Location: Unknown
Time: ?
Darkness. Pitch black darkness.
For a long while, there was nothing around him. After that, he began hearing the faint sound of his own breathing. Louder… Louder… Until he can feel the air filling his lungs with each breath he takes.
Then there is light… He can feel its radiance reflected in his eyes. Brighter… Brighter… As the darkness around him slowly dissipates.
Each passing moment filled him with life, as he felt the sensation of someone waking him from his slumber.
"Hey! Hey! Wake up!"
When he opened his eyes, he can see three figures around him; A teenage boy with brown hair with his headphone hanging around the collar of his shirt. The one standing beside him is a boy of the same age with matching gray eyes and hair. Behind them is a stuffed animal similar to a bear wearing red and white jumpsuit-like clothing. They are all in a place similar to a movie studio, surrounded by thick fogs.
"What are you doing in a creepy place like this?" asked the brown haired boy.
He opened his mouth trying to answer his question, but no voice can be heard. Instead, he just shook off his head.
"You don't remember anything?"
He turned to look at the grey haired boy before nodding in response.
"It seems he's having significant stress to both his physique and mental. At any rate, we should get out of here soon. It's not safe"
"Whoa, hey wait a sec, bro! What if he's the one throwing that announcer and Saki-senpai into this place? We can't just let him off the hook now, can we?" The headphone boy stared at him coldly for a moment before gazing at his friend.
"If this world is truly what killed them, the culprit won't hide himself in a dangerous place like this. Not when the cops still have no idea."
The headphone boy opened his mouth trying to argue with him, but instead sighing to himself in defeat.
"Teddie, could you make us another exit just like yesterday?"
The mascot bear, in return, nodded happily to the grey haired man.
"Don't worry, Sensei! I got it bear-y prepared!"
Three medium and old looking TVs suddenly dropped from the sky.
"Shoo! Shoo! Now off you go!" said the bear before pushing them all into the cramped screen.
Junes Electronic Store
04/15 Fri
After School
The sensation of falling uncontrollably abruptly ends as he lands on his feet while being supported by the two boys. They had arrived in what appears to be a moderately-sized electronic store. In front of them was a girl in a green jacket who seemed like she had cried for hours.
"You guys are jerk… I hate you!" she yelled at them before running out of the place.
"Ah geez, I totally forgot about Chie. Guess we have to apologize tomorrow…" said the headphone boy.
"Yes, we should… For now, we need to take care of him first. Any idea who he is, Yosuke?"
The boy called Yosuke shook his head.
"No, bro... I've been in this town for a while now, I would have noticed that white hair if I ever met him before. I don't know who he is, but I can say for sure he's not from Inaba."
"Then we need to find a place for him to stay… I can't have him stay at my house, my uncle would ask too many questions and my cousin is tense enough with me alone." The grey haired boy sighed to himself
"Oh yeah, I remembered Chie talked about your uncle yesterday. Well… I guess I could shelter him in my house for a while, we got an unused guest room there..."
"Thanks Yosuke, I really appreciate it"
"No need bro, you really saved me back then. If it weren't for you, I'd probably be dead right now."
Yosuke's friend only gives him a smile in response.
"It's getting late, I should get home soon. Let's meet again tomorrow."
"Yeah, see you later, Yu."
Yu begins running back to his home, leaving the white haired boy and Yosuke inside the store. Yosuke then helped him walk out of the store, past the food court and into a small house located next to the department store.
"I don't know if you're a victim, or the culprit…"
Yosuke suddenly spoke as drizzle began to fall around them.
"What happened to those two… I won't let it happen to anyone else ever again. If you are indeed a victim, then I expect you will answer all our questions truthfully… However, if you are the culprit…"
He can feel Yosuke clenched his fist.
"Then we will make you pay dearly for your crimes..."
Even though he doesn't really understand the meaning behind Yosuke's words, he could feel the anguish tormenting him. The white haired boy nodded his head.
And whether it's from the drizzle or Yosuke's tears, he could see a drop of water flowing on his cheek.
Yasogami High School
04/16 Sat
Early Morning
"Uh… Hey Chie, sorry about—"
Before Yosuke apologizes to her, the panicked Chie approaches him and Yu when she sees them in the class first thing in the morning.
"Have you two seen Yukiko? She won't lift her phone no matter how many times I tried to call her…" asked Chie while frantically moving around
"I met her yesterday on my way home from Junes, I haven't seen her again since then." Yu replied.
"She's probably just late or something. You're worrying too much, Chie, "said Yosuke.
"Idiot! I have NEVER seen Yukiko being late for school!" she answered before dialing the number on her phone again.
"Wait, could it be that Yukiko is being thrown into that place?"
Hearing Yosuke's ominous words, Chie becomes more panicked than before.
"Please, Yukiko… Ans—"
Both Yu and Yosuke could listen to her phone as the receiver answered the call.
"Oh Thank God! Yukiko, is that you? … I see, so that's why you're not here… Do you want me to come over there after school? … OK I'll call you again, later!"
Seeing the relieved expression on Chie, Yu and Yosuke can't help but smile as well.
"Yukiko said there was a large number of visitors coming to their inn last night, so she needed to stay and help her mother," Chie explained to them. "What the hell, Yosuke?! What do you mean by her being thrown into that place?!"
"A-Ah, well, you see…"