CHAPTER X
~Return What Was Taken~
At exactly 3:10 PM, the bell rang throughout the school, its chime signaling the start of souji jikan (掃除時間)—the daily cleaning time that is a real and cherished part of Japanese school life. Immediately, students across every class set aside their books and stood up, ready to take responsibility for their environment.
In each classroom, students grabbed their assigned cleaning tools: brooms, dustpans, rags, and mops. Groups formed quickly, each with a designated area to tackle—desks were wiped down, chalkboards cleaned, and floors swept with practiced efficiency. Laughter and cheerful conversation mixed with the rhythmic sound of brushes and dusters as students worked side by side, transforming their learning spaces.
In the hallways, small teams moved in unison, sweeping and wiping the corridors. Others headed to the bathrooms, scrubbing sinks and mopping tiles. Some students were assigned to shared spaces like the library or nurse’s office, ensuring every corner of the school received attention.
Teachers supervised and occasionally joined in, reinforcing the spirit of teamwork and mutual respect. The entire process, lasting about 15–20 minutes, replaced the need for janitors and fostered a sense of ownership and pride among the students.
By the end of souji jikan, classrooms gleamed, corridors sparkled, and a quiet sense of accomplishment settled over the school—an everyday ritual that taught responsibility, respect, and community as much as any academic lesson.
After the bustle of cleaning time, students returned to their seats for afternoon homeroom. The teacher quickly reviewed the day’s events, reminded everyone about homework and upcoming activities, and checked that students were ready for dismissal.
🎶🎵Kin-kon... kan-kon...🎵🎶
The homeroom ended swiftly, and at exactly 3:45 PM, the familiar bell rang through the halls, signaling the official end of the school day. Students began packing up their bags, chatting quietly as they prepared to head home, the routine marking a clear close to another day at school.
Yuzuki finally emerged from the Left Wing at exactly 4:10 PM, carefully checking that the nearest classrooms were empty. With a decisive gesture, she raised her finger and called to the little Korobokkuru, “NOW!”
In a flurry of motion, the Korobokkuru scattered, darting into classrooms and quietly returning the stolen items—placing each object precisely where it had been taken. Yuzuki supervised, moving from class to class, ensuring the spirits left no trace except for the restored belongings.
When it was time to return the possessions of the Third Year Junior High students—including her own—Yuzuki made sure to avoid her own class at first, instead guiding the Korobokkuru to the First Year High School section. Once every item had been returned to the high schoolers, she circled back to the Third Year Junior High, starting with Class 3-B. By the time all the items were back in place, it was already 5:30 PM.
Leading the Korobokkuru back to the Left Wing, Yuzuki knelt down and made her promise. “I’ll bring you beautiful writings and drawings, all decorated with colors and glitter, to help you decorate your paintings. So please, no more stealing, okay?”
The Korobokkuru’s faces lit up with pure delight. They hopped and spun around her, chanting “I see you! I see you!” with infectious joy before scampering off into the shadows, their voices echoing down the corridor.
Yuzuki, now alone, returned to her classroom to pack her bag. As she gathered her things, the door slid open. A group of investigators entered, led by Kaito and Himari. They scanned the room, pausing at the empty seats of the missing students.
Kaito’s eyes widened. “Yuzuki-san?”
“Uh—hi?” Yuzuki replied, trying to sound casual. President Shiranui Haruki entered, his gaze landing on the desks now neatly arranged with the missing items.
“The missing items?” Vice President Kurosawa Ren exclaimed from behind. “They’ve been found?”
“Ah, yes. When I returned, I found them lying on the tables,” Yuzuki answered smoothly.
“Mikazuki-san, where have you been?” the President demanded, his tone sharp.
Yuzuki took a breath, keeping her story straight. “I left school during half-day because my neighbor, Mrs. Watanabe, had a medical emergency and called me to the hospital closest to school. I couldn’t find any teachers to inform, so I told the janitor before I left.”
The lead investigator eyed her skeptically. “And what proof do you have?”
Yuzuki handed over her phone, showing the chat log with Mrs. Watanabe:
Mrs. Watanabe: Yuzuki-chan, I’m at the hospital. Can you come?
Yuzuki: Of course! I’ll leave right away.
Mrs. Watanabe: Thank you, dear.
The investigator scrolled through, then nodded to an assistant. “Bring in the janitor.”
A few minutes later, the janitor arrived. “Yes?” he greeted.
The investigator held up Yuzuki’s phone. “Tell me, what did Ms. Mikazuki-san tell you?”
The janitor replied, “Mikazuki-san said she was leaving in a hurry because her neighbor was in a bad condition and needed her at the hospital.”
“Fine,” the investigator said, handing the phone back to Yuzuki.
“May I leave now?” Yuzuki asked, hopeful.
“You may,” the investigator replied.
“No. You may not,” the President interjected firmly. “We’re still uncertain about your involvement, and the other girls have not been found yet. You can’t leave until all of them are accounted for.”
Yuzuki’s composure broke. “WHAT? My neighbor needs me!” she protested, her voice rising in frustration.
“Fine,” Vice President Kurosawa Ren said, tapping President Haruki’s shoulder as a signal to let Yuzuki go. “She’s provided proof and the janitor’s statement checks out.”
“Thank you,” Yuzuki replied, relief washing over her face. She quickly gathered her things and made her way toward the door, needing to pass through the group of investigators and staff.
As she reached Kaito, she paused just long enough to thud her carrybag against his chest. “There are cookies in there—for your family. As a thank you,” she said, giving him a quick, grateful smile before hurrying out of the classroom.
The janitor, seeing the situation resolved, gave a polite nod. “I’ll be heading out too—lots of work left,” he said, and slipped away down the hall.
Yuzuki’s footsteps echoed as she hurried down the corridor.
From the stairwell above the corridor, the janitor called down to Yuzuki, his voice weary but not unkind.
“Ms. Yuzuki, please do not make me do this again,” he sighed, shaking his head as he turned to leave.
“Hehe. I’m sorry!” Yuzuki replied, grinning as she dashed off, the relief and adrenaline making her steps light.
Earlier, before returning to her classroom, Yuzuki had discreetly pulled the janitor aside. She’d explained the possibility that he might be called as a witness and carefully told him exactly what to say if anyone asked about her whereabouts. The janitor, though skeptical, agreed to help, understanding the seriousness in her eyes.
As for her alibi, when her neighbor Mrs. Watanabe had messaged her for help at the hospital, Yuzuki had replied “yes,” just as she’d shown the investigators. But after Mrs. Watanabe’s grateful “Thank you, dear,” Yuzuki had quietly sent another message:
“Sorry, I can’t come after all—something came up.”
However, Mrs. Watanabe never saw the message, and Yuzuki quickly deleted it from her own chat history, ensuring her story would hold up if anyone checked.
With everything in place, Yuzuki felt a mix of guilt and relief, but she knew she’d done what she had to do. As she hurried out of the school, the secrets of the day—and the Korobokkuru—remained safe with her.
As Yuzuki hurried through the brightly decorated corridor of the primary school on the ground floor, she made her way to one of the staffrooms. Peeking inside, she spotted her old primary class teacher sorting through a stack of papers.
Yuzuki stepped in with a cheerful greeting. “Good afternoon, sensei! It’s been a while.”
Her teacher looked up, surprised but pleased. “Oh, Yuzuki-chan! How nice to see you. What brings you here?”
Yuzuki smiled, glancing at the colorful piles on the desk. “Sensei, I was wondering—are there any drawings or art projects made by the little ones that are usually disposed of every month?”
The teacher nodded. “Ah, yes, we do collect and clear out the older drawings at the end of each month. Why do you ask?”
Yuzuki’s eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. “I have a project where I want to display the beauty and creativity of the younger students. Would it be possible for me to take those drawings—all of them—tomorrow morning?”
Her teacher looked amused and delighted by the idea. “What a wonderful project! Of course, Yuzuki-chan. I’ll set them aside for you and have them ready first thing tomorrow morning.”
Yuzuki bowed deeply, gratitude shining in her eyes. “Thank you so much, sensei! I really appreciate it.”
With her request granted, Yuzuki left the staffroom, feeling lighter and more hopeful about fulfilling her promise to the Korobokkuru.
Yuzuki arrived at the hospital just as dusk began to settle outside, the city bathed in gentle evening light. She hurried through the automatic doors, scanning the waiting area until she spotted Mrs. Watanabe, her elderly neighbor, sitting quietly with a discharge slip in hand.
Yuzuki approached, bowing deeply. “Mrs. Watanabe, I’m so sorry I couldn’t come earlier. Something unexpected happened at school, and I got here as soon as I could.”
Mrs. Watanabe looked up, her expression a mix of relief and mild disappointment. “Yuzuki-chan, I was a little worried when you didn’t come right away. I thought maybe something happened to you. But I’m glad you’re here now.”
Yuzuki bowed again, her voice earnest. “I really am sorry. Thank you for understanding.”
The older woman’s features softened, and she managed a gentle smile. “You’re a good girl, Yuzuki. Thank you for coming to get me. I’m being discharged now, so let’s go home.”
Yuzuki took Mrs. Watanabe’s bag and supported her as they walked out of the hospital together. She hailed a cab, helped her neighbor inside, and settled in beside her for the ride home. As the car pulled away from the curb, Mrs. Watanabe patted Yuzuki’s hand, gratitude and forgiveness shining in her tired eyes.
“Thank you, Yuzuki-chan. I’m glad I can count on you,” she said quietly.
Yuzuki smiled, feeling a sense of relief and warmth as they headed home together, the city lights twinkling outside the cab’s window.
By the time Yuzuki reached home, the sky was already tinged with twilight. She glanced at the clock—6:39 PM. After helping Mrs. Watanabe settle in next door, Yuzuki slipped into her own apartment, kicked off her shoes, and headed straight for the bathroom to freshen up. The warm shower washed away the day’s tension, and by the time she emerged in her favorite comfy clothes, it was just past 7:00 PM.
She flopped onto her bed, grabbed her phone, and opened LINE, ready to message her best friend Reina about the wild events of the day. The moment the app loaded, her eyes widened—a flood of unread messages from Reina filled the screen:
Reina:
Yuzuki-chan where are you?!
Did you go home early?
You didn’t reply in the group either!
Are you okay??
Seriously, text me when you see this!
Did you get your stuff back?
Everyone’s talking about the missing things!
Yuzuki-san, I’m worried!
(And about a dozen more in a similar vein...)
Yuzuki couldn’t help but smile at her friend’s concern. She quickly started typing a reply:
Yuzuki:
Reinaaaa-chan I’m so sorry! Today was a total disaster, you wouldn’t believe what happened...
Just as she hit send, the “online” indicator popped up next to Reina’s name. Almost immediately, a new message appeared:
Reina:
YUZUKI!! You’re alive!! What happened?! WHERE WERE YOU??????????????
Inside the school, tension hung thick in the air. The parents of the four missing girls sat anxiously in the Headmaster Kanzaki Ryouma’s office, their faces drawn with worry and exhaustion. Some clutched handkerchiefs, others sat rigidly upright, eyes darting to every sound in the hallway outside.
The headmaster’s desk was crowded with files, attendance sheets, and reports. Around the room, the five key staff members—President Shiranui Haruki, Vice President Kurosawa Ren, Prefects Takasago Himari and Tsukigami Kaito, and Class 3-B homeroom teacher Yakumo Toma—stood in a tense semicircle, joined by the lead investigator and his team.
The investigators spoke in low, methodical voices, retracing every step from the beginning of the day. They reviewed class rosters, questioned timelines, and checked security logs, piecing together the girls’ last known movements. The staff answered each question with as much detail as they could recall, sometimes glancing nervously at the parents.
Maps of the school were spread out, with red circles marking the places the girls had last been seen. The investigators cross-referenced witness statements with the times the missing items were reported, trying to find any pattern or clue that could explain the disappearances.
Occasionally, the headmaster would pause the discussion to reassure the parents, though his own nerves were clearly frayed. “We are doing everything in our power to find your daughters. Please, trust that we will not rest until they are safely returned.”
Outside, the sky darkened, but inside the office, the search for answers pressed on—every adult in the room determined to unravel the mystery before the night was over.
After hours of tense discussion and questioning, Headmaster Kanzaki Ryouma rose from his chair, his expression grim. He turned to the five assembled staff members and the investigators.
“Enough talking. We need action. All of you—search the building again, from top to bottom. Leave no corner unchecked,” he ordered sharply, waving them toward the door.
The five—President Shiranui Haruki, Vice President Kurosawa Ren, Takasago Himari, Tsukigami Kaito, and Yakumo Toma—filed out of the office alongside the investigators, the parents’ anxious gazes following them.
As soon as they stepped into the corridor, the headmaster’s patience snapped. He reached out, grabbed President Haruki by the collar, and yanked him forward, his voice a harsh whisper meant only for the group.
“You’re the Student Council President! This is your responsibility!” Kanzaki hissed, his face inches from Haruki’s. “How could you let this happen under your nose? Five girls, gone! If you don’t find them, it’s not just your position that’s on the line—do you understand me?”
Haruki, caught off guard, nodded stiffly, swallowing hard. “Y-yes, sir. I understand.”
Kanzaki released him with a shove, glaring at the others. “Move! Every second counts.”
The group hurried off, the headmaster’s anger and the parents’ desperation weighing heavily on their shoulders as they began their search anew, determined to find any clue that could lead them to the missing girls.
To be Continued...
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