Chapter 1: chapter 1
Chapter Text
Suou Tatsuya POV
The woman was hanging upside down on the telephone pole lifelessly, Dojima had a gloomy face, and felt very bad, and it had been a long time since such a bad case had occurred.
It took some time for the police officers to move the body to the ground, Suou Tatsuya walked to the body, fiddled with it a few times, covered the cloth back, and said to Dojima with a calm expression: "There is no obvious trauma." As they spoke, there was a retching sound behind the two of them.
The two followed the sound and saw Adachi bending over, "Suou Tatsuya, you are so bold, the first time you saw the corpse, you directly touched it." Adachi slowly came over to see the two looking at him, and couldn't help but joke with Suou Tatsuya, trying to divert Dojima's attention, but failed, he was still scolded by Dojima.
Hearing Adachi's words, Suou Tatsuya doesn’t speak, his eyes looked to the side, and his right hand kept rubbing the lighter in his pocket.
Narukami POV
Today is the second day of new school, Narukami sat in his seat, thinking about the figure he saw on TV last night, looking like Konishi Saki, the senior sister Hanamura liked in June yesterday.
He didn't notice a person walking next to him, and he didn't react until the person made a sound.
“Narukami Yu, right? I'm Kurosu Jun, your Japanese teacher.” The other party greeted him with a smile.
The man who called himself Kuro Jun-beard looked about the same age as them, but the buttoned clothes showed that the other party was not a student, he was only a little taller than Amagi, who had just met Narukami, with fair skin, black hair long enough to cover his left eye, a rare red pupil, a mechanical watch on his right hand, and a flower pinned to his chest.
"Isn't the teacher really a star?" Narukami asked.
No wonder Narukami said this, this teacher is indeed amazing, and Narukami has only seen such a beautiful person on TV before.
Narukami's straightforward words made Kurosu raise his eyebrows, and he shook his head to deny this, "Thank you, Narukami, but the teacher is not a star yet." After saying that, he gave the flowers in his pocket to Narukami, "This is a spring flower, which has the meaning of a new beginning, Narukami." After saying that, he returned to the podium. As soon as I stood on the podium, the class bell rang.
After class, Kurosu didn't stop much and left the classroom directly. Narukamitalked about his ability to enter the TV yesterday with friends, because Amagi had something to do at home, so only the three of them went to June' electronic area.
"Are you really here?" Hanamura was a little speechless, he thought Narukami and Satonaka were just talking.
After that, the disappointed prince's bad luck attacked, and the three of them were accidentally thrown into the TV by Satonaka.
Amagi POV
Although she really wanted to be with them, she sent an email at home, and the police wanted to come to her hotel to investigate, so Yukiko had to go home alone.
Now asking her opposite Yukiko is Officer Suou Tatsuya, tall and strong, brown hair and red eyes, tanned brown skin, and the whole person is very oppressive. Yukiko was very impressed with him, after all, in a small place like Eighty Inaba, no one would notice a handsome guy riding a heavy motorcycle. But other than this, I don't know much, I only know that the other party has only moved here in the past few years.
"So, you didn't see Mayumi Himayama go out, did you?" Yukiko shook her head in denial, Suou Tatsuya groaned, and then let people leave without asking any more questions.
Suou Tatsuya POV
After asking people, Suou Tatsuya leaned against the wall, keeping playing the lighter in his hand, Suou Tatsuya felt that there was nothing to investigate in the hotel, the anchor's room was not messy, obviously knew that she was an acquaintance in the area, the courier could not enter the guest room area at all, he could only start with interpersonal relationships, but the victim's interpersonal relationships were messy, and it would take a long time to investigate this point alone.
Thinking that a similar case happened again today, and he would have to work overtime in the future, Suou Tatsuya couldn't help but support his forehead and his face darkened.
At this moment, Adachi, who was fishing on the side, saw it, "What's wrong, Suou Tatsuya -San, with a painful look." Adachi put his arm on Suou Tatsuya 's shoulder.
"We will definitely work overtime in the future, Adachi, not only me, but also you." Suou Tatsuya shook off Adachi, and as soon as he heard "overtime", Adachi, who was originally smiling, immediately turned into a bitter face, "Originally, I was going to resign after the end of this semester, but as soon as this case came out, I don't know when the bureau would let me leave." Akatsuki is Suou Tatsuya 's son, and Adachi knows him, a 10-year-old boy with curly black hair.
"No, Suou Tatsuya, don't you want to be a police officer?"
"Of course I want to, that's my dream when I was a child." Suou Tatsuya was a little melancholic when he mentioned this expression, "But .......”
"But Akira can't stay in the countryside all the time, and Jun." When it comes to his family, Suou Tatsuya 's always plain face shows a gentle smile.
"Okay, let's not talk about this." Suou Tatsuya changed back to his expressionless appearance, he put the lighter back in his pocket, "Jun just sent me a message, asking me when I would be back, how Adachi came to my house for dinner?" He said seriously that he was not pulling people to skip work.
Obviously it was not the first time for the two, Adachi didn't think about it and agreed directly, the two looked around, saw that no one was paying attention to them, and instantly got into the police car parked outside the hotel, and when Dojima found that the two were not there, he could only see the exhaust of the car outside the door.
"Adachi! Suou! You two bastards! Dojima's angry voice echoed in the sky.
Adachi POV
On the first day Adachi was transferred from the city to Inaba, in addition to recognizing his boss Dojima, he was instructed by Dojima to take care of his senior, Suou Tatsuya, who was the same as him, even more unlucky than him, and was forced to come from the city to this unlucky guy in the countryside where birds do not lay eggs.
Adachi and Suou Tatsuya have known each other for several years, Suou Tatsuya will occasionally invite him to dinner at home like Dojima, compared to the Dojima‘ house, Suou Tatsuya makes him feel more comfortable, which is probably because of his peers who sympathize with each other and cherish each other, in front of Suou Tatsuya , Adachi can find someone to vent his inner dissatisfaction wantonly.
Suou Tatsuya is a serious and serious guy on the surface, but in fact, he will be regarded as a monster in this countryside than Adachi, who is full of complaints.
The police all knew that Suou Tatsuya had married, but they didn't know that Suou Tatsuya was a short man, and his son was not his own son, but adopted. A gay family, once this alone spreads, their family doesn't know how much gossip they will receive in this closed countryside, especially when Suou Tatsuya 's lover is not mentally unstable.
Suou Tatsuya 's family is far away from the town, and few people in the bureau know where he lives, anyway, it is far from the police station, and the two-story small house is a little gray, but fortunately, the flowers on the periphery make it look not so shabby.
"I'm back." Adachi followed Suou Tatsuya and entered the door.
"Welcome back. The short man mentioned above stood at the door to greet them, and the other party saw Adachi and smiled at him, "Ah, I haven't seen you for a long time, Adachi-San.”
To be honest, Suou Tatsuya 's partner is very beautiful, and Adachi sighed in his heart when he first saw him a few years ago, even more beautiful than that bitch in the mountains.
Alas, why can't the other party be a woman?
Adachi glanced at Suou Tatsuya 's physique and secretly compared it. Forget it, it's better to keep it for yourself, I still like women.
Adachi skillfully looked away before the two kissed, he didn't want to eat dog food, he had to keep his stomach to eat Suou Tatsuya 's meal, which tasted comparable to the high-end restaurant he had eaten in the city.
"Pap, Dad, I'm hungry-" The son sat in the restaurant and called out, urging the adults not to stay at the door. The two who were glued together separated.
"So, is there any wine this time?"
"Adachi, we don't let wine in our house. Suou Tatsuya indifferently pinched Adachi's delusion.
"Alas——! How so! Suou Tatsuya! Just a little! ”
Hanamura POV
The school suddenly held a school-wide meeting on Friday, everyone was present, and Hanamura was still fiddling with his mobile phone, and his movements gradually became flustered.
Sister Konishi hasn't replied to him for a long time, obviously, obviously, he successfully gave away movie tickets on Wednesday, and the two went to the movie together.
Unpleasant memories of the past that he thought had been forgotten swept over, and Hanamura thought that since he moved to Inaba, the guy he used to think was a friend no longer contacted him, as if he really played with him because he was the son of Manager Junis. Hanamura didn't want to admit it, he didn't want Sister Konishi to be such a person.
Narukami POV
The content of the school meeting is simple, but it is terrifying, and Saki Konishi, a third-year student, is murdered. Narukami looked at Hanamura in front of him, his hand that was still scratching the screen froze, although he didn't shout, but the whole person was filled with sadness.
After the school meeting, it was gray and raining, and few students passing by were not discussing the news they had just learned. Amagi still went back to the house in advance, Narukami and Satonaka didn't say anything, just silently followed behind Hanamura, Satonaka wanted to comfort Hanamura, but the words were held back for a long time and couldn't come out. They all knew that Hanamura liked Saki Konishi very much, but they didn't expect such a thing to happen.
But fortunately, Hanamura still cheered up, he believed that the death of the senior sister was related to the Midnight Channel and was determined to investigate the senior sister's case. The three of them are going to go to Junias after school and go back in from the last TV.
Before they set off, Mr. Kurosu, who had impressed Narukami, stopped Hanamura.
"Hanamura-San, wait, I want to talk to you. Hanamura stopped, obediently pulled aside by Kurosu, the two didn't know what to say, Narukami glanced at the longer inside, she was as confused as herself, and the two had to peek at them.
Then, they saw Hanamura, who was pretending to be calm in front of them, crying in front of Kurosu, Kurosu handed the handkerchief to Hanamura, Hanamura wiped his tears, and curled up in the arms of a man who was thinner than him, and after a few minutes, he left, calmed down his good mood, Kurosu said a few more words to Hanamura that should be comforting, and was about to leave, he noticed the two voyeur eyes on the side, just smiled at them, pushed Hanamura towards his friend, turned around and left.
"Hanamura, what is Mr. Kurosu talking to you? Satonaka was curious, pointing to Hanamura's red eyes and asked.
Hanamura hesitated and refused to say, only saying, "The teacher came to comfort me because of the death of my senior sister.”
"Teacher Kurosu is really good, and he did what Moroka should do. "Satonaka likes the Japanese teacher in their class very much, exactly, there should be few people in the whole school who don't like Mr. Kurosu. Narukami thought about it and hugged Hanamura, which made Hanamura jump a big way.
"Narukami! What are you doing! Hanamura's face was slightly red, and he began to speak incoherently.
"I think it won't take long for Hanamura to hug Teacher Kurosu, isn't it because he likes to comfort you like this? Narukami let go, and his innocent face looked at Hanamura with doubts.
"Hey! It turns out that Hanamura, do you like to make yourself comforted like this? Satonaka listened to Narukami's words, took two steps back, and looked at Hanamura in disbelief.
"What! It is not like this! Narukami! You guy!”
Chapter 2
Notes:
I was late for a long time, I found a friend to help me instead of relying on the computer, she was a little busy, and she was too rigorous, and even prepared for the review. I'm really not very good at writing about everyday life.
And,I was wrong ,his name is Suo,not Suou.I don not understand the difference.
Chapter Text
Suo's POV
Months had passed since the two murders with zero progress from the police. Cause of death unknown, no leads, no suspects — nothing. Suo had suggested putting Nikaido, who'd been having that affair with Mayumi, on the list. The guy lost his job over the scandal; resentment was motive enough.
The cases were stone-cold dead. In the meantime, they were swamped with a bunch of bullshit missing people reports that popped up every now and then. Morale at the precinct was in the gutter because the ‘victims’ would waltz back a few days later, claiming to the cops that nobody had kidnapped them. A complete waste of manpower. Everyone was running on fumes, Suo included. Three months of high-stakes work, plus babysitting the new transfer — the so-called ‘Detective Prince,’ Shirogane Naoto. He barely made it home before midnight most days.
No good news today, either. Another body. Jun's colleague this time, a high school teacher named Moroka Kinshiro.
The killer had the gall to leave a taunting message at the scene, mocking the cops as a bunch of useless slackers.
The drive from the station to the crime scene was made in suffocating silence. Suo's face was a thundercloud. Even Adachi in the passenger seat kept his mouth shut for once, unusually solemn.
The victim was strung up on a utility pole again, but everything else was off. Way off. For starters, the scene was practically littered with clues compared to the first two.
Bastard had to go after a teacher from the local high, Suo cursed inwardly. He had a strong hunch this was a copycat. The work was sloppy, amateurish — nothing like the first two.
After the preliminary sweep, Suo was ready to head to the victim's school. "Suo-san, tread carefully when we get there," Adachi murmured. Suo took a slow, controlled breath, his thumb rubbing absently over his lighter. "I know."
The school was less than thrilled about another police visit. Bad for their pristine reputation. And with finals week breathing down everyone's necks, cops poking around would just spread panic among the students and faculty.
Mitsuo Kubo's POV
Finals week. Mitsuo had ditched his own exams and crept over to the school of that girl, Amagi Yukiko, the one who'd shot him down. Hiding in the shadows, he watched the high school girls mill about after their tests, that old rejection still festering inside him. A twinge of fear remembering the scary guy she was with made him shrink back into his corner, his eyes continuing their hungry crawl.
Then he saw him. That teacher. The one who’d warned him. Just the sight made something ugly and hot coil in Mitsuo's chest.
One interaction, months ago, but Mitsuo remembered that sanctimonious face as clearly as he remembered Moroka's — the one he’d already taken care of.
The day after Mitsuo had poured his heart out to a girl he liked, he was waiting for her after school when this teacher dragged him out. His crush and her friends were walking right behind the guy. After a humiliating lecture, the teacher had security throw him out. Right in front of them. In front of her.
The bastard who’d made him lose face.
Mitsuo's face twisted, features contorting into a snarl. Fire seemed to blaze behind his eyes as he fixed a death glare on the teacher. The impulse surged, wild and intoxicating: Do it. Kill him. You’ve done it once. What’s once more? It’d make him even more famous.
The thought took root, spreading like a stain. Watching his target, Mitsuo fantasized about the man begging for mercy at his feet. An uncontrollable, nasty grin stretched across his face.
Then, he saw a police officer jogging toward the teacher — the teacher whose name he’d just mentally added to his list. Cold fear doused the heat in his veins. Please don't let him remember me. Empty-handed, Mitsuo scrambled away in a blind panic. It was only late at night, long after students, teachers, and cops had vanished, that he dared slink back for the video camera he’d abandoned.
Rain tapped against his window that night. Fired up, Mitsuo logged onto a forum and proudly declared himself the serial killer. He was met with ridicule, called an attention-seeking clown. Bastards! He slammed a fist on his desk in frustration. Muttering curses, he browsed the footage he’d shot that day.
His frustration vanished, replaced by a jolt of vicious glee. There, in the video, was something perfect. Something that could ruin that damn teacher in this backwater town, make him taste disgrace long before his death.
Knock knock.
The sound from the door jerked him from his thoughts. Annoyed, Mitsuo yelled, "Who is it?!" He set the device down and went to answer.
A figure in a yellow raincoat stood at the doorway, face obscured. Then, darkness swallowed him.
"Oh, Suo-san. I did warn you to be careful." He made sure to wipe the computer clean before pocketing the tape and slipping away.
Investigation Team's POV
The Saturday after exams found most of the Investigation Team slumped in a booth at June's. Aside from Narukami and Yukiko, the air was thick with despair.
"Why do we even have to learn English?" Rise moaned, resting her forehead on the table. "Can't we just hire translators?"
"That's... not really the point, is it?" Kanji muttered, equally defeated. His grades were in the same sinking boat.
Yosuke was a boneless puddle on the table, only stirring when Yukiko asked about Teddie.
"Isn't he crashing at your place, Yosuke?" Chie asked, her energy also depleted.
"Yeah... I let him stay. In return, he works here as the mascot." They all glanced over at Teddie, who was cheerfully handing out balloons to a group of kids nearby. Spotting them, Teddie trotted over, hopeful. "Is it time for some beary special flirting?"
"Don't start with that," Yukiko said, her expression darkening.
The conversation drifted, eventually landing on mixers and, inevitably, their deceased homeroom teacher, Moroka. Kurosu had taken over Class 2-2. Even Yosuke, who'd hated the guy, felt a pang talking about his death. He hadn't deserved to go out like that.
"Let's find the culprit," Narukami stated, his voice firm.
Yosuke nodded immediately, "I'm in—" but was cut off by a familiar, cool voice.
"Unnecessary. The police appear to have already identified a suspect."
They turned to see Shirogane Naoto standing behind them, watching the group with an unreadable expression.
Shirogane's suspicion of the Investigation Team was still palpable. Accusations flew — treating the case like a game, trivializing the gravity of it all. Yosuke vehemently denied it, while Shirogane's retort held a bitter edge.
"It is somewhat lonely... only being of interest to others when I am needed. Though, I am accustomed to it." Shirogane delivered the line with a flat neutrality. "I shall take my leave." With that, they turned and walked away.
"You..." Kanji watched the solitary figure retreat, a sudden, sharp ache of sympathy in his chest.
After Shirogane left, the group resumed their discussion.
"If what they said is true... we might not get to gather like this anymore," Yukiko said softly.
Narukami's expression flickered for a split second, a crack in his calm facade he quickly smoothed over before anyone noticed.
Rain fell on Tuesday as they walked to school. Narukami suggested checking the TV World again. Unfortunately, another face had appeared on the Midnight Channel.
Shirogane Naoto's POV
"Naoto. It's late. Time to go home."
Naoto didn't look up from the case files, their focus unwavering even as a hand reached down and plucked the papers from their grasp. Their eyes widened, shooting upward. "Suo-san, please. A little longer." They kept their tone respectful, trying to reclaim the documents.
It was Detective Suo. Unlike most at the station, he actually listened to Naoto's deductions. He respected her input, and his own investigative skills were sharp. Naoto, in turn, held a genuine respect for him — a rarity. They'd worked together to close the Moroka case.
"Naoto. It's late. You need to go home."
"But the first two cases—"
Suo remained unmoved by Naoto's stubborn stare. "Once a case is closed and a suspect is in custody, that's police work. You need a break too, Naoto." He rubbed his tired eyes, filing the documents away. He waited until Naoto had truly left before heading to his motorcycle.
Even away from the station, the case nagged at Naoto. They'd identified Mitsuo Kubo, but the boy had vanished. The prevailing theory was that he'd fled. Naoto knew it wasn't over. Their place was here.
Yosuke Hanamura's POV
"Yu!"
"Yu!"
"Snap out of it,man!"
The frantic shouts from below were nearly drowned out by the sounds of battle. Yosuke was calling for him, voice tight with panic. After Mitsuo Kubo's denial, his Shadow had erupted. Yu had been hit by some kind of mental attack from the infant-like Shadow and slumped, unconscious. The others were fighting, buying Yosuke time.
Thankfully, Yu came to after just a few minutes. Jiraiya caught them, flying them back down to solid ground.
"You okay?" Yosuke asked, his hand still on Yu's arm. He had no idea what Yu had just been through in those minutes, only that he seemed… shaken. Yosuke thought of how Jun-sensei had comforted him in the past and tried to channel that same steady presence. For the first time, their unshakeable leader, the guy who sometimes felt like he was holding himself together by sheer will, had a crack in his armor. And what showed through wasn't strength, but a raw, human vulnerability.
"Thanks, Yosuke." Yu's hand gripped Yosuke's tightly, as if afraid he'd let go. It hurt a little, but Yosuke didn't pull away.
Back with the team, the relief at Yu's return was palpable. With him leading again, they made short work of Mitsuo Kubo's Shadow.
The real Mitsuo Kubo, once conscious, was just confused. The accusation that he was the killer seemed to barely register at first.
"So… you're the one behind all this?"
The words finally seemed to sink in. He didn't defend himself. Instead, a strange, light laugh escaped him, and he almost seemed eager to claim it. "Yeah. That's right. It was me. All of it!" As he spoke the words, his Shadow dissolved completely. To the very end, he refused to accept it.
Outside June, a crowd gathered to watch the murderer being led away. Even in the back of the police car, Mitsuo Kubo couldn't stop laughing. He'd gotten the attention he craved.
"With this… it's finally over," Yu said. And for the first time, the words didn't taste like fear.
Investigation Team's POV
A few days later, during another get-together, Rise finally asked the question. "So, Yu… what happened when you were out?"
Yu's expression didn't change. "Nothing happened."
"Really?" Rise blinked in surprise.
"Sensei really is special, kuma!" Teddie chimed in.
"I guess… now that the case is over, we won't need our Personas anymore," Kanji said, a hint of melancholy in his voice.
"And we won't have reasons to meet up like this," Yukiko added, her tone similarly downcast.
Yu was quiet for a moment, lost in thought. Then, he straightened up. "No. Let's keep hanging out."
Yosuke, who’d been watching him closely, broke into a grin. "Duh. Obviously." The others quickly agreed — they had the whole summer to plan. This friendship wasn't like the fleeting ones Yu had known before. Yu looked at Yosuke, and the genuine, easy smile on Yosuke's face felt like sunlight breaking through clouds.
Yosuke. Yu repeated the name silently in his mind. Thank you.
Suo's POV
"Never thought our fugitive would turn up at a crowded place like June, huh, Suo-san?" Adachi stood beside Suo outside the interrogation room. Inside, Dojima was grilling the captured Mitsuo Kubo, who was confessing to everything. The motive? He just wanted attention.
"What a pathetic reason, don't you think?" Adachi remarked. Suo merely raised an eyebrow, his face an impassive mask. That changed when they asked Mitsuo where he'd been hiding. The question about his disappearance made the color drain from Suo's face, leaving him corpse-pale.
Mitsuo claimed he'd come out of a TV. He babbled about a double, monsters, a maze-like place. The other officers wrote it off as the ravings of a disturbed kid. But for Suo, it was a key turning in a lock he thought was sealed forever. Memories, sharp and visceral, flooded back. The sky choked with military jets, the staccato rhythm of gunfire in the streets, the cacophony of panicked crowds, the grief for fallen comrades… and Him. That invisible, ineffable presence that had been weaving a web around him since birth. Nyarlathotep.
"You will never escape me, Tatsuya. Even if you defeat me this time, I will not vanish. I will not release you… not until you yield more exquisite terror and despair. Hahahaha—!"
Suo's jaw clenched so tight his teeth ached. A chill, deeper than any winter, seeped into his bones. It took every ounce of his control to stay still.
"Suo? You, okay? You look like hell." Adachi, who had been about to crack another joke, took a step back at the icy aura suddenly radiating from his partner.
Had it found him? Had it all been for nothing? Suo could not focus on Adachi's words, his mind reeling.
Mitsuo Kubo was led out of the room. Passing Suo, he stopped. Under the officer's impatient tug, he scrutinized Suo's face and then… smiled. A knowing, ugly little smile. "Oh. It's you."
"What do you mean by that?" Suo snapped back to the present, every sense on high alert. His gut screamed that this kid knew something he should not.
"Nothing. Was that teacher fun?" Mitsuo Kubo tossed out the bizarre question and let himself be led away. Suo and Adachi intuitively knew who he meant.
White-hot rage, immediate and obliterating, pushed all thoughts of Shadows and ancient gods from Suo's mind. He moved faster than anyone could react.
"What did you say?!" His fist connected with Mitsuo Kubo's face with a sickening crunch. Blood sprayed from the boy's nose, a tooth clattering to the precinct floor. A howl of agony filled the air, drawing stares from everyone outside.
The others were frozen in shock. It took several officers to finally haul Suo off the now-unconscious kid. The sheer brutality of the attack left any would-be questioners silent, quickly moving to separate the two.
The incident earned Suo a blistering reprimand from Dojima and a mandatory suspension.