Gathering is the fifth chapter of Tomie: Again.
Plot[]
Umehara's girlfriend Naoko has recently died, implied to be from cancer or another degenerative illness. He visits his friend Miyagawa who, to Umehara's shock, has begun to look haggard and corpse-like. Miyagawa invites him to a "gathering" to take his mind off Naoko's death.
The "gathering" consists of admirers of Tomie, all of whom have begun to waste away like Miyagawa due to their obsession with her. Tomie sits on a throne while the men cater to her every whim. Umehara is the only one who doesn't fall under her spell, however, Tomie decides that she must have him as he is the best-looking man present. Umehara shakes her off and runs home.
Umehara looks at photos and sadly reminisces about Naoko, but then Miyagawa knocks on his door. He begins to apologize but, when Umehara opens the door, Miyagawa is there with Tomie's other admirers. They drag him back to her. Tomie says that she is interested in him because she's never seen a man who had no feelings for her. She demands to know if Umehara loves her, but he can't answer; instead asking all kinds of questions about Tomie and who she is.
Tomie, enraged, tells her followers that Umehara insulted her, and orders them to get him. They attack him, and he remains unconscious for two days. During this time he has the recurring dream that he has been having about Naoko, where she is still alive and glows brightly like an angel. When he wakes, Tomie demands to know who Naoko is - Umehara was talking about Naoko in his sleep. Tomie tries to get Umehara's sympathy and tells him the men are keeping her prisoner, but he doesn't believe her.
Outside, Tomie's followers are becoming frustrated as she humiliates and belittles them by turns. Miyagawa says that he loves Tomie so much he wants to kill her, and tells Umehara that all the other men feel the same way. The men go into a trance-like state and attack her, with Umehara seeing Naoko in their midst. Tomie unties Umehara and orders him to help her. Miyagawa attacks her with a knife, and Umehara holds him off, giving her time to run. However, the men descend on her and start stabbing and killing each other in their frenzy to get to Tomie.
Umehara escapes and goes to the police. When they return, there's blood everywhere and the house is empty. From then on, Tomie replaces the figure of Naoko in Umehara's dreams; and the dream always ends with her followers tearing her and each other apart.