Solving Cases is My Daily Life Now: Volume 1

Chapter 3

The walk through the hallway was not unlike the ones Rina had experienced with Miss Miyake. The only difference being that she didn't need to concern herself with respect when it came to Masaru. So she broke the silence her own this time to ask more questions.

"So what exactly do you do when you question these people?" She asked, for some reason picturing him shining a lamp light in their face and demanding answers.

Masaru kept his gaze forward as he responded,

"It's just how it sounds. I'm going to ask her the basics, what the letters say, how long she's been getting them, who she thinks might be sending them."

Rina thought on her reply for a moment.

"Don't most students figure this out on their own? Or at least just wait for the writer to come clean..?" She asked, a bit confused on the logic of this "case".

Masaru shrugged, though he seemed to think on something.

"It's definitely not normal, but I'd have to meet the girl and get an idea of the kind of person she is before making a full judgement. For now we'll approach the case with an open mind." He said, putting a pocky stick in his mouth to chew on.

Rina was slightly surprised, she half expected him to tell her to stop asking questions or something, she wasn't anticipating a real response. This gave her the confidence to ask her next question.

"Why do you eat so much pocky?" She asked, partially attempting to start a banter with him. They were stuck with each other, after all.

Masaru took a bite out of the pocky stick, before looking at it in his hand.

"In old crime movies you always see the detective lighting a cigarette that hangs from their mouth or something," he said, taking another bite of it, "but cigarettes are bad for your health, and I like the taste."

Rina frowned, that wasn't much of an answer. Then again, she wasn't expecting him to be this cooperative in the first place. So she accepted that and decided on one more thing to ask.

"Why are you so concerned with looking authentic?" She asked, fumbling with the pen in her hand.

"We're here." Masaru said shortly, stopping in front of a classroom door.

Rina looked at the door, it was a room she passed by multiple times, but never thought too much about.

"What room is this?" She asked, before the noise she heard answered her question.

Music began to play on the other side of the door. Well rehearsed and pretty, though not overly complicated. It was a music club. Rina stood and listened, despite the simplicity, it was pretty. She wished she could be so passionate about something.

Masaru clearly had other things on his mind, however, as he swung the door open in one swift movement.

The room of people didn't seem to notice them at first, allowing Rina to hear the full volume of the music. But after a few moments, a student noticed them standing at the door and stopped playing, getting the student that was conducting's attention and pointing to the door.

The conductor turned her head to view them, not seeming overly surprised at what she saw.

"Oh, Masaru," She said, clearly acquainted with him as she stepped off her podium and walked over to the two, "What are you up to today?"

Masaru looked at the girl for a moment before scanning the room.

"I need to borrow a club member of yours. A miss-" He was cut off when one of the flute players stood up, a blush on her face.