Difference between revisions of "The Second Rumor: The Music Room's MF"

Revision as of 19:30, 23 April 2020

The Second Rumor: The Music Room's MF is the third chapter of Twilight Syndrome: Search. This chapter follows Mika Kishii, Yukari Hasegawa and Chisato Itsushima's investigation into the strange goings ons involving the music room of Hinashiro High School as well as the suicide of student Mayumi Fujita and her alleged affair with music teacher Ryuichi Okuno. The premise of this chapter was mentioned in Rumor 0.

Summary

The chapter begins on a rainy afternoon at Hinashiro High School. A voice over the PA system calls for Ryuichi Okuno to head to the music room. The announcements keep going as Mr. Okuno makes his way there. Upon his arrival to the music room he discovers the hanged corpse of M.F.

A few days later a group of female students are discussing the events of that previous day. The music room has been closed since the incident and all students with a music elective are now assigned independent study for the time being. The girls begin to trade rumors that M.F was in a romantic relationship with the music teacher : Ryuichi Okuno. The girls begin to conclude that M.F's suicide was because of her relationship troubles with Okuno.

In the science room Yukari Hasegawa asks Kazuya Kitamura for the keys to the school, Kitamura is initially hesitant as he tells her that he could get into serious trouble if anybody found out. Kitamura voices his concern that he will not be able to become a teacher and accuses Yukari of using him for his position as a student teacher. Yukari continues to pressure him for the keys. The two discuss their vague relationship as Yukari tells him that he made the first move. Kitamura relents and tells Yukari where to find the keys.

Later that night Yukari is once again accompanied by Mika Kishii and Chisato Itsushima as they begin to explore the school after hours. Mika points out that Yukari that she looks depressed and tells her to accept the fact that M.F was dating Okuno. Yukari tells Mika that she heard rumors of Okuno and M.F's relationship being physical at the school. Mika teases Yukari for believing a rumor but Yukari rebuffs her. She explains that even if it isn't true it is unacceptable for him to teach at their school. Yukari declares that she is only there to debunk the rumor as she is also anxious about her relationship with Kitamura.

The rain continues to pour as the trio make their way closer to the music room. They arrive at the music room and Mika begins to stare at the ceiling. Chisato asks her why and Mika answers morbildy that she is curious where M.F hanged herself. Yukari tells Mika to knock it off and they continue to investigate the room. They inspect the piano in the room, Mika asks Yukari to play something as she took lessons before but Yukari says she doesn't remember how to play anything. Mika then begins to impress Chisato by playing The Flea Waltz. Yukari once again tells Mika to stop messing around. The girls go into Okuno's private prep room. After a cursory examination of the room they fail to find anything related to the affair.

Mika begins to doubt the authenticity of the rumored affair, Chisato suggests that they return at a later date. Yukari however, insists that she can't keep taking the keys to the school every night. Mika suggests asking somebody directly about the affair but Yukari says they wouldn't get any information out of a teacher. Mika however insists on asking M.F, to which Yukari refuses to use a spirit board. Mika tells Yukari that there is another rumor and the trio move back to the music room to hear it.

Mika reveals that M.F's real name is in fact Mayumi Fujita. She tells the others that M.F was a member of the music and broadcasting club that fell in love with Ryuichi Okuno. The two used the school's PA system to arrange secret meetings and to hide the relationship and that M.F made a final broadcast before her suicide. Yukari, annoyed tells Mika that they already knew that but Mika tells her there is more information that she specifically got a hold of. Mika explains that M.F's spirit now haunts the music room and waits for a final broadcast from Okuno. Yukari isn't sure what she means by this so Mika elaborates. She says that they can potentially summon the ghost of M.F by making a broadcast telling her that Mr. Okuno is waiting for her. Yukari questions the morality of lying to a ghost but Mika seems adamant that this is the only way to confirm the rumor.

The trio make their way to the broadcasting room. Yukari unlocks the door and they enter. Yukari notices that she can no longer hear the rain. Mika says it's because the room is soundproofed and speculates that this was where Okuno and M.F had sex. Mika asks Yukari if she heard M.F's final broadcast, Chisato however says that she did. Mika reveals that there is a further rumor regarding the broadcast. She elaborates that Mayumi Fujita may already have been dead when the final broadcast was made. Yukari also says she heard a similar rumor. The girls think it would be impossible for Fujita to have made the broadcast and hanged herself in such a short amount of time. Mika tells Yukari to make the broadcast as she is afraid of getting cursed herself. Mika suggests a game of rock, paper scissors to decide who makes the broadcast but Yukari shoots her down and demands that Mika makes the broadcast since it was her idea in the first place. Yukari shows Mika how to make the broadcast.

Mika says over the intercom "Mayumi Fujita from Class 2-D, Mr. Okuno is calling you." As the girls return to the music room they start to hear a song playing throughout the halls. Yukari asks Chisato if she recognizes the song but Chisato doesn't. She tells Yukari that she has a bad feeling and the trio continues onward. Mika thinks the song is from a band named Proserpine but can't remember the name of the song. Mika makes a recording and suggests the three of them return to the broadcasting room. Yukari ignores her and they press onward to the music room. As they reach the door the music abruptly stops. Upon inspection of the music room they find nothing. Yukari decides that the rumor is false and wants to call it a night but Mika decides to inspect the prep room one last time. She notices that the calendar on the wall is turned to the wrong date and upon removing it finds something written on the wall underneath.

Yesterday I dreamed of you dear teacher... You were a bit cold, but also very kind. You'll come to the choir concert won't you? On the 9th of May I will turn 17! Is it ok... to expect a birthday present from you? I heard a girl bad mouthing you. I threw her shoes in the incinerator. I'm a bad girl... I can already play the song [RAiNY] a little bit. Please teach me some more again, soon, okay? The new girl in class Kaiwai is nice, isn't she? You better not cheat on me with her! I've been waiting for you quite a while here. It started raining but I didn't bring an umbrella! I called out to you through the broadcast. Why are you not coming? Are you avoiding me? That's not fair! You Liar! I can't bring myself to hate you. This is the worst! You should die! Is there no god! Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar!

The trio deduce that Mayumi Fujita wrote this, Yukari though is in disbelief. Mika proudly exclaims that every rumor she finds is true. Yukari gets upset and says that Mika has no idea how M.F must have felt. Mika responds that anybody that felt the way M.F did deserved to be sent to a mental hospital. Yukari and Mika continue to argue for a while until Chisato attempts to breaks them up. Mika tells Yukari that any student that would want to date a teacher is delusional or stupid. Yukari explodes in rage but Chisato manages to calm her down. Their fight is interrupted by a sound coming from the music room, Mika peaks in to investigate.

The piano starts to play again and Mika records it. Chisato urges the group to run and they flee from the room. Yukari asks Chisato if this truly is the ghost of Mayumi Fujita while Mika is separated from the group. Chisato and Yukari begin to search the school for signs of Mika and find her playing the piano in the music room. They are initially relieved but Yukari notices something is off, Mika was only capable of playing the Flea Waltz and is now playing different music. Chisato and Yukari become wary and leave the room only to be confronted by Mika again outside in the hall. Chisato approaches Mika and deduces that she is possessed by the spirit of Mayumi Fujita. Chisato attempts to talk to her and offers her help. Fujita's spirit leaves Mika's body but remains close by. She keeps up her one sided conversation with Fujita, apologizing and asking her what she wants. Chisato begins to get angry and accuses her of wanting to hurt people because she was hurt herself. Suddenly a loud nore from the piano cuts her off.

Yukari reaches out to Fujita and asks her if she loves Okuno. She asks if she is capable of hurting him because of the pain of her love. Yukari continues to say that she could never hurt somebody she loved. Was her love so painful that she wanted to take her own life? Mayumi's spirit mentions a silver moonstone ring before her emotions begin to run wild causing Yukari and Chisato to flee again. Completely out of ideas the two girls try to locate a phone in the school.

Upon reaching one, Yukari calls Ryuichi Okuno. Okuno answers the call and Yukari almost tells him her name. Yukari tries to talk to him but he flatly shuts her down saying he is not in the mood to talk. Yukari lies that she is unfamiliar with the rumors and just wants him to teach her to play piano. Yukari begins a false confession of love to Okuno saying that she has always had feelings for him. Okuno says that he frequently has students confessing to him and his narcissistic tone irritates Yukari greatly. Okuno announces he is going to quit his job and Yukari mentions Mayumi Fujita. Okuno's tone gets serious and he tells Yukari to ask what she wants to ask. Yukari confronts him about his aloof attitude regarding Mayumi. She continues on to say that she is aware of what was written on the wall of the prep room. Okuno denies that Fujita's suicide is his fault and claims he erased all the evidence the previous month. Yukari presses him about their relationship but he repeatedly denies having a relationship with Fujita. Yukari brings up the moonstone ring and Okuno comes clean about the affair. He asks what she wants from him and Yukari demands he comes to the music room to apologize to Fujita. He refuses and hangs up the phone.

Chisato suggests the two stop by the infirmary to get medicine for Mika. While digging around for ethanol they hear somebody in the hall, unsure if it's Okuno or Fujita the two girls hide momentarily. Chisato worries about Mika being found and the two rush back to the music room while piano music begins playing once more. Mika surprises the two girls and tells them that Okuno has in fact arrived. The trio enters the music room to confront him. Okuno tells the three girls to go home and that this concerns him and him alone. The three girls wordlessly depart and go home in the rain.

The next day the trio confronts Okuno in his office. Chisato apologizes but Yukari refuses to. Okuno says that he couldn't find anything to say but ended up feeling her spirit in the room, he ended up embracing her and admitting his own cowardice. At a loss of what else to do he ended up just playing the piano. eventually he felt her spirit depart from his side. Two weeks later Okuno transferred to another school in Yokohama and Mayumi Fujiwara's spirit had made no further appearances. The message behind the calendar however now says "Thank you, my dear teacher."