April 20 - The Key
I make sure everything's locked up, and head toward the faculty room to return the key.
I look outside and see that there are some athletic clubs still out there, yelling as they practice.
I walk slowly towards the faculty room. There aren't many students left in the halls.
It feels strange to me, since I've never been the last one to leave.
(Door opening)
I open the door and enter the largely deserted room.
It's almost totally empty, since at this hour most of the teachers are at club meetings,
The ones who are still there are sitting at their desks, smoking as they work on mid-term questions.
None of the faculty advisors have returned yet.
I walk through the faculty room without a word, headed for the key box.
All of the school keys are kept in this box. They're removed on an as-needed basis.
Imari's always in charge of the Art Room key, so I rarely return it myself.
Click
I open the box.
Inside, a number of keys hang on hooks.
I take the silver Art Room key from my pocket, and look for the hook I'm supposed
to hang it on.
: “Let's see...where's the Art Room...?"
I look for a plate reading ''Art Room.''
I find it soon enough.
: “Here it is."
Click...
As I return the key and start to close the box, I happen to notice something,
: “Huh?"
I stop, and take another look at the row of keys.
This key doesn't have a plate bearing the name of the room it belongs to,
I was never one to notice these things before, but for some reason, this time I did.
Unlike the other keys, this one is made of brass and shines dully.
I reach for this key,
There's a plate on the key, and it tells me what the key is for.
And that's what grabbed my interest...
The wooden plate has some faint writing on it, which looks like it's about to fade.
I squint at it, trying to read what it says.
: “Basement...storage room."
Those are the words I can make out.
: “Basement storage room? The key that opens the Secret Room?"
“DECISION”: Think about it
Basement storage room...
The room everyone calls the Secret Room...
There's only one basement in this building.
And there's definitely a plate on the door reading ''Basement Storage Room.''
The key to the Secret Room...
Right under my nose...I never dreamed I'd find it here.
If I use this key, I can open that door...
That means that I can find out if that rumor is true.
Not that I expect to find anything that surprising down there.
But I do want to know why it's always locked.
It might be a coincidence, or there might be some hidden secret...
The rumor might have developed just because no one has ever
seen what was inside.
But if I used this key, I could become the witness to the truth.
This is a great opportunity to lay the old legend to rest.
Nothing wrong with setting things straight with my own eyes.
DECISION: Take it
Making sure no one sees me, I remove the key from its hook
and stuff it into my pocket.
None of the teachers see me.
As long as I return it when I'm done, what does it matter?
They're strict about the keys, but since no one ever uses this one,
I'm sure no one will notice it's gone, if I don't take long.
And it's not as if someone needs to use this key, anyway.
I close the key box, and leave the faculty room as if nothing happened.
April 20 - Basement Stairs
[Class theme "My Pace" again]
As soon as I'm out the door, I stick my hand in my pocket and touch the key,
I feel the cold brass against my finger...
If Ito and Saeki were around, I'd let them come along to witness me open the door to the
Secret Room, but since they always leave school on the double, there's no way they'd
still be here at this hour.
Oh, well, I can always ask them later. All I have to do is remember where the key's kept,
and it won't be any problem to snag it.
And it'll probably be better to show them after I've seen it myself first.
I plan to tell them all about it in a calm, measured tone of voice, all the while basking in
superiority as someone who's already been inside.
I can already see the jealousy in their eyes...
Feeling smug, I remove the key to the Secret Room from my pocket,
let it jingle in the air, and head downstairs towards the first floor.
[There’s no art of this door so we get a black screen]
I reach the first floor and head for my objective.
The Secret Door...
It just looks like an ordinary door.
It's there, right at the bottom of the stairs, in a lonely spot.
There's nothing special about this door...The sign says, ''Basement Storage Room.'' It just looks like an ordinary door.
There's only one thing that catches the eye...the sign proclaiming that it's ''OFF LIMITS.''
That's the only reason why they call it the Secret Room.
Beyond this door are the stairs leading down to the Basement Storage Room.
It's the door downstairs that's locked, so it shouldn't be a problem to open this one,
I stare at the door for a moment, then reach out and grip the cold knob in my hand.
Girl "You can't go in there, it's off-limits."
: “Huh?"
I'm shaken by the voice that suddenly called out to me.
I take my hand off the doorknob and look in the direction of the voice.
A female student is staring at me.
It's a girl from my class, Rika Shiraki.
She's good-looking, always gets top grades, and to top it all off, she's also the President of the
Student Council.
[Saeki and Shiraki – I confused their names repeatedly]
: “It's no use going down there, since the door is locked anyway."
I'm stunned. She gives me a scornful glance but her voice is rather considerate as she walks toward me.
Of course I already know that.
: “Yeah, I know."
I try to look calm. I answer her as nonchalantly as possible.
She may be an uninvited guest, but I can't just blow off this Rika Shiraki girl.
Rika Shiraki...I know her by sight, but this is the first time I've ever spoken to her.
Needless to say, it's mutual.
Actually, there's a good chance that she didn't know me at all.
I mean, she went out of her way to reprimand me. Oh, well. What can you do?
I'm not the type of guy who stands out, anyway.
I start staring at Shiraki again.
What a princess...those good looks of hers and her perfect personality.
No wonder everyone adores her, both the guys and the girls.
And so different than Imari! That thought made me smile. To
If I had to compare them, I'd say Shiraki was a purebred dog with a pedigree,
whereas Imari was like a mutt fathered by some stray.
No, that might be way too harsh. If Imari found out, I wouldn't live to tell the tale.
: “But why do you want to go down there?"
Shiraki's huge eyes widen as she asks me this.
: “To find out the truth..."
Shiraki blinks at my words.
: “You're so funny."
I smile along with Shiraki. No way do I believe that Shiraki swallowed my story.
I'm sure she just thought I was joking. Well, that works for me.
: “Do you believe that rumor about the basement storage room?"
I ask her casually. I really want to know what this girl thinks about the rumor.
: “What?"
She tilts her head at this sudden, idiotic question.
I was trying to be casual, but maybe I was too abrupt?
But after thinking it over, she answered me in a serious tone.
: “Well, I'm not really sure."
: “I don't think I've ever thought about it. Anyway, I think rumors are interesting because
they're rumors...that goes for any kind of rumor."
: “I think it's more fun to go on believing, rather than being disappointed when you find out
the truth, Just like with Santa Claus."
: “You really think so?"
What a romantic point of view, I could never emulate that.
I prefer everything to be either black or white.
: “Very interesting, I'll remember that."
: “When you discover the truth, please let me know."
She smiles as she says this, and slowly walks away.
Is the door really locked?
But the key to that door is in my pocket.
I'm sure she never dreamed that I had the key,
That's how great the legend of this basement taboo was to all of us students.
The key to the secret garden, huh? How did that story by Gaskell go--someone found the
key to what was supposedly a locked garden,
and when it was opened, there was nothing but a ravaged lawn...
It's just like Shiraki said. Gossip and truth are rarely one and the same.
: “All right then..."
Door opens
Once again, I make sure no one's around. Then I turn the knob and open the door.
The door swings open easily.
["Catacombs" track resumes]
It's dark inside. The stairs leading down to the basement storage room are dimly lit by the light from outside.
: “It's dark..."
In this darkness, the stairs are like an even darker, ominous hole.
And within this hole is a steep staircase leading to the basement.
Beyond those eerie stairs lie the Secret Room.
It's cold in here. You'd think the AC was on.
It's the perfect atmosphere for a creepy rumor like this one.
Such a mysterious atmosphere...it's the perfect place to do something in secret.
DECISION: go down
It's too dark as it is to go down.
I can't even see where I'm going.
I've got to turn on the light.
I know there's a switch around here somewhere.
[I still have two options, so I try again]
DECISION: go down
It's too dark as it is to go down.
I can't even see where I'm going.
I've got to turn on the light.
I know there's a switch around here somewhere.
[dammit]
DECISION: Look into it first
I look for a light switch for the stairs.
There's some kind of switch at the top of the stairs.
I flip it on.
Click...
Instantly, a dim white light bulb goes on in the darkness.
The light is extremely weak. It would be an overstatement to call it ''light'' at all.
Even if this place is never used, the least they could do would be to put in fluorescent lights.
Well, I guess it's better than nothing...
DECISION: go down
Keeping my hands against the wall, I slowly make my way down the dark staircase.
The stairs are made of concrete. They're plain and dreary-looking.
I can hear the eerie sound of my own footsteps going down the stairs in that closed-off, cramped space.
I gingerly go down the stairs, nearly losing my balance several times.
Thump, thump, thump...
[They drew the important door, at least.]
[If I was in charge I’d paint it green and repaste it, but maybe that’s modern day decline-brain talking idk]
I've gone down 10-plus steps when my feet hit some level ground. Looks like I've made it to the end,
In front of me is a heavy steel door, seemingly blocking my way.
: “So this is the Secret Room..."
The name seems appropriate.
It's a plain, old-fashioned steel door.
There's a metal plate; all it says is ''Basement Storage Room.''
They could've at least painted it pink or red.
But no, that would be creepy, too.
This isn't the first time I've come down here. But this is the first time I've gotten a good look at this door.
There's some graffiti on the door as well. It could be the work of some cruel students,
but someone has scribbled cryptic symbols and diagrams.
They make it all seem even creepier, somehow.
I trace one of the letters, written in fluid handwriting, with my finger.
But I can't read it, since it doesn't seem to be in English.
Same thing with the diagrams over and around the door. I have no idea what they meant, either.
But it was too unnatural-looking and creepy to be graffiti.
: “Well, it sure doesn't look like just some storage room..."
I shiver as I say this. It's a lot colder down here than upstairs, probably because there's no sunlight.
In this temperature, it's sure not comfortable to be clad only in a school uniform.
: “I'll just take a quick look and get out of here."
I take the key out of my pocket.
Then I slip the key into the keyhole under the doorknob.
The key slides into the hole; it's a perfect fit.
: “Okay, time for a tour of the Secret Room."
I grip the key and twist it to the right, hard.
Clink...
I can feel and hear the tumblers unlocking...
Now there's nothing that will stop me from opening this door.
From this moment, the Secret Room will no longer be secret...
I grasp the cold steel doorknob...slowly and carefully, I turn it to the right...and I swing the heavy door open...
Squeak...
I hear the grating sound of metal against metal. Then the door swings inward.
I stop it when it's about 30cm open, and peer inside.
Not that I believe that rumor, but I have no idea what I might find in there.
Being alone, I'm just a little bit nervous.
What I can see through the narrow opening is a vast dark space, as black as ink...
I can feel how cold the air is inside...it smells like a mixture of dust and mold.
It almost has a horrible graveyard smell to it...
But I can't see anything inside the room itself, because of the darkness.
I pushed the door open wider.
Squeak...
April 20 – Basement
: “Gag...gag...choke..."
As soon as I open the door, I nearly choke on the dusty air from the room.
All this dust could be proof that this room really hasn't been opened in over 10 years.
I flail my arms around me, trying to shake the dust off my clothes.
Once I've done that, I take a good look around the room.
But even with the door opened wide, it's too dark to see a thing,
since there are no windows to let any light into the room.
The light from the staircase is too weak, and it doesn't even reach this room, anyway.
There's no way I can see inside this room.
I take a step inside the dark room, and start groping for a light switch on the walls.
There's got to be at least one light in here.
I can feel the rough texture of concrete under my hand.
After about 10 seconds, I feel something hard.
: “Is this it?"
I grasp what I think is a light switch with my fingers, and flip it in the opposite direction.
There's a snapping sound, and the power goes on...
But, wait a minute.
: “Huh?"
The light should've gone on, but the room is still just as dark as before.
It doesn't work out, and I'm in despair.
Click, click, click...
I try flipping the switch on and off, over and over, but always with the same result.
Was I turning on something else altogether?
I start to look for another switch somewhere, running my hand along the wall.
But I can't find anything that might be such a switch.
: “No good..."
Maybe the breakers weren't working anymore.
Since the room hadn't been used in so long, it would make sense if they'd cut off the electricity.
But I couldn't do anything about it, since the switch box was locked.
Maybe I should come back after finding something I could light my way with. But I didn't think
I'd find anything useful here at school.
I try to remember if I'd ever seen a flashlight lying around somewhere at school, but couldn't.
If worst came to worst, I'd have to bring one from home...
I'm at my wits' end. I stare into the darkness before me. After managing to open this door,
I can't believe I'm going to go home empty-handed because of the darkness.
After a while, my eyes get used to the darkness, and I'm able to make out the faint outline of the room.
But the room is empty, and it doesn't look like there's anything in it.
It's too empty for a room that had once been used as a storage room.
Kicking myself for not coming prepared, I take a few steps into the darkness.
I can't see a thing, but I couldn't stand the thought of leaving empty-handed.
I can feel the dust swirling with every step I take. I frantically brush away all the cobwebs that cover me.
Thump
I haven't gone far before I feel my foot strike something on the floor.
I stop, and look down at my feet, not expecting to be able to see...
Of course, I can't see a thing...
DECISION: Look over it first
: “What is this?"
I try to figure out what it is by running my foot over it.
It's something hard, and every time it rolls over the floor there's a clicking sound.
I take my foot off, and reach down on the floor to feel it.
It's a long, thin. stick-shaped object.
It feels cold. It's made of steel.
I run my hands all around it.
: “It's a candleholder..."
It was a holder for the candle.
The tip is split into 3, and there's a good-sized candle still stuck in it.
I lucked out this time. Now if I can just find a light, I'll be able to use this to explore the room.
: “I'm pretty sure there's a lighter in my bag..."
I thrust my hand inside my bag, and find a cheap lighter.
Then I wipe the dust off the candle, and flick on the lighter.
Flick
Flick
Flick
(lights up)
I hold the lighter close to the candle, and light the wick.
It took a while, probably because it hadn't been used in so long, but I kept at it until finally
the wax began to melt, and the candle was lit.
The flame was weak at first, but gradually it grew stronger.
I waited until I was sure it wouldn't go out, then held it up to light the room.
The light from a single candle wasn't really enough to light the whole e room, but it was still better than nothing.
Finally, the light from the candle drove away the darkness...
And gradually I was able to see the rest of the room.
Sealed away 12 years ago...
The truth I had been looking for was now before my eyes...
: “What...what the hell is this?"
I was speechless at the sight before me.
Such a bizarre scene...
The amber light from the candle revealed a scene that was straight out of a low-budget occult movie...
And it was sight far more terrible than any rumor I'd heard...
A room measuring 10m on each side...
An eerie room that could only be a ''storage room'' in name only...
The vestiges of a ceremony...
Undoubtedly, the vestiges of the ceremony held 12 years ago...
[Which was probably the intro movie, this is definitely the room]
[There’s a pentagram and it’s even inverted, so I think it’s safe to assume this was a satanic rite]
[Why were satanists invoking God?]
Left completely intact...
: “What kind of a joke is this?!"
It was too elaborate to be a mere prank.
Candle in hand, I stumble around the room. The thick dust that had collected on the floor is disturbed by my footsteps.
Underneath the dust, I can see mysterious diagrams and words written in white paint or something on the black floor,
A huge circle...
And a cross, which seemed to be dividing the circle in sections...
Cryptic words scattered all over this diagram...
And next to the circle, there's another diagram: a triangle and a circle.
Could this be what they called a talisman?
There were numerous candles surrounding this talisman...
At the end of the room I can see that an altar has been built.
A closer look shows me that it's a simple altar, just a sofa covered in a cloth.
Around the altar, incense and metal urns are scattered untidily.
But what makes this room really creepy is the eerie stains on the walls and ceiling.
These stains decorate the room almost geometrically.
I couldn't see any on the black floor, but I'm sure it's just that they don't stand out.
I walk carefully through the room, trying not to tread on the talisman.
Without thinking, I pick up the cup on the desk.
Inside I can see some kind of liquid that's solidified and turned black. As soon as I see this, I put the cup down.
As I explore the room, I find other things on the floor among the candlesticks, like a long saber and knives.
Did they use these things in the ceremony?
I can't even imagine what could have happened that day...
No, I'm too scared to even try to imagine it.
: “So the rumor about what happened 12 years ago...it was true, huh?"
I am terrified.
The scene before my eyes...there's no question that it speaks of what happened here 12 years ago.
Just like the rumor...no, it's so realistic it tosses that rumor right out the window.
The room anyone would imagine after hearing that rumor...here it was, recreated before my eyes.
This was some kind of sick joke.
That's what I wanted to think, but it was too late to just brush it off like that.
Nobody could be stupid enough to go to these lengths just for a joke.
I had seen it myself...
My intent was to prove that it was just a rumor. But I ended up discovering that it
was true...with my own eyes.
The eerie room and the chill in the air made me shiver.
So I found a spot on the wall that had no stains, and leaned against it.
: “What the hell..."
: “I can't believe the rumor was true."
I don't know how much of this was true. But at the very least, there really was a Black Magic Society,
and they performed some kind of ceremony here...that much seemed undeniable.
And what exactly happened here?
One thing I'm sure of is that the girls weren't killed by the Devil, as Saeki has said.
I tell myself that as I look closer at the stains on the wall.
: “There's just no way..."
Suddenly I'm extremely tired.
I never dreamed that a room just like the one described in that rumor would be behind the door.
Even though I've just seen something totally mind-blowing, I don't want to believe that.
I can't very well tell Saeki now that the rumor was true after all.
No, now that I've seen this, I don't even want to tell anyone about it.
Now I understand why the teachers won't talk about it.
This room is nothing to brag about to students.
I wonder if the teachers who found this room locked it up because they were afraid the
students might start gossiping about it.
And so they turned away from it, for years and years...
But no, that's still no reason to keep it locked like that.
If it was an eyesore, then they wouldn't have left everything the way it was.
[The satanists aren’t still using it either]
Why would they choose to do so?
What the hell went on in here, anyway?
: “Sigh..."
I sighed deeply.
If this was what was in store for me, I wish I'd never found out.
I thought I'd feel relieved to know the truth, but this was the total opposite.
I remembered what Rika Shiraki had said to me.
''I think rumors are interesting because they're rumors...that goes for any kind of rumor.''
: “A rumor...?"
Trying to move away from the wall, I put my hand against it.
I wanted to leave this cursed room as soon as possible, If I stayed here any longer, I would surely go mad.
: “Whoa."
Slither...
As I stand, I brace my hand, the one I have against the wall.
At that moment my right hand suddenly sinks into the concrete.
Slither...
: “Whoa!"
I lose balance and nearly land on my butt.
: “Hey, now what?"
I take a closer look at the wall.
I see that the concrete block I touched with my hand has unnaturally sunken an inch or so more than the others.
Structural defect? Or was it just deterioration?
Curious, I push the block some more.
Slither...
The block sinks deeper.
Was it hollow inside?
I find this bizarre, and manage to push the block to the side.
Thud...
There's a tiny space behind the block.
But why would there be a hollow here?
No question, it was intentionally made.
I shine the candle into the hollow.
Now that the space is lit by my candle,
I can see something that looks like a small square box wrapped in a white cloth or something.
: “What the hell is this?"
The cloth is coiled around whatever it is...it almost looks like a big lunch box.
What the hell could it be?
If someone hid it in a place like this, it's got to be something they didn't want anyone to find.
DECISION: Pick it up
I reach for it, remove it from the hollow and hold it in both hands.
It's pretty heavy.
It's about 25cm lengthwise, and about 35cm high...
It's probably about 4cm thick...
I shake it, and there's a rustling sound.
What could be inside?
I can't really tell with the cloth over it...
DECISION: Remove the cloth
Cautiously, I remove the white cloth.
Something totally unexpected could be inside.
If it's been hidden in this room, there's no telling what it might be,
It might be wrapped around a few times...it takes a while for me to be able to see inside.
Finally I'm able to catch a glimpse. Inside the white cloth, I can see something made of black leather.
I unwrap the cloth some more...
And at last the white cloth is removed completely.
: “A book?!"
A book with sturdy leather trimmings has emerged from the white cloth.
It's a huge book, with B5-sized pages.
There's some kind of white diagram on the blackish cover.
A sword thrust upside-down in a hexagon...
And there's a metal chain wrapped around the top of the book, It seems to be holding it shut.
This is a bizarre, even tacky-looking book. Definitely not something you'd find in your local bookstore.
It must be really old. The leather cover is all moldy and worn in places.
I want to look inside, so I unhook the metal chain.
And I slowly open the book.
(Page turning)
As I turn the thick cover, I see a strange drawing on the fly leaf.
It's drawn in black ink, and it looks even creepier in the amber light from the candle.
(Page turning)
I turn another page, and find a burned, discolored page covered all over with strange handwritten words.
I turn another page...
The writing seems to go on and on about something, interrupted only by the occasional weird drawing or diagram.
Of course there's no way I can read it.
I keep skimming through, going over each page like an automaton.
When I've skimmed through the whole thing, I close the book.
: “Sigh..."
I glanced through the whole book, but I couldn't read any of it at all.
All I was able to grasp was that it was probably a book about magic...
There are numerous drawings of geometric shapes...talismans drawn on the floor.
Most likely, this book was read by the people who had used this room...
And it was probably from this book that they learned about the ceremonies they carried out here.
I could see why someone would want to believe in this book...I had no idea where they got it,
but it sure looked a lot more convincing than any dubious book you'd find in a bookstore.
I'd really like to know what it says, but I'm totally clueless.
If it were at least written in Japanese I'd be able to get an idea...
Anyhow, it definitely seems worth it to bring it home and try to make sense of it.
I'm not really sure I'll be able to read it, but at the very least,
the ones who used this room were able to. I'll never know unless I try.
Not that I have any interest in magic or anything. But I am curious about what it says in this book.
Something so gripping it caused those students from 12 years ago to become totally obsessed...
I was sure that was what it contained.
Not only that, but it had been kept carefully hidden all this time. Surely it had to be really important...
And one more thing...this book just might contain clues as to what went on in here 12 years ago.
I re-wrapped the book the way I'd found it, then stuffed it into my bag.
Thanks to the book, my bag (usually wafer-thin) looks like it's going to burst open.
Then I put the block back in place, covering up the hollow space.
Thump
: “All set."
I picked up my bag, now heavy because of the book.
Then I blew out the candle, and left the room.
Screech...
Slam
I shut the steel door and lock it. If I had a choice, I'd never want to go into a room like that again.
Still, as soon as I closed the door, I somehow sensed that I would be returning one day...
I make sure the door's locked, then race toward the stairs.
I go up the stairs, and steal into the hallway.
Door closing
I shut the door, and start walking down the hallway as if nothing had happened.
Luckily, no one was there to notice what I'd been up to.
I'm pretty sure no one would believe that something so bizarre was hidden in the basement.
Something like that had to be seen to be believed.
A rumor is nothing but a rumor.
People can ridicule the gossip they exchange because no one has actually seen the source.
And that's because deep down inside they know that it can't be real.
...It's possible that whoever started the rumor actually did somehow happen to see that bizarre scene downstairs.
Anyway, it would probably be best not to tell anyone what I saw.
It kind of sucks that I can't tell Ito and Saeki about it, but at this point the news would only please them.
It would be wiser not to tell them.
I head toward the Faculty Room to return the key,
I look at the clock and see that it's almost 6 PM. I'd better head home soon.
[Track ends, "My Pace" resumes.]
April 20 - Hall in front of Faculty Room
: “Oh, it's you, Minase. So you're still here?"
Just as I'm about to enter the Faculty Room, Takashiro calls out to me.
Damn. Could her timing be worse?
: “Yes, I'm just about to leave."
As I reply, I stick my hand in the pocket where I stashed the key.
There would be trouble if she found out I'd taken that key.
After all, that basement storage room is taboo among the faculty as well.
: “But you know, when I went to the Art Room, it had already been locked. That was a while ago."
She is obviously mystified.
This is bad...
: “Well, I forgot to return the key. That's why I came back."
I tried to get out of it with the first lie that popped into my head.
: “Oh, in that case, I'll put it away for you."
This isn't getting out of it!
This is really bad. If she opens the box, she'll see that Art Room key is already there.
: “Oh, that's all right. As Vice President, I take full responsibility for returning the key."
: “Oh, are you sure? Then I'll leave it up to you."
Takashiro still seems perturbed by my behavior, but she heads back into the Faculty Room.
I creep through the Faculty Room to escape Takashiro's gaze.
I hastily take the key out of my pocket and put it back into the box.
Lid shuts
: “Whew! Thank God."
I sigh, close the box and leave the Faculty Room.
I continue on to the lockers, change my shoes and leave the school grounds.
I go outside and gulp in the fresh air, letting it fill up my lungs.
: “Sigh..."
Outside, I can see a few students on their way home after team practice.
They're all straggling towards the school gates, engaged in inane chatter with their friends and teammates...
: “..."
It's hard to believe that just a few minutes ago, I was in that eerie room.
They're two totally different worlds...that room and where I am now.
A place where reality and fantasy intersect...
That's the perfect way to describe that place.
: “I'm going home."
I head home along with the others.
I walk through the same gate as the others. On my way home tonight, my footsteps seem a lot heavier...
Because my bag's heavy?
That's right, that book of magic is right here inside my bag.
[From now on, this is our scene transition]
[I probably won’t include it again though]
: Minase, our protagonist.
: Imari
: Saeki
: Murai
: Ito
: Takashiro
: Shiraki
: Yukiko
: Kitami
: Nonogusa
: Kobayashi
: Mikimoto
: Voice
: Amatsuki
: Kurimoto
: Shinjou
: Inoue
: Thug 1
: Thug 2
]
But get out!"
?
]
] 
