The Evidence of the Principal

If I remember correctly,our principal's name is Hikari Natsume.She was the type of person who doesn't usually talk or interact to others.

Or maybe that was just me.

"How can you describe the principal,

Ayumi-san?."

While waiting for Natsume-san I asked Ayumi-san to confirm my description to the principal.

"Hmmmm.I think she was type who stays in the shadow I guess.To the point that I almost forgot that she exist in this school."

"I see."

So at the end,I was correct afterall.Maybe that was also the case with my other classmates.I think the reason for her unnoticable existence is because she doesn't roaming around in the school nor she doesn't greet students when she meet them,unlike to what other principals do in most school.I often meet her when I'm changing my shoes in the locker room.I greet her with 'Good Morning' but she doesn't replied back.In other words,never.She never greet me back in the past ten months.

Sometimes,I just ended up with the conclusion that this may be also part of this school for being special.

In the middle of my deep thoughts,the door suddenly opened.When I looked around,I saw the person that I'm expecting to arrive.

She has a bob haircut.I think we shares the same height.And she has this gloomy aura around her.

She sit down on the vacant chair and said nothing.If that's the case,I will be the one who will strike the first blow for our conversation."

"Good morning.Or should I say good afternoon,Natsume-san."

I looked at the clock.It was already eleven forty.Since it will just take twenty minutes to noon,I also greeted her with 'good afternoon'.

However,she didn't replied back or say nothing.She just nodded a little bit,showing

her affirmation to my greet.This is just how she accept my greet whenever we meet each other.Anyways,I continue questioning her.

"Uhhhmmm,sorry for taking your precious time,Natsume-san.You probably heard from Sensei why are you here,right?."

She didn't say anything.She just nodded.

"By the way,did the electricity already come back?."

She didn't say anything.She just swayed her head,showing that it is still not coming back.

"Did Yahiro-san fully fine now?.Did she collapsed again or something like that?."

Since she is the one who take care her while she was unconcious,I'm wondering if she is really okay now.But the principal didn't say nothing.She just swayed her head a little.

I guess I will stop asking her more question and go to the main point.Yeah,I only need her to confirm what she saw in the window then she can go back now to her office.Then me and Ayumi-san can take our lunch break.

That's right,maybe I will just go with that.

"Okay,Ms.Natsume-san.I just wa-"

When I'm about to get straight to the point,the principal suddenly stand up from her chair.

She close her distance between us and bow her head and body a little bit.

I and Ayumi-san coincidentally looked at each other.She also didn't expect what just happen.

After that,the principal spoke up.

"I'm sorry for trusting this whole case,

Hashimoto-san,Ayumi-san.I heard from Takashi-sensei that both of you haven't eat yet since morning.That's why take this simple apology from me,as the principal of this school."

She said in a apologetic and soft voice.This was probably the first I hear her voice since I studied here in this school.

Anyways,I couldn't immediately speak out.I was totally baffled on this situition.This was truly an unexpected moment.On the other hand,Natsume-san remain on to her position.

Maybe she was waiting for me to say something

After choosing what words I will say,I answer her.

"Okay,okay.I will take this apology, Natsume-

san.In the first place,you really don't have to do this."

"He's right.I know you have a reason for this complicated situation,principal." interjected by Ayumi-san

"I see."

After saying that,she go back to the chair and sit.Meanwhile,I decided to asked some questions to her

"So why are you silent earlier,Natsume-san?.

Why are you not talking to us?."

"That's because I'm waiting for the opportunity to apologize to both of you.I already did it to your other classmates.I apologize to them for this inconvenience.They take it but I also want to do that to both of you,as you are the ones who is solving this case."

"I see.That was good to hear."

Maybe our classmates was also suprised for her.And since all the things already settle down right now,let's go to the real business.

"If that's the case,let me get to the point,

Natsume-san.I will not ask anymore specifics on what did you do the whole time before the earthquake happens.Instead,I will just ask you one question and I want you to answer it carefully."

"I already heard from Takahashi-sensei.It's about the window part,right?.Specifically,if there's someone I saw on outside."

"That was absolutely correct.But first of all,did you looked up in the window that time."

"Yes."

So it seems like Sensei already explained to her what I'm going to ask before Natsume-san go here.I have to thank her for that later.

On the other hand,our conversation is going smoothly.Since this is the first time I talked to her,I was somehow nervous and scared.But after exchanging some words,I realized that she was actually an easy person to talk.Or maybe she was just like this because we are bearing the responsibility on solving this case on our own.Either way,both of us are doing fine here.

"So do you saw someone,Natsume-san?."

"Yes."

"How many?."

"Two students."

"Ony two students?."

"Yes."

"Are you really sure for that?."

"Yes.I'm sure for that."

"So who are they?."

"Ayumi-san and Reina-san."

"Are sure that it was truly Ayumi-san and Reina-san and you are not mistaking them for someone else?."

"Yes.I'm sure it was the two of them that I saw."

"Thank you.Did you saw them at the same time or did you saw one of them first?."

"The latter."

"Who is it?."

"Ayumi-san."

"Thank you.So when you saw Ayumi-san,in what direction is she going?."

"Hmmm.I think she is going to the diretion towards the restroom.Then after some time,I saw her again,this time in a opposite direction."

In other words,she also witnessed Ayumi-san leaving the restroom.Meaning,strong alibi for her.

"How about Reina-san?.Did you also saw her going towards to the restroom?."

"Yes.Actually,both of them meet to each other that time coincidentally "

"Ho.I see.And when she is leaving?.Did you also saw that?."

"Unfortunately no.Because after some time,the earthquake happens."

"I see."

I wrote down the information she gave to me in the notebook.After that,I closed it out,put down my pen in the table and sighed.The interview part was already finished.It was time to come up with the solution.But I will do that later.For now,everything that we will talk about is just a mere curiousity of mine.

"Well that's it,Natsume-san.But I think you might already heard it from Sensei.The real reason why you need to be called here."

"To asked some personal questions that you think I can only answer right?."

"Yes.Specifically two questions."

"Go ahead."

"First one is about me.Why did you accept my enrollment here,Natsume-san?.Why did you allowed a boy to study in an all-girls highschool?."

After hearing that,she open her widely.But she immediately close it and made a slight smile.I thought that it was a question that will let her guard down but it seems like she was already expecting it and alreafy prepare an answer.

"You know the main goal of this school right?.To become special.That's why the officials who runs this school make this an all-girls highschool because they thought that this idea is one of a kind.But the story doesn't end there.They also only acquired one teachers to teach all the subjects because they thought it was special.But here we come,

your application to this school.Actually,I'm the one who come up with the idea of including a boy in all-girls highschool.So I consulted the higher-ups and asked them if they can accept you.At first,they refuse because they think that it will disregard the idea of the school for being an all-girls but when I explained that an-all girls highschool with a boy is more special and unique than that and after persuading them more,at the end,they finally agreed."

"Hmmm.I see.I see."

"What's the matter?."

"Well,it just rather an unexpected reason to hear."

"Actually,that's not the only reason."

"What!?." I said with a surprised look.

"We orginally want to gather twelve students.But that time,the school year is about to start and we still only got eleven students.I asked the officials if eleven is already enough.But for some reason,they said that they will not start the school year unless we can find one more student.And that's where your application come,Hashimoto-san.

Maybe this is one of the reason why they accepted you here even though this is not really what they want to do."

"Now that was really a surprising fact,

Natsume-san."

So at the end,it just a matter of coincidence.

I'm wondering what if they found and chose someone aside from me.Well obviously if they immediately found one more girl applicant ahead from the deadline then maybe I'm studying right now in other school.And of course,I'm not sitting hear thinking for a solution for this murder mystery.

"And now we come to talk about that,I want also to ask one question to you.Why did you decided to apply in this school in the first place,Hashimoto-san?."

I got a little bit surprised with that question but at the same time,that was already something I'm expecting from most people.I remember when Hosokawa-san ask me this same question.I think I will just give Natsume-san the same answer,just like to others.

"Well that was rather a complicated question,

Natsume-san.But just think my existence in this all-girls highschool as a common cliche in romantic comedy novels.That was my answer and I hope that it already satisfies you."

"I'm not really satisfied with that.That was more like a vague answer."

"Some things are better left unsaid,

Natsume-san."

My existence is not the most the important thing right now to concern.Also,that will just prolong this interview.I need to end as soon as possible

"Anyways,this is my second question.It is about the reason why you don't want to include the police.Well Sensei already explains it earlier but it feels like this is much more deeper problem than we thought right?."

"You're right.Or more likely,the one who will suffer the most is the higher-ups."

"What did you mean?."

I asked her although I have a hunch for what she will say.

"First of all,I like to say that what Takahashi-sensei is also true.If this case got in public the students here will also receive damage on their status.You may already know what I'm talking about right,Hashimoto-san,

Ayumi-san?."

"Yes." anwered by Ayumi-san.

I nodded to show my affirmation.

"And just like what Takahashi-sensei said earlier,I was once a chief inspector.Although I'm already retired for about a year now."

I'm actually almost forget that.But on the other hand,if you will look around it,her former job was kinda matching her personality.Well that was just my opinion though.

"Anyways aside from you,if this case got in public,who do you think will take the blame most?."

She asked,letting us to guess the answer.

"I think it was the school itself.Which is also mean..." answered by Ayumi-san

"That's right,Ayumi-san.At the end of the story,

the one who will suffer the most from this case are the higher-ups.They will receive so much criticism from people.Like 'don't take your child to this school' or something like 'the school managers should not let this kind of incident happen'.And that was the thing they don't want to happen."

In short, a school scandal.And if it got public, it will spread among people,like a chain reaction.If that happens,the school higher-up will take that scandal until they die.Of course,

that was something they don't to happen.

Meanwhile,Natsume-san continue.

"But even if this incident doesn't got in public,

we still received damage.But it will now reduced since we will disclose all the information here to other people."

It will became a private matter between the people here.

"But of course,we still need give justice to Chinatsu-san.That's why I requested to all of you to solve this murder on you own.And if possible,you must solve it today.Anyways,I never thought you are the one who is taking in charge,Hashimoto-san."

"Well it's a promise afterall."

"Promise?."

"Ah no nevermind."

I refuse to explain anymore.I looked at the clock.It was already eleven fifty-five in the morning.It's time to end this interview.

"By the way,I want to ask you more questions,

Natsume-san.But since it was something that was easy to answer,let's make it quick.It was almost lunch break afterall."

She looked at her watched in her right hand to confirm it

"Oh,you're right.Then go ahead."

"Thank you.First all of you,who do you suspect the most?."

"None.I can't think of someone who could possibly done this murder."

"I see.But what if I said I'm the culprit?.Would you believe it?."

"Maybe.If you confessed to me right now,I would believed it."

"Thank you.But what if I said that you are culprit?."

"No.That was impossible.That's the last thing I would think of."

"How did you feel that Chinatsu-san was already gone?."

"I'm very sad.Sometimes,I want to blame myself.I'm the principal of this school but I couldn't even manage to protect my students."

"I see."

Somehow,I could relate on what she was saying.

"Last question.What is your breast size?.In cups?."

"B cups."

"Okay that's it.Thank you very much for answering and lending your time to us,

Natsume-san."

"No problem.I hope you can give the justice to Chinatsu-san."

"That was something we will know later."

After that conversation,she finally left the classroom.Meanwhile I looked to Ayumi-san and asked.

"Do you have yourown lunch,Ayumi-san?."

"No.I didn't bringing one to me.I'm always eating in the canteen."

"I see.Then you can go now."

"How about you,?."

"Well I have my own lunch.I will eat here"

"I see.If that's the case then I will leave for a while now,Hashimoto-san."

"Ah don't forget to come back here.We will talk about this information we gathered."

"I understand.Then see you after twenty minutes."

I nodded on agreement,as she left after saying that.

I stood up on my chair,picked up my lunch and eat on the teacher's table I've been using for the whole time.