Part 38: 7/11/11

7/11/11

Today was our first day back to school since the murder.

VIDEO- "Kashiwagi"

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I still can't believe it… Our homeroom teacher was killed.
I… couldn't get that much sleep yesterday.
How about you? Are you alright?
I'm okay.
Well… If we start getting depressed over something like this, we'll never catch the killer, huh?
Hmm… Oh, yeah… This means we'll be getting a new homeroom teacher.
I wonder who it'll be…
…Well, I'm pretty sure that they won't be able to find anyone worse than King Moron.

Yosuke was wrong, as he so often is.



Male Student: Hey, is that stuff about King Moron for real?
Female Student: It was on TV, right? It must be true.

He was oh so wrong.



I'm Noriko Kashiwagi, your new class teacher starting today.
You all probably know already, but now that Mr. Morooka has passed away…
I'll be taking good care of you instead. *giggle *
Okay, why don't we start off with a moment of silence for Mr. Morooka.
Close your eyes, everyone…
That should be good enough.

Creepy lady was sitting up on the desk when we opened our eyes.



So our regular exams are still on track for next week.
As your principal said, "It's times like these when the schedule is most important, Nori-chan."
*giggle * It must be tough for you.
But that's what it means to become an adult, little by little.
Female Student: I already can't stand her…
Male Student: First King Moron and now Kashiwagi…? How much worse can it get?
Oh, and one more thing.
That idol in our first-year class… Ms. Kujikawa, was it?
In person, she's nothing like she seems on TV, so don't get your hopes up, mmkay?
What's so great about an idol anyway, right class? She's just a piece of inexperienced jailbait.
> Ms. Kashiwagi is ranting on and on…

Seriously what a freak.



Student's Friend: She doesn't stand a chance against Risette. I mean, I heard Kashiwagi is on the wrong side of 40…
> You can hear your classmates gossiping…
Brown-Haired Student: I bet King Moron would've been ecstatic to hear Risette had enrolled here.
Someone told me they saw him buying Rise's pinup book…
Student's Friend: That sounds kinda pervy.
He annoyed the hell out of me, but I feel bad that he got killed…
Brown-Haired Student: Oh, you know what? Risette was on a striptease show.
Student's Friend: Huh? A striptease!? Dude, if that was true, the paparazzi would've been all over it.
Brown-Haired Student: I'm serious! But the reception went bad right when it was getting to the good part…
It was on that Midnight Channel everyone keeps talking about.
Student's Friend: You actually believe that crap? How friggin' dense are you?
Trust me, you were dreaming it…

If more people really are watching the Midnight Channel this could get even worse.



We'd better wrap this case up quick.
Anyways, let's meet up later. Don't make any plans for this afternoon.

We went down to Junes as usual.

VIDEO- "Naoto Returns"

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It's been a while since I failed any subjects…
Yeah, if by "a while" you mean "all the time."
Sh-Shut up! Like you've ever seen my scores!
But Chie always has above-average marks in the subjects that she doesn't fail!
H-Hey! Why'd you tell him!? My scores just… vary! Yeah, that's it!
Ahaha!
R-Rise-chan, you too…?
*giggle * Sorry… I'm not laughing at you.
It's just… I thought it would take me a while to make any friends at my new school.
Too bad we met under such awful circumstances.
Oh yeah… What do you guys think about King Moron's case?
He didn't show up on the Midnight Channel even once.
If this person had been inside the TV, I would've sensed it.
My nose isn't as sharp now, but I can tell that much.
But they found the body on a foggy day again, right?
They said on the news that that crime scene was just the way it was for that announcer and Saki-senpai.
I really wonder about the culprit's motives… Why was Mr. Morooka targeted?

Kanji had a really good point.



But didn't you say it's people who get famous on TV who are targeted?
If the killer's choosing targets by watching TV, I picture him as someone who doesn't know the victims at all.
I don't think it's worth trying to figure out motives for that type.
There are too many people who hold grudges against you for no reason, even if you've never met them before.
Haha… You sound like you speak from experience, Rise-chan…
But with King Moron, he didn't appear on the Midnight Channel or the regular TV…
Uurgh! I don't get this at all!
Man, two victims in a row from our school…
That's gotta set off the police's alarm bells. They're not gonna leave any stones at school unturned.
Y'know, to be honest…
Somewhere deep inside, I thought maybe King Moron was the killer…
The news says that he was the second victim from Yasogami High, but we all know that's not the case.
And I've heard him say more than once that so-and-so deserves to die…
But now… I feel bad that I doubted him.
He was a capital-A asshole, but that doesn't justify killing him…
And not just King Moron… I feel sorry for all the victims…
I can't forgive the killer, no matter what!
Well, we'll do what we can, for King Moron's sake too!
At this rate, you have to figure that the killer has something to do with the school, right?
So why don't we split up and-

It was about then that we were interrupted.



Y-You…
There is no need to examine the case of Mr. Morooka any further.
Wh-Why's that?
Apparently, the police has found a suspect. It would be best to let them handle the case from here.
H-How do you know…?
I'm on this case as a special investigator, by request of the prefectural police.
What!?
They found a suspect…!? Who is it!?
As to his name, I haven't been informed.
I do know… that he is a high schooler.
It isn't public knowledge yet, but he isn't a student of your high school.
It seems they are quite confident that this boy is the killer…
They have testimonies directly linking him with the incident.
I expect it's only a matter of time before he is apprehended.
Soon, this case will be solved, and your town will once again be its peaceful, rustic self.
The suspect… is a high schooler…?
All right… So why come tell us?
That's confidential info, right? Why run right here and spill it?
Your "game" will soon reach its end.
I felt I should at least let you know that.

I don't know what Naoto's problem is but this sure as hell isn't a game to us.



You don't deny, then, that you have involved yourselves in the matter?
Well, no matter. I have no reason to say anything further.
A game…?
Aren't you the one who thinks of this as a game?
……!?
I don't care if you're a special investigator or an amateur sleuth… All you're doing is solving mysteries.
What could you possibly know about us? You're the one who's playing a game here.
One of the victims… She meant a lot to me. How could I possibly treat this like a game?
Plus…
We made a promise…
Y-Y-Yosuke…
A game…
That may be quite true…
Wh-Why so understanding all of a sudden…?
Oh, I get it. I was wondering why you'd be wandering around like this when the police have a suspect…
What, did they get rid of you now that they have their man? Is that why you came here? You were lonely?
Detectives normally aren't involved with arrests. And we never harbor any special emotions regarding a case, either.
Still…

I know Dojima wasn't happy about Naoto's presence, can't imagine the others were either.



But then, I'm accustomed to it.
……
Much about this case was perplexing, but its solution was surprisingly simple…
Well then, I'll be going now.
What was that about…? He just said his piece and left…?
……
He said they have a suspect… but is this really gonna solve everything?
*sigh * Who knows…
> …You all decided to call it a day.

Even if the police have a suspect, how can they possibly catch a guy who has our powers? We can't give up now.