"Well, that's all for today," the teacher says upon the class of 2-B of the Yuhara National Highschool.
"Don't forget to turn on your assignments tomorrow as we will tackle another topic regarding metaphysics."
The only period where Toby is invested in to listen just ends and it's now lunch time. The bell rang and you can hear the students mumblings and bafflings as they rush out of the room.
A new flavor of burger fillings awaits them at the cafeteria that's why students eagerly rush down to take on the new thing, who knows when will it gonna out of stock.
*yawn
Toby sighs, his pen got out of ink while he's still writing the lessons on the recent topic. Few black lines written on his notebook by him trying to doodle out whether the pen will strive back or just gave up on him. "Come on man, don't hang me lying," he utters while talking to his already passed out tool.
The pen has lost its value so it's reasonable to have it seen on trash cans or perhaps on the road, because of course, although the pen's physical body still exist it has lost its original purpose, so it's safe to say that the object have been dead. It can still be use to fulfill other new purposes as their exist recycling but the object cannot be called pen, it will be more like a material.
"Ohhhh! That's lucky of you to claim the first price bento at draw, isn't it?", the guy muttered in front of Toby leaning back on his chair.
"Oh boy, Golden rice balls, honey glazed shrimps, luxury rolled omelette, curry filled buns."
"What the hell's with you? It's just a convenience store food, it's not like a Michelin star priced delicacy," Toby says back to Yamato.
"Come grasp on it man, it's like you've just pulled an SSS character from a gacha game yet your reaction is still like that?"
"I don't see it that way. My sister's cooking were far more superior than this that's why having a go-to food doesn't excites me," he mumbles directly to Yamato.
*ting
Something sparks out of his thoughts, "Oh I remember, that girl probably in there already. She's actually eager to find the cursed creature, huh?", he said to himself while digging in his rather luxurious recently bought bento lunch box.
"Hey Yamato, I'm fine here," he says while handing out his lunch to the friend.
"Anyways, the leftover is yours. I'll go first."
"What do you think am I? A dog? But if you say so," the guy gratefully accepts his charitable action. "Why of a sudden? Nature's calling you?"
"The f*ck, man," Toby says as his last words before approaching his satirically final battle against his greatest fear, finding the supposed lost cat.
He passed through the doorway only to be stop ahead by a rather familiar classmate.
"Hmm, aren't it Killi-ya-ma-kun? Why's the rush already." In a bit calm and warm voice, the girl with a silvery-white hair and amethyst-colored eyes.
"Tch. Amamiya, you," he utters.
"It's been a long we have a proper conversation isn't it? Would you mind having a lunch with me?"
Hina offers more luxurious thing than a lucky draw from the convenience store or being able to taste the new flavor of burgers at the cafeteria. Normally, people will accept straight away and their days will be memorable.
Sadly, "No, I'll pass for today. Schedule it next day if I could still avail your time," he mockingly says to the girl in front of him.
"Hmm? Aren't we busy today. Having a date with a junior?", Hina says as if she seen through the intentions of the guy.
"Tch." Toby leaves upon hearing her words. He rushed away forward leading to the library to meet the girl.
"Be careful then. I'm rooting for you," Hina shouted to reach his ears in attempt to warn him of the impending.
"So she knows, huh?", he says to himself when the voice reaches his senses. "It's not safe to say to trust Amamiya and leave the girl behind. Agh... Sigh... This sucks."
Let's not say that he's actually running or something, that's why he caught the glimpse of words shouted by Hina. We cannot also conclude that he's walking slowly nor normally upfront. More like he's doing brisk walking to catch up the time he could miss when resolving the girl's case.
The library isn't that far also from their building, just one transfer from their's and there found the library near the faculty building in the second floor of Annex building 2.
"It's seems strange though, as I expected. The flyer that girl brought nowhere to be found inside the school premises so why does she wants to start looking in here, huh."
Toby reaches the library, it's not quite a big room. Utter silence can actually be observed in the place so he can assure that very few people are around.
Books of old and new, poems and prose containing various works of famous and not so famous authors.
Literary texts and infamous novels and critique books found in rather old shelves. It's not your typical library where science and lecture textbooks can be found but rather more on literature form of Arts is present in that odd library.
"Oh, it's been 4 months since my last visit here, huh? New books have finally stacked in those new shelves but it's still a sad thing they putted away those 14th century texts."
"Welcome, mister Kiriyama," a young lady mumbled upon meeting Toby. She's wearing a black blazers over a white embroided shirt. She's wearing reading glasses and appears to be in her early 20's and her hair has that tint of beige hue reaching upper back.
"Oh, nice outfit there, Iroha-san," Toby says to the young lady sitting on the librarian's desk while reading a book. "So you're work haven't ended yet here, huh?"
He talks lightly to the librarian as if they've known each other quite a long time now.
"What makes you here, Kiriyama-kun? Borrowing books again?"
"Not for now," he replied while looking around the room if the girl's already there.
"By the way, have you seen someone with a short black hair in here?", he asked.
"Hmm? Why?"
"Uh, nothing though. I have some with that person."
"I don't know, Kiriyama-kun," the young lady says while plopping her head to the side and her index finger pointing on her smooth cheeks. "Let me just check the log in book first. By the way, you should sign too."
While the librarian's still checking the logbook, Toby starts to move forward and looking through shelf to shelf in search of the girl.
Bookshelves arrange lying amounting to 8 where containing almost 1000 books. He passed through over 3 shelves and still no good in his search. The librarian reached what she's looking for and uttered the name of the girl Toby is looking for, "Oh! Here it is, Kiriyama-kun," she gladly says but to her surprise Toby wasn't by her side. "Hmm? Kiriyama-kun?"
"I'm sure she's here. I can hear the mumblings, the scratches, the small wailings in the air," he says to himself while carefully observing the environment. He's doing it not to take up his search for the girl but to heighten his defence in case the cat would immediately jump on him.
"Ahh... Senpai's late, huh," wailed by someone.
"Huh!? That voice... It's on the fifth shelf then," he quickly turned to.
"So you're here. What are you doing hiding in this corner if you can just sit in the table in there," Toby said upon he lay his eyes to someone who's in crouching position while holding her phone and a pout in her face can be seen.
"Ah! Senpai. You're late," says the girl when their eyes met. "I've been hours in here. What are you doing in there taking you much time, huh? Aren't you a bit dilegent for listening in the class and not skipping just like other students as like you?"
"What do you think I am!? Aren't you also the one to talk. How could an honor student slack off the class just to hide in here!", Toby rants on the girl for lumping his ego with those who likes to skip classes. Ever in his life he have done such a thing, his reason?
It's because sleeping in class is more better than skipping off because at least you have presence in the room even though he feels like an air during lectures.
"What the hell are you doing in here? Aren't you have class before," he added.
The girl pouts and utter the words, "I'm fine skipping classes since club meetings were more important than attending lectures. I cannot stand my classmates mumblings when I'm in there."
He shove up his hair, "Ahh... How poor thing you are being affected with that."
"Hmph! You just don't get it, Senpai," the girl says.
"Anyways, I like to hear from you what's your plan now. Hurry up and spill out what do you know about Amamiya," he calmly said.
The atmosphere changes the same the girl's mood then.
"Hmm, but we still haven't found Nya-chan yet, right? Senpai."
"My hypothesis is right then. I've asked the security committee regarding the lost cat incident happening in the school. They said that there's one case occured last week and the cat of one faculty appears to be missing that day. Based on their provided evidences with the exact description of the cat matching the traits and characteristics this girl have said. The cat was found the day after but what shook them is the fact that the cat was found dead at the garbage site of the school. Marks on its back shown that attacks from a huge animal have caused its death. A dog or some wild animal probably have taken its chance to the cat but that's another story. I've also look for any new incidence reported of lost cat in the school but they said that that's only what they had.
"Checking through her close friends from the other clubs, they said that she doesn't consulted them regarding her search, making me only the one she's targeting to. So the case closed and all I need is to extract the information from her."
"It's over now, you were searching for the non existent. Didn't I told you? I've finished my truce with you so it's time to give me my reward." He uttered those words that passes deep through her facade.
The mood shifts again and it's something that our protagonist doesn't want to encounter.
"So you know it already, huh? We have actually underestimated you. I have no choice but to resort for this." Her cold voice came out of her mouth reciprocating her usual tone.
"Well, if you have nothing to say, then you have lost. I've wasted my time dealing with this sh*t. I'm taking my leave here. I hope you don't bother me anymore with your pesky endeavors after this."
He walks away merely losing his guard off the back. The girl stands and uttered words in her usual innocent tone.
"Actually, Senpai, here's the cat you were looking for."
"Huh?" He turns back to the direction where the girl is but to his surprise the girl nowhere to be found in there.
"Where is she?"
...
"Senpai... Nyah--"
Suddenly, his vision went off not knowing what exactly happened after that. One thing's for sure, before he pass out, an electric shock bit him at his lower back.