Chase The Truth

Chapter 2: Welcome to Inaba

Begin!

~Normal POV

4/11 - Monday

Yu woke up feeling sore all over. That dream about the Velvet Room or whatever must have made him restless. He thought it over once more. It was just a dream, right? He shouldn't have to worry about what Igor was saying. Something about a catastrophe and a mystery to solve? It was all nonsense to him. Best not to think about it. Right now, he had to concentrate on getting ready to catch his train.

~...

Making an effort to not stand out too much, Yu decided to wear his new school's uniform for the day. It was more casual than his Tokyo school's one at least. A white button up shirt with a black blazer, and black pants. He opted to wear the blazer unbuttoned; it made him look cooler. He adjusted the bag on his shoulder as he waited patiently for his train. He took a glance behind him at the screens lining the Shibuya buildings to catch a commercial starring Rise Kujikawa for some diet drink. He smiled a little at the image. Rise was certainly a vision...

But unfortunately it ended too fast for his liking as the commercial cut back to the news. A major scandal broke recently and it's been all anyone can talk about for days. Apparently, a secretary councilman named Taro Namatame was in major trouble with his wife, an enka singer named Misuzu Hiiragi, for having an affair with a tv announcer. The announcer was a woman named Mayumi Yamano, and she'd recently left the public eye due to the scandal. Hiiragi was likely to press charges against him. Yu shook his head at the story. He had no sympathy for unfaithful people; there's never an excuse for cheating on your partner.

~...

On the ride out to Yasoinaba Station, he sat quietly staring out the window, watching the countryside go by. This was gonna be a long year; he could already tell. Hopefully there's at least something fun to do out here- though that hope was bleak at best. He felt his phone buzz with a text from his uncle saying they'd meet him at the station at four. Right as he checked it, he heard the intercom say they were getting close. What good timing, he thought amusedly.

Upon arriving at the station, he looked around curiously. The place was deserted, he must have been the only person taking a ride out here today.

"Hey! Over here!"

Before Yu could try to find his way around he heard a gruff man's voice call out to him. He watched as two people approached him. One was his uncle, who he recognized instantly from his mom's family photos. He had messy dark silver hair and rough stubble instead of a beard. Behind his leg was a small girl with brown hair done up in pigtails. Yu approached his uncle and shook his hand.

"Welcome to Inaba," He greeted, smiling. "I'm Ryotaro Dojima- you can just call me uncle, though."

"It's been a long time," Yu replied.

"I'll say." Dojima said, looking him over. "You've really grown. Hell, you're taller than me now. I remember when you were still in diapers." He looked down and gently pushed the little girl out from behind him. "This here's my daughter- I know you two haven't met before. Go on, Nanako, introduce yourself to your cousin."

Nanako flushed and stared up at Yu silently. She couldn't have been older than seven, he guessed. "Hello..." She said, shyly. Without waiting for a reply, she quickly ducked behind her dad once more.

Dojima chuckled. "What are you so shy for?"

In retaliation, Nanako promptly smacked him for teasing her.

"Ow..."

Yu snorted. "I guess she doesn't like being made fun of."

Dojima grumbled in pain for a moment before saying. "Well then, we should get going. The car's over there." He and Nanako started walking.