The Sonozaki family of Hinamizawa has kept twin sisters Mion and Shion apart for as long as they can remember. Mion will become the next heir of the Sonozaki family, and Shion will attend St. Lucia Academy, away from her dear sister and their relatives. But Shion escapes the school and returns to Hinamizawa, unaware of the cruel tragedy awaiting her. When she reunites with her sister and gets a part-time job—while pretending to be Mion—she meets Satoshi Houjou, a boy her age with whom she falls madly in love. But when she learns about Satoshis horrible family situation, she begins to resent everyone in his household—even his younger sister, Satoko. When tensions escalate and Satoshi abruptly goes missing, Shion begins to suspect that her own family may have had something to do with his disappearance. A year later, Shion meets Keiichi Maebara, Mions crush. Her sisters infatuation with Keiichi stirs up her old feelings for Satoshi, and awakens a vicious desire to find out the truth behind his disappearance once and for all. However, Shions quest for the truth will send her spiraling down a dark path of madness and despair. The story of Higurashi no Naku Koro ni is divided into a total of eight chapters: four Question arcs and four Answer arcs. Each chapter keeps the same main characters, but ends in a different way. However, each chapter gives valuable answers, hints, and clues to the previous one, while at the same time bringing forth even more mysteries. The question arcs are: 1. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni - Onikakushi-hen 2. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni - Watanagashi-hen 3. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni - Tatarigoroshi-hen 4. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni - Himatsubushi-hen The answer arcs are: 5. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai - Meakashi-hen 6. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai - Tsumihoroboshi-hen 7. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai - Minagoroshi-hen 8. Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai - Matsuribayashi-hen The side story arcs are: Higurashi no Naku Koro ni - Onisarashi-hen Higurashi no Naku Koro ni - Yoigoshi-hen Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Kai - Utsutsukowashi-hen Higurashi no Naku Koro ni - Hirukowashi-hen Higurashi no Naku Koro ni - Kokoroiyashi-hen Higurashi no Naku Koro ni - Kataribanashi-hen Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Rei - Saikoroshi-hen Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Jan