"You got the dime, we'll do the crime!"
That is the motto of Problem Solver 68 always lives by. At least on the surface.
Considered one of Gehenna's troublesome illegal clubs, they operated as fixers or mercs for hire in the criminal world. Although the jobs this club does are also contradictory due to the club president, Rikuhachima Aru, who aspires to be an infamous criminal yet, her good-natured personality often backfires and instead takes jobs from the citizens who are in need of help. A lovable dork, Mutsuki would call her. An idiot but adoring boss, Kayoko would call her. The greatest outlaw leader she ever had, Haruka would call her.
They were about to set up their office first thing in the morning when Kayoko, the white and black-haired punk-looking girl, received a notification from Ako to their surprise and requested their immediate presence at Gehenna. Aru wasn't too keen to go there, considering that the Prefect Team was technically hunting for their heads because of their activity. However, Kayoko has noted that although it seems important, Ako is also a bit frantic in her message. Kayoko and Aru discuss with each other, and when they convince themselves that this is not a trap, they immediately set out for the academy, not to mention that Mutsuki leaves a mischievous note on their door regarding their departure.
Reaching the school grounds, the usual Gehenna students didn't even bat an eye. Once they reached Prefect Team territory, it wasn't hard for the group to notice the wary looks the guarding Prefect members had, but they did not say much regarding their presence. They eventually enter the Head Prefect's office, finding Ako and Iori there, with Hina nowhere to be seen. Ako soon greets them and briefs them on why they are here. And….
"WHAT?! HINA WAS ARRESTED?!" Aru was beyond shocked.
"What she said," Kayoko commented, though her eyes widened. "What did Head Prefect do to get herself arrested by Valkyrie?"
"Yeah! I never thought our goodie two-shoes Hina would get into that kind of trouble," Mutsuki smiled cheekily. "Did she get so bored with keeping up order that she goes naughty for once~? I don't blame her, you know~."
"N-naughty?" Haruka asked shyly. "I-I don't think President Hina even h-have a time for that."
"How dare-!" Iori's anger was soon replaced with a frown and a sigh. "No. That's not it."
"Well, you see, Problem Solvers," Ako continued. "Hina was… involved in a mysterious circumstance surrounding an adult's death."
It was the first time Aru had forgotten how to breathe for a second; the others fell deadly silent. Even Mutsuki seems like she had been hit in the gut and lost her breath.
"What...?" was Aru's question.
Ako slightly nods. Problem Solvers stare at each other to confirm they're hearing the same thing.
"When was the… incident?" Kayoko dared to inquire.
"A couple of days ago. A day before she was arrested," Ako swept a few strands of her blue hair. "We're not exactly clear about the situation, but Head Prefect had admitted that she was there when the adult died before she was arrested."
"She- She's not being treated as a criminal, right?" as much as Aru likened the idea that Hina opened up to the world of the outlaw, to be that kind of outlaw was mortifying and even a line too far for her standards.
"She's being treated as a suspect as we speak," Iori replied. "She should be recovering today since she had fainted yesterday afternoon from the stress."
"Oh, oh, dear!" Haruka trembled paranoidly. "D-d-d-did Hina murder someone?! She'ssoruthlessandpowerfulthanmemaybeshe'ssickofthedelinquentslikeussomuchthat-!"
"Haruka, Haruka, calm down! Calm down!" Aru frantically ordered her. "I don't think that is it! Isn't that right, Ako?"
"Again, we're not exactly clear about it, but we don't think she has any reason to… murder someone," Ako squinted her eyes at the bitterness of that word. "Hopefully, Valkyrie, and especially Sensei, can get something out of her."
Kayoko raises her eyebrow. "He's been informed about it?"
"They did by the time they arrested her," Iori unconsciously tugged one of her silver ponytails. "He should be coming to KSPD Station this morning."
"Okay… so why are we here?" Mutsuki rested her hands behind her, tilting her head. "You're not asking us to break her out, are you?"
"Y-You sure, Mutsuki?" Haruka added relatively quickly. "I-if that's the case, I don't mind volunteering to charge their station and destroy everyone that keeps her caged!"
"Hey, hey! We're not doing something like that, Haruka!" Aru held both her shoulders. "Calm down!"
"No! We're not asking you to do that!" Ako responded venomously. "Not only do I have to whack your heads in personally, but you're going to put the Head Prefect in a much worse position than before and destroy her reputation! The audacity to think that you even come up with that, maybe I shouldn't have called you-!"
*BAK*
"OW!" Ako held her pained head.
"Will you quit that already?!" Iori retracted her rifle. "I swear, you're a handful sometimes."
"Ugh, like you're one to talk," Ako spat back.
"Yeah? At least I'm not stuck writing a thousand apology letters because someone is too prideful to admit that you overreacted and ended up destroying an entire district Hina asked you to protect!"
"H-hey, that was different!" was Ako's weak reply.
"Wait, isn't Iori talking about Kantami District the Prefect Team destroyed like two weeks ago?" Aru wondered.
"Oh yeah, that one," Kayoko shut her eyes, gritting her teeth bitterly. "There goes my favorite music shop. Goes all up in flames."
"A-anyway, the reason why we called you here," Ako managed to continue. "We would like to ask for your help to replace us temporarily, especially for today's Prefect drill training."
"Huh?" Haruka muttered, and the others expressed surprise.
"You see, we both are soon heading out to KSPD to give them our statement as witnesses," Ako explained. "And it may take a while until we come back."
"Of course. But I wish to ask," Aru asked, now feeling entirely professional. "Why our help specifically? We both know that we, Problem Solver 68, are criminals for hire. Surely, you could ask someone else who is qualified for that."
"Normally, we would," Ako admitted, closing her eyes. "But considering your relationship with the Head Prefect and your reputation amongst the citizens regarding your work, your group is considered the most qualified to assist us. Besides…."
Iori looks at the clipboard she's holding and shakes her head in disbelief. "It's clear here that you are a bunch of illegals, but your club is considered the least problematic of all delinquent clubs. Just what the hell?"
"…. Eh? Eh?" Aru was flabbergasted.
"In fact," Ako added with a smile. "Your club is considered the least problematic, and you're not listed in the top ten most problematic groups of all Gehenna."
"EEEEH?!" Aru is soon overwhelmed by stupefaction.
"Huh, well, that's convenient," Kayoko is rather impressed. "Being that unpopular does have its merits."
"Hahaha! You hear that, Aru-chan?" Mutsuki finally teased. "You still got a-long-aways to be a hard-boiled outlaw~."
"Do-don't worry, boss!" Haruka assured enthusiastically. "You just need to give the word, and I will begin to commit more crimes for your sake!"
"H-hang now, Haruka, let's not get too far ahead-" Aru responded with concern.
"Is that so?" Ako cut in. "I was looking forward to not seeing your sorry lot to end up in the top ten."
Kayoko sighed coolly as she looked back lazily. "I don't really mind helping, but it's up to the boss."
Aru straightens herself again and lets her professional part speak for itself. "What do we benefit from helping you to have us act as your temporary replacements?"
"Of course, I'm not surprised that is the first thing you ask," Ako sighed her frustration and returned a smile. "We are willing to part away two million yen to you once we are certain that we no longer have business with the KSPD today, and perhaps in the future as well."
All of the Problem Solvers widen their eyes. Haruka is instead having a problem accepting that fact. "Two million yen?! Is it okay for us to receive that much?! Do I really deserve to accept such a price for this job?! That is too rich for someone so worthless as myself-!"
"Oookay, cut that out, Haruka," the white-haired imp rubbed her head. "That's a really good deal for us! I like this deal!"
"Is that so?" Aru asked with a grin, straightening the right side of her long hair. "Consider it done, Administrator Ako. We will assist with the drill."
"Finally, at least we don't have to worry about that rent for a while," Kayoko added, which was enough to destroy Aru's façade.
"T-that's just a price we have to bear! You know that the grandeur of an office signifies a hard-boiled outlaw!"
"How the hell are you still afloat anyway?" Iori whispered to herself.
"Good. It's all settled then. Should you need any help, you can look over the itinerary at my desk or ask the Prefect members to help you around the office. We haven't informed them of our replacement for today, but I'm sure Kayoko can guide you through things from here."
"You don't have to worry much on that part, Ako," the mentioned punk girl nodded.
Ako and Iori gather their things and say their goodbyes. Before they leave the door, though, Aru calls out to them.
"W-wait!"
They turn around. "What's the matter, Aru?" Ako asked.
Aru takes a deep breath. "If you see Hina there, tell her that I wish her well, and we'll be waiting for her."
Ako returns a warm smile. "I will, President Aru. We'll see you later."
The two prefect officers leave the office. Now that they're alone, Kayoko turns to her leader.
"What's the order, boss?"
"For now, please take a look at today's itinerary," Aru ordered. "Mutsuki, Haruka, see if this office has some paperwork for us to do."
"We'll get to it straight away," Haruka answered obediently. She and Mutsuki dashed toward the paper stacks.
"We have plenty of things to do in the itinerary," Kayoko came over. "And boss, should I call the Prefect members to brief them about us being here?"
"Yes, I would like to discuss with them particularly about the Prefect drill."
"Got it, boss."
As Kayoko left, Aru walked over to Hina's desk. She frowns at the thought that Hina has fallen from grace so quickly. But now, as Hina's friend, she focused back on the tasks at hand to lessen her burdens. It's the least she can do for Hina.
"So Hina did take something from the dead adult?"
"Yes. It was a 50 million yen in cash."
"Did she steal it or…?"
"No, no, she didn't steal it. At least, I think so. She said she got the money after a simple job."
"Do you know what kind of job she was referring to?"
"I asked the same thing from her myself. She said it was bizarre, but… she never elaborated it further for me."
"Did she tell you when she did the job?"
"A couple of days ago, at night. She never told me the exact time."
"Were you aware that she had taken it from a dead adult?"
"I was only made aware that she got it after a job. It was only after I quietly deposited them into our budget under her order and then pressed her on the matter that she finally told us about the dead adult."
"Why would she need that kind of money?"
"She needed it to fund our daily Prefect Drill since Gehenna's Student Council denied us access to our budget for no reason, and they still expect us to submit our training routine for them to review."
"Ah, the kind like those bureaucratic cretins who make our job harder?"
"Pretty much."
Kanna remembers her last interrogation with Chinatsu yesterday and determines that despite assisting Hina in depositing the money, she is by no means a suspect. The Prefect Team refused to turn in the cash due to the circumstances, but they had procured a financial form to serve as evidence of the money's existence, which is more than enough to help Kanna progress her case. As of now, Chinatsu is still looking over Hina's well-being while she is busy writing about the progress of the case. Kanna has thought about interviewing those from Trinity regarding this case but withheld the idea since the case does not have any link with Trinity, even indirectly.
She grins a bit. That narrows down the people she needs to ask by a wide margin—less paperwork to do.
She hears her door knocked upon and tells them to come in. Nakatsukasa Kirino, the white-haired girl whose pigtails are tied into a long braid, has finally returned with a form in hand.
"Director Kanna!" Kirino greeted. "I'm back."
"Kirino," Kanna returned a nod. "Have you searched Hina's residence?"
"Yeah. We just finished a last thorough sweep around her home and cordoned it off from the public quietly as you asked," Kirino frowned, handing the form to her. "Frankly, we did not find a lot relating to our case, but we did find some evidence that confirms President Hina was at Jiramiagi Apartments."
Kanna looks at the form. "A few articles of clothing smeared with blood and… a bloodied 4-digit clicker?"
"Yes," Kirino nodded. "The forensics confirmed that the blood belonged to our victim last night."
"I see. Is this really all of it?"
"Director, with how immaculate the Head Prefect's home was, there is little to nothing in the way of evidence there. Not to mention, it looks as if the Head Prefect didn't really want to hide it, or if she did want to hide it, she didn't have much time to do so, but I believe the former."
"I… see," Kanna looked at the last image. "Does the clicker have any significance to our case?"
"We confirmed the fingerprints, and the blood on the clicker belongs to the victim," Kirino answered. "I think this might be the second item she took from the victim."
Kanna squints her tired eyes. "Why would she take a clicker from the victim?"
"I don't know, Director. It's just a gut feeling, but…," Kirino paused, her eyes pondered in all her seriousness. "There's something about the clicker that just doesn't sit right with me."
"…. Whatever you mean by that?"
"It's… hard to say, Director Kanna. I have met Hina plenty of times since she's also a member of Schale, and Hina playing that clicker is the most alien thing for me to hear. There's… something morbid, I guess, about that clicker, and I'm not even sure why. Like I said, it's a gut feeling, but that insignificant thing might be important to the case."
"Hm," Kanna reviewed the forms once more before nodding. "Very well, I will add this form to our case. Should anything else come up relating to our case, inform me immediately."
"Of course, Director!" Kirino saluted.
"Excuse me, guys. Is this a bit of a bad time to come in?"
They turn to the new voice, finding it belongs to Sensei, with Vice President Rin by his side.
"Sensei," Kanna greeted in her ragged voice. "It's nice you came early. Acting President Rin."
"Greetings," Rin bowed. "How is the case progressing, Director?"
"We made some little progress, but nothing substantial has come to light," Kanna answered.
"We just managed to recover new evidence that confirmed the Head Prefect had met our victim before," Kirino answered. "Other than that, nothing much."
"I see," Sensei nodded. "Has the others arrived yet?"
"No, but they have been scheduled to arrive this morning," Kanna replied. "The Prefect Officers had informed me that they need to sort things out in their office before coming here."
"Ah, yes, the Prefect Team would be clueless if no one else is in charge," Rin commented, fixing her eyeglasses. "I reckon they'll come to provide a witness statement."
"Yes, they will. And including the Pandemonium Society."
Rin raises an eyebrow, yet Sensei seems disconnected for a moment. "I'm sorry, the Pandemonium is coming over?" Sensei asked.
"Yes, one of them, Iroha, says that they're willing to provide witness statements as well as checking up on how Hina is doing."
"That… sounds like Iroha alright, but it feels like there's someone else coming over as well," Sensei commented.
"Yeah, she didn't elaborate much about it, and neither of us bothered."
"If you could enlighten me, Director Kanna," Rin interjected. "I would like to see what the victim's face looks like."
"That may take some time if it wasn't because of his mask," Kanna searched in her case document.
"Wait, the victim was wearing a mask?" Sensei asked.
"Yeah. A peculiar one at that," Kirino answered. "Sure, we have people with oni masks, gas masks, and the like, but his mask was just out of place to even exist in Kivotos."
"Here are the pictures, Acting President," Kanna gave to her. "We still don't have his face yet, but we have his mask."
Both Rin and Sensei examine the mask in the pictures. The mask was created in such a way that it reminded Sensei of something similar to those giant head statues of Easter Island, the Moai, now that he remembered. The only difference was the mouth and nose, which were non-existent. The bottom half of its face is comprised of a prominent round chin, which is surprisingly not as large as the neck of the mask, which is very wide and thick. On the mask is what Sensei would call the nasal bridge, which is used to divide between the two eyes. Other than that, the mask covers the entirety of the head. If one looks from afar, one could mistake the round chin for one massive nose; even Rin has to stifle a giggle at the weirdness of the mask as a courtesy to respect the dead.
"Why would opening this mask may take some time?" Rin asked.
"His mask kind of glued to him," Kirino answered. "His mask is made of wood and rather thick, too. We think that his mask warped by itself, not to mention the blood that is still inside of it."
"You gonna have to wait for our team to open up that mask without damaging his face," Kanna added with a sigh.
"I understand. We can wait in that regard," Sensei nodded. "Did you guys find out his name?"
"Well, that's the thing," Kanna shook her head. "We have inquired his neighbors; he is an adult man like Sensei, and he has lived here for quite a long time, even longer before Sensei came here. Nobody knows who he is nor even his face."
"We have done our search into Kivotos' database via fingerprint and blood DNA," Kirino emphasized with a frown. "His record never existed. He doesn't even have any identification card to begin with."
Rin stares gravely at Kanna. "How is that even possible for someone to be under the radar for so long?"
"Beats me," Kanna shrugged. "The only thing we know about him is that the neighbors there usually refer to him as 'Mr. Nobody,' or 'Totem Head' if you fancy his mask."
"I see," Sensei crossed his arms. "That's quite a pickle there."
"I'll take a gander that you're here to oversee the case under GSC's request?" Kanna asked.
"Yes, but mainly to see if there's anything I can do to help Hina."
"Still admirable as always. But you can't see her yet."
"She had fainted yesterday afternoon until now," Kirino continued, sitting at the available chair. "So, we are still waiting for Chinatsu to give us the good news."
"With the schedule she has in Gehenna, combined with these stressful circumstances, I sympathize with her sleeping for that long," Rin commented, eyes closed.
"Is that what you would do when you finally get your day off?" Sensei asked, albeit teasing a bit.
"With the nonsense I have to deal with every day?" Rin's strict demeanor temporarily changed to one of mild fluster. "Y-yes, I would like to sleep for the whole day."
Someone else enters the office, rudely at that. They turn to see a short girl with twin-tailed hair, a mix of navy and bright blue, strolling into the office with an unkempt police uniform. Having a donut in one hand, she has rather a serious look for someone who is incredibly lazy at her work. A bit out of character, but they can chalk it up due to the ongoing case.
"Director! Sensei," she greeted unceremoniously. "The officers from Gehenna are here. Both Prefect Team and Pandemom-whatever Society are here."
"Finally," Kanna stood up. "Think you're up to interrogating some of the witnesses?"
"We'll help out what we can," Sensei nodded.
"Good, follow me," Kanna departed. "Let's get this done today."
The others soon follow suit out of the office.
[Witness: Hanuma Makoto | HM]
[Interrogator: Nakatsukasa Kirino | NK]
[Begin Log]
NK: What do you know about the Head Prefect?
HM: I'll tell you what I know about her. She's an incredible insult to all of Gehenna and the authority of our student council!
NK: …Oooookay? Why would you think she is that bad?
HM: That very question is a stupid and ignorant thing to say to begin with. She and the Prefect Team as a whole are, of course, our nemesis within Gehenna! Those incompetent fools are undeserved in their position to operate as they needlessly interrupt every single plan I have in motion for the good name of Gehenna and my position as the chairwoman of Pandemonium Society! Especially that Head Prefect, who always brazenly steps out of line, even in the direst of situations!
NK: Uh huh…. (looks at the window to express her confusion for a moment). I'm not even sure what you are talking about her, but I have some questions. Did you notice anything off about Hina leading up to the arrest?
HM: Had I found something even slightly suspect about her, I wouldn't have come to KSPD to begin with.
NK: I see.
HM: But last week, I ordered my loyal minions to divert the Prefect's training budget to more important projects and clubs that needed them the most.
NK: And for what reason did you divert the Prefect's budget?
HM: Under the suspicion of embezzlement, of course! And we caught them with their pants down so that they couldn't even protest against the audit!
NK: It's kinda hard to believe you did a proper audit when no one was even present at the office-
HM: Hmph! That ought to teach those imbeciles a lesson for defying my will!
NK: (Looks at the window again with frustration) We're going nowhere with this.
HM: Come now. Are you not thrilled to be in the presence of a-?
NK: Did you also come here to see how Hina is doing? You were rather explicit about your dislike of her.
HM: …. Yes. But I didn't come here because I have any ounce of concern for her whatsoever! I'm merely fulfilling my obligation as the Chairwoman to ensure her well-being. (Whisper) Also, for Ibuki's sake.
NK: Okay…. When did you hear of Hina's arrest?
HM: It was well into the late afternoon yesterday. Iroha informed me of the arrest, but beyond that, I don't have any new information.
NK: Are you certain?
HM: Yes. Unless you're willing to listen to my ambitious prospect that will make the Prefect Team in-
NK: Okay, I think we're done here. Cut the record.
[Witness: Natsume Iroha | NI]
[Interrogator: Nemugaki Fubuki | NF]
[Begin Log]
NF: Want a donut?
NI: How generous of you. Why not? (Takes a donut) Whatcha want to know?
NF: Was there something weird about Hina before her arrest? Like she acts clumsy, cagey, paranoid, or something like that?
NI: Now that you mentioned it. The last time I met her yesterday morning, she was… I dunno, tired.
NF: Isn't that the usual for the Head Prefect?
NI: Normally, it would, but she wasn't just tired. She's dead tired. I think that was the first time she had never noticed me, even when I talked to her face.
NF: She's probably overworked.
NI: Perhaps, but even she tries to get some rest. It looked like she hadn't slept a single bit yesterday.
NF: Did she mention to you anything about her plans, especially last weekend?
NI: No, not really. We both have an… unwritten agreement, you could say. She minds her business, and I mind mine. Until Makoto decides to do something stupid again. When I heard the rumors that Hina had taken some odd jobs last weekend, I was like, "Yeah, that's so Hina-like."
NF: I presume it has something to do with your student council's decision to revoke Prefect's access to their money?
NI: (Sighs) If you ask me, that decision was nothing more than Makoto trying to get a one-up against the Prefect Team. With how brain-dead she is, I'm still surprised she's still in charge of the Pandemonium Society.
NF: So, Makoto's an idiot?
NI: (Chuckles) The worst kind of idiot. Thank God she didn't involve me in that stupid audit because I have something else better to do. Hmm, that reminds me.
NF: Huuuh? (Puts her legs on the table) Remind you of what, Iroha?
NI: It could be nothing, but I noticed yesterday how her hands are… kind of twitching, I guess. Like she's having a happy trigger for some reason.
NF: She's probably itching for another gunfight.
NI: Nah. She's not the type to itch to shoot guns for no reason. I think it was like… she was clicking something, not guns. I dunno. It's probably nothing, but I can't really help but feel weird after I noticed it.
NF: Hm. You mentioned you met her yesterday. Did you guys talk about anything in particular?
NI: Nothing important comes to mind, to be honest. We exchanged greetings, and she complained to me about having a rough night.
NF: I see. (Put her legs off the table) Now, I think this is probably the last question I have regarding the incident last Sunday night.
NI: An adult died, right? Was the guy like Sensei?
NF: I think so. During our investigation, we discovered that the adult died, most possibly via suicide, at the Jiramiagi Apartment Complex. However, we confirmed that Hina was also present there as we discovered her hair strands and fingerprints. We still haven't found the reason why he died, but do you think Hina might be capable of, let's say, convincing him to kill himself?
NI: (Glares at NF) She is powerful, I won't lie, but I'm offended that you think she would be more than willing to cause someone to die. She may be strict and ruthless at her job, but she's too kind to even think about causing someone's death. If she indeed wants to hurt him, what does she gain from his death? She can be brutally honest about her intentions, and I can assure you that death is not one of them.
NF: Jeez, sorry for hitting your nerve. Want another donut?
NI: Eh, why the heck not? I'm not planning to return to Gehenna for a while. You guys got any spot to slack off around here?
[Witness: Shiromi Iori | SI]
[Interrogator: Ogata Kanna | OK]
[Begin Log]
OK: Did she confide in you about any plans to take a job during the weekend last week?
SI: No, not really. She told us last Friday that she would think of something to deal with our budget. It was on that same day as well that she announced that all Prefect Training would be canceled for the time being. Until yesterday, that is.
OK: The day she told you about the money.
SI: Yeah. She ordered Chinatsu to quietly deposit the money into our budget.
OK: And it says here…. (Reads the Financial Form) It costs about 50 million yen for two months' worth of drill training, and you have recently bought various equipment with it.
SI: Yep. It not only covers inventories like guns, ammo, target practices, sports items, and the like but also covers the maintenance we have to do once we finish our drills.
OK: Starting to wish my officers were as dedicated and disciplined as you, but it's irrelevant now. Why the secrecy away from the Pandemonium Society?
SI: …. Do you really have to ask?
OK: …. Noted. Did you notice something strange about Hina yesterday?
SI: It was hard not to. She was somewhat lethargic yesterday, even Chinatsu confirmed it for me. She was one step away from fainting, and all it took was a single nudge from any of us! She even seems to be in a daze a few times mid-paperwork. And then… we responded to a commotion in the cafeteria.
OK: Did something notable happen?
SI: Just a bunch of small troublemakers who didn't like Juri's cooking. They were nothing to the Prefect Team. Yet, the Head Prefect took them down with more ruthlessness than usual. I think this was the first time I had to restrain Hina from doing more damage since at least half of the cafeteria was destroyed. To be fair, we thought that Hina had received an unexpected workload over the weekend, and she couldn't get some rest.
OK: What kind of ruthlessness are we talking about?
SI: Other than stabbing and bashing them with her machine gun? She began stomping and striking the knocked-out delinquents. We kept telling her that their halos had vanished, yet she kept on hitting them, so we had to intervene. Now that I think about it, the Head Prefect mainly assaulted a delinquent who kept clicking on an old school phone, you know, the one with its own keyboard on the bottom half. I'm not sure why, but even before we took them out, Hina warned her to stop fiddling with the phone. But that delinquent just had to fiddle it on and on, then… Hina snapped.
OK: I see. And the delinquents?
SI: Let's just say they need casts for now.
OK: Let's hope they learned an important lesson. (Writes down in her notebook) Did you ask how she was doing yesterday?
SI: It's tough to ask her anything when it looks like she's in a very bad mood.
OK: How about the weekend then? Did you or anyone else ever decide to check up on her?
SI: Not really. We usually refrain from calling her unless it's an emergency on her day off. So, I don't really know what she's up to on the weekend.
OK: Okay. Did she ever mention if she had taken anything from the victim's home besides money?
SI: No. Just the money, and that the victim she met died. Why? Did you find something else incriminating?
OK: We recently procured new evidence from her home. A blood-stained 4-digit clicker belonged to the victim. Do you have any idea why she would take this innocuous item?
SI: Hah? (Paused for 5 seconds) No. I can't even imagine the Head Prefect would want to steal that or play one, to begin with. I don't see why that item would be interesting for her anyway.
OK: Even if it's of sentimental value?
SI: I would believe it if it was from Sensei, but from a stranger? I'm sorry, Director. I just don't see it.
OK: Very well. Thank you for your time, Ms. Shiromi.
[Witness: Amau Ako | AA]
[Interrogator: Nanagami Rin | NR]
[Begin Log]
NR: You found it strange that Hina didn't finish her coffee?
AA: Not that she didn't finish her coffee! The fact that she almost left it untouched was so alarming for me, and I knew immediately that something was wrong!
NR: She's maybe merely saving it for a later day.
AA: That usually would be the case, but I know Hina better than you! She would at least finish one cup of coffee in the morning, yet she left it to the cold till well into the afternoon. And she hasn't even drunk it yet!
NR: Please calm down. Any other indications than that to suggest she was behaving strangely?
AA: Other…. It was easy to see yesterday that she was too distracted in her work. Quite out of her character, too. I can probably attribute it to failing to get some sleep, but I have never seen her distracted pretty often. She didn't just stop mid-work, but she also began to make mistakes in writing and signing the forms.
NR: Are you insinuating she would never make such mistakes, even in her exhausted form?
AA: Correct! She is a complete workaholic. When she focuses on something, she will make sure that she goes through with it, even if we have to partition it into many smaller issues. Now? She even has trouble multi-tasking when she's extremely good at it.
NR: I see.
AA: …Now that I mentioned it, she seemed less strict yesterday.
NR: (Raised an eyebrow) How do you mean?
AA: I remember that one of our Prefect members made a massive mistake yesterday morning; she caused an accident that cost us at least 50 artillery munitions and an ammo shack due to careless storage. She had to answer our Head Prefect and admitted that she was lazy and clumsy when she stored them by herself. I had expected a heavy lecture from Hina, but… she just sighed.
NR: Sighed? Aren't artillery munitions rather expensive these days?
AA: The artillery munitions we have are self-produced by the district, so they are not as hefty but still a bit expensive. So, when she gave the Prefect member a massive leniency and let her off instead of a punishment, I was incredibly befuddled. That's not the Hina I know. I didn't understand why she acted like that until she was arrested.
NR: Do you remember any conversation with her that you didn't think was noteworthy at the time?
AA: I do remember she told me last week after a business meeting with Sensei that he suggested that she find a job. She also mentioned that she planned to make installments to our club's budget to make up the costs of our Prefect training. I asked if she had any idea where to work, and she said, "Like I said, I'll think of something."
NR: Did you check up on her last weekend?
AA: No, I didn't. I was aware she'd be busy finding a job in that timeframe, so I didn't want to bother her. When I asked about what job she took yesterday morning, she dodged the question and referred me to do something else. Even when she admitted about the money and the dead adult, she never told us what job she took, other than, I quote her, "a simple job."
NR: I see. Our investigators also confirmed that she also took something else from the dead victim. Nothing valuable, but it was a four-digit clicker. Do you-?
AA: Pardon me, did you say it was a clicker?
NR: Yes. Do you know what it is?
AA: I do, but I never understood the appeal of it.
NR: Do you think it had any significance to Hina when she took it?
AA: No. I don't have an idea why that would interest her for a single bit. Also, I don't think Hina would be willing to steal anything for any reason. She would never do that.
NR: I see.
AA: Do you know who the adult was?
NR: …. No, we're still trying to identify who the adult is. While we are still finding out the circumstances regarding his death, I would like to know your opinion on the matter.
AA: That is?
NR: We found the adult was dead, most likely by suicide. Do you think, I would like to add, that this is just a conjecture, Hina would be capable of killing him?
AA: (Eyes squinted with dread) No. Gods, no! Why would she want to? That's beyond horrible, even by her standards.
NR: Maybe not killing him, per se, but is it possible for her to cause his death in the context of self-defense?
AA: (Stands up and bangs the table) NO! HOW DARE YOU-!
NR: Stay your hands, Ms. Amau. (Raises an open palm, signing security outside to stand down) I am not accusing your Head Prefect of being a murderer. I only wish to know if her strength to protect herself could end up with an adult getting killed in the process.
AA: (Steadying her breath before sitting down) Apologies, Acting President. No, she knows her strength too well, and if this adult is anything similar to Sensei, she won't have any problem disarming and incapacitating him. Even if he attacked her, it does not- it never warrants his death. It never was for the whole of Kivotos.
NR: Good…. I think that will be all for now.
AA: Acting President. Is Hina okay?
NR: …. She's still unconscious as we speak. I'll let you know when she wakes up.
AA: Thank you, Acting President. This is just….
NR: I know, Ms. Amau. I know.
Sensei, Rin, Kanna, Fubuki, and Kirino are now convening in Kanna's office and sharing what information they have gained from each witness. Sensei had observed from the sidelines what each witness had to say, and to be honest, it was quite a head-turner to know Hina had behaved drastically differently. The only thing they're missing right now is to know whatever the hell happened during that dreadful Sunday night.
"So Hina is the only person left to ask now?" Sensei asked.
"Indeed," Kanna nodded. "Assuming she finally wakes up from her slumber today."
"Well, she's not exactly comatose," Kirino pointed out. "I think she'll be up soon enough."
"Regarding the incident last Sunday night," Rin asked. "Did the neighbors there see nothing of note relating to the incident?"
"They report hearing a loud bang between 9 to 10 PM or so," Fubuki answered. "Although they can't tell that it was from their apartment complex because of the heavy rain at the time. Other than that, they didn't see anything unusual."
"Any surveillance system?" Sensei inquired.
"Unfortunately, Jiramiagi Apartments hasn't invested in CCTV cameras for a long while," Kanna leaned on her desk, drinking coffee in her favorite mug. "We only have street visual records that indicate she came and left the apartments. The latter record showed that she was in a hurry and on foot despite the rainy weather."
"I wonder why she ran."
"Best not to assume first before we ask her," Kanna sighed. "Let's hope Chinatsu got some news for us."
They soon hear three knocks on the door. "Excuse me, Director. Can I come in?"
"You may," Kanna responded, to which a Valkyrie student entered with a paper in hand. "What's your business here?"
"Er, Director. We found another piece of evidence from Jiramiagi Apartment related to the money."
Kanna takes the paper from her and reads it. A surprise is evident on her face. "A job posting? Where did you find this?"
"Well," the student smiled sheepishly. "We found it in the victim's armchair."
"You mean on?"
"No, in, Director. It was stuffed down into the slits of the cushion. Had one of our officers didn't notice a glimpse of it on the armchair, we would have missed it."
"Well done, officer," Kanna nodded. "I will add this to our case, you may return to your duty."
The student salutes. "Yes, ma'am!" Then leaves the office.
All four chime in to see what the job posting contains. They're even surprised it even exists.
"So, like Ms. Amau said, a simple job," Rin noted.
"Would be reaaally helpful if it wasn't so vague," Fubuki commented. "I hardly believe our victim has that much money. He looked like he was a regular old Joe."
"Looks can be deceiving sometimes," Sensei added. "I wonder what kind of job he did before he died."
"At least we have another thing to ask Hina about," Kirino stated, which all agreed upon.
"Sensei," Kanna put away the paper. "Can I task you with inquiring Hina about the incident?"
He places a hand on his chest. "You can count on me."
"Good, now we…," she trailed off after looking out the window. "The hell's going on out there?"
They all look out the office window together and are shocked to see a large group rioting in front of the station. What is jarring and alarming enough is the fact that they are holding signs that demonize and insult Hina, demanding that she should be stomped down for her own supposed actions and her own ultimate hypocrisy. Sensei, Kirino, and Fubuki are upset; Rin stiffens and analyzes the situation; Kanna, however….
"Daughter of a bitch," even Rin was taken aback by her profanity. "Kirino, Fubuki, tell everyone to get this station locked down. Find the damn cretins who leaked our case to the public. Now!"
Kirino and Fubuki run out of the office without question. Kanna briskly walks out as well with Sensei and Rin in tow. The day should've been a smooth-sailing day and yet there's someone who wants to destroy the integrity of the case. Reaching the front entrance, they can see that even Kronos Journalism School is here; Kawaru Shinon, the endowed, tanned, blonde-haired girl, is asking questions and demanding the truth about Hina's involvement in the so-called murder incident.
"Kronos again…." Kanna ground her teeth, which could be heard for a mile. "I'm gonna give them a run for their money."
"You think one of your officers would be responsible for the leak?" Rin asked.
"I like to believe they're not. I ensured everyone understood the procedures and the consequences of leaking the case to the public."
"Now that I noticed it, the majority of the students out there are of Gehenna."
Kanna freezes at Sensei's comment, then turns at him. "Is there anyone in Gehenna who would take advantage of this for their own benefit?"
"No, I don't think- Wait…," a dark realization loomed over him. "God…. Of course, why it has to be Makoto?"
"You're right," Rin expressed her cold glare. "To think I expected her to respect the integrity of this case…."
Luckily for them, the Rabbit Platoon is waiting near the entrance. Miyako and her team immediately address Sensei. "Riot teams have been dispatched to hold the crowd back. Do you have any orders for us, Sensei? Director Kanna?"
"I have one for you," Sensei addressed back. "Locate Makoto within that crowd. Now."
"Goddammit, Makoto!" Iroha shouted. Cursed herself for being stuck within the crowd and involuntarily participating in it. "I thought you would be respectful about this case! Whatever happened with not disappointing Ibuki?!"
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to humiliate the Head Prefect at her direst degree!" Makoto remarked, an index finger raised. "Ibuki may not like this, but this is not a chance I wish to pass off!"
"Even if I know you will end up wrong later?!" Iroha spat back. "That fame of yours has gotten to your head to even forget about your own decency!"
"Oh, Iroha, I am decent," Makoto argued. "What's more decent than showing the Head Prefect the consequences of her undoing? Her absolute image is crumbled, and that will make all of Gehenna recognize that I-!"
"Sensei! We found her! Right here!"
The two arguing Pandemonium officials turn to find Rabbit Squad, who somehow found them in the midst of the crowd. The squad soon makes way to Sensei, Rin, and Kanna, who have managed to catch up with them. The crowd of students, delinquents, and pandemonium members soon surround the newcomers, chanting for Hina's downfall. Makoto smiles wickedly at the adult and the two other women. Iroha steps back from view with discomfort.
"Ah, Sensei," Makoto greeted casually. "Have you come to-?"
"What are you doing, Makoto?" Sensei asked, devoid of any emotion.
Yet, Makoto still didn't take the hint. "Is it not clear, Sensei? I merely try to make it easier for the police to make their decision to dispense justice against the Head Prefect. Besides, as she is my nemesis, what's a better way than-?"
*PLAAAK*
The crowd's chants cut short, replaced with the likeness of a cracking whip in the air. In the blink of an eye, they now see Sensei looming over the fallen Makoto, the latter holding her red, pain-jerking cheek. The usually professionally composed Rin and Kanna drop their jaws. Iroha had felt she was slapped as well despite being a bystander. The crowd and Rabbit Squad watched in horror, not at the fact that Sensei slapped Makoto but seeing Sensei in his full, silent rage. Makoto dares to look back at him with a fear that is so alien for her to experience.
"YOU CONDESCENDING LITTLE SHIT!"
The crowd gasps quietly as the leader of Pandemonium receives his words like daggers.
"WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO JUDGE HER?! WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT PUNISH HER WITH YOUR OWN SENSE OF JUSTICE?! YOU DON'T KNOW THE FULL STORY! YOU DON'T KNOW WHY SHE HAD TO DO WHAT SHE DID! YET, YOU'RE HERE, PULLING THIS STUNT, EVIDENTLY BLIND TO THE FACT THAT YOU ARE BLURRING THE TRUTH WE ARE TRYING TO UNCOVER! WHAT YOU ARE PROVING TO ME IS THAT YOU'RE WILLING TO BE OUR OBSTACLE YOURSELF INSTEAD OF HELPING US TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT! YOU THINK THIS IS ALL A GAME TO YOU?!"
It was even impossible for anyone to try to talk back to him when, in fact, he was the most optimistic, kind man who had never been angry for even the stupidest reason.
"YOU ARE A COMPLETE INSULT. NOT BECAUSE YOU HATE HINA FOR WHO SHE IS, NOT BECAUSE YOU ARE PULLING SOME STUPID STRINGS TO GET BACK AT HINA FOR SOMETHING YOU HAD STARTED. No, it's because of what you are doing out here, you're not insulting Hina – you're insulting the dead victim whose story HAS YET TO BE TOLD!"
The atmosphere is gradually stifling even for the crowd, most of whom look up to him as their guidance.
"You disgust me," he hissed, leaning onto her. "Consider your proposal of cooperation with Schale dismissed."
It seems it is the first time for Makoto to see that all she has been trying to achieve with Sensei is in vain, all due to her own actions.
"Extricate yourself from this premises immediately. I do not wish to see your prehistoric fossil face again."
Even Rin and Kanna seem horrified at his insult to her than the entirety of the crowd. They all can see that Makoto remains frozen on the ground; it's clear that she wants to look away, but she can't find the strength to do so. A few seconds later, Makoto finally released her tears of pure regret and looked down.
"I'm…. I'm sorry, Sensei," she choked on her tears.
Without looking back at him, out of self-embarrassment and feeling undeserved of his attention, she briskly picks herself up and runs deeper into the crowd. Her audible cry soon faded into the distance. The crowd and everyone else slowly turn back at him, his anger still apparent in his features.
"Erm…." Shinon dared to begin. "So, did Hina indeed-?"
*DAAR*
Everyone jumps in reflex to the gunshot. Shinon's halo vanished, and she fainted on the spot. They finally realized that Sensei had his revolver drawn, the barrel still fuming. He lowered his gun as he gazed back at the crowd.
"Any more stupid questions?"
The students, including Pandemonium members, look at each other fearfully for a moment and drop their prospect to ask him anything.
"Good, now get out of here."
The students, at first, were hesitant to leave.
*DAAR*
"SCRAM, YOU BASTARDS!"
Now, the crowd is more than inclined to leave almost immediately, with fearful screams amongst them. Kronos also pulled out as well, dragging the unconscious Shinon in tow. In a record of twenty seconds, the station's entire front yard was now empty, with only leavings of signs, litter, and minor-damaged cars remaining on the field. Finally calming down, he looks back at the only person who hasn't left. The bushy redhead sighs, shaking her head.
"I'm sorry about Makoto," she apologized. "I tried to stop her from doing something stupid, but… there she went."
Sensei simply nods. "Keep an eye on her."
"I will, now if you excuse me…."
Iroha soon leaves out of sight. Sensei tiredly holsters his revolver and then turns around to see the mixed gazes of Kanna, Rin, and the Rabbit Squad.
"What?" he asked.
"Sensei," Kanna answered. "Remind me to never get on your bad side."
"Jeez, I never thought I'd see you to be that scary," Moe of Rabbit Squad commented. "Now I know why the President picked you instead."
"I admit, the way you dispersed the crowd was surprisingly effective," Rin complimented. "But was it necessary to shoot the Kronos reporter?"
"Would you prefer answering her questions?" he asked back.
"…. A fair point."
"Well, it seems we won't have to worry much around here," Miyako commented. "Director, I'll take my squad around town and see if any of those thugs are still causing problems."
"You do that," Kanna nodded. "Should you need help, all officers are obligated to answer your call."
"Thank you, Director. Rabbit Squad, let's go!"
The blue-white troopers soon left. To which Kanna asks as they watch. "By the way, since when did you start having a gun?"
"Since Saori shot me."
Rin and Kanna stare at him gravely.
Sensei waves them off. "Don't worry about it. We both are on good terms now."
Kanna nods a few times slowly. "I definitely hope so."
They soon reenter the station as riot teams clean up the front yard. Ako and Iori were still there, and Sensei filled them in with what happened, much to their disdain and then relief. As they talk about other things, when Kanna decides to return to her office, Chinatsu comes in, which stops whatever Kanna is doing.
"Ako? Iori? Were you here for witness statements?" the Prefect Medic asked.
"Eeyup," Iori crossed her arms and nodded. "We're just waiting in case they have another question in mind."
"I see," Chinatsu fixed her glasses. "I heard a loud commotion out there. What's going on?"
"Chairman Makoto pulling a stunt to demonize the Head Prefect," Kanna's answer shocked her. "Don't worry about it. Sensei had already dealt with her and her cronies. He slapped her even."
Chinatsu turns at him. "You what?"
"Can you really blame me?" Sensei asked back. "I know it's a bit too far, but it's hard to hold back when she decides to take advantage of this case for her own selfish benefit, considering the nature of this case."
Chinatsu takes a deep breath and resigns herself. "I guess it's hard to be mad at you when it goes like that."
"Hello, Ms. Chinatsu," Rin greeted.
"Oh, Acting President, good afternoon," she greeted back. "Here about the case, I presume?"
"Yes. I was informed that you have been tending to Hina for some time now. How is she doing?"
"Actually, I happen to come here to inform you about her. She is finally awake."
The Prefect officers straighten themselves immediately. "She's awake?! Where is she?! I need to see her!" Ako demanded.
"Hold your horses, Ako," Kanna interjected. "You can't see her yet. Interrogation comes first."
"B-but-!"
"Ako," Sensei called. "We'll let you see her once we are done inquiring about some questions. Besides, if she sees you now, you'll give her more pressure, alright?"
"Well… I guess he's right," Iori managed to drag Ako away to calm her down. "Just make sure that she's alright."
Sensei returns a smile. "We will, Iori."
[Suspect: Sorasaki Hina SH]
[Interrogator: Sensei, Hinomiya Chinatsu S, HC]
[Observer: Nanagami Rin, Ogata Kanna, Nakatsukasa Kirino, Nemugaki Fubuki]
[Note: due to Hina's health, she has been handcuffed to the bed as a safety measure. Observers are to wait outside the room with the provided wireless audio devices that are linked to the interrogators' recorder]
[Begin Log]
S: Hi, Hina. I'm glad to see you awake.
SH: S-Sensei. Hello. Chinatsu.
HC: How are you feeling, Head Prefect?
SH: I… still feel tired, but otherwise okay. How long did I sleep?
HC: At least more than 17 hours.
SH: Oh my… I didn't realize….
S: It's alright, Hina. You don't have to worry about your responsibilities for a while. However, we need to ask you some questions about the case. About the incident last Sunday.
SH: Last…. Oh, right.
HC: But if you do feel not well yet, we can postpone it-
SH: No, no, it's okay, Chinatsu. I… need to get this over with.
S: Good. Now, we know that I had suggested you find a job to cover the bill for your Prefect budget. The first question is…. (Looks over his clipboard) When did you start finding a job?
SH: Saturday. I was walking around the DU at the time, spending almost the whole day looking for potential jobs. I managed to find one well into the early evening; I think it was after 5 PM before I returned home.
S: (Gives her job posting paper) Is this the one you took for that potential job?
SH: Y-yes, exactly this one.
HC: Where did you find this posting?
SH: It was in the northwestern part of DU. I can't exactly remember the name of the location, but I remember it was in the slums, and no delinquent or even a police officer ever ventured there. I was directed to go there when I asked some delinquents who had learned their lessons about where I could find one.
[Note: Director Kanna later revealed that she knows the location Hina mentioned above. While unconfirmed, that area has been known to curse anyone who dares to venture into the area, ranging from bad fortune, illness, and, in an extremely rare case, disappearance of a student. She also indicates that there is a job board within that area, but everyone except those who live near or ventured there isn't aware of its existence. It is unknown when the rumor regarding the area started to emerge]
HC: You are always careful when it comes to things like this since I have seen you dealt with many paperwork containing fraudulent matters. Why did you decide to take this with how vague it is?
SH: I wanted to turn down the posting precisely for that reason. I didn't exactly take it because it's written 50 million yen there. But because I felt that whoever posted this actually felt sincere.
S: How did you come up with that reasoning, given that this job could possibly be a false job?
SH: I'm not even sure myself. All I knew was that I was somewhat in a trance and realized that the job poster meant well and it was not illegal, so I bit it.
S: You also called the number within that posting?
SH: I did after I reached home. (Gives back the paper) I still remember how the conversation went. It was… I'm not sure how to describe it. Weird, I guess.
HC: How do you mean weird?
SH: I remember he said something along the lines of keeping him company and listening to the misfortune of his own life. Something to that sort.
S: Did you think it was inappropriate?
SH: It did sound like it. But the way he talked about it. I'm confident that he meant well. It's just that his… phrasing left so much to be desired.
S: Did you record the conversation?
SH: No, unfortunately.
S: That's fine. Was there something noteworthy in that conversation?
SH: Well, he told me straight that he knew who I was. He was quite familiar with Gehenna and me at an intermediate level. He sympathized with the troubles I have to bear in Gehenna.
S: I'm glad to know there is another adult who agrees with me. (Chuckles lightheartedly) Was there anything else?
SH: He told me it was fine if I declined because of how vague the job was, but I still took it anyway.
HC: I see. Did you know who the victim was?
SH: That's just the thing, though. He never told me his name, even when I met him face-to-face. I don't think I ever called him anything but mister.
S: So, you did meet him?
SH: I did. He asked me to come on Sunday evening, around 08:30 PM, for the job. It was quite a rainy day, even after I left the place.
S: Do you know what he looked like?
SH: I never saw his face. He was still wearing some kind of wooden mask that I'd never seen before.
HC: Head Prefect, did the mask you mentioned look like this? (Hands over a few pictures)
SH: (Views them momentarily) Yes, exactly like this. Am I… looking at his dead body?
S: (Nods with discomfort) You're looking at our victim.
SH: (Trembles. Still staring sharply at the pictures until HC takes them away) Sometimes I keep forgetting that it wasn't a bad dream….
S: Take a breather, Hina. (Waits until SH stops trembling) Good. Now, when you met him, what kind of job did he task you with?
SH: I'm… not sure you would believe me if I said it.
HC: I'd be more surprised if Ako believed you straightaway without asking again. Just tell us, what was the job that was so important for him that he's more than willing to give you 50 million yen?
SH: …. He told me to click.
[The room was silent for ten seconds]
HC: …What do you mean "click?"
S: Wait. (Gives her a picture of a 4-digit clicker) Was it your job to click this?
SH: (Looks at the picture) Yes. He told me to click this thing ten thousand times. That…. He gave me that clicker.
HC: (Stares in disbelief) Did he say anything as to why he wanted you to do that instead of him?
SH: I…. (Squints her eyes) remember, he says something like… "I can't click it the way you can."
S: ..Oookay. (Writes down on the clipboard) Did you consider leaving the job with how stupid the whole thing was?
SH: I did think that this wasn't worth it, even after he showed me the money. (Frowns, rubbing her own eyes) But if I did that, he warned me to never come back, so I stayed.
HC: He…. Did he ask you to do something else other than clicking?
SH: He made plenty of small requests, but they were always related to the clicker. I- (Paused. Bowed her head with apparent distress and a few tears) I'm sorry, I'm trying to remember the whole thing, but I just… couldn't bring myself to remember what happened. Why it happened. It's like- it's like my brain is trying to suppress my own memories. I couldn't-
S: Easy, easy, Hina. (Held onto SH's shoulders) Calm down. You don't need to explain it if you don't want to.
[Another silence for 20 seconds. SH's sobbed silently]
HC: Hina, we… have another question about the adult. How exactly…. How exactly did he die?
SH: (Stares at HC. Her pupils noticeably shrunk) I…. I saw him shoot himself.
S: Do…. (Puts away the clipboard) I'm sorry that you experienced that, Hina.
SH: I-it's fine. It's just-it's just…. S-Sensei….
[S sits closer to SH to let her cry quietly onto his chest. Another silence for a whole minute]
HC: Hina, I'm sorry that I have to ask this, but it's-
SH: Just… ask, please. I want to get this over with….
HC: Okay, do you know why he had shot himself?
SH: I'm…. I'm still trying to understand why. I tried to stop him, but I can't- can't…. Wait. How could I forget?
S: What? What did you forget, Hina?
SH: (Points at her Prefect overcoat jacket hanging across her) Left side bottom pocket.
[HC stands up and checks the jacket at the aforementioned spot. She soon procures what appears to be a sunflower brooch. However, upon closer inspection, HC realizes the tiny circle in the middle of the flower has a color that differs from the rest. Turning it around, the logo of Millenium is marked on it]
HC: Is this a hidden camera?
SH: Yes…. (Rubs her teary eyes) It…. It should've recorded everything I've experienced. M-maybe you can tell me why he did it…. I don't understand. I don't understand why…. Why did he have to die..?
[At this point, SH is inconsolable. Further questioning has been postponed for the time being as S comforted her. The gadget has been delivered to the investigation team for analysis]
"She got all that money… just from clicking?"
Kirino even voices her agreement with Rin at the ridiculousness of it. "That has to be the most stupidest thing our victim asked of her. It's 50 million yen! And he gave all of it away just for that?!"
"Shoot, if that kind of job actually exists, I wouldn't even bother taking up this police gig in the first place," Fubuki commented, munching her donut.
"Are you suggesting that you're quitting the force, I hear?" Kanna asked, masking her usual irritation.
"I said if, Director," Fubuki immediately responded. "I ain't leaving the force, even if I want to."
"But still, why would he give that much money just to hear someone else do the clicking?"
"It's kinda hard to tell, especially when our guy is already dead," Sensei voiced in. "Perhaps we have to look from a sentimental perspective?"
"What is so valuable about hearing the same, monotonous click all the time?" Kirino asked. "That sounds like another kind of a hellish headache."
"Who knows, Kirino," Sensei shrugged.
"By the way, that brooch. That thing's really Millennium's?" Kanna asked Kirino.
"Yes, Director. I talked to Chihiro of Veritas Club, and she confirmed that it's genuine."
"In fact, that thing's actually Veritas' handiwork," Fubuki answered. "They sell that cheap as well."
"Hm," Sensei placed a hand on his chin. "That flower thingie is definitely Kotama's handiwork."
"And how do you know that?" Rin asked.
"She tried to wiretap me plenty of times without avail."
Kanna shares a concerned look, and so do her officers. "She tried to stalk you? Many times? I'll get a warrant in-"
"No, no, no! No need for that," Sensei waved it off. "She's pretty harmless."
"She's still committing a crime, Sensei," Kanna shrugged. "But that means you have seen her devices before?"
"I have. It's not really hard to recognize that's one of her gadgets."
"Not sure if I should feel glad or worry she'll do something she will regret."
"I have schooled her numerous times on trying to invade someone's privacy," Sensei scratched his head, not amused at what he had to do. "She shouldn't be causing me any problems in the future."
"I hope you're right about that."
"On a serious matter," Rin digressed. "Officer Kirino, have you imported the recording for us to view?"
"We have done that. It's a pretty long record at that," Kirino pointed behind her. "The projector is almost ready in the viewing room. We're just waiting for you."
"Good," Kanna nodded. "Let's get to it."
"Hang on a minute," Sensei stated. "Kanna, can I request you something?"
"What is it, Sensei?" Kanna placed her hands on her hip. "I do hope it is a reasonable request."
"You want us to watch whatever Hina had recorded?" Ako asked Sensei, uncertain if it was permissible.
"Normally, I wouldn't let witnesses participate in viewing the record during a case," Kanna responded. "However, since he asked quite persistently, in fact, I will allow you to break the rules for this once."
"Besides," Rin chimed in. "I'm sure you're also curious as to why Hina behaved that way."
"Is it really okay?" Chinatsu asked.
"It should be fine," Kirino assured. "We only ask you guys to remain composed and rational during the viewing."
"Well, I guess I can do that," Iori replied. "I'm dying to know what really happened on that day."
"It's all settled then," Fubuki nodded. "Let's go."
They all proceed into the viewing room, having to dismiss other officers within under Kanna's directive. Kirino and Fubuki turn on the projector and prepare the record contained within Kirino's USB stick. After everyone except the two officers sits down, they immediately hear a small ruckus outside. Someone barges through the door, and everyone turns their heads to see that, to Sensei's displeasure, Makoto has returned again, with a frustrated Iroha doing her best to drag her out of the station. The other officers outside did catch up but stopped at the doorway with batons ready.
"S-Sense-!"
"Makoto," he cut her off. "Didn't I order you to leave?"
"Sorry, Sensei," Iroha apologized, still pulling her leader's arm. "I did my best to dissuade her, but-"
"Sensei!" Makoto frantically called. "I heard that you were about to view a record, and I-!"
"Give me a reason why I shouldn't drag you out here with my bare hands."
Makoto stutters at his cold reception, the others with him are more irked by her presence. Makoto gently gestures to Iroha to let her go, straightens herself, and then wears off her military-esque cap onto her chest. Being nervous, she takes a shaky, deep breath and steels herself to gaze back at Sensei's dagger eyes. She feels so scared to even move a muscle but is able to muster to speak.
"I deeply apologize for what I have done," she softly spoke. "I shouldn't have done that, and I will never pull a similar stunt again. I let my pride and my hate overtake me. I was immature, I understand that now."
She can feel her own tears about to flow out the longer she stares at Sensei, but she manages to continue. "As the Chairwoman of Pandemonium Society, I wish to ask for your permission to include Iroha and me in this viewing to know what happened to the Head Prefect."
"So, you can misconstrue her events to suit your own narrative?"
She felt a sharp pain in her heart, and he wasn't wrong. But for this one, Makoto shakes her head. "No. I truly wish to know what had happened on that very day. No bias, no agenda, only the truth to the case. That, I will promise you."
"Why do you think I would let you stay for the viewing?"
Makoto gulps gradually and with difficulty. The air is stifling, yet she continues. "I should have prioritized the welfare of all Gehenna students, that also includes the Prefect Team. Not only have I failed as the Chairwoman of Pandemonium Society, but I have also failed the promise I kept to Gehenna and the promise I kept to my dear Ibuki. "
She bows, passing through the 90-degree angle towards Sensei, even Ako and Iori can't believe their eyes. "I do not believe I could redeem myself for my horrendous actions. I don't deserve to curry for your favor, Sensei. But please permit us to stay and view the record so that I can understand what she had gone through. That is all I wish to ask, at least in order to minimize the damage I have done."
It was hard for Makoto to describe the chill emanating from his gaze while still bowing. Everyone is apprehensive at the silent antagonism Sensei projected on his face. A painful thirty seconds of silence, his face finally softens just a bit.
"Fine."
Makoto finally lets out her stifling breath, which she didn't realize she had. Makoto slowly rises to see his gaze. His face still appears upset, but the way he moves his eyes suggests neutrality, one that Makoto really hoped and was glad to achieve.
"If I hear any snide remarks from you during the viewing, I'll kick you out myself," Sensei warned flatly. "You understand?"
Thankfully, Makoto didn't dare to smile. "Understood, Sensei."
Kanna quietly gestured to the other officers to dismiss them, to which they holster their batons and leave the room. "With that out of the way, can we proceed now?"
"Please do," was Sensei's reply.
"Alright, the video's almost ready," Fubuki stated. "Take a seat, everyone."
They sit in front of the large screen in an arch; the Prefect officers and Rin sit in the middle, Kanna and Iroha sit on the further left chairs, and Sensei and Makoto sit on the further right chairs. Fubuki and Kirino are the only ones sitting by the projector. Kanna and Kirino prepare their notebooks as the slideshow transitions to the start of the video.
A long event awaits for them to witness.