Then Hachiman watched as Renji leaned back, took out a textbook, and placed his phone on top of it, clearly not intending to continue talking.
Hachiman looked at Renji and, as if compelled by some inexplicable force, took the initiative to ask.
“What kind of person do you think the killer might be?”
Renji listened to Hachiman’s question, then raised his gaze to meet his.
“Just like the news said — it was probably someone familiar.”
“A deliberate crime committed by an acquaintance.”
Renji’s words were very light, but when they landed on Hachiman’s heart, they felt quite heavy.
When the bell rang for class, Shizuka Hiratsuka pushed the door open and entered, walking slightly slower than usual.
As soon as Hiratsuka walked in, it was clear that she was in a very bad mood.
The teacher who was usually energetic and goofy, like a passionate fool, now radiated an aura that made people feel afraid.
Obviously, learning about the murder of a student in her class had enraged her.
Especially after finding out that Tobe had most likely been killed by someone breaking into his home, and that the deliberate murder might have been committed by someone familiar.
Hiratsuka stood at the podium and didn’t speak immediately.
After a few seconds of silence, she slowly spoke, her voice slightly hoarse.
“Classmates, I need to tell you something.”
“On Saturday night, our classmate Shō Tobe… was killed in his home.”
Hiratsuka paused, her gaze sweeping across every face in the classroom.
Hachiman noticed that her fist had clenched even tighter as she spoke.
Hiratsuka simply couldn’t connect the police’s statement about an acquaintance with the students in her class, and she also refused to believe that it was her own students who could do such a thing.
“The specific situation is still under police investigation.”
“Soon, the police will come to the school and question some students.”
“Mainly people who have recently interacted with Tobe, as well as those who were usually close to him. If any students are asked, just tell them everything you know.”
As Hiratsuka spoke, her gaze involuntarily fell on Hayato Hayama in the back row.
Of course, she didn’t think Hayama was Tobe’s killer.
She was looking at him simply because Tobe had the closest relationship with Hayama in school, and Hiratsuka knew about Hayama’s family situation.
After all, the other party was a good person from a good family, so there was no motive to kill.
Hachiman followed that gaze and noticed that Hayama’s expression was very dark.
The face that usually wore a gentle smile was gone.
It was as if something invisible had forcibly drained him, leaving only exhaustion and an indescribable heaviness.
It inevitably reminded Hachiman of the patients he had seen in the hospital, waiting for their medical results.
The guys sitting near Tobe’s seat seemed frozen in place, not even daring to look at his empty seat.
“The rest of the students will attend class as usual.”
Hiratsuka averted her gaze.
“And cooperating with the police investigation won’t take up too much of your time.”
“The school has already notified all of your parents.”
After these words, Hiratsuka paused for a moment longer, as if she wanted to say something more, but in the end, she just shook her head and said nothing.
“Now, let’s start preparing for class.”
Hachiman lowered his head, pretending to read.
Although his eyes were fixed on the book, he didn’t focus on a single line.
In his mind, the photo that Renji had just shown him kept replaying over and over again: Tobe lying on the ground, the stab wounds on his back shocking to see.
Moreover, Teacher Hiratsuka had never said that the killer had been caught — the investigation was still ongoing, searching for evidence, which meant that clear clues and suspects were missing.
That meant that this person could still be roaming the city.
The guy in the strange mask could be walking down any street, passing by any store, or standing at an intersection waiting for the traffic light.
He could have passed by countless people, looking like an ordinary pedestrian, and if it wasn’t an acquaintance but a random target, he would be a classic serial killer.
He had chosen Tobe simply because he had taken a liking to him, with no other reason.
Thinking that the criminal who had forcibly broken in and attacked a home was still at large, Hachiman suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and decided to check the lock on his door every night after returning home.
After all, the Makuhari district where his house was located was a typical single-family residential area.
To a certain extent, this style carried significant risks if you encountered capable criminals.
Hachiman turned to look and saw Renji with his head down, playing on his phone, his expression calm as if nothing had happened.
Noticing Hachiman’s gaze, Renji looked up and quietly asked.
“What’s up?”
“Nothing.”
Hachiman shook his head and turned back; he didn’t even understand what he had been looking at.
Today’s class, Hachiman didn’t hear a single word either.
The police arrived around the second period, dressed in uniform, looking like detectives from a TV drama.
Hayato Hayama and his small group of popular kids were called out one by one.
Everyone’s expression was tense, mostly out of fear, and some were nervous about their first police interrogation.
Through the window, Hachiman saw Hayama following the police into an empty classroom on the other side of the school building.
The door closed behind him, and nothing could be seen.
He wasn’t going to sneak over and eavesdrop on the conversation.
Around lunchtime, Hachiman was about to take out his bento and leave the classroom to find a quiet place to enjoy it, when he saw the people who had been called for questioning gradually returning to the classroom.
It was just that these people were clearly not in good shape.
Yumiko Miura’s usually neatly styled blonde hair was now a bit disheveled, as if her strength had been drained.
Hayama’s expression hadn’t changed much, but Hachiman noticed that his lips were pressed into a thin line, as if he had been biting them hard.
Hachiman noticed that the usually noisy guys didn’t talk after they sat down, and no one asked what the police had questioned them about.