text16299;"""I was rarely enthusiastic about the start of a week.""" text16300;"""I was only eighteen, and as such hadn't yet felt the inexorable passing of time.""" text16301;"""The end of one set of seven days and the beginning of another felt like turning over to another lined page in a thick notebook.""" text16302;"""No matter how many times I did it — the end was nowhere near!""" text16303;"""Except there was no erasing the things written on previous pages.""" text16304;"""There was one good thing though — today I could see Ellie again!""" text16305;"""With that in mind, I quickly got up, washed myself, had a quick breakfast, and went to school.""" text16306;"""You're early today.""" text16307;"""Kyosuke noted with surprise.""" text16308;"""You too.""" text16309;"""How was your weekend?""" text16310;"""I wondered how he'd react if he found out that Ellie and I were playing in the same band now.""" text16311;"""The thought made me smile like an idiot.""" text16312;"""They wouldn't kick me out before I could tell him, would they…?""" text16313;"""Much better than mine, I see.""" text16314;"""Kyosuke muttered sadly and sighed.""" text16315;"""Can't complain. But I'll let it stay a secret for now.""" text16316;"""Trying to maximise the element of surprise?""" text16317;"""I'd rather not attract too much attention ahead of time.""" text16318;"""Attract attention? You've got my curiosity!""" text16319;"""He was about to say something else, but the appearance of the principal, who suddenly entered the classroom, didn't let him.""" text16320;"""Instead of your first class, the whole school is to meet in the yard.""" text16321;"""Has something happened?""" text16322;"""One of the girls asked anxiously.""" text16323;"""You'll learn everything there.""" text16324;"""By Kiyama-sensei's face, it was clear he wasn't going to talk about a school trip.""" text16325;"""I suddenly felt a sinking feeling in my stomach.""" text16326;"""What do you think is on his mind?""" text16327;"""Kyosuke giggled сonspiratorialy and elbowed my side.""" text16328;"""Think it's related to your little secret?""" text16329;"""What if they're going to say that somebody poured shit all over the principal's office?!""" text16330;"""I swear, what I smelled when I was passing by this morning…""" text16331;"""Would you calm down already?""" text16332;"""Fifteen minutes later, the entire school had gathered in the yard.""" text16333;"""The principal walked up to a podium that had been brought from somewhere, looked over the crowd, coughed a few times, and began:""" text16334;"""This morning I bring you terrible news. Yesterday, several students of our school tragically died.""" text16335;"""More precisely, they were brutally murdered! Horribly, and with exceptional cruelty.""" text16336;"""Kiyama-sensei wasn't holding back and clearly wasn't reading from a script.""" text16337;"""From the moment he started to speak, the yard was plunged into complete silence, replacing the students' usual whispers and giggles.""" text16338;"""I cannot find any excuse for whoever could do something like this…""" text16339;"""But be assured — and I'll see to it personally! — that the culprits will be found and punished according to the strictest standards of the law!""" text16340;"""He paused again and looked over the crowd, not holding his gaze on anyone particular.""" text16341;"""I was naturally shocked, but didn't yet know how to feel.""" text16342;"""When you're told the plane you just missed has crashed, your first thought is: I'm glad I was late.""" text16343;"""Objectively, you don't feel as strongly about strangers dying as you do people you know.""" text16344;"""And who were those kids to me?""" text16345;"""We studied at the same school — with hundreds of other people!""" text16346;"""And then the principal started reading out the names:""" text16347;"""… Asakura… Kawashima…""" text16348;"""Terror paralyzed my whole body, and my heart seemed to have stopped beating.""" text16349;"""After a couple seconds, I managed to force myself to slowly turn my head in search of Kagome.""" text16350;"""Everything's fine now. I handled it.""" text16351;"""Her words had sounded strange to me yesterday, but I couldn't even imagine then that…""" text16352;"""Kagome was standing not too far away and didn't look particularly shocked.""" text16353;"""No, of course, there was clear surprise on her face — but no more than on the others'.""" text16354;"""Meanwhile, the principal kept talking.""" text16355;"""…when we're entering an age of stability, prosperity, and order!""" text16356;"""The Japanese nation will not tolerate scum who prey upon what we hold most dear — our future, our children!""" text16357;"""Kawashima, Asakura, those thugs too…""" text16358;"""Kagome might be good with a kitchen knife, but it was hard for me to imagine her taking out one person, let alone eight!""" text16359;"""And if not for what she had said yesterday — would I be suspicious of her now?""" text16360;"""After all, the victims were far from angels — I was sure they weren't on the best terms, and to various degrees, with plenty of people.""" text16361;"""…the reputation of our school as an education institution of the highest standard that prioritizes not only knowledge, but also the safety of its students!""" text16362;"""Even the most tragic memorial has to end in time or it risks turning into a boring sermon.""" text16363;"""Nick? Nick!""" text16364;"""Kyosuke, standing next to me, had been trying to attract my attention for a while already.""" text16365;"""What?""" text16366;"""Kawashima, Asakura… Don't you think that's strange?""" text16367;"""Why?""" text16368;"""They're connected to Iwamura…""" text16369;"""Do I look like Commissaire Maigret to you?""" text16370;"""I barked at him — but a bit louder than I wanted to: a few schoolgirls turned to us and stared at us with suspicion for a moment.""" text16371;"""I ask you for your understanding as an investigation is conducted at our school.""" text16372;"""I also ask for your assistance may the officers have any questions.""" text16373;"""I looked at Kagome again, but she didn't show much of a reaction to Kiyama-sensei's words, she just kept standing there with the appropriately surprised look on her face.""" text16374;"""On the other hand, what, was she supposed to be smirking or going into hysterics?""" text16375;"""Either extreme would've been more suspicious than her current behavior.""" text16376;"""Still, I couldn't shake off the thought that she had a motive!""" text16377;"""And even if it was unlikely she would come to me to brag…""" text16378;"""First she killed eight people in cold blood, then, apparently, washed up, changed her clothes, had dinner, and… travelled to the other side of the city to tell a classmate she'd dealt with them!""" text16379;"""Without even specifying how!""" text16380;"""Considering only the facts I had, the situation looked absolutely absurd!""" text16381;"""No, not the unfortunate deaths, but the fact that I was standing here and seriously blaming Kagome for it.""" text16382;"""We shall not kowtow to these bastards and surrender to fear!""" text16383;"""Therefore, I have no intention of making any changes to the school schedule.""" text16384;"""However, all students are to leave the school premises by six o'clock.""" text16385;"""The place and the date of the memorial service will be announced separately.""" text16386;"""And for now…""" text16387;"""He stopped and sighed heavily.""" text16388;"""I ask you all to return to your classrooms and continue studying. I'm sure that's what your friends would have wanted!""" text16389;"""Right, I could just imagine Asakura poring over textbooks!""" text16390;"""Although, \""speak no ill of the dead\"", right?""" text16391;"""The students started to disperse; the majority of them were quiet and only a few exchanged brief phrases, mostly in whispers.""" text16392;"""Let's go, Nick?""" text16393;"""Go first, I'll catch up.""" text16394;"""Kyosuke looked at me in understanding and returned to school without arguing.""" text16395;"""I, on the other hand, had to talk to Kagome.""" text16396;"""And I had to do it as soon as possible!""" text16397;"""But Ellie was faster than me.""" text16398;"""She'd already lunged at Iwamura:""" text16399;"""You bitch, you killed my friends!""" text16400;"""I knew you were crazy, but I couldn't even imagine how!""" text16401;"""And if someone else had been in her place, I think a fight would have broken out.""" text16402;"""Girls, let's step away!""" text16403;"""The students still in the yard were observing the arising conflict with interest.""" text16404;"""No way! Let everyone know what she's done!""" text16405;"""Let's step away!""" text16406;"""I repeated insistently, grabbed both of them by the hands, and dragged them aside.""" text16407;"""Let me go! I refuse to listen to another sob story!""" text16408;"""It doesn't matter if they were guilty or not! A couple insults don't justify murder!""" text16409;"""A couple insults.""" text16410;"""Kagome smirked.""" text16411;"""See, she's not even denying it!""" text16412;"""Ellie, calm down!""" text16413;"""Think about it, how could Kagome… alone… eight people…""" text16414;"""I was picking my words carefully.""" text16415;"""Who told you she was alone?!""" text16416;"""Sure. I'm the one with an army of bodyguards.""" text16417;"""She continued with the inappropriate irony.""" text16418;"""And you should watch what you say.""" text16419;"""Or what? You'll put me behind bars?""" text16420;"""I'm not a policeman. But the police will quickly figure out that you weren't on the best of terms with them.""" text16421;"""I was on no terms with any of them.""" text16422;"""Why would you raise needless suspicion?""" text16423;"""Just you wait! The police will sort it out! And if they don't, we'll help them!""" text16424;"""Is that a threat?""" text16425;"""Exactly!""" text16426;"""I'm looking forward to it!""" text16427;"""Kagome really was acting weirdly.""" text16428;"""Once trapped — you fight?""" text16429;"""But there was something else to her behavior.""" text16430;"""Happiness, delight, or… pride?""" text16431;"""Like a criminal taken to her execution — a desire to spit in the face of her torturers one last time.""" text16432;"""Sometimes it's better keep your mouth shut.""" text16433;"""I wasn't the one who started this.""" text16434;"""Kagome replied, deliberately ignoring Ellie.""" text16435;"""A few days in a cell will wipe that nasty smirk off your face!""" text16436;"""…""" text16437;"""This conversation had to end. One way or another.""" text16438;"""Let's not accuse anybody prematurely…""" text16439;"""Nick, I can't believe you're protecting her!""" text16440;"""Even if I was, I didn't mean to — I just couldn't wrap my mind around the idea that she could kill eight people in a single night.""" text16441;"""And, unlike Ellie, I was more concerned with the technical aspect of the matter than the moral one.""" text16442;"""Kagome obviously had a motive, but if every bullied teenager took out their tormentors in cold blood, our schools would be drowning in red!""" text16443;"""You can think whatever you want about Iwamura, but just look at her! Does she look like a maniac to you?""" text16444;"""Ellie pursed her lips and looked away.""" text16445;"""It doesn't matter… Who else could…? They had no enemies.""" text16446;"""Oh yeah, sure!""" text16447;"""Kagome kept sneering.""" text16448;"""Stop it already! You were the one who told me yesterday that you handled them!""" text16449;"""…it just slipped out.""" text16450;"""Her behavior wasn't just weird, it was provocative.""" text16451;"""Whaaat?!""" text16452;"""Ellie started back up.""" text16453;"""And you just can't keep your mouth shut!""" text16454;"""What, were you going to hide it from the police too?""" text16455;"""You don't need to tell me exactly what you meant when you said you handled whatever it was, but you can't hide it from them.""" text16456;"""Her expression changed.""" text16457;"""Do you really believe that I could… that I'm capable of it?!""" text16458;"""Yes, I'm not upset by what happened to them — what, am I supposed to spend the entire time in tears to avoid suspicion?""" text16459;"""No, but at least behave more… appropriately.""" text16460;"""Appropriately to what?!""" text16461;"""She broke into a shout.""" text16462;"""Your expectations? I don't give a damn…""" text16463;"""You know, I think I'd rather speak to the police if they've got any questions for me.""" text16464;"""Oh no, you wait! What do you mean, you handled them?""" text16465;"""Stay away or you'll regret it!""" text16466;"""Kagome swung at her, mostly just as a threat, but I still pulled Ellie to me abruptly, and she ended up in my arms.""" text16467;"""Iwamura quickly returned to the school.""" text16468;"""Nick, I'm scared. I'm afraid to even be near her.""" text16469;"""I didn't know what to say.""" text16470;"""For a while, we stood there silently: I was holding Ellie in a firm hug, while she kept her head on my chest.""" text16471;"""Finally, it was time to come back to reality.""" text16472;"""I'm not justifying Iwamura's actions, but…""" text16473;"""But what?""" text16474;"""There was a lot to criticize Kagome for, but she wasn't stupid and had to understand that soon enough Ellie wouldn't be the only person to suspect her.""" text16475;"""In that case, her behavior seemed even weirder.""" text16476;"""Do you really think she could kill eight people on her own?""" text16477;"""I don't know what to think… But who else?! What's more, in a single night!""" text16478;"""Yes, that was important.""" text16479;"""If it were a serial killer, they'd much rather be killing their victims one after another, but not all at once.""" text16480;"""So there had to be a connection, something to tie all eight of them together.""" text16481;"""They'd been in the same friend group — that was clear, but, apart from that, nothing else came to my mind.""" text16482;"""You know… knew them better.""" text16483;"""I'm not saying they were the best of people, but… how do you do something like this?! Who could possibly…""" text16484;"""Ellie burst into tears, and I had to hug her again to somehow pacify her.""" text16485;"""There, there… I'm sure the police will find the murderer in no time.""" text16486;"""I hope so.""" text16487;"""And it's really hard for me to see you protecting Iwamura, because…""" text16488;"""She went silent for a long while, as if she never planned to finish the phrase.""" text16489;"""Just don't do it anymore.""" text16490;"""…""" text16491;"""Will you promise?""" text16492;"""I'm not protecting Iwamura, I'm trying to think logically.""" text16493;"""I don't want logic! I know it's her fault! Even if she didn't kill them herself…""" text16494;"""Ellie, but…""" text16495;"""Because before she hit Miku, everything had been fine. And before…""" text16496;"""This sort of emotional fatalism was outright alien to me — when events, oftentimes insignificant ones, are given importance great enough to change people's fates.""" text16497;"""But it wasn't prudent to tell Ellie that.""" text16498;"""Class is about to start. I mean, we need to live on somehow. Do you understand?""" text16499;"""Mhm.""" text16500;"""She replied quietly, wiped her tears, and stepped away from me.""" text16501;"""But be sure, I'll do everything so that the killer, whoever they are, gets what they deserve!""" text16502;"""I wouldn't expect any less of you!""" text16503;"""Kagome wasn't in the classroom, her desk was empty.""" text16504;"""Well, no wonder.""" text16505;"""I'd returned right before the bell rang and I was on tenterhooks the entire class.""" text16506;"""But at least I had an opportunity to think everything through.""" text16507;"""What if the Corporation was somehow involved in this too?""" text16508;"""But why would Kobayashi Jun kill children who were clearly not a threat to him…?""" text16509;"""Kyosuke approached me as soon as break started, and Michael followed.""" text16510;"""Nick, I saw you talking with Ellie-sama and Iwamura from the window. I decided I better not get involved.""" text16511;"""Thanks for that.""" text16512;"""So, do you think that… Iwamura did it?""" text16513;"""I rolled my eyes in anguish.""" text16514;"""How, do you think, could a little girl take down eight people, including a few decently strong guys?""" text16515;"""But then what were you talking about? Especially with Ellie-sama…""" text16516;"""Ellie, Ellie… What does she have to do with anything?""" text16517;"""But Nick, you can't deny that Asakura and Kawashima were her friends.""" text16518;"""His words made me feel nothing but irritation.""" text16519;"""There exists a type of extremely pedantic person who is destined to notice and correct every little inaccuracy, especially in the words of the people they talk to.""" text16520;"""But sometimes, dry facts aren't what a situation requires; intonations, hints, shades of meaning, intuition, and emotions are more important.""" text16521;"""Michael either couldn't understand or deliberately ignored it all.""" text16522;"""How many times have we had this conversation this week? I've lost count.""" text16523;"""But people have died!""" text16524;"""People die every day…""" text16525;"""Just don't say you don't give a damn!""" text16526;"""I do, but I'm not about to mourn them either! I barely knew them.""" text16527;"""Unlike Iwamura.""" text16528;"""Again…""" text16529;"""Just that moment, the principal entered the class and announced right in the doorway:""" text16530;"""The police are working in our school at the moment. You'll be questioned one person at a time. Once your surname is called, please stand up calmly, walk out of the classroom without disturbing the lesson, and go to my office.""" text16531;"""That will be all.""" text16532;"""\""Interrogation, interrogation\"" — our classmates were whispering.""" text16533;"""I felt uncomfortable and tried my best not to show it to my friends.""" text16534;"""Nick, you look a bit pale…""" text16535;"""Can't hide a cat in a bag, I guess.""" text16536;"""Anyone would feel uncomfortable about a police interrogation!""" text16537;"""If they have something to hide.""" text16538;"""Oh, screw you!""" text16539;"""I crossed my arms over my chest and turned away.""" text16540;"""The next class started, and my concern grew with every second.""" text16541;"""Yes, I had something to hide.""" text16542;"""Yesterday's conversation with Iwamura at my place, for one.""" text16543;"""It was still too early for the police to suspect her. Still, I couldn't think of anyone else better suited to the role, no matter how hard I tried.""" text16544;"""Of course, eventually it was my turn.""" text16545;"""Pretty soon, too — my surname was right at the top of the list of names in our class.""" text16546;"""There were two policemen in the principal's office.""" text16547;"""The younger and taller one was obviously the bad cop, while his partner — an old, fat, round-faced lieutenant — was supposed to be the good one.""" text16548;"""In reality it played out a little differently, with both taking turns asking me questions without much interest or emotion.""" text16549;"""Like lab technicians would question the hundredth subject in an experiment analyzing how the length of the working day effects productivity.""" text16550;"""They were mostly asking about Asakura, her relationships with other students, and specifically inquired if she had any enemies.""" text16551;"""I answered honestly and said we'd never really known each other personally.""" text16552;"""But the entire interrogation I didn't know where to look, mostly staring unblinkingly at one detective or the other.""" text16553;"""My hands were suddenly several times heavier — I had to carefully fold them in front of me on the table and make a conscious effort to keep them from twitching""" text16554;"""Then my back and buttocks became numb — I straightened out unnaturally and froze in this position.""" text16555;"""But the investigators still looked bored and didn't seem to pay any attention to my unnatural behaviour.""" text16556;"""At the start of the conversation, the young one was making notes in his notebook, but soon enough he put it aside and absent-mindedly looked at the bonsai tree on the principal's table.""" text16557;"""When the torture was over, I walked out of the office with a sense of relief.""" text16558;"""…""" text16559;"""After Michael and Kyosuke both went through their interrogations, we met at my desk again during the next break.""" text16560;"""Well! Spill it!""" text16561;"""He started impatiently like we were discussing an episode of a new anime.""" text16562;"""There's nothing to \""spill\"" — I'm sure they asked you the same questions.""" text16563;"""And what did you say?""" text16564;"""That I've never known Asakura. That she didn't seem to have any enemies, but I'm not sure. That our class is pretty normal.""" text16565;"""Hmmmm…""" text16566;"""Kyosuke replied, disappointed.""" text16567;"""What, you thought they'd go after me with extreme prejudice? Maybe you suspect me too, and not just Iwamura?!""" text16568;"""I'd said it mostly as a joke, but Kyosuke became noticeably anxious..""" text16569;"""No, no, Nick, what are you saying?!""" text16570;"""Kyosuke, really, this isn't a mystery novel. Real people have died, and police work is far more complicated in real life.""" text16571;"""I understand that!""" text16572;"""He said offendedly.""" text16573;"""But it's like you two aren't curious at all! What if there's a maniac hunting down our students?""" text16574;"""It's not Kagome anymore?""" text16575;"""I smirked.""" text16576;"""I'll ask my dad to get the details from the police.""" text16577;"""His father was some type of government employee in a municipality, and I strongly doubted that he'd have the authority to intervene in a police investigation.""" text16578;"""But I'm not going to tell you a word if you're not interested!""" text16579;"""What a pity.""" text16580;"""On one hand, Kyosuke's impulsive interest in the case was downright stupid, but on the other — what if I had reasons to worry about his life, too?""" text16581;"""No, the idea that there was some maniac didn't hold up to scrutiny, but somebody had killed eight boys and girls from our school.""" text16582;"""It did seem like we had reason to think we were being hunted…""" text16583;"""Although I'd be more careful if I were you.""" text16584;"""Why?""" text16585;"""Well, you're the one making theories — try to imagine why.""" text16586;"""Nick, don't scare Kyosuke, seriously.""" text16587;"""I'm not scaring him, just giving a warning. What if the victims also enjoyed reading pulp fiction but had somehow managed to come across something important?""" text16588;"""I could hardly imagine Asakura being interested in anything except boys, fashion magazines, gossip, parties, and karaoke.""" text16589;"""Do you seriously think that—""" text16590;"""No, not seriously!""" text16591;"""I interrupted him.""" text16592;"""And let's stop at that for now.""" text16593;"""But I'm still going to talk to dad.""" text16594;"""If you want.""" text16595;"""I decided to go to the canteen during break, but in the corridor I ran into a girl who'd been restlessly fidgeting at the door to our classroom.""" text16596;"""Ah!""" text16597;"""She loudly exclaimed and jumped back a meter.""" text16598;"""Sorry…""" text16599;"""I grumbled and was about to move on — I didn't feel particularly guilty.""" text16600;"""Wait.""" text16601;"""She said timidly and stared at me with pleading eyes.""" text16602;"""Is Asakura-san… was she in your class…?""" text16603;"""She looked down apologetically.""" text16604;"""Yeah. Did you know each other?""" text16605;"""Not really…""" text16606;"""My first thought was: what if this girl knows something about Asakura and Kawashima?""" text16607;"""What's your name? What class are you in?""" text16608;"""I'm…""" text16609;"""She suddenly started crying.""" text16610;"""What's wrong?!""" text16611;"""I had enough dysfunctional girls in my life!""" text16612;"""Let's step aside!""" text16613;"""I took her firmly by the arm and pulled her away.""" text16614;"""Soon we were in the old school wing.""" text16615;"""The girl was all tensed up and looking at me warily.""" text16616;"""What do you know about what happened? You know they were killed, right?""" text16617;"""I mean, of course you do, the entire school was out there…""" text16618;"""How are you connected to them?""" text16619;"""I'm…""" text16620;"""What if she was also in their clique?""" text16621;"""Sorry, I don't even know your name.""" text16622;"""It's alright.""" text16623;"""The girl's smile looked absolutely inappropriate.""" text16624;"""No, she bore more resemblance with Kagome.""" text16625;"""Have they been picking on you?""" text16626;"""She moved her head vaguely, as if trying to see something at the end of the corridor.""" text16627;"""An odd girl. A fitting target for Asakura's gang.""" text16628;"""I just have a friend… an acquaintance… who suffered because of them. If you did too, it'd help us a lot.""" text16629;"""Although, how exactly? She absolutely did not look like a murderer.""" text16630;"""I'm just…""" text16631;"""The girl laughed, then cried again.""" text16632;"""At first I couldn't believe what the principal said. Sure, I wasn't friends with Asakura-san, but I'd never wished her dead.""" text16633;"""She finally got a hold of herself and started speaking normally.""" text16634;"""How many more children in this school were victims of bullying, I wondered.""" text16635;"""How hadn't I noticed it before?""" text16636;"""And why had this girl so easily agreed to follow me to a deserted location?""" text16637;"""Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything to you.""" text16638;"""I can see you're not like that.""" text16639;"""You know, when you say that…""" text16640;"""I let out a sigh and thought about what I was even doing and why.""" text16641;"""Are you from Ellie's… Kobayashi-san's class?""" text16642;"""She gave a nod of confirmation.""" text16643;"""So you must know Kawashima better?""" text16644;"""I feel sorry for Kawashima-san too.""" text16645;"""Sorry, yeah…""" text16646;"""I obviously wasn't justifying the murders, but people die every second in this world, there's not enough time to feel sorry about all of them.""" text16647;"""And in this case, however you look at it, at least some people felt better with them gone.""" text16648;"""Maybe it's for the better.""" text16649;"""For the better?""" text16650;"""I mean, so many people can breathe easier now without their constant attacks.""" text16651;"""Sure, I didn't always have an easily relationship with Kawashima-san and Asakura-san.""" text16652;"""The girl suddenly frowned.""" text16653;"""But there was a whole life ahead of them — they could've changed in the future.""" text16654;"""Err, yeah, of course…""" text16655;"""I felt ashamed and tried to quickly change the topic.""" text16656;"""So what did you want?""" text16657;"""Want?""" text16658;"""Well, you were looking for someone in our class.""" text16659;"""No, I just dropped by.""" text16660;"""Just, huh…?""" text16661;"""I let out a sigh.""" text16662;"""Isn't that interesting: stereotypical bullies choose themselves stereotypical victims.""" text16663;"""And everything in nature, and thus in society, is determined by simple cause and effect with heredity and upbringing as their foundation.""" text16664;"""It's all so simple, but does that make things easier for Kagome, for this weird girl… For me?""" text16665;"""Do you know Iwamura by any chance?""" text16666;"""I asked without a real reason.""" text16667;"""Who?""" text16668;"""Iwamura Kagome, she's in my class. She…""" text16669;"""Did I have the right to tell others about Kagome's problems, even if this girl had had to deal with something similar?""" text16670;"""No, I don't know her.""" text16671;"""Gotcha.""" text16672;"""I sighed, almost with relief.""" text16673;"""Alright then, sorry for dragging you all the way here.""" text16674;"""I was about to leave, but the girl stopped me:""" text16675;"""Did you know them?""" text16676;"""Who? Asakura and Kawashima? Well, I was in the same class as Asakura…""" text16677;"""Would it sound weird if I said I didn't know my own classmate?""" text16678;"""Well, compared to this girl it didn't seem hard to not look too strange.""" text16679;"""We never really talked, if that's what you mean.""" text16680;"""I see.""" text16681;"""Why do you ask?""" text16682;"""Just wondering.""" text16683;"""Just, huh?""" text16684;"""I repeated and froze half-turned to her, as if waiting for something else.""" text16685;"""But the girl kept silent.""" text16686;"""Alright, then…?""" text16687;"""Goodbye.""" text16688;"""She smiled and went deeper into the old wing. Why?""" text16689;"""I spent some time standing in place, thinking about what had just happened.""" text16690;"""Sure, it would be stupid to suspect this weird girl of taking out Asakura and Kawashima's gang.""" text16691;"""But there were obviously plenty of people here who — even if they didn't want them dead — weren't too upset about what had happened.""" text16692;"""Theoretically, if they all worked together…""" text16693;"""No, that's just stupid!""" text16694;"""I decisively shook my head and headed back to class.""" text16695;"""Who'd win, ten Iwamuras or ten Asakuras…?""" text16696;"""Class was over, and Himitsu was waiting for me at the front of the school.""" text16697;"""Niko-kun, I was so worried!""" text16698;"""That I'd fall asleep in class, drop my head on a pencil, and gouge my eye out?""" text16699;"""Hey!""" text16700;"""She pouted.""" text16701;"""A tragedy happened! One of the girls who died was in your class, right?""" text16702;"""Yeah, Asakura.""" text16703;"""I replied, trying to sound as indifferent as possible.""" text16704;"""Did you know each other?""" text16705;"""Ah, what am I saying…?""" text16706;"""Of course, Himitsu was right, but that remark still hurt.""" text16707;"""Much like with Michael, sometimes you want for the truth to exist separately from yourself, in some parallel universe.""" text16708;"""No, we didn't. Asakura, she…""" text16709;"""I was picking my words carefully.""" text16710;"""She was part of another social circle.""" text16711;"""Is that so?""" text16712;"""…""" text16713;"""We were slowly walking home.""" text16714;"""Himitsu was silent almost the entire way, which made me start to feel uncomfortable.""" text16715;"""Our relationship had been far from perfect lately, but right now she was like an ex-wife forced to come to my parents' funeral and obligingly express some amount of sympathy.""" text16716;"""Did Asakura do that?""" text16717;"""Himitsu asked finally.""" text16718;"""Do what?""" text16719;"""Your door and the window.""" text16720;"""What made you think that?""" text16721;"""I wasn't even particularly surprised by her acumen.""" text16722;"""It was just a guess.""" text16723;"""What if she did? You don't think I killed them, do you?""" text16724;"""She didn't reply.""" text16725;"""You don't, right?""" text16726;"""I started getting worried.""" text16727;"""No, Niko-kun, of course I don't.""" text16728;"""Doesn't sound like you're sure.""" text16729;"""How can I be when you're hiding so much from me!""" text16730;"""I'm not… Fine. Even if I don't talk about certain things, why would you jump to that extreme?""" text16731;"""Not every eighteen-year-old with a few secrets can be a serial killer, don't you think?""" text16732;"""I don't know what to think anymore, Niko-kun.""" text16733;"""Ten minutes ago, Himitsu had looked genuinely concerned (just like that ex-wife), but now an expression of idle indifference seized her face.""" text16734;"""As if we were talking about something completely insignificant, just mundane stuff.""" text16735;"""And you won't even ask me if I'm in danger?""" text16736;"""I could, but I already know what you'd say.""" text16737;"""What?""" text16738;"""Everything's fine, sunshine, don't worry!""" text16739;"""She said mockingly.""" text16740;"""And in a sense, Himitsu was right — I would indeed have answered along those lines.""" text16741;"""I don't mean that everything's fine in the context of a normal, average person.""" text16742;"""Everything's fine in the context of my life.""" text16743;"""So you don't even want a normal life for yourself?""" text16744;"""No, that's not what I wanted to say… Damn it! You confused me!""" text16745;"""You've confused yourself, Niko-kun.""" text16746;"""Here you go again!""" text16747;"""What do you expect from me? I've already asked you so many times what's going on and I always get the same response.""" text16748;"""Because nothing's going on…""" text16749;"""I responded unsurely.""" text16750;"""See, that's exactly what I'm talking about.""" text16751;"""Fine. Yes, it was Asakura and her gang who painted over my door and broke the window.""" text16752;"""At least, they didn't try to deny it.""" text16753;"""But why, Niko-kun? What problem did they have with you?""" text16754;"""Himitsu finally sounded normal again.""" text16755;"""Let's just say I decided I couldn't tolerate injustice.""" text16756;"""I didn't want to tell her anything about Kagome, and I didn't need to.""" text16757;"""But I'm sure their murder has nothing to do with that.""" text16758;"""Injustice?""" text16759;"""Remember Iwamura? We saw her being bullied at the school gate a couple of weeks ago.""" text16760;"""Iwamura-senpai…""" text16761;"""Himitsu repeated without much emotion.""" text16762;"""I got tired of watching them pick on her all the time.""" text16763;"""It's strange, Niko-kun, that you paid attention to someone other than yourself.""" text16764;"""So you think I did the wrong thing?""" text16765;"""I don't know, Niko-kun, it's your life.""" text16766;"""Look, don't you think that's enough already?!""" text16767;"""We approached my house and I abruptly stopped in the middle of the sidewalk.""" text16768;"""Enough of what?""" text16769;"""Acting like you don't give a damn!""" text16770;"""Since when do you care about my opinion?""" text16771;"""Since always!""" text16772;"""Then you've been hiding it very well.""" text16773;"""My reaction was apparently very strange, because Himitsu suddenly laughed.""" text16774;"""You should've seen yourself just now, Niko-kun!""" text16775;"""But any reaction is better than indifference.""" text16776;"""If you tell me everything without leaving anything out, you'll feel better.""" text16777;"""I really doubted that, but the prospect of being left completely alone was even scarier.""" text16778;"""Kagome was suspected of murder — even if only by Ellie for now, but the police would follow soon enough, I was sure of that.""" text16779;"""And I was further from Catherine now than when she had been on the other side of the planet.""" text16780;"""Yes, I had a band to play in, but what did that matter when I was alone as soon as I stepped out of the studio?""" text16781;"""I need to think.""" text16782;"""Fine, take your time. I'll drop by tonight. Still have a lot of things to do.""" text16783;"""Alright, thank you.""" text16784;"""For what, Niko-kun?""" text16785;"""For being here!""" text16786;"""Himitsu smiled mysteriously.""" text16787;"""…""" text16788;"""Asakura and Kawashima really did choose a terrible time to die!""" text16789;"""Just when things finally seemed to be getting better!""" text16790;"""I was walking back and forth, my mind busy endlessly running through different scenarios of what could happen next.""" text16791;"""Even if the police suspected Kagome, she could easily have an alibi.""" text16792;"""Why hadn't I thought to ask her right away?!""" text16793;"""And if she really did have one… then things were going to get even more complicated!""" text16794;"""Was it really easier for me to believe that Kagome was the murderer?""" text16795;"""To distract myself from those dark thoughts, I took the bass guitar and started learning the new songs I'd been given.""" text16796;"""I found an old book on solfeggio in a closet, which helped me to quickly grasp the basics.""" text16797;"""And that was just enough to understand the rows of symbols that I'd previously found illegible.""" text16798;"""It's interesting to see how a part you initially found impossible becomes simple with enough practice.""" text16799;"""You just have to play it a hundred times!""" text16800;"""It was getting late, my fingers hurt, and my back was numb from sitting in the same position for so long.""" text16801;"""I had to take a break, but I kept telling myself I'd play just one more song, then stop.""" text16802;"""I probably would have played to the point of total exhaustion if the doorbell hadn't rung.""" text16803;"""The unexpected guest turned out to be Ellie.""" text16804;"""Thank you!""" text16805;"""I blurted out right on the doorstep.""" text16806;"""For what?""" text16807;"""If not for you I would have played myself to death on my bass.""" text16808;"""Really?""" text16809;"""Please come in!""" text16810;"""Ellie was noticeably nervous and wasn't even trying to hide it.""" text16811;"""I came for a reason, actually.""" text16812;"""And here I was hoping you just missed me!""" text16813;"""I tried to make a stupid joke, but she clearly wasn't in the mood.""" text16814;"""It's about your friend… Iwamura…""" text16815;"""Since when are we friends?""" text16816;"""Sure seems like it from the outside.""" text16817;"""Well, you know…""" text16818;"""I crossed my arms and walked round the kitchen.""" text16819;"""I've already told you: her father went missing, and I decided to help.""" text16820;"""Do you help every girl you come across?""" text16821;"""She asked without any anger, but there was an unusual interest in her voice.""" text16822;"""Only the ones that need it…""" text16823;"""I grumbled in response.""" text16824;"""Alright, what will you do if I say I need help? My friends have been murdered! Murdered by your friend, acquaintance — call her what you want.""" text16825;"""I really don't think that…""" text16826;"""Wait, I'm not done yet!""" text16827;"""Even if there could be any doubt after the principal's speech, her reaction…""" text16828;"""How would you have reacted, if you were her?""" text16829;"""I'm not her, thank God! I've already told you that. I don't want to put myself in anyone's shoes — my own are problematic enough.""" text16830;"""Fine, what do you think we should do?""" text16831;"""We should… we should at least tell the police…""" text16832;"""Ellie said, stuttering.""" text16833;"""Apparently she didn't have a plan.""" text16834;"""You think they won't figure out that Iwamura and your friends weren't on good terms without us?""" text16835;"""Of course they will, but…""" text16836;"""Ellie frowned, as if I was to blame for her lack of a plan to put Kagome behind bars.""" text16837;"""Then I need to talk to my grandfather! Tell him everything!""" text16838;"""Now that's definitely not a good idea!""" text16839;"""Especially after he had asked me to keep an eye on Kagome.""" text16840;"""You do realize that your grandfather isn't a fan of half measures, right? What if she's not guilty? Do you want an innocent person to suffer?""" text16841;"""Why do you immediately assume that my grandfather would do something bad to her?""" text16842;"""To be honest, for whatever reason nothing else comes to mind.""" text16843;"""I blurted out, but Ellie paid no attention to my tone.""" text16844;"""I can't just wait! What if they don't find the killer?""" text16845;"""She walked to the table, sat behind it, and folded her arms in front of her.""" text16846;"""How about we let the police do their work.""" text16847;"""I know I have no right to give you any advice — my friends weren't the ones killed — but I still think you're better off thinking things through, so you don't do something stupid.""" text16848;"""My words made no sense — I was just doing my best to distract her from the thought of turning Kagome in. No matter to who — the police or her grandfather.""" text16849;"""But then I tried to put myself in Ellie's place.""" text16850;"""How would I feel if Kyosuke and Michael were killed, and the main suspect was just smirking brazenly at me?""" text16851;"""Kagome seemed to be almost asking for the blame, regardless of whether she was actually guilty or not.""" text16852;"""To start with, we have no evidence.""" text16853;"""Now, that's definitely the police's job!""" text16854;"""So you actually do think they're capable of finding the murder weapon, collecting fingerprints, and figuring out the motive on their own?""" text16855;"""I asked half-jokingly.""" text16856;"""The motive here is as clear as day!""" text16857;"""I wouldn't be so hasty… Mutual dislike, bullying — sure.""" text16858;"""Maybe I wouldn't even be surprised if Kagome had splashed acid in Asakura's face…""" text16859;"""But eight people, Ellie! Eight! Do you really believe that Kagome alone could…""" text16860;"""What if she had an accomplice?!""" text16861;"""Who, her grandfather? He looks a century old!""" text16862;"""How would I know?!""" text16863;"""Ellie snapped and turned away.""" text16864;"""I didn't want continue this conversation.""" text16865;"""If I tried to keep arguing with her, she'd react like a spoiled child, and do the opposite of what I said, just because.""" text16866;"""I couldn't support her accusations against Kagome. For many reasons.""" text16867;"""So the only options I had left were sophistry and trickery.""" text16868;"""Let's assume you're right. Sunday evening, Kagome kills eight people, then Monday morning she goes to school as if nothing happened. Right?""" text16869;"""Well, she's crazy!""" text16870;"""I'm sure I wouldn't upset her if I said Kagome does have issues with socialization, but you're talking psychopathy now!""" text16871;"""Does she look like a psychopath to you?""" text16872;"""Well… no… I don't know.""" text16873;"""Psychopaths can pretend to be normal!""" text16874;"""Those, what are they called…? Sociophobes!""" text16875;"""Sociopaths?""" text16876;"""Whatever, sociopaths, what's the difference?""" text16877;"""Sure, in many senses Kagome was in opposition to the existing social order — but only because she understood it well and had to adapt.""" text16878;"""So that hypothesis wasn't valid either.""" text16879;"""Sociopaths are often characterized by a random choice of victims.""" text16880;"""What do you want from me?""" text16881;"""Ellie pleaded.""" text16882;"""I came here so you'd comfort me, not to listen to a lecture about forensic psychiatry!""" text16883;"""Really?""" text16884;"""In many respects, my experience with girls was limited.""" text16885;"""Yes, Himitsu and Catherine were hardly alike, but there were only two of them.""" text16886;"""Meanwhile Kagome, and, moreover, Ellie…""" text16887;"""I didn't want you to think that I…""" text16888;"""Relax! I was joking.""" text16889;"""At that moment, I heard Himitsu's voice coming from the hall:""" text16890;"""Niko-kun, are you not alone?""" text16891;"""Damn it! She had promised to drop by in the evening… Was it evening already?!""" text16892;"""Niko-kun?""" text16893;"""I looked at Ellie and smiled apologetically.""" text16894;"""Niko-kun…""" text16895;"""But Himitsu's appearance didn't seem to embarrass her in the slightest.""" text16896;"""Sorry, I didn't know you had a guest…""" text16897;"""Kobayashi-senpai…""" text16898;"""Himitsu lowered her head and seemed to grow smaller.""" text16899;"""All this excessive politeness looked silly, even comical.""" text16900;"""I won't bother you.""" text16901;"""She turned around, but Ellie stopped her:""" text16902;"""No, I should be going anyway.""" text16903;"""Sorry!""" text16904;"""Himitsu almost shouted and ran away.""" text16905;"""What's the matter with her?""" text16906;"""It's a long story. Where do I even start…""" text16907;"""Is she your…""" text16908;"""She started, but I immediately waved my hands, not letting her continue:""" text16909;"""No, no, we're just friends! Childhood friends! Been living across from each other for ten years, so…""" text16910;"""So what?""" text16911;"""Ellie pretended to interrogate me.""" text16912;"""So that's it…""" text16913;"""Alright, I'm glad.""" text16914;"""About what?""" text16915;"""About the fact that you've normal friends too.""" text16916;"""Her words made me feel awkward.""" text16917;"""Himitsu is almost like family to me. In fact now, after my parents' death, I have no one closer than her.""" text16918;"""What happened to them?""" text16919;"""They died in a car accident.""" text16920;"""I'm very sorry. Has it been long?""" text16921;"""A year and a half.""" text16922;"""And you've been like this all this time… alone?""" text16923;"""Yeah, I've gotten used to it.""" text16924;"""Sorry! I shouldn't have said all that!""" text16925;"""She jumped up from the chair.""" text16926;"""It's alright, no worries. Really.""" text16927;"""In any case, now I think you're right. I'm not going to tell grandpa anything for now.""" text16928;"""Thanks for that!""" text16929;"""And don't forget, we have a rehearsal on Wednesday!""" text16930;"""Rehearsal? I thought you'd need some time to… well… you know.""" text16931;"""Ellie paused like she was asked about something totally unexpected, then gave me a sudden, cute smile.""" text16932;"""I got used to it, too.""" text16933;"""See you!""" text16934;"""…""" text16935;"""Got used to what?""" text16936;"""I didn't have energy left for anything today, and at just eleven PM I was soundly asleep."""