June 16, 1999 -- After school, School Library

[all_onis_are_true]

[Souji was definitely missing.

Hiroshi was unnerved. Souji was not the sort of guy to just up and disappear. Did something happen? Maybe if he looked through the newspapers, he'd be able to find some information that would be relevant.

For some reason, however, he found himself digging further back. A bit of a desperate maneuver, perhaps, but he was beginning to find a worrying trend. Souji was hardly the only mysterious disappearance. For such a small town, an abnormal number of people seemed to disappear. Some turned up dead. Others were never found again.

And then there were the other incidents. Murder-suicides, seemingly rational people convicted for murder. All from a tiny town like this.

He shook his head. Well, all towns had crime, right? Why should this one be any exception? It's only rational. But a weird, nagging feeling in the back of his head couldn't help but poke at things. Yeah murders happen... but here? And why so little investigation?

He leans back in his chair, trying to grasp the implications of things. Maybe this would be something legitimately of interest to the club... Ah, right. He should be heading over there now, huh.]

Comments

[flatview]

[ blinks ]

Insight? What, do you think this is some sort of conspiracy?

[all_onis_are_true]

Eh? Well, no, not as such. I just thought maybe some sort of news might have emerged, or any indications that the police have started searching for him yet. Although...

[He looks at the mess of newspapers, thinking.]

[flatview]

Then wouldn't it be better to look for more recent newspapers?

[ but then she shrugs, and takes a gander at the pile ]

[all_onis_are_true]

I had been looking at them. I got a little sidetracked, however.

[He frowns, looking at the papers.]

You would say this is a pretty small town, yes?

[flatview]

Well, yeah. It's pretty rinky-dink.

[ she picks up a newspaper at random, her eyes widening in curiosity. A murder-suicide, huh? ]