Part 3: April 12: The Murders Begin

> It's almost time to get up...You feel like you had a nightmare. What could it have been about...? You're starting school today. You should head to the living room for now...
I hope you like ellipses, by the way.........




Okay. Let's eat.
Do you do the cooking?
I can toast bread...and cook sunny-side up eggs in the morning. Dad can't cook, so I buy dinner. You're starting school today, right?
My school's on the way, so...Let's go together.

-New Days-

> School Zone, Samegawa flood plain...





> School Zone, Intersection in front of the school...



WHAM.



> That looked painful...You should leave him be...



> What kind of student life awaits you here...?




Student's friend: Yeah, it's King Moron alright...We get to enjoy his long-ass sermons every day for a whole year...
Female student: Hey you guys, I heard there's going to be a transfer student from the city in this class.
Sitting student: Huh? Really? A guy or a girl?


...Huh? You look dead today.
Yeah, um...I don't wanna talk about it...
What's with him?




I'm Kinshiro Morooka, your homeroom teacher from today forward! First things first! Just 'cause it's spring doesn't mean you can swoon over each other like love-struck baboons. Long as I'm around, you students are going to be pure as the driven snow! Now I hate wasting my time, but I'd better introduce this transfer student. This sad sack's been thrown from the big city out to the middle of nowhere like yesterday's garbage. And he's just as much of a loser here as he was there, so you girls better not get any ideas about hitting on him! Tell 'em your name, kid, and make it quick.
...You calling me a loser?


Now listen up! This town is miles away from your big city of perverts and assholes, in more ways than one. You better not even think of getting involved with the girls here, let alone abusing them! But what do I know...it's not like the old days. Even here, kids grow up so damn fast. Every time I turn my back, you're fooling around on those damn phones, checking your life-journals and your my-places...

> Mr. Morooka goes on and on...


Huh? Yeah, sure. Ya hear that? Your seat's over there. So hurry up and siddown already!


Rotten luck for you to get stuck in this class...Well, we just have to hang in there for a year.

> You can hear people around you talking about you...

Male student: Sucks to be the transfer student, ending up in King Moron's class on the first morning here...
Whiny student: Yeah, he won't think twice about suspending you if you get on his bad side. Then again, we're all in the same boat...



> Your life at this new school has begun. Will you be able to fit in here...?


School intercom: Attention, all teachers. Please report immediately to the Faculty Office for a brief staff meeting. All students must return to their classrooms and are not to leave the school until further notice.


Brown-haired girl: He's seriously getting on my nerves...

Suddenly, sirens ring out.


Excited student: Ugh, I can't see a damn thing. Frickin' fog...
Rumor-loving student: Yeah, like every time it rains lately, it gets all foggy.
Knowledgeable student: Hey, did you hear? I hear that paparazzi's looking all over for that announcer.
Rumor-loving student: Oh yeah. You mean Mayumi Yamano, right? I heard some guys spotted her at the shopping district.
Knowledgeable student: Actually, I heard that...
Rumor-loving student: Are you serious!?


Rumor-loving student: Is it true that announcer's staying at your family's inn?
I can't discuss such things.
Rumor-loving student: Y-Yeah, I guess not.


There's no telling.
I shoulda left before the announcement came on...
By the way, didja try what I told you the other day? You know...That thing about rainy nights...
Oh...No, not yet. Sorry.
Ahhh, that's okay. It's just, I heard a guy in the class next door yell something like, "My soulmate is Yamano, the announcer!"


School intercom: There has been an incident inside the school district. Police officers have been dispatched around the School Zone. Please stay calm and contact your parents or guardians as soon as possible, and quickly leave the school grounds. Do not disturb the police officers. Head directly home.
But Sanzo's guardian IS a police officer. Will he be stuck here forever?
Excited student: "Incident"?!
Girl's friend: What, something actually happened?
Brown-haired girl: C'mon, let's go take a look!


Why don't you come with us? Oh, nearly forgot! I'm Chie Satonaka. You know I sit next to you, right?
Of course.
Well, nice to meet you! This is Yukiko Amagi.
Oh, nice to meet you. I'm sorry that this is so sudden...
C'mon, don't apologize like that. It makes me look like I got no upbringing. I just wanted to ask some stuff. Really, that's all.


This was really awesome. Like, the way they moved was just amazing to see...


See ya! Thanks!



WHAM.

Argh!!


My "Trial of the Dragon"...!
I think mine's cracked too...C-Critical hit to the nads...
A-Are you all right?
Oh, Yukiko-san...Are you worried about me...?
He's fine, Yukiko. Let's ditch him and go home.

>He looks like he's in a lot of pain...You should leave him be...


What...? Wh-Who are you?
Onlooking student: What's up with him? What school's he from?
Spectacled student: Never mind that, he's going for Yukiko-san? Man, you'd think he'd at least wait until she's alone to make his move...
Onlooking student: I bet you a can of TaP he gets knocked out.
Spectacled student: No bet. Haven't you heard how difficult the Amagi Challenge is?
Um, s-so...Are you coming or not?
I-I'm not going...
...Fine!
Not enough negs, bro.
Wh-What did he want from me...?
What did he want...? Obviously, he was asking you out on a date.
Huh? Really...?
You really had no clue? Sheesh...But then again, that was way over the top. It was creepy how he called you Yuki all of a sudden.


Man, you're cruel...You got me the same way last year.
I don't recall doing that.
Whoa, you serious? So then, you wanna hang out sometime?!
...I'd rather not.
That'll teach me to get my hopes up...
Anyways, you two better not pick on the transfer student too much.
We're just curious, is all!!
U-Um, I'm sorry for dragging you into this...
C'mon, let's go. Everyone's staring.




That's what makes it nice, but there is nothing much we can show to people from outside. Though, there is something from Mt. Yasogami...I think our dyed clothes or pottery or something is kinda famous. Oh wait, and there's the Amagi Inn! Yukiko's family runs it. It's the pride of Inaba!
Huh? It's...just an old inn.
No way, it's been in all sorts of magazines as a hidden treasure. It's a great inn! It's been going for generations, and Yukiko here is going to take over someday. Their inn actually attracts a lot of visitors to Inaba. It pretty much keeps this town going.
...I don't think that's entirely true.
So, tell me. You think Yukiko's cute, huh?
I think so, yeah.
I knew it!
Come on...Don't start this again...
She's really popular at school, but she's never had a boyfriend. Kinda weird, huh?
C-Come on, stop it. Y-You shouldn't believe that, okay? It's not true that I'm popular or that I've never had a boyfriend! Wait, n-no! What I meant to say was, I don't need a boyfriend! Geez...Chie!
Hahaha! Sorry, I'm sorry. But this is our chance to talk to someone from the big city, and you barely said a word! Hey, what's that?

-Who's There?-


Spectator housewife: Wow. Who could imagine that hanging from an antenna?
Shopping housewife: I wanted to see it too.
Spectator housewife: Uh, you got here too late...The police and fire department took it down just a moment ago.
Shopping housewife: Well, I think it's terrifying. I can't believe a dead body showed up around here...
Wait...What did she just say? A dead body!?


We're just passing by.
Huh...I should have figured that'd happen.
That damn principal. We told him not to let them through here...
...You know this guy?
I'm Detective Dojima, his guardian. Uhh...Well, how should I say this...I hope you get along with him. But you three really ought to stop wandering around and head straight home.






I-I'm sorry...Nngh...
*sigh* Go wash your face. We're gonna go around and gather information!
Was this what that announcement was about...?
What do they mean...it was hanging from the antenna...?
Hey, Yukiko...? Why don't we go to Junes some other time?
Good idea...
Alright then, we're taking off. Starting tomorrow, neighbor, let's do our best!

> The two of them left. You decide to head away from the crime scene...

-Heartbeat, Heartbreak-

After the girls leave, the Inaba map pops up for the first time. You're free to wander the town, but there's nothing to do today except get scolded by policemen.




Announcer: Our top story this evening concerns a bizarre case in a quiet suburb. Around noon today, a woman was found dead near the Samegawa River in Inaba.

> The School Zone is being shown on TV. Could this be the incident you heard about...?


Announcer: The initial results of the Inaba Police Department's investigation have revealed...


......
It'll be all right.
...I know. That's his job, so this stuff happens.
Announcer: The body was found hanging from a large television antenna atop a local resident's roof. Authorities are uncertain as to why the body was in such a state. With the cause of death also uncertain, police continue to investigate whether the death is an accident or a homicide. A thick fog common to the area has slowed their progress, and plans to fully canvass the area are delayed until tomorrow.

> It seems that the local TV station's announcer was found dead near the Yasogami High School campus. The announcer, Mayumi Yamano...Her affair with a local councilman's secretary had been on the news just the other day.

They found her on the roof? That's scary...
Oh, it's Junes!
Commercial: At Junes, every day is Customer Appreciation Day. Come see for yourself, and get in touch with our products! Every day's great at your Junes!



> Nanako is looking at you expectantly...

Your Junes!
You memorized it already? I'm the best one in my class!

> Nanako sings the song to herself over and over again. It seems that she's forgotten all about the scary story.

Nothing else to do but go to bed. Apart from the disturbing news, it's another slow, ordinary day.