Crime Games | ✓

30. Beware the...Mastermind?

••●••

'We often need to lose sight of our priorities in order to see them'
— John Irving

••●••

The blinding lights of the room switched on completely, shattering the tension enveloping the teens. A highly amused laugh erupted thereafter.

"Oh my God, lighten up guys! No need to be so terrified!"

The first sight the group laid eyes on was a girl, most likely a third year student, grinning from ear to ear. She had her hands placed on her hips and she wore the same outfit as the girl standing next to her.

"And you, Akemi!" She narrowed her eyes at the tiny student—one who honestly appeared to be an elementary schooler—and yanked her hood upwards. "I'm pretty sure I told you only club members were allowed to wear this! Take this off!"

The black-haired girl stumbled forward, struggling to be let free. "Agh, Upperclassman Inouye! But even if not officially, I'm still considered a member! You even said you'd welcome me back anytime!"

Inouye grabbed the girl's cheeks and pinched them mercilessly. "That doesn't mean every day! You joined another club, didn't you? Then why not bother them?"

The unexpected development of the situation kept the group of teens by the exit frozen from shock. This tiny little girl... was the mastermind?

"Ha ha, don't mind them. It's always happens." A brown-haired girl standing nearby sent them a bright smile. A black cloak and wizard's hat finished her attire, but her demeanour was extremely harmless and peaceful. There was no hidden intentions masked beneath her blue eyes.

After a few more seconds of gawking, everyone lurched backwards from each other. Ryuu, who was once shivering behind Katsura along with Yasuo, blushed hard. Tadashi turned away from the Ayame he was uncomfortably close to. Kazuma and Juzo stood idly by themselves, not affected much by the events.

"Are you here to try out our fortune telling booth?" Hovering behind them was a tall and slim, tedious looking male with blond hair.

"Geez, Masaru. Stop scaring our guests," the brunette scolded then gave them all a warm smile. "I'm sorry. Masaru's really shy."

She pointed to the back of the clubroom where a table stood.

"Why don't you take a seat?"

☻ ☺ ☻

"I'm Naoko Inouye, the president of this club," introduced the first girl, the one who was once yelling at the tiny high schooler. "That boy is Masaru Arakaki, and she's Yurico Hirai."

The boy dished the group a curt wave. Yurico, a grin.

"And this troublemaker," Naoko began, seizing Akemi's collar and dangling her up, "is Akemi Shirahama."

"Shirahama." Ayame pursed her lips.

Tadashi peered over at her. Did she know her? She did say her name.

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Akemi cried, finally pulling free. She stuck out her tongue before folding her arms across her nonexistent chest. "I'll leave!"

Spinning on her heels, the tiny girl stomped towards the exit, jerking the group of teens awake. Ayame didn't hesitate to race after her, followed by a serious looking Kazuma.

"Just a second, Akemi Shirahama!" Ryuu hollered, running out with Yasuo and Katsura, and also a listless Kisho.

Tadashi stood all alone in the room, the corners of his mouth twitching. They all lacked basic manners...

"I apologize for their behaviour," Tadashi apologized to the president.

"Oh, that's all right." Naoko waved her hands dismissively. She laughed, "You really are a cutie, aren't you—apologizing like that! Unlike that certain brat."

Naoko's eyes brimmed with irritation at the mention of Akemi. Tadashi smiled weakly in response.

"Oh, I know!" Yurico's face popped in front of Tadashi's. "Since Akemi's in your club why don't you join ours? Like a mini underclassmen trade, ha ha."

Tadashi's heart stopped beating entirely and his eyelids shot up. He found it hard to breathe as he struggled to find the words.

"Masaru has been wanting some male members to get along with!" continued Yurico from the background.

"Shirahama...is in..."

While Tadashi was finding it hard to spit it out, Naoko, who noticed this, raised an eyebrow.

"The CRF, yeah," she answered, slapping the brunet on the back. "Why wouldn't you know that? It's your club, right?"

Tadashi's blood ran cold.

"I mean, she joined this club at first but transferred there 'cuz she found the CRF to be more interesting. And even though that's the case, she still pops up here almost every day. Akemi is a handful and you can't really expect her to listen to you, regardless of your age, but please do take care of her."

Tadashi's mind swirled with many thoughts and emotions and he ducked down and out of the room, leaving his upperclassmen flabbergasted. He swivelled around, desperately searching for any signs of his club members.

Akemi Shirahama... She definitely wasn't a normal girl at all! She wasn't in the CRF!

Tadashi threw open the door to his own clubroom as his last resort, only to find the rest of the CRF members — Mr. Nobuo included — seated at the table, a certain red-eyed female propping her leg over the other just across from where he stood.

A wide smile grew on her face as she pulled a strand of her black hair behind her ear. "Finally! I got tired of waiting. It's nice to see that you've arrived, Upperclassman Matsumoto."

Upperclassman? Tadashi thought incredulously, jerking his head around to meet his peers' gazes. All their attention was aimed towards the ground, disbelief painting their features—all except for an inexpressive Kazuma of course. Even Ayame looked troubled.

Accordingly, Mr. Nobuo stood up to his feet, laughing weakly as if to break the tension.

"Allow me to introduce her again... The girl's name is Akemi Shirahama, a first year student in class 1-D, and..." Pointing to the girl standing to his left, he feigned an apologetic look as she waved. "The fifteenth member of this club."

☻ ☺ ☻

Aye, hello guys~! I know, short chapter, but did I surprise you? No... uh, well... c:

But seriously, I can't believe I got this far already ;-; Literally after the next few chapters, everything's gonna come tumbling down in the story and get... more exciting!!

Everything that seemed so far away is gonna start in literally two chapters =) I'm so happy to have come this far~!

Geez, it's because of your awesome support guys lol. I've never written a story this long before (already at chapter 30 and past 100 votes!?), and I can't wait to finish it and surprise you with the remaining revelations!

The third arc of the story begins after the next chapter~ and I really wanna know who's your favourite character in the story so far! I'm really curious!

Anyways, I'll be posting the next chapter tomorrow.

Vote, Comment, Share~ :D

-Misty