The Sincerely Worried Students

The three of them were about to reach the academy gates…

When a question suddenly crossed Kara's mind.

"Hey, do either of you use Thrika?"

Katon nodded without moving moving his head.

"Yeah. It's a good method for understanding human emotions."

Why is almost every answer he gives slightly twisted?

Rurouni frowned at him.

"You say that like you're not human."

Katon thought for a moment.

"I am... probably."

Kara casually tapped him on the back.

"Nice choice, dude."

Wow. Amazing.

Katon literally just said he wasn't sure whether he was human, and Kara didn't even react.

Even if I asked why he didn't react, he'd probably use his trademark dialogue.

‘Those are minor details.’

Kara suddenly looked at Rurouni curiously.

"Anyway, nerdy buddy. Do you use Thrika too?"

"Tell us."

Rurouni searched 'Thrika' in his mind.

"Now that I think about it..."

"What's Thrika?"

Both Kara and Katon froze.

Kara immediately grabbed Rurouni by the shoulders and shook him.

"Who even are you?!"

"How do you not know Thrika?!"

"It's a chatting platform where random people like us share their opinions, likes, dislikes, challenges, pranks, and all sorts of other things!"

"Just how many novels have you read that you don't even know how the world is changing?!"

He literally doesn't care when someone says they're not sure whether they're human, but acts like I murdered an innocent family when I say I don't know about a chatting app.

How did these world's most unique idiots somehow become my friends?

Rurouni removed Kara's hands from his shoulders.

"Stop exaggerating."

"If you both think that app is so great, I'll see for myself tonight whether you're bluffing or not."

Kara nodded and tapped his back 

"That's my boy."

Katon nodded as well, while observing his surroundings.

"I think that's a better and more efficient approach."

Of course.

His Majesty doesn't like wasting time, after all.

Soon, they arrived at the academy.

The sight before them was strangely unfamiliar.

Normally, the front gates would already be overflowing with students.

Morning greetings would echo across the courtyard.

Teachers would carry stacks of papers beneath one arm while reminding students not to run through the halls.

Today...

None of that existed.

Bright yellow police tape stretched across the academy entrance, fluttering lazily in the morning breeze.

Several police officers stood near the gate, quietly speaking with members of the faculty.

A patrol car rested nearby, its lights switched off.

Students had gathered outside in scattered groups.

No one had been told to come.

Yet curiosity had brought almost everyone there anyway.

Whispers drifted through the crowd.

"What happened here? Did terrorists kill someone in the school?"

"No, I heard someone threatened the principal."

"Really?"

"My brother said someone smashed his window at night."

"Do you think they'll find out who did it?"

Every conversation ended the same way.

"...Who knows."

Rumors spread much faster than facts.

Rurouni slowly took in the unusual sight.

The academy he'd walked into almost every day now looked like the scene of a crime.

"...This is kind of weird."

Kara slipped both hands into his pockets.

"That's natural, bro."

"Anyway, I wanna ask you something."

"What is it?"

Kara leaned closer and whispered into Rurouni's left ear.

"Are you the mastermind behind this?"

Rurouni jumped like a monkey.

He hadn't expected that question at all.

W-What the hell is going on?

D-Does he know about my dream?

Or did I do something ridiculous while sleeping?

Kara immediately burst out laughing.

"You're even more scared than a scaredy-cat just now!"

"I've never seen someone get that scared over something like that!"

Katon nodded while calmly monitoring their surroundings.

"Indeed."

"You're technically correct."

This time, instead of getting angry, Rurouni felt relieved.

Thank God.

They're just joking.

I don't know what I should do in a situation like this.

Kara placed a hand on Rurouni's shoulder.

"Don't worry, nerdy buddy."

"I know it's not your work."

Because it's my and Kara's work.

Beside them, Katon quietly observed the scene.

His gaze moved naturally from one group to another.

Students.

Teachers.

Police officers.

Everyone wore the same expression.

Confusion.

"...Interesting."

Rurouni glanced sideways.

"What's interesting?"

Katon answered without hesitation.

"Even now, no one has any idea what actually happened."

"They're discussing their own imaginations."

Kara blinked and started verifying.

"Huh."

"Yeah, you're right."

"People like making their own answers."

"Even when they're wrong."

Rurouni nodded, not because he understood.

But because he went with the flow.

"At the end of the day, that's the truth."

The three continued walking toward the entrance.

Near the academy building, Principal Takeda stood speaking with several teachers.

Even from a distance, he looked exhausted.

His hair hadn't been properly combed.

Dark circles rested beneath his tired eyes.

Every few minutes, another worried student approached him.

He answered each one patiently, showing the same caring and comforting personality he was known for.

Never raising his voice.

Never showing irritation.

Despite everything...

He still carried himself like the principal everyone respected.

Kara raised his hand, use humble voice.

"Principal Sir!"

Takeda turned, recognition softened his tired expression.

"Ah."

"Good morning."

He gave them a faint smile.

"I'm sorry, my dear students."

"You had to see this on your holiday."

Kara scratched the back of his head, putting on an expression of genuine concern.

"Sir, that's not important right now."

"First of all, we must ask you this..."

"Are you alright?"

"We're worried about you."

See, Katon?

This is my top-tier acting skill.

Now show me what you've got.

Rurouni stared at Kara with curiosity.

I seriously didn't expect Kara, of all people, to be this worried about the principal.

The principal smiled faintly.

"I'm fine, just got a little sleepy."

"That's all. Nothing serious."

Kara visibly relaxed, like he payed all his debts.

"That's good."

"To be honest, I thought somebody tried to harm you."

It's on my bucket list, but since you're this old and weak…

That goes against my values and pride.

"Thankfully..."

"...They didn't do that."

Katon stepped forward slightly.

"Did they steal anything?"

"No."

"Nothing at all."

Now that I think about it, taking some antique items would've been better and more efficient for our future.

"They never entered in the first place."

"They only threw a rock at my window."

Rurouni suddenly got curious.

"A rock?"

Takeda nodded and continued.

"Yeah."

"And not only that..."

"There was a letter attached to it as well."

The principal's expression stiffened almost imperceptibly.

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you what's written in it."

"The police asked us not to reveal the contents of the letter."

Kara and Katon exchanged a brief glance.

Neither said anything.

Inside, however...

We were the ones who wrote it.

So we don't need to know.

Kara gave the principal an innocent smile.

"Okay, sir."

"We understand."

Rurouni nodded politely.

The conversation ended naturally.

Nothing about the three students stood out.

Just another group of concerned students checking on their principal.

Several meters away...

Monika Kagenou quietly stood apart from everyone else.

A small notebook rested in her left hand.

Her pen remained still.

While everyone else continued making their own assumptions...

Monika didn't seem bothered at all.

Her expression showed no doubt.

Katon noticed her.

She noticed him as well.

For a brief moment...

Their eyes met.

Monika gave him a small and unusual smile.

A smile that carried only one meaning.

You are the culprit.