The Mystery Club

I was sitting on the rooftop of the school, holding my phone. A girl, dressed in her school uniform with long black hair down her back, was standing near the edge with her back to me. The rooftop was surrounded by a mesh wall, so I wasn't worried about her falling.

I was hidden behind the side wall of a small structure that covered the stairwell on the rooftop of the school. From this angle, I remained unnoticed by the girl who had appeared only a few minutes ago.

Although she and I were in the same class, we rarely interacted. Not knowing how to initiate a conversation, I chose the rooftop, hoping it would be the right environment.

When she put her hands on the mesh wall, I couldn't help but warn her. "Be careful," I exclaimed.

Startled, she abruptly turned around and let out a small scream before crouching down. "You scared me!"

Her initial fear vanished when she recognized me.

"I'm sorry..." I mumbled, feeling a little awkward now that we were finally talking.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, embarrassment and irritation in her tone, as if I had invaded her personal space.

Is she angry? What should I say? How should I act? It was as if I had suddenly forgotten how to talk to people. I struggled to find the right words.

"I'm just playing a video game," I replied simply, showing her the phone in my hands.

"You're in my class, right?" she asked, her voice softening slightly.

"Well... yeah..." I responded, turning my attention back to my phone.

I heard her rise softly and her footsteps approach. "I believe your name is Tatsuya Iwasaki, right?" she asked.

Surprised, I looked up. It was surprising that she remembered my full name, given our limited interactions and the fact that it was practically just the beginning of the school year. "You remember?" I asked, momentarily forgetting my awkwardness.

"I have a good memory."

The girl, now looking at me with her deep emerald green eyes, smiled enigmatically.

She was standing not far from me, looking down at me. Studying her face, I confirmed my suspicion that my thoughts were correct. Although she looked different, her features were still familiar.

"Sorry, I don't remember your name," I lied.

"Rei Asano," she replied in a rather pleasant and calm voice, not in the least offended by my forgetfulness.

"Nice to meet you."

With that, I averted my gaze, and an awkward silence fell between us. The silence lingered for a moment before she, apparently deciding that the conversation was over, uttered, "I guess I'll be going."

"Wait!" I exclaimed, turning to her. The words came out hastily, catching her before she could turn away.

A flicker of surprise and curiosity flashed across her face. My sudden shout didn't seem to bother her.

She waited, expecting me to continue, but in truth my thoughts were empty. All I could think about was what impression I had made on her and what she might be thinking. All the rehearsed words evaporated from my mind.

"Um... Well... What were you doing here?" I asked, lowering my voice and scratching my hair nervously, embarrassed by my abrupt interruption.

She paused, contemplating, then simply replied, "Well, just... killing time."

She smiled a strange smile again.

Observing her, I noticed her somewhat pale complexion and the mysterious gleam in her eyes, adorned with serene, slightly drooping eyelids.

"Hardly anyone comes here," I said.

There was a hidden intention in my clumsy words that she didn't realize, that I longed to express but was afraid to voice.

"Well, you're here, aren't you?" she said calmly and simply.

I couldn't argue with her words.

"Well, you're right..." I admitted with uncertainty in my voice.

There was another awkward silence between us.

What was wrong with me? Normally I don't have any trouble talking to people, but in her presence I found it hard to open up and relax. Maybe because...

"Well... and I guess I was bored," she said suddenly, interrupting my thoughts.

"Bored?"

"I usually come here when I'm bored," she replied nonchalantly.

Despite her unemotional tone, she didn't seem to mind chatting with me at all.

"Well... If you're bored, would you like to sit with me for a while and play a video game?" The words came out involuntarily and I immediately regretted them for fear of being too forward. I might seem strange to her...

"Why?" she asked, her tone devoid of any displeasure, only genuine curiosity.

'Why?' I didn't have a clear answer, at least not one that I could articulate at that moment.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude," she said in response to my silence, her demeanor surprisingly calm, "Did you want to hang out or something?"

Her calmness surprised me. Despite my obvious awkwardness, she remained unfazed.

"Yeah… Maybe… I don't know…" I trailed off, unsure of what I wanted, though I knew why I had approached her in the first place.

I stood up awkwardly from the concrete floor. "Sorry, I was probably too pushy," I said, not noticing the obvious frustration in my voice.

She looked at me with a strange, silent gaze, as if pondering something.

"Well, classes are about to start..." Her voice sounded a little thoughtful. "But, I guess... Maybe after class?..."

There was a hint of uncertainty in her sentence.

Did she feel sorry for me? Was that why she offered? I didn't want her to feel that way at all.

"Nah... You don't have to worry about that," I replied, smiling slightly at her.

Did I seem strange to her? Maybe my sudden offer to hang out was out of the blue for her. It was hard to guess what she was thinking.

"Well, at least we can go to class together if you want," she said calmly.

I was again taken aback by her directness and calmness; she didn't seem to pick up on my awkwardness. Was she just being friendly? I couldn't understand her; it seemed that every expectation I had about her reactions and responses was wrong.

I noted again the calmness in her gaze. There was no hint of fear, embarrassment, or resentment. Though we were the same age, she seemed more mature at that moment. My words didn't seem to bother her in the least. Perhaps I was overthinking?

But there was something else in her eyes that eluded me.

"Sure, let's go," I said with more conviction.

I pushed the awkwardness inside me a little further away.

Had she really not noticed my embarrassment? If so, I was relieved.

"What game are you playing?" she asked as soon as we stepped through the door.

"Well, a regular MMORPG," I replied, "Do you play games?"

"Not really," she replied quickly.

As we walked down the stairs together, she kept her hands clasped behind her back and looked forward, not at me. I felt the detachment and thoughtfulness in her gaze again.

When she noticed my gaze on her, she turned and smiled. Again, her smile seemed strange to me.

"Do you like me?" she asked, catching me off guard.

What? Why would she think that? I didn't realize the absurdity of my questions and my own stupidity. After all, I myself...

"Uh... Um..." I stammered, lost for words.

Her sudden laughter broke the tension. "You don't have to answer that," she reassured me, "I just noticed you looking at me during class. And then you 'just happened' to be on the rooftop where I often go."

She hit the nail on the head. I didn't realize I was being so obvious. I felt terribly awkward.

It dawned on me why she might think I liked her. I'd been acting like a typical awkward, shy guy with a secret crush. It was silly to think she wouldn't pick up on my awkwardness; she probably took it as a sign of affection.

"It's not like that... I..." I struggled to find the right words.

Again, my answer sounded like a weak excuse, probably completely unconvincing in her eyes. It sounded like something out of a romcom, but I couldn't answer differently. I couldn't find the words...

"If you don't like me, your constant staring seems a little creepy in this context," she remarked calmly.

I looked at her, not knowing what to say, and caught her distant gaze, as if she were looking right through me. The words I hadn't even been able to formulate yet were stuck in my throat when I saw that look. I just stared back at her in silence.

"I'm kidding... It's okay..."

After saying those words, she looked away. Her head dropped slightly, and her hair fell across her forehead, partially covering her eyes.

Again, her gaze seemed preoccupied, as if she had been talking to me the whole time, but her mind was elsewhere.

The comfortable atmosphere between us, which had seemed natural until a few moments ago, became awkward again.

***

It was the end of May.

The fresh spring air was long gone, replaced by the hot and dry days of summer.

Our relationship with Asano had returned to the way it had been before that brief interaction on the rooftop; that is, we barely exchanged words, and it was almost impossible for me to catch her alone.

"Hi," I said to her as she sat with her friend.

They were sitting in the cafeteria, and as I walked past them with my lunch box in my hand, I stopped and decided to finally say hello.

Her friend Hagiwara looked at me with curious eyes. She was in the same class as Asano and me. She had green hair tied up in high twintails, a rather pretty and gentle face, and big eyes.

"Hey," she greeted me calmly.

But my gaze shifted to Asano.

"Hi," she said, lifting the corners of her lips slightly in a smile.

Her smile, as always, looked a little strange, as if there was something inexplicable about it. But I couldn't figure out what it was. If it was her eyes... or the smile itself. I didn't know.

"Can we talk?" I asked.

She looked at me for a moment, then quietly agreed, "Sure."

"Um... in private."

Hagiwara, who was watching us, just giggled. "Оh... What did you want to talk to her about in private?" she asked, sipping her juice from a straw and smiling wryly.

"Well... It's…," I felt awkward again and struggled to find the right words.

And I thought I'd gotten rid of that feeling. It's been a while, hasn't it? I've already come up with a plan. Why am I being so awkward again?

As if sensing my awkwardness, Asano immediately turned to Higawara. "Don't tease him," she said with a smile. "I'll wait for you after class, okay? I'm busy right now," she added, turning her attention back to me.

"Sure!" I replied happily, stepping back.

Asano's calm demeanor, despite my awkwardness, reassured me.

"Hahahah, look at him, how happy he is. So cute," I heard Hagiwara's voice.

Clearly, she also assumed I was in love with Asano. Well, from the outside, it might look that way. But I don't have to explain anything.

When the lesson came to an end, Asano and Higawara had already left together. Not knowing where they went, but assuming they had something to do, I decided to wait patiently in front of the school.

The day was rather cloudy, but it hadn't started raining yet. On days like this, time seemed to stretch longer than usual, perhaps because the sun was hidden behind the clouds.

I noticed another student standing nearby, as if waiting for someone. He was unfamiliar to me, his shirt buttoned all the way up and his hair neatly styled. He had the aura of a reserved, obedient, and good student.

He was standing under the canopy of the school building, not far from the entrance, and I was standing a little further away.

Engrossed in his phone, he suddenly looked up, as if sensing my gaze. With a soft greeting, he broke the silence, "Hi."

I responded to the greeting, caught slightly off guard, "Ah, hey..."

"What class are you from?" he inquired, his tone friendly.

Responding in kind, I said, "1-2. What about you?"

"I'm from 1-3," he replied, "My name's Ryou by the way, what's yours?"

Realizing that he was making small talk while waiting for someone, I saw no harm in continuing the conversation. "I'm Iwasaki..."

"Well, nice to meet you," he said warmly.

Before I could respond, three students appeared behind him, diverting his attention.

I recognized some of them.

One of them was a girl from class 1-1. Few people didn't know her, she was one of the most popular girls in our school. I think her name was Chibana. Some people in my class had a crush on her and talked about her a lot.

She was like a wall that was hard to get close to. She was fashionable, always wore nice makeup, was confident and not known for being friendly. Many people had a crush on her, but many also hated her.

She was just staring at her phone now, not paying attention to her friends. Her gaze was a little bored, as if she didn't really care about them.

I also knew the other student who was standing next to her. I couldn't remember his name, but his appearance was etched in my memory. Like Chibana, he was very popular in school. There were rumors that he was a womanizer, which didn't surprise me given his striking appearance and confidence.

However, the third student accompanying them was unfamiliar to me. She had long, jet-black hair and skin as pale as snow. Standing with a model-like pose, she gazed at the popular guy with icy, cold eyes.

Glancing back at Ryou, he appeared to be the 'black sheep' among them. Initially, I assumed the three had come to bully him, but as I listened to their conversation, I realized they were indeed friends.

It's a strange group of friends.

Watching Ryou, I noticed that unlike the other three, he exuded a kind of shyness and softness that made him seem the friendliest and most harmless of the group.

Lost in thought, I watched as they walked toward the school gate, engrossed in conversation and oblivious to my presence.

As they were leaving the school grounds, a robot passed them, emitting a faint squeak. The sound brought me back to reality.

Where's Asano? Has she already left the school? No, I would have noticed...

Unable to wait any longer, I returned to the classroom only to find it already locked.

Where could she be? Maybe she forgot and left without me?

And then it hit me.

Why am I so stupid?

I rushed to the rooftop.

Of course, that's where she must be waiting for me. Where else would she go?

As expected, I found her there, facing the door from which I had just emerged, as if anticipating my arrival. As soon as I stepped onto the rooftop, her gaze met mine, and her pensive expression turned to a smile.

"Oh... you figured out where I was waiting for you... I was wondering when you'd remember."

"I'm sorry, I completely forgot, I was waiting for you outside the school like an idiot," I admitted, approaching her.

"It's alright... So... You wanted to talk to me about something?" She wasted no time in getting to the point.

Although she was still looking at me, her smile had disappeared, leaving her expression unreadable. It confused me a bit.

"Uh... yeah..." I replied, feeling slightly bewildered.

I couldn't quite grasp why I felt this way. Was it the memories? The unpleasant sensation in my chest? Or was it the way she looked at me, as if she could see into my soul?

No, I couldn't dwell on these emotions any longer. I had to do something. Gathering all my resolve, I shook off my anxiety. I couldn't afford to be awkward in front of her, especially considering her patience with me.

Meeting her gaze, I abandoned all attempts to evade it.

"I was wondering… Do you wanna be friends?" I proposed.

There was no visible reaction on her face, or maybe I just couldn't interpret anything.

"Hmmm? I thought you wanted to confess your love to me," she remarked dryly, taking a step closer.

Looking into my eyes, she continued, "Just as I thought..."

I struggled to understand the meaning of her words, but she moved away from me, briefly lowering her gaze.

When she looked up again, I realized that what I had interpreted as fearlessness and confidence was actually hollow.

Even though she said those words, she didn't seem to feel anything at that moment. It was as if my presence was of no interest to her. Then why? Why was she so patient with me?

"Hmmm," she mused, briefly averting her gaze, "why do you want to be friends?" she inquired, looking at me once more.

"Well... I just..." I fell silent, struggling to articulate my reasons.

She looked at me with a scrutinizing gaze. "You're talking in riddles... Are you afraid I'll reject you if you confess now?"

"Well… No..." I finally managed to say.

"Really, huh..." she asked, idly twirling the ends of her hair between her fingers as if pondering, "Well... I'm willing to be your friend, but only on one condition." 

"One condition?"

"Will you join my club?" she proposed.

I was surprised. I didn't know she was involved in any club activities.

"A club?"

"Yes... I've started one, but I'm the only member..."

With so many existing clubs at the school, it was hard for me to imagine what new club she could have started.

"And what kind of club is it?"

"A Mystery Club."

"It feels like something out of a high school manga," I remarked, my awkwardness briefly replaced by a smile.

A gust of wind ruffled her hair and skirt, forcing her to adjust them with a casual flick of her hand.

"Pfft. You're making jokes now? I thought awkwardness was just part of your nature," she teased, hiding a smile behind her hand.

"Well... And I always thought you were..." I trailed off, not sure how to finish my sentence.

Was that a genuine smile she was trying to hide? I wondered, but decided not to voice my thoughts. I couldn't predict how she would react or if my observations were correct.

"...Well?"

"Never mind…"

"You're really weird…" she observed, looking somewhat curious, but did not inquire further about my cryptic remark, "So, it's a deal then?"

"Well, I haven't joined any clubs, so..."

"Then it's settled."

"Yeah..."

The silence that had enveloped us for a moment was quickly broken by her. "Well, if that's settled, I'm off," she announced, and without a second's hesitation, she turned toward the door.

There was another important detail she seemed to have overlooked, and I stopped her with a hesitant, "Uh, wait!"

She stopped and turned back to me.

"Can I have your number?" I blurted out.

It wouldn't be surprising if she interpreted all this as a sign of my romantic interest. I mean, who starts an awkward conversation like that, suddenly proposes friendship, and then asks for a phone number? It certainly gave the impression that I had secret feelings for her. But I couldn't see any reciprocal interest in her, so I wondered why she agreed to be my friend. Was it just for the club?

She didn't say anything, just walked over to me and held out her hand. I immediately realized what she meant, pulled out my smartphone and held it out to her. After saving her number in my phone, she just handed it back to me.

"Bye then."

"Bye..."

And just like that, she was gone in a flash.

I unlocked my phone and noticed that I had a new contact in addition to the class president. I immediately sent Asano a message asking her to save my number. To my surprise, she replied almost immediately.

"You shouldn't text girls like that right away," was her reply, followed by a playful, "Just kidding."

***

I ran down the deserted, dimly lit street, shrouded in darkness and uncertainty. Each step pushed me forward, but I had no destination in mind.

There were no cars or pedestrians on the streets, leaving them eerily empty, distant, and cold. Only the faint glow of windows, streetlights, and flickering vending machines illuminated the empty back alleys.

I wondered if there was life behind those lighted windows, the only signs of life among the shadows of the night.

The towering buildings loomed ominously, their silhouettes glittering with an unsettling brilliance that filled me with primal fear. Each of them seemed ready to transform into some monstrous creature.

I raced through the maze of streets, unsure if I was running from the shadows of the city or my own inner demons.

My frantic running was suddenly interrupted by the piercing sound of a gunshot that shattered the silence.

I woke up in the semi-darkness of the night, my body shaking and drenched in sweat.

The night streets had turned into the walls of my room, flooded with the ethereal glow of moonlight streaming through the window.

This night was reminiscent of that haunting memory.

The darkness that enveloped me clenched my heart, intensifying the fear that gripped me and refused to loosen its grip.

The darkness seemed to pull me into its embrace, into its inescapable grip.

***

The morning greeted me with birdsong and the gentle embrace of bright sunlight streaming through the curtains. The remnants of the dream seemed to dissolve into my subconscious, fading away with the darkness of the night. There was no trace of fear; night and morning felt like two different universes.

Lazily, I reached for my phone and checked it. There was a message from Asano, sent an hour ago. Is she really up so early?

"By the way, today is the first meeting of the Mystery Club," her message read.

"Sure, looking forward to it," I replied.

The message was marked as read immediately. Huh? Was she waiting for my message? No, it couldn't be..., she was probably on the phone.

This realization woke me up completely, and I rolled over in bed with the phone in my hand, waiting for her answer. But there was no reply.

I hesitated for a moment before I decided to ask, "Did you sleep well?"

The message was immediately marked as read again, but there was no reply.

As I waited for her answer, doubts began to creep into my mind. Maybe I had said something wrong? Maybe asking such personal questions so early in our friendship was too sudden. Maybe she...

"I didn't mean anything weird..."

The message was immediately marked as read, but there was no reply.

"I mean, if you thought I said it in a weird way..."

The message was immediately marked as read, but there was no reply.

Ugh... Maybe I should refrain from texting for now. We had just become friends and I didn't want to ruin it. Or had I already messed it up? I rolled onto my side anxiously, staring at my phone screen.

My anxious thoughts were interrupted by a new message. Finally she sent a laughing emoji followed by, "Did I manage to make you nervous? Lol."

Oh, come on. Seriously?! She was just messing with me?

"Stop joking around," I replied with a sigh of relief.

"Yeah, I slept well," she responded. "How about you?"

"Me too," I replied.

Great, now I'm going to have another trauma because of you...

"See you at school," she texted, ending our conversation.

I stared at my phone for a while, thinking about our conversation. I couldn't decipher her intentions and thoughts. And I didn't know when the right time to tell her would be... Maybe as we get closer, it will get easier.

***

The classroom was unusually noisy that day.

There was a heated argument between a boy and a girl whose names I don't remember. They were yelling at each other, and the girl threw notebooks at the boy. The notebooks flew through the air, but missed their target and landed on the floor instead...

The rest of the students were either whispering amongst themselves or silently watching. Everything around them seemed to have quieted down, giving them a chance for a confrontation. Maybe the others just didn't want to get involved in their argument.

Only the class president tried to defuse the situation. However, she seemed inexperienced in such matters and only waved her hands awkwardly and uttered clumsy words to calm them down. But, predictably, they paid no attention to her.

Their screams were just noise, incomprehensible and meaningless. I couldn't make out a word in their screams. With each scream, the colors of the classroom blurred into chaotic swirls, with the two of them at the center and everything else fading into the background.

What were they fighting about? Maybe it was a lovers' quarrel? I couldn't say for sure. I didn't even know they were dating.

Suddenly, during one of their screams, a sharp pain pierced my temple.

My eyebrows furrowed as the space around me changed. Two figures materialized in front of me... two shadows... engaged in their own argument. There was something eerily familiar about them.

I quickly pushed the vision away, clutching my head in discomfort. Unable to stand the cacophony of their argument, I left the classroom and walked out into the quiet and empty hallway.

As soon as I closed the door behind me, the noise died down, and it was as if I had been transported to another dimension. When I looked out the window overlooking the courtyard, I found it empty and quiet. Just like the hallway itself - deserted and silent. Serenity enveloped me, calming the throbbing in my head...

The door clicked slightly behind me, as if someone had opened and closed it.

"Are you okay?" Asano's voice came from behind me.

Surprised, I turned to her. She didn't seem worried, but rather intrigued.

"Yeah... I'm fine... Sorry, all that yelling gave me a headache," I said.

She approached me and leaned against the windowsill next to me.

We stood in silence for a while, then she took my hand. I jerked in surprise, but didn't take it away. I couldn't understand the meaning of her actions.

I glanced at her face, which was focused on the wall in front of us. There was no trace of embarrassment or any other emotion on her face.

Turning my attention back to her grip, I noticed it was weak. Her hand was warm and soft, unlike the aura she usually exuded.

"Let's go," she said, releasing my hand.

When she let go of my hand, a sense of mystery enveloped her again. Her brief fragility seemed to vanish...

She moved away from the window and walked down the hall. I followed her without question. I didn't know where she was taking me, but it didn't matter. I was ready to follow her anywhere; it was a strange feeling that I couldn't understand.

"Class is about to start," I said.

My words didn't stop her. She silently walked up the stairs to the second floor.

"We'll skip it," she said, turning to me.

Finally, she stopped in front of a door on the second floor, opened it, and entered the room.

"What is this place?" I asked, following her inside.

It was a small room with a single table in the center and a few chairs arranged around it. Light streamed in through the window behind the table, illuminating the room. There were several cabinets along the walls filled with various items.

"What do you mean? This is the Mystery Club room," she replied.

"Oh... So we have our own room?"

"Yeah, the principal and the student council were kind enough to..."

I didn't know that the Mystery Club had its own room. It wasn't very spacious and didn't seem to be used, which was probably why it had been given to Asano.

She gestured to a chair, and I obediently sat down at the table.

"How's your head?"

"Better…"

Indeed, the headache was gone as if it had never happened.

Asano settled into the chair across from me, looking at me. There was something mesmerizing in her gaze, something both mysterious and empty at the same time.

Why had she decided to bring me here during class? Just because I had a headache? I couldn't understand her motives. There was not the slightest hint of interest or concern for me in her eyes or expression. I really didn't understand her.

"Do you know why I started this club?" she asked suddenly.

"No... not really..." I replied after a short pause.

"Do you want to know?"

"I do..."

She looked at me, studying me, as if trying to read the expression on my face.

"I'll tell you when the time is right," she said, turning to the window.

Then she looked back at me and giggled, putting her fingers to her lips. "I've always wanted to say something like that..."

Was this a game for her? Or was there a deeper purpose?

"Well, actually, that's true... Maybe I'll tell you later if you prove useful to the club."

I didn't know what to say and just looked at her.

The light streaming through the window was bright, for the sun was still in the east. Its rays gently caressed the wooden surface of the table.

"You'll help me with the club, right?" she asked.

"Of course, I promised, didn't I?"

Satisfied, she rose from the table.

"Look what I've got."

She moved gracefully, like an angel, to one of the cabinets by the window. She reached inside and pulled out a hat, the kind cartoon detectives usually wore.

***

A man in a white coat, his hair slicked back, sat in a room filled with various computers. His face, illuminated by the blue light from one of the computer screens, appeared slightly wrinkled and stern.

He held his cell phone to his ear as he spoke, his voice firm, "Keep an eye on her. It's the beginning of the school year... I'm curious to see how she behaves. In addition to the usual reports, look for the flash drive and the kid from Europa. If you find them, let me know."

When the call ended, he leaned back in his chair, a smile spreading across his face.

"The flash drive! There must be something important on it! Information that will change the world! I know it!"