Beside Kento, Shido stood with his hands in his pockets, kicking a small stone with every step. His brows were pulled together in annoyance.
'Maybe the student was drunk,' Shido thought, his jaw tightening. 'Or the driver was drunk. Or maybe both.'
He felt a flash of anger toward a person he had never even met. 'This is exactly why students shouldn't be out late. Nights only bring trouble. Nothing good ever happens after midnight.'
They had barely taken a few steps when a soft female voice spoke over the tall brick wall near the entrance. "We should visit the house soon… we have to go there today."
Both boys stopped at once. Shido's foot froze in mid-air. Kento's fingers tightened around the strap of his bag. They turned their heads toward each other. No words were needed; their eyes said everything.
They moved back quietly and leaned against the cold stone wall. Shido pulled out his phone and pretended to read, while Kento bent down to adjust his bag. To anyone passing by, they looked like two bored students wasting time. But their ears were sharp, catching every word from the other side.
In a small circle, several teachers were whispering. "The principal is very firm," a woman said. "We are not allowed to reveal her name yet. Not until the police finish their report."
"She was a second-year student," another voice added, heavy with sadness. "Such a bright child. Always smiling. She had so much potential."
"I feel so sorry for the mother," someone else whispered. "People are already blaming her for letting the girl out so late. As if she isn't suffering enough."
A man spoke next, his voice sharp with anger. "The driver is the one to blame. To hit a girl and leave her like that… it's inhuman."
Another teacher added quietly, "Yesterday was her birthday. She only went out to receive a present from a friend. That's all. Just kindness."
The wind whistled through the iron bars. Then, someone asked the question that changed everything."When exactly did the accident happen?"
There was a pause.
"Three in the morning. Exactly 3:00 AM."
Shido's breath caught in his throat. His eyes widened, and he turned sharply toward Kento.
"Kento."
Kento looked at him. "What?"
"Last night," Shido said. "At three in the morning." Kento glanced up at the grey sky. "Technically, that's morning."
"Don't play with words!" Shido whispered. "Be serious." Kento stared at him. 'The most unserious person I know is telling me to be serious,' he thought. 'This is a rare moment.'
"Fine," Kento said aloud. "Continue."
"That time," Shido said, stepping closer. "That is exactly when Mom and Dad left the house. Remember?"
Kento hesitated. "I didn't check the clock."
"I did," Shido said firmly. "It was three."
"So?" Kento asked, though his heart was starting to beat faster.
Shido's eyes darkened. "Link it! Isn't it strange? A girl gets into an accident, and at the same hour, our parents rush out of the house. The accident and them leaving… they must be connected!"
"Shido."Kento closed his eyes, cutting him off. "You're forgetting something."
Shido frowned. "What?"
"Our parents' job," Kento said calmly. "They're lawyers. Not doctors. Not investigators."
Shido opened his mouth to argue, but Kento raised a hand.
"Lawyers don't rush out at three in the morning unless there is a case. And there is no court at that hour. It was probably a client call or something private. You're forcing connections that aren't there."
The wind moved Shido's hair across his eyes. Seconds passed in silence. "...Yeah," Shido finally said, looking at the road. "Maybe you're right."
But inside his chest, the doubt remained.
'The timing is too perfect,' Shido thought as he looked back at the school gate. 'The house was too tense. This isn't a coincidence. Something is linked.'
He knew deep down that this was only the beginning.
Shido opened his mouth, his eyes bright with the spark of an idea. "Kento, if we just go to the spot where—"
"You two!" The sharp voice cut Shido's sentence in half. A strict teacher from the group was marching toward them, his face flushing red. He waved his arms like a bird.
"Did you guys not read the notice?! Are you blind? Or just looking for a suspension on a day off?" he shouted, his voice echoing off the brick walls. "This is a place of mourning, not a playground for donkeys! Move! Go! Now!"
Kento's eyes turned cold. He adjusted his bag strap, his knuckles turning white. "Shido. Let's go," he muttered.
But the teacher wasn't finished. He followed them to the edge of the sidewalk, his voice rising in volume. "The youth of today have no respect! No discipline! Standing around like idiots near a tragedy! I should call your parents! I should—"
Kento stopped. He slowly turned his head, his green eyes burning with a quiet, dangerous fire.
"Alright...now shut your mouth," Kento said.
The words were quiet, but they hit like a slap.
The teacher's jaw dropped. His face turning from red to a dark, angry purple. "What? What did you just say to me? You foolish—"
"Tamiko!" Shido suddenly called out, his voice loud and bright, cutting through the teacher's rage like a bell.
The teacher froze, his mouth still open. He looked toward the corner.
Standing a few meters away was Tamiko Kaneri. She was clutching the straps of her bag so hard her knuckles were pale. Her hair was slightly messy from the wind, and her eyes were wide with genuine fear. She looked back and forth between the angry teacher and the two brothers, her lip trembling as if she were about to witness a fight.
Shido's expression shifted instantly. He let out a long, dramatic sigh and looked at the teacher with an accusing pout.
"Now look what you've done, sir," Shido said, gesturing toward Tamiko. "Poor Tamiko is absolutely terrified. She's worried sick because of your... well, your 'passionate' display of violence toward Kento. Look at her face. She's traumatized!"
The teacher blinked, his anger fading like a popped balloon. He looked at Tamiko's scared, delicate face, then back at Kento's icy, murderous stare. He cleared his throat, suddenly feeling very awkward.
"Ah... no, no," the teacher said, forcing a small, nervous smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Don't worry, Tamiko! Everything is fine. I was just... explaining the rules. Very loudly."
He turned back to the boys, his voice dropping to a low shout. "Don't trouble her anymore. Go home.
Shido crossed his arms and began to nag immediately. "Us? Trouble her? Sir, we were the ones standing here peacefully until you started roaring like a lion. Honestly, the youth have to deal with so much stress these days."
Tamiko stepped closer, still looking worried, though she seemed relieved that the shouting had stopped.
"Are you guys okay?" she whispered, her voice soft and shaky.
"We're fine, Tamiko," Kento said, his voice softening just a fraction for her, though he still gave the teacher one last cold look.
"Yeah, we're great! Let's get out of here before Sir decides to start his opera again," Shido joked, gently nudging Tamiko to turn around.
The three of them began to walk away from the gate. Behind them, the teacher was still standing there, arms crossed, looking confused and annoyed.
"I'm still watching you, Kamitani!" he yelled after them. "Go straight home! No wandering!"
"Yes, yes, we hear you! Your voice carries for miles!" Shido called back over his shoulder, shaking his head. He leaned toward Tamiko.
"Can you believe him? Trying to pick a fight with Kento? He clearly doesn't know who he's dealing with."
Kento just sighed, the weight of the 3:00 AM mystery returning to his chest as they left the school grounds behind.
The three of them walked away from the school, the teacher's grumbling finally fading into the wind. Tamiko walked between the two brothers, her eyes still darting nervously toward Kento, as if checking to see if he was still angry.
"You really shouldn't talk to the teachers like that, Kento," Tamiko whispered, her voice small. "You'll get in trouble one day.
"He's already in trouble, Tamiko," Shido joked, waving a hand. "He was born in trouble. Besides, that guy was just looking for someone to bark at because he's stressed."
Kento didn't join the banter. He remained silent, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. To get back to the Kamitani residence, they had to take the long route—the one that passed by the bypass road.
It was a long, quiet road on the edge of the city. There were many thick trees and deep water ditches along the sides.
As they turned the corner toward the bypass, the light, teasing mood vanished.
"Wait," Shido said, his voice dropping. He slowed his pace.
Up ahead, the grey morning was broken by a flash of bright, artificial color. Long strips of yellow police tape were stretched across the sidewalk and wrapped around several trees, fluttering violently in the wind. The plastic made a sharp, snapping sound that felt like a warning.
One police car sat on the side of the road. Its lights were off. It looked like a hunting animal waiting to strike.
"Is that... where it happened?" Tamiko asked. She stopped walking, her face turning pale. She pulled her coat tighter around her chest.
Kento stepped forward, his eyes locked on a specific spot on the road.
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