I and Arai walked side-by-side to the faculty room to withdraw the case, however, we were both quiet.
We were silent for the same reason—the enigma known as Nakamura Eiya.
He managed to outmaneuver Class Beta in just two weeks of being a student–two days if you count his actual involvement.
What was shocking was that he managed to do all this despite being a member of Class Epsilon.
He did so without even breaking a sweat, it really made me wonder. The plan itself wasn't all too amazing, it was mostly provocation.
However, the sheer deduction that was done shocked me—he figured out there was a mastermind and that this case was Arai's plan.
While I would have chosen a different approach—finding the mastermind and asking him to stop—I knew that wouldn't have worked, in truth Nakamura's method might have been fastest, however…
Who is Nakamura?
No matter how you spin it he shouldn't be in Class Epsilon, he has an athletic build and is quite obviously observant and intelligent.
So then why is he in Class Epsilon?
Wait, don't tell me…Is he like me?
We arrived at the faculty room, of course Jackson-sensei was still around since teachers stayed in school till 7PM.
"Back so soon I see," Jackson-sensei smirked.
A smirk? I've never seen that before, I thought she was incapable of such.
This reminds me of the first faculty meeting we had for this case. But I just thought that it was a hallucination.
Seems like I was wrong.
"Yes—"
"We want to withdraw."
Arai cut me off before I could speak, though it made the whole process easier.
We were urged to sign a contract which implied that this case can never be brought up unless the student council is involved.
After signing I and Arai were about to leave until—
"Ito, stay back," Jackson-sensei said.
"Huh? Ok, well see you later Arai."
"…Ok."
He must still be glum about what happened with Nakamura, now that he's signed, I feel kinda bad but still I'm thankful to Nakamura.
Anyway, I wonder what Jackson-sensei wants to say.
"Sit down."
The faculty room had many couches despite being for one teacher—as each one had their own faculty room—so I sat at the one closest to her.
"Yes ma'am."
"I'll cut to the chase. About this case, you won because of Nakamura, right?"
"No, it was me who did it."
"Lies."
I can't believe I'm lying to a teacher, well, Nakamura said I shouldn't tell anyone, so I won't.
I can't go back on my word, no matter what.
"I don't have the energy to believe your lies," she continued.
"Why would I lie to you?"
"You're a good person, also, I'm sure he implied that he doesn't want to be figured out."
Her guesses are so precise. Does she have access to the surveillance cameras in the hallway?
No, she might be bluffing or just guessing.
"I'm telling you he didn't."
"I don't have energy for this. Tell you what, I'll give you 100,000 Rp if you agree."
What? I do need it especially with how things are. Yeah, I should take it.
"No."
As if I would betray my own classmate, one who swore me to secrecy.
"Of course you'd say that. After all, you are the savior of Class Epsilon."
"You wanted me to say that?"
"Yes, actually it makes everything clear. I'll make this easier for you, Ito. I know about you're past and why you're in Class Epsilon."
"…"
"Now, let's just have a truthful talk about Nakamura and we can all be happy."
This woman…She talks about it like she's talking about the weather, with that high-pitched voice of hers.
"…"
"Ito, it's not a suggestion, it's a threat."
"…"
What should I do? Should I record this and blackmail her? Use violence? No, I can't do such underhanded things but what can I do?
"Also, don't think about recording this or your secret is out. It seems you don't care about your secret; I'll post it on—"
"Fine, he ended the case," I cut her off.
"Of course, I'm aware but that isn't important. What's important is the fact that he's in Class Epsilon."
"What's wrong with him being in Class Epsilon?"
"Are you retarded, or you can't process information, which is it?"
"None?"
Why is this woman like this?
"Do you think a student like that is supposed to be in our class can do what he did?"
"I mean what he did was impressive, but it isn't that special. What if that's the only thing he's good at?"
"Not convinced, huh? I guess I'll have to tell you a little more about him. To be frank, he barely made into this school."
"Huh?"
"He got the pass mark—60%. He failed so effortlessly; he even missed his interview and as for a physical test he also doesn't have one. His saving grace was getting 75% in academics."
"Then how did he even enter?"
"To be honest I don't know, I heard rumors that he is on probation."
"Can that even happen in this school?"
"I'm not sure, I didn't know that we did probation. My working theory is his mark for academics was high enough so we let him by just giving him the pass mark."
"And you think he's faking? Why would someone do that?"
"To blend in."
Why would he do that? I suppose she wouldn't know that, if she did then I wouldn't be here, but why am I even here anyway?
"Jackson-sensei, why are you telling me all this?"
"Well, to be honest, I'm scared of someone who can fool the school ranking system," she looked at me, since she wasn't only referring to Nakamura. "So I want you to make Nakamura into someone that can help the class."
"Help the class?"
"Yes, I want us to even surpass Class Alpha."
Can he actually do it? Can he achieve my dream?
No, what am I saying, Nakamura isn't capable of such. Think Yuuto think, give up on that pipe dream.
"Will he even agree?" I asked.
"That doesn't matter."
"Actually, it does I don't want to venture on a fruitless endeavor."
I'm willing to help the class, in fact I'll help anyone in this school, but I won't arbitrarily help someone who blackmailed me.
"I don't care, just do it."
That being said, someone being blackmailed doesn't really have a choice.
"Do you at least have a plan?"
"It's simple really, just try and try again till you get him to agree. I don't care how long it takes," she said, her voice being serious.
So, you don't actually have a plan, huh? I suppose it doesn't matter; I'll just stall till my graduation or expulsion.
"I see, well I'll do my best," I said.
"Good, now leave."
I was basically chased out. I left the school and walked back to the dormitory but on my way, I saw Nakamura sitting on a bench.
"Hey," I said, sitting beside him.
"Oh hey, how were the results?" he asked.
"Oh, we both withdrew like the way you planned."
"Perfect, I guess."
"Hey Nakamura, let's walk back together."
"U-Uh sure."
We walked side-by-side with Nakamura looking lost in thought, he eventually came back to reality, but he still remained quiet and even blushed a bit.
Now that I saw him again in person, I silently wondered if he really was as special as he seemed, however, I managed to catch myself and luckily, fell out of the trap set.
While his intelligence might be amazing, his demeanor is scarier.
It disarms and protects any preconceived notion you had about him—making him appear average, perhaps even below the average person.
The more I learn, the more I want to know.
I wanted to just stall, but now I feel drawn like a moth to a flame, It's now or never.
"Nakamura."
"Yeah?"
"Can you explain your plan to me?"
There were some things in Nakamura's plan I needed clarification for.
I actually knew the answers but wanted to hear him answer.
"Huh? Ok, it's simple, I provoked Shimizu and Arai, that's all."
"Yeah, but how'd you know about the mastermind?"
"Well, as a kid I was good at puzzles, so I just guessed so."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah."
I'm sure he found out through that girl who greeted us, she was holding her waist as she ran to us as we were leaving.
I thought she was bullied but I couldn't report the case because according to her classmates she was unresponsive and had no friends.
So I planned to wait till the case ended to address it with a teacher, but I didn't have any proof of bullying, so I put the thought away for now.
I'm sure he must have guessed they had a mastermind through her behavior and the class's behavior.
Though I always suspected Class Beta had a mastermind, since almost every class had one except ours of course.
However, it seems Class Beta thought we didn't know.
"Anyway, today before you came Shimizu and I were arguing in the faculty room about the times they harassed us, except for everything I said he had a response to it," I said.
"Oh really, that their mastermind is really something, huh?"
"Yeah, he is, isn't he? Strange thing that happened, the map of the school outlines six main pathways. There's the one made for everyone and there's one for each class and you happened choose the one that Class Beta used."
"Wow, what a coincidence."
"Yeah, and in the morning as I was talking to you, I heard some rustling, do you think someone—perhaps Shimizu—was in the bushes?"
"Who knows? Maybe he was eavesdropping or maybe it was a rodent like you said. It's not like I would know," he answered like he was talking about the weather.
"Yeah, so when are going to just cut the shit?" I stopped walking and looked directly at him.
"Huh?" he stopped walking also.
"I know about your plan."
"Yeah, I told you about it," he said.
"No, I mean your real plan."
"I don't know what you mean by 'real plan'."
"Sure, you don't."
Despite being questioned, he remains calm. This guy might be something that can actually help this class…Maybe he can achieve my goal.
However, he still denies my claims. Maybe I'm wrong and I'm just getting too excited.
After all, there's no real proof that he did any of what I said, what if he just got lucky?
But his entry into this school is still suspicious.
"Nakamura, can't you just stop lying?"
To be frank, I'm not even sure I'm right anymore.
"…" he kept quiet, giving an unreadable expression.
"So, you won't answer."
"…" he kept the same expression.
"How about this, I ask one question and if you answer honestly then I'll leave."
"Well, I have been honest but please go on."
"Just answer this Nakamura. Who are you?"
***
Author's Note:
So there's one more chapter, huh? Unfortunately, all the major stuff has happened so the next one is going to be average at best but please still read it.
Anyway, remember to comment, leave a review, and share.
Thanks for reading the chapter and see you in the next one.