The situation was spiraling out of control. By the time I reached the school, the place was swarming—reporters flashing cameras, microphones thrust forward, students trembling in clusters. Fear clung to the air like a fog.
"Keiji, keep the media back. I don't want them near the students."
"Yes, ma'am!" Keiji moved quickly, stepping between the reporters and the shaken students, forcing order into the chaos.
As I approached the taped-off area, the principal rushed over. "Detective Reina… thank goodness you came!" His voice trembled, but I could read the truth in his eyes—the fear wasn't for his students. It was for the school's reputation.
"Don't worry, Principal. Just get the students back. I'll focus on finding who's bold enough to murder in broad daylight."
The principal swallowed and nodded quickly, barking orders at the teachers to shepherd the students away from the scene.
I turned my eyes to the body. It was a brutal sight—bones broken, body twisted unnaturally. Fighting back the heaviness in my chest, I called over to one of the officers already on scene.
"Officer, did you find anything useful?" I asked, meeting her eyes.
She shook her head. "Nothing, Detective. Whoever did this planned it well—no obvious traces."
"I see. No traces at all…" I muttered, scanning the ground, searching for anything everyone else might have overlooked. I began to search the ground area.
— ✦ —
Meanwhile, among the frightened students…"Shion?" My voice cracked as I turned to him.
He looked back at me, steady despite the fear in the air. "What is it, Miyu?"
My voice shook, almost breaking into sobs. "Shion… three murders… all from our school. Are we… tch… are we going to die too?"
Shion's tone was steady, honest. "Don't cry, Miyu. No one's going to hurt you. I'm here. You trust me, right?"
"Yes," I whispered, clutching his sleeve, "I do."
We spoke in hushed tones amidst the crowd. All around us, students whispered nervously—some trembling, others on the verge of panic.
The teachers scrambled, their voices raised in forced calm as they tried to comfort their terrified classes.
"Students, please—don't panic! Everything will be alright!"
"Yes, stay calm. The police are doing everything they can to solve this!"
But no words could ease what we'd seen. Another murder—so soon after the last. No one was prepared for horror like this. I squeezed Shion's hand tightly. In all this chaos, he was the only anchor I had.
"Miyu… don't panic," Shion said firmly, his hand warm against mine. "We have to trust the police. If we don't, then none of us are safe."
"Shion…" I whispered, tightening my grip on his hand, "Please… stay by my side."
"I will," Shion promised, his voice calm, unshaken.
— ✦ —
In the principal's office. I pushed the door to the principal's office and closed it behind me with more force than necessary. The room smelled faintly of dust and old paperwork. Principal Nakamura straightened from his desk and forced a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Principal, listen to me carefully," I said, my voice low and steady. "If you're hiding something, you need to understand: this won't end until we get the truth."
He opened his mouth. "Detective, I already—"
"Stop lying." The words were calm but hard, like a blade. For a moment, the principal's composure faltered; I could see the color drain from his face.
He swallowed. "I—"
"If this is how you're going to cooperate," I said, stepping closer so he couldn't look away, "then hear me now." I let the silence hang a beat, then delivered it like an order. "This school will be closed until this case is solved."
"What? You can't—" he began, panic rising.
"Enough." I cut him off. "I don't want another student dead on your watch. Clear the campus. Move everyone out. No lessons, no assemblies, no visitors. Do you understand me?"
He stared at me, breath shallow. "Y—Yes. I understand."
"Good." I kept my voice flat. "You will cooperate fully. Any attempt to hide records or interfere with the investigation. I will escalate this."
He nodded again, smaller now than before. The principal who'd argued for reputation minutes ago was gone; in his place was a frightened man who suddenly understood the cost of secrets.
— ✦ —
The evening air felt heavier than usual. The city lights shimmered faintly, but the news of the murders had spread like wildfire across Tokyo. Everywhere you looked—on phones, on TV screens, in hushed whispers—people were talking about it. About us. About the students of Noma High School.
Miyu walked beside me, her hands clasped tightly around her bag strap. "Shion… do you think the killer is still out there?"
I sighed. "Most likely. And if what I heard from the officers is true, it means they still have no clue who's behind it."
She looked down, her voice trembling. "It's scary. Every time I hear sirens now, I think… maybe another one."
I tried to sound brave, even though I wasn't. "We just have to stay alert. Avoid walking alone at night. Keep your phone on. You know, the usual safety stuff."
Miyu nodded, but her eyes still held that fear. The kind that doesn't go away with words.
As we turned the corner near her street, headlights flashed in front of us. A police vehicle rolled to a stop. I froze for a moment before recognizing the person stepping out.
"Detective Reina?" I said, a little surprised.
She looked at both of us, her expression stern but tired. "You two shouldn't be out at this hour."
"S-sorry," Miyu bowed slightly. "We were just heading home."
Reina glanced around the quiet street before speaking again, her voice low but sharp. "The situation is worse than before. I don't want to see any more students getting caught in this mess. Go home. And stay alert."
We both nodded immediately. "Yes, Detective," I said.
But then, her expression softened. "It's late. Get in—I'll drop you both off. It's safer this way."
Miyu's eyes widened with relief. "Really? Thank you, Detective."
Reina gave a faint smile. "Come on. Before anyone else decides to wander around."
We got into the car. The engine hummed quietly as the city lights passed by. Reina drove steadily, her gaze fixed ahead—calm but heavy with thought.
First, we stopped in front of Miyu's house. She turned to me and said softly, "See you tomorrow, Shion."
"Yeah. Stay safe," I replied.
She nodded, waved at both of us, and went inside.
As Reina started driving again, I sat quietly in the passenger seat. The city outside looked peaceful, almost pretending nothing bad ever happened. But deep down, I knew—it was just the calm before another storm.
The steady hum of the police car filled the silence between us. The city lights flashed across the windshield, scattering pale reflections over Detective Reina's face. She looked calm, but her eyes—those eyes—never stopped moving, always watching, always calculating.
I sat quietly beside her, unsure if I should say anything.
Finally, she spoke. "You and that girl… Miyu, right?"
"Yeah," I answered, glancing at her.
"What's your relationship with her?"
I hesitated, rubbing the back of my neck. "Uh… classmates."
She gave a small hum, as if she'd heard that one too many times. "Just classmates?"
I tried again. "Friends."
Her lips curved slightly. "Just friends?"
I sighed, defeated. "Alright, alright. She's my girlfriend."
Reina smiled faintly. "There it is. Took you long enough."
"I wasn't sure if that was an interrogation or small talk," I said.
"A little of both," she replied, her voice cool but teasing. "So, how long have you two been dating?"
"Three… maybe four years."
Her eyebrows rose. "Three or four years? That's a long time for a high schooler. I'm impressed."
I laughed awkwardly. "Well… she's kind of the only one who can handle me."
Reina chuckled softly, shaking her head. "That's a good answer, kid."
For a few moments, silence returned, the kind that wasn't uncomfortable—just heavy with thought.
Then I asked quietly, "Detective… have you found anything about the killer?"
Her hands tightened on the wheel just a little. "No solid lead yet. Whoever's behind this knows how to stay hidden. Smart… patient… and dangerous."
I looked out the window at the empty streets. "And the reason? Why would anyone do something like this?"
"That's what keeps me up at night," she said, her voice low. "People don't kill without a reason, Shion. But so far, every clue I find only leads to another question."
The car slowed as we reached my neighborhood. Reina glanced at the GPS, then back at me.
"This is your stop?" she asked.
"Yeah." I nodded toward a small two-story house at the end of the street.
Reina looked out the window. "You live here alone?"
I paused. "Yeah… My parents are overseas. It's just me for now."
She frowned slightly, concerned flickering across her expression. "A high schooler living alone, during all this chaos? That's not exactly comforting."
"I manage," I said with a faint grin. "It's quiet, at least."
"Quiet can be dangerous," she muttered, half to herself.
I smiled weakly. "Don't worry, Detective. I'll keep the doors locked."
Reina gave a small sigh and pulled the car into park. "Just be careful, alright? I don't want another student ending up on my report."
"Got it," I said, stepping out.
Before closing the door, I added, "Thanks for the ride, Detective Reina."
She gave a brief nod. "Get inside, Shion."
The car pulled away, taillights glowing red against the dark street. I watched it disappear into the distance, her words echoing in my mind.
Quiet can be dangerous.
For the first time, I actually believed it.