Part 3: 4/13/11

Entry 4/13/11

Already I'm getting used to this crazy place. I ran into that guy who sits near me in class. Well, more like he almost ran into me. Again.

VIDEO- "Yosuke"

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> Maybe you should help him…



Oh yeah, that's right. You're that transfer student, Souji Seta.
I'm Yosuke Hanamura. Nice to meet ya.

Man took a serious tumble. And yet he keeps on ticking.



Oh yeah, yeah, I'm fine.
> Yosuke seems to be all right…
Say, did you hear about the incident from yesterday? They found that announcer lady hanging from an antenna!
You think it was some kinda warning? There's no way something that weird could've been an accident.

Had a good point too.



Dangling a dead body over a roof like that… That's just messed up.
Then again, it's pretty messed up to kill someone in the first place.
Oh crap, we're late!
You wanna ride? It's a little squeaky, but it should be fine.

It's a good thing we were running late and there was nobody to see us ride in, because that's a visual that could really stick with you. At least we got in before Morooka.



You guys ARE in high school, aren't you!? Can't you shut up during class? Don't you have any common sense?
First of all, my job is to waste my precious time teaching you assholes philosophy! And since I'm so nice…
I'll straighten up your rotten attitudes while I'm at it! Aren't you honored!?
And I'll be going especially hard on any of you morons that're curious about the murder! Got it!? Now get your books out!
> You listened to the lecture intently…

Anyway, after school Yosuke wanted to thank me for pulling him out of that can.



Yeah.
Wow, that was fast.
There isn't much to do here compared to the big city, but there is that certain… something you can't get anywhere else.
The air's clean, the food's great… Oh, you know about the local delicacy?
It's grilled steak, man! Like that's anything special, huh?
I know a place where you can get it cheap. Wanna come? You helped me out this morning, so it's on me.

I don't even know where Chie was, she materialized out of nowhere.



My "Trial of the Dragon."
Urgh… You always come around when I'm talking about food…
How about it, Yukiko? Don't you think he should treat us, too?
I'll pass… I don't want to gain any more weight. I need to help out at the inn today, anyway.
Wow, Yukiko-san! You started training to take over the business?
It's not like that! I'm just helping out when it gets busy.
Well, I should be on my way.
Oh well. We should get going too.
Huh? Do I seriously have to treat two people…?

Yosuke wasn't happy about having to treat Chie as well, but he wasn't going to risk another kick. Where he took us was kind of sketchy, though.

VIDEO- "Every Day's Great"

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I mean Junes. Come on.



Yeah, well, once you hopped on the freeloader train, I had to change my plans.
Still, that's no reason to take us to your place.
Dude, this isn't my place or anything.
Oh, right. I haven't told you yet, huh?
I moved here from another city about six months back.
This location just opened up, and my dad was assigned to manage it.
So our entire family came out here.
Here, this is to welcome you to town.
Satonaka, yours is on me too.
Yeah, I know.

We talked for a bit, and eventually the conversation moved to Junes.



A lot of stores there started closing, and… Oh, uh…
…You can't blame it all on Junes, can you?
……
Hey… It's Saki-senpai!
Sorry, be right back.

He was talking about some girl who'd just walked in.



Oh, that's Saki Konishi. Her family runs a liquor store in the shopping district.
…I think she's working here part-time, though.



Heeey! I'm finally on break…
What's up, Hana-chan? Boosting the family business by bringing your friends here?
Madam, you wound me!
Kidding aside… You look down. Did something happen?
…It's nothing. I'm just a little tired.
Hey, if you need to talk, I'm always willing to listen. I…
*chuckle * I'm okay. Thanks, though.
*sigh * Why'd I leave school early yesterday…?
Hey… is he the kid who transferred here?

Saki and Yosuke walked over.



It must be nice to have someone else from the big city to talk to, huh?
I don't see Hana-chan hanging out with the other guys much.
N-Not necessarily…
He doesn't have too many friends, so I hope you two get along good.
Hana-chan's a good guy, but he can get nosy sometimes. You gotta tell him right to his face when he starts to annoy you.

Man's been kicked in the balls enough literally lately, I decided to go easy on him.



Ahaha, I know… I'm just kidding.
C-C'mon, Senpai. There's no need to worry about something like that.
Well, my break's just about over. Back to work I go…
Laters!
Oh, uh, Senpai…!
Hahah, Saki-senpai says I'm annoying, but she's even nosier than me.
She has a younger brother, and she treats me pretty much the same way…
Ohhh, you don't want her treating you like a brother, huh? Oh, I get it… So that's how it is…
The daughter of a local family-run liquor store and the scion of the invading chain… The flame of forbidden love!
Wha--!? Dude, it's not like that.

Chie had a crazy suggestion.



You ever hear of the Midnight Channel?
You're supposed to look into a TV that's switched off, alone, exactly at midnight on a rainy night.
While you're staring at your own image, another person will appear on the screen…
And they say that person's your soulmate.
What? For a second, I thought you were actually going to say something useful…
How can you get all excited over such a childish urban legend like that?
Childish, huh? You don't believe it, do you!?
Of course I don't!
Well, it's raining tonight! Let's all try it out-then you'll see!
Try it out…? Wait, you haven't even tried it out yourself!?
Wow, I'm trying to remember the last time I heard something this stupid…

Yosuke decided to change the subject from crazy rumors.



Ooh, what if the culprit behind it was still lurking around…? Heehee…
Sheesh, you shouldn't joke about stuff like that. Now who's the childish one…?
All I am saying is, you guys better try it out tonight.
> You heard the rumor about the Midnight Channel, where one can see one's soulmate on a rainy night.
> Maybe you should try it out tonight…

The Midnight Channel, huh…? Anyway, Dojima still wasn't home when I got back.

VIDEO- "The Interview"

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> Another dinner alone with Nanako…

Poor Nanako…



…Yeah.
Oh! He's home!

And sure enough, he was.



I'm back. Did anything happen while I was out?
No. You're late again…
I'm sorry… Been busy at work.
Can you put the news on for me?
Announcer: Next, more details in the developing story on the incident in foggy Inaba.
Announcer Mayumi Yamano's dead body was found hanging above a house in this isolated rural town.
It is confirmed that Ms. Yamano had been involved in an affair with Taro Namatame, husband of enka singer Misuzu Hiiragi.
> It's a follow-up report about the incident yesterday…
> When Ms. Yamano, the TV announcer, was alive, she was having an affair with a councilman's secretary…
> The man's wife seems to be Misuzu Hiiragi, an enka singer…
> Could the incident be tied to their lover's quarrel…?

Still, how would that politician dude have put her body up on an antenna? It makes no sense. Anyway, they had an interview with the person who found the body next. They seemed oddly familiar.



Announcer: In addition, we now bring you an exclusive interview with the local student who found Ms. Yamano's body.
*sigh * An interview with the kid…? Where the hell did they find her?
Reporter: What went through your mind when you saw it? Could you tell she was dead? Did you see her face?
U-Umm…
> The female student's face and voice are indistinct.
> But you feel like you've seen her before somewhere…
Reporter: Don't you think it's scary that someone was killed on a foggy day?
Huh…? She was killed?
Reporter: Oh, errr… So did you see anyone suspicious around here?
No, not really…
Reporter: We heard that you found it when you left school early. Did you have some personal business to take care of?
Huh? That's…
> The reporter's enthusiasm seems to be perplexing the girl.

Wait, could it be…?



Announcer: -A tragedy that occurred near the local shopping district.
Many storeowners are raising concerns about losing customers as a result…
Hmph. If they lose more customers, it'll be because you're making such a stink about it…
Commentator: It really is a bizarre case, isn't it? I mean, hanging someone upside down from an antenna…
I'd have to say it's a warning or a sign from the culprit.
Announcer: Yes, but so far, no one has come forward to take credit for the crime.
Loads of prank calls, though…
Commentator: So the cause of death is still unknown? And they don't have a single suspect yet?
Taxpayers' funds are going to a police force who can't even figure out if this is an accident or a homicide?

I mean how could it be an accident? Then again, how could it be anything? Things like this don't happen.



Announcer: We'll be right back after these messages.
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!
Every day's great at your Junes!
Hey Dad… Can we go to Junes together sometime?
……
…No?
> He seems to be asleep…
*sigh * Geez…

Nanako said she could handle getting her father to bed, so I excused myself. I'm sure this Midnight Channel thing is nonsense, but I don't want to get kicked so I'd better humor Chie.

VIDEO- "The Midnight Channel"

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> You made a promise to try out the rumor about the Midnight Channel.
> Return to your room and watch the Midnight Channel?

4/13/11- Extended

What the fuck? Did that just happen?



> It's almost midnight…
> "Your soulmate appears if you look into a TV on a rainy night"…
> Could Chie's story be true…?







Midnight came closer and closer.



And the TV came to life!



The image came more into focus. There was a girl there!



My head began to swim. I heard a strange voice…



"I am thou. Thou art I. Thou art the one who opens the door." What the hell?



The TV was black again. I decided to reach out, prove to myself that what happened wasn't real. But…



My hand went right through!



I was almost sucked in, I'm just glad my TV's so damn small.



I managed to pull back out of the TV, and landed with a hard thud.





I had to think fast.



Okay.
Well, good night.
> Nanako seems to have returned to her room.
> What just happened…?
> You decide to talk about it with the others tomorrow.

They are never going to believe this…

Next Time On Persona 4: The Hollow World