At Natsuko's high school, rumors about things like human-faced dogs and Hanako-san in the bathroom are all the rage. However, Natsuko is the only one who thinks it's all nonsense and refuses to believe them.
One day, her mother asks Natsuko to take some laundry to her younger brother, Nobuyuki, so she goes into his room. There, she finds a floppy disk with the word "RUMORS" written on it. When she puts the disk into a computer, she finds text documents detailing groundless rumors, such as human-faced dogs, Hanako-san, and a curse where you die if you stare at static on a TV for thirty minutes.
Feeling a sudden urge to pull a prank, Natsuko decides to type her own made-up rumor into the text file. "There's a boy playing alone in the park at night who calls out to you, saying, 'Let's play together.' The boy's name is Masao... (Is Masao too ordinary? Let's go with Makio...) His name is 'Makio,' and if you play with him, you'll never be able to come back home."
The next day, for some reason, the rumor of Makio starts spreading among Natsuko's class and the neighborhood children.
Thinking her brother must have spread it, Natsuko interrogates him, but Nobuyuki insists he just heard the story from a friend in his class.
Later, while Natsuko is reading a magazine at a bookstore, she overhears some kids talking about new facts regarding Makio. Then, she hears them talking about how a friend of theirs almost got caught by Makio.
As she leaves the bookstore, she overhears someone talking about how a student from Kenshin Cram School has gone missing. Her friend shows up and tries to explain that Natsuko made Makio up, but no one believes her, dismissing it with, "What kind of stupid joke are you talking about?" *(Makio doesn't even exist in the first place...)*
That evening's newspaper features an article about elementary school students going missing in the area. Even after night falls, Nobuyuki still hasn't returned home. Feeling uneasy, Natsuko checks the "Rumors" floppy disk and sees that new information about Makio has been added. - You must not ride the swing with Makio. - Makio's true identity is supposedly an elementary school student who committed suicide after being forced to attend cram school. - A kid from Kenshin Cram School became Makio's victim. - Makio looks normal, but he has no pupils, and his eyes sometimes glow. - Makio wants a friend. - You can tell Makio is there because the swing is moving. - Everyone already knows about Makio. - Who is the one who spread the rumor about Makio? - The rumor of Makio has already spread nationwide. ...... *(What is this?! I don't know anything about this!)*
Her mother calls Nobuyuki's cram school, only to be told that he left for home thirty minutes ago. Her mother worries aloud, wondering if he could possibly have been caught by Makio. "I'll go look for him!" Natsuko says, and heads out toward the park.
Natsuko arrives at the park. Even though no one is there, a swing is swaying violently. Nobuyuki's bag has fallen to the ground beneath it. As she picks it up, the swing stops, and Makio appears. Makio reaches out a hand toward Natsuko. He has no pupils, and his eyes are glowing a pure white. "Let's... play... together... too... big... sis... ter." Natsuko vanishes.
Starting the next day, a new rumor begins spreading among the elementary school students once again. "Did you hear? Another girl disappeared." "Makio took her away, you know." "They say if you go to that park at night, that girl is still standing there." "Do you know that girl's name?" "They say her name is 'Natsuko'."
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