Novel by Yukito Ayatsuji
The story focuses on a boy named Kōichi Sakakibara who, upon transferring into Yomiyama Middle School and meeting the curious Mei Misaki, finds himself in a mystery revolving around students and people related to his class falling victim to gruesome, senseless deaths.
In the spring of 1998, 15-year-old Kouichi Sakakibara has just moved to the town of Yomiyama, where he is set to attend the local middle school Yomiyama North. However, when a past injury resurfaces, he is placed in hospital, leading him to miss the first week of school. Though he recovers quickly, before leaving he meets Mei Misaki, a strange, eye-patched girl whose cryptic mannerisms spark a subtle interest within the boy.
At Yomiyama North, Kouichi is placed in Class 3-3. However, beneath the innocent atmosphere, he finds the class behavior odd: everyone seems to be on edge and watchful of Kouchi's actions. Moreover, Mei is a student in the class, yet both classmates and teachers don't show any regard to her, as if she is simply not there. Though more oddities arise and more questions spring forth, no one is willing to give Kouichi any answers. With little choice to ease his growing curiosity, Kouichi starts to pursue Mei for help, against both the class's and her own warnings.
