April 12 (Monday), Part 3 of 3
Chapter 31: Morning - Shibuya
Chie breaks out of chastising herself for falling for Ren's trick as a man ditches a moped to trick a pursuing police car into crashing. Chie gives chase, radioing for backup, racing through a crowd and an alleyway, leaping over a police car and a passing crowd to keep up with the suspect, and finally tackling him to the ground at the lower station stairwell before radioing for backup again.
Chapter 32: Lunchtime
Nanako's morning was a blur after arriving late, finding that someone had purposely leaked Ren's criminal record and wondering who and why. Kamoshida confronts her, expressing his concern about her being late, or more specifically, who she had arrived with, saying Ryuji had assaulted him last year and Ren had a record. Nanako tries to stay calm at understanding Kamoshida was the one who leaked it, the man too close to her as he reassures her that they'll keep their eyes on the two. The world blurs for a moment, and Shadow Kamoshida says that once they're gone, he'll add Nanako to his harem. The real Kamoshida said nothing, but mentions again that she should consider joining the volleyball team. Nanako sees Kamoshida's reflection licking his lips as she leaves.
Chapter 33: After School
Ryuji asks Nanako to meet on the roof, saying he'll get Ren as well. Nanako heads up, feeling a bout of homesickness before looking around the roof. Finding flowerbeds with wilting seedlings, she sets to planting them, finishing just as Ren and Ryuji arrive. Ryuji shares that Kamoshida had leaked Ren's criminal record before sharing the story of what happened with his Shadow with Nanako. Ryuji wonders if it was a dream, and Nanako firmly denies it, saying she'd been somewhere like it when she was little, though she only remembers bits and pieces. Ryuji then shares the rumors about Kamoshida's abuse, saying he gets away with it because of the volleyball team's performance. Nanako observes that there's not enough evidence for the police to take action, prompting Ren to share that her father is an officer and her to share that they were from the same hometown. The three agree to investigate the castle (Ren somewhat reluctantly), and after Ryuji leaves, Ren verifies with Nanako that she'd been somewhere like the castle before, but finds she doesn't know the name Igor.
Chapter 34: Evening - Police Station
Chie's boss chews her out for ignoring orders and using unapproved techniques to take down the suspect, whose crime was stealing Neo Featherman cards, chastising her for not focusing on helping the officers who crashed. Chie asserts that she's capable of being more than a truancy officer, and the chief says she may have a new assignment in the morning before dismissing her.
As soon as she gets back to her apartment, Chie calls Yukiko and shares the situation and her fear of being fired, grousing about how being a police officer isn't everything she hoped it would be. Yukiko encourages her to keep trying, rather than giving up and coming home, and suggests she visit Yu and Nanako. Chie's surprised to recall that a month has already passed, then slowly confirms that Nanako was a Shujin student and still wearing her hair in twin tails, realizing she was one of the students that gave her the slip that morning.
Chapter 35: Evening
Nanako sleeps through the afternoon, getting up that night to find Yu setting up takeout food in the dining room. Nanako digs in ravenously, excited to talk to Yu about everything that had happened, and winds up opening the conversation asking what happened when she was kidnapped. Yu is suddenly angry, saying that they went through hell to save her and saying he wishes he didn't know all the details, saying she doesn't need to know them. Nanako pleads, but Yu furiously refuses to talk about it. He gets a phone call, and hesitates before leaving. Nanako finishes dinner alone, her excitement curdled to sadness and confusion.
SOCIAL LINK STATUS
- VIII–Justice: Yu Narukami
CollapsedV–The Hierophant: Yu Narukami
Level 1
Chapter 36: Night
Restless and with too many feelings, Nanako watches TV late into the night. At 11:35, Yu still isn't home, and Nanako finds she's angry enough to look in his bedroom and office for the Compendium without his permission, resolving to steal the truth if she has to. While his bedroom is locked, his office is open, scanning the room with her phone's flashlight before locking on a decorative trunk. Within, she finds a katana that she sets aside, a pair of glasses in a case that she puts on, and a giant blue leather book with Compendium Personae written on the front. She puts the sword back into the trunk and returns to her room, where she finds Izanagi on the first page and Yomotsu-shikone on the second, not having as much understanding with the latter. Nanako removes the glasses to rub her eyes and realizes she can only read the book with the glasses. Confused and uncomprehending, she hides the Compendium in her schoolbag and goes to sleep as the clock turns to midnight.
In the living room, unseen, a blond young man with crystal blue eyes [Teddie] looks longingly into the world from within the TV.
