Episode 2

Here we are, this day — more than a year since entering this high school, now in our second year.
Going around the school at this point, there’s nothing particularly surprising left to discover.
My childhood friend, my old friend, and the unhappiest girl in the world.
My exploration of the school grounds, spent walking around whilst exchanging questions and answers with Gunjō Hyōri, was drawing to a close.
　The reason being, her questions seemed to be endless, and before I knew it, an hour had passed just doing that. There were less than thirty minutes left until the minimum arrival time stipulated by school rules.
Moreover, the number of students in the school had increased to the point where we were passing others in the corridors.

‘The only classrooms we haven’t been to yet are…’

At Hyōri’s words, I immediately offered an answer.

‘Probably just the art room.’
‘Oh! Is that the only one left?’

I hadn’t just been wandering around the school aimlessly.
Under the pretence of a stroll, we had been thoroughly exploring every nook and cranny of the school for ‘a certain purpose’.
Mind you, even I didn’t actually know what that ‘certain purpose’ was.
As we made our way to the art room, she walked beside me with a smile on her face and spoke of that purpose.

“Komamori, have you ever had your shoes stolen?”

Though I was initially taken aback by the sudden question, I answered honestly, “No, I haven’t.”

“Hmm. So you haven’t, Komamori. I, on the other hand, have had mine stolen.”
“………What?”
“And not just once. My new shoes were stolen too, so that makes two times in total. If the shoes I’m wearing today get stolen, that’ll be the third time.”
“…………”

I fell silent.
Wasn’t that, in other words, what people commonly call ‘bullying’?
Perhaps she thought so too; despite her smiling expression, her voice was low and icy.

“Are you talking about loafers?”
“No, indoor shoes.”
“Indoor shoes? I don’t think those count as shoes.”
“Oh, they don’t? I was under the impression these were shoes too. Indoor shoes.”
“Well, I suppose that’s debatable.”

But it’s true. If you look closely at her feet, you can see that the indoor shoes she’s wearing now are brand new.
　Did she go out of her way to buy a new pair over the weekend?
Well, she’s certainly not short of money at the moment, but even so, indoor shoes aren’t exactly cheap. And if what she says is true, it seems she bought a new pair just the other day too, so I can’t help but feel a little concerned about Hyōri’s spending habits.

“Hyōri, um, I strongly recommend you have a word with a teacher about this.”
“A word? Well, I’m actually doing that with you right now, Komamori-san.”
“No, this is the sort of issue the school should have spotted and dealt with as soon as possible. Of course, now that you’ve come to me, I promise to do what I can to help. Even so, you really should speak to a teacher at least once, so the school is aware of the problem.”
“I see. … Komamori-san.”
“Hmm?”

Hyōri’s smile faded, and she fixed me with a serious gaze.
Her eyes looked somewhat vacant. Yet, despite their lifelessness, there was an eerie sense that a multitude of emotions were stirring within them.
　I can’t help but think about it, no matter how hard I try not to.
Is she really Gunjō Hyōri?
Is she really my childhood friend, my long-time companion, and the unhappiest girl in the world?

I loathe myself for being so heartless, for thinking such things.

But even so, I understand what she’s trying to say right now.
And that, in itself, proves that she is indeed my long-time friend and childhood companion.

‘Phew. …I see. I understand what Hyōri’s trying to say.’
‘Oh my, to understand me before I’ve even spoken, I’m going to like you even more, Komamori-san.’
‘Right, right. You want me to come with you to the staff room, don’t you?’

She smiled again.

“Then I’ll be counting on you during lunch break, Komamori-san.”

In the end, we’d finished searching the art room and had a good look around the school, but…
We couldn’t find Hyōri’s indoor shoes—our ‘objective’.

　◇

Lunchtime.
I went to the staff room with Hyōri.
I caught a teacher who happened to be nearby and explained the matter to them.

Our form tutor had just returned, and as it was an important matter, we began our discussion in the student guidance room, where we wouldn’t be disturbed, sitting across the table from one another.

………

……………

…………………

　I’d been worried, but surprisingly, Hyōri was able to explain what had happened to the teacher without a hitch. Even in a situation like this, I couldn’t help but notice the difference and feel a sense of unease, thinking that the Hyōri of the past would surely never have been able to speak to a teacher so fluently. And feeling that unease, I grew to loathe myself. How many times must I hate myself today before I’m satisfied?

　However, that self-loathing was blown away by the teacher’s very first words after listening to Hyōri’s account.

‘So yours have gone missing too, Gunjō?’

Too?

‘Have other people been coming to you with similar concerns?’

Hyōri asked.
Scratching the back of his head, the teacher explained the situation with a troubled look: ‘It’s been a bit of a problem in the staff room lately.’

　Apparently, for the past fortnight or so, there had been a spate of incidents where only pupils’ indoor shoes had gone missing.
And it wasn’t just two or three cases. From the reports filed with the staff room alone, it seemed that nearly thirty pupils had complained that their indoor shoes had been stolen or lost.

　I ponder.
Given this situation, the possibility arises that it might not be ‘bullying’.
Hyōri isn’t being bullied. Whilst I feel relieved by this newly revealed fact, the reality that her indoor shoes have been stolen twice remains unchanged.
Now then, what on earth is going on here?

As I’m deep in thought, the teacher’s exasperated words reach my ears.

‘Well, this is a real headache of a case. Who on earth is stealing so many students’ indoor shoes—all in different sizes, and for what purpose? Just when we teachers need to get serious and come up with a proper plan, Kodama-san from Biology starts spouting all this occult nonsense, saying it’s one of the school’s seven mysteries or the work of supernatural forces. That’s just ridiculous, isn’t it?’

　The school’s seven mysteries? Supernatural phenomena?
Those intriguing words caught my ear, and I couldn’t help but lift my gaze from the table to the teacher.

BANG!

It was sudden.
Hyōri slammed her fist down on the white table, leaping to her feet with such force that her chair nearly toppled over. Leaning forward, she confronted the teacher.

“The school’s seven mysteries? Supernatural phenomena? What on earth are you talking about!?”