Class one was quiet for the most part, but there was still a buzz of the murderer here and there. Specifically, the transfer students were at the center of all recent discussions of potential suspects.
"Did you hear? The murderer might've been someone from A High School. The police had found a half-ripped tie from our uniform."
"But our tie is nothing special? It's just black and other schools have the same color too."
Minh turned to look towards the back of the class. The same foreign girl who spoke up about the earlier cases was once again discussing the new case. It seemed like she was invested in this particular drama. She then turned to take a peek at Chana, but because she sat directly in front of her it was hard to see her expression.
"Right! But we're more or less secluded from other high schools. The nearest one aside from ours is a twenty-minute drive. Would it make sense if they came from another school?"
"Wait! You mean B High School right? I have friends there I can probably ask!"
The two transfers started whispering with more fervor and their volume increased as they planned their next steps. The students around them were more or less indifferent. It seemed they truly lacked any personality aside from their studies. Fear wasn't an emotion they knew.
Miss. Somi was writing the next chapter of the lecture. She turned and slammed her binder on the podium, silencing the commotion.
"Now I know everyone has heard about the recent news. However, I want to remind you all that your midterms are coming up very soon."
Miss. Somi's voice boomed over the class. It became quiet for a moment. Slowly the brave transfer students started to protest.
"But Miss. Somi! Have you not stopped to think the murderer could be among us?!"
"What an outrageous disclaimer. It might be better to shift your focus to your future midterms. I fear you might not make it in the top ten."
Miss. Somi's response was instant.
"Miss. Somi?!"
They had not yet realized just how much A High School did not care about the ongoing investigation, solely focusing on pumping out the next top elites of society. This could be partly due to the school belonging to an influential figure. The way the school's reputation keeps its prestige despite countless cases can attest to just how powerful A High School's board of directors is.
Without an ounce of warmth, Miss. Somi coldly scolded.
"Hush! The class now begins. I believe I've said that last time was your final warning. Since you two are still getting used to how things work I'll let it go. This is truly the last time though. I will assign you new deskmates if you speak during class time again."
The two girls could only quiet down and listen.
"Oh right before I forget. Reina, please see me in my office after class."
Reina remembered her last quiz grade and could only deflate silently. She was about to get a second scolding and she was not excited at all. Her only friend so far gave her a comforting pat, but it was of no use for what was coming.
Minh couldn't help but perk her ears. B High School did indeed have black ties like them. They know people from B High School, which is surprising considering the distance and the fact that they haven't been here long. If Chana was so concerned about that case this morning, Minh wanted to help as much as possible if it could help put her more at ease. With that in mind, she decided to find Reina after she met with the teacher.
Some time had passed and the class was dismissed. Reina begrudgingly got up and followed the teacher out.
Chana had long forgotten what the teacher had said and was sitting on her thoughts instead. She wanted to talk with Minh again, but they had been interrupted earlier when Jia came. Thinking about her again, Chana couldn't help but feel like the temperature in the room had dropped a degree or so. She turned back to see Minh not in her seat.
"?"
Where did she go? Chana looked around the room and found Minh had stepped out of the room. She decided it could wait until she got back.
"Do you know why I called you in today?"
Miss. Somi took a sip of coffee and gently sorted through her files. She gestured Reina closer.
"Uhm. Was it my quiz grade? Haha…I'll do better next time?"
Reina rubbed the back of her neck bashfully. In an attempt to smooth out the tense atmosphere, she blurted out.
"I'll even sign up for extra tutoring!"
Miss. Somi pushed her spectacles back. She didn't look too amused. Shaking her head she got straight to the point.
"What you were talking about earlier. The murder suspects in regards to that case. Can you tell me more?"
Reina was taken aback. She wasn't going to go talk about her awful quiz grade? She's gonna ask about that case instead?
"Teach? You're interested!?"
A surging excitement took hold of Reina, unintentionally she dropped the honorifics by accident. Upon seeing Miss. Somi's expression she quickly corrected herself.
"I mean Miss. Somi did you not say that it was outrageous?"
"I did, however, that was until the police came early in the morning asking to speak to a student here."
"A student here?"
"Yes. You said you know friends from B High School? I'm sure you understand what I'm trying to say here."
"What? Wait wait wait. You said the police are looking for a student here? Then they think one of us did it?"
Miss. Somi had a gentle expression. Reina was completely stupified when her teacher who is usually so obtuse and strict smiled for the first time since she enrolled. She paused to deliberate for a moment.
"Wait so why are you asking about whether or not I know people from B High School?"
"Tsk. I did think you weren't the smartest. But to not understand even such a basic concept? Now this is when one is simply choosing to be ignorant."
"Excuse me?"
Reina didn't understand what this teacher wanted from her. Miss Somi's smile had vanished, reverting to her normal stony expression.
"Do you know how A High School retains its prestige rapport despite its…"
Trying to find the right words, Miss. Somi continued.
"...circumstances."
"No. How?"
"Because we make sure our student's backgrounds are all clean."
"You don't mean…"
Reina finally got what she was trying to say and was more or less disturbed. Having come from a different culture, Reina still wasn't used to how stifling it was to live in this type of society.
"Yes. Since you enjoy gossip so much, kindly tell everyone that B High School students are seen here in this area from time to time."
"You're telling me to shift the blame onto them right? How would that even work if the police came back and someone saw them on campus?"
"The police had only asked for one student. They won't be coming back."
"How do you know that?"
At this point Miss. Somi was smiling again. Reina was getting more and more uncomfortable. She felt like something was amiss. Did she know? Reina hoped she didn't see her this morning.
"Stop playing dumb Reina. Did you think I didn't notice?"
"..."
Reina stilled. This morning she had come to ask a question on her homework when she noticed a police report on Miss. Somi's desk. At first, it wasn't her intention to snoop around, but a photo of a red-filled canvas caught her eye.
There was no one in the office. So she couldn't help but give in to the temptation and grabbed the photo for a closer inspection. She found something that hadn't made it to the news yet. Someone had turned in a photo of a half-ripped discarded canvas alongside the tie.
Reina didn't look for too long before she heard someone approaching. She quickly fixed the photo to its original position and left the room right as she saw Miss. Somi has rounded the corner.
"Let me ask you again. Did you or did you not see that photo?"
"I-"
Reina initially thought to lie before she thought better of it.
"And what of it? Are you covering for them? This is obstruction of justice! You're breaking the law by withholding evidence!"
Miss. Somi let out a laugh.
"Justice? Oh, that sure is…interesting."
Reina's face was almost comical to Miss. Somi.
"Do you want to know who turned this photo in? I'm feeling generous to share."
Miss. Somi smiled up. She's been smiling more today than she has the past few months since school started. It was disturbing at best. However, this doesn't deter Reina's thirst for more information. She wanted to make this school safe. Safe for everyone. That meant making sure that this murderer on campus was caught.
"...who?"
"The other transfer student you're quite familiar with. I believe her name was Fleur."
"Fleur…?"
It couldn't be Fleur, after all, she would have told her about it. Fleur was someone Reina confided in more often than others. This was due to their shared status of being foreigners. They both invested a lot of time in looking up articles and rumors ever since they first heard of these incidents. Why would Fleur hide such a detail? And how did she get that photo?
Reina didn't want to believe it. She must be lying. Otherwise, how would this make any sense?
Just as she was about to lash out, she heard the door sliding open. Startled, she whipped her head back. Miss Somi only glanced briefly.
"Hello, you asked for me?"
Jia was standing there alongside Minh who looked more or less out of place. Did they hear everything? But what did Reina have to feel guilty about?
"Yes, please come in. Reina, you're dismissed."
Miss Somi's expression returned to its default stony look, making earlier events seem unreal. This school was strange—very strange. Without properly saying goodbye, she left.
"Minh, did you need something? I don't believe I called for you."
Minh quickly shook her head and dismissed herself with a made-up excuse.
"No, sorry I can ask about it in the classroom next time."
Jia gave a silent pat to Minh's shoulder and whispered something only the two of them could hear. Minh looked at her and left.
"So? Why did the teacher call for a student from a class she doesn't even teach?"
Minh started. Right outside the door, Reina was still there. She thought she left already.
"Uh…haha, I don't think I know either."
Reina was looking at her strangely. Feeling unsettled, Minh quickly excused herself and started to walk away before Reina grabbed the ends of her sleeve.
"You….did you…"
Minh waited patiently for her to finish organizing her thoughts. She could guess what she wanted to ask. She felt it earlier too that she was hearing something she wasn't supposed to. Jia even told her right before leaving to not tell her what she heard in the office between Reina and the teacher.
"Why did you come to the teacher's office?"
"I just wanted to ask a question about our assignment. Though I don't know why you need to know…uhm Rein…?"
She vaguely recalled her name, but it was too long ago for her to remember clearly.
"Reina."
"Reina."
She repeated. Minh slowly moved her arm out of her grasp and bid farewell.
"Well, it was nice meeting you. I'm gonna go back to class now."
Reina figured she didn't overhear them and let her go.