While discussing the strange and inexplicable death of an old woman in the village, a classmate named Maki confesses that he fears he might be cursed as well, and recounts the terrifying experience he had while taking an unfamiliar path home through the forest. In response to Maki's desperate plea, Yoshiki agrees to investigate. Together with classmates Asako and Yuki, who had been listening to the story, and Hikaru, who showed a keen interest, they venture into the forest...

Yoshiki enjoys a summer festival with his younger sister, Kaoru, who's excited to wear a yukata, and Hikaru. While eating shaved ice, Hikaru casually comments, "Just changing the color of the syrup makes it seem like it tastes different," which leads him to wonder, "If something looks the same, does it feel the same too?" He then asks Yoshiki how he figured out he wasn't the real Hikaru...