IWATOBI HIGH SCHOOL MURDER
A shocking development unfolds at Okinawa's very own Iwatobi High School, a school with a history that goes almost fifty years back. This peaceful school has been thrown into disarray this very morning, when the body of a male student had been discovered by the side of the rooftop's swimming pool. The victim has been identified as Makoto Tachibana, 17, a Second-Year and member of Iwatobi's newly formed swimming club. Police have been keeping the details of the murder under wraps to the public, however, an anonymous source has this to say:
"I heard a scream coming from the rooftop. It was a bone-chilling scream… I ran up immediately with my friend, and what we saw… it was Tachibana, on the floor. He wasn't moving. His body looked awful… it had cuts and bruises and blood…"
This has been a tragic turn of events in what would have been a blissful high school life of an adolescent teenage male. The police are determined to find the culprit, and are offering rewards to anybody who can offer valid information.
Meanwhile, the Tachibana family mourns the death of their oldest son. A funeral procession has been scheduled three days from now, after the end of the statute of limitations for Makoto Tachibana's murder trial. Many of the villagers had offered their sincere condolences, having nothing but good and kind things to say about the victim.
Local resident and food-salesperson, Madame Yamamoto, had this to say:
"Makoto-chan was the sweetest boy I knew… I remember him from when he was just a child... he was close to my deceased husband, and the two often spent time at the harbour fishing. He had the smile of an precious angel sent from above… even until recently, he would come over to my home and help me weed my lawn of his own will. He said he didn't want me to put stress on my back. Whoever harmed this innocent soul needs to be brought to justice!"
The old lady promptly collapsed on the spot, and began to sob heart-brokenly into her hands.
It was also tragic scene for this reporter when the news crew tried to approach the Tachibana family. Anguished crying could be heard from within, sounds coming from presumably the two younger siblings of the victim, and Mrs. Tachibana – who had bravely decided to approach us despite the confusing and tragic situation – was in tears, and badly shocked about the circumstances of her son's murder.
No specific details were provided due to a police agreement and contract to keep the details of the case private, but she did provide us with this particular statement:
"My son… died in a cruel way. They called me around lunchtime to confirm the identity of the body… Makoto's body… What I saw caused me to faint, I'm ashamed to say. I'm still shaking from what I saw, look," She then showed us her hands, which indeed, were trembling. "I wish that the police would quickly find the culprit so that I may have a look at the face of the man… the monster, who did that to my son."
From her statement, could we conclude that the culprit is male? "The face of the man", she says, and what could make her so certain? This reporter suspects something cruel in play, and suspects that this may have been an act of rape or torture.
Only when the police provides us with the proper details can we be completely sure. The town is in mourning for the death of this young man.
Rays of moonlight streamed into the Nanase residence, highlighting a pale and shaking figure that lay down on the tatami mat, his body shaking with convulsing sobs. The air was cold, bitingly chilly, matching the mood around the whole town.
"Makoto..." Haruka Nanase whispers as he throws the paper violently to the corner, an anguished cry escaping his normally quiet mouth.
He would get to the bottom of this; whoever did this to Makoto would pay, he would see to it himself-
KNOCK! KNOCK!
He groaned and got to his feet, furiously wiping his tears away.
He thought he had already told them to leave!
... He didn't want company right now.
As he slid the door open, he was surprised to see the face of somebody he was unfamiliar with. Instead of the teary-eyed faces of his fellow swimming club members... there was a police officer, tall, and bulky.
He had a gun.
"You are under suspicion for the murder of the deceased, Makoto Tachibana... Haruka Nanase-san. Please come with us." The policeman said, two other officers standing behind him, a cold look in their eyes.
Haruka blanched.
What?