Title: Prologue
Release Date: May 25, 2006 (Japan), August 4, 2009 (North America)
Previous Chapter → 000
Synopsis
Sawako Kuronuma is a shy high school student who is considered cursed by her classmates due to her appearance, seemingly weird and shy personality, and uneventful circumstances supposed to be happening when she is around. She was nicknamed "Sadako" as she appears very similar to the character from the The Ring. However, she encounters Shota Kazehaya who is known to almost everyone and talks to her normally. He encourages Sawako to try to open up and make new friends.
Sawako was able to become close with two classmates of hers, Chizuru Yoshida and Ayane Yano.
Sawako volunteers to become the ghost during a test of courage. As expected, everybody ends up frightened. The last to come in the forest, Kazehaya, decides to keep her company.
Referbacks
The chapter starts off with the introduction of our main character, 15 year old Kuronuma Sawako, whose long, black hair and fair skin coupled with her shy and awkward personality have earned her the nickname of "Sadako" by her school mates. In fact, we come to find out that Sawako is just simply misunderstood and can't seem to fathom why her classmates react the way they do whenever she interacts with them. We're then introduced to Kazehaya Shota, who unlike his fellow classmates, greets Sawako with a cheerful "Good morning", something that Sawako is not accustomed to.
"He's such a good person. He talked to me like he does to everyone else."
We're then offered a momentary flashback of Sawako's first meeting with Kazehaya on the day of their high school entrance ceremony as Sawako provides directions to a lost Kazehaya. Kazehaya thanks Sawako with a smile, much to Sawako's surprise, not being used to being on the receiving end of a "thank you". Because of this, Sawako beings to look at the friendly and popular Kazehaya as her idol.
Trivia
New Characters
- Kuronuma Sawako
- Kazehaya Shota
- Yano Ayane
- Yoshida Chizuru