A Link Between the Past and the Future (過去と未来を繋ぐもの Kako to Mirai wo Tsunagu Mono) is the eighth chapter of the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kizuna manga.
Summary[]
Tomoe and Madoka have lunch at a coffee house. Tomoe tells her about how she's tutoring Natsumi, and Madoka says she's found a good little sister while self-deprecating. Madoka struggles to ask something, and Tomoe tells her to just say it since she doesn't have much time. Madoka says Yamaoki's parents will be visiting Kakiuchi later, and she wants Tomoe to meet them. She takes Tomoe's long silence as a sign she's refusing, but to her surprise, Tomoe accepts and asks for a time.
Tomoe smiles at Madoka's confusion and says she approved Madoka and Yamaoki's marriage. She sees how serious they are and doesn't want to stand in their way, but she refuses for Yamaoki to call her "sister-in-law". Madoka wonders why she changed her mind all of a sudden, and Tomoe says she just wants her to be happy.
At school, Natsumi, Chisato, and Tamako prepare to have lunch, but Natsumi tells them she'll be helping Akira in the art room. As Natsumi leaves, she overhears some other girls talking about their own boyfriends and gets nervous. Chisato shoots them a glare. Chisato and Tamako see that Natsumi is acting strange and is worried about being bad-talked, and that she thinks her friends don't appreciate them anymore. They thought Natsumi would gain more confidence after going out with Akira, but she still needs to break out of her shell. Chisato thinks she can do more for Natsumi as her friend and realizes that they need to be early for PE, and goes off to tell Natsumi about it.
In the art room, Akira paints a portrait of Natsumi as she watches lovingly. He finishes and they eat lunch. Akira says he wants to paint a landscape next and mentions Okinomiya and Hinamizawa, asking Natsumi if she's heard of them. Akira shows interest in attending Hinamizawa's Watanagashi Festival, but Natsumi becomes worried because of Oyashiro-sama's curse and thinks that Akira shouldn't go. Before she can say anything, Akira mentions that the mayor of Hinamizawa is named Kimiyoshi and asks if Natsumi's related. Natsumi still thinks she can't let Akira go and worries about him hearing rumors of the curse, but asks if she can go along with him too. Natsumi promises to protect him from the curse and not let anyone interfere with her happiness. Chisato listens from outside the art room and wonders what's going on; she's heard of Hinamizawa, and knows Natsumi was bullied in Okinomiya and might recall bad memories.
At the coffee shop, Chisato speaks to the waiter Mamoru. She asks if he's heard of Hinamizawa, and he mentions Oyashiro-sama's curse and how people die and go missing every year, plus the festival was one where they used to wash out human guts. Chisato becomes concerned.
Characters[]
- Tomoe Minai
- Madoka Minai
- Natsumi Kimiyoshi
- Chisato Saeki
- Tamako Makimura
- Akira Toudou
- Mamoru Yamashina
Comparisons to Source Material[]
- This chapter adapts scenes from Miotsukushi-hen Ura:
- Tomoe and Madoka's discussion is from Chapter 5.
- Natsumi and Akira's discussion is from Chapter 6.
References[]
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