One main character lost their parents, try your best to ensure that Ayumi does not lose her mother.
Putting focus on Ayumi Tachibana as the main protagonist, she starts the story by writing her friend Reiko Nomura a letter about a case from sometime ago at the snowy Ochitani Village when Ayumi visited her ill mother Toshie. During the next morning, Reiko has Ayumi rise from her sleep when former mayor Gozo Kusano was struck in the heart with a bladed weapon and her mother is the chief suspect. While she starts to investigate, Ayumi learns about the murders of two villagers 18 years ago when they protested the destruction of a local temple so construction of a highway can begin. The day after Gozo's murder, his son Kusao who was the new mayor was struck to death with a spear in the temple as Ayumi learns more of the past, she comes to realization that her family had more to do with the case than she has learned.- Died in Your Arms Tonight: When Toshie gets fatally stabbed, Ayumi cradles her dying body in the presence of the true murderer.
- Dirty Cop: Chief Sakuma had been involved in the shady dealings of the Kusano family and attempts to stab Reiko to death.
- Extremely Protective Child: When Ayumi's mother is named prime suspect in the murder of the previous mayor, she take matters into her own hands in order to debunk the accusation.
- Feuding Families: The Tachibana family and Kusana family have been feuding for over a decade.
- Four Eyes, Zero Soul: Chief Sakuma is shown to wear glasses and tries to stab Reiko to death.
- Heroic Sacrifice: When Sakuma tries to stab Reiko to death, Toshie shoves her out of the way and gets stabbed instead.
- Posthumous Character: Prior to the events, there were two other murder victims 18 years prior who opposed the demolition of a temple, The fathers of Ayumi and Reiko.
- Promoted to Playable: Ayumi is elevated to a playable role as the protagonist in this game.
- Scary Shiny Glasses: Sakuma's glasses flash before he attempts to stab Ayumi to death to silence her.
- Snow Means Death: Toshie gets fatally stabbed shoving her out of the way during snowy weather with Ayumi cradling her dying body.
