Anatomy of a Murderer;
A heavy tension filled the Headmaster's Cross's office. Naomi fidgeted in the chair, glancing at everywhere in the room, other than the probing eyes of the Headmaster's.
"Please, explain to me what you were doing outside of your dorm this late at night, Ms. Nakamura?" The Headmaster's eyes were sharp and held no room for Naomi's lies under his gaze, but she would not give away Asuna and Haruto. She would not betray them.
Do not say more than necessary.
Naomi took in a shaky breath, "I heard from an unknown source that Professor Hiyori was having romantic relations with a student." She chose her words carefully, "So, I came tonight to investigate if it was true or not."
Headmaster Cross raised his eyebrow, "And who is this 'unknown source' you speak of?"
Naomi gulped and bit the inside of her cheek, "With all due respect, Headmaster, I will not reveal my source."
The Chairman sighed, "Ms. Nakamura, you do realize the position you are in?"
Before, Naomi could answer the Headmaster began to answer his own question, "You were found sneaking out at night, which is strictly forbidden," Cross glasses gleamed dangerously, "and broke into a professor's office. Surely, you understand that I am well within my right as a Headmaster to expel you, Ms. Nakamura."
I will not rat out my friends.
A surge of defiance grew within her. Naomi clicked her tongue and said: "Then expel me."
She would regret nothing. There would be no real consequence, it's not like she had nowhere to go, even if she did get expelled.
My past school will accept anyone, she thought.
Cross's eyes narrowed, "Loyalty is admirable but you found a gun in a professor's office," He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "You must tell me everything for not only yours, but your 'source's' safety."
Naomi gripped the end of her sweater, "I'm sorry, but no."
Cross took off his glasses and messaged his temples, "Fine, do you know who the student is? The one having relations with Hiyori?"
Lie, she thought, Haruto, as dumb as he is, doesn't deserve what's happening to him.
Naomi kept her voice steady and calm, "No, I don't know who it is."
Do not give him any reason to think that you're lying.
The Headmaster placed his glasses back on his nose and stared at her in profound thought. He sighed again and looked into her eyes. Naomi didn't have to use any of her deduction skills to realize what it meant; he was disappointed. Whether it was with himself or her, she did not know for sure.
The Headmaster's eyes softened, "I've called the authorities and you will be protected, but you must trust me, Ms. Nakamura."
Naomi couldn't help but be reminded of a concerned parent; her own parents to be exact. It made her heart clench, but she would not give her friends up.
She did her best to sound genuine and innocent, "I really don't know who it is, Headmaster."
Cross frowned, "And I wish I could believe you," then shook his head.
There was a knock on the door.
The Headmaster's back straightened as he tilted his head so his glasses shined with a blinding glint that covered his eyes completely. "Come in." The Headmaster's voice was stern.
It took all of Naomi's willpower to not turn around, even now, she was itching to know everything that was happening.
That's when Naomi saw her, "Professor Hiyori..."
"You called for me, Headmaster Cross?" Her voice was light and innocent, so much so, Naomi almost forgot that she had found evidence in her office about the murder of Naoto Yamamoto.
Naomi quickly turned her head towards the Headmaster and clenched her jaw, How could she be so sweet when she murdered one of her students in cold blood? Professor Hiyor -, her nose scrunched up in disgust, No, Akira Saito, is an awful human being.
"Yes, I did." Then he called out, "Zero!"
Naomi, once again, heard the door open, "Yes?"
"Please, escort Ms. Nakamura back to the Sun Dorms."
Zero nodded and took a glance at Naomi, "Let's go."Naomi obediently followed
Zero out of the room but before she could go the Chairman asked her one more question, the one plaguing her mind. The one question, she had hoped he would never ask tonight:
"I do, however, have one more question for you, Ms. Nakamura. Someone broke into my office a few weeks ago, was it you?" Cross's gaze was relentless. It held a certain type of danger that no Headmaster of a school should possess. A shiver ran down her spine, and she almost slipped; she almost told him the truth.
Naomi shook her head, "No, it was not me." She respectfully bowed her head and followed Zero in silence to the Sun Dorms.
"I wish I could believe that too..." sighed Cross.
The next day, the story of Hiyori would have made the rounds, and everyone would be talking about her for the weeks to come. The only people who knew the truth of the incident were a select few, the prefects, the Headmaster, Haruto, Asuna, and Naomi.
"Who do you think it was, you know, the student?" Asked one student.
"Doesn't matter, whoever it was obviously has low standards." Replied a judgmental student.
And the day after that, everyone would know that their professor Hiyori had lied about everything. Her real name surfaced, but no one seemed to care of the fake name, but on what their professor had done. Akira Saito had staged the suicide of former Day Class's student, Naoto Yamamoto. A noose hanging in his dorm room where his roommate would find him in the morning. All of it to cover up the truth behind his death.
A student gasped, "I thought it was a suicide!"
"No, turns out she was a child predator and a murderer."
"That is so messed up!"
Naomi brushed off the gossiping circulating the Day Class students and headed straight to Haruto in those days.
"Haruto, look, I know you're mad, but this is for the best." Naomi said softly.
Haruto didn't look at her. He kept his gaze towards the wall, "It is not for the best, okay, I loved her."
Naomi glared at him, "You are unbelievable, Haruto. A kid our age was murdered by that cougar and you are actually angry with me!"
"Don't call her that!" Closed his fists and dug his nails into the palm of his skin, "She cares about me!"
"She was using you and thank God, I found out what she did!" Naomi yelled, "Or what happened to Naoto could've had happened to you too!"
Haruto gritted his teeth and slammed the door in her face
What an idiot!
Naomi kicked Haruto's door in frustration and huffed as she walked out of the boy's dormitory, and into the girl's dormitory. Naomi slammed the door shut in her dorm and she was met with Asuna's gentle eyes.
"Didn't go well?" she asked.
"No and I hope you don't expect me to apologize for uncovering a killer," Naomi fumed.
Asuna frowned, "Haruto needs time-"
Naomi interrupted her, "What he needs is common sense."
Asuna sighed, "This is such a mess."
Naomi laid her head against the wall, "No kidding..."
Two soft knocks echoed through the girls' dorm room.
"Come in," chirped Asuna.
The door opened to reveal Yuki, smiling, "Chairman wants to see you, Naomi."
Naomi nodded, "Don't wait up, Asuna."
It was a silent walk towards the Headmaster's office and Naomi's mind was going a million hours per second.
Is he going to expel me, or ask about Akira Saito again? Naomi gulped, Or worse was he going to ask me about the break in his office again?
Naomi then decided that she would rather be expelled than be asked if she was the one who broke into his office. She honestly didn't think she could lie to him a second time.
"We're here." Yuki smiled.
Calm down, Naomi, it'll be fine. You will be fine, you're a fairly good liar. She thought, If you weren't you wouldn't be able to get away with half of things you used to do.
Naomi let out a breath, "Right."
The Headmaster's office was dull and mundane like any other office with beige walls, and a simple long wooden desk. This place looks different from when I sneaked in last time, maybe because it was dark? Still, Naomi didn't let her eyes wander.
"Yes, Headmaster?" Naomi said innocently.
It was then, though, that she noticed another person in the room with them.
Brown hair sculpted his face perfectly and his garnet eyes held a firm sense of authority. Not that she cared. Naomi never did listen to those in charge. He wore a white uniform. A Night Class student; a vampire.
Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!
Naomi tore her gaze from him and smiled at Cross. The Headmaster was standing looking out a window. Her smile didn't falter, How dramatic.
He turned around to meet her gaze, "I'm going to ask again, Ms. Nakamura and please, do answer truthfully this time."
Naomi's heart stilled, but she kept herself composed. Someone less observant wouldn't have noticed the smallest twitch in her cheeks. She raised an eyebrow, "About?"
Please, don't ask what I think you're going to ask.
The Night Class student watched her closely but said nothing.
"Did you or did you not break into my office three weeks ago?" Cross's voice did not waver.
Naomi, in an attempt to give her self-confidence, did not break eye contact, I will not break under pressure.
Her voice remained steady, "No, I did not break into your office three weeks ago."
Cross's eyes narrowed, "You really don't trust anyone do you, Ms. Nakamura?" He waved his hand away, "It doesn't matter if you don't admit it. I know you it was you who broke into my office and saw the Night Class files."
Do not move, do not speak, do not give anything away.
"And if it weren't for the fact that you found out the Night Class secret three weeks ago, I would've had your mind erased."
Rude.
He continued, "But having three weeks' worth memories erased would be problematic, and from what I've heard from your friends,"He paused and looked at Naomi, "you are quite relentless." He rested his hand on his chin, "You're really not going to say anything?"
In your dreams, Naomi sweetly cocked her head to the side, as if I'm going to incriminate myself.
The Headmaster gave her a deadpanned look before he reached inside a drawer and pulled out an armband.
"Since, you know the Night Class are vampires," He held it out to Naomi. "You are now a prefect and guardian of Cross Academy."
"No." With that, Naomi walked out of the office.