Modern Thief: Answers.
Shenanigan: 4.3.2018
Ina told me the story of the magician challenge happened four days ago, and mostly what she said fitted the same what I recorded that day.
"Holmes didn't tell you the secret?" Ina asked.
"She didn't, saying things it's by too uninteresting to explain."
"Waa, she's that awesome?" her eyes glimmered, "she even predicted that the magician would reveal himself just a day after the show."
I only have shown an interest in the case once and completely ignored its follow up. So I asked Ina, "Who's him then?"
Ina looked at me as if I'm joking then answered, "He goes by the name of…Sung? He's also the president of the entertainment club." I thought she had stopped but Ina continued, "he's the one who came up with the idea, to promote their activity club from challenging Amelia…"
She was too specific for me not to ask, "you seems to know much about their club…" I remembered Ina was a member of the art club...not the entertainment club.
Ina waved her hand about, "I--I heard it from Ron. He's in the entertainment club."
"Then did he participated in the show that day?"
Ina neither shook nor nodded her head, "I don't know. He did just recently found the club after leaving the programming club."
I smiled, "That's so."
"Ahaha, it's quite a mess after the show. Some students demanded to have a look at the camera footage. Sensei was angry and kicked them out, saying it's not important."
"I see."
Ina raised her eyebrows, "did you get something?"
"Well, I'm not sure myself yet. But I do have something about the magician teleportation's...magic."
"You do?"
I nodded, "As you told me, Amelia gave us a hint: 'a door he can't fit,' and really, this already a big hint for us to guess the trick's method."
I was wrong when I referred to 'us' to pick Ame's hint because Ina looked at me sceptically.
Her sharp knife body leaned forward as she cried, "Pl, please tell me."
I can't resist the closeness between me and her crystal eyes over pink bushes, "ho, hokay." I stepped back before my imagination ran wild. Being avoided these past three months made a close contact foreign to me.
I began, "we have to identify the problems first for anyone to understand clearly."
Ina answered, "problems? Then...it's like this: how did he disappeared behind the drapes…and how did he teleport?"
I nodded my head, impressed. "But your last question is too big to scope. Rather, the problems are did he really teleported and how did your signature paper appeared in the library."
"You're right."
"Well, to answer the first question we have to remember what exactly happened. After we followed and counted to five, there was a sharp sound that attacked everyone."
"Ah. It was a real shocker."
"Yes, had caught us off guard. My theory is, when the magician closed the drapes, he took out the robe. You also had noticed that he wore our school uniform behind it, well, it's for the next part of his trick." I said, watching Ina's processing my words. "Then he hanged the robe together with the drapes. They're both blue so it was easy to miss, but back then I noticed the additional layer of the drape. I've recorded it carefully, making me the last one to arrive at the library. But how did he disappeared? Well, it was the timing. A loud bang sounded, caught everyone off guard. Even me. Within our shock, the magician--now appeared as an ordinary White Book's student--leapt out, turned around, and opened the drape himself."
Ina gasped, "So he never disappeared?"
"It's a theory, but I don't see any other way he could disappear."
"But," Ina had a hint of disappointment in her eyes, "didn't the magician was holding my signature paper? The person who opened the drape had nothing in his hand if I remember. If he folded it, then it wouldn't be the same as the paper we saw at the library. And…I think I remembered the guy who opened the drape among the audience."
I chuckled, "you're as sharp as your figure. But to answer your doubt of my theory, we have to explore the second question first. How did your signature paper appeared in the library is the third question."
"Let's see...ah, did he really teleported?"
"That's the question. I have my suspicion they used...something as a twin."
Ina chimed, "but I have checked. Sung does not have a twin."
"Well yes, but as I said it's similar. But they use clones."
"Clones? How can you tell?"
"Spot the difference. Nobody is the same as others. Yes, their clothing, height, wide, the mask, and smell could be the same. But I think those easily can be copied. Unfortunately for them, they have hidden something I noticed now."
Ina appeared to be clueless as an octopus can. I don't blame her, she had no experience following the great detective solving cases. 'It's like an ABC' said Ame, trying to teach me her method, 'to say the Z you have to call out all the other alphabets. It's a slow process but always work. In my case, though: ABCDE…" she recites the ABC and finished it in two seconds.
She cried out, "te, tell me!" It seemed Ina don't like to be kept in dark.
"The difference is their behaviour. Do remember that the magician in the programming club was talkative. But when we met his teleported self, he didn't speak once."
"That's right!"
I nodded, "it's now obvious that they try to hide what they can't cope with. Their voices."
We stood in silence for a minute, the buzzing fan almost what I felt the only moving thing was.
"That's amazing..."
I shrugged, "I guess their trick is good."
"No," Ina shook her head and looked at me...in what seemed to be impressed. "You're amazing."
I felt a gentle warmth creeping up to my face. Being called amazing by Princess Ina was something else--like alcohol. I wished to hear more.
"Well, er, guess It's a disease from Amelia Holmes probably. Ehem, so to the third question."
"How did my paper appeared in the library?"
"This when Ame's hint comes to be a use."
"The hint? Oh it's the 'door that can't fit him.' Do you think...the door, like a real door, exist?"
I smiled, "Why don't we see for ourselves?"
Ina followed me to where we saw the robbed person. The clone had leaned on the left side of the bookshelves, so I guessed the secret door was around there.
"You don't think the secret door is behind the bookshelves? I mean, if there's a secret door, wouldn't people realized it by now."
I replied, "not if it's obvious. We have to try and find it."
Ina nodded.
"And when we do, both of our cases will be solved."
Ina nodded again…and realized it was a mistake. She stared at me, "what do you mean…both cases?"
As Amelia Holmes would like to put it: "you'll see."
We went for the search. Ina checked between the polished floor and under the bookshelves, tried taking out some books as if it'd switch gear, and rapping the books.
I on the other side started my observation from the first column and moved like a crab while checking the rows. The books at this side were old and dusty--especially, the bottom row of the dictionaries section. Why would someone use physical dictionaries now if your phones were a lot more effective? So when I noticed an area of the dictionaries section was uneven and had the less dust, I pulled the books and piled them on the floor.
Realizing my odd behaviour, Ina came to me. she crouched down to y level, carefully veiling her thigh.
Though how was disappointing, but she came at the right time as I placed the last dictionary down.
Ina gasped, "a hole?"
Indeed, behind the removed area was a gap that at least could fit three of my arms. But inside it was a black book and…the modern thief.
"Ah!" shouted Ina rather happy, "It's my notebook!" Ina tried to reach it, but when she saw something else sitting with lanky arms and claws beside her notebook, she retracted her hand. "Eeeek, it--it's that a spider?"
I chuckled, "almost, but this one can fly, move, need electricity and a pilot…and can steal someone's notebook. It's a drone."
I took out the drone and held it up as if I had fished it out the ocean. It was still hot. The drone's arms swaying about. I noticed it has eight fans--three of them broken.
"Fitted the clues then," I smiled.
Ina grabbed her notebook. And hugged it tightly. I have never seen someone who adores their notebook that much.
I waited for her wholesome reunion to finish…then she looked at me, "What does it all mean?"
I looked at Ina, enjoying her reaction. "Well, first this is the secret door that he can't fit."
I pointed at the gap and continued with my theory, "the end of this gap is small…I guess from the other side it appears to be just a fissure. Perfect for your signature paper that day. This answered our third question.
"Using the other side gap that was covered behind the drape that time, he slipped and pressed the paper, sending it to his clone at the library, who also had changed to his robe. The clone took out the dictionaries and pulled out the paper, carefully not to change anything, put the books back, and then waited for our arrival. That's how they appeared to be…teleported."
"It all makes sense now!" shouted Ina. After her excitement receded…she asked me.
"Is that why you said we'll solve the case at once when we find this secret door?"
"Well, yes…"
"Is that really so?" she looked at me hopefully.
"yes…" I lied again…but as her eyes studied me, I sighed. "well, you can ask me anything."
"Who hid my notebook there?"
I flicked the orange metal, "this."
"No," Ina shook her head, "I mean, you said this drone needs a pilot. Do you know who piloted it then?"
I knew. But something stopped me from revealing it all. All this solving the case on my own, I realized had made me feel like her. The great detective Amelia Holmes. Unearthing answers proved to be thrilling for my heart who only had one will to beat--but when it was time to expose the culprit, made me thought of three months ago.
It felt as if I was about to snitch on my past self.
If I revealed the culprit, would he fell the same hole as me?
"Shenanigan?"
I snapped and shook my head, "oh, ah yeah. I'm okay."
Ina gave me a weak smile.
"If you don't want to say it…then you don't have to." I looked at her and she gave me her kind look, "thank you for helping me."
I nodded, "It's all okay. You got your notebook after all…"
"yeah…" Ina laughed dryly. Isn't that all what matter?
"What do we do to that?" She pointed at the drone.
I shrugged, "well someone tried to steal your notebook. It's a case for the student council to know. You can give this to them."
I first turned it around and search for the switch. Lucky enough the on and off symbol was there. I flipped it. "Now it can't escape...unfortunately I can't come with you to the student council room. You have to send them yourself."
I gave it to Ina and she took it. Fully understand why I avoided the student council. I was their President, after all.
The air was awkward. Maybe Ina realized I was trembling before. How can I win her affection if I appear so weak?
We walked back to our bag…as if something never happened. Ina collected her belonging at the receptionist desk, ready to close the library.
I looked outside the window, a crowd of students pouring out the hall. The movie had ended. And the sun pulled down each second.
"Shenanigan." called Ina, "I have to lock the library now."
"Of course," I said.
By the glass door, Ina bowed at me. The drone was in her hand.
"Once again thank you for your help."
My heart felt heavy. Ina knew I was keeping her in the dark. I felt selfish. And again, If I told her everything, exposed the culprit, and win her affection…Wouldn't that be selfish, too?
The glass door clicked.
And we went our way.