The pitter-patter of the rain outside is a soothing, inviting sound. I’m laying down staring at the ceiling trying to forget the horror that was yesterday.

There’s a murderer somewhere out there, I just missed them somewhere along the lines. I’m sure this will turn out like a Sherlock Holmes book and the culprit will be apprehended with no other crimes and we’ll get on our way right? This isn’t how my high school life was supposed to go, I was supposed to just be averagely-friendly with everyone, try averagely-hard in school and live a golden life.

“Ughhhh! I’m a wreck get yourself together idiot!” I smack my face to wake myself up, don’t fall apart now Yuta you’re a like able person who even got the class idol Kurihara-san to talk to you—not even talk to you she came over!!

I pump my fist in the air like I’ve won the Olympic gold medal in the decathlon, I feel my everyday self is slowly seeping back into me now.

“Brrrr Brrrr”

My phone vibrates on my desk, was it always so annoying?? I sigh and pick up my phone and answer it. “Kasuno thank you for being so sweet and checking on me, I’m feeling better now.”

“Ahh that’s the old Yuta I know, welcome home man. I’m at the coffee shop right now one second and I ran into someone peculiar…” Kasuno leaves me in suspense for a second.

“Hiragi-kun how are you feeling?” That can only be one voice! What is that idiot doing with Kurihara-san??

“Ohh uh Kurihara-san! I’m feeling better thanks for asking”. My knuckles are getting white from squeezing my phone out of spite. Maybe if I would have moped to the coffee shop I would have had another fated meeting with her.

“I’m glad to hear that! When I heard you passed out with all of that commotion I-I was worried! I don’t know what you went through but I do know a tragedy happened at our school and…and for it to happen to someone we know is horrible..”. I hear her over the phone choking on her words, it pains my heart to hear her like this. This could have happened to any of us…

“Say, Kurihara-san.. if you need someone to talk to you know–I mean I’ll listen to you if you need an ear..”. I for one don’t consider myself psychologist-worthy but it IS Kurihara-san we are talking about okay?!

“Thank you Hiragi-kun that means a lot to me”. I feel her smiling even if I can’t see her.

“OOohh can I get on this talk?” Kasuno taunts me in the background, why am I even friends with that bottom feeder?

“A-Anyway I’m going to catch up on some school work, later!”

“Sure, see you at school then!” She gently says her parting words.

I hang up the phone and get out of bed. I’m really hungry all of a sudden, better make the trek downstairs to see what food awaits me.

----

----

Ahh hamburger steak today huh? I can smell it from the stairwell, well, food is food. I want to keep acting like my normal everyday self for the people in my life, but can I keep doing that after what happened?

“Finally up Yuta? How are you feeling?” Mom asks when I walk in.

“I’m fine, just a headache but those are pretty common for me.” The headache I had during that day was immense, my medicine was out which made matters way worse.

“You took your medicine right? Remember Dad can get you more if you happen to run out”.

“I know I know, I took it already don’t worry.”

Mom sits down in the chair next to mine and looks me in the eyes.”I won’t bring anything up, but are you really feeling okay? Ever since you were a kid you would freeze up in stressful situations y’know? If you need to go to a doctor we ca–“.

“I’m fine Mom, I just want to rest up and sleep. If I need anything I’ll let you guys know alright?”.

I don’t remember being like that as a kid, well who really does fully remember their childhood anyway. If you ever ask anyone they always reply with some cliche saying about it being all a blur anyway.

“Okay okay, but if you need anything just ask your Dad and I. Eat up it’s leftovers but it’ll give you the much needed energy you need.”

“Buzzz Buzz”

“Who could it be at this hour?”. The door buzzes, Mom gets up and opens it. After a couple of seconds she backs up and looks at me while someone walks in.

“Ah Hiragi-san, my name is Detective Kizata nice to meet you. I would like to ask you some questions if you don’t mind?”. An above-average tall man walks in with a black trench coat and a hat. He has grey on the sides of his hair, maybe in his late 40’s?

“M-Me? What is this about?” I get a cold feeling in my stomach, don’t be dumb its probably procedure after what happened.

He continues to smile but has a sense of authority about him, what in the hell does this guy want?

“I think you know what this is about, it will only take a couple of minutes don’t worry just a procedure.” See, I knew it.

I didn’t do anything I’m innocent! It’s better to just comply with him though I don’t want to actually become a criminal.

“Yeah sure..” I reply quietly.

“Great! Please come with me to the station it won’t take long I promise.” He tips his hat to me and tells me to meet him outside in his car.

Ughh really the station? Maybe I shouldn’t have accepted… I grab my things and follow him out the door.

----

----

The streets whiz by as I ride in the passenger seat of the detective’s car. This is quite the disappointment in terms of a detective car. Isn’t he supposed to have some slick, dark colored foreign car? Whatever, the fact that I’m not at home right now is really ticking me off.

“Hiragi-san rest assured, I’m just going to ask you some questions at the station. It’s all procedure okay? Ah! Would you like a mint?” He extends the mints to me.

There it is again, that overly creepy nice smile while trying to lure me in with mints?

“No I’m okay, can we please make this quick I haven’t been feeling well today”.

“Of course it shouldn’t take long at all!”

There is silence for what feels like eternity, the street bumping under us.

“I’m truly sorry to hear what happened to your friend, I heard you were one of the few students who actually saw the scene. Don’t worry we will find the perpetrator”.

“No, it’s fine he wasn’t my…never mind”. I saw no point in trying to counter his statement, it wasn’t worth the trouble.

The ride was quiet for the rest of the trip, we finally make it to the local police station. We enter the gate and walk in the building.

“Please follow me Hiragi-san, we will have a quiet room in the back okay?”. He smiles back at me, I follow him through the busy corridors. There seems to be officers and others alike rushing around. It obviously has to do with the case at school.

We finally reach a door at the back left of the building and walk in. He closes the door behind us. It’s a small room with just a desk and two chairs. Yes, exactly how you would expect an interrogation room to be. I thought I was only being “asked” questions not tortured…

“Please have a seat, would you like any water?”. He motions to the desk as I sit down, waiting for my imminent villain interrogation.

“Ahh no I’m good, I would just like to answer the questions and leave.” I once again make my objective clear to this smile-happy freak.

“I see well let’s get down to it. You see Hiragi-san I do have something to show you regarding the incident. I would like your cooperation to make this as smooth as possible, is that okay?” He crosses his hands together and looks right at me.

“S-Sure no problem..”

Something to show me? So there was a reason I was “randomly” being questioned. I knew it all along, instincts should always be trusted no matter what.

All of a sudden Detective Kizata’s demeanor changes from the smiling man to a darker mood. Woah woah what is this I don’t like it.

“At the scene, we found this object–“. He pulls a pouch out of his jacket pocket and sets it on the desk. He unzips the pouch and pulls out a pen–a bloody pen…

“Wh-What is that you’re showing me? Some random object fro–wait.. there’s blood on that pen, don’t tell me!” My eyes widen at the realization of what the object’s usage was.

“Ah yes, you can clearly see the dried blood on this object. It should be no surprise as to what this object was used for..”

I have a flashback to when I saw Taki laying there with small stab wounds all over his face and body.

I feel sweat start to bead on my forehead, why am I getting like this? I’m not connected to this at all!

“Now Hiragi-san, this may mean nothing… but there were tests run and your fingerprints have been found to be all over it. Don’t worry I’m not blaming you someone could have swiped this pen from you or you could have dropped it before the killer used it.]

“My pen.. ah yes, that is my pen– but I didn’t do anything I would never I’m sure I accidentally dropped it while walking!!” I feel my pulse quicken, was it going on here some set up?

The detective puts his hand up to stop me. “I understand please don’t fret about. Another question: a student told us they saw you and Hitoshi-san talking by the stairs very briefly as they walked by. Do you remember what that talk was about?”

My blood freezes over inside me, I vaguely remember talking to Taki by the stairs before I mysteriously ended up in class? Why can’t I remember?!

“Well I do remember that but I’m sure it was just a casual conversation. We probably just went our separate ways soon after. Look! I would never hurt Taki okay!”

Kizata stares in my eyes for the longest time, is he trying to break me mentally? I don’t understand this guy’s problem. He needs to focus on catching the maniac at large not some normal student.

“I see, thank you for your time Hiragi-san it really has been informative. I’ll be taking you home now.”

He’s back to his smiling game I see. I still feel a heavy atmosphere coming from him still however. We silently leave the room and I follow him out the station to the car. This was all a totally useless turn of events.

The ride back was totally silent, he drops me off at home while tipping his hat as the car pulls away. It’s almost as if he’s saying “See you again soon”.

Hah! Not much of a detective while tormenting a teenager its actually laughable. He should be putting his efforts into more important things…why was my pen at the scene anyway? I don’t ever remember having it on me. The suspect must be someone who was nearby during our talk. Just thinking about this makes me shake where I stand.

“Huhhh”

I let out a deep sigh, I just need to rest some more before going back to school…