Everytime I wish for a relaxing time I seemed to be attacked by a curse, like last weekend where my sleeps was interrupted repeatedly. Now I just want to have a peaceful lunch.
"Hey Aster!"
I turned my saw a bulky man with a distinct hair who suddenly stopped next to me. His face wore an excited expression like what he had when I first met him.
"What is it David?"
I asked him but I did not let him answer as I noticed the worried looks of the crowd towards me.
"Wait, let's find a good place to talk first."
"No! Aster we don't have time, we need to hurry."
He's smiling yet he had a worried tone like he really have something important to tell me. This strangeness left me confused but I at least drag him away from the middle of the way while being so.
"You look like a dog who found a bone in the backyard, did you chance a murder case or something?"
His face was subtracted by a bit of that glee but is still did not vanished.
"No I did not. After I heard you-your advice last day I realized that great detectives did not start from being 'great' immidiately, they must've experience a lot...a lot more uninteresting cases before they became well-known figure."
I didn't know that the superficial words I said without any thought would give this guy a realization of reality. I feel proud of him, is this what pet owners feels when their dog learn how to sit?
"Is that all you wanted to tell me? 'cause I kinda want to eat my lunch now."
"No wait I am not finish yet!"
He blocked my way again, the pride I felt before was gone without a trace in just a second.
"What is it get straight to the point!"
"Your suggestion was right, I found a case. However it's not what I hoped for...but still! I think this will be my first—no our first job as a Mystery Solver Club members!"
I raised my brows in surprise. This guy really did get over his awkwardness, he has much higher potential than Ron. I am now interested in this first 'mystery' that fell—no he found and put in our lap.
"Oh then what kind of case is it? Wait let me guess, is it something that have a time limit or something?"
I saw the admiration in his eyes, it kinda feel good seeing this giant like this urging me to tip toe to pat him. So this is why those seniors are befriending those of the lower grades, huh.
"Yeah, you're really good Aster! Its a missing item case, yesterday I accidentally met a senior who looks so distressed...I kind of talked to her and helped her find her phone.
"We talked about for a bit and I learned that it was not that she simply lost her item once, instead she's been losing her things some she found while some are not, and this started somewhere at the start of the week.
"I found her situation weird so I told her to contact me if it ever happens again."
"...You called me because it happened again?"
"Yes! This time she lost her uh...her school swimsuit. And she needed it for her swimming lesson in the afternoon."
I knitted my brows as I could clearly see that this is not a missing case but it feels more like a bullying. Or maybe a stalker had their eyes on her?
"Can't she just take a leave with that reason?"
"She can't cause she'll fail the class if she do."
"Physical Ed..."
I sighed for the cruelty...students should not be forced to exercise! Or at least divide the class by their fitness and teach them in different levels then grade them separately too!
"When is the deadline?"
"The second subject after the lunch."
"Do you have any leads?"
"Uhm...trash cans, bathroom, lockers, g—"
"So no leads at all."
I reluctantly pulled my gaze away from the cafeteria and walked back to the building. I could hear David following me, I slow down my footsteps and gave an order.
"Lead me to her classroom."
"Oh..alright."
...
We reached the classroom of that victim at the third floor on the building. Surprisingly I found it to be a familiar room.
"Aster?"
The angel reappeared once more.
"Lana."
"Are you here for...Azalea?"
"No, it's..." I turned to looked at David who's next to me wanting him to finish the rest, but I had to facepalm myself when I saw the big dude acting shy.
"The two of use are here for some kind of club activity."
She looked around for something before her curious eyes went back to me. "What kind of club activity?"
"Ah well, searching for a missing item?"
"I didn't know that the school have a lost and found club."
Showing an expression of learning something new Lana gave an innocent smile. I feel like I am tricking her so I elbowed David to snapped her awake, his eyes are too obvious.
"Uh...s-senior, there's probably no club like that, we're from Mystery Solving Club and we're here to help out client in finding her missing item."
I was speechless. This dude sounded more professional than me, but the way he summarized it felt far from the neutral detective instead more of an righteous cop.
"Oh...I see."
"Lana, do you know the 'victim'? David here told me that this where her classroom, does any of your classmate lost something?"
"A classmate of mine? No, there's no one in class have anything she lost."
What? Isn't the normal thing to do when you lost something in class is to ask your classmates if they see it?
The three of us are all confused but the first one to snapped out of it was Lana who suddenly had a solemn expression.
"What's her name?"
"Alice, um...senior Alice Porterland."
Her brows furrowed further almost meeting in the middle.
Missing items, start of the week, Lana's request, and her expression now. I think I pieced it all now and there was no need for the 'probably', this is a bullying case.
I am about to sigh when I suddenly realized that this amazing coincidence might not be a bad thing.
Maybe—no, I hope that after this is all over I could spend my lunch for the rest of the weekday peacefully, if there will be something left.
"You know her right, Lana? Now let's go and meet this bullied 'friend' of yours."
I said intending to head inside the room but was stopped by Lana.
"Uhm Aster, Alice is not inside."
"Then can you call her David?"
"Wait a moment."
I watched him dial on his phone but after couple of seconds a machine-like voice responded back to him.
"...I'll try again."
He repeatedly called her number for three more times yet no one was answering, maybe she had her phone turned off or...
"Stop calling her instead text her that we are outside of her classroom."