Harmony (団欒 Danran) is the seventeenth chapter of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Oni.
Summary[]
Okai is shocked from seeing the rock wall burst, and then starts praying to Oyashiro-sama in gratitude when she sees Yuuki lying in the pool ahead.
Later, Okai and Ritsuka are at the Furude ritual storehouse to find the scroll about the legend of the demons and bring it to the Sonozaki's underground storehouse. Okai regrets that Oryou wouldn't be depressed if Seiji and the others didn't trespass so many times, and that she'll have to keep up a brave front throughout the New Year if she doesn't get a letter from Souhei. Okai sees that Oryou is fighting against the demons that have infiltrated the people close to her, and says not to let anyone find out about Oyashiro-sama's curse or else Seiji and Oryou may end up with their guts torn out like in ancient times. Ritsuka is speechless but Okai says not to worry, as the Furude priestess's prayers will reach Oyashiro-sama.
At the Manchuria clinic, Dr. Takano checks on Takeshi's condition, who is doing better however he's been chained to his bed. Takeshi asks when it can be removed and thinks it's excessive to be chained up for 3 months despite his attempts to leave the base. The doctor thinks Takeshi doesn't remember being onset with the illness, and says he's doing his best to accommodate for him. He hopes to ask the Colonel to remove it tomorrow and then mentions that Zhao will be late because she and Souhei are getting medicine, which frustrates Takeshi.
Dr. Takano leaves and the Chief enters, who taunts Takeshi by mentioning how close Zhao and Souhei seemed. He gets mad and exclaims that Zhao isn't that kind of woman. The Chief says that Takeshi could have gotten out of here if he'd taken that medicine. He explains that Takeshi's being punished because he's suspected of having the disease and Takano won't use the medicine on the Colonel's orders, as him getting better would mean the they couldn't do research. The Chief gives his sympathy and drops the chain key which he found in the hallway earlier, and says the medicine is labeled Hina-000.
The base is in an uproar when Takeshi's escape is discovered. Dr. Takano additionally says that the Hina-000 bottle was stolen, and figures the Chief told him since he's one of the few people who knew about it. The Colonel says to shoot on sight if they find Takeshi and heads to the Chief's office, gun drawn. There, the Chief is suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg and sitting against his desk. The Colonel is shot in the shoulder by Takeshi, who was hiding behind the desk. The Colonel threatens consequences, but Takeshi doesn't plan in letting them get out alive. The Chief screams for help and Takeshi shoots him again. The Colonel asks to let him stop the bleeding but Takeshi says Dr. Takano can do that and calls for him to enter the room, knowing that he's standing outside. However Souhei enters with his gun drawn.
Souhei and Takeshi enter a standoff, neither willing to put their guns down. Souhei says he won't shoot since they're friends, but Takeshi laughs and shoots the Colonel again, this time in his leg. Takeshi demands that Souhei do as he says or else the Colonel will die. Souhei pleads with him to stop but Takeshi thinks he won't get out alive unless he kills everyone. Souhei says they can still go back to Hinamizawa together but Takeshi yells that he's lying. He believes that Souhei wants him dead and is trying to steal Zhao from him, even though he already has Oryou. Zhao arrives and tells him to stop, but Takeshi says he wants to take care of the people in their way and then leave with her.
The Colonel watches Takeshi's behavior and wonders how he's so calm when his disease should be onset. He asks if Takeshi actually doesn't have symptoms and gets shot again for speaking out of turn, this time in the gut. Takeshi says his head cleared up after he took that medicine, and now he has an idea of what to do. The Colonel sees that the medicine can deliberately onset symptoms into people to make even inexperienced soldiers kill without hesitation, and figures that drug will be beneficial to Japan's empire.
Souhei is distraught that Takeshi is acting like this, and he replies that he's now a demon and prepares to shoot. Zhao yells to stop and dives in the way as the Colonel also shoots, resulting in Takeshi accidentally shooting Zhao in the heart as Takeshi himself gets shot by the Colonel. Takeshi has a daydream of living in Hinamizawa with Souhei and Zhao as he dies. Souhei laments as Dr. Takano attends to the collapsed Colonel.
Characters[]
- Okai Sonozaki
- Yuuki Sonozaki
- Ritsuka Furude
- Takeshi Nakamoto
- Hifumi Takano
- Chief
- Colonel
- Souhei Origuchi
- Zhao Yuhuan
Gallery[]
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