"Have you heard of Misaki?" "class 3." "Was there anyone named that in class 3?" "It happened 26 years ago." "She'd been popular ever since the 7th grade. so she was loved by students and teachers alike." "there's at least one person like that in every grade." "Misaki died." "What?" "How?" "I heard it was an accident." "everyone was really shocked." "someone said it." "Said what? Misaki's right there." "She's not dead." "Was that... it was just an act." "class 3 continued to behave as though Misaki was still alive." "That's kinda creepy." "They kept up the act right up to graduation." "Do Not Enter" "The principal even arranged to have" "Misaki's seat included in their graduation ceremony." "Isn't that a good thing?" "if it ended there." "There's more?" "The rest of the story is..." "How do you feel?" "Are you in pain?" "No." "what a way to start your life here." "You poor dear." "Um..." "Grandma." "no." "Don't you worry about that." "You couldn't help it." "does my dad know?" "I haven't told him." "isn't he?" "Want me to tell him?" "I have his number." "thank you." "I'll contact him myself." "Yeah." "That's probably best." "he's such a dutiful man." "In all this time since Ritsuko died..." "That's the Yomiyama River flowing through the center of the town." "And can you see the grounds beyond it?" "Um..." "You mean that building?" "Yes." "That's the school you'll be attending." "Reiko?" "although that was 14 years ago." "too?" "That's right." "My sister Ritsuko also went to Yomi North." "Yomi North?" "Yomiyama North Junior High." "Oh. but it just takes some getting used to." "I'm sure you'll get used to it in no time." "I hope so." "You'll be fine." "I'll help you prepare for life at Yomi North." "mister horror lover?" "I'll leave you guys alone." "class 3." "Okay..." "I'm Kazami." "Tomohiko Kazami." "This is Sakuragi." "nice to meet you." "I'm Yukari Sakuragi." "And this is—" "Izumi Akazawa." "did you want something?" "yes." "Sakuragi and I are class officers." "Akazawa is in charge of countermeasures." "We came here today as representatives of class 3." "Countermeasures?" "right?" "We heard that you were supposed to start but then suddenly got sick." "So we decided to visit you on behalf of the entire class." "here." "These are from all of us." "right?" "Yeah." "And you went to a private school there?" "Why did you transfer?" "For family reasons." "Is this your first time living in Yomiyama?" "Yes." "Oh..." "I thought maybe you used to live here. but I've never lived here." "Did you stay for a long time?" "I can't say." "I don't remember." "so... maybe?" "Here." "I made you a copy of all notes from the start of the first term." "Thank you! so I'll see you then." "Sakakibara?" "Yes?" "Well..." "Sakakibara... right?" "May we call you Kouichi?" "sure." "Kouichi." "Same here." "Thanks." "are you sure you've never lived in Yomiyama before?" "I don't think so." "Dad" "pardon me." "Are you a Yomi North student?" "Do you have something to do on the second basement level?" "Yes." "But the second basement level is..." "I have something to deliver." "My poor other half is waiting for me there." "wait." "What's your name?" "Mei." "Mei Misaki." "Mechanical Room" " Boiler Room Morgue" "Rei!" "Rei!" "How are you?" "Good morning!" "Good morning!" "good morning!" "How're you doing?" "Morning..." "It's 2 A.M. over here." "India sure is hot!" "What's up?" "aren't you?" "This is your go-get-'em call." "Be grateful!" "sure." "Feeling okay?" "How've things been since you got out of the hospital?" "Kouichi?" "I wanted to say— the signal here is bad." "I'm feeling fine." "You don't have to worry." "a collapsed lung's not the end of the world." "when I was a boy." "Really?" "I didn't know that." "I never told you." "I didn't want anyone telling you it's hereditary." "Is it?" "but never again after that." "you're all done." "I hope so. and go enjoy your life." "I won't stress over it." "That's my boy!" "Say hello to your grandparents for me!" "India is seriously hot!" "Rei!" "Good morning!" "you know." "Cheer!" "Cheer up!" "Sure." "Thanks." "Moving along." "The third thing you need to know to prepare yourself for Yomi North is:" "Always uphold the class rules." "Okay. but here the group matters more than the individual." "I think I can handle that." "Good." "the fourth thing you need to know is—" "Kouichi!" "Breakfast is ready!" "Kouichi." "Grandpa." "Good morning." "Are you going back to the hospital today?" "I've been discharged." "I start school today." "school." "eh?" "yes." "I'm glad you're feeling up to it." "I'm in the 9th grade now." "I'll be in high school next year." "If only that hadn't happened to Ritsuko... breakfast!" "Coming!" "Rei?" "Why?" "I hope you'll be able to get along with everyone. please don't hesitate to talk to me." "of course." "sir." "Thank you." "We look forward to having you with us." "May 6 (Wed.)" "Kouichi Sakakibara" "I moved here because of my father's job." "I'm living with my grandparents." "it's nice to meet you." "class. so that you can all graduate in prime health next March." "you can take that seat there." "sir." "Are you all healed up?" "I feel much better." "How does this town compare to Tokyo?" "It's not that different." "But Tokyo sounds so great!" "Small country towns like Yomiyama have nothing going for them these days." "That's for sure." "Nothing interesting happens here." "too." "you can't relax." "if you've lived there." "You think so?" "I'd love to try living in Tokyo!" "I like it better here." "It's much quieter." "And you're surrounded by nature." "That's an opinion you'd only hear from someone who lived in Tokyo." "I heard your dad is a college professor." "And he's researching in a foreign country now?" "How did you know that?" "Everyone knows." "Mr. Kubodera told us." "too?" "Pretty much everyone knows." "too." "I see." "It's too bad Ms. Mikami isn't our homeroom teacher." "yeah?" "um..." "Kouichi?" "It's not that." "Sakakibara?" "Why are you asking me this... what country is your dad in now?" "India." "He's been there about a year this spring." "huh?" "I bet it's hot there." "I wouldn't be able to take it." "I can't stand heat." "Teshy. you're never gonna do research in a place like India." "I'm well aware!" "What's wrong?" "Is something bothering you?" "nothing." "But I was wondering about the other girl who visited me." "was it?" "Is she absent today?" "looks like it." "Hey!" "Why don't we give you a tour of the school during lunch?" "right?" "that's a good idea." "Thanks." "I appreciate it." "Ready!" "You look like you want to run." "Yeah." "I love running." "Yeah?" "you've run before." "yeah." "I hear you have a heart condition. so I don't know what it feels like to run." "I wish I could run with all my strength." "You might be able to someday." "maybe you're right." "Someday." "I'm gonna go to the nurse's office to lie down." "Are you okay?" "It happens all the time." "I can get there by myself." "Sakakibara?" "Where did Takabayashi go?" "To rest in the nurse's office." "Oh..." "I fell yesterday and sprained my ankle." "we don't share P.E. with another class here?" "Only class 3 is different." "have P.E. together. right?" "Yeah." "Did they say anything to you?" "They just gave me a tour of the school." "That's all?" "Yeah." "I see..." "Akazawa will yell at us." "Sakuragi?" "Yes?" "I've been wondering..." "Where's Misaki?" "Who?" "The girl named Mei Misaki." "The one wearing an eyepatch on her left eye." "What?" "I didn't see her in the classroom at lunch." "Sakakibara?" "Misaki." "too?" "Should you be up here?" "I don't know." "But there's no point in watching from up close." "And you?" "Should you be up here?" "I don't know." "Were you drawing something?" "How do you write "Mei"?" "With the character that means "sing." "The same character used in "sympathy" and "scream." "I see." "do you remember meeting me at Yomiyama Hospital the other day?" "In the elevator." "You got off at the second basement level." "Did something like that happen?" "What did you go to the second basement level for?" "You said you had something to deliver." "You were holding some kind of white doll." "Is that what you had to deliver—" "I hate being questioned." "sorry." "I wasn't trying to force you to tell me." "well..." "Something very sad happened that day." "correct?" "Yes." "Your classmates haven't told you?" "Told me what?" "They associate your name with death." "But not just any death." "irrational death that took place at this school. especially the 9th grade's class 3." "much closer to it than any of the other classes." "To... death?" "Sakakibara?" "Nothing at all?" "Nobody has told you?" "About what?" "You'll find out soon enough." "You shouldn't try to get close to me." "either." "Why?" "You'll find out soon enough." "But... Sa-ka-ki-ba-ra." "Are you getting along with your classmates?" "I guess." "Is something wrong?" "nothing." "Blueprint."