in his medical coat said that as he undid the blood pressure cuff
from the arm of the old woman tucked away in her futon.
"You're a very good physician, Dr. Irie... If a persistent ol' fart like me doesn't hurry up
and die, I'll just be in the way of you young folk... ..Ho ho ho ho..."
The old lady, Oryou, laughed faintly with a broad smile on her face. Then, turning
towards the sliding door, she called out in a strong voice.
"Is Shimiko-san or Taeko-san there? Bring some tea for Dr. Irie!"
The sound of rushed footsteps from the hallway drew closer, until finally the door slid
smoothly open. What it revealed was a young girl. ...It looked like the old lady's granddaugh-
ter.
"Shimiko-san already left for the day. ...Do you need something?"
"Mion, make some barley tea for Dr. Irie."
"Okay, got it. Did you want some too, Granny? Or would black tea be better? Want
lots of milk and sugar?"
"I'll measure it out myself, so you don't have to put any in. Just bring the sugar jar and
some milk when you bring the tea."
"Kay kay."
The girl named Mion, after giving a rather uninterested response to her taskmaster of
a grandmother, returned to the hallway.
"Pour the doctor's tea in the cups for the guests!! And make sure you bring a coaster
too! Also make sure to dry the outside of the glass, okay!?"
"Yeah, yeah. You're such a fussypants."
A tired voice wafted a reply from down the hallway. The apathetic tone of voice was
far from unusual. The old lady let a wry smile slip across her face as she chided the girl.
"Geez, that girl just won't learn. Nothing I ever scold her about sticks."
"Now now, Oryou-san... you don't have to say that. Mion-chan is doing her best in her
own way, even though she's so young."
"Her mother was the same way... couldn't teach her anything. The apple doesn't fall far
from the tree!"
"Aha ha ha ha. So her mother's mother must be exactly the same, no?"
The old lady burst out laughing. Her expression showed she hadn't taken the comment
the wrong way.
"Dr. Irie. I'm sorry, but could you open the doors for me? It seems there's a nice cool
breeze outside."
The cool chirping of the higurashi had at some point started leaking through the gap
in the doorway.
Ryukishi07
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Irie stood up, and opened the door a bit.

...A refreshing breeze pushed out the stale air that had built up in the room.
"It's gotten fairly hot during the day, but the evenings are still rather cool, aren't they. It
was almost downright chilly last night."
"Yeah. ...Those types of mornings and evenings are another one of Hinamizawa's fine
points."
Irie replied with a smile as he returned to sit on the cushion beside the old lady. And
then the two of them, for a little while, soaked in the voices of the higurashi...
"I'm going to try and live to a hundred. ...Until the business with dam is proper fin-
ished, I ain't kicking the bucket just yet."
"...To get the government to withdraw a decision they've already made is a fairly dif-
ficult thing to do..."
"The way this country does things is like turning a millstone. A heavy one at that."
"...A millstone?"
"Don'tcha know?? A millstone."
Irie quickly affirmed that of course he knew what the old lady was talking about. For
he knew full well that Oryou didn't like having her stories interrupted.
"This millstone, see, can grind anything to a pulp. It's rather impressive. But y'see, it
doesn't turn that easy, because it's a rather heavy millstone. Lots of people have to work in
unison to get it to even budge. It's that type of millstone."
Irie pursed his lips, listening quietly to what she was saying.
Eventually Mion returned with some tea laid out on a tray. Seeing that Oryou was talk-
ing and in a good mood, she quietly knelt down and laid out the sets for the barley and black
tea, careful not to interrupt.
"That's why, when it gets going, it's not that easy to stop. ...It takes the most effort to
move it right before it starts turning. Everybody hates that, so everybody keeps pushing it
along without rest."
"You're talking about friction, right? I get what you're saying."
"So in other words. If there's some sort of mistake, and the millstone suddenly stops
turning... to get it turning again takes a great deal of power, more'r less."
"...Certainly, to get a project that's been suspended going again takes quite a lot of
work."
"It's a millstone that isn't easily stopped. ...But once it's stopped, it'll never turn again.
It's that kind of millstone."
"It'd be nice if there was some way to get that millstone to stop, wouldn't it?"
When Irie responded with that, Mion and the old lady suddenly sunk into silence...
Irie, instinctively thinking he had said something rude, searched in a small panic for
the words to correct himself. But that silence wasn't the result of rude words.
...For what crept across the Mion and the old lady's faces were contemptuous smiles.
"..."
Himatsubushi-hen
"..."
The atmosphere surrounding Irie suddenly froze, leaving him flabbergasted. ...Thinking
that the scornful smiles creeping across both of their faces was the result of some mistake of
his, he could only grow afraid.
"..."
"......"
"...Haha, hahahahahahaha..."
It hadn't been that long at all since he was enveloped by silence. However, unable to
stand it, Irie could only let out a weak laugh.
Irie's laugh eventually spread to Mion and the old lady. Not knowing exactly what they
were laughing at, their laughter left a lingering chill. ...The only ones not laughing were the
higurashi, who continued their simple and unchanging chorus...
Ryukishi07
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Himatsubushi-hen
Day 2 Part 3
The phone suddenly rang.
I woke up in a hurry. ...The clock read 9 p.m..
"...Dammit...!! I slept past the time I was supposed to report in..."
I picked up the receiver.
"Akasaka-sama. You have a call from an outside line, shall I connect you? It's from a
coworker named Kanou-sama."
...I knew it. ...I didn't call in, so they had phoned me.
"...Sorry, please put them through."
"Understood. I'll connect you, so please hang up the receiver for the time being."
After I had put down the receiver for a few seconds, the phone began to ring again.
"Yes, hello? This is Akasaka...!"
"Akasaka-kun? This is Kanou. Good work out there. You didn't call in for your regular
report, so we called instead. What's your situation?"
...Leaving the lecture for later, my senior coworker got straight to the point.
"Today I went to the village proper. Under the guise of a tourist, I managed to estab-
lish contact with the mayor and several other core members of the Defense Alliance. I wasn't
able to ask them anything, but I left a good impression and was able to make a bridge for my
investigation from tomorrow onwards."
"I see. It looks like things are going smoothly. Akasaka-kun, you seem rather naive
sometimes, but that might have worked in your favor. I guess you made some good progress
for now?"
"...I don't have the experience to make a comparison, so I don't know if it's that good or
not. ...I think things went well for today, though."
"Did you find out anything from the prefectural or local offices? Does it look as though
the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance is unrelated to this incident?"
I still didn't know. ...I should have been able to say that immediately. ...I only had to
say that, but for some reason... I hesitated.
"...I'm still investigating, so I don't know what to say yet."

"I see. Could you let us know as soon as possible? I think you understand, but after
tonight, it'll have been a full four days since the kidnapping happened. ...They didn't set a time
limit, but it's obvious that time is not on our side. ...I think you know that."
"Yeah. I know. I'll investigate a little quicker, while still being careful about it."
"Okay. Be sure to look after yourself. You're dealing with a violent organization here.
...It might be dangerous to let your guard down. If you feel that you're in any danger, contact
me immediately. In that case, I can get the local Public Safety Office prepared to help you."
"Thank you. I'll do my best."
"...Anything else to report?"
Ryukishi07
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I reported several bits of supplementary information... and at the very end, I decided to
ask.
"...How's the investigation going on your end?"
"Hm. Everybody's doing their best here, but we're not making much progress. After
all, the number of organizations we're investigating is vast. So, if you find out the one you're
investigating is in the clear, we'll have you return to Tokyo to assist some of the other officers.
...The Chief is saying to dig up what you can on Onigafuchi, but I don't think a residential
anti-dam protest group has any relation to the incident at hand. Sending somebody out just to
investigate a single group makes me cringe, really."
At this point he was just complaining. ...He was telling me to stop taking time enjoy-
ing my trip. To finish up and get back quick.
"I'll try and resolve this as soon as I can."
"Thanks. I'm counting on you! Well then, if there's nothing else, I'm hanging up."
"Okay. That's all I have."
As we were ending our call, he scolded me thoroughly for being late with my regular
report.
After that, I hung up the phone and sprawled out on the bed. ...Come to think of it, I
hadn't heard anything from Ooishi. He was supposed to contact me about a time and place to
meet with the informant tonight.
...I thought about getting angry with Ooishi in retaliation for being scolded for forget-
ting my daily report... Come to think of it, though, Ooishi didn't really say anything other than
that he was going to call tonight. ...Waiting for a phone call when you didn't know what time it
was going to come was in itself rather difficult.
Just when I thought that, the phone rang. I picked up the receiver in a hurry.
"H-Hello?"
"Well, this is a surprise. ...Akasaka-san, you're pretty quick to answer the phone. Are
you a regular user of dating chatlines or something?"
"I would never even try something seedy like that...!"
"The way you overreact is rather... interesting. Na ha ha ha! Wanna go to a place where
you can have a little bit of lewd fun? Nfu fu fu!"
"...I'll pass, so could you please get to the point, Ooishi-san?"
"Really? Too bad, we'll leave that for next time, then. ...Well, I'll get to the point."
Many of the executives in the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance had a lot of sway in the
neighboring regions. Even in Okinomiya, there were a lot of people with relations in the vil-
lage. ...That's why meeting in the Shishibone Market District, far from Okinomiya, was a mat-
ter of course.
"Akasaka-san, over here! Did you get a little lost? Coming from the north entrance
might have been a bit of a detour, but it was easier to give directions from there."
"No, I'm sorry for being late."
"Did you eat dinner already?"
"Yeah. I already did."
Himatsubushi-hen
"Well then, shall we go to a place where we can get a drink? Do you prefer western
alcohol? Or maybe sake? Would you prefer a place with or without women? Mfu fu fu fu!"
"Don't worry about it. I don't drink while I'm on the job."
Hearing that, the man that Ooishi had brought along bent backwards as he guffawed,
clapping Ooishi on the shoulder.
"See? Isn't he just adorable? In exchange, can you give him a bit extra? That money all
came from this guy's wallet, you know."
The man that Ooishi had brought seemed almost like a ticket scalper or a bookie. Even
his appearance was dubious. The informant grinned deviously.
"Hey boy. How much did you give this guy? It looks like there quite was a bit
skimmed off the top, you know."
"Ooishi's handling fee was included, as I took that into account."
It seemed that the informant had expected a more extravagant reaction on my part.
...When I responded matter-of-factly, he realized that I was an entirely different type of person
than he was.
But rather than putting a distance between us, it seemed that I had piqued his interest...
"I said it, didn't I? He's the serious type. But do you see, Akasaka-san? People in a line
of work like ours can really use their wealth of experience to their advantage."
"I'm wondering exactly how the experience of drinking in a bar with women would
work to my advantage..."
"Waa hahaha haaa ha ha!!"
The informant, unable to contain himself, clutched at his stomach as he guffawed,
heedless of the people watching.
"Oh lawdie! Akasaka-san, you really can judge people! That's what an education does
for you!"
"...Ooishi-san? You've been drinking somewhere, haven't you! Are you drunk!?"
"What's wrong with drinking when I'm off-duty~! Even if you're working, I'm not. Heh
heh heh heh heh~!"
Ooishi, who was the sort that'd fool around to begin with, was in such a good mood
I couldn't figure out a way to deal with him. ...Completely different than me, who had come
worried about getting every bit of information I could. ...Ooishi-san. After taking so much
money, you were supposed to get me information worth at least as much...
I thought this, but then realized that I was getting my information from the informant,
so it didn't matter how drunk Ooishi was. ...It was nothing I could complain about, but I still
felt slightly riled up.
Ooishi and the informant (it was no doubt a fake name, but he introduced himself as
Satou) led the way deeper and deeper into the back streets of the market district.
Even though the market was bustling, a couple of turns off the main street and you
were in s desolate alleyway.
Ooishi started climbing a set of stairs on the side of a seedy building. There wasn't any
sort of signage, so I couldn't tell if the place was open, or if it was even a store at all.
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"...Don't worry. This isn't a dubious place. Nfu fu fu fu!"

Those words, coming from Ooishi's mouth, had absolutely no credibility...
Beyond the door... was thankfully, a typical mahjong parlor. I was relieved that it
wasn't the sort of suspicious place I had to be on my guard about...
"Welcome, welcome~. Oh, Ooishi-san, it's been a while! Want to join in? There'll be a
free spot soon."
"No, no, I'm here with a group today, so it's fine. Oh, sorry to keep you waiting."
Mahjong is a game played with four people. ...It seems that a middle-aged man who
was going to be our fourth had already arrived and was waiting for us.
"You're late, Kuraudo. I was just thinking of going home!"
Ooishi made an excuse for why we had taken so long. ...Eventually, realizing that I was
a new face, the other man grew interested.
"That's Akasaka-san. He's a rookie who came all the way from Tokyo on assignment.
They have high hopes for him."
"...Boy. Can you play mahjong?"
"W-Well... I played a bit when I was still a student."
Satou and the old man cackled in unison. ...Their plot to sucker me out of my money
was painfully obvious...
"I thought you'd be a bit tired from your assignment leaving you on edge all the time!
So I thought I'd give you a night to cleanse your spirit. Mfu fu!"
"...I know asking this now might be stupid... but we're betting money on this, aren't
we...?"
"GA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!"
"Well~ you see, just a little. It's just a little for funsies. But it doesn't matter who loses,
because after this, we're using that money to go play at a very ni~ce place~~! Mfu fu fu fu
fu~~!!!"
"...Go and play? At what kind of place would you be doing that?"
Without reservation, the three of them started suggesting places like cabarets, high-
class clubs, and even brothels. ...At the very least, they were the type of places that you
couldn't go to with money that was just 'for funsies'.
"...Ooishi-san took all my money the other day, and I also have work to do, so I can't stay for
long..."
"Then all you have to do is win! If you win, then you can use that money to pay for
this table, and you can talk to Kuraudo about work or whatever."
...No matter what happened, it seemed like they were intent on playing mahjong for
free... ...I would have to fasten my resolve a bit. If I was going to be underestimated like this
forever it was going to get in the way of my work.
"...I understand. Then, I'll play with you guys for just a bit. If I win, you guys don't
get any of the money or get to go to any of those dirty places, and we talk about work right
away."
Himatsubushi-hen
"GA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!”
"Yeah, yeah!! Bring it on! Mfu fu fu!"
"If I win, we're headed straight to the Blue Mermaid on Flower Road!!"
"Oh, that place where the girls dress up in gym clothes and maid uniforms? This ol'
lech here likes that place too~!! Of course, we're going to hop between all the places where
they keep the girls coming! Slurp slurp slurp~~!!! Mua ha ha ha !! What about you, Sato-
san?"
"I'd prefer a place where we can drink quietly."
"Like a nice quiet place where you can play footsies with a bunny girl? Muahahahaha-
haha!! The last time we went drinking, you pulled the tail right off that bunny girl, didn't you?
Didn't you end up having to pay for that?"
"The owner ended up charging what he called a 'tailoring fee'."
"Wa ha ha ha ha ha!!"
...What a lively table this was. ...I could tell the other customers were glaring at us
while we loudly continued our crude conversation... ...Speaking of which, the fact that they as-
sumed I was the same was a bit disheartening...
...Ooishi had taken all the money I'd brought, so everything I had left was out of my
own pocket. ...In addition, there wasn't that much left of that, either. ...If I kept on hanging
around him like this, through his goading, my wallet would disappear into the night. ...I had
to somehow win and return the conversation to my job. ...But these people, no matter how you
looked at it, were pretty good... ...Sorry, Yukie.
"Na ha ha ha! Well then, I'll just call riichi here!"
...Well, the ol' man and Sato-san probably won't fall for this silly riichi. I wonder if
Akasaka-kun will spit out what I need, mfu fu fu!
"At any rate, Kuraudo's hand is probably holding something like that, huh? In that case,
this one oughta' go through. There!"
Oh-ho! The ol' man's pretty good. He's quietly trying to use one of my safe tiles to
complete his hand, isn't he?
It seems that Akasaka-kun has at least learned the ropes when it comes to guarding
against someone's riichi. ...But that will be his downfall!
"...What's wrong, boy? Would you hurry up and discard? If you're not sure, anything
that Kuraudo's already thrown away should be safe, no?"
"..."
Oooh, Akasaka-kun's really fretting over this one~! It was glaringly obvious that he
had a safe tile to discard, but he didn't want to throw it away because it would move him
farther from completing his hand. Mmmm, they're so nice when they're young and innocent.
Come on, hurry up and throw out the kicker~! If he gave me the winning tile, we'd be headed
to an establishment where I could do with all sorts of licking and sucking! If he gives the ol'
man his winning tile, we'd be headed straight to the place with maids in bloomers~~!!
"...This... will go through, right?"
He looked up as he hesitantly threw out a tile that was... ...Oh, too bad.
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"Hey now, that's a dangerous tile, you know! Kuraudo, does that go through!?"
"Yeah, it will! Mfu fu fu!"
It seems this time you were lucky. But as long as the round kept going, I could still
win off the draw!! Nfu fu fu!
But after that, Akasaka-kun managed to luckily avoid throwing any bad tiles, and
somehow the round managed to end without anybody completing a hand. 'Tenpai'. 'Tenpai'.
'Noten'. Sato-san had keenly anticipated that two players were in riichi and had decided to
play it safe.
What a cool-headed way of playing. Now let's see, what kind of hand did Akasaka-kun
have?
When the round ends with nobody winning in mahjong, anybody in tenpai has to show
their hand. But if you're not in tenpai, you have no obligation to reveal it. ...Your average be-
ginner would normally show their hand even if they weren't in tenpai, and start a commotion
about how if this tile or that tile came they would be in tenpai. But he didn't. ...Being stingy?
"How'd you do, boy? C'mon and show me!"
Sato-san reached over to flip the hand that Akasaka-kun had casually placed face
down.
"Hmmm~~...?? What the hell is this...?"
He was nowhere near tenpai. ...Was Akasaka-kun totally bad at this after all? Mfu fu
fu...? Right then, as the ol' man compared the the tiles from Akasaka-kun's hand to the discard
pool, a puzzled expression crossed his face.
"...Boy. You were in tenpai right around here, weren't you? Why'd you break your
hand?"
"...The higher manzu tiles suddenly got more valuable, so he suppressed them. Even
though with Ooishi-san's riichi, the chance they were safe tiles had increased. It would have
been in no trouble if he read the discards, but he went out of his way to keep them out of
play."
"...Oh? ...So Kuraudo's tenpai was no good from the start, in other words."
"...If it wasn't such a high-level trap, I would have thought that you were waiting for me
to throw out the winning tile. But, the more concerning thing is that you were in tenpai and
didn't say anything."
"When did you realize I was in tenpai?"
"....Around here? You threw out 4 tiles in a row immediately. At first I thought you
were just discarding redundant tiles, but I noticed you glancing over at me, and realized you
were waiting for something."
...Akasaka-kun... you...
"Akasaka-san, when you did you first start playing mahjong?"
"I never did, except in high school and university. Now, let's continue. Since Sato-san
wasn't in tenpai and the round ended without a winner, then I'm next, right? ...The next deal-
er."
...It seems like Akasaka-kun is really aware of how the game flows... We'd thought we
Himatsubushi-hen
were just going to eat him alive... but it looks like that isn't going to be so easy...
"...Ooishi-san, looks like you're going for the bamboo tiles. Should I put some in play?"
"...Tch. ..This boy...! Kuraudo, don't back down!!"
"As long as I get 3 more good tiles...! Sato-san, think you can do it?"
"Dammit...! I'll just force you to go for a cheap tanyao! Chi!"
"A straight? Well, sorry, I'm going to pon that tile."
...Whoa now, going to call three-of-a-kind after he declared a straight? ...Trying to
override and interfere!?
"...Boy, you're getting pretty used to this...!"

"Oh no. ...I couldn't even compare to you guys, who have been playing since before I
was even born. ...That's game. Ron. Triplets, 2 red dora, and three more dora. ...I'm the dealer,
so this'll cost you quite a bit."
"...Gah!"
"Na ha ha ha ha ha!! Akasaka-san, nice job!! Now we'll have to get serious! Won't
we!?"
"Well, can you get serious about handing over your points? ...I'm tired, so let's end this
quickly.”
...Akasaka-kun? ..This is somehow unreal... Nahahahaha... Before I could realize it,
there was an ominous cold air emitting from beneath Akasaka-kun's feet.
"...How blasé. The 2,5, and 8 manzus are laughing at you."
"D-Dammit!! Boy, you--!!"
"...Kuraudo, finish it! You have to end the boy's turn as dealer!"
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"...I hate to admit it, but that seems like the best option..."
"There it is! Ron! Simple straights, one dora!!"
"Sorry, headbump. ...Ron. Straight."
"...A headbump!? You damn brat!!"
"Brat? So you'd play that sloppily against a brat? ...Guess that means you're worse than
a brat yourself. ...It's so interesting. The way you guys call people things like 'brat' and 'boy'.
Heh heh heh...!"
"A-Akasaka-kun? That is you, isn't it? It feels like you're a totally different person..."
"....You thought that I, being a sucker, would let you drink some good booze tonight.
Seems that you were a little off the mark. Ron. Triple straight, red dora, and another dora."
"...Whoa!! He actually did it!!"
"That's why I'm saying you guys are slacking. ...No matter how you look at it, you have
to be able to read such an obvious three-way wait."
Akasaka-kun chuckled as he rested his chin in his hands. ...That pose was so fitting it
was almost scary.
"...Hey, Kuraudo! This isn't what we discussed! Who the hell said he was a naive
sucker ripe for the picking!?"
"Ah... na ha ha ha...!! Who could it be?"
"...Ooishi-san, this is bad. If he keeps going like this, we're seriously going to lose!"
...Akasaka-kun. ...For you to make me get serious. ...Looks like you really want to be
milked dry...
"Pon. ...Pon. ...That sounds nice, one more time! Pon."
Akasaka-kun was almost singing at this point. ...The tiles he had open were all pin
tiles. ...You can't be serious... are you really going for the flush!?
"...Pon."
"...Boy... are you right in the head...? You've opened four sets.... you only have one tile
left, you know."
"That's right. ...Did you know? Waiting on a single tile is the hardest thing to read."
"A-are you an idiot!? With that much of your hand revealed, you don't think we'd give
you a tile you need, do you!?"
"....Nfu fu fu! ...I know what you're doing, Akasaka-san. ...That's not a flush or a half-
flush, is it?"
"..."
"The fact that you called Pon four times means you're already in position for an all-
triplet hand. ...Right now, you're far and away in the lead. ...You're trying to show a flush and
goad us into giving you triplets, aren't you?"
"...If that's what you think, want to try throwing out some pins? The left five tiles in
your hand, Ooishi-san. They're pin tiles you're reluctant to throw away, aren't they? Why don't
you try discarding them in order from the left?"
...You must be joking... Is he a mahjong god...? If not, he had to be the main character
Himatsubushi-hen
of a manga or something!!
At that moment, the ol' man sent me a sign under the table. The message was simple
and clear.
(...Kuraudo. ...Do it. Crush him.)
(...I don't like to cheat against kids like this.)
(Idiot! After being disrespected like this we can't pull back now!)
(...Well, I'm not responsible for what happens, you know? Go ahead.)
"Here we go, boy! Riichi!! We'll go open! I'm waiting for a 1, 4, or 7 of pins!"
"..."
Most likely, the tile that Akasaka-kun was waiting for was one of those tiles. ...With
this, Akasaka-kun was no longer capable of winning the hand.
...When I drew from the wall... I switched out the tile that Akasaka-kun would draw.
...The tile that I put in was the 1 pin. One of the tiles that the ol' man was waiting
on. Akasaka-kun discarded it a little while ago, so there was no threat of it being the one he
needed...
"...Come on, it's your turn, boy."
".....Hm."
I knew he was troubled that the tile he drew was the 1 pin. ...Of course, he couldn't
discard it.
"Boy. You must be aware, but... if you discard into an open riichi, it's worth the limit,
you know?"
"You don't have to tell me that."
The tile that came from Akasaka-kun's hand was, ...an honor tile!
Whew!! Ain't that something! There's only one North wind tile left, isn't there? You
were counting on a really rough wait, weren't you!! But... with this, Akasaka-kun's fate was
decided.
"....Heh heh, brat. ...You're lucky you're safe. ...But your hand only has a single tile. You
think you'll be able to run away the rest of this round...? Heh heh..."
"...So, it's going to be like that."
Akasaka-kun glared at the ol' man with a discerning eye. ...This guy had pretty good
instincts. Did he figure out we were cheating!?
(...Let's stop this. Akasaka-kun is a step or two ahead of us.)
(Fool! You think we can stop after we've come this far? Next! Make him draw it!!)
...The next tile Akasaka-kun would draw was the seven pin. ...With that, it would be
settled. No matter which one he discarded, he'd play right into the ol' man's hand. ...An un-
avoidable full payout!!
When I drew my tile... I sneakily swapped Akasaka-san's---
"Achoo!!!"
Crash ...What!? ...Akasaka-kun suddenly sneezed, collapsing the wall of tiles in front
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of him!!
"H-....Hey, what are you doing..."
"Sorry, I accidently knocked over the wall when I sneezed. ...There's a penalty for that,
right? I'm the dealer, so four thousand to everybody? Or is the penalty my point sticks?"
"...Wa ha ha ha ha ha!!!"
Unable to hold back, I guffawed. Akasaka-kun, knowing he was going to be cornered
a second time and unable to escape... He took the drastic measure of knocking over his own
wall!
"...You're good, boy...!! To get away from a full payout like that!! Ga ha ha ha ha ha!!!"
"...Ooishi-san, could you not bother putting me in such an obvious trap? ...If we were at
Baba, this would have been the point where I flipped the table..."
"Oh no no no no, sorry, sorry! I underestimated you! For some reason, you're really
good, aren't you!"
"Answer me honestly. You got a lot of experience when you were younger, didn't you?"
"I played quite a bit around Waseda and Takadanobaba. The place I was accustomed
to going to had pretty high rates, and they chewed me out. ...I made the woman who would
become my wife pretty angry, so I washed my hands of it all."
"Raised the stakes too high? How much were you playing for at the time?"
"It depends on who I was playing with, but it was more expensive when I played in
Kabukicho. The largest stakes I played with were about 20 times the standard rate."
20 times!?!? What kind of stakes were those? Did you have yakuza at your table? Or
pro baseball players!?
"...What's this!? Kuraudo!! You buffoon!! Where did you pull this professional from!? I
give up!! Geez!! Boy, it's your win! I surrender!!"
"Thank you very much, it was an honor."
"...Na ha ha ha... Oh my. ...Akasaka-san, your personality really changes when you
play~! Why do you even have a day job! You'd have no problem living as a freelancer!"
"To be a pro mahjong player, you need both talent and luck. I didn't have anything like
that supporting me."
"...Luck is luck. With somebody of your skill, I'd think you'd be able to make it pretty
far."
"Normal luck doesn't cut it. Calling a Kan and one time out of three, you can aim to
win on the extra draw with four dora. That kind of luck."
"....Akasaka-kun, if you can judge something like that, you're already bordering on the
supernatural..."
"No, there's plenty of people who can do that without cheating or superpowers. There
was a person I met in Shinjuku who would get doras every time you blinked... he was as
strong as a demon. There was a pro I played with in Yokohama, who would draw the tile he
needed immediately after calling Riichi like it was an everyday thing. I don't have that kind of
luck."
...What type of folks were those... They weren't named Ryuu or Satoshi by any
Himatsubushi-hen
chance...?
"Well then, is it alright if I'm declared the overall winner, then?"
"Yeah yeah~! We totally lost! Mfu fu fu~!"
"I lost, I lost! It's been a while since I lost this big!!"
"Still, when you were playing, boy, you were pretty into it. It was kind of scary...”
"I hear that a lot. ...I don't mean to change gears like that, though. Did I really look
that scary...?"
"Yup."
The three of us nodded emphatically in agreement. ...So that was Akasaka-kun, the
mahjong prodigy. ...Before he goes home from his assignment, maybe I could have him go
play at a high-stakes table in my place! ...But it's not good to get greedy. Nfu fu!
"...Well then, nothing for it. It was a promise. We'll break up our little late-night study
group right now. Sorry about this, ol' man. That's it for tonight."
"Nothing you could do. I'm going home to sleep! My body won't last like this!"
"Problems at work?"
"Oh, he's the foreman of the primary construction site at the Hinamizawa Dam. He's
butting heads with the residents every day. It's a rough business."
"...Around next year, I might be in charge of the second site as well. I heard that
Kuroda-san was pissing blood. He won't hold out much longer."
"You'll be alright, ol' man. Your skull is thicker than it looks. Nfu fu fu!"
"I'm not exactly a saint, you know! There's times that just make my blood boil. I espe-
cially can't stand dealing with that bratty daughter of Sonozaki's! I think one of these days I'm
going to rearrange her face."
"Now now now! At least the pay is good, right? I heard the wages were pretty exorbi-
tant."
"Of course they are! If the pay was cheap, nobody would hang around that god-awful
job! Hey Kuraudo, exactly when are the police going to tell all the villagers to shove off?
There'll be a notice of eviction from the government, right!?"
"...Hmmm... Maybe? I wonder what will happen."
The old man, who identified himself as the foreman of the Hinamizawa Dam, spewed
a few complaints until he felt better about it, then left quietly.
"Well then, let's go. ...I'll leave the rest to Sato-san."
"...Ooishi-san, are you going home?"
"If I'm here, I'll just be in the way, won't I? Besides, the one who bought Sato-san's
services was you. I didn't pay for my share."
Ooishi-san was kind of sketchy, but he was strangely conscientious about some things.
...I felt quite a bit of a gap between myself and Ooishi's generation from that part of him I
didn't comprehend.
"Then, boy. ...No, I can't call Mr. Mahjong here 'boy' no more. Is 'A kasaka-kun' all
right with you?"
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"Yes."
"Then, Akasaka-kun. Shall we go?"
"Well then, Akasaka-san. Later. ...If you're having any trouble, you can count on me
any time."
"I don't have any more money to pay you, you know that?"
"You can just give back a little of what I lost tonight. Na ha ha ha!"
Ooishi, seemingly still not having had his fill of playing around, but without overstay-
ing his welcome, disappeared into the night.
Himatsubushi-hen
The informant, named Sato-san, had me get into his car before he set off. He favored
narrow roads and made numerous short left turns.
"...Checking if we're being followed?"
"Yeah... you know a lot about this."
Checking to see if you were being tailed by making left turns was a rather classic
technique. If it was just a single pursuer, you could confirm it that way. ...But if you were
being tailed as a team, this archaic method wouldn't let you shake them. ...Of course, doing it
anyway was better than not.
"...I didn't hear anything from the boss as to who you are, Akasaka-kun. ...Related to
the police? If you're familiar with checking for being tailed, the only other possibility I can
think of is something like a private detective."
"If it's not something I have to say, I'd like to refuse to answer that question."
"My my... Ever since we played mahjong, you seem a lot more mature! I wonder where
that hesitant person went, from when we first met."
I smiled wryly. ...Looking back now, I had to be a little grateful for being made to play
mahjong. Thanks to that I was able to relieve some tension.
Eventually Sato-san, confirming that there were no cars following us, slipped outside
the city. We were on a pitch-black country road, unable to see anything besides the lights out-
side.. ...The only things I was able to hear were the hum of the car's air-conditioning, and the
chirping of insects and frogs.
"...I heard from the boss that you want to hear a bit about Hinamizawa Village, yeah?"
"Like about the old houses known as the 'Three Families' who control the place, or that
right now it's pretty much the Sonozaki family running things?"
"...If you know that much already, I'll cut out the introductions."
"Then, if you would. ...Can you confirm or deny if the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance is
involved with the kidnapping of Minister Inugai's grandson?"
Sato-san checked the rearview mirror one more time to confirm there wasn't anybody
behind us before speaking.
"...Last night, the Sonozaki main house held a family council. Did you hear about it
from the boss?"
"No."
"If it was a normal meeting, then it would just be all the relatives coming together over
a nice cup of tea or something. But, a family council held by the main house isn't quite so
relaxed."
A family council held by the Sonozaki main house. ...That would be a meeting between
those who truly controlled Hinamizawa Village. They wouldn't be talking about private family
matters... it would be about the village as a whole. About organizing activities against the dam
project. Among other things... everything would be decided there. In reality, they were decid-
ing the fate of the village.
At the head of the meeting was Oryou Sonozaki. ...More or less called 'Empress Sono-
zaki', as the ultimate decision-maker of the clan she was to be feared and respected. ...Infirm
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with old age, she was often unable to stand on her own, but her words carried enough weight
to sway the fate of the village.
It seemed that lately she had grown weak, and on days where she wasn't feeling well,
remained bedridden. Family councils that occurred while she wasn't feeling well took place
with her on the floor.
In the middle of a dignified Japanese-style room, still in a futon, only the upper half of
her body sitting upright, a stern look on her face... that was Oryou Sonozaki...
Sitting next to her was her heir, Mion Sonoazaki. She was still young... no, young
wasn't quite the right word. She was a girl who remained childish. Her role was to merely sit
beside Oryou Sonozaki, sometimes responding to her requests... however... She was the only
one deemed worthy to succeed Oryou. She had the same hawkish eyes, enough to give pause
to anybody who so much at looked at them... Much was expected of her in the future... this
granddaughter of the Sonozaki's leader.
And, also on either side of her, sat several other important members of the remaining
Three Families: the Kimiyoshi family, and the Furude family. First on the list for the Kimiyo-
shi family was of course the mayor of Hinamizawa Village, Kiichiro Kimiyoshi. ...And lined
up beside him were several more of his direct relatives.
Opposite them sat the other of the Three Families, the Furude family. The Furude
family was only comprised of the family of a Shinto priest, so the only ones sitting there were
said priest, his wife, and their daughter Rika. Rika was doted on by many of the older folks in
the village, and it seemed that Oryou was no exception.
While the stress from just attending a family council was said to be enough to shorten
your lifespan by three days, it seemed like Rika was the only one exempt from that. No mat-
ter how charged the atmosphere was around her, she paid it no mind, instead humming along
as she doodled in a sketchbook.
In fact, the night before, lying on her stomach while humming and doodling, she non-
chalantly tucked her legs into Oryou's futon like it was a kotatsu.
All this was the Three Families. ...And all around the room, lined row-upon-row, were
relatives of the Sonozaki family. The only ones who were afforded cushions to sit on were di-
rect relatives. The others were left to sit in the seiza position directly on the tatami mats. With
Empress Sonozaki enshrined at their center, they were almost like a giant snake coiled around
the room. It was decided that everybody would sit in order of their rank...
The number of people from the Sonozaki family was overwhelming. The fact that the
Sonozaki family held so many seats at a meeting where everything pertaining to the village
was decided made determining where the balance of power was held in the Three Families as
clear as day. The number of members in attendance from each of the families directly reflect-
ed how much influence they had in ruling Hinamizawa.
"...What was talked about... at that meeting?"
Sato-san, after remaining silent for a while, quietly began to speak...
"...Wasn't our monetary gift of appreciation to the media a little large?"
Breaking the long moment of silence was the head of the Kimiyoshi family, Kiichirou
Kimiyoshi... The Onigafuchi Defense Alliance wasn't a business. ...They were nothing more
than a private organization pushing for the cancellation of the Hinamizawa Dam Project, with
Himatsubushi-hen
no reliable source of income. Fundraising had always been a problem. When they first started
operating, they had managed to collect a sizable amount of funds through donations, but as
the conflict dragged on, that amount was steadily declining.
"...This isn't an era where you can get what you want just by throwing rocks. It's very
important you don't underestimate the power of the media, and we want to borrow some of
that down the road."
The expressions of the people related to the Sonozaki family were sullen. ...As the one
who suggested that they should borrow that power was the family head, Oryou Sonozaki.
The battle wasn't just about force of arms. In this civilized age, there were civilized
methods of fighting. ...Oryou suggested that, creating a strategy incorporating the mass media.
Oryou's foresight was spot on... and the effects of that plan, while at first unclear,
slowly began to manifest. If the physical confrontation at the construction site was meant to
delay progress on the dam by even one day, ...then the propaganda war using the media was
aimed at attacking the dam project itself. At first, there were those who had doubts about that
strategy, but there was nobody now who called those results into question...
But in order to maintain those media ties, a colossal amount of money was required.
As long as the amount of funds they had was abundant, things would turn out fine. It couldn't
be argued that it was a massive expense, but the results spoke for themselves. ...But, with the
conflict continuing to drag on, the circumstances had changed.
The head of the Sonozaki family-- no, the one who sat at the pinnacle of the Hinam-
izawa's Three Families, Oryou, had suggested the idea herself, so it was already untouchable,
and continued to be allowed to drain from the budget. ...Nobody acknowledged that it should
be so allowed, but nobody could say anything. ...That was the price of dealing with the mass
media.
"...What do you think, Oryou-san?"
The only person who could object to a plan proposed by the head of the Sonozaki
household herself was probably Mayor Kimiyoshi. Oryou... with a hard-to-define expression
on her face, as if she had severed herself from the fetters of mortal emotion, simply listened
quietly to Kimiyoshi's words. ...But really, it was hard to tell if she was quietly listening or
didn't even have the intention of listening at all.
"Last year, we went through a lot of trouble getting people to wrap their heads around
the price hike on the bulletins we were putting out. ...We convinced them it was just the one
time... it just wouldn't do if we had another one this year... ...Right, Furude-san?"
The mayor looked to the priest and his wife from the Furude family for affirmation.
...The priest gave a vague expression, avoiding a prompt response. But his wife gave
her answer without a second thought.
"That's right... The cost of the bulletins are a particularly harsh burden for the poorer
families. Everybody is dealing with it for the sake of the village, but it's best we don't increase
the prices any more."
The bulletin was, as its name implied, a bulletin published by the Onigafuchi Defense
Alliance. It outlined the Alliance's activities, ideals, and resolve, but you couldn't deny the
contents were rather piecemeal. That bulletin's main goal wasn't to inform people, but rather
was something to sell to businesses and people living in the village or connected to it, and
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using those sales to collect funds. ...In other words, it had become something of a tax. Of
course, it didn't have to be said that this was one of the main sources of income for the Oniga-
fuchi Defense Alliance.
Originally, purchase was supposed to be voluntary, but it in Hinamizawa it had silently
become the opposite. In the neighbouring towns as well, it seemed that many businesses were
buying copies just to avoid butting heads with the Alliance.
...The priest whispered to his wife to not say anything unnecessary, but was struck
down decidedly with a cold glare. Cowering from that glare, the priest shut his mouth.
The priest's wife always held the power in their relationship. ...That was because she
was the one who carried the Furude bloodline. The priest merely married into the family. He
was nothing more than somebody who adopted the name just to join the Three Families.
He should have been able to find a spot fairly high up in the hierarchy of things, ...but
the lack of authority in his voice meant that he had still not gained any favor. Casting a back-
wards glance at her rather disparate parents, Rika continued to doodle whimsically without
paying them any mind.
Signalled by a look from Oryou, Mion brought her ear closer to her grandmother.
There, something was said to her in a quiet voice. After responding with a couple ques-
tions, with a nod from Oryou, Mion looked around the room and conveyed her grandmother's
words...
"...There will no freeze on the price increase for the bulletin."
Kimiyoshi made a face like he had just bit into something unpleasant, but that expres-
sion quickly disappeared like it had never happened at all...
"B-But, Mion-chan. ...I think you already know this, but the cost of the bulletin is by
no means easily affordable. It's a burden carried by everybody in Hinamizawa. If we make
people carry too much of that burden, it's possible we'll collapse from the inside..."
"...And who on the inside would start that collapse?"
"Who? ...I didn't mean it like that--"
"...I'm asking who would be the first to buckle."
Being cross-examined by a girl who still had fragments of childishness remaining
within her, the words stuck in Kimiyoshi's throat as he sunk into silence.
Mion repeated her question once more, looking around the crowded room. Everybody
refrained making eye contact to avoid being pierced by her gaze... The words she had spoken
were unarguably said in proxy for Oryou. That's why when Mion spoke them, they carried the
same weight. ...But, the look in her eyes was different.
Like Oryou's, they had a hawkish gaze, strong enough that anybody looking upon
them would freeze in their tracks and yield. ...But, that gaze was without question, one that
belonged to Mion herself. As Mion would eventually inherit everything from Oryou, the day
when she would stand up as a young and capable leader in her own right would come. ...No-
body wanted to believe otherwise for even a minute. ...That's why, nobody even thought of
Mion as just some sort of little kid.
"...Kimiyoshi-san. Nobody will lose their resolve over something like a price hike on
the bulletin."
Himatsubushi-hen
"....Hmm... ....mmm..."
Kimiyoshi, while grumbling a little bit, made a gesture as if to say he had no objec-
tion.
"...The expenses related to the mass media will continue. If those expenses become too
much, we'll have no choice but to continue the price hikes."
Mion had rendered her judgement. Everybody bowed their heads, silently listening to
her words.
"In the name of Mion Sonozaki, as acting head of the Sonozaki family. I hereby de-
clare that all this shall be effective immediately. ...There shall be no objections, and any op-
position shall be removed by force."
The formal decree was read aloud, indicating her judgement. ....There would be no
retrial. But there was a certain authority behind those words that even a courthouse couldn't
compare to.
If she was a judge, she would have banged her gavel, signalling that the matter was
settled. ...Mion pulled out a large bell from inside her clothes and rang it. Everybody present
could only prostrate themselves before the harsh sound of the bell.
"...Well. ...That's a rather old-fashioned family council, isn't it."
"A young guy like you would probably find it hard to believe. ...In an antiquated place
like this, these types of things have firm roots."
It was exactly as Ooishi had said. ...The old system of the Three Families had van-
ished, and now the Sonozaki family was running things by themselves. On top of that, their
rule was borderline despotic.
"...Was that the end of the meeting?"
"No, there's more. I'll continue."
Eventually, after the ringing of the bell ceased, there was a deafening silence. Within
all of that, a lone man shuffled closer to Mion and whispered something in her ear.
Mion asked several questions quietly in response. When she was satisfied, she mo-
tioned for the man to leave. ...The man who talked to Mion was a member of a gang that her
father was the leader of. That organization had the entire area of Shishibone City under its
control, so it was quite well known even here.
...Of course, this was talking about the criminal underworld, so it's not like just any-
body would know... But just showing a patch with the gang symbol on it was enough to
resolve any disputes in the neighbourhood... Mion's biological father, to Oryou, was her daugh-
ter's husband. The power of that man's gang was the driving force that controlled the dark
underbelly of the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance. ...And so that man, from his position as the
next-in-line to control the Three Families, continued to coerce everybody around him with his
unconventional presence...
Mion exchanged a look with her father. ...Was it okay for her to tell what she just heard
directly to Oryou? ...It looked like she was asking him that question. Her father gently, but
firmly, nodded his response.
Mion also nodded, then sidled up to Oryou and informed her of something... Eventual-
ly, Mion finished conveying her message, separated herself from Oryou, and fixed her posture,
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waiting for Oryou to signal her response.

It wasn't often that Oryou showed any emotion. ...That's why, when she started to laugh
quietly, a vague sense of uneasiness crept over everybody in the room.
"...That's... quite the conundrum isn't it. ...Keh keh keh keh...!"
Oryou was laughing so happily that Kimiyoshi had to hesistantly ask.
"...What is it, Oryou-san?"
"...If this land is like a mother to us... then this business with the dam is like somebody
threatening our mother's life, isn't it?"
Kimiyoshi, unable to comprehend the meaning of her words, looked confused. Oryou,
with a wide grin on her face, turned towards everybody and addressed them in a clarion
voice.
"...The Minister behind the Dam Project, is apparently rattled over the kidnapping of
his grandson. That makes us even. ...keh keh keh keh!"
"...That's absurd!!!"
Information on the kidnapping of Minister Inugai's grandson... shouldn't have leaked
from anywhere. ...How did they know!? Even we didn't know much about the kidnapping inci-
dent. Exactly how did an antiquated household so far away from Tokyo come to know of it?
...It was tranquil place, but I couldn't help but have an uneasy feeling about Hinamiza-
wa Village. ...At some point, I had mentally filed this place away as unrelated to the incident
at hand. ...That mental paperwork had just blown away in the wind.
"...How... did the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance know about that..."
Sato-san, unable to come up with an answer, fell into silence...
"...I'm sorry. Please continue."
"...Sure."
"The Minister of Construction's grandson... was kidnapped? ...Oryou-san, is that true?"

That major of an incident was nowhere to be seen in the newspapers or on TV. ...But,
in Hinamizawa, there was nothing strange about Oryou knowing something that the rest of the
world didn't.
"Our pain is the pain of losing a mother. ...I don't think it completely makes up for it,
but the pain of losing a grandchild... ...keh keh keh keh! He'll have to bear with that for a bit.
...Don't you think?"
...The last question wasn't addressed to anybody in particular. ...It was as if she was
looking for consensus.
"...Still... land and a human child are different things. ...I don't mind hiding him here...
but I want no harm to befall him. ...The child isn't to blame. ...Make sure to keep that in
mind."
"That means that.... the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance were involved in the kidnap-
Himatsubushi-hen
ping!?"
"..Hrm... I can't say for certain."
"Why? Even though their leader, Oryou, was clearly giving orders on the treatment of
the kidnapped child!?"
"Lad, you see. This is what the Sonozaki Family always does."
"...Always does? What do you mean by that?"
...Let's say there was a particular problem. ...One that wasn't exactly favorable for the
Sonozaki family.
If Oryou shows 'concern' over that particular problem, hearing that, somebody who
attended the family council would 'be helpful'. As a result, Oryou's wish would be granted.
...However, neither Oryou or anybody else would know who actually did it. With this kind
of clever little ploy, the Sonozaki family was able to manipulate events even though they had
their hands laid out on the table.
"Then... that means that somebody who was at the the family council was the culprit?"
"Or, there's the possibility that there was never a culprit in the first place. ...Oryou her-
self, in that room full of people, didn't explicitly say that somebody pulled off the kidnapping.
She was just giving her 'opinion'."
It was an odd and unpleasantly secretive way of doing things. ...Were they involved or weren't
they? ...I couldn't see beyond the veil.
This much, however, I could say with certainty. This kidnapping was an ironclad se-
cret. ...No matter how high a position somebody was in, even they wouldn't know about it.
If there was somebody who would know about it, they would be connected to Public
Safety. In other words, one of us. The only other options were people connected to the case it-
self. ...Including the Minister, there would be people affected by the incident. ...Or... the people
that committed it.
...In any case... there was no way an old household in a place removed from Tokyo
by over 6 hours of highway travel should know about it. Them knowing at all was already
strange. ...My suspicions began to accumulate. ...Like falling snow.
"...That's as much as Oryou said in regards to the kidnapping. ...Hopefully what you
wanted to find out was in there."
"..."
"...After this, it's up to you. ...I don't know what kind of work you're doing, but if you're
going up against the Sonozaki family, you'd best prepare yourself. ...Ooishi might be fearless,
but even he's been attacked two or three times. He hasn't been wearing it lately, but at one
point he was wearing a stab-proof vest while off-duty."
"...Oh? ...Thanks for the warning. I'll be careful."
"...You speak pretty well. Are you from Tokyo, by any chance?"
"Huh? ...What's your point?"
Investigators were always close to danger. ...It was best not to divulge any information
on myself.
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"Your job. ...Could it you possibly be somebody from the Metropolitan Public Safety
Division?"
"..."
I couldn't remain silent here. It would be the same thing as admitting it.
"...Huh? No way! ...Hahahaha!"

"...This wasn't accounted for in the money I got from the boss... but as somebody who
played at the same table today, I'll give you this one as a freebie. After Oryou talked about the
kidnapping, there was one other topic that came up."
Another topic that Oryou brought up? ...And right before he told me this, Sato-san
asked if I was from the Metropolitan Public Safety Division? In other words... ...What those
two things meant caused a chill to run up my spine.
"...So you see... ...That in order to investigate the kidnapping of the Minister's grandson,
There's word that there will be an investigator from Public Safety dispatched all the way from
Tokyo."
"...An investigator from Public Safety?"
"...They can't be reckless and make a big deal over the kidnapping, so it seems the Met-
ropolitan Public Safety Division is investigating this on their own. ...Ain't that grand. ...Hm?
What is it?"
Rika, who had been drawing the entire time and was completely uninterested in the
conversation up until now, looked at Oryou with an interested face as soon as the topic of
Public Safety came up.
"...Did the Metropolitan Police come?"
"Ohhh ...So Rika-chama knows about the Metropolitan Police Department? ...That's
very admirable."
"...Who came?"
"...Is there anybody that knows what kind of guy from Public Safety came here?"
Mion's father raised his hand slightly.
"...I hear that it's a nice young piece of fresh meat."
"...Fresh meat? Is it nice and tender?"
"Hm? Haha! Yeah, it is. ...Fresh meat."
Mion's father smiled wryly as he answered Rika's question.
"...Tender and tasty?"
"...Yeah. Tender and tasty."
Rika smiled with interest. ...Why did Rika suddenly act interested only when it came
to this topic? ...That was a question that apparently nobody had the answer to.
"...Does Rika-chama know something about this man?"
"... ...I don't know."
Himatsubushi-hen
After her rather flat reply, Rika buried herself underneath Oryou's futon again... But
when she buried herself there, Rika no longer started drawing again. Instead, she was making
an expression like she was deep in contemplation...
"...What shall we do about him? Mother."
Mion's father posed the question. ...He had the type of uncouth expression on his face
indicating that, given the order, he could snuff the problem out at any time.
"...He came all the way to Hinamizawa. ...Let him take it easy for a little while."
"So you're saying to just let him go around as he pleases...?"
Mion's father asked in response. Oryou smiled thinly as she responded.
"...Leave him alone. ...But... If he starts causing too much mischief, when that happens,
don't hold back. ...I don't enjoy being taken lightly."
"...Is what they talked about apparently. ...It couldn't be that you're that fresh meat from
the Metropolitan Police, are you?"
"....It couldn't be. ...Hahahaha."
The sensation of cold, bristling fear began to crawl its way up my back.
This family council took place, last night. ...In other words, yesterday. ...Then, today,
when I was dressed up as a tourist headed towards Hinamizawa... my cover was already
blown? ...When I remembered the first person I met when I got to the bus stop... I couldn't
breathe.
...The person at the family council who expressed interest in the man being dispatched
from the Metropolitan Police, Rika Furude. And then, the person who was waiting for me the
whole time in the bus shelter, Rika Furude. ...It was an unthinkable image. ...No, it was a delu-
sion. When we met at that bus shelter... did Rika-chan already know my true identity? Did she
know that I was Akasaka, dispatched from the Metropolitan Police Department, and come to
meet me...?
...Then, including Mayor Kimiyoshi... every villager that I met... everybody knew but
just pretended not to...? Because Oryou had given instructions not to interfere?
...Thinking about it logically... ...it didn't seem possible.
I met quite a number of people. ...If there's people that are good at acting, then there's
people who are bad at hiding things. ...If there was that many people, then there should have
been somebody among them who knew I was from Public Safety and couldn't hide their hos-
tility. ...However, I didn't feel any presence like that.
But then, even still... ...Why did Oryou tell them to leave me alone? Was it because if
they were careless about it, it would only raise more suspicion? Or was it because they be-
lieved a rookie like me wouldn't be able to find anything?
Akasaka is a coward.
...I recalled that strange voice which could only make me believe that Rika-chan had
been possessed. ...That unknown entity, no matter how you looked at it, knew my true identity
from the get-go.
...And then... how did it warn me again? That's right. ...It warned me to hurry up and
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go back to Tokyo. Instead of the realistic worry that the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance had dis-
covered my identity, the absurd worry brought on by the unknown girl stuck with me more.
...What exactly was that girl? ...What was the thing I would eventually regret? That
mysterious girl. ...Rika Furude. Let's stop this. ...Everything I was thinking of right now was
merely conjecture. Tomorrow, first thing in the morning, I'll report everything I heard right
now to HQ and await further orders.
There was no mistaking that the possibility the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance were
related to this case was there. ...And that the fact that my cover was blown meant I was in a
precarious position. ...But as everybody at HQ was already extremely busy, they might not be
able to spare the support.
"...Is that everything? If you want, I can drop you off wherever you like."
"Ah... sorry. In that case, the station where we originally met, please."
A rural road where even a street light was rare. ...I couldn't see anything. I wasn't
aware of anything but the asphalt that was lit up by the headlights.
Outside of that light, was it simply darkness? Or was there something lurking there,
waiting to strike? ...I had to think I drew the short straw here.
...I wanted to go back to Tokyo. For some reason, the voice of the girl warning me to
go back to Tokyo still lingered in my head...
Himatsubushi-hen
Tip #8 - The Investigation Runs Aground
"...Yeah. Yesterday, when we met at the restaurant in Ginza, that topic popped up."
"That's overstepping their boundaries, isn't it? They're meddling too much with Public
Safety. If they keep doing that, they're going to set a bad precedent."
"It seems that Minister Inugai is openly uncomfortable about the way Public Safety is
doing things. The Vice-Minister is probably going to say something to that effect during Mon-
day's debate session. ...But what can you do?"
"We can only have the Director address the Vice-Minister. That's why we pay him the
big bucks."
"Well, if it comes to that, they're going to ask him for proof that the Minister's being
threatened."
"Sometimes I don't know what side he's on. If he's not on ours, then what?"
"Well, he's probably getting some pressure from the Minister. We'll probably just have
to proceed with the investigation while he sweats it out in the Vice-Minister's office and buys
us some time. ...He might get so wrung out to dry that all that'll be left are dregs, though.
...So, how's the investigation going?"
"All the juicy leads I was pinning my hopes on turned out to be duds. Honestly, I'm at
a loss."
"There are reports that the Hinamizawa Dam Project has been showing up a lot lately
in the Minister's press releases, so what about that?"
"....Hmmm... Well you say 'showing up', but it's really more of a very slight feeling that
something's strange. He just happened to mention it during his speech at the XX Prefectural
Forum, so it just might have been something that he was mentioning because it was relevant
at the time."
"If I remember correctly, a local organization there was protesting quite violently, no?
The Onigafuchi Defense Alliance. I think Akasaka-kun was investigating that."
"I think those guys could possibly be behind what's happening now. Even if we can't
say there's anything overtly suspicious about them, it might not be prudent to remove them
from the picture... Akasaka-kun reported in passing that he couldn't deny that possibility."
"...Then, isn't there merit in investigating them? We're going through everything with a
fine-toothed comb, so if they're one of the suspicious groups that're left, we'll eventually have
to."
"Well, they're not the only group we should investigate, right? Ahahaha! If we're just
talking about groups that are as suspicious as Onigafuchi, there's quite a few of them. We
don't have the men, the time, or the money for it all."
"I'll try asking for more details from Akasaka-kun. ...I feel like we should pay some
extra attention to this Defense Alliance."
"He's reported that he's established a rapport with the villagers. It also seems that he's
collaborating with the local police."
"Keep your contact with Akasaka-kun on the down-low. Also, if there's anything in his
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info that merits investigation, it's possible we can send reinforcements."

"Got it."
"...Ah, sorry... Chief Kataoka~! There's a phone call from the Director. Should I trans-
fer it over here?"
"Ah, no, it's okay! I'll head over there. ...Yes hello?
Himatsubushi-hen
Tip #9 - What’s in the Box?
Do you believe that there are choices in life?
There are many people who lament the following:
If there only existed points in life where there were clear choic-
es to make, we would be able to scrutinize those carefully and
make decisions that would lead us to a better future.
Every time I hear people lament as such, I cast it off as a rather

trivial worry. Even if you were given a clear choice, it wouldn't
be meaningful at all, and there wouldn't be any such path to a
better future.
...Is this hard to understand? Then let's pretend that in front

of you there are two strange boxes. In other words, you have two
clear choices. Do you open the red box, or the blue box?
A lot of things would be uncertain even with that choice, wouldn't

they? If you don't have the option of opening neither, then your
choice boils down to the natural impulse of opening the box that
holds the better result for you. Then, after examining the shape
and features of each, and pondering a great many things, you have
to pick either the red or the blue. ...If this was you, which box
would you open?
Red or blue? ...If you were to go by their traditional meanings,

then red would be a dangerous, threatening color. However, that
doesn't automatically mean that it would be calm and relaxing in-
side the blue box, either. In fact, it might even be that the colors
are a trap, make you wary of the red box and have you open the
blue.
A trap? ...Could it be the contents of the box aren't a reward, but

rather a penalty? See...? Now you're at a loss. You're so conflicted
over the choice between red and blue that you've started wishing
there was an option to open neither and just leave.
But there isn't. You have to open either the red box or the blue
box. Oh, I forgot to say this, but if you choose one box, the other
will disappear. So you'll never know the contents of box you don't
open. I'll just put that that rule at the end there for you.
Now. Why don't you choose? The red box, or the blue box? ...It's all
right, you won't lose anything by picking either one. ...Come on
now.
Red Box
Have you thought about it?
In the end, you chose this color, didn't you?
...As soon as you chose, the other box disappeared. So you can give
up on the contents of that one, okay? That's the rule. Now, open up
the box you chose.
Inside the box there was... a piece of caramel.
Have you thought about it?
In the end, you chose this color, didn't you?
...As soon as you chose, the other box disappeared. So you can give
up on the contents of that one, okay? That's the rule. Now, open up
the box you chose.
Inside the box there was... a stick of chewing gum.
...I know you're a little disappointed. Well that's only natural. No

matter how you look at it, it looks like you drew the dud.
The correct box might have had a bar of chocolate in it, for all
you know. No, in fact, something incredible like a pair of tickets
to Hawaii might have been in there.
But even if you wanted to verify that, the other box has already
disappeared. There's no way you can check now. But if you think
about it from an optimistic point of view... Just maybe... the oth-
er box was empty, and this box was the winner. And being satis-
fied (or perhaps not) with such a cheap prize, you pop it into your
mouth and start chewing it happily.
So, what do you think in the end? If you were given a second
chance, would you try to open the other box? ...But unfortunately,
the chance to choose between the red box or the blue box has come
and gone, never to be seen again. The chance to change your se-
lection will never come.
Don't your parents often say: Every choice you make in life only
happens once, so choose carefully? Hee hee hee... See? Choices
aren't that great after all. ...Aren't you a little disillusioned
now? Ahhahahahahaha...
Blue Box
...Right now you're thinking:
"That's it?"
That's right, the contents of the red box and the blue box were
a piece of caramel and a stick of chewing gum. You might have
thought you made the wrong choice before, but now seeing them
together like this, you can't really say that either choice was the
wrong one. Well, I guess everybody has their personal preferenc-
es. If you prefer caramel to gum, for example. ...You're definitely
thinking of choosing to open the box again based on that prefer-
ence.
...The clear choices you wanted were basically this. The selfish
desire to open up both boxes and compare the contents, then pick
the one most suited to you.
But you see, reality is the same as this game. If you pick one,
the one you didn't choose disappears. So there's no way you could
check the result.
If at that time, if you had done this, or perhaps if you had done
that... then it wouldn't be hard to imagine that you could be hap-
pier (or perhaps less happy) than you are right now.
In the end, you only have the pleasure of approving of or being

disappointed by the choice that you did make.
But that's fine. After all, didn't you enjoy the thrill of mak-
ing the choice? If, like now, you knew the contents of both boxes,
then the choice between the red box or the blue box would just be
a waste of time. Because instead of this boring game about boxes,
you could be looking at the quickly-changing evening summer sky,
listening for the distant sound of thunder, and pondering if it's
going to rain or not... that would be much more fun.
Page 97
Tip #10 - The Glint in a Demon’s Eye

"...Uh-huh, yes. ...So the wake will be from six PM tomorrow, and the service will be
the day after from noon until one. The venue will be Okinomiya Ceremony Hall..."
"...I see. It's Deputy Mayor Ikezawa's grandson's funeral we're talking about. We have
to pay our respects. Mion, I'll have you go in my stead."
"Okay, got it. Should I wear mourning clothes? How much should I bring for the fu-
neral offering?"
"You can go in your school uniform. Make sure you button it up properly. For the
money, fifty-- No... a hundred thousand yen. They've done a lot for us."
Mion quietly whistled in awe at the exorbitant amount of money her grandmother was
offering.
"Ikezawa-san's been a prudent person ever since his days as head of the Okinomiya
Municipal Office. ...Even if those government-types paid me a visit, they'd always stay out-
side. But whenever I offered Ikezawa-san a cup of tea, he'd come inside and carefully listen to
what I had to say. ...He always lent a proper ear to what people had to say. Others should learn
from a person like him."
The two guests made a show of nodding, making it clear they were paying attention
as Oryou reminisced. The sight of them trying not to get on Oryou's bad side was humorous
enough to elicit laughter from Mion occasionally.
"How young was Deputy Mayor Ikezawa's grandson when he died?"
"...Umm... 11 years old, apparently..."
Oryou closed her eyes and shook her head lightly, lamenting the loss of such a young
life.
"If I recall correctly, he said he only had one grandchild.... ...how sad... there's nothing
worse for a parent than outliving their offspring."
"Ahahaha. You're really nice to other people, Granny. If Shion or I died, would you be
this sad?"
"Don't be stupid. Saying something like that is bad luck!"
Having got the reaction she expected, Mion cackled. The two guests, unsure if they
were supposed to laugh along, instead forced awkward smiles.
"We'll take our leave for today, then... We'll be by tomorrow evening at five to pick you
up. Until then... please excuse us..."
After bowing their heads repeatedly, the guests left by the front door. Mion saw them
off, waving her little hand goodbye.
"...They're gone. ...It must be rough for them to pay you a courtesy visit, Granny. It
would have been fine if they just broke the news over the phone. Heh heh heh..."
Well, it was true that Oryou Sonozaki was a central person for both her relatives and
the residents of Hinamizawa Village as a whole. As a voting bloc, they numbered in the sev-
eral thousands. It wasn't hard to imagine the mayor would try to pander to her.
Unlike Mion, however, Oryou was looking up longingly at the sky from the veranda.
Himatsubushi-hen
"What's the matter? Are you going senile? Ahahahaha!"

"...I just thought that no matter whose grandchild it was... I'd feel sorry for them..."
Saying that, she let out a deep sigh. Mion was let down, as normally her grandmother
would have scolded her for her attitude.
"Mion. ...You know... that Minister's grandson. How long has it been since he was ab-
ducted?"
"Hmm. ...Four days, maybe?"
Oryou let out another deep sigh.
"He may be the grandchild of our bitter enemy... but I still feel sorry for him."
"....Really?"
"That's enough of a warning. ...We should bring this to an end soon."
"..."
The playful expression drained from Mion's face, leaving behind a stern one.
And then, as if to ascertain Oryou's will, looked into her eyes. ...Oryou, expressing her
intention with only those eyes, looked back into Mion's.
"...I want some tea, could you call for some? Some of that chocolate too."
Mion gave a small nod, then turned around.
"Shimiko-san, are you there? Grandma wants some tea, could you prepare some?"
From far away, a voice responded in the affirmative.
Mion, after confirming she'd been heard, picked up the phone and began dialing.
"....Ah, hello? This is Mion. ...Yeah. ...Is my father there?"
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Himatsubushi-hen
Day 3
...I had a restless night's sleep.
I did nothing but turn over repeatedly during a night that seemed like it lasted for eter-
nity. Even then, I eventually fell asleep at some point... not realizing how high in the sky the
sun had risen.
I shook off the urge to go back to sleep. It was then I noticed that the phone was ring-
ing.
The time was almost half past ten in the morning. It was clearly too late for a wake-up
call.
"Akasaka-san? Good morning, it's Ooishi. Nfu fu fu!"
Waking up to the sound of Ooishi's voice was little too much of a shock. My delicate
ears were ringing. ...But thanks to that shock, I was suddenly wide awake.
"...Ah... uhhh, hello. Good morning."
"Hmmm? Could it be you just woke up? Even though you're on assignment, it's still not
good to be asleep during regular business hours. Na ha ha ha."
"You're absolutely right. ...I'll be more careful in the future."
"I have another tidbit that might wake you up even more. ...There was something inter-
esting mixed in with the lost and found at the Hinamizawa Police Box."
"Lost and found?"
"Let's leave the details for when you get here. You think you'll be able to make it be-
fore noon?"
"No, no, I'll be there right away!"
Ooishi already knew what my mission was. Since Ooishi said it was something that
would wake me up... It was hard to believe that it would be irrelevant to me.
Honestly speaking, judging by the information from Sato-san yesterday, knowing that
my cover was already blown, I couldn't wander to and from Hinamizawa carelessly. ...In other
words, my investigation was at an impasse. If there was some information there that could put
me back on the trail, that would be nothing less than a stroke of good fortune.
After vigorously washing my face, I pulled on my jacket and hailed a taxi, heading
towards the Okinomiya Police Station.
"Oh, you're here. The Genius Mahjong Player has arrived."
"My apologies for being late. ...So, exactly what popped up?"
With absolutely no intention of reminiscing about last night's mahjong game, I pressed
him to get to the point. Ooishi, anticipating that I would act that way, cut to the chase without
any resistance.
"...Like I said earlier, something arrived from the Hinamizawa Police Box's lost and
found this morning."
Lost items that were turned over to the police box were sent to Okinomiya Station
after the paperwork was filled out. Ooishi pulled out a plastic bag from a drawer, and laid its
labelled contents on the desk.
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"...Is that a wallet?"

"Indeed. ...There was small change inside, but no bills. We thought that a pickpocket
threw it away after pulling out the contents. At first."
I didn't understand how this wallet, so far removed from Tokyo, could possibly be
related to the kidnapping. ...If it had drawn Ooishi's attention, it would have to be something
dramatic, like if the wallet belonged to the missing grandchild.
...That would be absurd. ...Like something that convenient would happen. If that was it,
then there were probably initials written on the wallet. Like the initials of Toshiki Inugai, the
Minister's grandson. 'T.I.' Thinking like that, at this point I didn't suppose that this wallet was
something that could get Ooishi so excited.
Ooishi, after putting on a pair of disposable plastic gloves, handed me a pair of the
same. I didn't feel that this wallet was such an important thing, so I had my doubts about
whether there was any point in putting on gloves. However, I didn't want Ooishi's intentions to
go to waste, so I put them on.
Ooishi opened up the plastic bag and pulled it out, showing me the back.
...As I had imagined, there were initials engraved there. But, it was slightly more de-
tailed than what I had thought, with 'Toshiki I.' marked on it.
Ooishi grinned at me with a look on his face that said 'see?' ...We can't confirm from
that that this belongs to the Minister's grandson, I informed him calmly.
...This wallet was irrelevant. It was nothing more than Ooishi's overeagerness. First
of all, there was absolutely no way, in this distant locale, that the missing grandson's wallet
would be found with such convenient timing. ...After all, the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance
wasn't related to the case in the first place. ...So there was no way this wallet belonged to the
grandson...
Why I wanted to decide that was the case, even I didn't really know. Even though what
should have been a top secret case was leaked before I had even been dispatched. ...In this
situation, how could I say this was definitely unrelated? Would it be more prudent to pay more
attention to this wallet?
...It had only been a couple of days since I arrived in Hinamizawa. ...But in those
couple of days, due to the number of remarkable events, my nerves might have become a
little-- just a little frayed. Shaking my head slightly, I cleared it of unnecessary thoughts.
Ooishi opened the wallet's zipper, revealing the contents.
Inside was small change and a number of crumpled receipts. Ooishi, from that jumble,
pulled out a folded card.
...Seeing that, my heart stopped for a moment. It was a card from a dental examina-
tion. The name 'Toshiki Inugai', and the age. ...A perfect match. The dentist's location... was in
Tokyo.
...There was no need to explain any further. ...How far was it from Tokyo to Hinam-
izawa? It was far enough that taking the bullet trains and cars would still take several hours.
Why would a wallet with a dental examination card from Tokyo inside show up in Hinam-
izawa?
Could it belong to a tourist who came from Tokyo? Or maybe a villager on vacation
Himatsubushi-hen
to Tokyo just happened to pay a visit to the dentist? No, it had to have fallen into somebody's
bag by accident... In my mind, I desperately struggled to find a possible excuse as to why this
wallet didn't belong to Toshiki Inugai. It was as if it just wouldn't do for this wallet to belong
to him...
However... weeding out any possibility for error one by one... ...the haze surrounding
the wallet in front of me faded, gradually letting it come into clear focus.
"...See?"
"..."
I felt a shiver of electricity run up my spine. My pulse quickened, and a thin film of
sweat began to coat my entire body... ...From Ooishi's point of view, I was probably slack-
jawed and spaced out, with a slovenly look on my face.
"...Did you get information from the dental office?"
"That's your job, Akasaka-san. I didn't go that far."
"...When did this wallet show up?"
"The person who picked it up was a villager. They did so yesterday, it seems."
"Not that, I mean, when was this wallet dropped?"
"It rained here last week, exactly seven days ago. It doesn't look like the contents are
water-damaged, so the longest it could be would probably be six days."
"Does anybody else at this station have knowledge of the existence of this wallet?"
"The officer who first encountered it at the Hinamizawa Police Box. And also the two
or three people in charge of the lost and found. Other than that, it's just me and you. If it's
involved in a classified case, it'd be bad to talk about, wouldn't it? I don't intend to wag my
tongue."
"...May I borrow a phone?"
"Go ahead. Dial 0 to get an outside line."
I dialed the phone number inscribed on the examination card.
I could hear my pulse pounding inside my head.
...Ahh, could there possibly be something so absurd!?
The addresses on the receipts and cards inside the wallet were all from around the
area where the grandson lived. The name on the examination card was also a match, the time
we deduced that the wallet had been left behind also matched up with the the timeline of the
kidnapping.
Of course, it was possible I could just laugh it off as all a big pile of coincidences.
...There wasn't any strong evidence. ...Rather than all this circumstantial proof, the contents of
the phone call I was about to make would have a much greater meaning...
"...Hello, sorry to keep you waiting. This is XX Dental Office."
"Hello. This is the XX Police. I have a misplaced wallet here, and am trying to get in
contact with the owner. Would you be able to help me? Inside the wallet, there was an exami-
nation card from your office. ...Yes. The name is Toshiki Inugai. If I give you the number on
the card, would you be able to look up the phone number? ...Yes, thank you. If you could."
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Still holding the receiver, I pulled out a notebook from my breast pocket with my free
hand. ...I opened it up to the page with the grandson's address and phone number recorded on
it.
"Yes, hello. ....Yes, go ahead."
I compared the phone number written in my notebook to the one that was being read out on
the other end of the line.
...During that process, I spun around to look behind me uneasily. I locked eyes with
Ooishi. ...Ooishi looked puzzled, wondering what the matter was. Why would I feel uneasy
and look behind me? ...That was because the person on the end of the line... was reading out
the numbers as though doing so straight from my notebook...
It seemed that HQ was in a quite an uproar thanks to my report. No matter how many
times the authenticity of the evidence I had linked to the grandson was called into question, I
could only respond that it was the truth...
When the lead investigator first picked up the phone, I was grilled about the evidence
I'd found that was almost too good to be true (if I do say so myself)... ...But after having doubt
after doubt dispelled, he fell into silence. ...The receiver was finally handed over to the section
chief.
When he picked it up, the background thrum on the other end of the line disappeared,
and I knew that it had gone completely silent. After asking the same questions about the wal-
let that the lead investigator did, the chief quietly spoke his next words.
"Got it. We'll dispatch several people as reinforcements. They should be able to make it
there by evening. Akasaka-kun, please continue with your investigation of the area. Get some
information on the spot where the wallet was found. Kanou-san will select some people and
head directly there..."
The fact that he was sending Kanou, the lead investigator, here meant that the chief
had decided there was a possibility that the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance were somehow im-
plicit in the kidnapping. However, it felt as though until the lead investigator, whom he trust-
ed, had verified the evidence with his own eyes, he was still going to be skeptical about it.
"How'd it go?"
"It seems that HQ is sending reinforcements. I was ordered to investigate the area.
...Where was the wallet dropped?"
"Around Takatsudo apparently. ...This is Okinomiya. All the way over here, this is Hin-
amizawa. Then, even further upstream, way up around here, is Takatsudo."
Ooishi explained where the wallet was found by pointing to locations on the map on
the wall. This place called Takatsudo was even more remote than Hinamizawa was.
"There's hardly anybody living in the area around Takatsudo. It was deserted a long
time ago. It's littered with abandoned houses, so it's really quite desolate around there."
"...Ooishi-san. Could I ask you to guide me to Takatsudo?"
"Yeah, I don't mind. You can't really get in and out of Hinamizawa as you please by
yourself, after all. Of course, I'll have to make you wear the cap and mask again."
That Ooishi had agreed to accompany me was very reassuring. ...If Sato-san's info was
Himatsubushi-hen
to believed, my cover had been blown. I wasn't sure if the villagers had realized that the fresh
meat dispatched from Public Safety was the tourist that had visited the village yesterday (in
other words: me). But deciding that they hadn't noticed would have been overly optimistic.
Given a cursory thought, Takatsudo, where the wallet was found, couldn't be ruled out
as a hiding spot for the kidnappers. The Takatsudo area didn't have any residential buildings,
nor was it alongside a highway. There wasn't a reason for even the locals to go out of their
way to visit it. ...It was exactly what you would call a long-forgotten ghost town at the end of
the road. You couldn't ask for a better place to hold a kidnapped grandson.
Also, you couldn't get to Takatsudo without passing through Hinamizawa first. Those
several conditions made the area all the more important.
I couldn't brush it off any longer. ...There was no longer any doubt that Onigafuchi
Defense Alliance, or somebody hired by them, were involved in the kidnapping. If that was
the case... Then the fact that this wallet was found might have already been leaked to them.
...They even knew so much as how the Public Safety Division was operating. The case of the
wallet couldn't be something they didn't know.
In that case... there was a possibility that the enemy was lying in wait. To dive alone
into enemy territory surrounded by enemy territory, to say the least, required an amount of
courage--nay, recklessness-- that I just did not have.
"Without your company, Ooishi-san, I wouldn't be able to step into the village so eas-
ily. Thank you very much for your cooperation. ...Honestly, I thought you would ask for more
money."
"Na ha ha ha. Well, if we're being honest, Hinamizawa isn't exactly a place I like to go
to. I'd at least appreciate it if you paid for cab fare. Still, it's not a request I can refuse from a
friend that's played at the same table as me. Nfu fu fu...!"
Ooishi grinned as he pounded me on the back. It struck me that he just didn't want to
jump ship rather than having any sort of sense of duty towards his job. Even so, that didn't re-
ally matter. Right now I really appreciated the gesture.
"Well then, shall we hurry up and get going?"

...If the enemy knew that the police had obtained the wallet... Then they would prob-
ably have moved the hostage to a different place. There wasn't a moment to lose. But Ooishi,
without regard to the fact that we were about to head out, began to remove his jacket.
"...What are you doing?"
"Well, just a precaution. If you want me to poke the beehive to get your honey, I have
to be rather well prepared, you see. Do you want to put one on too?"
What Ooishi pulled from the drawer below the desk was a stab-proof vest...
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His name was Toshiki Inugai.

The grandson of the Minister of Construction, Inugai. There was only one reason for
him being here. If you didn't include gym or art class, his grades were above average. That
was the result of having private tutoring sessions twice a week. If you omitted the fact that he
still couldn't do pull-ups, there wasn't much else that would make him hate school.
Of course, he understood full well that his grandfather was a cabinet minister. But he
also knew that not too many people were that interested in their relationship. He didn't like to
go out of his way to bring up his grandfather, or to call him the Minister of Construction.
And finally, he at least tried to know a little more about what kind of work the Min-
ister of Construction did than your average Joe. What that entailed was that when you tried
your best to make life better for the masses... sometimes you made a few enemies. He knew
that all too well from the time he'd spent as class representitive.
His grandfather had many enemies. ...He knew that he might personally catch some of
that fallout, so he had to be twice as cautious. He was taught that by his parents.
That's why... the moment he was kidnapped, he instantly knew that this was one of
those occasions. He understood that he wasn't being treated as Toshiki Inugai, the person, but
rather as Toshiki Inugai, the grandson of the Minister of Construction. That he wasn't person-
ally at fault, but that this was the result of some unavoidable trouble with his grandfather's
work. ...It made little difference, but when he realized it wasn't because of anything he did, he
was able to relax, if only a little.
Of course, at first he was struck with a terror befitting his age, wondering what was
going to happen to him. But, after a while of being tied up and only able to stay lying down,
he began to ponder a great many things.
First, he thought about the reason he was being abducted like this. He understood the
answer to that easily. He was taken hostage to coerce his grandfather, the Minister. There was
no doubt about that. He didn't know exactly what the Minister of Construction did, but it was
easy to imagine that there was much to be gained from threatening him.
He respected his grandfather more than most. He earnestly believed that his own
grandfather was within the top 20 of the most important people in Japan. That was exactly
why he wouldn't forgive anybody who tried to threaten his beloved grandfather. More impor-
tantly, he wouldn't forgive anybody who would use him as a tool to threaten his grandfather.
His grandfather was really busy, and rarely had time to meet with relatives. That's why,
with what little time he did manage to scrape together, he just dropped by unannounced. And,
as an apology for not being able to meet during new year's or summer vacation, he doted on
his grandson, very, very much.
The number of times that Toshiki was looked upon with disregard just because his
grandfather was a politician and a minister certainly weren't few. But he never thought even
once that he wanted his grandfather to quit being a politician.
Because it was his beloved grandfather, he wanted him to continue his career as long
as possible from the bottom of his heart. However, Toshiki was now being held hostage, and
his grandfather was being threatened. His grandfather, who called him the apple of his eye,
was surely suffering.
He might do anything to save his grandson. Maybe even putting aside his ideology if it
Himatsubushi-hen
was required to save his grandson.

He might cave into the culprits' demands if it meant saving his grandson. When Toshi-
ki thought about that... ...an inexplicable anger welled up within him. In his current situation,
he was unable to forgive the cowards who would make his beloved grandfather suffer by using
such dastardly means. That feeling swelled up inside of him, displacing the fear.
What he thought of first, was something any boy would imagine. Get out of these
bonds, beat up the bad guys, then hand them over to the police. Images of all the brave heroes
from all the manga he had read passed through the back of his mind.
In his imaginary scenario, he slipped his bonds easily, floating like a butterfly to evade
his captors, then stinging like a bee to bring them all down. In the end, it was nothing more
than his silly little fantasy. But with his vision obstructed and unable to see anything, it was
something that he could get into more than any anime at the moment. In actuality, he was en-
joying these little scenarios in his head for the long period of time he was tied up. His captors
hadn't really done anything to him that they would feel sorry for.
However, eventually he began to grow tired of his fantasies, and more realistic scenar-
ios began to run through his head. It was then he realized that none of them were a solution.
...Yes, he wanted to do something for his grandfather who was being threatened. That he was
being held here to inflict pain on his grandfather was the thing that he could least forgive, and
also the most vexing.
...And then, he noticed.
There was a much simpler way he could save his grandfather without having to beat up
his despicable captors. That was, to remove himself as a hostage from the hands of these vil-
lains. If he was to disappear from here, his captors would have nothing to threaten his grand-
father with.
The captors had restrained him, but they didn't treat him roughly, and they made sure
he was fed well enough. ...Meaning, at most, he was nothing more than the means for their
threat. They weren't looking to bully or kill him out of spite. If he behaved, no ill would befall
him.
Realizing that gave him a strong sense of courage. And carrying his train of thought
this far, he let it run its course to its natural conclusion. Right now, at this moment, Toshiki
Inugai had decided to escape.
His ears had been stuffed with a spongelike material, acting as makeshift earplugs.
...However, they didn't actually do much to block out any sound, and he could overhear every-
thing his captors were saying.
Realizing that this was to his advantage, even when his captors spoke to him, he acted
like he couldn't hear them due to the earplugs. His captors, thinking that he couldn't hear their
conversation, talked about all sorts of things without any reservations. Thanks to that, he was
able to obtain various pieces of information.
First off... this wasn't Tokyo. It seemed that this was quite a distance away, and on top
of that in the countryside, nestled deep in the mountains. It also seemed that his captors were
inconvenienced living out here, so he could deduce that this place was far removed from any
sort of town.
Finally, whenever they went out to buy food or other supplies, they would always take
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a car. That fact caused him some dismay, because he knew that the method he learned at
school of running around blindly while shouting for help wouldn't work here.
He paused his little mental escape scenario there. His ultimate goal was to find some-
body who would help him. If somebody who fit that description wasn't close by, his chances of
escaping successfully grew slim. A desolate far-off land deep in the mountains. A place where
you couldn't even go shopping without using a car. ...In this situation... escaping would be very
difficult.
...He grew depressed, and after a little while, he returned to his original scenario.
Imagining becoming a hero like in the manga he read and beating down his captors became
his respite.
However, as he played those delusions out in his head... His heart, hating to surrender,
continued to search for a way to escape. ...And then... he thought of a way. If the goal was far
away, then all he had to do was get closer. His goal, in a nutshell, was to find somebody who
would help him. In other words, somebody other than his captors.
If he faked being sick, then his captors would have to take him to the hospital, or bring
a doctor to him. They would probably be reluctant to do that. But, he already knew, that the
hostage was more important than anything. In the off chance that something happened--like
him dying--occurred, they wouldn't be able to threaten anybody anymore.
Luckily, he had an experience that would help him fake a serious illness. At the end
of last year. He was inadvertently involved in a car accident and had to undergo surgery. The
scar from that surgery was still clearly visible on his lower torso.
He recalled the pain and suffering from that time. The existence of that experience
would make a huge impact on the realism of his performance. ...He was quite confident in his
ability to fake an illness.
"....Ugggggghh... ...unggggggggggg....."
His captors at first took that as a sign he needed to use the washroom. Untying only
his arms, they tried to bring him there while he was still blindfolded.
But, he didn't try to get up. His hands, now free, only clutched at his abdomen as he
writhed in agony.
"...Hey, what's wrong? Does your stomach hurt?"
He still had his earplugs in so he had to pretend he didn't hear his captors asking the
question. He was about to nod so he hurriedly had to stop himself.
"Whass tha matter?"
"...Yeah, the kid's clutching at his stomach. Must be a stomachache or something."
His captors looked down on his suffering form for a bit. One of them proposed a
course of action, while another laid his doubts that Toshiki might be faking it.
"Whass wrong, boy? Yer tummy hurt?"
"His ears are plugged, so he can't hear you."
"Well, thass a problem. ...Do we got any medicine tha' works on stomach pain? Migh'
wanna go to the pharmacy an' buy some?"
"When it comes to stomach pain, there's a bunch of different meds, isn't there? As long
Himatsubushi-hen
we don't know the cause, we shouldn't just buy him any old medicine."
"'E's 'olding 'is stomach, maybe 'e's just constipated. If ya buy 'im some medicine for
tha', mebbe tha'll calm 'im down. It won' kill 'im if we're wrong, neither."
"Don't decide something like that on your own. It might be appendicitis or something.
My uncle suddenly got it a while ago. That was pretty scary."
One of the captors leaned over beside the boy, who was bent over in agony.
"...I feel sorry for the kid. ...Whoa, his whole body's covered in sweat... Is it your stom-
ach? Does it hurt? Hey hey, if it hurts you should shouldn't clutch at so tightly, it'll only make
it worse..."
Realizing that his captors were concerned about his stomach, he 'inadvertently' let his shirt
ride up...letting the scar from his surgery come into plain view.
His vision was still obscured with packing tape so he couldn't see their reaction to his
scar. But his captors were taken aback, and judging from their momentary silence, he had
obtained the reaction he was looking for.
"....Hey, this is bad. This scar, it's not that old."
"...Does tha boy have a fever? There a thermometer around?"
"No way we have one. But, that's a lot of sweat... Yeah, his forehead feels pretty hot, I
think."
"..."
"...I've heard that under prolonged stress, old wounds can be aggravated."
"Then whadda we do!? Are ya sayin' tha' medicine won' work!?"
"...We don't know what surgery this scar was from. ...But in any case... this is bad. In
the worst case, it could be fatal..."
"...This's bad. This's really, really bad..."
"...Maybe we should have a doctor take a look at it. At this rate, there's a chance that
he might suddenly die on us..."
Toshiki Inugai, with those few words, knew that the situation was progressing exactly
as he had envisioned it, and snickering to himself on the inside, pressed his act even further.
He didn't even need to see to know that his captors were panicked and were running
around like chickens with their heads cut off at this troublesome turn of events.
"...Should we take him to the clinic?"
"No...thass no good. ...Prob'ly better if tha doctor came here."
"Dr. Irie, you mean? ...Is that okay? Will that be all right?"
"...It'd be worse if anythin' happened to tha hostage. Nothin' we can do! It's an emer-
gency!"
One of the captors hurriedly left in the car. Another of the men, completely shaken up
at this point, wiped the sweat from his forehad with a handkerchief.
...It looked like they were bringing a doctor. As long as the doctor wasn't an accom-
plice, that doctor was his goal. He was someone he should seek help from.
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His captors were probably wary of that happening. They would be prepared for it.
...This would all come down to luck. ...Some of the sweat emerging from his brow was from
that nervousness...
At that moment, the packing tape that was covering his eyes and ears was torn off.
The burning light that he was seeing for the first time in several days hurt his eyes. After that,
the gag that made it hard for him to breathe was also removed.
"...Are you all right, kid? We're bringing a doctor to you right now. Just hold on for a
bit."
".....Uhhhhhhnnnnn..... ....Gahhhhhhhh...."
The doctor was coming... the doctor was coming... Now, how was he going to ask for
help, and how was he going to get away from his captors? A plethora of thoughts began swirl-
ing through his mind.
"...I think you know this already... ...but don't say anything unnecessary to the doctor.
...We don't want to hurt you or anything. You understand that, right?"
Toshiki Inugai nodded while feigning pain and obedience...
His expectations and the enemy's expectations. ...Whether they doubted he was faking
his illness or not, they knew what his goal was, and would try to stop it.
His stomach contracted from the stress of this gambit, making it seem like his stomach
really was starting to hurt. No, it really was. But there was no reason to panic... If if he failed
with his approach to the doctor, there was nothing to lose. If there was something to lose, it
was this method of faking illness to get in touch with a doctor.
If he could think of other methods from here on out, it wasn't much. But, at the pres-
ent, this was the easiest and most dramatic way he could think of. ...Ahh, the more he thought
about it... the more it looked like this was his first and last gambit!
Eventually.... he heard the sound of a car approaching once again.
The sound of the car doors being hurriedly open and shut. The sounds of several foot-
steps approaching.
A young man in a white medical coat. As he acknowledged the boy, a suspicious look
showed itself on his face.
"...Who's he?
"..."
"...He's not one of the kids from the village, is he?"
The captors didn't respond. ...From the looks of it, the young doctor had realized that
this was an abnormal situation.
One of the captors talked threateningly.
"Thass got nothin' to do with ya, doc."
"..."
For a while, the doctor and the captors silently glared at one another. ...However, un-
able to stand the sight of the boy continuing to suffer, the doctor-- as the captors had hoped--
didn't press any further.
"...I'm concerned about this old surgical scar. What kind of operation was it?"
Himatsubushi-hen
"...We don't know."

"...Hmmm... I should really bring him back to the clinic."
"Doc, we really can' really do that..."
The doctor said he wanted to bring the boy back to the clinic, but the captors simply
silently shook their heads at the notion. ...it was a fleeting hope, but it was only natural that
the captors would refuse.
At that moment, his eyes met with the doctor's. Seeing that the boy's painful state was
abnormal, the doctor suspected it was a serious illness.
"...Are you all right? I'm a doctor. When was this surgical scar from?"
"....Unn..... guhhhh.... ...Last year... ...during the winter... ...from an accident..."
"An accident. ...I see... ...this is a problem..."
He couldn't let the doctor figure out that he was faking it here. He had to somehow
figure out some way to keep this going and tell the doctor that he was being confined and
needed help.
"I'm going to touch the affected area, okay? If it hurts, tell me where."
"...AHHHHHHHHH!!!"
"...Hmm ....hmmm...."
Seeing that it was extremely painful, the doctor crossed his arms and began to ponder.
He had to somehow get himself to a hospital. To Toshiki Inugai, faking this illness was the
performance of a lifetime.
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Himatsubushi-hen
Day 3 Part 2
"Ehhh, good work, everyone. I know it's hot, but please do your best. If you catch any-
body illegally dumping, please contact someone immediately. We'll act quickly."
"Thank you for your cooperation, Ooishi-san. ...Please."
A gap wide enough for a single car was opened up in the barricade. Ooishi, showing
his gratitude-- or perhaps a threatening attitude-- with a short beep on the horn, rolled the car
forward through the checkpoint.
This time, my appearance was the very embodiment of the word 'suspicious'. A base-
ball cap, mask, and sunglasses. On top of that even though it was sweltering, I was wearing a
hoodie. Any respectable police officer would be loathe to not stop me for questioning.
I had meant to be overcautious knowing full well that my face was known... ...But it
might have already been too late for that to have any use. Using that as an excuse, I doffed
the unbearably hot hoodie and windbreaker, ripped off the mask and hat and threw them in
the seat behind me.
"...Oh my. Is that okay?"
"With a cheap little disguise like this, they probably figured it out anways."
"Na ha ha ha. That just might be the case."
Ooishi, probably thinking that my unexpected behaviour was funny, continued to
laugh.
The beautiful and pristine scenery of Hinamizawa spread out before me.
...The village itself would have been quite beautiful if it weren't for the complicated
circumstances surrounding it at the moment. ...I would absolutely love to take Yukie here for
a drive one day. ...Come to think of it, I didn't get a chance to call her last night... ...I played
around with the idea in my head.
But in reality, this village wasn't all sunshine and rainbows.
I had heard everything at the prefectural headquarters. At the heart of this village, the
intelligence network that the Three Families wielded was, due to blood ties and regional rela-
tionships, unbelievably well organized. Their net spread not just around Hinamizawa itself, but
encapsulated the entirety of the city of Shishibone as well. When I first heard that, somewhere
in the recesses of my mind I didn't take it completely seriously.
How could a local organization out in the boonies here have something so grandiose?
...I couldn't deny that somewhere in the back of my mind I had ridiculed the thought. But, not
only were they really threatening the Minister, but they had demonstrated they had a complete
grasp on our movements, which were supposed to be top secret. ...They were almost like the
secret police that controlled a small Eastern-European country like in some spy novel.
The villagers here wouldn't bat an eye at getting their hands dirty if it meant fighting
the dam project. I also heard something like that at the prefectural headquarters.
Ah... now that you mention it, when I first arrived here, Ooishi also said that this place
was a warzone, didn't he? The residents of this village were at the same time freedom fighters.
Although by definition they were no different than guerillas or a militia. They weren't protect-
ed by the Geneva Convention, but they also didn't have to adhere to those rules either. This
place was more of a quagmire than any legitimate battlefield. A secret war was unfolding...
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I could drive along because Ooishi was with me... ...but if I was to leave this car for
even something as trivial as looking for a vending machine... there was a chance I wouldn't
return.
Even though a single shot hadn't been fired... this was a battlefield. No... the reason
why bullets weren't flying was simply because it was hard for a civilian to obtain a gun in
Japan. So they were probably just equipped with weapons other than guns that were easier to
obtain. That was why Ooishi was wearing that stab-proof vest, wasn't it?
"..."
"Akasaka-san, are you nervous? Nfu fu fu!"
The fact that I was apprehensive was, of course, picked up on by Ooishi. If he already
figured it out, there was no point in trying to deny or hide it.
"...Of course I am. We're headed into the heart of enemy territory alone, aren't we? I'm worried
about if something unlikely happens with just the two of us."
"Something unlikely? Na ha ha ha ha ha! It'll be all right."
"Isn't everybody in this village our enemy? If everybody gets their stories straight, they
could murder someone in broad daylight and there wouldn't be a shred of evidence. I'm asking
about something like that."
This was what the ironclad rule of not barging into a yakuza office alone was about.
If there wasn't a neutral party involved, that area wasn't bound by the laws of common sense.
If something happened, you wouldn't be able to prove it, and there wasn't anybody who would
take your side. It was pretty much the definition of poking the bear.
"I've left word that we're headed towards the Hinamizawa area. And in the worst case,
we've also got a radio. I know you're scared, Akasaka-san, but it's not that easy to pull off the
perfect crime. ...Well, of course that doesn't mean we can let our guard down, either."
"..."
"Akasaka-san, you're too worked up over this. You were more relaxed the last time we
came up here together, weren't you? Na ha ha ha ha..."
Laughing it off, Ooishi thumped his chest and grinned, as if to say I could depend on
him.
"Well, if it gets really iffy, nahahaha! This comes with having the badge."
Ooishi made a motion by sticking out his index finger. ...It was undoubtedly the image
of a gun.
"...Will it be of any use?"
"If you're not afraid of dealing with the aftermath after you shoot, it's actually very
reassuring."
An officer's gun was only for show. If you really wanted to fire it, there were quite
a number of stipulations, and you had to be prepared for the long probationary period after-
wards. That definitely wasn't worth it, so even if an officer did unholster his gun, there wasn't
one who actually wanted to pull the trigger.
"Akasaka-san, are you carrying one? A piece."
Himatsubushi-hen
"...Well, yeah."
"You ever fired it?"
"I have. ...For training, though."
"Well I guess that'd be true. Nfu fu fu...!"
"Well then, have you, Ooishi-san?"
"Me? Naahahahaha! Nawww, there's no way."
What was this? I thought he was laughing at me because he had experience! The two
of us laughed together.
"I've also never pointed the barrel at anybody. I've looked down the barrel of a gun a few
times though. ...Just being made to look down the barrel like that is enough to shorten your
lifespan by about three years."
Even if he had never fired a gun before, you couldn't even begin to compare the
amount of experience Ooishi had over me. ...At a time like this, I could only marvel again at
how reliable Ooishi seemed.
"...Come to think of it, I didn't want to come this way in the middle of the day. But
there's no way for a car to get through other than here. ...Akasaka-san, just in case, put on the
mask again to hide your face, please."
"...What's the matter?"
"Can you you not hear it because the air conditioning is too loud? I'll turn it off. Try
opening the window."
When I opened the window, a blast of hot air blew inside. And then... I could hear
angry yelling coming from far away.
At that moment, the forest gave way on either side of us, and our view expanded sud-
denly.
...And there could be seen the Hinamizawa Dam Construction Grounds. ...The very
front line for Hinamizawa Village.
"We're absolutely opposed to the construction of the Hinamizawa Dam!!
The crackling blare of someone's voice sounded over an enormous loudspeaker. The
roar of angry voices continued to rumble. The incredible volume had become a veritable
sound cannon, spewing out its ammunition.
The prefabricated site office was surrounded by two sets of high fences laced with
barbed wire. Lined up in front of those fences were riot police and their vehicles. And sur-
rounding it all were the villagers. They howled out their protests against the dam as a single
entity.
"Oh... there's not too many of them today. We're in luck."
"...That's not too many?"
"Yeah, when there's a lot of them, the crowd reaches as far as the road. You wouldn't
even be able to inch forward in a car."
At first, due to their overwhelming intensity, it looked to me like there was more peo-
ple than there actually was, but upon closer inspection there were at most 50 to 70 of them.
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But the six or seven propaganda trucks lined up that looked like they belonged to a band of
thugs were a strange enough sight. The villagers were also wearing helmets and bandanas, as
well as covering their faces with masks, adding to the oddity of it all.
The propaganda trucks, after braying their chorus, had their volume turned up even
higher and began to flood the area with sutras.
To say that the noise was downright violent wouldn't be an understatement. From this
distance it was still this loud... the glass in the office was probably rattling from the noise.
"They can't do anything there but take it. Those riot squad guys, every one of them is
wearing earplugs, but they're still having their hearing damaged. Poor sobs."
"Can't you do something about it with noise ordinance laws?"
"Hmmm... our prefecture doesn't have any laws regarding noise ordinance. Also, those
are sutras, right? We can't regulate religious activities. Those guys are pretty smart. Na ha ha
ha..."
Is what I think Ooishi said.
Actually, no matter how tightly the window was shut, the booming sound of the sutras
still filled the car. I couldn't even hear what Ooishi, who was sitting right next to me, was say-
ing.
As the car approached the line of propaganda trucks, the blare became difficult to bear.
...It wasn't enough to just plug my ears with my fingers, I had to hold my head to keep my
skull from splitting apart... If I had seen this terrifying energy sooner, I would have probably
understood what Hinamizawa Village was much quicker.
Now I knew. They wouldn't blink an eye at sacrificing themselves in order to protect
their home town.
Ahhh, so goddamn noisy... shut up shut up shut up...!!! My head throbbed and felt like
it was going to split apart, my eardrums crackled, and on top of it all, I felt like I was going
to throw up.
With the road crowded with the throng of squatters, the propaganda trucks, and the riot
police's vehicles, it was in no way easy to get by. Even if you tried to shoo the squatters with
the car horn, they were also wearing earplugs, oblivious to noises from the outside world, and
wouldn't easily move. The car could only inch forward at a snail's pace.
...Even then, the car eventually got through, starting to leave the tumultuous noise
behind.
"...Hey, the bald guy that was playing mahjong with us last night? Remember him?"
I remembered that there was an older person who didn't exactly mince words. The guy
that Ooishi called "ol' man".
"There was someone like that."
"You see, he's the foreman of the main construction site. He's probably holed up in that
prefab building, trying to work while irritated out of his mind. ...Poor fella."
"...You wouldn't be able to stand it if it's like that every day."
"Yeah. There's no end to the number of people who can't handle it and quit. But every
time that happens, their wages go up, so I won't say it's in vain. Nfu fu fu...!"
Himatsubushi-hen
Even having to deal with all that noise and hostility, they still made a wage that Ooishi
found enviable.
"Dammit, these guys... Can they hear or can't they?"
A group of squatters were in the way of the car. Ooishi, sufficiently annoyed, laid into the
horn. But there was no indication that they were moving any time soon.
In this din, could they not even hear a car horn? Or did they hear it, and were being
malicious? If there were any riot police nearby, they would have made people move, but it just
so happened there weren't any around here.
"....Ah~~~ geez. Wait just a minute."
Ooishi opened up the door. The hot air and even more heated roar of the crowd spilled
into the car.
"...!!! ...!"
Ooishi said something as he grinned widely, but I couldn't hear what it was.
He was getting them to move. ...Something like that? Ooishi stepped out of the car and
closed the door. The din faded slightly.
I stared blankly as Ooishi headed towards the group and started some sort of conversa-
tion.
...Maybe we'd find the minister's grandson at Takatsudo. At the very least, I wanted to
find him there. Find him, and slip the cursed bonds of this incomprehensible village. I could
only pray.
At that moment, a shadow was suddenly cast over me. Somebody was standing right
outside the the passenger-side window, blocking the sunlight.
I spun around... looked up... and realized who the backlit figure was.
"...huh."
It was... a girl. It was Rika Furude. The girl stared down at me with a bored look in
her eyes. I didn't have any justification for it, but I felt like I had been found by somebody I
shouldn't be found by.
...To fill the silence, I raised my hand as I mouthed a meek greeting. Of course, there
was no way she heard my small voice in this clamor. But even then, she should have seen me
wave my hand in greeting.
In spite of that... She simply stared down at me with a cold look on her face.
At that moment, the noise and heat spread throughout the car once again. Ooishi had
returned to the driver's seat. Taking a look, the group that were blocking the road had started
to move aside while glaring our way.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Shall we go? ...Hm?"
Ooishi registered the figure of the girl behind me. One of the villagers came over and
picked her up. In a manner of 'It's dangerous, so get away.' It was then that she whispered one
or two words--however, I couldn't hear any of it.
"Well then, let's go. I'm going to gun it, okay? But of course, still within the speed
limit."
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As if to shake off the still-audible angry voices, Ooishi floored the gas. Along with the
roar and the din and the shouting, the villagers and the girl quickly disappeared behind us.
"As soon as we're through here, we're in Takatsudo. Are you okay if we end up getting
into a firefight? Don't be fumbling with the safety at the last moment, you hear? Nfu fu fu!"
Ooishi laughed mockingly again.
...I was more concerned with what the girl had said, however, as I was vaguely both-
ered by it. ...What was she trying to say with that apathetic and candid expression?
"..."
"Suppose it's normal if you're nervous from here on out. But if you don't deal with it,
there's a chance you might do something rash."
...But there was no longer a way to confirm what the girl had tried to tell me. It might
have been that the girl who warned me to go back to Tokyo again, or else... Was saying to me
who was here now, ignoring that warning...
"...Even though I warned you. ...What a fool."
I had the feeling she said something like that.
Himatsubushi-hen
Day 3 Part 3
If you were to call Hinamizawa a rather lonely village, then Takatsudo was outright
desolate. For your everyday city boy like me, I just couldn't understand why anybody would
force themselves to live here.
There were signs that people had, but they were all covered in dust or enveloped in
ivy, indicating that it was all abandoned.
"...People really lived in a place like this, didn't they."
"Well, it was a long time ago. A remote place like this is pretty rough for old folk to
live. And the younger people probably wanted to try living in a more suitable place. If there's
nobody left to take the reins, all that gets left is this."
Even if I had no personal attatchment to the village, seeing the disused buildings made
me feel a little sentimental. It seemed that Ooishi also felt the same way.
"...Was the wallet found over here? The person who found it must have a good reason
to come out to this desolate place."
"Yeah, there's some villagers who have a field out in the mountains here. They pass by
here in the morning and evenings."
"The villagers who work in the fields walk by here every day?"
"No way. They probably go as far as they can by car."
"So in the early mornings and evenings, they pass by here, and just happened to find a
single wallet?"
"...They probably did. Na ha ha ha!"
"...Where exactly did they say they found it?"
"In a thicket just a bit further ahead. The person who found the wallet just happened to
have some stomach cramps, and was planning to use the thicket to do his business, it seems.
It was there he happened to find it. Probably hoping there was some toilet paper in there. Nfu
fu fu fu!"
"...Everything about that story just seems a little too convenient. Right from the discov-
ery of the wallet, I just can't shake the feeling that something's off."
I expressed the feeling that I had from the start of the day quite frankly.
It seemed too good to be true, but it was unwavering proof. But it was too perfect..
sickeningly so. That was my feeling.
"You might actually be on to something by saying it's all a little too perfect."
"...Meaning?"
"The truth is, I heard a little something from a friend of mine in the 4th Division.
Where Oryou Sonozaki referenced the kidnapping of the Minister's grandson."
"She referenced it?"
"Yeah. 'It's been several days since the Minister's grandson has been kidnapped. Poor
boy. It'd be nice if they let him go soon.' It seems that Old Oryou muttered something like
that while on her veranda. And, that little musing was conveyed to the various people working
deep behind the scenes at the Sonozaki family."
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Right, I had heard something earlier from Sato-san, the informant. That when the
leader Oryou had a 'concern', somebody in the family would be 'considerate'.
"So... in essence, she gave the order to release the hostage?"
"I see it that way. The wallet being conveniently discovered was just a ploy to hand the
boy over to the police."
"...Why would they release the hostage?"
"Na ha ha ha! Well, there's only one reason why somebody would release a hostage,
isn't there?"
"What is it?"
"They reached a deal. That would mean the Minister promised to halt the Hinamizawa
Dam Project."
"...The dam project will definitely go away."
At that moment, those words that the girl had said resurfaced in the back of my mind.
...In the end, it was turning out exactly as she had proclaimed. That young girl knew the cir-
cumstances. She knew everything about this kidnapping incident, from the beginning to the
end.
"...Akasaka."
The girl unexpectedly called my name.
"...What is it?"
"...Go back to Tokyo."
Huh...?
"...Before long, you will woefully regret coming to this village."
"That would be an incredibly pathetic thing to see. ...So I thought I'd warn you right
now."
"...Why...would I come to regret it?"
"...Stop whining."
"...When you tried crossing the road when the Don't Walk sign was up, did your par-
ents finish explaining why it was dangerous before pulling you back to the sidewalk? They'd
pull you back right away, wouldn't they? They'd pull you back before explaining why it was
dangerous, wouldn't they? ...In other words, it's something like that."
..The girl, who knew everything from start to finish, had warned me in the beginning.
Go back to Tokyo.
"...Akasaka is such a coward. ...Tee hee hee hee hee...!"
"We'll probably find the boy... but what happens afterwards will probably be a bit of a
problem. How it'll be a problem though, is something a single officer like me can't figure out."
"Do you know... a girl named Rika Furude?"
What I had said was such a non sequitur that Ooishi sat in stunned silence for a while.
"...Of course I know her. She's the only daughter of the Furude family, one of the
Three Families."
Himatsubushi-hen
"What kind of girl is she?"

"...Well well. This was an unexpected name to hear. I'm a bit surprised. Does Public
Safety think that the Furude family smells fishy and wants to keep an eye on them? Share
some of that information with me, please."
"Ah... no. It's not like that. ...It's just... something that caught my attention."
"....Hmmm? Na ha ha ha, well whatever. It wouldn't do to not answer a question from a
friend I've sat at the same table with."
"...I'm honored that you call me a friend."
"Nfu fu! So, that little lady is, well, somewhat of a village mascot. She's beloved by ev-
erybody in the village. Some of the older folk worship her especially."
"Worship?"
"Hmmm, I don't know much about it, you see. Girls born in the Furude family have
somewhat of a sacred implication, it seems. It's one of the local beliefs in Hinamizawa. The
living incarnation of Oyashiro-sama or something like it, or so the story goes, apparently."
"Oyashiro-sama...? ...Now that you mention it, I think I saw 'Oyashiro-sama' written on
some of the Alliance's banners. ...What is Oyashiro-sama, exactly?"
"Ahh, it's the name of the guardian deity of Hinamizawa. They believe it'll exact pun-
ishment on those who would do ill towards the village. Well, if there was such a convenient
god around, the guys at the dam would have long since been done in by divine justice. Luck-
ily, nothing like that has happened to anybody just yet."
"The grandson of the Minister who trifled with the village, as a result of Oyashiro-
sama's anger, was... hmm... what did they call it again? Oh, right. 'Onikakushi'. The Minister's
grandson was demoned away. ...That would probably be how the script is being written."
"Na ha ha ha! I see. It probably would turn into something like that."
"Divine punishment wrought by Oyashiro-sama. Then, the culprit is the living incarna-
tion of Oyashiro-sama... ...that girl...?"
"Na ha ha ha ha ha!"
Even I didn't know exactly what I was saying, the fact that Ooishi laughed it off was a
bit of a relief.
Ooishi's joyous laughter was so infectious that I began to laugh like an idiot as well.
"...Oh. This is unusual."
Ooishi, after laying into the horn several times, rolled the window down and leaned out, wav-
ing his arm in an exaggerated manner.
It was a car headed the opposite way.
Until now, we hadn't run into any other cars except our own. And of all places, it was
at this desolate location. It seemed that Ooishi knew the owner of that car.
The other car also chirped its horn, and came to a stop.
"Dr. Irie~~~!!! Good afternoon."
The other car's window rolled down slowly, revealing a young man in a white overcoat.
He was about my age, or perhaps a bit older. ...But you really can't judge somebody by their
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appearance.
"Why, if it isn't Ooishi-san. Good afternoon. ...Ha haha, fancy meeting you here."
"That's my line, doctor. I never thought I'd see you here, nfu fu fu! What happened?"
"Oh nothing, just a little house call."
"..Oh, really? Was it an emergency?"
"No... nothing quite that serious. Thankfully."
“Nfufufu...!"
"I'll take my leave here. ...If I don't get back quickly, my staff will be angry with me."
"Nahaha! Being the head of a clinic must be tough. Well then, take care!"
The young doctor named Irie, after gesturing his farewell, drove forwards and soon
disappeared around a corner.
Ooishi also drove forwards, but soon came to a stop again. He pulled out a worn
mapbook from the dash. His expression didn't have an ounce of irreverence; he was perfectly
serious.
"...What is it?"
"The clinic shouldn't be making any house calls today. It must have been quite an
emergency, or otherwise a patient with some extenuating circumstances."
Ooishi flipped through the pages, opening up to the map of Takatsudo. After that, he
took a look around and started to figure out what our current location was.
"...Are you saying that emergency is suspicious?"
"Didn't I say? There's hardly anybody that lives in the Takatsudo area. ...The road we're
on right now is here. Dr. Irie came from this direction."
"..."
Having no sense of our surroundings, I couldn't digest anything about the place he was
indicating on the map.
"We're heading towards the spot where the wallet was found. By the way, that's over
here. But see? If you're heading to one of the few residences in Takatsudo, it's the wrong
road."
"...Meaning, Dr. Irie came from a direction where there are no residents?"
"As long as somebody working in the fields between these mountains didn't collapse.
But if somebody collapses and you call a doctor, normally you'd bring them back with you for
a more detailed examination."
"But just now, Dr. Irie said it was nothing serious. And it didn't seem like anybody else
was in the car with him."
Ooishi didn't say any more than that. I also said nothing more. That doctor just now,
examined a patient. Close by. Only that. The noisy radio had suddenly gone quiet.
The sky had just as suddenly turned an oppressive color. ...As Ooishi mused that it
might start to rain, a torrential downpour started, as though trying not to disappoint him.
Eventually, Ooishi stopped the car.
Himatsubushi-hen
The only sounds to break the silence were the percussion of the rain on the roof and
the soft squeak of the windshield wipers.
"...Let's do this a bit hush-hush, shall we?"
Saying that in a quiet voice, he exited the car without an umbrella, careful not to make
any noise.
Ooishi leaned over, indicating the other side of the thicket. He was pointing to a pre-
fabricated shed and a car that was parked beside it. The car looked obviously well-cared-for--it
wasn't a vehicle that had been left there for several years.
"...What's that shed?"
"It contains equipment used by the forestry service. I heard that they don't go near it
except during the summertime."
"Does that car belong to somebody from the forestry service, then?"
"Dunno. It doesn't look like an official vehicle though."
Ooishi was playing it cool, but my nervousness was gradually increasing.
"Just in case."
Saying that, Ooishi returned to the car. I thought he was going to get an umbrella, but
he had grabbed the onboard radio instead.
"Hello, this is Ooishi. Do you read? Greetings, greetings, nfu fu."
"Yes, this is the Okinomiya SP. Ooishi-san, we read you loud and clear, over."
"I'm currently in front of the forestry service's equipment shed. Not the one in the di-
rection of Yagouchi, the one in Takatsudo, if you head there from Hinamizawa."
"...Affirmative, copy that."
"There's some suspicious people in the shed. Proceeding to investigate. If you don't
hear back from me in five minutes, get in touch with the local police substation and have them
send a cruiser as soon as possible. If you would, please."
"Understood."
"Well then... shall we go take a look? Nfu fu fu!"
Since he was first confined here, he had heard the sound of a car multiple times. So he
just thought the far-off sound was more of the same.
However, the reaction from his captors was, until now, something he hadn't seen
before. They jumped, reacting as if shocked by a jolt of electricity, and pressed against the
window, cautiously peering outside.
"...They stopped."
"...Somebody from the forestry service? This is bad."
"...Nah... looks like a cop ta me."
One of the captors lifted the boy by his collar and pressed a blade against his cheek.
"Hey kid, keep quiet for a bit. I think you know this, but if you try and shout, there'll
be problems..."
Toshiki Inugai was sure that the doctor had reported things to the police. He had felt
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relief when he thought that he was saved. But not imagining that his captors would resort to
violence when they were cornered, his anxiety remained unabated.
"What do we do?"
"...Gotta buy time. Take tha kid, and slip outta tha back. We'll meet back 'ere when tha
heat's off."
One of the perpetrators grabbed the boy by the collar and forced him to stand. Of
course, Toshiki Inugai tried to resist by feigning that his illness had been aggravated by this
rough treatment, but his captors paid no heed.
BANG BANG BANG!!! The door was violently banged upon.
"Excuse me~~!! Hello~~~!!!"
BANG BANG BANG, BANG!! The door was banged on again.
Toshiki Inugai hesitated for a moment to respond to that voice by yelling. However,
while he was being indecisive, his mouth was covered, taking that option away from him.
The leader of the captors waved at the other to go. The younger perpetrator nodded in
response, and while keeping the boy's mouth covered, started heading towards the back door.
"Yello~~ d'ya need somethin'?"
"How do you do? This is the police, would you mind opening the door? Nfu fu fu!
This sudden rain has us in a bit of trouble."
"Uhhhh. I'll jes' ope--"
The moment the lock was undone, Ooishi forced the door open.
And with a gleam of menace in his eyes, he pushed the man aside as he stepped into
the room. Then, in the small and empty room, he was able to quickly discern that the boy he
was looking for was nowhere to be seen.
"Hmm? I heard this was an equipment shed for the forestry service. But there's nothing
here at all."
There was nothing inside the room that would indicate this was an equipment shed.
There was only a mountain of blankets, indicating that somebody was sleeping here, alongside
empty food packets strewn about.
"...Aah, 's been empty fer some time now. Never seen no equipmen' stored 'round 'ere."
"But this is the forestry service's building, isn't it? Are you from the forestry service?"
"...'Ow 'bout ya? Police?"
The two of them glared at each other suspiciously. ...Both Ooishi and the man stead-
fastily refused to reveal their identity before the other did. The man, judging from the sharp
look in Ooishi's eyes, realized that it would hard to talk his way out of this one. No matter
what he said, the most time he could buy would probably be only a few dozen seconds.
Only the sound of rain filled this tense moment.
Just then, they heard the sound of a struggle from far off.
Ooishi had a hunch. There was no doubt that Akasaka, who was circling around back,
had run into the perpetrators who were trying to slip away!
As Ooishi thought that, the man in front of him reacted a moment faster.
Himatsubushi-hen
The man swung with an attack that was more intended to obscure Ooishi's vision
rather than actually hit him in the face. Seizing his opportunity, the man aimed a kick at
Ooishi's groin without any hesitation. ...But he missed his mark and was unable to land that
critical blow.
The man, trying to pin Ooishi, grabbed him by the base of his neck with both hands
and fiercely tried to push him down. But, as Ooishi fell backwards, as if kicking the man
upward, he dug his foot into the man's midsection. With that leg acting as a fulcrum, the man
was flung by the falling Ooishi as if by a circle throw.
The two of them squared off in the pouring rain.
"Isn't this interesting. You wanna go!? Naahahahahaha!!"
Ooishi, as if trying to cheer himself on, grinned smugly. He then stood up while
brushing the mud off himself.
Even though he countered the assault, Ooishi was getting up rather awkwardly com-
pared to the man who he threw, who swiftly sprang to his feet.
"Ooishi-saaaaan!! Hurry!!"
Akasaka's voice rang out from the distance. Judging from the distress in his voice, he
was already engaged in a fight, and wanted Ooishi to reconvene with him. But Ooishi's hands
were full as well.
"Akasaka-saaan! Sorry, but can you wait a bit!?"
The man raised both fists into a stance that hinted at him being acquainted with karate or
some other form of martial art.
Of course Ooishi, as an officer of the law, was decently versed in judo. He also had the
moxie to have been through his fair share of fights before. Despite-- no, because of that, he
could tell that the man in front of him was quite a bit better at fighting than he was.
..Ahh, dammit! Thinking that this was going to be easy just because the order came
from the Sonozaki family to release the hostage had been a big mistake!
"You're pretty good. It's been a while since I got this worked up. Nfu fu fu!"
Ooishi played off the situation like it was no sweat. His opponent, seeing his attitude,
took that to mean that Ooishi wasn't going to go down easily.
The man wildly charged forward, attempting to grab Ooishi! If the man managed a
successful clinch from his low stance, Ooishi would be tackled to the ground and end up be-
ing mounted. It was something you saw often when children fought, but it really was a bad
position, since you couldn't do much once you were in it.
Ooishi, responding to that move, also lowered his stance to collide with the man head
on.
The moment they clashed, Ooishi grabbed the man's lapel! As he yanked the lapel up-
wards, he smashed into the man's solar plexus with the elbow of the same arm. It was a move
from Ooishi's own personal brand of brawling judo.
He then grabbed on with his free hand and attempted to throw his opponent with both
hands! But the man lowered his center of gravity and swung his arms in a large arc, entwin-
ing them with Ooishi's. Not only that, but he had forced both of Ooishi's elbows to the outside,
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and Ooishi, now in an awkward position, was in danger of exposing his back with his hands
still clutching the man's chest!
This guy... practiced aikido or grappling, didn't he!?
Ooishi, cursing the fact that his fingers were twisted into the man's shirt and couldn't
get away, released his grip. But he was still in the awkward position of being bent over. And
to top it off, at zero range!
The man was able to read Ooishi's movements completely as he tried to squirm his
way into a better position. And then, took the palms of his hands... and swiftly clapped them
over both of Ooishi's ears.
"Arghhh!!!"
Clapping the ears in any other martial art, except for self-defense, was basically forbid-
den. Karate and judo didn't recognize it as a legal technique. It was a that much of a simple-
-and dangerous--attack!
Ooishi raised both his hands as he tried to reflexively clutch at his own ears. But be-
fore that could happen, the man wrapped his arms around Ooishi's neck.
His thick biceps clenched firmly around the base of Ooishi's neck like a vise.
Ooishi instinctively thought he was going to be killed. After all, it wasn't hard to
believe that a man like this, who was accustomed to fighting, could crush his opponent's neck
from this position.
But his opponent didn't do that; he had chosen to keep his hold and force Ooishi to
lose consciousness. That's why Ooishi, at that moment, even though his face was twitching,
was grinning widely. Even though his opponent had a chance to kill him, he didn't choose to.
He was thinking: 'Ahh, this guy has no intention of killing me.'
However, even though that might be the case, the man's hold on his neck was by no
means gentle. In no time at all, Ooishi's consciousness began to fade. Having the experience
of being taken down countless times in judo during his student days, Ooishi was utterly re-
signed to the fact that it was over.
Akasaka was finally recovering from the intense pain of being kicked in a rather sensi-
tive area.
He had bumped into the captor carrying the boy by the back entrance.
He had seen Toshiki Inugai's picture plenty of times, but wasn't able to immediately
ascertain if the boy in front of him was the real deal, what with his mouth covered in packing
tape. Also, with his limited experience, it wasn't hard for him to panic over how to deal with
the situation.
Of course, the pepetrator didn't overlook this momentary lapse.
His kick landed squarely in a critical spot, with Akasaka not even having time to call
for help.
As the man flung the boy over his shoulder, he headed towards the front of the shed.
But upon hearing Ooishi's bellowing voice, he gave up on going that direction. He then dashed
off towards the forest. As if the weight of the boy slung over his shoulder wasn't even there.
Akasaka was lost for a moment. Meeting up with Ooishi, who was fighting with the
enemy, was by far the safer option. But, he couldn't just lose sight of the fleeing man!
Himatsubushi-hen
Akasaka stood up and chased after the captor's back.

He ran through a short thicket, branches and fallen leaves crunching underfoot.
The tips of branches raked and clawed at him, small scratches inscribing themselves on
his body on after another. He kept on stepping into puddles and mud, and his shoes were soon
filled with murky water. For Akasaka, travelling through this unexplored forest was, even
though this was an emergency situation, extremely unpleasant.
"Stooooop!! This is the police!!"
As he said that, he regretted it immediately, as it was but a waste of breath. There
wasn't a thief in the world that would politely stop when told to by the police.
To a city boy like Akasaka, running through this forest was an arduous task... however,
it must have been no easy task either for the man carrying the minister's grandson.
He neither gained nor lost ground in his pursuit. Akasaka, upon realizing that, gained
back a bit of composure.
Just keep on chasing him. We were running in the same conditions. In fact, the man
running with an awkward stride was at far more of a disadvantage. They couldn't run forever.
Eventually, he'd definitely trip and fall! As long as he was being hounded, he would definitely
stumble!!
And soon, his wish was fulfilled.
"...Whoa!!"
The man, who had stepped in something and lost his balance, was no longer able to
bear the weight of the boy, dropping him.
Akasaka, in all honesty, didn't care about the perpetrator at all. Just as long as he could
ensure the safety of Toshiki Inugai. So if the perpetrator ran off by himself, it was perfectly
acceptable. ...But it seemed that Toshiki Inugai was important to the man as well, and didn't
elect to just run away empty-handed.
Akasaka didn't know what to do in this kind of situation. His first priority should prob-
ably be to ensure the safety of the boy, subduing his captor being less important. Grappling
with the perpetrator wasn't something he planned on. But most likely, it was either do or die.
Akasaka's moment of indecision proved to be fatal.
The man, aiming right between, or rather, for both of Akasaka's eyes, struck out with
a jab. Not wanting that, Akasaka raised both his hands to shield his face. At that moment, the
man kicked at his unguarded midsection.
The pain almost felt like his vital organs were being squeezed out of his body, but he
latched onto his opponent's leg.
But his opponent didn't hesitate one bit. Leading with his seized foot, the man jumped
at Akasaka, applying pressure and pushing him down. Akasaka was unable to withstand that
and fell, but under no circumstances was he letting that leg go.
The two men fell together in a tangled heap.
The man was desperate to pull his leg free from Akasaka, but having fallen in an awk-
ward position, was unable to.
The two of them rolled around on the ground, floundering about trying to gain an
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advantage. But Akasaka, who was holding onto his opponent's knee with both hands, and that
opponent, who had complete freedom to move his upper body, were in two completely differ-
ent situations.
The man gained a positional advantage on Akasaka, who was still latched onto his leg
and couldn't move away, and pounded full force on his head with both his fists. Not only that,
he found a rock nearby and beat it against Akasaka's skull!
THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!!!
The difference between being hit with a fist and being hit with a rock was vast!! Aka-
saka quickly thought of letting go of the man's leg to free his hands to protect his head.
But... if he let go here, the man would get away! If he didn't dig in here, everything
would be for naught.
The boy he was trying to save was right there. He was going to save him and go back
to Tokyo!! If he could do that, then it was goodbye to this freakish village!
BAM!! CRACK!! THUD!!!
Without looking, I could tell my forehead had split open and was gushing blood. But, I
didn't let go of the man's leg. How could I? I won't let go!
When the man realized that no matter how much he beat my head he wasn't getting
away, he used both his hands to grab my throat as if to crush my windpipe.
I pulled my head back as a slight form of resistance, but it was of no use.
The man's hands enveloped my neck, and began to crush it like a vise!
It was less about the pain of not being able to breathe, so much as it was choking so
hard I felt like I was going to throw up. It felt like my stomach was going to turn itself inside-
out!! But I could only endure it!
...Dammitdammitdammit!!! My throat...h-h-hurts!!
I won't let go, I can't let go!!
I didn't want to be here. I wanted to resolve this, and go back to Tokyo! Go back to
Tokyo, and talk to Yukie, all about our unborn child... We were going to talk about our bright
future!!
I had no intention of loosening my grip. ...However, it loosened just a bit, and the
man's leg came free. The man kicked as hard as possible, and I tumbled backwards. My head
was spinning, and I was unable to get up right away. ...No, I couldn't even put any strength
into getting up in the first place.
Even so, I couldn't back down!!! If I let him escape now, this chance would never come
again!! Even just catching their scent was nothing short of a miracle. If we weren't able to get
the Minister's grandson back here, there wouldn't be another chance.
The man tried to drag the boy to his feet, but the kid was displaying some unexpected
resistance, allowing me to get up unnoticed. I grasped the rock the man had just beat me over
the head with. ...Now it's my turn!!
"Yaaaaarrrrrrggghh!!!"
The rock should be able to supplement what meager strength I had left... adding more
than enough power to my attack!!
Himatsubushi-hen
My fist, still wrapped around the rock, dug into the side of the man's torso. It seems
like it hurt him quite a bit.
"...Ugh... Gah!!!"
The man rolled around for a bit, clutching his side. Freed from the man's grip, the boy
hid behind me.
"Toshiki Inugai, right!? I've come to help you!!"
To the boy, those were the words he was waiting for the most! But, the crisis was still
not over. That was because even though he was still clutching at his side, the man had gotten
up again, and had taken a fighting stance.
I could see in the man's eyes the resentment at the pain I had caused him, and the con-
fidence that he could still beat me. If we were to clash head-on again, he might not even stop
if my head were split open.
"Stop resisting!! Surrender quietly!!"
"You should just hand the boy over!! Do you want me to snap your neck!?"
"Who would listen to you now!? Reinforcements are already on their way! There's
nowhere for you to run!!"
The man reacted adversely to the word "reinforcements". That was because he now
knew that arguing like this wasn't just waste of time, but put him closer and closer to danger.
Realizing that, the man shifted mental gears almost too quickly.
"Then let's finish this fast!! How about this...!!"
"...Wha!?"
What the man pulled from his back pocket was of all things, a gun!
Of course, I'm a police officer. It's not like I don't know what a gun is. But having one
pointed at me was something I'd never experienced before.
Was it... real? Of course it was!! There's no way it'd be a replica in a situation like
this!!
"Put both your hands behind your head and lay down quietly!!"
"Don't get cocky, you villain!! I won't do anything you say!!"
"You stupid idiot!! Do you not know what this is without me shooting you with it!?"
"Then shoot! Reinforcements will hear the gunshot and head right over here!!"
"Are you stupid!? We're in the middle of the forest, and on top of that, it's raining!!
They'll never hear a thing!!"
As long as he still held that gun, no matter how much I yelled at him, I was at a dis-
tinct disadvantage. But, I still had a fighting chance.
If I were in his shoes, instead of wasting time yelling at each other like this, I would
just shoot him and take the boy. That way was the fastest, and would suppress any sort of
further resistance from him. But the man was demanding my surrender, without having fired
a shot. Meaning that he either didn't want to shoot, or couldn't. ...In other words, the man in
front of me was soft!
If I could buy even just a little more time, the factors that would lead to my victory
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were numerous. Ooishi was probably on his way, and the reinforcements we called for before
coming here should already be well on their way too. Not only that, they should have con-
tacted the local police box. Without a doubt, somebody stationed in the village would be here
much quicker than that!
"...Dammit...!! Do I have to put a bullet in you to understand how dangerous this thing
is!?"
"There's no escape!! Don't add to your crimes!!"
At that moment, I heard the rustling of foliage and heavy footsteps approaching.
If Ooishi was coming here, it was a whole new ball game. The man couldn't have more
than one gun!
"Ooishi-san!! Over here!! Over here!!! ...Huh!?"
I had thought that time was on my side. But I had failed to even imagine that the en-
emy could also have reinforcements!!
You could tell the man who had just appeared was one of the perpetrators just by look-
ing at him.
"Whaddya doin'... If ya don' hurry up, the police'll get 'ere! Stop lollygaggin'!!"
"...Dammit...!! What happened to Ooishi-san!?"
"Aah, tha' chubby fella? E's down fer tha count. Eee hee hee!"
"He is!? ....Dammit...!!"
The boy, sensitive to the impending danger, curled up behind my back. ...How could
this be...dammit!!
"Your buddy isn't coming!! Serves you right!! Shoe's on the other foot now!!"
As I backed up against a large tree while still protecting the boy, the second man also
pulled out a gun.
"Won' be sayin' this twice. Put yer 'ands on yer 'ead and lie down."
"I refuse!!!"
BANG!
As I shouted in protest, blood erupted from my left shoulder. It took a few moments to
register that I had been shot!
Compared to the ones from in movies and TV dramas, the first actual gunshot I heard
was simple and mundane. In fact, the sound was more akin to the small fireworks I used to
buy from the corner store as a kid. But there was no comparing the pain... It was a fear you
knew only after you've been shot.
"..Ah... gh... nghh...!!!
"...S-Sir!? Are you okay!? Are you okay!!?"
The boy, in his confusion, tugged at my clothes, agitating the wound even further. I
wanted to put on a bold face and reassure him, but my voice was hoarse and had the opposite
effect.
"I-I'm all right!! I've already called for back up. There'll be a full squad here soon!
...Gah...!"
Himatsubushi-hen
"It'll be quicker ta put on thru yer 'ead afore the cops get 'ere. But tha family said no
needless killin', so I'm taking it easy on ya. Don' mess with me, or I ain't 'oldin' back."
...This was bad. ...It was very very bad. This second man was a completely different
beast than the first! He had no signs of indecisiveness or mercy!! If this man said he'd shoot,
he'd shoot! He wasn't somebody that a man like me could buy time from!!
I really hated to admit it, but at that moment, the image of Yukie's smiling face crossed
the back of my mind. I knew what that meant. I was warning myself to not throw my life
away over a matter of pride.
Of course I didn't want to die here! I was just starting a new life with Yukie, and I
wanted to see the face of our soon-to-be-born child!! Why should I risk my life for some Min-
ister's grandson when I was at such a critical juncture in my own life!!!
...Arrghh! Dammit! Dammit!! I need to stop rambling at myself! So what do I do
now!? Give up the boy and extend my own life!? What a good idea!! Everybody's life is pre-
cious!! My own life was in danger!! Nobody would blame me!!!
Arghh, goddammit... it hurts... it hurts...!!! If I had known it would be this painful, I
wouldn't have played the tough guy!! My biggest miscalculation though, was that the sound of
the gunshot was far quieter than I had imagined.
If it was only that loud, it would be drowned out by the rain in the forest! It wasn't
something that somebody far away could hear!!
"Dammit!! Wait, just wait!! I don't want to die!!!"
"Aah, and I don' wanna kill ya!! 'Slong as ya unnerstand!!"
"Don't shoot, okay!? Don't shoot!! I have a wife waiting for me at home!! I don't want
to die!!!"
"I won' shoot 'slong as ya don' yell or nuthin' ! Jes quietly put yer 'ands on yer 'ead and
lie down!!"
"Will you really!? Will you really!?!? You'll keep your promise, right!? This is a prom-
ise between men!!"
"I will!! 'S a promise between men!!"
"Keep your promise! Keep it!!! I'm going to get down on the ground, okay? I'm getting
down! I'll keep my promise, so stop pointing that gun at me!! You're still thinking of shoot-
ing me, aren't you!? You want to shoot me, don't you!? When I get down on the ground, you're
just going to shoot me in the back of the head, aren't you!?!?"
"I won', I won'!! Fine!! I'll put it away! I'll put tha gun away!! 'S a promise between
men!! ...There!! No problem now, righ'!?!?"
"Yeah, absolutely no complaints!!!"
"Gah! Ugghhhaaa!!!"
It was over in a flash. The moment he lowered his gun, Ooishi didn't let his chance slip
by!
Ooishi had been assessing the situation for quite some time from behind the two men.
But since they had their guns trained on me, he didn't really have a chance to jump in. See-
ing the look on Ooishi's face indicating that he wanted me to create an opening, I took on that
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role completely.
Ooishi forcefully lifted the arm that was holding the gun. He then took the gun from
the man's hand in only an instant! The other man, who was a bit slow in grasping what was
happening, pointed his gun at them, but with his ally grappling with Ooishi, he couldn't pull
the trigger.
If that man was the one that was wrestling with Ooishi at the moment, he might have
shot without hesitation. But this man wouldn't shoot. He couldn't shoot!!
Ooishi kicked the other man away, and while aiming the stolen gun with his left hand,
pulled out his own. With guns akimbo, he was aiming at both men at the same time!
"I do believe that's checkmate!!"
It was perfectly played. But, heedless of the guns pointed at them, the men shouted
"Scram!!" as they scattered away at full speed. It was over in an instant.
Those two running away without putting up a fight was honestly unexpected. Ooishi,
quietly clicking his tongue in admonishment, slipped both guns into his pants pockets.
"Tsk. Those guys know their stuff..."
"...? What do you mean?"
"An officer won't fire at somebody who's fleeing. I want to keep my pension here."
Ooishi and I grinned at each other.
"Are you Toshiki Inugai? The grandson of the Minister of Construction, Inugai?"
"Y... Yes...!"
"...This is going to be a major incident. We probably only cut the tail off the lizard
though. Nfu fu fu."
Ooishi smiled amusedly.
The fact that the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance (or rather, the Sonozaki family behind
them) was pulling the strings was apparent, but proving it wouldn't be easy. And, with apolo-
gies to Ooishi, this incident was unlikely to go public.
If this caused an uproar, it would obviously lead to the Minister losing his office. With
HQ having decided that doing so was in the national interest, this would probably be cleaned
up quietly. It might be a rough way of saying it, but this was born in the shadows, and was
going to die in the shadows. ...Ooishi probably already understood the implications behind this
incident.
"For the time being, let's cordon off the area, since it seems that one of them still has a
gun. After that, let's get Inugai-kun to safety and get you to the hospital."
As the tension in the situation faded, the pain from the gunshot wound in my shoulder
blossomed once again. My forehead was also stinging painfully, and had grown hot enough to
start a fire.
Thinking that the tension had caused me to sweat, I wiped my forehead, but what
came off was a large amount of blood. I realized that my shirt had been stained bright crim-
son from the blood flowing from my head.
I turned around. ...The boy was safe and sound. Without a doubt. There would probably
be an investigation on the men who ran, but that was for another day. At this point in time, I
Himatsubushi-hen
could safely say we had cleared the major hurdle of securing the boy's safety.
As soon as I recognized that, it felt like the lights in my head had been hit by a power
failure.
My knees buckled from underneath me, the ground there feeling as soft as a cloud. It
didn't feel unpleasant even as I was covered in the rainsoaked mud. Ooishi came closer, ask-
ing if I was okay, but somehow I couldn't tell. ...I turned off the switch to the last light in my
head.
The exhaustion enveloped me. Sleep. ...Something softer than any blanket wrapped
around me...
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Tip #11 - A Good Man

Patients admitted to the hospital can only accept calls at fixed times. ...That's why she
wouldn't be receiving a call from him today.
Yesterday, she had teased him that he got lonely easily, so he might have struggled
with the idea of calling her sooner. That was much easier to imagine, rather than that he might
just be too busy to call. ...Because he's just that type of person. Yukie, whispering that, smiled
to herself.
The announcement that visiting hours were over played over the hospital intercom
along with some music. She exchanged pleasantries with the family of the patient that was
staying in the same room as her. Probably eager for his mother to be discharged, their small
child was wearing a beaming smile. That child's mother was pregnant in the bed next to mine
with what may be their new brother or sister. They were probably ready to burst with the ex-
pectations, dreams, and worries of having a new sibling.
The joys of a growing family. ...Bathing in those warm feelings, I stroked my own
belly, which had grown quite large.
I had talked with him about how many children we wanted to have. We talked about
how if we had three, it would certainly be lively. ...However, there was the inescapable worry
of whether I would be able to handle giving birth that many times.
"There isn't a mother out there who would hate to give birth because of that worry,
though..."
Yukie, smiling as she said that to herself, gently stroked her stomach.
The Metropolitan Public Safety Division. The place where that man's sense of justice
had lead him. ...That person was actually a very gentle, very fragile person.
He didn't talk much about the specifics, but I didn't think he was suited for the as-
signment he was on right now. But... as long as he said he was going to try his best, I would
watch over him warmly.
"Your father, you see... is a very hard worker, you know? Coochie coochie coo...."
Yukie seemed to be enjoying herself as she talked to her own belly.
...At that moment, Yukie suddenly became concerned about something, and looked out
the window.
It used to be this time... Long ago. She remembered that when she was little, around
this time in the countryside where her grandmother lived, the higurashi would fill the air with
their chorus.
This was the middle of Tokyo. Unlike in the countryside, you couldn't hear the song of
the higurashi. ...But for some reason... at that moment Yukie felt that she wanted to hear that
song.
Himatsubushi-hen
Day 3 Part 4
"...Hello? Are you okay...?"
Realizing that I was awake, a young doctor called out to me. I didn't intend to respond,
but it seems my body language had told him I was conscious.
My head was wrapped in bandages. The scratches all over my body had also been
treated. ...My sense of pain also returned with my consciousness, causing me to groan from
the intense pain shooting all throughout me.
"Don't try to get up. Just stay lying down, please. It seems that you took quite a few
blows to the head... I want you to stay rested so we can monitor your condition for at least the
next 24 hours."
"...Where is this?"
"This is my clinic. Pleased to meet you. My name is Irie."
...I remembered that this young doctor was the one in the car headed the opposite way
earlier.
"...Is there, somebody here? ...Where's Ooishi-san?"

"Ah, I'll call him over. There's no smoking inside the clinic, so I had him smoke out-
side."
Dr. Irie left the room to go call Ooishi.
...The scenery outside the window was tinted with gold. The pouring rain had stopped,
with the voices of the higurashi heralding the cooling temperature.
I felt that the tone of the higurashi's voices was... comforting. Eventually, I could hear
heavy footsteps coming closer, which I reckoned to be Ooishi's. The fog that was enveloping
my head slowly faded back to reality...
What had happened since then? What had happened to the boy? What about the rein-
forcements from Tokyo?
The door to the room flew open, allowing Dr. Irie and Ooishi to enter.
"So there's no serious damage, is there?"
"...I can't promise that. I assessed the wound to his head was dangerous the moment I
saw it."
"Got it, got it. I want to have a little chat alone with him for a bit, would you mind?"
"...Yeah, go ahead. Call me if anything happens."
Ooishi, after basically forcing Dr. Irie outside, shut the door.
"How are you feeling?"
"...I did something I'm not used to, so I'm pretty banged up all over."
"Nahahaha..."
Ooishi brought over a folding chair that was leaning against the wall and sat down
beside the bed.
"Were the perpetrators arrested?"
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"Unfortunately, no. ...They've probably already fled the prefecture, or are being hidden
by the villagers. Well, we won't let them get away. Nfu fu fu!"
"What about the minister's grandson?"
"They're taking care of him at the station. But your colleagues from Tokyo are rather
insistent that nothing be recorded. Shige-chan doesn't like that too much. Na ha ha ha..."
The kidnapping was a confidential matter, so his custody was also probably being kept
under wraps.
How the kidnapping of the Minister's grandson would be handled, how it would be
covered up, treated like it never happened... would be handled by the brass. ...If this case
ended without the nation going into an uproar about it, then our job had been done. ...The
possibility that the Minister had negotiated with the perpetrators couldn't be ruled out. ...But
something like that was no longer my concern. My role in this case was over.
"...Sorry for the trouble. ...You must think that Public Safety is rather unseemly place, don't
you?"
"No, no. We all work on the government's dime."
Ooishi laughed boisterously. When we first met, I was somewhat prejudiced against
Ooishi, but now that feeling was gone completely.
"It would be more convenient for us if this case was handled properly instead of being
hidden away. If that happened we would be able to have something to go at the Sonozaki fam-
ily with, since they were behind it all. Well, if we just start poking around we'll get all sorts
of pressure put on us, though. ...What a mess."
"Are you going to continue the fight against the Sonozaki family after this?"
"Nah. There's all sorts of dark rumors swirling around them, but it's not like I have a
personal grudge. It'd be wise not step on any toes here. Na ha ha ha."
Ooishi laughed happily, and I couldn't help but laugh along.
"Oh, that's right. There was word at the station from the prefectural police. Your col-
leagues arrived at Nagoya, and are driving up here right now. You've got your battle scars, so
you're being recalled to Tokyo, apparently. That's how it's shaking up. ....Good job. Your work
in Okinomiya is safely over."
I was being recalled to Tokyo. ...I inadvertently breathed a sigh of relief when I heard
those words.
"...I'm deeply thankful for your cooperation, Ooishi-san. ...It seems the collaboration fee
I paid you didn't go to waste."
"Na ha ha ha ha!! ...I kind of meant that as a joke, though."
Ooishi took out his wallet, casually pulled out several large bills, and jammed them
into the breast pocket of my shirt.
"This isn't a refund on the collaboration fee, you hear? This is just me gifting you a
little spending money. The booze around here is pretty good. Use this to buy yourself a little
souvenir."
Ooishi flashed me a grin.
Himatsubushi-hen
"If your injuries turn out to be not too serious, call me before you head back to Tokyo,
will you? The ol' man and Sato-san said they'd like to sit at a table with you again."
"...Oh my... ahahaha, can't refuse that."
"And no tricks this time. Just some plain ol' fun."
"They always say that. This world is done for if an active officer can cheat that bla-
tantly."
"Na ha ha ha ha ha ha! It's not often that we meet someone who's more than a match
for us. It's too bad you're going back to Tokyo."
When I heard the words 'going back to Tokyo' from Ooishi, I was reminded once again
that I was relieved from my duties. Soon, Yukie would be giving birth. It might still be pos-
sible to attend the delivery that I had at one time given up on. When I thought that, the pain
from my injuries became trivial. I wanted to hurry back to Tokyo and see Yukie at once.
"Can you pretend that your injuries are a bit more serious, and hang around Okinomiya
for a bit? I can introduce you to a few nice places. Of course, I won't make you pay for every-
thing. Na ha ha ha!"
"I'm terribly sorry, but I'll have to take a rain check on that. My wife is due to give
birth any day now. I want to hurry back home."
"Oh my, oh my! I didn't know that! Then you shouldn't be hanging around here! You
have to hurry back home."
For a while after that, Ooishi asked all sorts of questions about my wife, teasing and
bantering with me.
"...Well then. How do you feel? Think you can get up?"
"Yeah, it's not so bad, thanks to you. I can get up and walk no problem."
I stood up and shuffled around for a bit, which seemed to amuse Ooishi.
"Nah, I just thought that you might not feel comfortable at a hospital in Hinamizawa.
Dr. Irie said he wanted you to stay overnight. ...But we still haven't caught the perpetrators.
For the time being, this is enemy territory for you, after all."
"Are you saying this hospital isn't safe?"
"Na ha ha ha. ...Well, Dr. Irie is somebody who's well-regarded in the community. I
don't think anything will happen while you're here, but I'm more worried about your mental
health."
...I had a relaxed a bit now that things had progressed this far, but it was exactly as
Ooishi had said. When I realized that this was enemy territory, I suddenly felt uncomfortable.
With the only thing left for me to do was leave, the chance that I would come to harm was
logically fairly low. But that didn't mean I was completely safe.
"...That's right. If I'm just going to be lying down, then doing it in a hotel bed won't be
all that different."
"Right, right. I also think that's for the best."
At that moment, I caught a glimpse of the clock over Ooishi's shoulder.
It was the evening. ...The hours when I could call Yukie at the hospital were almost
over.
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I wanted to tell her as quickly as possible that I would soon be back at her side.
"I want to call Yukie at the hospital. Is there a public phone in the lobby?"
"Na ha ha ha!! You newlyweds are all like this. If I recall correctly, there's one by the
register. I'll be waiting here, so go ahead, go ahead."
Ooishi, laughing while saying that he was jealous, opened up the window, and pulled
out a cigarette even though he was in a hospital room. Appreciative at how considerate Ooishi
was, I set out to the lobby to find the phone.
The lobby was just a short distance down the hallway from the hospital room.
I thought that this hospital was a bit too grand for a village like this, but of course, it
was nothing compared to the general hospital Yukie was admitted to.
Running inside a hospital wasn't the best of manners, but calling hours would soon
end, so I dashed over in a hurry.
There was nobody else in the lobby. It may have been the evening, but there was
nobody at the reception desk. ...Well, this might actually be lucky for me. I wasn't planning
to have a conversation to feel guilty about, but it would still be embarassing to have someone
listen to the conversation between me and Yukie.
Taking a quick look around, I soon found the payphone.
Digging around in my pockets, I grabbed a few coins. I was calling Tokyo from here,
so I would burn through this amount fairly quickly.
I picked up the receiver and inserted a coin, then dialed the number for Yukie's hospi-
tal, which I had completely memorized at this point.
Whirrr. Whirrr. Whirrrrrr.
The number for Yukie's hospital had a lot of eights and nines, so dialing it in inevita-
bly took some time. Normally, it wouldn't be a big deal, but currently, any time was precious.
...However, I felt that something was strange as I was dialing in the number.
I don't know exactly how to put it, but it was as if the receiver was too quiet. That
unique white noise from the telephone line wasn't there.
"...?"
Somehow, I felt that I wasn't getting any feedback from the phone, and without feeling
a response, I hung up the receiver to try again. The coin popped out from the return slot.
I reinserted the coin and began dialing once again, but the receiver was still dead si-
lent.
"...What is this? ...Is it disconnected?"
While I was wasting time like this, the amount I had to spend talking with Yukie
shrunk... I began to feel needlessly impatient.
"Excuse me~~~!"
I felt the presence of someone on the other side of the glass, so I called out. There was
an immediate response, and a man who seemed like a pharmacist came over.
"Yes, how can I help you?"
"Pardon me. This phone seems to be acting a little strange. ...Could you take a look at
Himatsubushi-hen
it?"
The man came over, and tried testing various things with the receiver pressed to his
ear. ...Come to think of it, this was someone who worked at the hospital, not someone from
the phone company. Just as I didn't know much about phones, neither would he.
"...Huh? What's this...?"
The man held up the cord that connected the phone to the wall. ...It was completely
severed.
"What the heck is that? Well this is a dilly of a pickle... Can't do anything with this
until somebody from the phone company comes and fixes it... If you're looking for a phone, do
you want to use the one in the office?"
I didn't want the people in the hospital office around while I was talking...
"Is there another payphone close by?"
"Let's see... if you leave here and follow the road, you'll come out into the shopping
district. I think there's a smoke shop on the corner around there. If you head that way, you
should be able to find one soon enough."
I was dressed in a hospital gown. I was wearing sandals on my feet. My head was
wrapped in bandages -- just looking at me, you could tell I was a hospital patient. No matter
how you looked at it, I was not dressed to be wandering outside. But that's where the impetu-
osness of youth came in.
Choosing the chance to talk to Yukie for even a little longer, I headed outside in my
current state.
Follow the road to the shopping district. Should be able to find one soon enough. With
only those two lines as my guide, I ran outside the gates of the hospital.
With the village nestled in a valley, when the sun set, it got dark quickly. ...The sparse
streetlights lit up enough to start attracting moths. The higurashi, knowing the time for their
chorus was soon at a close, redoubled their fragile cries...
Finding the payphone wasn't as easy as the person at the hospital had suggested.
Was it still up ahead? Did I miss it already? Was I just getting farther away? Just as I
was about to be crushed by the wave of uncertainty towering over me, I found a shop on the
corner with "Cigarettes" written on a small sign.
My joy spurred me onwards. ...Just as I had heard at the hospital, set next to the coun-
ter of the cigarette shop was an antiquated payphone.
I wasn't wearing a watch, so I didn't know what time it was... I probably didn't have
much left, though. But it was enough. Just as long as I could tell Yukie my job was done and
I would be coming home soon.
Picking up the receiver, I slid a coin down the slot.
...But I felt that something was strange, just like at the hospital. Even after inserting
the coin, the phone showed no response.
"..."
I hung up the receiver and tried putting in the coin one more time. ...But there was
absolutely no response.
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This phone was dead. It couldn't be... Thinking that, I felt along the cord that protruded
from the back of the phone. ...Doing that, my hands found the end of a completely severed
line.
...What... is this? Having now had the same thing happen twice, my bafflement was ac-
companied by a sense of unease. It seemed that the cord had been severed cleanly by a sharp
blade of some sort. And I may be mistaken, but it didn't look like much time had passed since
it was cut.
"Uhh... excuse me! Hello?"
Opening up the booth window of the tobacco shop, I looked for someone in the dimly
lit interior.
Eventually, there were the sounds of somebody plodding down some stairs, and an old
lady appeared. The old lady's plodding and lethargic steps, for some reason, only served to
make me more frantic.
"You need some cigarettes? I'll need to get my husband..."
"I'm not here to buy cigarettes. Rather, this phone here..."
Realizing that saying the phone was broken and asking them to take a look at it was
going to get me nowhere, I swallowed back my words.
"Sorry, it seems that this phone is broken, and I was wondering if you could tell me
where there's another payphone..."
The old lady moved her jaw up and down slowly as if chewing on the meaning of my
words. It seemed that she wouldn't understand until she had digested things thoroughly.
"...So the phone is broken? That's a dilly of a pickle... You should try another pay-
phone."
The old lady directed me to another payphone that seemed quite a ways away. Her way
of telling me was so long-winded, that I inadvertently started to get impatient.
At that moment, I spotted a clock in the dim interior of the store. The minute hand was
just about to point straight up. Even if there was a phone right here that I could use, I would
only be able to tell Yukie good night with the time I had left. On top of that, my destination
was a remote payphone which I didn't know know the exact distance too. ..If I was of a nor-
mal state of mind, deciding to give up the phone today would have been the natural thought
process.
But, at that moment, I had become somewhat... stubborn, for some reason. Unable to
use the phone in the hospital, and coming out here and still being unable to use one. ...There
was no mistaking that I had become quite insistent on using a phone.
"Ah, thank you very much... I'll try looking for that phone booth."
Refusing her offer to draw me a map, I left the tobacco shop.
According to the old lady, even though the phone booth was quite far away, it would
be easy to find. If I just followed this road straight down, I'd eventually find it.
Sandals flapping as I ran, I couldn't help but laugh at myself. I'll admit that I was quite
steadfast about calling Yukie. But there were days when I was tired or busy when I wouldn't
call her.
Himatsubushi-hen
Even today, my entire body was covered with injuries, and I was dead tired. On top of
that, there wasn't much time left. ...It wouldn't be strange at all if today was one of those days
I didn't call her. But, having twice been foiled trying to call her, had I become hot-headed
about it? Was I like a dog who was being told to 'stay' with a piece of food dangled in my
face?
"...What am I doing? ...Ahahaha."
Even so, I somehow couldn't quell the uneasy feeling sitting in the pit of my stomach.
It was like that with the hospital phone, and the same with the one at the tobacco shop.
Both cords were definitely not severed from being frayed by long years of use. The clean cuts
indicated that someone had taken something sharp and deliberately cut them.
But who? And for what reason? The more I thought about it, the uneasier I felt, so I
tried to push the thought aside...
...How much had I run so far? The scenery around me was no longer that of a shop-
ping district, with residential buildings scattered about the lonely road.
The surroundings had already grown dark. I was blatantly out too far for a quick
phone call, and it was quite obvious I was far removed from the hospital.
I recalled the clock I saw at the tobacco shop. ...It might almost be time.
I had run for quite a bit, so my breathing had grown quite ragged. ...If I had just
wanted to hear Yukie's voice, I should have just thrown away my reservations and borrowed
the phone in the office. ...I regretted it a little.
Well then, was it about time to give up? ...Just when I thought that. I saw the light in
front of me. I had finally found it. It was a phone booth.
It seemed that the light in the phone booth had recently been changed, as it shone with
a vivid white light. Although in the gloom of Hinamizawa, it was nothing more than a gather-
ing spot for moths.
But, in any case... I had finally found it! As my hand touched the door of the phone
booth, I realized that I was breathing and sweating heavily.
...I didn't know what time it was right now, but... even if it was just for a moment, I
might be able to get in touch with Yukie. Since I had spent all this effort getting here, turning
back without even giving it a try was out of the question.
Before I picked up the receiver, another wave of uneasiness washed over me. I was
worried that this phone cord might be severed as well.
How was the cord in this phone booth? Squatting down, I followed the bundle of
cables as they ran along the corner into the ceiling. At a glance... nothing was out of the ordi-
nary.
I ran my fingers as far as I could along the line to check it out. ...The only thing they
found was a thick layer of dust. Nothing out of the ordinary.
"..."
...I wondered if it was popular in Hinamizawa to cut the cords of payphones as some
sort of tasteless prank. It might be prudent to talk to Ooishi-san about this later. Even if it was
nothing more than a prank, it was still vandalism of public property.
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...In any case, this one was fine... this time. Pulling out a coin from my pocket with
one hand, I picked up the receiver with the other.
...But this time, before the receiver even reached my ear, I felt something was off.
The receiver was... light. ...It was more than a slightly unpleasant feeling, it felt almost
sickening. To verify the source of my displeasure, I peered at the receiver in my hand with a
measure of reluctance.
"...What the hell...is this?"
...The coiled cord that connected the receiver to the rest of the phone... ...had been
ripped apart, the tip of the cable swaying in the air.
It was all I could do to restrain myself as a raw and unpleasant feeling worked its way
up the small of my back. ...It was a type of dread.
At that moment, I heard the crunch of somebody stepping on gravel.
The light was reflecting off the glass walls of the booth, leaving me unable to see out-
side into the darkness.
I steeled myself, and stepped out of the phone booth.
The inside of the booth was lit with that strong light, which might have made it warm-
er in there. Just stepping outside, I could feel a chill wash over me.
And there... was the silhouette of a person. A small silhouette.
"...You're..."
The long hair of that silhouette was blown about by the cool breeze.
"...Injured people shouldn't be sneaking out of the hospital..."

Somewhere in my head, I knew who this girl was. I didn't have any basis for it, but I
knew that she was that girl.
Himatsubushi-hen
"...Right, Akasaka?"
She, Rika Furude, said that almost like it was a warning...
"...Did you... do this to the phone cord...?"
"..."
Her expression remained unchanged, and my question was left unanswered. In other
words, no response. Regardless, I felt that she had affirmed my suspicions.
"...Why would you do something like this? ...Why!?"
The last word had a tinge of anger behind it. I frantically tried to smooth things out,
but she didn't seem very afraid.
"...There's nothing that can be done."
"...Huh?"
I interpereted her words as meaning that I wasn't going to be in time for calling hours
at the hospital.
...But, thinking about it, that would have been a strange thing to say. Why would she
know something like that? I could take what she had said to have any other meaning.
She just stood there like a mannequin, not even moving an inch. ...Almost to the point
that if the wind wasn't occasionally rustling through her long hair, there would be the illusion
that time had stopped.
"...I know very well that you think I'm disgusting, Akasaka."
"Huh... ...ah... ...no... ...that's not... true."
My denial came out almost like a bad piece composed for a poetry slam, but her words
were right on the mark. I had always felt something ominous and uncanny about her. ...Ever
since her strange threats at the shrine.
"...Hee hee."
She had noticed that my expression was contrary to my words, seemingly laughing at
the gap between them.
"...Akasaka, you coward. Tee hee hee..."
"I-I'm not a coward...!"
Being laughed at by this small child didn't sit well with me. So I said that.
"...Even if you find another phone, it's too late."
"...Sigh. ...That's right."
She didn't even have to say it. I was absolutely too late. I might have already missed
calling hours even by the time I reached this phone booth.
I was too late. I had no option but to give up for today. Once I decided that, my un-
healthy obsession with phones suddenly faded. ...Even I thought that it was strange that I was
that obsessed.
That strange obsession now gone, I began to laugh at how hopeless I was. I mean,
just look at what I was wearing... it wasn't normal. A hospital gown and sandals. My head
wrapped in bandages, and my body completely soaked in sweat. It was a wonder that the old
lady at the tobacco shop wasn't surprised to see me.
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With wanting to hear Yukie's voice as my motive, I had traipsed around the town the
entire evening. ...I didn't know whether to call it the follies of youth, or simply plain embarass-
ing. ...In any case, it was all I could do but to laugh at myself.
"...Now. There's nothing left for Akasaka to do tonight."
"You're right. There's nothing. ...I'll just quietly return to the hospital."
"...That's fine. Do you know the way?"
"...I hope I do."
She waved her little hand as I began to head back the way I came. She began to follow
alongside me. Looking at her face, I could see that she wore a mischievous smile. ...As if she
was extremely interested in whether or not I would get lost.
"Is Rika-chan's house also this way...?"
"...It is."
"Won't you parents be mad that you're walking around alone at this hour?"
"Not really. My parents are busy today, so they probably forgot about me."
"...Even then, it's best if you head on home. They'll definitely be angry."
"...Even if they are, it's much more interesting to talk with Akasaka, so I'm fine."
She said that with a face free from worry as she looked up at me once more and
smiled.
When she showed me that smile, ...the eerie feeling surrounding her faded. ..But even
then, she was still as mysterious to me as ever.
We arrived at the corner I had turned at earlier. ...But it was much darker than before,
and with the point of view changed on the return trip, I wasn't very confident that this actu-
ally was the corner I turned at.
There's not mistake... it had to be this corner.
As I began to move my feet again, the girl grabbed onto my clothes.
"...Isn't Akasaka going back to the hospital...?"
"Of course... at least, I intend to. ...Am I going the wrong way...?"
A short moment of silence. Eventually, still holding onto my clothes, she began to
walk. It was the beginning of the walk to the hospital this mysterious girl would take me on.
Himatsubushi-hen
Day 3 Part 5
"...The person who was running around cutting all the phone cords was you, wasn't it,
Rika-chan? You shouldn't do that any more."
"...I'm not sure what you're talking about."
"Really...?"
She tried to play dumb, but it was written all over her face.
"Nipaa~~..."
It was obvious she was trying to laugh it off, but that adorable smile of hers just made
me want to forgive her. ...Ahhh... I'm going to be a horrible father, aren't I.
That momentary lapse in tension was erased by her next words.
"It's good that they found the grandson safe and sound."
Unable to respond right away, I sunk into silence. ...I had already learned this from
Sato-san's info, didn't I. This girl... no--this entire village, knew everything since the moment
I set foot in it.
I considered playing dumb. But in the end, I chose not to. With everything being
known already, there was no point in me feigning ignorance.
"...Somehow."
"That's great. ...Now you can go back to Tokyo."
"...Thank you."
"'...Are your injuries bad, Akasaka?"
"Dunno... I haven't heard anything from the doctor yet, so I don't know if they are or
not."
Huh? Come to think of it, I vaguely remembered being told to lie down and take it
easy for at least 24 hours. ...Did that mean bed rest?
"...The wounded shouldn't be sneaking out of the hospital."
"People shouldn't be cutting phone cords."
"...Meep. I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Then I don't know what you're talking about either."
As we played dumb with each other, we both laughed at the same time.
If somebody saw us laughing at each other like this, it would probably bring a smile to
their lips.
"...The chances of Akasaka leaving this village alive weren't very high."
"..."
"...I don't want Akasaka to die, so I'm glad you're leaving the village alive."
"Rika-chan. ...Did you know what I was... right from the beginning?"
She said nothing, but gave a firm nod.
"...Well then, I think you know this, but we're probably somewhat of an enemy to the
people in this village, I would think. But you still gave me lots of warnings."
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That's right. She said it at that time. She wouldn't warn somebody that she was okay
with dying. ...She definitely said something like that.
"Then... I should probably be thanking you."
"...You probably should. I'm your savior."
Saying that, she puffed up her chest proudly. She said it jokingly, but the meaning
behind those words was quite heavy. That was because whether I lived or died was a decision
that might have been made in a place unbeknownst to me. She said those words with such an
adorable smile that it took a few moments of silence for their weight to settle in.
...I'd been to this place before. The Defense Alliance's office was there: it was the stone
steps leading up to the Furude Shrine. When I passed by before, I was so focused on finding a
phone booth I hadn't realized where I was.
"If I recall correctly... this shrine is Rika-chan's house, right?"
"...Yeah, something like that."
Looking up at the shrine grounds, it was brightly lit and energetic voices could be
heard. What was going on?
"...There's a festival today."
"A festival?"
"...The best and only festival in Hinamizawa. ...the Watanagashi festival."
"Watanagashi? Cotton... drifting?"
"...Just knowing the name is boring. ...Do you want to take a look?"
She asked bluntly. ...But, seeing that I looked interested, she climbed up a couple of
steps and motioned for me to come. ...I was only going to go back and sleep anyways. If I had
nothing else to do, it might not be a bad idea to go with her on a little detour.
...In the hostile territory that was this village, I didn't know what would happen if I
ventured down a side road without Ooishi. ...Even though I thought of the village like that,
when I was with this girl, I forgot all about it. ...In any case, even without anything to back it
up, I felt that as long as I was with her, none of the ill will from the village would befall me.
That's why, even though I knew my cover was blown, I strangely had no qualms about
setting foot into the heart of the Onigafuchi Defense Alliance's territory...
Climbing up to the grounds of the shrine, I could see there were about 3 pavilions set
up, with meeting tables and folding chairs. The old folks from the village (no, the executives
of the Defense Alliance?) were already quite drunkenly sharing another round of drinks. I
could only see it as people from the village council drinking while enjoying the evening air.
At the very least, it was certainly quite different than any festival I'd ever seen.
"...See? It's quite a boring festival, isn't it?"
"Haha... this certainly doesn't look like a festival."
"...It's a festival that's happened since long ago, but as you can see, it's not like it used
to be."
As if the to chide the old folk, she said that while looking at them with an exasperated
expression. You really couldn't call this a festival any more. It was just a bunch of neighbors
getting together to drink under the guise of a festival.
Himatsubushi-hen
"Haha... I feel sorry for the deity being celebrated here..."

"...Give this sorry excuse for a festival 5 or 6 more years, then everybody in the village
will start coming... the ceremony will also be done properly, and it'll be a respectable festival
again."
What she said was not so much wishful thinking as it was the telling of a future that
had already been determined.
She wasn't even predicting it; it was almost like she was simply reporting the results.
That's how it sounded. Even though it was baseless speculation, the way she said it wouldn't
let me interject. It was the same way she talked when she 'changed'.
While I strugged to find the words to reply to her, she wandered over to the other side
of the grounds, not minding me at all.
Not in a state where I could afford to be left behind, I hurriedly followed after her.
Passing through a copse of pine trees, a strong and cool breeze ruffled my hair.
...There, from that one evening, was the splendid observation platform the girl had shown me.
As it had grown completely dark, the modest lights littered across the nightscape were
providing a different type of scenery.
"...Looking at it like this, this village seems tranquil."
She said that with an indifferent look on her face.
"Just the other day, ...you said that this village definitely wouldn't be submerged by the
dam... didn't you?"
She didn't reply, seemingly relishing in the feeling of the wind blowing through her
hair.
"Didn't that mean... at that point in time, the Minister had already complied with the
demands?"
"..."
She spun around, her gaze meeting mine. But she said nothing. She spoke nothing that
would neither confirm nor deny what I had just said.
"This case... will probably remain shrouded in darkness. ...Headquarters probably
doesn't want trouble from a scandal with the Minister breaking out."
"...There's no mistake that they threatened to kill the grandchild."
"Then, negotiations with the Minister were successful... and the grandson was re-
leased."
"...The one who saved the grandson was you."
"I wonder about that. ...The discovery of that wallet that started this chain of events...
that alone was almost too convenient, I'd think."
...Ever since the moment that wallet was discovered, I felt something was odd. Ooishi
said it as well. That the Sonozaki family had given the order to release the hostage.
Meaning... that our little manhunt was a farce to begin with. ...Come to think of it, I
was punched, kicked, and had a gun pointed at me. I felt like they put up quite a fight, but
that might have been all part of a good performance.
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Once the negotiations were successful, they couldn't just say "here you go" and return
the Minister's grandson right to his doorstep. They knew that Public Safety had realized that
this was a kidnapping case and were moving in on it. That's why, due to the actions of Public
Safety, the grandson was able to be rescued safely. So the Minister didn't give in to any unrea-
sonable demands. ...That type of perfomance was necessary.
"...I don't know about these difficult things."
"...Likewise. Even for me, I can't make much sense of it. But, there's one thing I can be
certain of."
"...?"
"It's just as you said. ...This village won't be submerged. The dam project will soon be
over."
That wasn't something an officer of the law should be saying. But, I naturally let those
words slip from my mouth.
This village may have stirred up all sorts of trouble. But, that was because they were
protecting their homes. If someone just decided by themselves that I had to leave the house I
was used to living in, I would resent them as well.
On top of that, it wasn't a place like mine where I just happened to be renting it, but a
place that their families had lived for generations. It might be ignorant to call their desperate
resistance an overreaction.
I might not really be qualified to criticize politics or bureaucracy... But, deliberately
building a dam on land that was loved by its residents wasn't something I could get behind.
"Still, aren't you glad?"
"Why would that be?"
"At the very least.. with this, peace will return to this village."
Even though the Minister promised to use his considerable influence to cancel the proj-
ect, it would probably take more than a few months before it would be completely scrapped.
At the very least... it would probably take one or two years. For the villagers to officially hear
that their village wasn't going to be submerged at the bottom of a dam was still a ways away.
But... it was no mistake that the promise of peace returning to the village was there.
It turned out, from beginning to end, that it had already all been decided. Just as the girl had
said, it was decided.
There wasn't really a need for me to come here in the first place. There was absolutely
no need for me to have come here and aggravate an unpleasant situation. If I had never come
here, then... The grandson's release might have been done in a more amicable manner.
"...Peace? In this village?"
When I nodded, she laughed as if to admonish me. But her face remained indifferent,
expressionless.
And then, her eyes narrowed slightly as she snickered.
"...Even though every year from now on, something bloody will occur? ...Tee hee hee
hee."
"Rika-chan, what are you talking about?"
Himatsubushi-hen
As the wind blew her hair about, the girl, as if taking pleasure in that I was the only
one who didn't know... continued to snicker as she looked at my face for a while.
"You see... in a few years... I'll be killed."
Huh...? Backlit by the moon, It was hard to tell if her expression that had been cast in
shadow was smiling, amused... or resigned.
"...You are? ...Why?"
"...It's a very unpleasant thing, though. ...It's also probably been decided already."
"Decided already? Who would decide that sort of thing!?"
"I'd like to know that as well."
Turning back to face me, she showed me a resolute expression for the first time...
And after staring into my eyes for a moment, she turned back to gaze at the scenery
before she spoke her next words.
"...There's a lot of people who have no regard for human life. ...Even if I tell you this,
it might not change anything, though. But... if you want to erase the spectre of death, some-
times, like with the reflection of the moon on the water, all you have to do is throw a small
stone."
I had no idea what she was trying to say. It's just... I had to listen to every word with
my body and soul, or at least, that's what I thought.
"...This day next year. ...Yes, June 1979, on this day. The foreman of the dam construc-
tion project will be killed."
"...What...?"
For a moment, I couldn't comprehend what she was talking about. By the foreman...
did she mean that gruff old man I played mahjong with?
"...B- Be killed... ...What makes you think..."
She didn't answer. But she had the same expression on her face as she did when she
declared that the dam project would go away.
...That wasn't the face of somebody making a forecast or a prediction. ...It was some-
thing that was already decided, no-- it was as if she was already reporting the results... that
sort of expression.
"...After being killed in a gruesome manner, the body will be torn apart and disposed
of."
"...Murdered and dismembered..."
"...The next year, in June of 1980 on this day. ...Satoko's parents will be pushed to their
deaths."
...Satoko? It was the first time I heard that name, but I didn't have the courage to inter-
rupt the girl's story.
"...It might be be an accident. ...An unfortunate accident."
The girl smiled faintly... but she wasn't exactly encouraging me to smile along with the
lifeless look in her eyes.
"And then, the year after that, this day in June of 1981. ...My parents will be killed.
Ryukishi07
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And then the year after that, this day in June of 1982. Satoko's abusive aunt will have her
head split open and die. And then the year after that, this day in the June of 1983... ...Or pos-
sibly a few days afterwards."
"...I will be killed."
"If all the deaths are pre-ordained... ...Then the last one would also be all according to
plan. ...But then whose plan would it be...?"
This village is full of murderers and people who have no regard for human life. It
would be fine to believe that all the deaths up to 1982 would be the work of somebody in the
village. It would be fine to believe that all the deaths that would occur were at the discretion
of those who control the village. But that didn't explain what would happen in 1983. There
was no way that the last death would fit in with anybody's plans.
They had no regard for human life. They would use every means at their disposal to
meet their goals. But their goals were at odds with the last death. That's why the last death
was unrelated to them.
But that last death would definitely, most likely, probably, without question, happen.
Probably, definitely, I dare say. The last death would be a merciful one. A handkerchief or
something being placed over their mouth, making them lose consciousness, never to wake up
again. Exactly whose plan was that?
"...I want to live happily. ...That's my only wish. Surrounded by my precious friends,
spending our days enjoyably. ...Only that. I don't wish for anything more than that."
"...Rika-chan..."
"...I don't want to die."
The girl, stoic as ever, let those last words slip in the end.
...Eventually, we were discovered by some drunks. The girl, as well as I, were dragged
back to the festivities.
Everybody was completely drunk, so even when they saw my head completely
wrapped in bandages, they wouldn't let me leave. ...Well certainly, if I was in good enough
condition to slip out of the hospital, it must not be that serious. The girl was mingling with
everybody, being pampered like a kitten. Her expression was adorable... nothing like the one
from just before, predicting her own death and whispering that she didn't want to die.
Having said that... ...Having a silly and lively conversation like this, it was hard to be-
lieve that these people were the core of an extremist resistance group. Even if it was a shell of
its former self, it was a festival where people in the village gathered, so the twenty-some-odd
folk here should have included some of the village executives and other important members.
...Among those, there was no doubt that there were members that were at the Sonozaki
family council in attendance. Meaning, even if we never met face-to-face before, there were
people here who knew my identity.
In a small village like this, they knew the faces of all the villagers that lived here.
That's why, without even saying anything, it soon became obvious that I was an outsider. But
they actually seemed interested by that, asking me all sorts of questions about Tokyo, drink-
ing while musing on the faint relationship the city had with the villagers and empathizing with
the rather meager environment.
Himatsubushi-hen
The confidential talks with the Minister were finished, his grandson was in police
custody... everything was over. I might not have to be put in another perilous situation. To
me, they were only my adversaries because of my job. Outside of that, there was no reason I
couldn't be friendly with them.
...The next time I visited this village... would it return to being a tranquil and beautiful
place?
If that happened, I might be able to take a relaxed walk around the village with her
again. My cup was once again filled to the brim with beer...
By the time I was able to get away, it was the middle of the night.
The girl had at some point disappeared. It seems that her parents had told her to go
home and sleep when she let out a large yawn.
The old folks, who had absolutely no remorse for making an injured person hang out
with them, told me as much as they laughed. I was just there drinking, so I had thought to
help a bit with clean up. However, my help was refused on the grounds that I was a guest. On
top of that, they had a car prepared to take me back to the hospital.
Losing the battle against my sleepiness inside the car, I was sound asleep until we
reached the parking lot of the hospital.
The front door of the hospital was naturally locked at this hour. I wandered around
bewilderedly searching for a back entrance until somebody on night duty found and let me
inside.
"Where were you this late at night? Dr. Irie was worried, you know..."
"...Sorry for the trouble. I was held up by the people having a festival at the shrine..."
"Oh, they did say something about everybody in the town council getting together for
a drink. My condolences. ...Are your wounds all right?"
"...They're throbbing a bit. It's probably because of the alcohol, I think."
"Oh, that's right. The detective that was with you wanted to get in touch."
"...Oops. I kept Ooishi-san waiting..."
I glanced at the clock. No matter how you looked at it, it was way too late to call him
now. I'll apologize to him tomorrow over the phone...
I returned back to my hospital room and slipped into the bed that was still unmade
from the time I went outside.
...Oh, that's no good. I have to turn off the lights. ......But my weariness had cut the
cord powering my body, lulling me into a deep sleep.
Ryukishi07
Tip #12 - A Mother’s Diary
There was something I didn't like about my child.
I first realized it when I started writing these things down.
They never warn you about it in any books about raising children,
but they aren't just a plaything.
If they aren't able to feel loved even when they're not doing ex-
actly as their parents want them to, then those parents are fail-
ures.
This wasn't something like that, though.
How can I say it...
It's probably harder to express with mere words.
I just want my child to be average.
As long as they weren't falling behind, there wasn't any need for
them to excel at something.
As long as they acted appropriately for their age, I would have

been fine with it.
But my child had been different ever since kindergarten.
While the children in her class were running around in excite-

ment about the field trip the next day, she only wore a bored look
on her face, aloof and distant.
When the other kids broke the equipment for the athletics festival
and were apologizing fervently, she only wore a bored look on her
face, aloof and distant.
When the teacher was reading a fun picture book, only she wasn't
smiling.
Even if they all got to eat a delicious bento, only she wasn't hap-
py.
...If it was only this, it would still be in the realm of under-

standing.
However, what I don't understand about my child is that if the

aforementioned situations happened again, they'd now act in a
manner befitting their age.
I don't understand the principle behind that, as a parent.
Why were they indifferent about that field trip, but happy about
this one?
Why were they indifferent about that picture book, but happy
about this one?
Why were they indifferent about that bento, but happy about this
one?
The former and the latter in each situation seem exactly the same
to me.
...There was even times when I thought the former one was better.
I don't understand that child's feelings.
During parent-teacher meetings, the teacher always says the same

thing.
And I would always respond that I don't understand my own child,

and we would mope together.
My husband, always the optimist, once said that a young child's

feelings are different from an adult's, so if there were some
things we didn't understand, we shouldn't worry about it.
I lament his lack of urgency.
One day, when I was in a good mood. I took the effort to prepare a
menu that my child would enjoy.
...But she only smiled with a vague expression of disinterest.
That attitude frankly made me angry, so I hit her on the head.
On a day when the weather was nice.
The laundry I had just hung up to dry was blown by a large gust
of wind, causing the entire line to fall down.
...But she, watching me trying to pick up the laundry in a panic,

stood there laughing.
That attitude frankly made me angry, so I hit her on the head.
I think the same sort of thing happened countless times.
Before I knew it, my child was only able to look at me with an in-
different expression on her face.
...I regret the fact that I've been a bad mother.
Thinking I should regain her trust, I thought to get it back lit-

tle by little with some light interactions.
Seeing her do some sort of craftwork on the veranda, I called out

to her.
"These past few days have been nice and sunny. The air feels nice,
doesn't it?"
"......"
That child, with that indifferent look on her face I hated so

much, looked up at me for a moment, then without a word returned
to immersing herself in her craftwork.
...Up until now, I would have hit her on the head just for that.
...I held myself back.
"What are you making? Is it a doll?"
"......A weather charm."
That child was using inserts from the newspaper to deftly make
some weather charms.
The forecast hadn't called for rain.
But that child, in her own way, was praying that these sunny days
would continue.
Being able to understand my own child for the first time in a

while, I couldn't hide my own happiness.
Bringing out a ball of yarn, I began to hang my child's cute

weather charms from the eaves of the house.
"Ahahaha... It's no good, Rika. The heads are too heavy, see? They've
become reverse weather charms now. If they're like this, they'll
call the rain instead of the sun."
When I started to take them down, my child tugged at the hem of my

shirt as if to stop me.
"......That's because I made them to be upside-down. They're fine."
"...But, Rika. If they're upside-down, they won't be a charm that

calls for a sunny day, you know?"
"I was making a charm for it to rain, so they're fine."
...I desperately suppressed the emotions welling up inside of me.
I was trying desperately to understand my child.
"Oh... I see... The morning glories in the garden were starting to

get a little wilted from all the sun, so you wanted some rain,
right?"
That child turned to me with the expression that I hated the most.
"I got bored... of the clear weather."
...I don't understand, I don't understand.
...I just can't understand that child...

Tip #13 - A Mother’s Diary Part 2
During the family council, she buried herself under Oryou-san's

futon again.
...Oryou-san dotes on her unwaveringly.
No matter whatever insolence my child commits, she doesn't mind.
It's almost as though my child is a kitten or something.
...Oryou dotes on her exactly like you would with a kitten.
As her mother, I chided her for doing that.
Until Oryou-san had said three times that it was fine, I chided
her as a formality.
Of course she never lends an ear to any of my chidings.
...Knowing that Oryou-san's standing was far above mine, she be-
haves like that.
I don't like the cunning that's unbefitting of her age either.
In any case, not only Oryou-san, but the rest of the old folk in
the village spoil her too much.
One day, I was surprised.
By chance, on the way back from some shopping, I saw her by her-
self just outside a candy shop.
My own child suddenly grabbed a snack, opened the package right

there and then and started eating it.
She didn't make any attempt to pay for it, and she didn't even
think of looking around.
It didn't even feel like she was shoplifting... more like she were
brazenly eating snacks that was offered to her.
When I began to admonish my child, the elderly shop owner ap-
peared and covered for her.
The owner gave the ridiculous excuse that he had said it was okay
for that child to eat any of the snacks out by the entrance, so it
was fine.
When I tried to pay for the snacks that my child had eaten, the
owner refused my money.
During that exchange, more old folks had suddenly gathered

around, and it began to feel like I was the one in the wrong.
The elderly people all put their hands together reverently in

front of my child and repeatedly voiced their respects.
...I was born into the Furude family, so it wasn't like I didn't
know why she was being treated specially.
When I was still young.
It was something I heard often from my grandmother.
If by chance the child that I gave birth to was a girl...
That child would be the living incarnation of Oyashiro-sama.
All the older folk believe she's the living incarnation of Oyashi-
ro-sama, and spoil her rotten.
And not only did they spoil her... but they even told her she was
the living incarnation of Oyashiro-sama, that she had a divine
power, and threw all sorts of strange folktales her way.
So she may have begun to believe herself that she was a special
existence.
I went around and told everybody that it wasn't good for her up-
bringing, so to stop tell her all these strange things... but there
was no unrooting the elderly people's deep-seated superstitions.
I told my child not to listen to them, but it ended up being that

she stopped listening to me.
Between all the old folks in the village who would dote on her
and myself who only scolded her, there was no wonder who she
would listen to.
...There was no mistaking that the reason she had become strange
was because of the elderly villagers.
There was no doubt that they had shoved her full of strange folk
tales and superstitions since she was young.
If it wasn't for that, there was no doubt my child would have been
cute and normal!
Final Tip - A Mother’s Diary Part 3
One sunny Parent-Teacher Day.
There was a cooking class, and my child was making curry rice
with a practiced hand.
While the other children her age were awkwardly using their
kitchen knives, that child was wielding hers deftly.
The teacher approached me with a smile on their face, saying it

must be a result of learning it at home.
I managed to play it off with a vague smile and a nod in response.
...That was because I had never once taught my child how to make
curry rice.
Even then, she was peeling vegetables with a practiced hand, add-
ing them into the pot in the order of which took longer to cook.
For a normal parent, they might unintentionally clap their hands

together, happy at their child's actions.
But in my case, it was different.
...There was no mistaking that somebody had taught her how to make
that curry rice when I wasn't taking care of her.
...Thinking that, I quietly fell into an unpleasant mood.
When I asked, it seemed she could also sew and do the laundry.
I had never taught her how to do those, and again, never saw her do
it around the house.
Be it cooking or sewing or the laundry.
...Again, that was probably because the elderly villagers taught

her all sorts of rubbish when I wasn't looking.
And not only that, they probably taught her all sorts of strange
superstitions, trying to prop her up as the living incarnation of
Oyashiro-sama.
I said as much to my husband, suggesting that we should keep our

child away from the elderly folk.
But my husband, who was in the position of being the head priest
of the Furude Shrine, had little power against the elderly who
supported it.
...He took the rather uncomitted stance of saying that as long as

she was being doted upon, wasn't it fine?
I argued against that.
That she was our child, and should be a completely normal girl.
That what the elderly were expecting, that she was the living in-
carnation of Oyashiro-sama, was simply odd.
The elderly villagers believe that child has divine powers.
We would discuss the weather for the following day, but there were
many times when I left the house without an umbrella and came
back soaking wet.
Rather than having clairvoyance, that was just second-hand knowl-

edge from her watching the news all the time.
The things that she knew that she shouldn't have known were just a
result of the people who were trying to indoctrinate her and the
people who were gossiping getting together in the village.
However... there certainly were days when everybody thought it was

going to be sunny all day, and that child would stubbornly not go
out without an umbrella.
It would occasionally rain, and in the end, we would be saved.

...There might also have been times where Rika knew of major acci-
dents in foreign countries faster than the news did.
I thought that she must have heard it break over the radio or
something.
...Knowing things she shouldn't have, something like that...
Was in front of me right now, wasn't it?
That child was making curry rice when there shouldn't have been
anybody who taught her how to.
No, no... that couldn't possibly be the case. Somebody had taught
her, indoctrinated her.
When I wasn't taking care of her, somebody had indoctrinated Rika

with something.
"Furude-san's curry is absolutely splendid. I'll give it a gold

star!"
"......Nipah~"
"Where did you learn to cook, Furude-san? At home?"
"......Yes. At home."
The other parents in attendance were impressed.
Lies, all lies.
...I didn't teach her anything.
Who was it?
Who was it?
Who was the person who had completely indoctrinated my child?

She was my normal, average daughter, not the living incarnation
of Oyashiro-sama!
Mid-Summer, 1985
"Sir, sir... We're preparing to land. Excuse me, but will you please fasten your seat-
belt?"
It seemed I had fallen fast asleep inside the plane. I was finally awoken from my slum-
ber by the stewardess.
I only had carry-on luggage on top of it being a domestic flight, so the time between
disembarking and entering the lobby was almost non-existent.
Arriving at the lobby, I glanced around, looking for Ooishi... and was met with a fa-
miliar gruff voice calling out to me.
"Akasaka-saaaan!! Na ha ha ha! How many years has it been~? It's been a while, hasn't
it!!!"
"Ooishi-san! It really has been a long time."
Ooishi clapped his hand down on my shoulder, celebrating our reunion.
"Akasaka-san, you're looking pretty good. You look like like a bonafide front-line investigator
now."
"You're looking quite dapper yourself. Your posture seems a lot better. ...Is the ball-
room dancing paying off?"
"Mfu fu fu! You should give it a try while you're still young. You'd be a hit with the
ladies. A real babe magnet! Nfu fu fu!!"
Ooishi had retired and moved to Sapporo, and of all things, had started taking ball-
room dancing lessons. He had apparently gotten really into it, and had decided to spend the
rest of his new life devoted to that hobby. He was aiming to get his instructor's qualifications
before he hit 80, and live out his old age dandily.
I let myself into Ooishi's car, and we headed out towards the hot spring inn. I had
originally intended to crash at Ooishi's place, but Ooishi was quite obstinate that his home
wasn't a suitable for that, so it came to this.
At the inn, we relaxed while soaking in the hot springs, reminiscing about the time we
played mahjong together in Hinamizawa. It seemed that to celebrate our reunion, Ooishi had
looked for people who could play, but unable to find a suitable candidate, we had to give up
on putting together a table.
As we drank together, we excitedly recounted our exploits during the final manhunt...
"...Did they end up catching those two guys?"
"Nooope. In the end, the search team never found them. They were probably hidden by
the villagers, then sent overseas or somewhere else far away to lay low for a bit."
"Ooishi-san, if I remember correctly, you managed to grab one of their guns, didn't
you? Did you learn anything from that?"
"It was a Chinese-made military pistol. It's probably from the ones the gangs in Kansai
managed to smuggle in a ton of. We tried to get a match from the rifling, but it didn't show up
in any other cases. ...How about on your end?"
"After that, I was removed from the front lines, so I don't know much. In the end, it
Ryukishi07
Page 163
seems like everything was settled under the veil of secrecy."

"...Na ha ha ha ha ha..."
Ooishi smiled wryly as he sipped his chilled drink.
"...What happened after that... sure was tough, huh? ...This will be 7 years now?"
"Yeah. We held the memorial service a few days ago. I've become estranged with my
father-in-law lately, so it was rough getting everything ready."
"...Na ha ha ha. That must have been a lot of work..."
It was then that the hostess brought in the extra drinks that we had ordered before.
While the bottles of beer clanked as she brought them in, we halted our conversation.
...What Ooishi meant when he said it must have been tough... Thinking about that was still
hard.. but time had healed the wound.
It was the day after.
When I phoned Ooishi to apologize. When I did, Ooishi almost immediately handed
the phone to one of my colleagues, who happened to be there.
Not only was I injured in the brawl with the suspects, but I'd disappeared to drink late
into the night without leaving any sort of contact information, so I thought he'd definitely be
mad. However, all he said was that it was something he couldn't talk about over the phone,
and that I should come to the station as soon as possible.
At the time, I could only think that he must have been really pissed off.
But when I arrived at the station, he said this:
"It seems your wife was involved in an accident."
Having no idea what happened, I borrowed the phone to contact the hospital Yukie was
staying at. ...After being given the runaround several times, I was finally able to talk to some-
one in charge... and after mincing words for quite some time, they told me.
"Yukie Akasaka was... killed in an accident."
The world became a blur as I sat there dumbfounded... Yukie's death was unbelievably
abrupt... unbelievably sudden.
I could have understood if there was some kind of problem during the birth... But
Yukie's death wasn't anything like that. On the stairs on the way up to the roof... she just hap-
pened to slip... and fall. And she just happened to fall on an unfortunate place at an unfortu-
nate angle. ...That was it.
Wanting to blame Yukie's death on somebody, I began to think that it was an act of
revenge by the Defense Alliance, that they killed my wife and made it look like an accident.
What I learned when I flew back to Tokyo, however, was much more cruel than that.
Yukie had a habit of going up to the roof to cool off in the evening. There was an
elevator up to the 7th floor, but from there you had to take the stairs to get to the roof. ...Even
late in her pregnancy, when the evening came, she would always head up there.
Her father had always said for her not to push herself, but Yukie insisted that until the
time she had no choice but to stay in bed, she should be allowed to do as she wished. How-
ever, I had never once seen Yukie go up to the roof. I only heard that from her father and the
nurses. ...That was because whenever I visited her, she would spend that time with me instead.
Himatsubushi-hen
I heard the reason why Yukie went up to the roof from a nurse she had become friend-
ly with.
She had said that her husband was away on business a lot of the time. And that when-
ever he called, she was able to cheer him up and give him courage... but when he didn't call,
she couldn't do that. Her husband might put on a show of bravado, but in reality, he grew
lonesome pathetically fast.
...She was probably just the same. Whenever he left for business, not clear when he'd
be back... she felt very lonely. Whenever she cheered him up, she was actually cheering her-
self up as well.
That's why... whenever he went far away for an important job... On the evenings he
didn't call... At the very least, she felt that standing underneath the same sky, her feelings
would reach him.
At that moment... I remembered the words that girl had told me. That it was best that I
go back to Tokyo right away... otherwise there would be something I'd regret horribly.
...Yes, that's it. Because I was away on business that day, Yukie had headed up to the
roof. Had I known that this would have been the result... Had I done as the girl had said and
dropped everything to head back to Tokyo... I might have been with Yukie on the day she
died. If I was with her, she wouldn't have gone up to the roof.
The day my wife died... was on the evening of the third day of my trip. Yes. It was
right before the the time I had the sudden urge to hear Yukie's voice, and ran around the vil-
lage trying to find a phone.
The girl had gone around and cut all the phone cords. ...If she hadn't, and I had made
that call. I would have undoubtedly learned of Yukie's death at that time, and collapsed in
tears.
Of course, even though the cords were cut, it had only put me off learning of Yukie's
death by that one evening. In the end, I had learned of it the next morning... However, when I
managed to put my emotions in order, I realized it was that girl's small token of consideration.
"....That's the first I've heard about that."
"...Yeah. ...It's the first time I've talked about it."
"Nahahaha... ...could it have been a coincidence? She doesn't have any special powers
or anything."
"...Aren't you the one who told me, Ooishi-san? That she might be the reincarnation of
the god called Oyashiro-sama."
"Well, yeah. ...The old folks in the village believed that Rika Furude had divine pow-
ers."
"...Divine powers?"
Ooishi had originally said it as a kind of joke, but realizing that I was serious, he
slumped his shoulders.
"I don't know if it's the truth or not. They said she did things like prophesize the fu-
ture, or talk about things she should have no way of knowing. That she was clairvoyant, that it
was divine revelation. Well, all sorts of things. Of course they couldn't give specific examples,
though. Nahahaha..."
Ryukishi07
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"...She prophesized Yukie's accident."

Ooishi tried to laugh it off, but out of respect to my deceased wife, he kept it re-
strained.
"Does that mean an active and capable investigator from the Metropolitan Police De-
partment believes in divine powers and curses?"
...Having him say that so bluntly, I couldn't respond. Of course I had no intention of
believing such odd things. But... he could only say that because he didn't know what I did.
Since I met that other girl, who both was and wasn't Rika Furude... ...I couldn't deny the exis-
tence of any otherworldly entity.
"Of course I can't deny that it might not have been prescience, but rather a warning."
Not prescience, but a warning. ...If what that girl has said was a warning about Yukie's
accident, then things became much easier to understand. Basically the line of thinking became
that it was a threat... because I didn't go back to Tokyo, my wife was killed in a way that
made it look like an accident.
"...Not satisfied with the investigation into your wife's accident?"
"Of course, I suspected foul play. I pored over the results, and even carried out my
own personal investigation."
There weren't any witnesses to Yukie's fall. There was the possibility that somebody
had hidden, waiting to push Yukie down the stairs. However, the cleaning ladies frequented
the roof to hang laundry, and the security cameras on each floor hadn't recorded anything out
the ordinary. There wasn't anything set up on the stairs, and I was unable to find anything
suspicious.
"...In the end, even after my personal investigation, I can't think that anything else hap-
pened other than a simple accident."
"..."
"Well, of course... These were the guys that took the Minister's grandson hostage. It
wouldn't be impossible for them to push a lone pregnant woman down the stairs without leav-
ing any evidence."
Ooishi's expression had completely sobered up.
"They... murdered... your wife?"

...When Yukie died, I thought that as well. More precisely, I wanted to blame some-
body, so I created the most viable scapegoat. But without any clear evidence, that violent no-
tion faded along with the wounds in my heart.
"Did that girl know beforehand about my wife's death and was threatening me, or did
she prophesize that death and was offering me a road to salvation? ...If I had to choose be-
tween the two, I would tend towards the latter."
"....Na ha ha ha."
Ooishi smiled slightly in disbelief as he poured more beer from his bottle.
"...Then if I may? If what you say is true, then Rika Furude was a prophet who knew
the future. If so, why didn't she predict that disaster? If she knew that the gas eruption was
going to happen, why did she remain silent? Even a few hours beforehand would have been
Himatsubushi-hen
enough. If the village knew, then most of the people would have escaped without dying."
It was near the end of June 1983. Volcanic gases from the Onigafuchi Swamp erupted
and hit the village in the middle of the night. It was an unprecedented disaster where the
whole populace was wiped out. It caused a wave of panic about volcanic gas across the coun-
try, causing people to overreact over any reports of odd smells. I hadn't heard of the blockade
on the Hinamizawa area being lifted, so it should still be cordoned off.
"...That's... hm."
It was my turn to be lost for a response.
"Well... If Rika Furude, the reincarnation of Oyashiro-sama, was killed, then the vil-
lage might have incurred the god's wrath, making him call forth the miasma from the swamp
to kill everyone. That explanation is what the survivors are whispering about..."
"Sorry, Ooishi-san. ...Did you just say she was killed?"
"Huh? ....Ah, yeah. ...Well, I don't think it would be a problem if I told you..."
When I saw the news about the gas disaster, I remembered that girl. I then found her
name in the list of victims. That's why, at the time, I thought her own death she had predicted
was due to the gas.
It was after that I learned from the tabloids of the series of mysterious deaths in Hin-
amizawa during the five years leading up to the disaster that became known as the "curse
of Oyashiro-sama". And that string of mysterious deaths lined up exactly with what that girl
had predicted, so I had always thought to ask Ooishi about it, as he had been involved in the
investigation.
That's right. That was the reason for our reunion... But right now, Ooishi had said:
Rika Furude didn't die in the disaster... but was killed!?
"...Can I ask you about the last year of the curse?"
"Hmmm... I may be retired, but I still have to keep things confidential, ya know? Nfu
fu fu!"
"Excuse me, madam? Do you have anything cold that's brewed locally? High-grade, if
there is. I'll leave the selection to you."
"Na ha ha ha!! Oh my... I didn't mean it that way!"
Ooishi laughed loudly, not wholly unsatisfied, and stopped the hostess to tell her that
the cheap booze was fine.
"I know as much as was written in those magazines. But I don't know anything about
the curse that happened the year of the disaster."
"Because the entire area around Hinamizawa was sealed off, you see? There wasn't
much of an investigation that could be done on the last year of the curse. Even if after several
years the quarantine is lifted, the villagers are mostly dead, and what few survivors there were
mostly went to stay with relatives, their whereabouts mostly unknown. ...It's a complete dead
end."
Ooishi seemed to postulate to himself as he stared at the ceiling, as if trying to work
out a memory from the rusty cogs in his head. And then, he said in a completely sober voice:
"...The magazines made it seem like the curse of the fifth year was that disaster. ...But
Ryukishi07
Page 167
the actual curse really happened on the day of the Watanagashi festival. A photographer by
the name of Jirou Tomitake. He was the victim."
Ooishi gestured about how the victim tore out his own throat with his fingernails as he
talked.
"And the burnt corpse of the woman Tomitake was in a relationship with was found in
the mountains in Gifu. The Gifu Prefectural Police weren't very cooperative, so I don't know
much about it, though."
"...There were two victims in one night?"
"...Hmmm, actually, see. It wasn't just those two. ...You see, the next day... ...Kumagai-
kun, one of my subordinates, disappeared along with his car in the middle of his investiga-
tion."
Kumagai was a younger detective that was going to be partnered with Ooishi after we
first met.
"He was going around the village to question people about the incident with Tomitake.
...He might have gotten caught up in something. ...If he was with me, he might have been
safe... even now it still stings. That day, for some reason, I did a real number on my stomach.
...I had to pass on going around outside."
"...He got too close to the truth... and was made to disappear?"
"...That's what I think. Kuma-chan was young and had a promising future ahead of
him, but he still didn't have enough experience on the scene... He wasn't used to dealing with
any complications."
Ooishi lamented the fact that he wasn't with his subordinate that day.
"And then, the next day, see. ...Ah, you know him as well, Akasaka-san. You know, Dr.
Irie. You remember him?"
"...Ahh, that young doctor from the hospital? I vaguely remember."
"For whatever reason, he committed suicide with sleeping pills. ...No suicide note or
anything. The autopsy confirmed that it was the sleeping pills. Nothing was in doubt except
for the motive."
"....It isn't that hard to make it look like somebody died from taking sleeping pills, is it?
Any possibility it was a murder?"
"He was single, no prior marriages. It didn't seem like he was going out with anybody
in particular. He was the coach of the local junior baseball team, and was on good terms with
the villagers. He was liked by everybody. ...I couldn't find anybody who would want to do him
harm. ...Well, any chances to investigate were ruined by the disaster, though. There's no way
to find out anything about him now."
"... Then, what about Rika Furude's death?"
"It was the day of. Around noon, some of the old folks who were visiting the shrine
discovered the corpse of Rika Furude."
"...Murder?"
"...Before we continue, you should probably stop eating that squid soumen."
"...That bad?"
Himatsubushi-hen
Ooshi nodded firmly...

"The corpse was found on the shrine grounds, next to the donation box. ...Although
she was probably killed somewhere else. That's because while she was completely naked, there
wasn't any dirt on the soles of her feet."
"...Any sign it was some sort of sexual assault?"
"According to the autopsy, there wasn't any indication of that. ...What we know is that
she was rendered unconscious by some sort of drug, carried to that place, then had her abdo-
men sliced wide open. Her organs were deliberately removed and scattered about."
"...Unconscious? ...Then, she wasn't cut open after her death?"
"..."
"...That's... horrible."
That girl's prediction... was right on the mark.
...I'm pretty sure she was more detailed about the other deaths that lead up to her own.
...For example, I think she said that the housewife that was beaten to death on the fourth year
had her head split open. ...Then in that case... did she know that her own death would be so
terrible...?
There must have been some moments where she wanted to doubt the validity of her
own predictions. But... as people died exactly as prophecized... as the years passed, that proph-
ecy would only come closer to fruition. And then, facing the final year... unable to struggle
against her own destiny... her all-too-young life was snuffed out. ...And in... ...such a cruel
way. Knowing that her days were numbered...and unable to fight the tide of events heralding
her end... my heart ached at her helplessness.
"...About the way she died... it seems like it wasn't just somebody's sick tastes. ...What
I'm saying is... I've told you before about how Hinamizawa used to be home to demons, didn't
I?"
"Yeah... I think I remember..."
"The festival in Hinamizawa village--Watanagashi... the 'Cotton Drift', seems to stem
from the drifting of entrails. ...It seems that it came from the man-eating demons ripping apart
their victims and throwing their organs into the river."
"...In other words... in Hinamizawa, pulling out entrails had some sort of religious
meaning?"
".... Well... this is according to the old tales in Hinamizawa, you see. ...To act as an
arbitrator so that the humans and the man-eating demons could live together peacefully, a god
known as 'Oyashiro-sama' descended from the heavens."
"...If I recall... Rika Furude was said to be the living incarnation of that Oyashiro-
sama, wasn't she?"
"Yeah. So... cutting open Rika Furude, who was a living god, would be to the village
nothing less than absolute sacrilege."
"...Absolute sacrilege. ...In other words, you mean sacrilege towards Oyashiro-sama?"
"...The rest you should know, Akasaka-san. 'The Wrath of Oyashiro-sama' would occur
that same night."
Ryukishi07
Page 169
"The Great Hinamizawa Disaster."

The official explanation was that some swamp upstream erupted with toxic volcanic
gas which enveloped the village.
"The swamp where it erupted was called Onigafuchi Swamp. It was the origin of Hin-
amizawa's old name, Onigafuchi Village. According to village lore, the depths of the swamp
apparently lead to Hell, where the man-eating demons came from."
"...That almost seems too perfect."
"Oh no no no. That's just the tip of the iceberg. There was another bit of folklore in
the village--if Oyashiro-sama became angry, the cauldron of Hell would open up and miasma
would flow out... or so they say."
"...To the villagers, Hell was at the bottom of the swamp. So basically, the miasma
poured out, smothering the village...?"
"Yeah. Basically: due to the sacrilegious way that Rika Furude--the living incarnation
of Oyashiro-sama--was killed, the village incurred the wrath of Oyashiro-sama, in the form of
that disaster. ...That seems to be their explanation."
"...So what you're saying is that the disaster wasn't a natural one!?"
"Hmmm... Well everything does seem to fit together a little too well. If Oyashiro-
sama's curse doesn't really exist, and everything really was just a matter of coincidence... I
would doubt it."
A wry smile formed on Ooishi's face as he listened to my absurd take on things. ...He
wore an expression as though even if it were absurd, there was a time he had thought the
same thing as well.
"...In regards to the religious beliefs of the villagers... suppose there was a more fanati-
cal following among them... ...and that group created a situation that would incur 'Oyashiro-
sama's wrath', and enacted the Disaster to make it seem like the truth..."
"...Of course, I won't laugh. I've wandered down that line of reasoning more than once
myself. However... even though Hinamizawa is a small village, it still has a population of over
1000 people. To murder that many people in a single night doesn't seem realistic, no matter
how you think about it."
The gas eruption was believed to have happened around 2 AM. Several hours before
dawn. In that short amount of time, going and around killing all the villagers in a way that
made it look like poison gas... didn't seem feasible at all.
"...The swamp the gas erupted from still had some religious significance, didn't it? ...If
that's the case... then maybe there was something set up in the swamp. Something that could
be activated whenever a divine verdict was rendered..."
"According to the JSDF press release, the swamp was declared the source of the erup-
tion. This was after everything was thoroughly looked over by their investigative team. If
anything like that was set up, I think they would have found it..."
"It wouldn't necessarily have to be in the swamp itself. ...Come on, haven't you ever
heard about it? The old story about how when a faraway spring dried up, the village spring
dried up as well."
"What do you mean by that?"
Himatsubushi-hen
"Many waterways are connected by underground aquifers. Swamps and springs are
only the parts that manage to pop above the surface."
"...Na ha ha ha. So what you're saying, is that Onigafuchi Swamp is connected to
another swamp or spring, and there's something the villagers rigged up there long ago, some-
thing that changes the pressure of Onigafuchi Swamp, causing it to erupt with poison gas? ...Is
that what you're getting at?"
Ooishi laughed heartily, commending the fact that the young'uns have a nice flexible
way of thinking. That was the former detective in him. ...Even though it was a hypothesis that
he didn't come up with, he still had the presence of mind to not dismiss it right away.
"...That's an interesting theory. ...If that proves to be true, then it would be, unprec-
edentedly, the largest mass murder in the history of Japan."
"Once the quarantine on Hinamizawa Village is lifted, I think it should definitely be
investigated. ...Ooishi-san, do you still have any connections with the XX Prefectural Police?"
"Somewhat. ...I'm an honorary advisor for their judo classes, so even now I pop by dur-
ing summer training camps and such."
"...I don't know when the quarantine on Hinamizawa Village will be lifted... but please,
let me help investigate."
"...Got it."
"...Ooishi-san, how do you feel about the string of mysterious deaths in Hinamizawa
they call the curse of Oyashiro-sama?"
"...At the time, the villagers were putting a lot of pressure on the station. The official
stance on things was that the cases were unrelated. That each case was separate, each with its
own resolution."
"...That couldn't be. Even though it was blatantly obvious that the cases were connect-
ed, based on the village's religious beliefs?"
"Akasaka-san, we can only say that now because of the rather grandiose way things
ended after five years. ...At the time, those coincidental incidents just happened to coincidently
occur on the day of Watanagashi. Just a 'it would be nice if nothing happened this year' kind
of feel to it."
"Coincidence? ...The girl predicted everything from the beginning."
"...Girl?"
"Rika Furude. ...That child warned me about all the incidents that would happen after-
wards."
"...Akasaka-san, is that true!?"
"Yes. ...The girl said as much. That the next year, the dam foreman would be killed,
and his corpse dismembered. Not only that, she warned me of all the events that would tran-
spire in the following years."
"...Akasaka-san, when she told you all of that, what year was it!?"
"When I met the girl, I was investigating the kidnapping incident... so June of 1978."
"...The year before the dismemberment murder."
Wrinkles formed between Ooishi's eyebrows as he closed his eyes and began to digest
Ryukishi07
Page 171
what I had just told him...

"...Akasaka-san. If you're wrong about Rika Furude knowing the future through some
divine medium... This is getting ridiculous."
"...Yup."
"...If you're just trying to shock me, I'm going to be really angry, you know?"
"I'm... speaking the truth."
"...Then the script behind the chain of mysterious deaths was written a year before it
even started."
"...And, just as predicted, Rika Furude was killed. ...At first, I thought she meant that
she would be killed in the disaster. However... now I know that her death wasn't due to that,
but rather an atrocious one at the hands of a murderer. ...She said she would be killed. ...At
that point in time, she knew more or less how her own death would occur."
"...Then, why didn't Rika Furude not try and run away?"
"..."
"Even if her death was already spelled out for her... Knowing that, she still had a grace
period of several years, didn't she? She had plenty of time to try and run away or consult the
police. ...Why did she just accept her death with no resistance?"
"...I don't know."
"...Even though Rika Furude was doted upon by the older folks in the village, you see...
After she lost her parents, she had no living relatives, and lived a fairly solitary life other than
hanging around with some close friends. ...It might have been she didn't have any power to
fight or anybody to rely on."
"...She must have tried signalling somebody for help in regards to her own death,
though?"
"You know very well that the village and the police weren't very amicable with one
another, Akasaka-san. ...At the very least, I never heard anything about Rika Furude seeking
protection from anybody."
"..."
"....Or... it could be that she simply resigned herself to being a religious sacrifice... It
could have been something like that."
"There's no way that was the case."
I spoke decisively.
At that time, she said it. She had definitely said that she wanted to live happily. That
she wanted to spend her time surrounded by her dear friends. She hadn't given up on life. She
had hoped to keep on living.
Ah... At that moment, I became dumbstruck.
"...What's the matter? Akasaka-san?"
"...No... It's nothing."
I fell into silence. ...Ooishi folded his arms and began murmuring in contemplation
again.
Himatsubushi-hen
Eventually, he stood up and headed towards the hallway to find the hostess, yelling that
he wanted a pen and paper.
When Ooishi--noisy even though he was just thinking--left... the room immediately fell
into a chilled silence. I stood up. It was then I realized that I was drunk enough to be un-
steady on my feet.
When I slid open the window... a beautiful yet somehow ephemeral moon drifted
across the night sky.
It was just now... that I realized. She hadn't accepted her own death.
She wanted to keep living. Happily and joyously. ...She had said that quite clearly to
me. But I was a fool. I hadn't been asked explicitly... so I hadn't realized it. She had made it
clear as day that she didn't want to die. Wasn't that her cry for help?
She didn't say as much that she wanted help. But, even given that, it wasn't as though
she wasn't looking for salvation. Without any family and unable to trust the police... she in-
stead told somebody without any relation to the village, somebody from a faraway place... me.
Help me.
She had gone around and cut the phone cords. If I had made that phone call and
learned of Yukie's death, I probably would have fallen into despair. ...If I was in that state,
even if she was looking for help, her cries would have fallen on deaf ears.
That's why. ...Knowing everything, she had cut the phone cords. She wanted even a
little time to seek help from me. Ooishi, just before now.. had lamented that one of the young-
er officers gotten mixed up in a case, having been erased because he wasn't there. ...I was feel-
ing the same way.
If only... I was there in June of 1983. I could have protected her.
In 1983, it would have been five years since the kidnapping took place. While raising
the only daughter Yukie had left me, putting all my youth and passion into my work, honing
my wits and courage wrestling with difficult cases...
Nothing like my failings during the kidnapping incident would have occurred. I
wouldn't have been slow to react in a one-on-one fight, and I'd by that point I'd jumped into
foreign mafia-run gambling parlors where I'd learned to deal with automatic weapons, let
alone handguns. I had grown so much that in 1983 I couldn't have been even compared to
how I was in 1978.
That's why... If I was by her side, I should have been able to save her life. No mat-
ter what conspiracy or foul plots drew near, I definitely would have protected her! She, even
though sounding resigned, should have still been able to ask me for help. I just didn't realize
it. I couldn't realize it.
Just as I wouldn't have realized it if I was told of Yukie's accident, I wasn't able to
realize it. I wanted to cry. If I had taken her words to heart, I would have prevented Yukie's
accident. And I would have been able to protect the girl to whom I owed a debt from even a
predetermined death. She must have been expecting that from me!!
I learned about the disaster while watching television in my house. Until I learned
about that, I had forgotten about Hinamizawa. In order to recover from the shock of Yukie's
death, I had tried to remove everything about the place from my memory. What an ungrate-
ful fool I was! Even though in exchange for saving her, the girl had told me of a way to save
Ryukishi07
Page 173
Yukie? I was unable to accept her gratitude, and now here we were...!
...She hadn't died in her sleep due to an natural disaster. ...She was split open while
still alive, killed while suffering the disgrace of having her organs torn out.
She must have known beforehand, that on that day on that year, she would be killed
in such a terrifying way. But even knowing what end awaited her, she was all too weak. A
lone girl, without anybody to rely upon, unable to seek help, had to swallow her own predeter-
mined death, and left this mortal coil.
She said she wanted to live. She said she just wanted to live happily. That's all she
wanted.
She didn't ask for anything extravagant! For any person that was ever born, it was the
very basest of desires!! She never said a peep about wanting money or that she wished she
was in somebody else's situation!!
She had said it. That if all deaths were pre-ordained, then hers was probably also all
according to plan. She might have been a lone, frail girl, but I don't think she would have ac-
cepted it all without at least putting up a fight. There must have been... in some small way...
...some form of resistance that she mustered. And with what she could muster... seeking my
help was part of that!!
"Goddammit!!!"
I howled. I stomped the floor.
Why did I become a police officer in the first place?
How could I call myself an officer if I couldn't save a single girl from the misfortune
that was awaiting her!? Was it because there was so much going on at that time I couldn't pro-
cess the fact that she was asking for help? Yeah, that's right. I was still green! If I was in that
situation now, I would have definitely been able to help her!!
But... it was already all over. Even if I wanted to settle the regrets she left behind, Hin-
amizawa, as a dangerous area, was still quarantined.
Most of the people involved were already dead, with the few that did remain spread
around the country, unable to be traced. The stage of that tragedy was still off limits as well.
The police investigation was put on hold, the case slowly being buried in the sands of time.
...Just like how I wouldn't have known unless Ooishi had asked me about it!!
"...Akasaka-san. ...Are you okay?"
At some point Ooishi had returned with a notebook in hand. Until I saw the expression
on Ooishi's face, I didn't realize that I was in tears.
"...I... never realized!! I never realized... she wanted help!!"
"...Akasaka-san. ...Calm down."
"But... it's all too late now!! She was killed!! In such an atrocious manner!! She was
counting on me... but I couldn't save her! I couldn't save her!!!"
"...I might also be at fault for not building up an amicable relationship with the village.
...If Rika Furude had told me about it, I might have been able to extend a helping hand. ...I
wasn't able to build up enough trust for that. ...That's something I regret."
When Ooishi said the word 'trust', it weighed on me even more.
Himatsubushi-hen
Yes. She had given me her trust. She trusted me. Meaning that she thought that I
would have been able to ward off the fate of her foreseen death. She believed in that!
I cried. I fell to my hands and knees as I began to bawl. ...Eventually, Ooishi spoke
quietly.
"Akasaka-san.. ...Does it upset you?"
"...It does!!!"
"Then... ...there's only one way worth mentioning for Rika Furude to have her revenge."
"Is there really? Is there a way to do that!?"
Ooishi showed me the pen and notebook.
"...In order to properly mourn the death of Rika Furude, we have to at least find out the
truth."
"....The truth..."
"Yes. And not just Rika Furude. Lots of people died. Their lament must be immea-
surable. But their deaths were left unsettled because of the disaster, and now we can't even
investigate them, as their memory fades into oblivion. Many people died!! The ol' man was
killed, Kuma-chan was erased. Everybody was a victim!! But the police can't even investigate
it!! Who's going to take care of their parting regrets? Only we can!! Akasaka-san!!"
"...We find... the truth..."
"Yeah!! We'll find it! I've been around every one of the string of mysterious deaths, and
know all of the inner workings of the village. You were told an important truth the year before
they happened by Rika Furude!! We can do it!"
"...But ...they're already dead... ooh...!!"
"That's right. Rika Furude died. You were too inexperienced, so you couldn't save
her!!"
Ooishi grabbed me, who was a wreck, and lifted me firmly by the lapels.
"That's why!!! To atone for that, we reveal the truth!!! If what you say is true, then
all the incidents were part of some greater design! If that's the case, then how we investigate
needs to change completely!! ...I intend to spend tonight summarizing all the information
you and I have, and then get in contact with one of my former subordinates first thing in the
morning. ...We're not going to let the case go cold!! We're definitely going to crack it wide
open!!"
"...Crack it open. ...Crack it open!!"
"We will. Several years have passed, but it's not beyond the statute of limitations. Even
if the case has been postponed, it's not closed. It's still going. We're going to keep it going!!"
Ooishi and I vowed to bring the truth of the case to light, and stood up. Everything
ended in 1985.
I, at least wanting to apologize, had searched for her grave.
After the state autopsy, her remains were entrusted to one of the shrine's followers. In
the future, when the quarantine on the Hinamizawa area was lifted, they would be returned to
her family grave.
However, unsure who exactly took the remains of Rika Furude, until today I couldn't
Ryukishi07
Page 175
even apologize to her.

In the future, when the quarantine on Hinamizawa is lifted... all I could do then was
wait until whoever that person is returned to the grave. What I could do right now was not
apologize to her. Instead, until I was able to meet her again... I would reveal the truth and
dispel her regrets.
Even now, sporadic eruptions of gas in the Hinamizawa area meant that the prospect of
the quarantine being lifted wasn't happening anytime soon.
Most likely... it seemed that she had no intention of meeting me again until I found the
truth. That's why the quarantine wouldn't be lifted, or so I thought. Until the day I grasped the
truth.
It was the following year. Ooishi and I co-authored a book on the string of mysterious
deaths leading up to the Great Hinamizawa Disaster.
I decided on the title.
"Higurashi - When They Cry"
That was because for those few days I was in Hinamizawa, the sound that I remem-
bered the most was the cry of the higurashi. I could only wish that based on this book, those
people involved with that incident could refresh their memories, and bring to light a new
truth. And more importantly: that nothing like this ever happens again.
I wrote this in the afterword:
Why did this tragedy happen?
We can't reach the truth by ourselves.
If you're reading this.
Please discover the truth.
That is our only wish.
Kuraudo Ooishi, Mamoru Akasaka.
To this day, the quarantine on Hinamizawa still hasn't been lifted.
Himatsubushi-hen

Higurashi When They Cry Ch.4 Himatsubushi-Hen

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Higurashi When They Cry Ch.4 Himatsubushi-Hen

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Higurashi When They Cry: Himatsubushi-hen

Higurashi: When They Cry

Who is the murderer, you ask?

I had misread the time, and ended up arriving too early.

The phone rang for a third time.

...Do you remember, Yukie? This picture.

time I've seen things get so hectic.

quieted down a bit after that."

OKINOMIYA POLICE STATION

ments... ...meant that wasn't the case in reality.

"There's a possibility that the Minister of Construction, Inugai, is being coerced by

Tip #1 - A Phone Call

These past 25 years have seen much growth in XX Prefecture. The

We've reaped the benefits of new businesses and industry. And

We are resolved to see every one of our campaign promises to fru-

But I do believe that everybody here is unlike an ordinary ar-

Everyone here, however, is no simple arrow. Even once loosed from

The modern age marches ever forward. Sometimes it marches faster

(The following is as per the script.)

--From the opening remarks of the XX Party Prefectural Forum and

...This much the average person can understand. But actually, in

...There is a logic behind this, more than enough to convince the

Even if you use the analogy of gears to explain human relation-

You want to say I'm being fallacious?

Then let's change the analogy to something more familiar, so you

Tip 4 - The Chick in the Trunk

thing to be that concerned about...

way to improve my mood...

day. I'm thankful for being granted this rare opportunity."

to recognize the sacrifices that would be made.

Huh...? I wasn't only surprised at that sudden command.

to this village from the bottom of my heart.

Tip #5 - Going Smoothly

tha time bein'..."

I waited and waited, feeling almost suffocated by the boring blue

I hate pre-established routines. I really hate when things are all

Hoping for that 1%, I hung up upside-down weather charms on my

Why was I hoping for a rain cloud?

...The answer was simple. I've had my fill of clear skies.

Then why was I hoping for a rain cloud?

So why was I hoping for a rain cloud?

In the end, it doesn't really matter whether it rains or shines to-

Tip #7 - Barley Tea and Black Tea and a Millstone

Irie stood up, and opened the door a bit.

"...I'm still investigating, so I don't know what to say yet."

"...Don't worry. This isn't a dubious place. Nfu fu fu fu!"

"...Boy, you're getting pretty used to this...!"

waiting for Oryou to signal her response.

"The Minister of Construction's grandson... was kidnapped? ...Oryou-san, is that true?"

"...Huh? No way! ...Hahahaha!"

Tip #8 - The Investigation Runs Aground

info that merits investigation, it's possible we can send reinforcements."

Do you believe that there are choices in life?

There are many people who lament the following:

Every time I hear people lament as such, I cast it off as a rather

...Is this hard to understand? Then let's pretend that in front

A lot of things would be uncertain even with that choice, wouldn't

Red or blue? ...If you were to go by their traditional meanings,