"I can't believe this! How could anyone think you did it?!"

Makoto sat in the detention center's visitation room. A pane of glass separated himself from Hina who sat on the other side, staring at him with clenched teeth.

"The nerve of them!" Hina shouted. "Everyone should know by now that you wouldn't murder someone! What could you possibly have against your boss?! They should let you out right this instant!"

Makoto had no idea who had killed Nakazawa, but he had a feeling he knew what motive they would try to pin on him. It wasn't something he could discuss, unfortunately.

"I don't think it'll be that easy," Makoto said.

"Who did this to you?!" Hina demanded. "You said Kyoko-chan wrote you a note? Have you talked with her yet?"

"No, you're the first."

As Makoto fell into a dark silence, Hina frowned. "Hey, you're not worried that Kyoko-chan…?"

"I don't know," Makoto said. "She's a detective. She can't play favorites."

"Don't say that!" Hina shouted. "I'm sure Kyoko-chan is working to clear your name as we speak!"

Well, if there was anything Makoto could count on, it was that Kyoko would fight for the truth. Even if Kyoko couldn't have blind faith in Makoto, the truth was on their side. Makoto, of course, knew that he hadn't laid a finger on Nakazawa.

"But the way she looked at me," Makoto said. "She looked at me like I'd done it."

"I… I'm sure that's not it," Hina said. "She believes in you. We all do."

Makoto sighed. "I'm sure she wants to, at least."

"I said it once and I'll say it again. We've got your back, Naegi."

He managed a smile. "Thank you, Hina."

Hina stayed with him until their other friends came to visit one-by-one.

Hiro came next.

"Sorry, man," Hiro said. "Your luck just doesn't stop, huh?"

Then Byakuya.

Byakuya scoffed. "Always getting into trouble, aren't we? You better take care of it."

Then Toko.

"Th-this may sound strange from me," Toko said, "but… I h-hope you get of here. I r-really do."

Hours passed. The visitation window neared its end.

And then Kyoko came.

Makoto's gut twisted. As Kyoko walked in, she stared daggers into him. Makoto gulped.

"Kiri…?"

He didn't dare use her given name. Not only because of the soul-piercing stare, but also because they were being monitored.

Kyoko said nothing. Her menacing glare cut like a knife below freezing, sending a chill down Makoto's spine.

You don't really think I did it, do you?

Please, tell me. You know me better than this, right?

Makoto grimaced. "I didn't break our promise. I swear."

Kyoko kept glowering at him like he was trash; it shot right through Makoto's heart.

Please, believe me…

"I didn't do it, honest. I never approached her. Someone -"

"Explain yourself," Kyoko hissed.

Makoto did as he was told. He explained everything, taking care not to leave out a single detail. Kyoko hardly showed any reaction as he spoke. She sat silently and listened with her usual blank stare. Makoto couldn't read her at all, and he desperately needed to.

"Th-that's everything," Makoto finished. "I don't know anything about the one who attacked me, and they must have taken the note when they knocked me out. Sorry for being so useless."

Kyoko remained silent.

"But I'm telling the truth," Makoto swore. "I would never betray you."

Kyoko's brow furrowed. She looked ready to break through the glass and strangle him.

"Kiri…"

"You idiot," Kyoko muttered.

Makoto blinked. "Huh?"

Kyoko's fury seethed through her mauve eyes. "How could you fall for such an obvious trap? Are you stupid? You could be dead right now. Do you realize that?"

"H-hey!" Makoto protested. "The note looked really authentic! It even had your scent! And it wasn't wrong! There was a wiretap in my room!"

Kyoko pursed her lips. "Yes, that is… concerning, but I assure you that I wrote no such note. If the forgery was as accurate as you say, we must be dealing with a professional."

"Wait," Makoto said. "Just so we're clear, you don't think I did it?"

Kyoko rolled her eyes as if he had asked the dumbest question in the world. "Not for a second."

Makoto breathed an incredible sigh of relief. Thank God! That was a massive weight off his shoulders. Kyoko had almost had him there. Maybe he was the one who needed to work on his trust. Even the verbal abuse was just Kyoko's way of saying that she was worried about him. How sweet.

Still, Makoto frowned. "But, you're a detective. Don't you need to suspect everyone equally?"

Kyoko averted her gaze. "That is my family's creed, yes. No one is above suspicion, not even our closest friends and relatives. However, I also said that I trust you wholeheartedly. This does put me in a complicated position."

"Sorry," Makoto mumbled.

"I don't want to suspect you," Kyoko said, "but a detective must be logical. Believing you based solely on my emotions would make me a failure of a detective. Therefore, the solution is obvious. I'll just have to logically prove your innocence."

Makoto gasped. "You can do that?"

"I'm working on it," Kyoko said.

"Ah." Makoto lowered his head. "I got carried away." He gave Kyoko a serious look. "But, Kiri, when you saw me, I really thought that… you thought…"

Kyoko frowned. "I was shocked, I admit. It's just… the thought of you killing someone for revenge, it brought some bad memories, that's all."

"Bad memories?"

After a pause, Kyoko brushed her hair back and spoke in a somber tone. "Once, there was a time when I suspected someone important to me. I treated her like a criminal, and… it didn't end well. I don't intend to repeat that mistake."

"Someone important?" Makoto's gaze drifted to Kyoko's gloved hands. "Are you talking about…?"

Kyoko nodded. "The very same."

Makoto stared at her gloves contemplatively. He couldn't deny that he was curious, but it would have been rude to pry further. He knew how personal this topic was.

Crap, I better stop staring. He quickly averted his eyes.

Kyoko's lips curled into a small smile. "Do you want to know more?"

Makoto jumped. Kyoko had seen right through him. "Uh, if you want to talk about it, I'd be happy to listen."

Kyoko hummed. "Tell you what. When we get through this, I'll explain everything."

Makoto gaped at her. "Really? Are you sure?"

Her expression darkening, Kyoko's eyes wandered to the side. "Don't get me wrong. This isn't a decision I'm making lightly, but I… want to be more open with you. So yes, I would like you to know what happened." There was a faint flush in her cheeks. "Consider it a promise."

Makoto could hardly believe it. He felt privileged that Kyoko was willing to share this secret with him. He knew that it wasn't going to be a happy story, but if there was anything Makoto could do to ease Kyoko's burden, he would do it gladly. He wanted nothing but the best for her.

But something else Kyoko had said caught Makoto's attention. "Wait, what do you mean when 'we' get through this? You're not on trial."

Kyoko crossed her arms. "You think I'd just stand around while there's a mystery to solve?"

Makoto smiled. "Oh, of course. You're going to investigate, right?"

"More than that," Kyoko said.

"Huh? More? What do you mean?"

Kyoko stared at him with a look of iron-clad determination. "Naegi-kun, in the upcoming trial, let me represent you."

Makoto's jaw dropped. Kyoko wanted to defend him? "But, Kiri, you're the Ultimate Detective, not the Ultimate Attorney!"

"I know my way around a courtroom," Kyoko said. "You've seen it firsthand."

"Yeah, but, this is different. Doesn't it take years of study to be a lawyer? Don't you need to pass the bar exam?"

"Before The Tragedy, yes, but this is not Japan or any traditional government. This is the Future Foundation. Their procedures concerning the due process of law are rudimentary at best. No one is truly qualified for this."

"Maybe," Makoto admitted, "but wouldn't a professional lawyer still be better?"

"So you would trust a stranger over me?" Kyoko asked sharply.

"It's not that I don't trust you! It's just –"

"I don't trust anyone else," Kyoko said. "What if your defense is secretly working with the Remnants? They would get you convicted, and I wouldn't expect a retrial."

Makoto opened his mouth to argue, but he couldn't deny the possibility. Still, something didn't sit right with him. He met Kyoko's gaze. "Kiri… is this part of your 'atonement?''"

"What if it is?" Kyoko asked.

I knew it. Makoto winced. "You don't owe me anything."

"But I do," Kyoko said. "I can never repay what you've done for me."

"I told you to forget that," Makoto said. "What will it take, Kiri? Will you not be satisfied until you sacrifice your life for mine?"

"It would certainly help," Kyoko grumbled.

Makoto jumped out of his seat, slamming his hands against the counter. "Kiri! I don't want to be your reason to die! If anything, I would rather be your reason to live!"

Kyoko sighed. "Regardless of my personal feelings, I stand by everything I said. I wouldn't ask to defend you if I didn't believe I was your best chance."

Makoto looked deeply into Kyoko's calm eyes. Of course. Kyoko wasn't the type to let her emotions control her. She was rational. If she said that she was Makoto's best chance, that was the logical conclusion that she had reached. Any atonement for her supposed betrayal was just a fringe benefit.

If she's sure, then…

"Okay," Makoto said. "I'll let them know you'll be the one representing me."

Kyoko couldn't help but give a triumphant smirk. "You won't regret this." She took out her notebook. "Now, let's go over the case."

Makoto stared at her in amazement. "You've already started investigating?"

"But of course," Kyoko said proudly. "I'm the Ultimate Detective, remember? Anyway…"

The entrance to the Officer Quarters hallway was guarded by a pair of security officers. They carried M4 carbines and were covered in armor from head to toe.

As Kyoko approached, the guard on the left cocked his head in amusement. "Ah, Kirigiri-san. I take it you're here to clear your boyfriend's name?"

Kyoko rolled her eyes. "If you mean that I'm here to investigate, you are correct. Step aside."

"Hold on," the other guard said. She glanced back and called out to someone. "Hey! Sakakura! Kirigiri-san is here!"

Juzo Sakakura, the Sixth Division Head, stepped out of the hallway. An intense malevolence radiated from his eyes as they cut into Kyoko, but Kyoko met his hostile gaze unflinchingly.

"Let her through," Sakakura ordered.

The guards bowed and let Kyoko pass. She stepped into the hallway, facing straight ahead while addressing Sakakura. "Pardon the intrusion."

Sakakura grunted. "Do whatever you want. It won't matter."

"Such confidence," Kyoko quipped. "I hope it's not misplaced. I will be so disappointed if you make this too easy for me."

Sakakura didn't feel the need to retort, which Kyoko didn't mind at all. Sakakura did, however, follow Kyoko closely, but that was fine. Kyoko was used to authorities keeping her on a close leash.

As Kyoko walked through the hall, she observed that it was clear of bloodstains.

Kyoko moved into the heart of the crime scene, Nakazawa's quarters. An outline of white tape had been laid out where Nakazawa's body had been. She had fallen close to the room's entrance. The bloodstains were still visible. A large pool of blood was centered around the top of Nakazawa's head, and the blood pattern showed no sign of the body being moved during the incident. The alleged murder weapon, a bronze statue of Kazuo Tengan, was also at the scene.

Kyoko picked up the statue. The square base was covered in blood all over. She looked at the bottom and saw an inscription of Tengan's name.

"It bears Naegi's prints," Sakakura said. "Only Naegi's prints."

Kyoko huffed. "Yes, criminals are not too fond of leaving fingerprints behind." She held up her hand. "There's this wonderful invention called gloves."

"Slight problem with that theory," Sakakura said. "The killer would have gotten blood on their gloves, and no bloody gloves were found anywhere in these quarters. And thanks to surveillance footage, we know that no one left the Officer Quarters between the murder and security's arrival."

Kyoko shrugged. She was certain she would find an explanation. A bookshelf with an evidence marker inside caught her eye. She looked closely and saw a small camera hidden in it.

"So the room was bugged," Kyoko observed. She looked back at Sakakura. "Your handiwork?"

"I'm afraid not," Sakakura said. "We haven't been able to determine who it transmitted to."

"And you believe that Naegi was capable of this?" Kyoko questioned.

"Immaterial," Sakakura argued.

Kyoko shook her head in disapproval. "Hmph. Even the smallest detail can make a world of difference in an investigation, and this is not a small detail."

Sakakura let out a frustrated growl. "There is no doubt that your great 'hero' is guilty. Multiple witnesses will prove that."

Multiple? Kyoko opened her phone and reviewed the Court Record. As of 11:00pm, the people present in the Officer Quarters included Makoto, Nakazawa, Yasui, Eguchi, and herself. At 11:07pm, Nagata entered the quarters. He had been seen in the mess hall a couple minutes earlier. No other movements in or out of the hallway had been recorded. This footage was captured by a surveillance camera overlooking the hallway's entrance. Unfortunately, the camera inside the hallway had not been operational due to a hardware failure. No foul play was suspected, just… bad luck, if that was to be believed.

Excluding Makoto, the victim, and herself, there were three suspects: Eguchi, Yasui, and Nagata. More than one testifying against Makoto was bad news. Worst case scenario, they were all in on this crime.

After finishing her examination of Nakazawa's room, she moved on to the room next door, Eguchi's room. The first thing Kyoko noticed was the many trophies and accolades inside. 'Talk Show of the Year,' 'Best Standup,' etcetera. There were also several framed photographs of himself and Nagata, some of which featured them holding hands or huddled close together. Kyoko didn't need to be the Ultimate Detective to deduce that they were romantically involved.

Underneath Eguchi's desk, Kyoko found a wiretap. This room had been bugged as well.

On top of the desk, Kyoko saw a solitary file. It was marked Top Secret, though despite the high classification it wasn't very interesting. It was just the latest plan of operative movements and resource distributions, dated the day of the murder. It was addressed directly to Eguchi, but Kyoko couldn't tell if it was related to the case.

Sakakura gave her a stern look. "Even if it's for an investigation, I would rather you not stare too closely at classified documents."

Without taking her eyes off the document, Kyoko asked a question. "Is it genuine?"

Sakakura nodded.

Examining the document further, Kyoko spotted a strand of blonde hair resting on it.

"Yasui's," Sakakura said.

"Hmm, are there logs showing Yasui-san visited this room?" Kyoko asked.

"No."

"Then what is her hair doing here?"

"We can't expect every visit to be logged," Sakakura said. "If they had entered the room together, Yasui wouldn't have bothered to ring the bell."

"That may be true," Kyoko said, "but what about surveillance footage? The interior hallway camera may have been down on the night of the murder, but it was still operational before that. It's my understanding that the footage is saved up to the past two weeks."

"We didn't observe Yasui visiting this room," Sakakura said. "Aside from Eguchi, the only person ever seen entering was Nagata."

Kyoko folded her arms. "I hope you are being honest with me." She made a mental note to review the footage herself later.

Only having the past two weeks of footage was less than ideal. The joint operation between the thirteenth and fourteenth divisions had begun about one month ago. If someone had planted the surveillance devices longer than two weeks ago, it would be difficult to identify the culprit.

Stupid, cheap cameras. Unreliable, and only two weeks of data, but oh, everyone had to have an expensive retina scanner by their door. Leave it to the Future Foundation to have such skewed priorities.

Putting that aside, Kyoko inquired about traffic in Nakazawa's room. Yasui and Eguchi had supposedly been regular visitors.

Kyoko went to the next room, Yasui's. As soon as she stepped inside, she suppressed a grimace and held her nose.

It smells… awful.

The room was filthy. Overflowing trash bags were scattered all over the place. The bed was littered with food wrappers and empty noodle cups. A stack of pizza boxes was piled in the corner. Kyoko's stomach sank. She had to investigate this?

Sakakura snorted. "Make yourself at home."

Kyoko stopped herself from groaning. It wasn't her first time diving into garbage. Makoto, I hope you appreciate this. She got to work, digging through the trash for any potential evidence, but it proved to be a waste of time and dignity. As far as Kyoko could tell, the trash was just that, trash.

Except, underneath Yasui's bed, Kyoko spotted another wiretap. Yet another bugged room.

And on the dresser, Kyoko spotted something interesting, a bronze statue of Nakazawa. It was the same size as the Tengan statue, like they were part of a set. The dresser was covered in a thick, perfectly smooth sheet of dust. Kyoko lifted the statue. The dresser was just as dusty underneath.

However, the statue sparkled brilliantly, which was very out of place in this room. Kyoko inspected the bottom of the base. Like the Tengan statue, there was an inscription of Nakazawa's name.

"I want this examined," Kyoko said. "Thoroughly."

"Already done," Sakakura said. "Trace amounts of blood were found, but not enough to identify the owner."

"Then this could very well be the actual murder weapon," Kyoko said.

"Or it could not be," Sakakura said. "That blood could be from a papercut for all we know."

"And why is it so clean?" Kyoko questioned. "Look around. The occupant isn't what I would call tidy."

"Perhaps that's how much she valued Nakazawa," Sakakura suggested.

"What about prints?" Kyoko asked.

"Only Yasui's prints were found."

It was extremely suspicious, but Kyoko supposed she lacked hard evidence, for now.

Kyoko asked who had been known to visit Yasui's room. Sakakura said that only Eguchi and Nakazawa had been seen visiting, and these visitations had been regular throughout the past month.

With that, Kyoko moved on. Nagata's room was across from Eguchi's room. Kyoko went inside and searched. Like Eguchi's room, there were also photographs of the two together. There was also a security guard uniform strung on a hanger, large enough to accommodate Nagata's obese body.

And once again, Kyoko found a hidden camera in a bookshelf.

Apparently, only Eguchi was known to have visited Nagata's room.

Kyoko checked Makoto's room next. As she had dreaded, Makoto's room had also been bugged. Aside from that, there was no clear evidence inside.

Byakuya also had a room next to Yasui's, but there was nothing of note aside from the usual wiretapping. It seemed that Kyoko's room had been the only one free of surveillance, probably because the culprit had been worried that Kyoko would have noticed, rightfully so. If only she had been more careful in Makoto's room…

Finally, Kyoko checked the breakroom. Aside from the missing Tengan statue, nothing was out of place.

"No traces of anyone but Naegi," Sakakura said. "His hair and fingerprints were found, and no one else's. The room had been cleaned that afternoon, and Naegi was the only visitor up until the investigation. The retina scanner logs corroborate this."

Kyoko searched the room herself, but all she could confirm was that Sakakura was telling the truth.

But someone else must have been here. They must be skilled to cover their tracks so well.

"You done here?" Sakakura asked impatiently.

Kyoko took a deep breath. "I suppose so, for now." She eyed Sakakura quizzically. "I must say, you were more cooperative than I expected."

"No need to hide the truth," Sakakura said darkly. "Naegi is guilty, and you are going to lose. Fair and square."

Kyoko narrowed her eyes. "You don't know who you're dealing with, and neither does the culprit."

Sakakura let out a belligerent huff. "I'll see you in court."

Indeed, he would. With her business concluded for the time being, Kyoko left the Officer Quarters.

There was one more lead. Directly below the Officer Quarters was the Crew Quarters, and the room beneath Nakazawa's just so happened to belong to Toko. Kyoko made her way to the deck below and went to Toko's room. She scanned her retina to ring the bell.

Toko only slightly opened the door, just enough to peek her head out. Her body trembled as she looked at her. "Wh-what do you want?"

"Isn't it obvious? Naegi is being framed for murder. I need you to tell me everything you know."

"R-right," Toko said. "I did h-hear something that night. Th-there was a loud c-crash."

"What time was this?" Kyoko questioned.

"J-just before the alarm rang," Toko said.

"Did you hear anything else?"

"N-no, that's all."

Kyoko held her chin in thought. The alarm had rung at 11:19pm, and it was right after that when Kyoko herself had…

If the sound Toko had heard was truly the body of Nakazawa hitting the floor, then… it was hard to imagine how anyone other than Makoto could have done it.

"Are you certain?" Kyoko pressed. "The sound was immediately before the alarm?"

"Y-yes!" Toko insisted. "Immediately! W-well, a few seconds! No more than a minute!"

No, that couldn't be right. There had to be more to this. Why was Toko so distraught? She must have been hiding something. Kyoko looked at the shock collar around Toko's neck, and the pieces started to click.

"Fukawa-san," Kyoko said quietly. "Be honest with me. Is it possible that your… other self awoke that night?"

Toko's eyes widened in horror, signaling that Kyoko had hit the nail on the head.

"N-no way!" Toko said. "Th-there's no way s-she came out!"

Kyoko glared at her. "Fukawa, I need your help. Naegi's life is on the line."

"W-well, so is mine!" Toko shouted. "If they found out she woke up, it's over for me!"

"I won't let that happen!" Kyoko said. "But you need to help me."

"I know nothing!" Toko screamed. "She definitely did not wake up, okay?! I was just texting Master! There's nothing more to say!"

"You were texting Togami?" Kyoko asked.

Toko gulped. "Uh, y-yeah."

"When was this?"

"Umm." Toko took out her phone. "It started at 11:05pm."

"Any reason for that time?" Kyoko questioned.

"N-nope!" Toko said. "There's no such thing as a wrong time to text Master! I was just lonely, and I really wished he would come over…"

Kyoko wasn't convinced. "Fukawa, please. Let me check with her."

"I said she had nothing to do with it!" Toko yelled. "Leave me alone!"

Toko slammed the door shut. Kyoko banged her fist on it. "Fukawa-san! Fukawa-san!"

Kyoko relentlessly pounded her fist and shouted Toko's name, to no avail. Kyoko growled. If Toko was going to be this stubborn, perhaps she needed some backup. Kyoko took out her phone.

You: Togami, I need a favor.

Togami: What?

You: I believe Fukawa's other self may have witnessed something. I need your help convincing her to talk.

Togami: Ugh

Togami: Fine, I'll see what I can do.

Kyoko waited for some time, pacing around the hall until Byakuya messaged her again.

Togami: No use. She won't listen to me, either.

Kyoko clicked her tongue.

You: Can you at least forward me her texts from 11:05pm?

Togami: I deleted those abominations as soon as I saw them.

Togami: All you need to know is that they were filth.

You: Do you think they were from Fukawa, or the other one?

Togami: Who can say? Either way she's insane.

Kyoko sighed. If Toko refused to talk here, Kyoko would have to get her on the stand. Not ideal, but Kyoko's instincts said that her testimony would be crucial.

Now, time to find out how a certain idiot got himself into this mess…

Makoto pressed his hands into his head. "Is she serious?! If she sticks with that story…"

Kyoko averted her gaze as she brushed a finger through her hair. "I know. That wasn't my finest interrogation, I admit."

"So what can we do?" Makoto asked.

"We'll issue a subpoena," Kyoko said. "Then Fukawa will at least be required to appear in court."

Makoto frowned. He felt bad that they had to be so heavy handed with a friend, but Makoto needed all the help he could get.

"In the meantime," Kyoko said, "let's look over the Court Record."

Kyoko held up her phone. A list of various pieces of evidence was displayed. She opened one of the items.

Autopsy Report:

The victim is Natsuki Nakazawa, Fourteenth Division Head.

Estimated Time of Death: 11:00pm to 11:20pm.

Cause of Death: Blunt force trauma to forehead.

The victim died instantly after the first blow to the forehead. Additional blows were dealt post-mortem. There was also peri-mortem trauma to the back of the victim's head, likely from falling.

Shortly before death, the victim suffered trauma to the right eye.

Additional Note: The victim shed tears shortly before death.

"Why so many injuries?" Makoto wondered. "If all it took was one hit…"

Kyoko hummed. "We need to consider who Nakazawa-sama met that night."

The doors to everyone's quarters logged whenever someone scanned their retina, either to ring the bell of someone else's door, or to unlock their own door. Makoto reviewed the logs.

11:00pm: Nakazawa detected at Yasui's door.

11:05pm: Nakazawa detected at own door.

11:07pm: Nagata detected at own door.

11:09pm: Nakazawa detected at Yasui's door.

11:10pm: Nakazawa detected at own door.

11:13pm: Naegi detected at breakroom door.

11:15pm: Naegi detected at Nakazawa's door.

"What was she doing with Yasui-san?" Makoto questioned.

"Unfortunately, Yasui-san declined my request for interview," Kyoko said. "Same with Nagata-san and Eguchi-sama."

Makoto groaned. "They're not making this easy for us."

Kyoko closed her eyes. "It will all come down to the trial. I still don't know how the witnesses will testify, and I have concerns about the trial's fairness."

"Its fairness?" Makoto asked. "You think this will be a kangaroo court?"

"Someone murdered the Fourteenth Division Head," Kyoko said. "Even if she was a traitor, that crime cannot go unpunished. They will hold someone responsible. I fear that 'innocent until proven guilty' will not apply here."

"So guilty until proven innocent?" Makoto asked.

"More like guilty until someone else is proven guilty," Kyoko said.

A knot twisted in Makoto's stomach. "It's Hope's Peak all over again…" He gave Kyoko an expectant look. "So, do you have any idea who the killer is?"

"I have theories," Kyoko said, "but I need everyone's testimony before I can reach a conclusion. Sorry if that doesn't inspire much confidence."

"No, I get it," Makoto said. "That's what you said makes a great detective, right? You consider all possibilities at first, then use the evidence to narrow it down until you've solved it."

Kyoko smirked. "So you were paying attention, good."

Makoto tried to think if there was any evidence they still needed to go over. "What about you? What did you see that night?"

"I was still on my computer when the alarm went off," Kyoko said. "Naturally, I left to investigate. I saw Yasui-san leave her room in a hurry; she didn't even bother to close her door. Eguchi-sama's door was open as well. And Nagata-san was still standing by the alarm in the hallway."

Makoto held his chin. "Eguchi said he 'heard everything.' What could he mean by that?"

"The obvious assumption, of course, is that he's the one trying to frame you, but we'll need to hear his testimony. Until then, we can't be sure if this is a misunderstanding or an act of malice."

"Yeah, I guess that's true."

"We should also consider the room allocation," Kyoko said.

There was only one entrance to the Officer Quarters hallway. Four rooms on each side. On the left side, the room order was Nakazawa, Eguchi, Yasui, and Byakuya (who had been on-duty and outside of his quarters during the incident). On the right side, the order was the breakroom, Nagata, Makoto, and Kyoko.

"Eguchi was right next to Nakazawa-sama," Makoto observed. "I guess he could have heard something going on in there."

Kyoko nodded. "He would be the first in earshot, yes."

Makoto leaned his tired head against his hand. He really had no idea what had happened. Who had killed Nakazawa? When had they killed Nakazawa? Who had attacked him in the breakroom? Why had they killed Nakazawa, and why did they want to frame him?

"It's weird," Makoto said. "Why kill Nakazawa? She was about to be arrested anyway."

"You and I should have been the only ones aware," Kyoko said. "Not even Eguchi-sama had been informed."

Makoto let out another groan. He felt like he was getting nowhere.

"You know what else is strange?" Kyoko asked. "Why did the culprit bother trying to frame you?"

Makoto scratched his head. "Umm, to get away with it, I guess?"

Kyoko pressed a finger against her cheek. "I wonder… is that really the case?"

"Do you have another theory?" Makoto asked.

Kyoko lowered her head. "It's just… the murder technique seems so simple. I've dealt with several impossible crimes and locked room mysteries in the past. Such murders attempt to foil the detective by making it seem like no one, except maybe for a scapegoat, could have possibility committed the murder. If the detective cannot identify how a murder was committed, they will never be able to prove who had done it.

"However, such complicated techniques carry risk. If the detective does solve the impossible crime or locked room mystery, it often leads them straight to the culprit, because the true culprit may very well be the only one who could have executed the technique.

"Obviously, this is no locked room murder. The door was open when you and Nakazawa-sama were found. This leaves open the possibility that anyone in the Officer Quarters could have killed her. Unlike a locked room which denies all possibilities, this open room embraces all possibilities. A simple murder that anyone could have done; it can be a detective's worst nightmare."

A murder that anyone could have committed. Makoto started to see what Kyoko was getting at. "So, if anyone could have killed Nakazawa-sama, then there's no reason to pin it on me."

"Indeed," Kyoko said. "Attempting to frame someone else for murder often backfires. The more complicated the crime, the higher the risk of leaving evidence pointing to yourself. If the killer had simply left Nakazawa-sama's body in her room, it might have been an unsolvable crime."

"But they still tried to frame me," Makoto said. "Is it an attack against me, then?"

"Hard to say. It's certainly a possibility. However, if that's the case, then why didn't they simply murder you as well? The culprit didn't leave a trace of themselves behind in the breakroom when they abducted you. They probably could have gotten away with killing you, too."

With a slight smile, Makoto shook his head. "I don't know about that. You're here."

"I…" Kyoko shyly averted her gaze. "I'm not a perfect detective. I've seen detectives on a level that I still have yet to reach, but… I will do my best."

"You always do," Makoto said encouragingly. "I know you won't let the culprit get away with this. Detectives fight for justice, don't they?"

Suddenly, Kyoko's mouth opened in shock. "What?"

Huh? What's with that reaction? Makoto's head titled in confusion. "Did I say something strange?"

After a moment, Kyoko cleared her throat. "No, that's a common perception of detectives, but that's not who I am. I told you that a Kirigiri stands neutral in all things, representing neither justice nor evil. We exist only to uncover the absolute truth."

"Oh, that's right."

But, you must have some sense of right and wrong, don't you?

Can you really be motivated by pride alone?

Kyoko raised an eyebrow. "Enough. We need to focus."

Right…

The killer, who was it? If Makoto had to guess, maybe Yasui had done it? If the Nakazawa statue was the actual murder weapon as Kyoko had theorized, it would have to be her, right?

But what about Eguchi? He had been quick to point the finger at Makoto. Did that mean he was the culprit?

And what about Nagata? What had he been doing? There wasn't any obvious reason to suspect him, but he had also declined Kyoko's request for interview. And if he was close with Eguchi, could they have been working together?

A thick fog enveloped Makoto's mind. He could guess all he wanted, but what was the truth?

"Naegi…"

He looked up to face Kyoko, who stared back at him with a passionate flame burning in her eyes.

"I'm getting you out of here. I will not let you hang for this."

Makoto held his chest as he felt his heart swell. Seeing Kyoko so resolved to protect him put him at ease. Neutral in all things, huh? He smiled. "I'm lucky to have you."

Kyoko pressed her hand against the glass that separated them. "I will always be on your side. No matter what."

Kyoko… Despite the situation, Makoto felt butterflies in his stomach. Whatever happened, at least he had Kyoko with him. They would face this trial together, as they had before.

Nakazawa, I didn't know you that well, and I don't know if you were really a traitor, but I will find the truth behind your death. You deserve that much, at least.

With the time they had left, Makoto and Kyoko did their best to prepare.

AN: So, have you cracked the case yet? I'm curious what you think.

Next time: All rise