Part 34: June 22 - June 23: The Culprit Revealed

Female student: You know the tofu store Marukyu? The owners of that place have the same last name: Kujikawa!
Male student: Seriously!? Hey, I practically live next door!


I'm not surprised. But was it really her on yesterday's Midnight Channel? Didn't she seem a little...different?
It was her, no doubt about it! Her curves...Her posture...Even her beautiful, slim legs!
...What's that look for?
Anyways, I'm positive! Right!?
Uhh, are we going? I don't really care about celebrities, but it's not like I got anything better to do...Sure, I'll tag along.
Sorry, but me and Yukiko have plans. Give us a call if anything turns up.


We're on an investigation, got it?

> You decided to go to the Marukyu tofu shop.


Oh, it's you guys. Ai yi yi...These gawkers keep streaming in with their cars, trying to park in the middle of the shopping district.
Why's that?
Don't you know? Rise Kujikawa's here. Hey, did you see her already? Is she there? Which is it?
Huh...? We're askin' why a plainclothes detective is here doing traffic control.
Oh...Uh, well...The Inaba Police Department isn't that big, and we don't have enough staff...Well, I still have work to do, so I'll see you later.


I wasn't trying to scare the guy, I just said what I was thinking.
But you're right, it's weird for the police to come out like this...
Hey...You think the police suspect that Rise might be the next target, too?
Alright, clear out. Coming through...Hey, Adachi!


What are you guys doing--
Hm? Kanji Tatsumi...!? Are you friends with them?
Like it's any of your business...
...If you say so. So I'll ask again: What are you all doing here?
We came to see Rise.
...Hmph.
Oh, um...W-Well, who wouldn't wanna come check it out if they found out an idol's family ran an ordinary tofu store? I'm, uh...a big fan!
*sigh* Fine. But remember. She might be a celebrity, but this is her home. Try not to bother them too much.


So, what the hell was that about? Are you guys under suspicion...?
Well, they did take us in once...
We can't just tell him everything, right?
If we say anything about the other world, we only look more suspicious. They'll be watching us all the time.
Got a point there...
Young man's voice: Man, there's no one in there but the old lady. Risette isn't here after all...
Older man's voice: I heard that she really is already here, but it might've just been a rumor...Well, it was fun while it lasted.


Pfft, you sound like the world's about to end.
Shuddup! Anyways, now that all these people are gone, we might as well check inside. I'll go buy something.
(Recommend ganmodoki)
How'd you know I can't eat tofu? Wow, that's considerate of you.
"I've been going through all your garbage and phone records. For security purposes."

> Yosuke seems somewhat happy...

Wait, what's ganmodoki again? Is it the kind with a rice cake in it?
There's no rice cakes in 'em...They're sorta like...fried tofu patties with veggies and stuff mixed in, and...

> Yosuke received a crash course on ganmodoki...

Ohhh, okay, I know what you mean! I think I can eat that.


Sure enough...The only one here is your typical old lady. *sigh*
Man, why don't you just ask if she's in back? 'Scuse me!


What the--!? Then, who's that...?


Uh...are you Rise?
Yeah. So?
No way...Are you really Risette?
What do you want?
Huh...? Oh, sorry, um...Some tofu, please!
Tofu...? Which kind?
Huh? Wh-Which one's which again...?
If you're going to eat it by itself, you should go with silken. Momen's better for cooking...Depends how you use it.
U-Um...Psst, Kanji! Order something!
Wha--!? Why're you making me do it!? You already picked ganmo a second ago!
Dude here wants three ganmodoki.
Oh, I see...I'll go get them.


Man, but it's really her...I'm so glad I came! Mission comple--
Wait, we haven't done what we came here for yet!
Um...! H-Have you noticed anything weird lately?
Weird...? Like stalkers? Are you guys fans of mine?
I wouldn't say "we," but yeah, dude here's a big fan.
You little...! Why'd you let that slip!?
"Her curves, her posture, even her beautiful, slim legs"...Ya finished checkin' em out yet, or what?
Waaaaaaah! Y-You're doing this on purpose, aren't you!? I didn't say that! I never said any of that!
Maybe you know already, but it's been dangerous in Inaba lately. That's why we've been investigating some stuff.
Oh yeah?

-Deduction-

Sorry, um...Let's see...Do you know about the TV show that comes on at midnight? I mean, it's not like regularly scheduled programming...How do I explain this...?
...That thing that was on last night? The Midnight Channel, yeah?
Oh, you know about it...
Wait...What!? You mean you saw it last night!?
I heard the rumors from some friends of mine. But that girl last night wasn't me. I've never been filmed wearing that swimsuit before.
And the bustline...
Huh?
Mine aren't that big.
Oh yeah, I see what you mean now...
I-I mean...What am I saying!? U-Um, I'm sorry...!
...Don't apologize so much.
You're funny.
Hey, she smiled.
What is that show about, anyway?
Well, we're not too sure either...But you know there's been stuff happening here, right? We think the people who appear there...are the ones who get kidnapped next.
I know this is sudden, but we're not lying.
Yeah, that's why we thought you should know about it.
Huh...So that wasn't a dream. I was so tired yesterday, but I couldn't sleep. And it was raining, so I decided to try that rumor I'd heard about...Hmm. Alright, thanks...I'll be careful.

-New Days-


There's extra tofu in there for everyone...A little thank-you for worrying about me.
Whoa, seriously? Thanks!
Yosuke-senpai, you can't eat tofu, right? Want me to take yours?
Hell no! I always eat what people give me.

> Rise gave you a block of tofu. Maybe you can eat it for dinner. Later that day...


Seems like the crowds are thinning out, so we'll be leaving now. If it gets rowdy again, just give us a call at the station.
Okay.
Uh, hang on a second. Sorry, but there's some things I'd like to ask you. You do know that there have been multiple violent cases around here lately, yeah? Have you seen anyone suspicious around?
Not really...It's been like always.
Like always...Well, you're an idol, so I imagine you deal with folks like fans, paparazzi, and stalkers quite often. What made you take a break from showbiz?
Does it really matter?
...I just needed a rest.
And have you registered for school?
I'm planning on going to Yasogami High. It was the closest.
I don't mean to alarm you, but...You do have some things in common with the recent victims. That's why, well...
I might be kidnapped, right? I've been told that before. Don't worry, I'll be careful.
Huh...? Someone told you already?
It was three guys...They were wearing uniforms, so I think they were high school students...
Did one of them happen to look...How do I put it...Did he look something like a gang member?
Wait...You think she's talking about your nephew and his friends?

-Deduction-


The recent disappearances...Between those and the two homicides, there's too many questions with no answers. To tell the truth, I followed my detective's intuition and came here to warn her. How could high school kids who know less than we do beat us to the punch? Were they just making up an excuse to talk to a famous celebrity? Or...
Sir...?
Yasogami High...The second victim, Saki Konishi, and two other students who were missing for a while...
I guess the investigation of the ones involved with the school hasn't turned up anything either. Aren't we gonna be in trouble if this keeps up? The prefectural police will be coming soon to--
They're the least of your worries! Keep your head in the game.


Yeah...It tastes great...You visited Rise Kujikawa today. What did you talk about?
About the cases.
I told you to keep your hands off this. Listen, this is a job for the police.
*sigh* Forget it...I shouldn't have brought it up.
You guys met Rise-chan!?
*sigh* Yeah...
Are you...fighting again?
Of course not...Here, hurry and finish your dinner.

> The tense atmosphere continues into the night...

-Who's There?-



> It's the same girl as before, still wearing a swimsuit. Her chest area and waist are emphasized. This girl...It's Rise Kujikawa! The image is fairly clear tonight. Should you try calling Yosuke...?


The one on tonight seemed a lot creepier than the real Rise, but you could see her face clearly. There's no mistake. Let's all get together as soon as possible tomorrow!

> You hung up. You decide to go to bed for tonight.



-Deduction-


It even showed her face this time.
So now we know one more thing. The ones that the culprit's targeting are...
Broadcast on TV.
Exactly! So we can rule out the assumption that all the victims are connected to the incident with Ms. Yamano. As for Rise, I took a peek this morning, and she was still at the shop. So I'm guessing that "TV show" thing doesn't appear on the Midnight Channel until after the person enters the TV.
Teddie said before that it might be the victim's own creation upon entering that world. I didn't understand at all at first, but now I feel it may be true. The one that appears on TV is your other self...Maybe the victim's true feelings are shown unconsciously.
But...We see them on the Midnight Channel before they disappear. You know, when it's still really fuzzy and you can't tell who it is. How do you explain that part?
Yeah...It always happens before the person disappears, like an advance notice...
Or like a ransom note. But who are they announcing it to? And for what?
I dunno, ask the killer. There's a bunch of stuff I still don't understand.
Is it possible that we see those images for the same reason?
Huh? What do you mean?
If the Midnight Channel shows the victim's true feelings...maybe it does the same for the culprit. Maybe what we're seeing is the culprit's intentions.
Well, it's a possibility...The killer can throw people into the TV, after all, which means they must have the same power that we do.
So...When the killer thinks, "I'm gonna attack someone now," that's what we see on TV?
I don't know about that...
Well, if we're gonna go that far with it, we might as well say that's the basis for that entire world. Like, it's some kinda mix of the minds of the victims and the killer...Or maybe it's everyone's minds?
I think so too.
*sigh* As always, nothing makes sense. Hey Kanji-kun, you still with us? You haven't said a word yet.
Whaa...? Uhh...Well, um...
You weren't sleeping, were you...?
O-Of course not! I was uh, lost in thought.
*sigh* I wish I knew what that world's all about. Teddie's explanations have so many "maybes" in them that I don't understand the first thing about it.
Why would the culprit throw people inside the TV in the first place?
They must know by now that people die when they're in there long enough...There's no doubt it's attempted murder. So the TV's a good way to do that, because the police can never prove anything about the crime.
Murder, huh...? So the killer's got a grudge against certain people?
Well, I know there's a shitload of people who've got my number.
How 'bout you, Yukiko-senpai? Anyone hate you so bad they'd get rid of you forever?
No.
Uh, Yukiko...There's always a slight chance and you just don't realize it...Haha.
But if we're trying to think of a common grudge someone would have against all the victims...I'm drawing a blank.
Well, the good thing is, we have another shot at getting ahead of the killer. We can leave the motive aside for now.
Once we catch 'em, we'll make 'em talk. The only thing we can be sure of now is that Rise is in danger.
Wait...We get to do another stakeout!?
Hell yeah! This time we'll catch 'em in the act!


You said it. There's no better meal than that for a man on a stakeout. Oh, and throw in some disposable diapers.
For what!? They don't even sell those here!
We have 'em at Junes.
Too much information!
You guys finished yet? Let's hurry up and get going.


Huh? What brings you here?
Oh, uh...Well...I'm doing legwork.
Ugh, what did I do to deserve babysitting detail...?
I-I mean, it's nothing major. It's not like Dojima-san ordered me here.
So what are you kids up to? Buying snacks?
We were just about to head over to the tofu shop to see Rise-chan.
Oh...I see.
H-Heyyy! I'm on my way there too!
Oh, then why don't we go there together? C'mon, he's a detective on active duty. Not a bad guy to have around!

> Rise is tending the shop...


But we've walked past here like a thousand times already...


Oh...Look!

-Zone Time-




Hey, he's running away!
Get back here! Stop running, dammit!




Shaddup! What kinda idiot would listen to--
Suspicious man: I-I'll do it, you know! What're you gonna do if I get run over!?
Wh-What...!?
N-No! If the suspect gets injured, the police will be held responsible...They'll get really angry, and...Um.
Suspicious man: I'll do it, I swear! S-So get outta here and stop chasing me!
H-Hey, what should we do?
Tackle him from the front.
Yeah, that's the quickest way.
All right, on my mark...
Look! Over there! A Martian!
Suspicious man: Ack!
Thanks for the assist, Ayane!


Shut the hell up, murderer! We're taking your punk ass in!
Suspicious man: Wha--!? Time out! What do you mean, "murderer!?"
It's no use playing dumb!
Suspicious man: W-Wait a second! I just really like Risette, so I wanted to take a peek in her room...Look, see! All I've got on me is a bunch of cameras!
Yep, you're the culprit, all right. No two ways about it. All right, I'll take it from here. We'll hear your story down at the station...Ohh, how I've waited to use that line!
Suspicious man: P-Please! Let me go! I didn't do anything wrong! I-I know for a fact it's not a crime in this country to take secret pictures!
I don't even want to know whether that's really true.
Hey, don't you understand what's happening here? You're under suspicion of murder! Come with me! We'll talk about this later!
Wow, that went better than I thought! What a coup! I gotta thank you guys for all your help! Well done!
Oh...sure!
But you really should stop getting involved with this stuff. It's dangerous. I know Dojima-san was worried sick.
C'mon, let's go!


Rest is up to the cops...
Looks like the killer was a pervert, just like we thought. Wait...Does this mean the case is closed? Seriously!?
Awesome!
Hey, we should let Rise know the good news!


Oh, h-hello. Umm...
Rise's grandmother: Oh, did you come to see Rise? She seems to have gone out, unfortunately...
Huh? But wasn't she just here?
Rise's grandmother: She does that sometimes. She'll just wander out without a word...You must forgive her. She's quite worn out, in many ways.
She left...without saying anything?
C'mon, you worry too much! She must've just stepped out. I mean, we caught the guy.
Suspicious guy: Wh-What are you talking about...?
We'll discuss it later.
If you'll excuse me, I've gotta take this guy in for questioning.
Man, I can't wait to see the look on Dojima-san's face!

-Who's There?-

She left without saying anything...? Could that mean...?
Shouldn't we look for her!? She can't have gone far.
Y-Yeah, I agree!


None of the neighbors have seen her...
Maybe we're just not looking in the right places...But where could she have gone?
Dammit, this isn't good. I hope I'm wrong...
Well, we did everything we can. No use griping about it. The weatherman says it's gonna rain tonight, so let's just keep our fingers crossed and tune in.

> You should make certain to watch the Midnight Channel tonight...



> It's the Huge Fish combo you purchased from the TV show! obtained Huge Fish x 1 and Ice Cube x 4. In addition, you obtained a bonus Prize Sticker!





> You're worried about Rise. You should check out the Midnight Channel...

-Who's There?-

> Someone appeared! It's an extremely vivid image!


This spring, one young girl levels up to become a high school idol...Yayyyy! So today, I'm gonna celebrate by pushing the limits of Standards & Practices! Does everybody know what time it is? Showtime! Show what, huh? Hmhmhm...E-very-thing! Eee, how embarrassing! Is this too hot for TV!? Well, if a thing is worth doing, it's worth doing all the way! I'm gonna bare it all for you! Heehee! Stay tuned!

> It was definitely Rise you saw...


I-Is she serious about baring it all!? Is it me, or are these shows getting crazier and crazier!?

> Yosuke sounds excited.

Let's rescue her quick.
Y-Yeah, exactly. 'Cause I bet her Shadow self is gonna do whatever it wants again. But man...We couldn't prevent the kidnapping this time either...even when we knew who the target would be.
That detective from this afternoon was no help at all. I guess we'll have to do everything ourselves...
A-Anyways, see you tomorrow!

> ...You decide to go to bed early.