Chase The Truth

Chapter 25: Ups and Downs

Begin!

~Normal POV

7/9 - Saturday

It felt like ages waiting for Rise to recover. They couldn't do training in the tv world until she did, since Teddie was still recovering too. Yu spent his time hanging out with the others, and his other school friends to try to relax. He'd even recently gotten acquainted with Saki Konishi's brother, Naoki. If there was ever anyone who was in need of a friend right now, it'd be him. He seemed a little distant but nice too.

Yu had wanted, and considered acting on it multiple times, to visit Rise at the shop. Just to check up on her. But he stopped himself from doing so. He didn't want to look like he was taking advantage of the situation just to spend time with her. No, spending time with her could come after she joined the group. And he was sure she'd be eager to do so. She seemed to enjoy helping them before. He could be patient. Plus, he doubted her grandma would let him do it anyway. Chie and Yukiko said it was an ordeal just finding an excuse to tell her about where they found Rise at all. Best not to make the old lady more suspicious.

He checked the window in his room. There it was, the fog had set in tonight. When the Midnight Channel came on again, he was relieved to see no images of any kind. They had stopped the culprit yet again.

~...

7/10 - Sunday

When Yu woke up the next morning, it wasn't to the sound of his alarm like normal. Police sirens were roaring loudly past his house. That didn't sound good... something must have happened. But what? They saved Rise! After he got dressed, he convinced himself that it must be something unrelated entirely, but that dismissal was interrupted by his phone ringing. This time it was from Chie.

"Hey," Yu answered.

"Did you hear yet?!" Chie shouted, frantically.

"Hear what?"

"They found a dead body just outside the shopping district!"

Yu felt his heart drop into his stomach. "That's impossible! Nothing showed up on the Midnight Channel last night!"

"I don't get it either!" Chie whined. "I mean, we... Look, we're all meeting at Junes. Come over right away!" She hung up.

Yu quickly grabbed his stuff and left the house. (Making sure to not look too frantic in front of Nanako as he left.) The whole time his head was spinning. What on earth could have happened?!

And more importantly, who was the victim...?

~...

He arrived at the special headquarters to find Chie, Yukiko, and Kanji waiting there already. He went to join them at their usual table. They all looked equally as shook up as he was.

"What happened?" Yu asked, immediately. "Do we know anything else yet?"

"We sent Yosuke to check it out," Chie answered. "He should be back soon."

"Good call." Yu said, "It'll be less conspicuous if only one of us shows up nearby."

Right as he said that, they spotted Yosuke running back over to them. He stopped beside the table, panting hard.

"Well? What did you see?" Yukiko asked, worriedly.

"Yeah, it was murder, alright!" Yosuke replied, firmly. "The body was hanging upside down on an apartment's rooftop railing!"

"But... how could that..." Yukiko said, frowning.

"It sounds like our culprit's M.O..." Yu said, "But who was the victim, did you see them? Did anybody mention it?"