At school, Keiichi complains to Rena, Shion, Satoko, and Rika about having to clean objects for an auction for Hinamizawa's Festival which is just "old people getting rid of their stuff," as he accidentally breaks the head off of the doll he is polishing. He explodes into chibi cursing over how none of it will sell. Satoko scolds him that it will, and Shion encourages him to do his best for "Big Sister" (お姉・onee). On cue, Mion enters the classroom. She happily explains that larger pieces like furniture she had directly sent to the Furude Shrine.
"'sokay, Keiichi. I'll send you an ohagi later."
This renders Keiichi into a colorless chibi "dying" as his sad spirit leaves his mouth. Mion consoles him with a wrapped box of snacks which she reveals to be ohagi made by her grandmother.
When Rena offers him one, Keiichi stares at it for a moment. She asks him what is wrong, and he laughs it off and compliments her on making ohagi: "They were small but neat." Rena replies that she has never made ohagi. Keiichi looks surprised, and Rika reacts to his surprise. While Rena sits down with Mion, Shion, and Satoko to enjoy the treat, Keiichi sits apart from them and still stares at his ohagi. Rika comes up to him to ask him what is wrong. Keiichi admits, as he continues to stare at the ohagi, that he wonders if he just had déjà vu. Rika stares back at him seriously. She then speaks to him seriously in her Child Voice that there is no such thing as a false memory: "If you remember something, it means it really did happen."
Continuing to stare at the ohagi, Keiichi repeats her words. Rika continues: "If not here, then perhaps in another world." Keiichi tries to laugh it off again, and describes his feeling as being more like a dream. Rika asks him to tell her his dream. Keiichi thinks for a moment, then relates that he was home, he probably skipped school, "Then Mion and Rena came to visit me," as he has a flashback to the scene from Onikakushi-hen. He recalls them giving him the ohagi. He shakes it off as "some hallucination." Rika insists that he keep talking. Keiichi continues that after Mion and Rena left, he ate the ohagi then has a flashback to finding a needle inside. He shakes his head again and insists that they stop: "It was just a dream." More insistent, Rika repeats his name. Keiichi looks at his ohagi, repeats that he found a needle, and pauses. Rika waits in anticipation, but both are interrupted by Mion who sincerely asks him if he does not like the ohagi. She smiles and tells him if he does not like ohagi he does not have to force himself.
Sure, Mion . . . When They Cry Wiki is not fooled!
Shion teases her sister that Keiichi is suspicious since Mion brought them. Keiichi stares back at his ohagi and declares that there is no way there would be a needle in it. Mion freaks at this suggestion. Keiichi smiles slyly at her and declares that, "something must be wrong with me for suspecting you." He then takes a bite and finds it delicious. Mion deems him "weird" as the other girls laugh save Rika who stares at him.
At the shrine, Keiichi stirs up dust trying to clean some of the furnature with the rest of the girls. Suddenly Rena transforms into Cute then Take-Home Mode as she jumps upon a small stool. Shion and Mion laugh, and Shion notes that Rena has been looking at furniture since she arrived. She then asks if Rena plans to live on her own. Rena happily replies that she does not since her father "finally found a job." She suggests that it would be nice to remodel. Shion and Mion both "double-take," and Rena stops and stares back at them only to realize that everyone stares at her in silence. She asks if something is wrong, Keiichi asks if when she stated he finally found a job, did she mean he did not work before. Rena confesses that when she and her family lived in Ibaraki, he stopped working possibly due to the shock of his divorce. When they came to Hinamizawa, he did not change. She further explains that her father use to go to an "awful place" where he wasted money. He spent much of the money they received from her mother on "some strange woman."
Rena further confesses that when she found out, she was shocked and "started to see this strange dream." Rika immediately asks her about her dream. Rena reveals that she dreamed she killed "that woman." "You too, Rena-san," Shion asks. Keiichi asks her what she means, and Shion tries to laugh it off while turning attention back to Rena: "Even so, that's quite a disturbing dream." Keiichi ask if it was just a dream. Rena becomes very quiet as she affirms that it was "just a dream." Nevertheless, the dream seemed completely real.
Fearing that her situation would unfold like her dream, Rena explains that she had a talk with Mion as the scene flashes back to her abandoned van in the dump. In the flashback, Mion notes that Rena dreamed that she disposed of the body where they are standing. Rena confesses that she did and would spend every day at the site since she feared if she left someone would discover the body. Mion agrees that Rena has a terrible dream. Rena further confesses that recently all she can think of are violent thoughts. She cannot help imagining killing Mamiya. Mion grabs Rena, and demands that she discuss the situation with her father. She then hugs Rena and tells her that even she would not know how Rena felt so cornered if she did not tell her. Rena looks up and starts to cry.
Rena continues that after that she confronted her father, and he understood. Keiichi smiles and congratulates her. She sheepishly admits that her father was about to buy her a condominium. Satoko remarks that if he had, then Rena's "dream" might have actually happened. Rena thanks Mion who, embarrassed, tries to dismiss it with a laugh. She insists that Rena did what she did on her own, and Keiichi agrees that Rena chose to talk to Mion, "and that's what changed the future." Rena agrees that it was wrong to keep her pain within herself. She even suspects that the "Rena" of the tragic dream wanted to tell her that.
Rika listens silently.
De Nile A River in Hinamizawa
As they leave, Rika asks Shion if she also saw strange dreams. Shion turns and asks her why she would ask that. Rika asks her not to hide it. While the others stop and listen, Shion tries to deny that she is hiding anything, then looks at her sister. Mion speaks up and declares the story "stupid," in that Shion dreamed she killed both her and Satoko. Satoko and Keiichi gasp, but Rika simply asks Shion if she told this to Mion. She looks down, and Mion continues: "She had this strangely serious face." Mion claims she responded with, "You? Kill someone? What are you, stupid?" as she laughs. Satoko does not. She looks concerned then declares that there is no way Shion would do such things. Shion bends down and hugs Satoko, assuring her that her belief is true. As she hugs her, Shion inwardly tells herself that she could not harm Satoko since Satoshi entrusted Satoko to her.
Rika watches silently.
That night, in her Adult Voice Rika asks Hanyū what she thinks of the day's events where everyone remembered pieces of the past worlds while Satoko sleeps. Hanyū admits that such memories happened before individually, "but for everyone to remember all at once is quite rare." This gives Rika pause, and she narrates how each one of them, if they use their memories, may avoid the path to their tragedies over flashbacks of Keiichi murdering Mion and Rena, Rena's murder of Teppei, and Shion's murder of Satoko.
With a slight smile, Rika suggests that she may this time escape her fate of June, 1983. Hanyū "Auu~"s, looks down, and warns Rika about getting her hopes up for if they fall short, it will prove more painful. Rika protests that there may never be another chance as good at this one. "There is no reason why I should give up."
Hanyū reminds her of the last problem: why she is always killed. Rika believes that the "enemy" does not live in the village. Hanyū agrees that Hinamizawa should be the safest place in the world for her. Staring into her wine, Rika feels that the people should be trying to protect her. Hanyū asks if she means Irie Kyōsuke and Takano Miyo. Rika affirms that she and Satoko are important specimens for their research. Hanyū suggests this explains why the two are the first to die. Rika praises Takano's organization's security, and she agrees with Hanyū that removing that security allows her death. She suspects that if the enemy fails to kill Takano, they will not be able to move against her. Rika concludes that saving her own life is not the priority: it is saving theirs.
She smiles at her cleverness as the wind outside blows.
Second Half[]
At the Irie Clinic, Irie is happily surprised to see Rika on a day other than Sunday. Rika asks to speak to Takano. Irie responds that she has just left. When Rika asks to where, Irie recalls that she said she is going around the village with Tomitake Jirō.
Rika rushes up the stairs to the shrine then past it to the grounds with Hanyū flying behind her. Hanyū wonders if they are truly at the Saiguden, and Rika, in her Adult Voice, feels there can be no doubt. They are figuring out a way to break in during the Watanagashi Festival which will in turn cause them to die under Oyashiro-sama's Curse as she has a flash of Jirō's corpse and a burned barrel that presumably contains Takano's. Hanyū declares that they should not go in from the start. Rika reminds Hanyū that she had tried in the past to warn them, but they never listen. Rika suggests that if they enter the Saiguden on a different day, that small change may matter.
As expected, they see Jirō trying to pick the lock while Takano grows impatient. He assures her that with the right tools it will not take a minute to pick.
Cursed You Will Be!
Pleased, Takano responds that "the rest is up to timing," and wonders when will be the best time only to be interrupted by Rika screaming that they will be cursed in a very childish voice. Startled, Takano relaxes when she sees that it is just Rika. She playfully scolds Rika as being bad for scaring them; Rika innocently informs that those who open the forbidden Saiguden are even worse.
Jirō looks embarrassed while Takano looks disappointed. Takano pleads that she wants to look inside not out of just curiosity but for academic reasons. Rika holds up the key, and Takano's eyes widen. Rika happily offers to let her in.
"Cute?" Do not be fooled!
Takano goes full chibi in her excitement to the surprise of Jirō.
Not Shown: Miyo "Tripping Balls" . . . probably
Rika promises that she will let her in with a "Nipaa~!" Anime stars appear in Takano's eyes as she transforms back into a spinning and squealing chibi. A translucent semi-chibi Hanyū laments the loss of her image of Takano. In her Adult Voice, Rika agrees. As the still chibi Takano rubs herself against the door, a normal Jirō asks Rika if she is sure. "Of course," she happily replies, if they listen to her request. Still squealing Chibi Takano promises to listen to all of her requests.
The door opens to reveal the interior. Normal, but still blushing, Takano rushes in to gaze on the statue of Oyashiro-sama, "made by humans and raised to holy status by fear!" She celebrates how it was erected to honor the fear of him rather than his miracles: "Genuine fear is what controls people!" She continues as she gazes over the various torture instruments that the blood and torture created Oyashiro-sama.
Hanyū reacts to Takano's claims about Oyashiro-sama
Behind her, a translucent Hanyū stamps her feet as she yells "That's not true!" repeatedly. She then begins stamping hard as she screams, "I hate you Takano!"
The doors close suddenly. Takano and Jirō turn to see that Rika closed them. She reminds them of their promise to listen to her. As they listen seriously, Rika reveals that the two of them will die on the night of Watanagashi.
Back in the Irie Clinic, Takano and Jirō convey Rika's story to a surprised Irie. Irie suspects that Rika could have a form of paranoia with the symptoms escalating. Takano disagrees: "But, those eyes were pragmatic." Jirō and Takano agree that they should increase security, but Jirō asks how they will explain this to "Tokyo." Irie agrees it will be difficult, and Takano summarizes the problem thusly: "The question is whether or not to mobilize the Yamainu based on the words of a child."
That night Rika and Hanyū sit on the step before the Furude Shrine's saisen. Hanyū wonders if Takano and Jirō will really keep their promise. Rika gives it a "50-50 chance," but feels that she has no choice but to believe them. Looking at her feet, Rika declares that she needs more strength to contest Fate.
In Okinomiya, Keiichi collects items with all of the girls, including Shion, from Yoshirō's store. Rena playfully suggests that maybe they should take everything. Yoshirō begs for leniency. He turns to seek Ōishi Kuraudo's agreement; Ōishi reminds him with a laugh that not having restraint is "a privilege of the young." Mion and Shion look at Ōishi disapprovingly. Mion rhetorically asks how the "Almighty Policeman" can slack off. To her irritation, he happily replies that it is his day off. Behind her, a translucent Hanyū cringes and remarks, "As always, she's not getting along with Ōishi."
Sitting with Yoshirō at a table, Ōishi suggests that they play Chin Chiro Rin to pass the time as he looks back at Keiichi and the girls. Shion explains to Satoko who asks that it is a gambling dice game. Ōishi offers that if they beat him he will reveal "that hidden gem you seek." Yoshirō protests. Ōishi holds out his small black "top-quality ebony" dice. Keiichi offers to take up the challenge. Yoshirō explains that Ōishi gets to choose what he must roll, and Keiichi comically falls. As Mion's eyes narrow, Ōishi promises to award the win if the challenger can achieve three 1s three times in a row. He offers to teach Mion how to roll the dice. Mion accepts his challenge.
A white van pulls to a stop outside the store.
Mion successfully rolls three 1s on her first and second throw.
Ōishi imagines Mion as a Popular Dice Roller When They Cry Wiki approves.
As she prepares to throw again, Ōishi compliments her and suggests if she played on the gambling floors, she would be "rather popular." Mion does not appreciate his teasing. Nevertheless, she throws the third set of three 1s successfully. Ōishi heartily congratulates her, and, blushing, Mion thanks him. In her Adult Voice, Rika remarks that for Ōishi to get along with the rest means they are in a "strange world." Hanyū agrees.
Akasaka Mamoru suddenly enters the store, and Ōishi apologizes for forgetting to pick him up at the train station. Rika slowly approaches him and asks if he is who she thinks he is. He greets her by remarking how she has grown, and she replies that he has become "more manly." Ōishi is surprised, as is Mion and the rest, that the two know one another. Rika asks why he returned to Hinamizawa, and he responds that he left his daughter with his parents and came with his wife on a vacation. Rika is surprised to hear him say "wife," and he explains that Rika saved her. He repeats her warning that if he does not return to Tōkyō, "something bad will happen."
In a flashback, he rushes to the hospital in time to catch his wife before she left to walk to the rooftop. Later, a worker slips and gets injured on the roof stairs.
Looking at the sunset, Rika declares in her Adult Voice that, "There is nothing that is decided." She stands outside the store with Hanyū and notes that Akasaka believed her warning which saved Yukie's life. She hopes Akasaka will become an ally. Ever a bucket of joy and optimism, Hanyū reminds that they remain uncertain whether or not Takano and Jirō will keep their promise.
Furude Hanyū The Bottomless Pit of Joy and Optimism!
She fears that Rika will only notice the "good" and be betrayed in the end.
Rika suddenly decides to "try it." She runs to the line of motorbikes and starts kicking one while a panicked Hanyū "Auu~ Auu~"s. On cue, the Motorcycle Gang appears. Undaunted, Rika merely looks back at them with a snearing smile. Three men in the Grey Uniforms approach from behind and "convince" the gang to flee. Even Hanyū is surprised. As she walks home, the white van follows her. As Rika rhetorically asks Hanyū if she is satisfied that she is protected, the passenger, who identifies himself as "Nightingale," radios "Egret" to report that their target now travels on safe ground. "Egret" congratulates him and instructs him to continue guarding her.
As she walks, Rika declares that she now has the pieces to defeat Fate. Hanyū stops and says to herself that "this time will end in failure again" then disappears. Rika continues walking with a smile, declaring that she is no longer scared and will escape her curse.
Teaser[]
Chibi Hanyū eagerly announces Comiket. Chibi Rika suddenly remarks that she would like seeing Keiichi act as a pitcher to Ōishi as catcher. Chibi Hanyū responds with a confused "Ha-au?" After Chibi Rika introduces the next episode, Chibi Hanyū remarks:
In previous arcs, Rena's Father remains unemployed and lives of the sizable "consolation money" Rena's Mother paid him for her adultery.
In arcs where Rena's father falls in love with Mamiya Rina, she tries to throw out all of the things Rena brought home and replace it with furniture she makes Rena's father pay for.
Unlike in previous arcs, Rena talks to a friend about her difficulties and avoids the tragedy. Does it lead to another tragedy? Spoilers. Arg.
For most arcs Ōishi primarily serves as an irritant to one or all of the Club members.
Akasaka first meets Rika in Himatsubushi-hen. As is now clear, Rika had lived that reality before, knew who Akasaka was, and also knew that his wife dies of an accident in the hospital while she is pregnant. In Reunion, which serves as the epilogue to Tsumihoroboshi-hen, his daughter survives the accident. In the manga adaptation of the next arc, Rika somehow reaches an Akasaka who lost both his wife and unborn daughter in the accident.
Trivia[]
Déjà vu: the opposite of which is, of course, vújà de, Jamais vu. Keiichi does say "déjà vu."
How Lucky is Mion?:
Probability of rolling a 1 on a 6-sided die is 1/6 so for all three dice = 1/6 X 1/6 X 1/6 = 1/216
Probability to do that three times in a row is 1/216 X 1/216 X 1/216 = 1/10,077,696
To put it another way, if Mion rolls the dice every five seconds it will take her about 583 years to roll all of the possible combinations, assuming no bathroom breaks. . . . Rika is still unimpressed.
Cultural References[]
Auction: The things they clean include a figurine of the famous Edvard Munch work The Scream, a hockey mask similar to the one made popular by JasonJason, and a baseball bat.
Rika uses the same terminology of seme (攻め) and uke (受け). Chibi Rika appears to be a Fujoshi (腐女子) . . . not, that there is anything wrong with it. . . .
Memorable Moments[]
Keiichi, Rena, and Shion recall parts of their lives in previous arcs.
Chibi Takano
Quotes[]
"He's probably all suspicious since you brought it." – Shion
"Man, you're weird, Kei-chan!" – Mion
"But the dream seemed so real." – Rena
"Even I wouldn't have known without you telling me that you felt this cornered." – Mion to Rena
"Just now, my image of Takano . . . flew out the window." – Hanyū
"Same here. It feels like the usually strong 'Takano' stock just crashed into the slumps." – Rika
"I'm sure, the blood and torture shaped and yielded this god!" – Takano
"Even so, this time will end in failure again." – Hanyū
