Substitute

Tick Tock on the Clock I

(Kanna POV)

The rather young man approached me, he was about an inch or two taller than me. He wore ragged tattered clothing and worn tired boots. Curly brown hair, long eyelashes, young complexion twenty or twenty one I wager, also clean shaven. It matches everything acting student council president Rin gave me. But his facial expression and eyes are hard to nail down. Usually even the best poker faces have dents or cracks. What I'm looking at isn't a poker face, it's a wizened expression. If it ever displayed emotion or feeling it lost that ability long ago. I shift my attention to his eyes next.

The outer area of his iris color is a steely oceanic blue, green streaks are within the blue. His inner iris is completely lusterless yet it carries an uncanny sharpness. Although I can feel a bit of aloofness from them and a softness that is very earthly in feeling, accepting almost. That stare is confusing to feel.

"Hey there miss officer." Also a voice that doesn't match the face or appearance at all. His voice was squeaky, in fact it's so squeaky it gave me whiplash. How can someone look like an absolute train wreck with such strange eyes, yet sound like they just got out of middle school?

"Greetings, I'm Kanna Ogata, Public Security Bureau Captain." I flash my badge at him, then extend my hand out for a shake.

"Vagues substitute teacher of Schale." He gently grabs my hand for a shake. The feeling of his hand is rubbery, soft and hard as well in certain areas. He must have put his hand through the grinder. As our hands retract from each other I steal a glance at his. They look completely fine, whoever painted them did a masterful job.

"I came today because Seminar Treasurer Yuuka Hayase informed the general student council of a probable case of homicide." His expression doesn't change at all but he brings his phone out and hands it to me.

"Yeah, Miss Hayase sent me some texts earlier to ask if I was okay. But I had my phone on mute and I turned the vibration off." I look at his phone and see the rapid fire texts she sent him. Based on the timestamps she texted him first before informing the general student council.

"You should keep your phone's vibration mode on in case someone needs to desperately contact you." I hand his phone back, he takes it and shrugs as if to say mistakes happen.
"Regardless, I'll have to ask you some questions if you don't mind. Since the cameras in Schale aren't fully operational we couldn't view the stairwell." He waves his hand to usher me to ask away, at least he's cooperative.

"Did anyone else come to Schale after Miss Hayase left?"

"No."

"I see, next question, did you leave the Schale building at 3:45pm?"

"I didn't check the time. But if the lobby camera is active I'm sure it'll give you the time from playback."

"Alright, was there anyone else in the Schale building?"

"Sora is the clerk in Angle 24 in the western wing of Schale."

"Hmm, I'll have to speak with her later."

"Go easy on her, she spooks easily."

I nod my head to him. Honestly I was expecting more from his answers. The fact he answered so bluntly and quickly is supscions. Though I'm unsure if he's lying or not. I didn't notice anything usual about his body language either. Still I'll have to ask acting president Rin for his file, since no other records exist for him. I want to know the kind of person I'm dealing with.

"So are we done, Miss Ogata?" I nod my head towards him. He simply walks on by straight into the Schale building. As he goes to open the door he turns towards me.