"Kid, what nonsense are you talking about?"
Officer Matsumoto, the broad-chinned detective, stormed over and grabbed Hayashi Shuichi's collar, glaring. "You questioning our skills?"
"I'd rather not, but facts are facts," Shuichi replied coolly, meeting the officer's furious gaze.
"Also, Officer, grabbing a civilian like this violates police regulations. If reporters caught wind of this…"
"You little—!" Matsumoto's face darkened, torn between wanting to teach Shuichi a lesson and fearing the repercussions.
"Senior Matsumoto," Inspector Megure cut in, "he's just a kid. No need to argue."
"Hmph!" Matsumoto, taking the hint, released Shuichi's collar with a scowl.
"Student, why do you think Mr. Kato's the murderer?" Megure asked, curiosity piqued.
"Megure, why even ask?" Matsumoto snapped. "What does a kid know?"
"This kid," Shuichi said, straightening his collar, "noticed Coach Kato was lying. He couldn't have seen the intersection from the diving platform last night."
"Couldn't see?" Megure blinked, confused. "But…"
Just then, Officer Morimura jogged back from the swimming center. "Inspector, I checked the diving platform. It's about forty meters from the intersection, and you can see it clearly."
"Got nothing to say now, huh?" Matsumoto sneered at Shuichi.
"Enough!" Inspector Samezaki cut in, exasperated. "Morimura, did you check the intersection itself?"
Morimura glanced at his colleague, puzzled, then nodded. "I confirmed the streetlights were working last night."
"Working streetlights, forty meters' distance—clear view," Samezaki said, nodding. "Kato's story checks out."
"No, Inspector, you're missing something critical," Shuichi said, shooting a glance at Matsumoto. "The one who saw the intersection clearly was Officer Morimura—not Coach Kato."
Samezaki's brow furrowed. "You're saying… Kato has vision issues?"
"Exactly," Shuichi said. "Kato's a diving coach. Divers often develop corneal damage—an occupational hazard that impairs vision. Almost no athlete escapes it."
"Corneal damage?" Samezaki looked at Matsumoto and Morimura, who both shook their heads, unfamiliar with the term.
"Could he have worn glasses?" Megure ventured. "Contact lenses exist now, don't they?"
Shuichi smirked. "Kato claimed he saw the argument from the diving platform. But diving with contact lenses? The splash and impact from a high-speed dive could dislodge them or damage his eyes. A beginner might make that mistake, but a seasoned coach like Kato? No way he'd be that careless."
"That's just your theory!" Matsumoto scoffed, unconvinced.
"I watched Kato closely," Shuichi continued, ignoring him. "When sunlight hit his eyes, I caught a faint glint. He's wearing contact lenses right now."
"Matsumoto, have forensics check Kato's eyes," Samezaki ordered.
"…Yes, sir," Matsumoto grumbled, heading off.
Coach Kato, standing nearby, hadn't overheard their conversation. But when he learned forensics would check for contact lenses, his face tightened with panic.
Matsumoto, despite his dislike for Shuichi, had years of experience. Kato's reaction didn't escape him—this guy was hiding something.
Sure enough, forensics quickly confirmed it, removing two contact lenses from Kato's eyes.
"Mr. Kato, care to explain?" Samezaki asked coldly. "Were you diving with contact lenses last night?"
"I…" Kato swallowed, his face ashen.
"Take him for a vision test," Samezaki instructed.
"No need," Kato said with a bitter laugh. "I have corneal damage. My vision's 0.1 without correction. From the diving platform—or even ten meters away—I can barely make out a face without glasses."
"So, the person arguing with Kitamura last night was you?" Megure asked, stunned. "But why kill him? He was your team's ace!"
"I didn't mean to kill him," Kato protested. "With the competition coming up, I met him last night to warn him not to underestimate his rivals and to rest up. But Kitamura mocked me again, saying I was a talentless has-been who had no business coaching him."
"That jerk—mocking all my years of effort!" Kato's voice shook. "Even if I wasn't a star diver, he had no right to…"
"So you killed him in a rage?" Samezaki pressed.
"It wasn't intentional," Kato said quietly. "We fought, and it spilled into this alley. There was a sharp protrusion on the wall—I didn't see it in the dark. I shoved him, and… he hit it."
"When I realized he was dead, I panicked," Kato continued. "I hid his body in the alley and went back to the swimming center to wash off the blood."
…
Teitan High School
On the first day of the new semester, three students were late for class.
Their homeroom teacher, Murakami Yui, feared something had gone wrong and rushed to report to the Dean of Academics.
Mid-conversation, they heard a police siren wail. From the window, they saw a police car at the school gate, with three students in Teitan High School uniforms stepping out.
"Those are the three you mentioned, aren't they?" the Dean said, face darkening. "Causing trouble on the first day and arriving in a police car? If this gets out, Teitan High's reputation will take a hit!"