Prologue: Opening Pandora's Box Chapter 8
Father and daughter stared at each other awkwardly from opposite ends of the desk in the Headmaster's office. Jin had asked Tengan to leave for the moment and while the older man was surprised, the look in the principal's eyes told him that he was not in the mood to explain.
Kyoko kept a neutral expression on her face even though her gloved hands were gripping onto her skirt tightly. The headmaster, on the other hand, was clenching his black hair so hard that it looked as though he were about to tear it off.
"Kyoko." he said at last, releasing his hands so that he wouldn't tear his hair off. "J-just, wha, what were you doing in the Reserve Course Department?"
Kyoko looked up at the man in front of her with a face devoid of obvious signs of emotion.
"Doing what generations of Kirigiris have done for a living. Finding the truth."
"What truth!" Jin exclaimed in frustration. "What could you possibly gain by going behind my back and breaking the rules?"
Kyoko raised an eyebrow.
"Breaking the rules? How am I breaking the rules if there are none established to begin with?" she countered. "And besides, Main Course students are allowed to enter Reserve Course grounds. It's the other way around that is not tolerated."
"That isn't the point!" the headmaster slammed his fist onto the desk, startling his daughter. "It's true that you've solved many cases before, I know that for certain. However, usually you need an official document or a warrant to be able to investigate a person or a place."
"I did not need a warrant because no one was hurt and no laws were broken. I hardly see any reason for you to make such a big fuss about it." She finished frostily.
Jin put his face into his hands.
"That is not the point. The point is that you have no reason to investigate the Reserve Course."
"But I do have a reason. I have a lead on the Kamukura Project and it points towards the school's administration."
The headmaster jolted.
"Where did you hear about that?!"
Kizakura lazily waved up his arm from behind Kyoko. The blonde was lazily stretching himself on one of the guest sofas inside the room. His fedora was perched on his face as though he were about to take a nap.
"YOU!"
"Yeah? What?"
Jin made a strangling motion. "I specifically told you not to get Kyoko involved! That was the one thing I asked for!" he snarled.
"Hey, don't get mad at me. You shouldn't be so hard on her. She's a pretty talented kid, you know."
Jin gave an exasperated sigh.
"I know, but," he looked at his daughter, "That doesn't mean you can just sneak around the school. And what is this about you and Kizakura looking for clues regarding the Kamukura Project?"
"The Kamukura Project. The student who was supposed to be Izuru Kamukura, Hajime Hinata, has been missing for weeks. If I can find out where he is and if he has anything to do with the Tragedy, then we can find the perpetrators."
"We are still investigating that incident and we don't need you interfering."
The lilac-haired girl refused to give an inch. "As a detective, it is my duty," she stressed the words, "to find out the truth."
She narrowed her eyes. "Or have you been so detached from the Kirigiri family that you forgot the purpose of our tradition."
Jin flinched.
"No, I haven't. But this is different."
"No, it isn't." Kyoko snapped.
"This is an internal investigation and you are a student. You should not be concerning yourself with matters that are beyond your expertise."
The young woman slammed her hands on the principal's desk. "Are you dense?" she said icily. "'Beyond my expertise'? I've been solving crimes and murders since elementary. This is far from being 'beyond my expertise'."
"Kyoko, that's enough." Jin stood up, his tone turning severe.
The girl did not move.
"I know I have disappointed you in the past, but now I am asking you to trust me."
"And I'm asking you to trust me, father." she said the last word coldly.
"This isn't about trust. This is about you."
"Me?! Since when did you give a damn about me?" she snapped, her stoic facade falling apart.
The Headmaster gave a shocked expression.
"Ever since mother passed away, you have never cared for me."
"Kyoko, I-!"
"Don't give me that." she snarled. "You've left me behind to pursue your career as Headmaster for Hope's Peak. You never made the effort to talk to me for the past few years. Grandfather was the one who had to raise me from the ground up. If it weren't for him, I would've been given to an orphanage somewhere."
Kizakura raised his head at the detective's unusual display of emotion. Jin looked flustered.
"Kyoko. That isn't-!"
"No, it is true. Ever since the funeral, you have never cared for me." she panted.
The Ultimate Detective felt her face color slightly. She hated losing her composure in front of someone else. Especially her father
Jin closed his eyes.
"Then I have no choice."
"What?"
He opened his eyes and stared straight into hers.
"It is clear that words are not getting through to you. My father," he said bitterly, "taught you our family's tradition too well. You will never leave this case alone."
He pulled the drawer from underneath him.
"Unless-"
Kyoko watched as the Headmaster pulled at a piece of paper and laid it in front of her.
"-I force your hand."
Her eyes widened.
"This is a warning," he said sternly. "If I catch you investigating matters regarding the Kamukura Project or the Tragedy, then I will have no choice but to expel you from Hope's Peak Academy."
"What."
The man looked up and gave her a sad, determined look.
"You heard me. You will no longer be a student of Hope's Peak."
"Y-you can't be serious."
"I'm very serious. And I'm not budging. If you go behind my back, I will know and I will have no choice but to take drastic measures."
Kyoko trembled in rage.
"You can't-!"
"I will do everything in my power to protect you and this school, Kyoko."
"This is unbelievable."
"Kyoko."
"You have no right!" she yelled, pointing an accusing finger. "You have no right to keep me in the dark."
"Leave."
Giving the man she once knew as her father one last, disbelieving look, Kyoko stood up from her chair and rigidly walked towards the door to the Principal's office.
She turned around one last time.
"I'm ashamed to know that you are my father."
Then the door slammed shut.
Kirigiri's stern expression slid off his face like raindrops off a glass window and he leaned back in his chair exhaustively, burying his face.
Koichi was still laying down, his fedora covering his eyes.
"That could have gone better." he drawled.
"Kizakura. Please leave." Jin's voice was muffled.
"Alright." The scout got up and strolled out of the room. "See ya later."
"Close the door."
"Yes, sir."
Koichi's footsteps could be heard fading away after the door shut with a soft click.
The headmaster remained like that for a long time, his shoulders shaking.
"I'm sorry, Kyoko."
The night was clear and the moon was full, a perfect combination for a stroll.
However, Kyoko was not in the mood for was still reeling from the argument she had with her father.
How dare he.
How dare he threaten her with something like that.
She shook her head and tried to calm down.
Breathe.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Showing emotions is a weakness she said to herself.
Her grandfather taught her that.
But even so, he has no right.
No. No.
It's fine.
Everything will be fine.
Kyoko continued walking forward, ignoring the stars.
Even so, it still hurts.
It doesn't matter. Her thoughts whisper. You don't have to chase father's approval anymore.
It's fine.
Her mind flashed back to the conversation.
If you go behind my back, I will know and I will have no choice but to take drastic measures.
It's fine. Not like I cared much for the investigation anyway. Not like I was trying to prove something.
We don't need you interfering.
Trying to prove something to you.
To protect you.
Trying to prove to you that I want you to-
THAT'S ENOUGH NOW
Kyoko's thoughts were interrupted by these new words.
WE DON'T NEED TO PROVE THE OLD MAN ANYTHING
These thoughts sounded like her own, but more, clearer than anything that she had in her mind before.
IT'S TIME THAT WE PROVE TO HIM HOW MUCH OF A COWARD HE IS
Wha-
AND TO FINALLY ESCAPE HIS SHADOW
Kyoko shook her head and took a deep breath.
She didn't understand what was happening.
KIRIGIRIS FIND THE TRUTH WE ARE THE TRUTH
But father-
JIN The thought in her head said coolly. CALL HIM JIN
Jin.
Jin.
"Jin." Kyoko said out loud.
It felt unnatural.
BUT THAT IS HIS NAME CALL HIM JIN
She said his name again.
"Jin."
AGAIN
"Jin."
AGAIN
She kept repeating his name.
"Jin. Jin. Jin. Jin. Jin."
Each time she said it, it felt like a weight was being lifted off her chest.
TO TRULY CUT TIES WITH THE MAN YOU MUST BE WILLING TO NO LONGER GIVE HIM THE TITLE OF FATHER THAT IS A WEAKNESS A SIGN OF AFFECTION WHEN HE DESERVES NONE
That's correct.
That's VERY correct.
Kirigiri stopped at the front gate.
She was going to cut all ties with him.
Forget that he is her father.
He's nothing more than a coward and a traitor.
EXACTLY WHY ELSE WOULD HE NEVER VISIT WHY ELSE WOULD HE REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR PRESENCE UNTIL THE MOMENT YOU UNCOVER HIS SECRETS
The voices in her head were right.
He has no right to be her father.
WE DON'T NEED HIS APPROVAL TO SOLVE MYSTERIES
That's correct. She never needed anyone when she was solving a mystery. All those past murders, those previously unsolvable thefts and robberies. It was all thanks to her that the culprits were brought to justice.
WE DON'T NEED THE SCHOOL'S APPROVAL
She never needed the approval of the police or the law enforcement to solve her own cases. She was capable on her own.
She didn't need her father's approval.
WE CAN SOLVE THE KAMUKURA PROJECT BY OURSELVES
Kyoko doesn't need ANYONE's approval.
Her tirade was interrupted by the sound of a snapping twig. She turned her attention towards the direction of the shrubs in the middle of the garden surrounding the Main Course Building.
Stealthily, the Ultimate Detective stalked towards the bushes and spread out the leaves with her gloved hands.
Hiding inside the shrubs was a small Reserve Course student.
It was a boy unremarkable from any other and hiding his face behind a textbook as though it were a shield protecting him from an enemy attack.
Kyoko ripped the book from right of his hands and crouched down to see him eye to eye.
The poor boy had a face so pale that Kyoko thought he had seen a ghost.
"I-I-I-I-!" the boy stuttered, his glasses sliding down his nose.
Kyoko frowned.
"What are you doing here? This is restricted Main Course territory."
"I-I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry! P-p-p-p-please d-d-d-don't t-tell anyone!"
The young woman narrowed her eyes and glared at the boy.
"Do you not understand the meaning of restricted grounds?"
"I-I-I-"
The boy stopped as something fluttered down from his pockets and onto the grass.
A white card.
The Reserve Course student quickly snatched the card off the grass. If anything he grew even paler.
"Show me." Kirigiri said curtly, extending a gloved hand out expectantly.
Fingers trembling, the young boy slowly handed over the card.
It was a normal looking white card, not unlike a business card. However, it had no company, and no number. All it had on the front were the words in kanji: 天津甕星.
Amatsu Mikaboshi.
Those words. The card. It all seemed so familiar.
Then it hit Kyoko. Makoto. Natsumi Kuzuryu. A Reserve Course student breaking into the Main Course building.
"Who gave you this?"
The poor boy turned so white that his face could replace the moon and still light down the planet below.
"I-I-I-I-I-I-!"
"Don't play dumb. Tell me who gave you this."
"I-I-I can't!" he wailed. "It's supposed to be a secret."
"Secret?"
The boy nodded frantically.
"M-m-my friend gave me the card. H-h-he said t-t-that it would bring me good luck." he sweated and trembled.
"Liar."
"I'm not lying!"
"Then why are you trying so hard to hide the truth? What is this really about?"
The boy clamped his face shut.
Kyoko decided to go for the big guns.
"I am the...daughter..." she forced out the words. "...of the principal of Hope's Peak Academy. Do you have any idea what trouble you'll get in if I decide to tell my father about this?"
"You're his daughter?"
"Yes. So it's either you talk or I rat you out to my father."
The boy trembled, his glasses starting to slide off from all the sweat that his pores were producing.
"I'm waiting."
The boy whispered something out.
"What?"
"Amatsu Mikaboshi. Th-the star in heaven that represents the power and might of the gods."
"Go on."
The Reserve Course student swallowed.
"H-h-he promised me."
"Promised you what?"
"That he can make me an Ultimate."
Kyoko raised an eyebrow.
"And you believed him?"
"H-he seemed to know things. He told me how to get to the Main Course building. And he told me to hang onto that card. After all, he's a Steering Committee member."
The boy froze and slapped his hands onto his mouth as his loose tongue uttered those traitorous words.
"Interesting."
Kyoko pulled back the shrub's leaves and stood up, giving the young boy one last look.
"You'd best leave before anyone finds out."
The boy gave her a grateful look and nodded.
"T-t-thank you."
He scrambled and ran out of the school gates and back to the Reserve Course dorms.
The Ultimate Detective stared after him until he disappeared.
A Steering Committee Member. This looks as though things got a whole lot more interesting.
Pocketing the card that she took from the Reserve Course student, Kyoko headed back to her own dorm for the night. Outwardly, she was calm, but inwardly, Kyoko's thoughts were racing.
She already had two leads with Chiaki and Natsumi. Additional evidence of a Steering Committee Member pulling the strings put the pieces of the puzzle together.
It seems that her father wasn't the only one hiding a secret.
If the Headmaster wants to keep her in the dark, then she will shine a light on the whole matter herself.
Kyoko decided not to bring Kizakura with her when she visited Class 77-B's classroom the next day. Her fa-no, Jin, was probably keeping close tabs on the scout's movements, so she decided to remain solo.
After receiving directions from other Ultimates on where the classroom was, Kyoko entered the 77-B classroom. It was honestly...not that different from the 78 Class's homeroom. The wooden desks lined up like soldiers in front of their commander, the teacher's desk, in the corner of the room. A huge blackboard sat at the back wall, a shelf containing textbooks, a computer, and other teaching materials stood right next to it. The window blinds were drawn back, giving the students a full view of the outside.
However, the only thing missing were the students. The room was completely barren of human life save for an orange-haired woman brushing the floor with a broom, humming to herself.
"Excuse me, ma'am?"
The woman looked up.
"Ah, hello. How may I help you?"
"Sorry to interrupt your cleaning."
"Oh no. It's no problem." The woman leaned the broom against the wall. "I was just finishing up, anyway."
"Good. Now, can you give me directions on where to find Chisa Yukizome."
The woman blinked her pretty blue eyes. "I'm Chisa Yukizome." She said with a confused expression.
Kyoko blinked.
"Really?"
Honestly, Kyoko thought that the individual in front of her was the janitor. Although, know that she thought about it, it made sense that the former-Ultimate Housekeeper would still apply their talent for house-cleaning, even if they were employed as a teacher.
Chisa blinked again.
"I'm sorry, did I miss your name?"
"No. My name is Kyoko Kirigiri. I am the Ultimate Detective."
"Wow." Chisa said and clasped Kyoko's hands excitedly. "That's so cool!"
"Eh?" Kyoko said, taken aback.
"Your talent. You're a detective. Wow, I never thought that I'd meet an actual detective in real life. Can you solve mysteries? Have you seen a dead body before? Do you have a partner like Sherlock Holmes or Poirot?"
"Er, yes. Yes. And, no." Kyoko stammered, surprised by the teacher's sudden enthusiasm.
"Wow. That's so amazing."
Kyoko sighed. "May I ask you a few questions, Yukizome-san?"
"Sure." Chisa nodded. "What would you like to know?"
"It's about the incident in the Reserve Course department."
"The incident?"
"Yes. The disappearance of a Reserve Course student. I've gathered intel that you were teaching a class at the West Wing building on the day of the incident."
"Well, yes."
"Were you close to the student who went missing? Did you ever see him interact with the other students in the Reserve Course?"
"Well, I'm a relatively new teacher. This is only my second year, so I don't really know my ins and outs of the school like the more senior teachers do. So I wouldn't know about that."
Kyoko was disappointed.
"Never mind that. However, I was informed that the missing student in question, Hajime Hinata, was close to one of your own students, the Ultimate Gamer, Chiaki Nanami. Can you give me information on her?"
Yukizome scrunched up her face. "Well," she began rubbing her temples, "I know that Nanami and Hinata were apparently really close. So close that they would meet in front of the water fountain every day after school. It was kind of cute."
"The water fountain," murmured Kyoko. It made sense that an Ultimate and non-Ultimate would meet at the water fountain which was on the Reserve Course side of the campus.
"I see. Then do you believe she is there right now?"
"Of course." Chisa's face turned into a pitying expression. "Poor girl waits for him every day, even if the chances of him coming back are slim. She has her moments of despair, but she always pulls herself together in the end. The whole class is getting concerned for their class president."
"I see." Kyoko pulled back her sleeve. "Thank you, Yukizome-san. If I have any further questions, then I will make sure to call upon you."
"No problem. I'm always here to help."
Kyoko was about to thank the woman when suddenly a gust of wind opened one of the windows. Yukizome's head turned and ran towards the window. For a moment Kyoko could've sworn that the former-Housekeeper's eyes turned red for a moment, but she must have imagined it because when the woman returned after closing the window, her eyes were the same light-blue it was before.
"Sorry about that. A draft."
"It's fine." Kyoko pulled her sleeve down and headed out of the classroom.
"Have a nice day, Yukizome-san."
"Bye, Kirigiri-san."
Chisa's smile was still plastered on her face as Kyoko left to see the Ultimate Gamer.
Nanami sat on the pearly marble structure of the fountain, listening idly to the beeps and boops of her game mixing with the trickling sounds of the water behind her.
However, her heart wasn't in it as her ship got decimated by the enemy boss in front of her.
Her mind was on other things.
It's been days, weeks since she last saw Hinata.
He's probably forgotten about her.
Forgot that they were friends.
Forgotten the promises they made to each other.
Forgotten-
"Hello, senpai."
Chiaki looked up.
In front of her was a lavender-haired woman who was giving her a leveled look.
"Who are you?"
The woman pulled back her sleeve.
"My name is Kyoko Kirigiri. I'm the Ultimate Detective from Class 78, your kouhai."
Chiaki tilted her head.
"A detective?" she said, dropping her console by her side. "What do you need me for?"
Kyoko sat down next to her.
"I was just wondering if you've seen this boy anywhere." She pulled out a small picture. It was a photograph of Hajime Hinata looking at the camera, his expression staring at the shooter with the same seriousness he always had.
"That's..."
"His name is Hajime Hinata. I heard that he was close to you."
"Yes." Chiaki's eyes started to tear up. "He was my friend."
"Was?"
"He hasn't visited me for weeks."
"Did he say anything?"
"We were supposed to play games together, but he didn't show up. And he never responded to any of my texts." she clenched her knees. "I don't know what's happened to him, but I'm worried."
Kyoko awkwardly patted the older girl on the shoulder.
"I'm sorry. It's tough when you lose a friend." she said. "Believe me, I know." she whispered the last part to herself bitterly.
Chiaki shook her head.
"But it's not his fault." she insisted.
"It's not?"
"No. Hinata's a good guy. He would never just disappear on his own."
"So he has been kidnapped?"
"Maybe. But, maybe it was because of me." she sniffled. "He was always sensitive about being average. He felt inferior to the Ultimates. I told him that it doesn't matter whether someone has an innate talent or not, because talent isn't everything."
Nanami let out a bitter laugh. "Hypocritical of me, the Ultimate, to tell him, the non-Ultimate, that talent didn't matter. What's the use of being good at playing video games if you can't play it with the ones you love?"
Kyoko's face remained expressionless, but internally, she was feeling sorry for the girl.
"Was there anything out of the ordinary? Anything that Hinata might have gotten caught up in?"
The Ultimate Gamer rubbed her eyes. "Well, he was approached by this old man one day. He was the former Headmaster of the school, I think."
"The former Headmaster?"
"Yeah. He told me that he was going to meet him in his office to discuss something. The two talked and Hajime came out looking like all his dreams were coming true at once, but also conflicted as well. I asked him about what he talked about with the old man, but he refused to say anything. It was the first he ever kept a secret from me."
Kyoko took a moment to process this information.
"Is that all?"
"Yes, I think?" Chiaki paused. "No. There was the incident."
"What incident?"
"It was a few days after Hinata and the Headmaster met. He was jumped on by a bunch of Ultimates."
"What?!"
"They attacked him and beat him up badly."
"What was their motive?"
"I don't know. But they insulted him. Hurt him both physically and mentally."
Kyoko was horrified. "How despicable."
"It was awful. He doesn't remember the names and faces of the attackers, but the ordeal shaken him up really badly. He told me...he told me that he might never see me again. I was concerned and tried to keep in touch, but he vanished without a trace two days later."
Nanami pulled up her hood and sat there hugging her legs.
Kyoko was quiet.
Chiaki looked up. "I'm sorry that I couldn't give you a clear answer. I didn't know what else to tell you."
"You have nothing to apologize for, senpai." Kyoko replied. "You have given me much information and it will help my investigation greatly."
The detective stood up and offered her gloved hand to the gamer.
"Come on. Let's get you home. Your classmates will be worried about you."
Nanami shook her head.
"I'm just going to wait here for a while. Going to see if Hinata-kun returns."
The girl looked at the horizon as the sun slowly disappeared to make way for the night.
"It hurts. It hurts to cling onto hope only to find disappointment after disappointment." The gamer said somberly. "But clinging onto that hope is better than giving up on the chance that things can become better if you wait long enough."
Kyoko looked at her senpai sympathetically.
"Then, if that's what you want, then I won't stop you. Just, don't stay here too long. It's getting dark and you may catch a cold."
Chiaki looked back at her.
"Thank you, kouhai." she said, pulling a small smile.
"I wish you luck on finding Hinata-kun."
"I'll do my best. And I wish you luck on your investigation."
Natsumi Kuzuryu clenched the fence bars of the Reserve Course department.
The so-called 'Ultimate Little Sister' watched the sunset with a somber expression on her face. Her golden-blonde hair swayed in the evening breeze.
Brother. How can you be so close yet so far away at the same time? It isn't fair.
Her grip on the metal fence tightened.
Other Reserve Course students passed by her, giving her weird looks and whispering amongst themselves.
"Hey. Isn't that-"
"Isn't that the little sister of the Ultimate Yakuza, Natsumi Kuzuryu?"
"The Ultimate Little Sister? She doesn't look like the Ultimate to me."
"That's because she isn't one, dumbass."
"What's she doing in the Reserve Course department?"
Natsumi growled and turned around to face the onlookers.
"Shut up, you fucking morons!" she snarled, slamming her fist on the metal bar. "Don't talk shit when you have no idea what the fuck is happening."
The Reserve Course students flinched and scrambled away.
Good.
Natsumi looked back at the sunset and continued brooding.
It was the first time since her break in attempt that she set foot in the Reserve Course building and she hated every moment. The people, the atmosphere, the entire thing, everything about the building was a complete contrast to the Main Course.
She was the goddamn daughter of the Kuzuryu family and here she was, like a little girl standing on the sidelines, waiting for her big brother to take time out of his day to come down and talk to her.
Pathetic.
I can't keep protecting you forever, Natsumi. Fuyuhiko's words echoed in her mind. You're my sister and I love you, but you need to stop relying on me. If you fuck up again, then it's over for you.
Natsumi gritted her teeth.
Fuyuhiko, that asshole. He thinks he can get away with ordering me around like I'm some kind of dog.
Well, she'll show him.
She'll prove that she can become an Ultimate.
She'll prove him wrong.
"Excuse me?"
The girl turned around irritably.
"Natsumi Kuzuryu, was it?" entered Kyoko Kirigiri into the courtyard.
"Eh, the hell do you want?"
"I would like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind."
"Huh? Why the hell would I help you?"
"Because I have the connections and resources to find Hajime Hinata and bring him home. And if you cooperate with me, then it'll benefit us both."
"I don't give a damn about Hinata." Natsumi spat out.
The Ultimate Detective paused for a moment and sighed.
"Fine. If you won't tell me about your fellow student..."
She pulled out a familiar-looking white. The 'Ultimate Little Sister' widened her eyes.
"Then tell me all you know about Amatsu Mikaboshi."
A little shorter than my last two chapters, but I think it got the point across. If there is any constructive criticism you have, I am more than willing to listen to your advice.