Chapter 13 - Rumor Has It

June 03, 2009, After School

Gekkoukan High

Minato's POV

WEDNESDAY

I exited my classroom and walked around, searching for someone to ask about the rumors. I approached a girl outside the Student Council Room.

"Hey, did you hear?" She asked me.

"No, I haven't." I answered. Hm... Have I found a lead in this girl?

The girl looked pleased at knowing something someone else didn't, and giddily told me... "Mitsuru-senpai would want a man who likes to study!"

I stared at her for a moment and wondered where my lead went. "Um... Okay." I sighed and put two fingers to my temple. Why would I even care about what kind of man Kirijo likes?

Undeterred by my disinterest, the girl went on about how maybe Kirijo would accept her if she was smart and studied hard.

I don't really think that's it. "Uh, good luck then?" I said as I walked away.

After that, I walked around some more to hear all sorts of weird horror stories about last PA statements and corpses covered in bright red blood and the like. I was just about to give up until I overheard a girl saying that her sister was classmates with one of the students who collapsed.

"I guess she was running away from home as well... I heard she was always hanging around with the thugs at that place..." She was saying.

That place? I approached her and asked, "What place are you talking about?"

"Oh, Minato-san." She fidgeted a bit. "Um, well..."

"I'm just curious about it." I gave her an encouraging smile. "I might stumble into that place without knowing."

"Oh, I don't think someone like you would go there." She hesitated. "But well, it's that shady place near the station. I hear a lot of thugs hang out there."

"Thugs, huh?" I thanked her for the information. Thugs? Could this be a gang related incident? But Yukari said that the student who collapsed looked fine only a few days ago. Hm... Drugs then? It might account for the sudden collapse but... the effects would surely be noticeable.

I sighed and scratched my head. There isn't any pattern to the victims either. They were all in different grades, classes and clubs. The only thing that seems to tie them together is that... Shady place. I smiled. It's been some time since I last dealt with things like this. Might not be a bad idea to pay these... thugs a visit.

However, in my contemplation, I forgot about the time. "Ack! I'm going to be late for the meeting!"

STUDENT COUNCIL ROOM

However, when I opened the door, only Hidetoshi was there. "Oh, it was a quick meeting. Everyone left already." He said as he piled some papers together.

"Oh. Why are you still here then?" I reached for some papers and help Hidetoshi pile them.

"

It's actually kind of nice not having those hyenas around." He shrugged.

I raised my eyebrows. "Hyenas?"

Hidetoshi cocked his head to one side. "Well, not all of them are. But I see the way they look at me." He put the gathered papers away. "About the cigarette butt in the boys' bathroom... I've been trying to catch the culprit."

"I kind of got that already." I told him bluntly, remembering Hidetoshi interrogating some students.

Hidetoshi smirked. "Well, as you can see, the meeting's over. You can leave anytime you want."

I shook my head and sat down on one of the chairs. "I just got here and you're already trying to make me leave?" I laughed.

He laughed as well. "If you say so." He walked over to the window overlooking the courtyard. "A man without position, honor or education... What can he cling to as he struggles through life? Sincerity, a man once told me."

I nodded and waited for him to continue.

"Do you want to know what happened to that man?" He frowned. "Some TV anchorwoman was injured on the job while gathering information for a story. The TV station's executives called it an 'unfortunate accident'." He shook his head. "But when a magazine learned that they were hiding something, the execs pointed the finger at the script writer."

"The sript writer?" I asked. "So they made him the scapegoat, huh?"

Hidetoshi nodded. "The script writer is currently serving time for perjury. It was that very same script writer who taught me the meaning of sincerity." He bit his lip and looked at the ground. "But sincerity means nothing in today's society. The weak are preyed upon by the strong!"

Hidetoshi walked away from the window and sat next to me. "I'd like to create a corporation where everyone is treated fairly. But in order to do that, I'd need enough power to make my vision a reality."

"So that's why." I smiled. "Thanks for sharing that, Hidetoshi."

He laughed. "You may have a future as a counselor someday." He looked outside again. "It's getting dark out. We should be going home."

June 04, 2009, Morning

Gekkoukan High

Yukari yawned as we approached the school gates. "I spent so much time thinking about those stupid ghost stories that I'm having nightmares."

I laughed. "Well, don't overdo it. You might hear things in you sleep."

She glared at me. "Hmph. Well you look like you're enjoying this. Excited for a new mystery to solve, Mr. Detective?"

Huh? W-wait... Detective..? I stopped in my tracks and looked at her questioningly.

"I-its just that... I dunno. Never mind." Yukari said and walked ahead.

Detective huh? If you only knew.

AFTER SCHOOL

IWATODAI STRIP MALL - BOOKWORMS USED BOOKS

I went with Chihiro to the bookstore after school. Well, she certainly looks like the type of person who loves books...

"Sorry for subjecting you to this." She said as we exited the store.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I had fun." I laughed.

"Huh?" She looked surprised. "You also like to read books, Minato-san?"

Okaay... Apparently, I'm the one who doesn't look like the type to read books. Hehe. "Yeah. I read books now and then. It's a relaxing pastime."

"I know!" Chihiro beamed at me. "But um... Well, sorry if I ignored you. I was just so busy searching through the books... And um, sorry I took so long."

...Er, someone's really insecure. "Look, I told you. Don't worry about it." I laughed. "Oh and what kind of books do you like? Most of what I read are classics."

"Really?" She beamed at me again. "The classics aren't very entertaining but I can respect what the authors are trying to accomplish." She looked around us. "Oh, but um... We may be disturbing other patrons."

We walked away from the bookstore and towards the other sections of the strip mall. "Minato-san?" Chihiro asked. "Is it... Boring to hang out with a nerd like me?"

I scratched the back of my head. "Uh yeah. It kinda is."

Chihiro stopped walking. "Oh." She looked as if she wanted the ground to swallow her whole.

I sighed. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry." I walked over to where she stopped and patted her head. "I was just kidding, Chihiro." I laughed. "You've gotta loosen up."

She looked up at me then, with a question mark in her eyes.

"Look here. If it gets boring to hang out with you, I'll tell you. Okay?" I removed my hand from her head. "Don't worry about it so much."

"U-um... Okay." She nodded. "T-thank you, Minato-san."

"See? That's better." I smiled. "Let's go home."

June 05, 2009, After School

Gekkoukan High

Student Council Room

I sat down on one of the chairs at the Student Council room. It seemed like I was the last to enter the room.

Oh, look at that. Mitsuru's here for once.

"The other day, I was talking about the cigarette butt in the boys' bathroom. The teachers want the student to be expelled as soon as I find out who it is." Hidetoshi reported.

"H-huh?" Chihiro stammered.

Soon, the student council room became noisy as accusations and insinuations were thrown back and forth.

"Enough!" Mitsuru stood up and laid her palms on the table. "We'll go nowhere arguing like this." The student council members quited down after that, although they were still throwing glances at each other.

"This meeting is adjourned." She looked at me. "Arisato, help Hidetoshi with his investigation."

I raised my eyebrows. "Understood."

Soon, only Hidetoshi and I remained inside the room.

"Expulsion, huh?" Hidetoshi leaned on the table. "What do you think?"

"Uh, about the smoker's punishment?" I folded my arms. "It's too extreme. A few weeks suspension for the first offense would be more appropriate."

He nodded. "I agree." He shook his head. "Expulsion is too extreme. When I catch the culprit, I'll give him a good lecturing. It would be nice to make people like him... Or her change. I don't usually sympathize with rule-breakers but... would kicking the "bad" kids out really make the school a better place?" He sighed and looked at me. "I-I don't know why I'm complaining. I guess I'm just confused since I'm so powerless."

"Powerless?" I asked. "Hm... But if you follow this teacher's orders...then you'll gain his trust, right?"

Hidetoshi cocked his head to one side. "Yes. And then I'll gain the power to make people listen to me."

"Creepy."

Hidetoshi looked at me, confused. "Oh, I see. You're joking." He laughed quietly. "Anyway, just watch me, Minato-kun. I'll work my way to the top!"

I laughed. "Just be careful, Hidetoshi. And tell me if you need anything. Wouldn't want the president to say I'm not doing my job."

He laughed too. "You go on ahead, Minato-kun. I'll stay here and make a list of suspects."

EVENING

IWATODAI DORM

As I came in, Yukari and Junpei were already sitting on the couches at the lounge.

"Did I miss anything?" I asked as I sat beside Junpei. Both of them shook their heads.

"Okay, as we agreed on Monday, we will now hold a meeting to discuss what we learned." Yukari started.

"Wow, you're really into this." Junpei rudely interrupted.

"Of course! I've got lots of good info." She beamed. "No angry ghost was involved after all."

"Oh. So that's what's important, huh?" Junpei sighed.

"Well, angry ghost aside, why don't we talk about how this rumor got started?" I suggested.

"You too?" Junpei complained. "Ugh. Fine."

"Since the girl was found on school grounds, there's at least one similarity to the ghost story. But, why did the rumor spread so fast, if this was the first time anything happened?" Yukari asked.

"Uh, because of her dying message?" Junpei offered.

"No." I sighed. "First of all, the girl didn't die. And second, was because there were three victims."

"Correct!" Yukari said like a proud teacher.

...Why do I suddenly get the feeling that I'm in a quiz show?

"But, I've gotta admit. I was surprised when I found out the reason." She continued. "Over the next few days, there were two more similar incidents."

I nodded. "And all three of them had to be hospitalized. Which is why the rumors spread so quickly."

"But the funny thing is. The victims were all in different classes, and they don't seem to be connected." Yukari said.

"Huh?" Junpei questioned. "But didn't they, like, hang out together?"

I smirked. "Oh yeah. They did." I leaned on the backrest of the couch. "But the big question is, where did they hang out together."

"You guys are enjoying this aren't ya?" Junpei sighed again. "Fine. I'll bite. Where did they hang out?"

"That shady area near the station." I answered.

"What?!" Junpei exclaimed.

"Uh huh. And not just once or twice either. They got in with a bad crowed and were always out late." Yukari smiled. (rather eerily) "So, to find out what happened, were going to do some field research."

Yukari and I looked at Junpei's pale face. "You want us to do field research?!" Junpei then looked at me. "Man, c'mon. Don't tell me you're going along with this."

I looked at Yukari, then Junpei, then at Yukari again. "Well..." I shook my head. "I don't think we have a choice." I told Junpei. "You're not going to let Yukari go alone, are you?"

Junpei looked down, defeated. "Damn it. Don't you think were getting in a little way over our heads?"

"Up until now, the only thing we've done is take orders." Yukari told Junpei.

Ah, I see. Using that trump card, huh?

"Does that feel right to you?" She continued.

"Did you really have to say it like that?" Junpei sighed. "Argh. Fine."

Yukari gave a triumphant smile. "All right then. We'll go tomorrow night."

"I just hope you guys know what you're doing..." Junpei moaned as he collapsed on the couch.

LATE NIGHT

I was just about to enter my room when I was approached by Mitsuru. "Do you have a moment, Arisato?"

"Uh, what is it, senpai?" I asked warily.

"I'm quite impressed that you managed to gather so much information in such a short amount of time." She nodded.

Was that a compliment? ... "Um, thanks?"

She nodded again. "I hope that you'll be able to use those detective skills of yours to aid Odagiri."

!

"And I don't know what you're planning, but don't overdo it." Mitsuru turned around. "Good night."

MINATO'S ROOM

"I hope that you'll be able to use those detective skills of yours to aid Odagiri."

Is she... on to me? Did she find out?

... My mind flashed back to the papers she was reading in the Command Room.

They were papers on us. But... There shouldn't be anything meaningful there relating to me. I made sure of that.

...

Then what did she mean?

And she also said "...I don't know what you're planning, but don't overdo it." Was... was that a veiled threat?

I sighed and laid myself down on my bed. Damn it. I-i'm just overanalyzing things. She just wanted me to do my job, that's all...

I sat up again. There's a very slim chance that Kirijo found anything... But if she did... It would be disastrous for me.

"Argh. I should never have left home." I stood up and washed my face.

But if I didn't leave home then,... I sighed. Forget it. It's too late to turn back now. If I go back home, I'll never find out.

Author's Note: Yo, guys! I am soo sorry for the SUPER LONG DELAY. :( But instead of showering you with abundant sorry's, I'm just going to try and make up for my absence. By giving you cliffhangers. MWAHAHA!

Just kidding. Don't worry, the cliffhanger will be solved soon... In, like a few hours or so, since I'm nearly done with the 14th chapter. :) Again, thanks for reading guys! And do REVIEW!

Till next time!