....I failed.

I try and I try. But no matter how hard I try, everything just falls apart. I attempt to break through Fate, only to fail. Could it be that I was destined to fail? Each and every time I try? Let's find out by trying again. But what would happen if I should fail? Should I try yet again? Or should I stop trying, thus preventing the fate where I fail? It's like a house of cards. Every card you use builds. Things work at first, if you're able to complete the beginning. But as you go further on, things get harder for everything to maintain its stability. One wrong move, and all of your hard work has just shattered before your eyes. In the end, it seems to be the better move to not begin that house of cards at all.

No....

By not trying, I have already failed.

I remember the words that someone I knew once said: "Fate isn't set in stone. You have to take it into your own hands." By seeing his will to fight, I wanted to keep fighting as well, beside everybody. In another Hinamizawa, a friend made a mistake where she couldn't come to her friends for help. But he stood by her side, and everyone helped eachother. They stayed together. They kept believing in her, right until the very end. The end, where the entire world was destined to fail.

What was the mistake we made this time? I wonder if it was when we stopped believing that she was alive. I wonder if it was when we failed to see that something was wrong in her life. I wonder if it was when we failed to provide the happiness that surely would've outweighed her grief. Or maybe....that in itself was it? Did we let her become too happy, so that when she fell, she fell harder than anybody else?

...that's right.

It's because we let her and him become close. We failed to see the relationship those two had formed. And so when she became broken, he became broken as well. This worlds house of cards was doomed to fail right from the start. If they hadn't become close, then someone wouldn't have been broken, either. In an attempt to repair what was beginning to break, it only widened the cracks. And eventually, everything just crumbled.

I wonder if there is a world where they can become happy, together, without starting any cracks. If there is such a world, then maybe...God will answer my pleas. God has always been there right by my side, watching as I played my role in this twisted game. God has always been there to reset the game should I have lost. But now, God is becoming weak. The chances of this next world being a happy one are getting slimmer and slimmer. If there is such a world, shouldn't we have come across it already? Or maybe such a world doesn't even exist. If that's true, then we've just been playing to the Devil's tune, acting out the parts He has set for us in hopes of making it to the end. But what we never knew was that there was no end. This game is an endless cycle; the game of an endless June, with no light waiting for us. The cries of the higurashi will eventually silence. The heat from the summer will eventually cool. The laughter of children will eventually die. The smiles of everyone I knew will fade. So isn't it better just to end things now?

....oh. It's you.

Once again, you approach me while I sit here in darkness. You must not be expecting anything for me to do; my hands and feet have been bound and I am lying on my back on stone. This stone...it feels familiar. Is this home? I'd ask, but you have silenced my mouth. I doubt you'd answer me anyway; that'd only give me a hint of your identity. My body is cold from the wind, and I hear crickets. It's night? Surely it is, but why is a June night so cold? Oh....I'm bare. What purpose would I have for being bare? Is there something from my body that you need?

You must be a kind person, to allow me to go through this night while I am asleep. I won't feel any pain. I won't even be able tell that I had gone asleep, because I will never wake up. I won't even know who you are.

I remember this now. This is the exact moment I die and begin to restart this damned game. You certainly are a kind person. You keep me entertained, a reason to keep fighting. You run this games rules by your ruthless hand. You control the pieces and manipulate them to change the setting of the board. You turn my own pieces against eachother, sometimes even against me. I don't even know what you look like, you're blended in so well with your side of the board. You must find this fun for you to make me want to keep playing.

You disgust me.

What's that? Something metallic and sharp has just pierced my skin. Something warm and sticky is running down my body....blood? Am I bleeding now? My throat....it's....open.... Is this how I die? Quick and painlessly? Then I'll hold on, just a few seconds longer, to say farewell. I love you, my friends. I love you all so very much. I love this town where we can live happily, at least for a little bit. I've had a lot of fun with you all, playing in the club and being together. Your smiles lifted me up, and almost made me forget this tragic end that was just waiting to happen. I will cherish each and every one of you, forever. If you somehow find me dead, don't be sad. I'll see you all again, in another world. Then we'll have the fun that we've always had this past 100 years. We'll have fun, until we die again. I'll make our last moments count, and I'll keep fighting for our sake. See you all soon.

Good-bye.

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It's June, 1983. The town of Hinamizawa. Every year, at the beginning of summer, the town had a special festival called the "Watanagashi", or cotton-drifting. The festival was to celebrate the ending of winter and beginning of spring, and as such, to celebrate the renewal of everybody's spirit. The cotton is pure, and soaks up the bad things inside a person's body, so that the person can live on healthily through the year. Before the actual cotton-drifting, however, there were a bunch of stands with food and games and the like, and everybody had a good time. It really was one of the most important days in the lives of the people of Hinamizawa. Rena's group of friends would naturally go together to the festival, as they did last year. But this year, she wanted to do something different. Upon arriving at the meeting spot, the excitement couldn't keep her still. It couldn't keep her patient. In her impatience and anticipation, she completely skipped the meeting spot and dashed down the road towards his house. The moment she made it to her destination, the front door opened and a boy walked out. Keiichi Maebara. The "new guy" in town.

"Rena? You're certainly here early." he stated, a bit surprised by the change in routine. Rena merely grinned and giggled a little "hehe".

"Well, that's because I wanted to talk to Keiichi-kun about something." she said, all bubbly and happy. He smiled and stepped towards her.

"Alright, but we're going to have to talk on the way to school. We don't want to be late." he reminded her. She nodded in understandment, and the two strolled back down the road, side by side. A light, pink blush covered Rena's face. She looked down, and stammered a little.

"Uhh, K-Keiichi-kun..." she muttered. This caught his attention, and he glanced over at her with a "hmm?".

"Uhm... I was wondering..." she paused, then stepped in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. She looked up at him, her face blushing even more now, staring straight into his eyes with determination.

"I was wondering if you--"

"Good morning to you both!" a voice called out from a short distance. Keiichi and Rena both turned their attention to the figure approaching them.

"Rika-chan? Aren't you running a bit late?" Keiichi inquired, blinking with confusion. Rika and Satoko always made it to school extra early. So...why was Rika falling behind?

"Mii~ I overslept a little bit and when I realized the time, I remembered that you two usually come by at this point. Maybe we can all walk to school together?" the little girl asked, grinning innocently. "Sure! I don't see any problem with that!" Keiichi grinned cheekily. Rena was frozen in shock, unable to move or say anything. Rika and Keiichi had taken a few steps forward before noticing how Rena wasn't following. He stopped and turned back towards her.

"Rena? You comin'?" She snapped out of her thoughts, nodded, and hurried back to join them. "Y-Yeah....sorry..."

"So, Rena. What was it you were going to ask?" Keiichi brought up the topic. "Ehh?" Rena looked back at him, surprised he wanted her to finish. Rika listened intently. This was surely it: the moment everything began to go bad. If she had to, she would intervene.

"Oh....about that....well...." Rena glanced away, blushing a little. Rikas grip on her backpack straps grew tighter, anticipating her move. "I was wondering...." Come on, Rena. Say it. Say it so I can stop it.

"...if you could help me dig out the Kenta doll from the dam site."

....what? Did Rena suddenly lose her courage and instead ask him for something else? Or did Rika completely misinterperet and assume that she would ask him to the Watanagashi?

"The Kenta doll? You mean that guy with the white beard that stands in front of that fried chicken place?!" Keiichi asked with disbelief. "Y-Yeah! It's really cute! And, I've tried getting him out myself, but....he's buried under a lot of junk, so..."

"You don't have to explain your reasoning, Rena." He smiled. "You've been taking care of me ever since I moved here. Helping you with your doll is the least I can do." She blushed at hearing his words. Rika couldn't stand hearing this crap. But, she was able to prevent a chaotic world, and that was good enough for her. "I'll be going ahead. See you both at school~!" she giggled, running far ahead of them. "Bye, Rika-chan!" they called back.

"...Keiichi-kun...?" her meek voice broke through her lips which were shut so tightly. "Yeah, Rena?" She paused for a moment before responding.

"...I'm glad that we're friends..." a warm smile shyly appeared on her face, her blush complimenting her smile as she stared up at him nervously. Hearing that made him smile as well. "Yeah...." one hand raised and patted the top of her head, ruffling her hair a little and widening his smile even more so when her blush darkened.

"....friends."

Author's Note

Whew! I finally got this story completed! Thank you to all of you who favorited and reviewed and all that good stuff! The last chapter was really sad, but hopefully this one will brighten up things! And there'll be a sequel called Futarigoroshi-hen, or Couple-Killing chapter. Then there might be another, Usoyurushi-hen, or Lie-Forgiving chapter. Keep an eye out! ^-^

When I started this story, I didn't think it'd be as liked as it is. Since this is not only the first fanfiction I've started but also the first that I've COMPLETED, it makes me happy that I was able to get 15 chapters out of this. It also makes me happy how you guys compare it to the original, and saying that it's almost like it was part of the story. Accuracy is what I aim for, so hearing (err, reading) that made me pleased!

If any of you noticed, in chapter 1, the last line said "...'friends'.". But in this chapter, it just says "...friends.". What does that mean? It means that since he only sees Rena as a friend (due to Rika stopping their mistake), the chances of them becoming a romantic item have slimmed, so no reoccuring tragedy in this scenario! :D

DISCLAIMER (should've done this before....oops.)

Higurashi no Naku Koro ni (c) Ryukishi07/07th Expansion, Alchemist, Studio Deen, Geneon/FuniMation

Kokorogoroshi-hen (c) Yuuaku Hikari

I do not own any of the characters. Just the plot and content. Thank you. :D