Chapter 9

The Beginning of the String of Failures: February 1988 is the ninth chapter of Boku Dake ga Inai Machi manga.

Summary
Hinazuki agrees to go to Satoru' birthday party and then asks him if his hands are cold and he confirms it. She tells him that he's been easier to talk to recently and he says that it's because he has decided never to lie to her. He then decides that in order to pinpoint the date she went missing, he'll have to ask for her birthday.

The next day, the boys are preparing for a skating race. The racers were Hamada and Satoru. Hamada wishes him luck and states that he won't go easy on him. The other girls ask Hinazuki to cheer for Satoru and she asks him if he can win and he replies that he'll try his best and she wishes him luck. After they start racing, Hamada acknowledges Satoru' speed. Satoru decides not win out of pity for him thus angering his classmate. Hamada then yells at Satoru and a concerned Kazu asks him if he should punch him. Satoru remembers that he made the same mistake 18 years ago.

Later, Hinazuki gets mad at Satoru for breaking his promise to her and tells him that they're both impostors and liars.

He then goes to the staff room to take a look at the roll book but is caught by Yashiro. He asks what he is doing and Satoru tells him that he wanted to know Hinazuki' birthday. Yashiro shows him the book and he gets to know that their birthdays are on the same day. He then deduces that the day Kayo goes missing is a day before. Yashiro tells him that Kayo is a shy girl and that he should celebrate her birthday with paying much mind to it. Before Satoru leaves, Yashiro tells him to do his best at everything. Satoru then goes to kayo's house to apologize but noone opens the door. He goes to the back of the house and sees Kayo's bag on the floor near the shed. He hurriedly opens the shed door and finds her inside, bruised and injured. She tells him bot to look at her and close the door but as he tries to help her, her mother comes and asks who he is. Satoru then asks her why she is injured and she tells him that she tripped and leaves him speechless.

Characters

 * Hinazuki
 * Satoru
 * Kenya
 * Kazu
 * Hiromi
 * Yashiro
 * Akemi