“Wait. I just realized last night. Wasn’t taking the tree out of his yard just as suspicious?” Keiko asked first thing the next morning.


    “Keiko. It was a moment of desperation. Let’s move on.” Ishimoto lays his head on his desk, realizing it is ultimately pointless. Shoji surely has his parents asking where the tree went.


    “My, I guess even smart people make mistakes.” Keiko sighs and chuckles.


    School at lunchtime is different. The students are all out of it, and empty seats are scattered throughout the cafeteria. Sulking and hurt are in the air. Some people have lost dear friends to them. Takei couldn’t bear to tell them the truth, but it also felt wrong.


    “All these people, all their friends…” She said in a hushed tone.


    “There’s nothing we could do.” Usagi shifts her body away from the lunch table. Her hands dig into the skin in her legs, her nails sharp and stabbing. “I hate it. Those bastards hurting innocent people. It sickens me.”


    Just then, an announcement comes in, singled by a bell. “Attention, students. There will be a mandatory meeting with a local police officer today in the principal’s office. All students must attend or face the consequences of detention for the upcoming week.” It ends.


    “Whole week, damn, that’s harsh. Probably be able to get some decent sleep in if I don’t go, though. Parents were on my ass about the missing elephant in the yard last night. Good thing I’m not strong enough to lift it, so they gave up and assumed it was some monster,” he says, hands folded on the table and his head planted into them like a pillow.


    “I—are you parents serious, Shoji?” His parents always had a knack for being too carefree or a bit dull at times. Ishimoto would know. One time, his parents helped with homework when he was younger, and it was the only sixty-three score he’d ever received.


    “Excuse me?” a soft voice came from behind them. An older woman dressed in a gray suit mixed with a jet-black tie towers over them. Her presence is intimidating and professional despite her timid voice.


    “Would you all mind coming with me?” she asks in a mellow tone.


    “Mind me asking exactly why?” asks Usagi, seeming to be on edge.


    “I just ha—” A girl bumps into her, her lunch tray heeding the ground with food and her body following next. “Ahhh! I’m sorry, that''s so clumsy of me.” Running her hand through her dark brown hairline, her pale blue eyes stare up. Okazaki and Ishimoto recognize this girl. They both light up, a rare sight for Ishimoto.


    “Still as clumsy as ever, huh, Angel? And just what the hell are you doing here?” A combination of playfulness and excitement rule his voice. Could this truly be the same girl?


    “Okazaki, and… Ishimoto? Wow, I haven’t seen you both in so very long!” She returns the gesture.


    Ishimoto crosses his arms. His gaze is set on the table, and his mind races back in time. The girl they knew when they were younger, the same girl who used to chase birds and cats to pet them. That was before she moved away with her family, and here she is. The same girl she once was, only older.


    “I can say the same for you, Angel. But what are you doing here? Never expected you to come back.”


    “Ah, yes, so guess what? I transferred here. My parents moved back after finding better job opportunities here, so I’m back forever this time. Funny how that worked out, huh? It’s almost the same as when I left.”


    “Oh? That’s… great.” Usagi darts her eyes to the side. This girl doesn’t hold the same fondness in her heart as them two. The way she looks is far too elegant and put together. She reminds her of a snooty, rich girl.


    “You’re in a different class, yeah? Didn’t see you in any of ours,” Usagi says.


    “Yes, of course. I don’t believe I’m in a class with any of you. That’s why I’m so surprised.” She covers her mouth as she laughs. Divine in beauty, the kind girl who gets stares from her classmates at how adorable she is. One last smile is given as onlookers hold their gazes. Usagi does the same, albeit more sternly.


    “Maybe we can all hangout soon? Hopefully, we can. For now, I’ll get some lunch. Sorry again.” She apologizes to the lady and goes her way. The lady pats her suit and signs.


    “Now, back to the matter at hand. I need you all to follow me this instant.” Everyone remains confused, but they feel this is the right option to do, going after her. They tread through the hallway. It is empty as everyone remains at lunch. Only there is one difference on the walls. The pictures of the missing students, their information, and where they were last seen. It hurts for them to see knowing what they know, but they can’t go around telling everyone. It’s far too suspicious. Shoji is a rare exception, often oversleeping at home, so he doesn’t stick out.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    They arrive at an office, the gold plate reading the principal''s name.


    “Now, I will have you all come in one at a time, starting with you.” She points to Keiko.


    “M-me!?” she says nervously.


    “Yes. Now come.” They retreat into the office.


    “What do you think this is all about?” Takei takes a seat on the outside bench along with her friends.


    “No idea, ain’t good news I can say that much.” Okazaki taps the floor with his foot, the pounding of vinyl.


    “It’s a worry. Try not to say anything suspicious; we don’t want anyone to guess what we were doing.” Usagi warns. A keen chill comes from a sliver in the window. The silver helm of its hinges creaks while the tension builds in them. Everything seems more clear on the basis of their chokers. The good thing about this school is that outside of their uniforms, they’re allowed one piece of their own personalization. It’s to promote individuality, a step becoming more important these days with tighter-knit groups being prone to joining bad causes such as the Cult of the Remnants.


    “This is getting too real, guys. All of this. You know what they’re going to question us about. The chokers. Not only do Remnants show them, but people wishing to be and showing their dedication to them do, too. That’s 100 percent it.”


    “Well, we can’t exactly hide them, you know? If we do, kaboom, yeah?” Shoji retorts. “Besides, not all people wear these because of cultist reasons. Some still believe in the heroes of old.”


    “Yes, but that doesn’t matter to whoever this lady is. She doesn’t seem to be any school board member I''ve seen around, and that must mean she’s a detective, maybe,” Usagi continues.


    “Detective? That is most troublesome. Yeah, we need to lead her off this trail if we can.” Ishimoto added.


    “Yeah… you know guys, I have been th—” Keiko steps out of the office. Her face is flushed, and her mouth is puckered. “Uh, yeah, that was a weird thing to have happened, but also not weird at all. Do you know what I mean?”


    “Not in the slightest.” Before she can answer, the next group member is called in, Usagi. She goes in without a word. One by one, the group goes in, and none seem to give an answer to what they were asked until it comes to the last, Takei. She enters the office. The room is cooled with a powerful air conditioner, and the desk of the principal is littered with pictures of her, her family, and academic medals. Everything is normal. The only difference is the lady sitting in the principal’s chair.


    “Please. Take a seat.” Following orders, she sits in the wooden chair. An uncomfortable sit, for sure.


    “Miss Hisako, is it?”


    “Yes,” she answers nervously.


    “Miss Hisako, I won’t be keeping you long, but what I’m going to ask you is of dire importance. I need you to understand this and promise to tell the truth in each question I ask. Do you agree to do so?”


    There’s a second of silence, but she nods, agreeing to the terms. “Yes.” The conversation begins.


    “Understood. The first question. Are you aware of the disappearance of a man who goes by the name Nagata Tsutomu?”


    The name doesn’t ring any bells. A highly unexpected question that she was able to answer confidently, and truthfully, she wasn’t the best liar.


    “No. I’ve never heard that name before.”


    “Same answer as your other friends.” She writes something on a piece of paper not previously seen. “He isn’t one who stands out in a crowd, so it’s understandable. But let me describe him to you. He is an average-sized man, five foot six, with a tad of laziness in his brown eyes, sunken cheeks, average-length black hair, and a light lisp in his voice.” The man doesn’t sound entirely out of her mind, but she can’t pinpoint him.


    “I feel like I''ve seen someone close, but I can’t recall.”


    “It is absolutely vital that you do your best to remember. It’s a matter of national security, perhaps even worldwide. We must find him.” Her face is deadpan, pure seriousness is in her crossing her arms, and her iris is tied deeply into Takei’s own. The glare makes Takei glide her eyes away.


    “I’m sorry, I can’t remember anything more.” The detective lets out a sigh. The disappointment is loud.


    “Very well. Do keep a lookout. It’s entirely important.” She hands Takei a piece of paper with a number on it. “This is my personal number. If you find out anything more, call.”


    “Now, you may leave, but I will ask you another question first. That being one we ask all the students. Have you found any of the missing students? I couldn’t help but recognize your friend Shoji as one of the missing students, yet he is here today.”


    “He was at home, oversleeping. He does that a lot,” Takei answers quickly, stuttering.


    “So it seems. Your friends and he said the same thing, as well as his teachers, I will accept it as fact. Though, it doesn’t take away the other matter. Have you seen any of the other students?” A truck lands itself in her heart. Her throat way is grasping for oxygen, and her brain is tunneling back to the other night. It’s impossible to forget that image. It’s impossible to tell the truth without dire consequences for her and her friends.


    “I… wish I knew..” Her voice quakes as she tries to throw her off. She despises every moment she tries to mislead, despite knowing it for the best. No doubt everyone else did the same. There is a pause, and the defective writes her answer down.


    “Understood. Well. I have a lot more students to get to today, so you may take your leave.” Takei is surprised by how fast this went. It was the same for her friends, but it still caught her off guard as she left the office. Everyone was still waiting and glanced up at her.


    “Did she ask you the same things?” asks Ishimoto.


    Takei nods. She takes a seat next to them and peers back at the window for a moment.


    “Can’t imagine who that man is. I''ve never met him or understood why they’re looking for him. They showed me a picture of him. It looks kinda none conspicuous. Take a peek.” Usagi pulls out her phone, showing a picture of him. He is as described, though any familiarity fades outside the realm of Takei.


    “They didn’t show me a picture, only described him.”


    “That’s so, so weird! You think it would have been easier to just show us all!” Keiko lodges her body between Usagi and Ishimoto, taking in the photo.


    “Hey, wait a minute, you’re right. This guy looks way too familiar to be a nobody, a nobody inside my head, especially. Me thinks I know who this guy is.”


    “How can you even tell? He’s entirely ordinary. He also looks like a reclusive, maybe even a neet , so I doubt he’d even be walking around just any ole place.” Usagi stands up, tilting her head with an expression of intrigue and disbelief. Keiko never had a track record for remembering vital things; if anything, she couldn’t even remember what she had for breakfast. This man is one you’d find in a crowd and only a crowd, so it''s hard to imagine she’d know.