Solving Cases is My Daily Life Now: Volume 5

Chapter 11

    Going to the arcade was about as eventful as Rina had expected it to be. Masaru and Suzu began their classic virtual rivalry, which Katsuo and Fuyuko got to witness firsthand, though Fuyuko had seen it once before. All in all it had turned out to be a pretty fun day, one that took everyone's mind off of the impending end of the club as they knew it. But the idea was always at the back of her mind, gnawing away at her and only getting worse if she didn't find some way to distract herself. It was the beginning of the next to last week of school, and the end was becoming more and more of a reality. So Rina made her way to school that morning in a rather solemn mood, despite her best efforts. She was only pulled out of her stupor when Suzu walked up with her usual morning enthusiasm.
"Good m-m-morning, Rina!" She said.
"Hi." Rina said shortly, still on her way back to reality.
"Are you r-ready for exams?" Suzu asked.
"Not really." Rina admitted, "I haven't been studying or anything."
"Y-You said that last time, too!" Suzu said with a frown, "Let's all get t-t-together and study, the whole c-club!"
"Remember what happened last time we studied together?" Rina asked, recalling her argument with Yua that eventually led to the end of their friendship.
"Well...she won't b-b-be there." Suzu said quietly.
"Right." Rina said, "Well, I'd be willing to give it a shot."
"Awesome!" Suzu said, "We c-c-can ask F-Fuyo and Katsuo too!"
"Sure." Rina said, tightening her grip on her school bag.
It would likely be the last time they met up for something like that...
"Are you f-feeling ok, Rina?" Suzu asked, apparently having noticed Rina's lack of speaking.
"Yeah, I'm just...tired." Rina said, pretending to wipe sleep from her eyes.
She put a hand to her cheek and patted herself lightly. She needed to keep it together! Her mood was beginning to affect her friends.
"I thought you'd been s-s-sleeping better." Suzu said, a concerned look on her face.
"I have been, in general." Rina said, "But we all have those days, you know what I mean?"
The expression Suzu made told Rina that she didn't know, but both of them silently agreed to stop discussing it. It wasn't long after that when they reached the school entrance where Katsuo and Fuyuko had been waiting for them.
"Rina, settle a disagreement we're having." Fuyuko said.
"You're not even going to ask nicely?" Rina asked in a dull tone, reminding herself of Masaru.
"Big brother thinks that, if it ever came down to it, Suzu would win in the rivalry between her and Masu." Fuyuko explained, ignoring a Rina's quip.
"You d-do?" Suzu asked, her face turning a bit pink.
"Well, yeah." Katsuo said, "It's obvious that you have more experience. Masaru has natural skill, but you've honed yours to be amazing. I think he's just been getting lucky."
"Well, I think Masu would." Fuyuko said, "He always does anything he sets his mind to. And if he's this evenly matched with Suzu as a beginner, imagine if he got really serious about it!"
"You want me to be the tie breaker?" Rina asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You're the closest to being impartial." Katsuo said, "One's your best friend and one's your boyfriend."
"Are you saying you aren't impartial?" Rina asked with a smirk, "Why is supporting Suzu a biased decision for you?"
"Well...you know Masaru and I don't get along that well." Katsuo said after thinking about it, his face beginning to turn pink.
"Just answer the question!" Fuyuko insisted, stamping her foot as they walked.
"Fine. Do you want me to be honest?" Rina asked, putting her hands on her hips.
"Yes!" Fuyuko said.
"I think neither of them is going to get the upper hand. I think they'll always be evenly matched, because they each have strengths and weaknesses." Rina said, "And I think they both love having such a rivalry, although I don't think Masaru would admit it, and have no intention of letting it end anytime soon."
Suzu smiled knowingly, and Katsuo and Fuyuko looked at each other.
"That's such a cop out answer." Katsuo said.
"Yeah, you just want Suzu to keep walking to school with you, and for Masaru to keep kissing you!"
Rina's eyes widened and her heart skipped a beat.
"You told her?" Rina asked, turning quickly to Suzu.
"I d-d-didn't!" Suzu said, shaking her head.
"Wait...I was just exaggerating." Fuyuko said, stopping dead in her tracks, "You guys have really..."
Fuyuko's face was facing the floor, they couldn't see her expression.
"It only happened once, F-F-Fuyo!" Suzu assured her.
"Is that true, Rina?" Fuyuko asked, her gaze remaining downward.
"Well..." Rina trailed off, not wanting to mention the past Friday, but not wanting to lie either.
"It's been more than once?!" Fuyuko grabbed at her hair with her hands and screamed.
"F-Fuyo, calm down..." Suzu said quietly, "P-P-People are staring..."
Katsuo, who had remained silent up to this point, let out a groan and put a hand on his sister's head.
"Listen Fuyo...Rina and Masaru are...a couple." He said, "Couples...do things like that. It's a fact of life."
"But Masu's first kiss wasn't me!" Fuyuko cried out loudly, "It was Rina, of all people!"
"Can we talk about this another time?" Rina asked quickly, "Suzu and I had a question we wanted to ask you guys."
Suzu tilted her head, apparently having forgotten for a brief moment.
"Oh, r-right!" Suzu said, "Since ex-exams are coming up, we were wondering if y-y-you guys wanted to come to my p-place for a study s-s-session!"
"Study?!" Fuyuko asked, "With that harlot?! Why would I-"
She was cut off when her brother put his hand over her mouth.
"Sure, we'll both go." Katsuo said, "Fuyo is going to be very mature about this, and accept that these things happen."
"Is that what you're doing, big brother...?" Fuyuko asked grumpily as soon as Katsuo's hand was removed.
"Yes. It is." Katsuo growled.
Despite that last pair of sentences, Suzu had a grin on her face, humming softly as they continued their walk. Once they reached the classroom, they parted ways as they always did, and Rina and Suzu went to class.

Suzu's excitement remained evident even as she slid her desk over to Rina's at lunch.
"Are you hoping that Katsuo does a little teaching today?" Rina asked, reversing the teasing that she usually received, "Maybe a little one on one?"
"W-Well..." Suzu blushes and fidgeted in her seat, "D-D-Do you think he would?"
"Maybe." Rina replied, "But I don't think it would go the way that you're imagining."
Suzu pouted, her cheeks turning a bit pink.
"Even if it d-doesn't, the opportunity to sp-spend time with him is enough." Suzu said.
Rina looked Suzu up and down, just when did Suzu get so cute? Is this what a girl in love looked like? Was this how Rina appeared to others? She likely would have continued with such thoughts had Masaru not entered the room at that time.
"Hey." Rina said with a smile.
"Hello." Masaru said, sitting down with a sigh.
"You ok, M-Masaru?" Suzu asked, looking over at him.
"I was contacted today by someone who wants our help." Masaru said, taking his bento from Rina.
"Why is that a bad thing?" Rina asked, "Unless..."
"I think you just figured it out." Masaru said, "Yaeko spoke to me today. Iwamoto needs a case solved. She asked for you and I specifically."
"What game is she playing now?" Rina asked, scowling as she began to eat.
"Who knows?" Masaru responded with a shrug, "But it isn't as though we're doing anything else."
"Are you sure y-you want to get involved with her again, M-M-Masaru?" Suzu asked, "It always ends with t-t-trouble."
"We can handle it." He said, "Especially now that we have Fuyuko and Katsuo."
Speaking of the two of them, the siblings entered the room together shortly after he said that.
"Hello, Masu!" Fuyuko said with grit teeth, "Did you and Rina have lots of kisses before we walked in?"
"What?" Masaru asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Ignore her." Rina said, "That does remind me though, we are planning on studying at Suzu's place today. Want to come?"
Masaru looked around at all of them, his expression not changing.
"After we speak to Iwamoto." He said, "I don't see why not."
Suzu let out a content hum, and Fuyuko looked down at the desk she was sitting at, a grumpy expression on her face. Katsuo sighed as they all sat silently for a moment, and spoke up.
"Do you know what you're going to do when you graduate, Masaru?" He asked, leaning his chin in his hand.
Rina perked up and listened closely, this was something she didn't realize she wanted to know until just now.
"Go to college." He replied simply between eating, his eyes remaining on his bento.
"For what?" Katsuo asked roughly, continuing the conversation.
"Criminal investigation, most likely." Masaru said.
"You gonna be a cop?" Katsuo asked, "Private dicks don't exactly make a lot of money in this day and age."
"I'm aware of that." Masaru said, his tone indicating a lack of interest in the discussion, "We'll see what happens."
"I had a f-f-feeling you'd try to make a j-job out of this." Suzu said with a smile.
"What about you?" Masaru asked, looking at Katsuo and returning the question, "What are you going to do?"
Katsuo raised his eyebrows, likely not expecting the tables to be turned.
"Well...I'll probably go to college too." He said, "I was thinking about becoming a teacher of some kind."
"A teacher?" Masaru scoffed, "You?"
"What's wrong with that?!" Katsuo asked, slamming his hands down on the table.
"Nothing, I just find it humorous that you lecture me on a low paying job, when your plans aren't much more lucrative. Not to mention-"
"Masaru." Rina said sternly, putting a stop to an argument before it really began.
"Big brother..." Fuyuko put her hand on one of Katsuo's clenched fists.
Katsuo, who had been growling, calmed down and ceased his angry noise making.
"W-Well..." Suzu began, "I believe in b-b-both of you!"
Masaru and Katsuo glared at each other for a moment, before each averting their gazes.
"Thanks, Suzu." Katsuo said.
"Mmm." Masaru simply made a noise in response.
The rest of lunch went rather awkwardly, with everyone parting ways without another word.

Once class was over, Suzu and Rina walked to the club room together.
"I th-thought Masaru and Katsuo were p-p-past the arguing." Suzu said with a frown.
"Neither of them has become a different person." Rina said with a sigh, "So they still disagree pretty often. They've just gotten better at dealing with it. Most of the time..."
"I wish they could g-g-get along." Suzu said, "M-Maybe even be friends!"
"I don't know about Katsuo." Rina said, "But...Masaru's very prideful. I imagine it's hard for him to admit when he's being stubborn, or in the wrong."
"That's a s-surprisingly observant thing of you to s-s-say, Rina." Suzu said, smiling over at her friend."
"Maybe some of Masaru is rubbing off on me." Rina said, "Or maybe I just know him well from watching him for so long..."
"You're so c-c-cute!" Suzu said, "B-Both of you are. I'm actually kind of j-j-jealous."
"Things will work out for you too." Rina assured her, "I'm sure of it."
The two of them smiled at each other as they approached the club room, before walking inside.

The club room had the same energy it always did, not lingering hostility or leftover aggression to be felt. Rina sighed in relief, she was a bit worried that the boys might still have been mad at each other. But Katsuo was simply standing in his usual spot by the window, looking out at it, while Masaru appeared to be asleep at his desk, leaning back with his face pointed at the ceiling. Rina walked over to her desk and sat her bag down, her face beginning to heat up as she remembered the last time Masaru fell asleep in his chair. She instinctively covered her chest as she sat down and tried to push it out of her mind, but the stirring next to her indicated that Masaru had been woken up by her movements.
"You really ought to get more sleep." She said, glancing over at him.
"There aren't enough hours in the day." He replied in a dull tone, slowly opening his eyes.
"What do you spend your time at home doing?" Rina asked, "And don't say helping your mother, there's no way she stays up that late."
"...nothing, I suppose." Masaru eventually said.
"Why don't you spend that time sleeping?!" Rina asked.
Suzu, who had been talking to Katsuo, sat her glasses down on Masaru's desk and left the room.
"I...can't." Masaru said quietly, "No matter how hard I try, I only end up getting a couple of hours of sleep. It's been that way since..."
He trailed off, and Rina knew what he was getting at.
"Well...you could call me, you know." She said, "If you get lonely."
"Then neither of us would get any sleep." Masaru pointed out.
"I don't mind." Rina said, "I just don't want you to be alone."
Masaru looked at her for a moment, before giving her a smirk and standing up.
"We should get going." He said, "The student council's waiting."
Rina nodded and stood up as well, grabbing her notepad from her bag. Masaru began to walk towards the door, with Rina behind him. As he walked by Fuyuko's desk, Masaru tapped it with his fingers.
"Look after the place." He said, and Fuyuko looked up at him and smiled.
"Of course, Masu!" She said, kicking her feet.
With that, Rina and Masaru left the room together.

"Something just occurred to me..." Rina said as they walked down the hall, "If we're visiting the student council, then that means..."
"I'm surprised you didn't think about that sooner." Masaru said, putting a pocky stick into his mouth.
"This is going to be even worse than I thought!" She said, pulling at her hair, "I don't know if I can face her."
"You can." He said, "You have before."
"That was before she tried to disband our club!" Rina argued, "After everything she's done, how could I face her normally?"
"Just don't speak." Masaru said, "Stay next to me, and let me do the talking."
"But..." She attempted to protest.
"I know you well enough to know that you can't stop yourself once you get riled up." He explained, "So just let me handle it. The only reason I'm bringing you is because they asked for you."
"Fine." Rina conceded, frowning and looking down at her feet.
Not long after that, they reached the student council room. Rina took Masaru's hand for a brief hand and squeezed it, taking a deep breath before letting go.
"Let's get this over with." Masaru said, before opening the door and entering the room.

The room was just as immaculate as when Rina had visited before. Aimi was sitting at her desk across the room, doing some paperwork. Yaeko was sitting at a desk near hers, doing something similar. There were more desks around the room with other students wearing student council uniforms working, one of which was unmistakably Yua. Yua briefly glanced up at Rina, her expression indicating that she didn't know they would be coming. But she quickly looked back down and continued what she was doing, albeit in a less concentrated manner. Rina would have laughed if it hadn't been such a melancholic situation. The idea of Yua Sato doing hard work of any kind would make anyone who knew her laugh. As it was, Rina simply returned her gaze forward, looking at Aimi as they approached the desk. Aimi looked up at them, raising her eyebrows before giving that smile that Rina had grown to hate.
"Fukuhara!" She said, setting her pen down and crossing her arms, "I was beginning to wonder if you would be showing up at all!"
"Sorry to keep you in suspense." Masaru said, not sounding sorry at all, "But we're here."
"That you are." Aimi said, leaning back, "Make yourself comfortable. Can we get you anything?"
Masaru and Rina sat down, but Masaru had a serious aura about him.
"Let's skip the pleasantries, Iwamoto." He said, narrowing his eyes at her and taking a bite of his pocky stick, "Yaeko said you have a case for us?"
They heard a wince behind them, but as Masaru decided to ignore it, Rina did as well.
"That's right!" Aimi said, sounding like a mother pretending to be proud, "Lately I've been receiving some letters."
"Is that so uncommon?" Masaru asked, "I was under the impression that you were some kind of celebrity at this school."
"Not those kinds of letters." Aimi said, suddenly sounding serious, "The...unpleasant kind. The threatening kind."
Aimi took an envelope on her desk and slid it over to Masaru, who leaned forward and looked at it for a moment.
"Come now, Iwamoto. The principal is in your pocket, get him to figure it out for you." He said.
Rina glanced at him, remembering what he said about not having anything better to do. Perhaps he changed his mind upon hearing the case, or simply liked giving Aimi a hard time.
"I'd rather avoid something like that. I'd rather handle this on my own, and prove to him that I don't need help." Aimi said, staring hard at Masaru.
"But you aren't doing it on your own." Masaru said, leaning his elbows on her desk, "And apparently, you do need help. Mine."
"Remember yourself, Masaru." Yaeko intervened, "Show some respect."
"It's fine." Aimi said, putting her hand up, though her tone was aggressive, "I know you're loving this. And I don't blame you, after all the times we've been at odds. But...I actually need your help, here."
Masaru took another bite of his pocky stick, and once again ignored the wincing behind him. The two of them locked eyes for a moment.
"No tricks?" He eventually asked.
"No tricks." Aimi replied, shaking her head lightly.
Masaru's eyes drifted down to the envelope, and he picked it up, opening it and examining the letter.
"You have any more?" Masaru asked when he was finished.
"A couple of them, yes." Aimi said, taking similar envelopes and tossing them over to him.
Masaru opened them and scanned them, though he didn't give them the same thorough examination that he did the first one.
"I'll admit, it would be cause for concern." He eventually said, "Where have you been getting them?"
"They're usually on my desk, when I get here." Aimi replied, leaning back, "Which is strange, because usually at least one of us is in this room."
"You've already considered the possibility of it being one of your own?" Masaru asked, finishing his pocky stick.
By now Rina had surmised that Yua was the one wincing, and she had a pretty decent idea of why that was, as well.
Aimi let out a chuckle and peered over at Masaru.
"I read reports written by each of the student council members daily. I know what their handwriting looks like." She said, "And I'm fairly certain that none of them are foolish enough to do something so...untoward."
"You certainly have a lot of faith in them." He replied, "Any idea on who it might be, then?"
"How should I know?" Aimi asked, giving the most dignified shrug Rina had ever seen, "I've slighted many a student in my time as President. It could be anyone."
"That doesn't make my job any easier." Masaru said with a sigh, putting his hands into his pockets.
"I'm well aware of that." Aimi said, "That's why I asked for the best."
Masaru and Aimi looked at each other for a moment, and Rina couldn't believe her ears. She wasn't sure if Aimi was just trying to butter him up, or if she actually meant it. It didn't appear to matter either way to Masaru though, as he let out the lightest of scoffs and leaned back in his seat.
"One more thing, before I agree." He said, his voice suddenly growing serious, "Why did Rina have to come with me?"
Rina perked up, she hadn't expected to be mentioned at all during the discussion!
"Oh, right." Aimi smiled, looking over at Rina, "I had almost forgotten. I was hoping Rina could spend some time here, in case the person sending the letters decides to act on them."
Rina's mouth fell open, and even Masaru's eyes widened slightly.
"If it's your safety you're worried about, I could have Katsuo come by and stand around." He said, "That would likely be more effective."
"Come now, I've heard why Rina was put into your club!" Aimi said with a condescending laugh, "I know who scares me more."
"I didn't think anything scared you." Rina said through grit teeth, unable to stop herself once she had been addressed.
"Well, maybe not." Aimi admitted, not looking at either of them.
"Sorry, but that won't cut it." Masaru said, "Rina is my assistant, and I won't be-"
"I'll do it." Rina said, stopping Masaru in his tracks, "On one condition."
"Rina, you don't have to." Masaru said, looking over at her.
"What condition?" Aimi asked, appearing amused by the idea.
"I'll only do it for two days. Tomorrow and Thursday." Rina said, "The other days I'll need to help Masaru with the case."
Aimi looked Rina up and down, her face suddenly having that almost scary seriousness that Rina had only seen a couple of times before. But eventually she smiled again.
"All right, we have a deal." Aimi said.
"I suppose we're really doing this, then." Masaru said, standing up, "I'll do some asking around and figure out a plan. Rina...will be here tomorrow after school."
"Sounds perfect!" Aimi said, folding her hands under her chin, "Thanks again."
Rina stood up as well, and they walked towards the door. She got a brief glance at Yua, who still looked rather nervous. And they look on her face indicating that she did not expect Rina to agree to stay in the room. Though, that was one of the reasons Rina had agreed to it in the first place. Without another word, the two of them left the room.

"Why did you agree to that?" Masaru asked, his expression the same but his voice clearly agitated, "It's clear that she's going to try something, whatever it might be."
"I know." Rina said, "That's why I agreed. Whatever she is planning, I'll see it firsthand and put a stop to it myself."
"I'm not sure that will go the way you expect it to." He said quietly.
"Well, what about you?" She asked, "Why did you agree to the case?"
Masaru fell silent and looked forward, putting his hands into his pockets.
"Iwamoto and I have been going at it like this for a while now." He said, "She's always been like an impenetrable wall. But when she handed me that first letter...for the briefest of moments, she seemed like a scared, vulnerable girl."
Rina looked at Masaru for a moment, before smiling.
"Since when did that matter to you?" She asked.
"I don't know if you've noticed." Masaru replied, "But it seems that helping scared, vulnerable girls has become a side job of mine. Though not voluntarily."
"You can say that all you want." Rina said, "But nobody asked you to help any of us."
"What else was I supposed to do?" He asked, his eyes drifting down at the floor.
Rina stared at him for a moment, before busting into laughter.
"Listen to you!" She said, "What were you supposed to do? You sound like the main character of one of Suzu's stories!"
Masaru exhaled through his nose and groaned, and Rina laughed again as they reached the club room. Before they walked inside, Rina took his hand and stopped him.
"I love you. And I trust your judgement about Iwamoto's situation." She said, "So trust me with my judgement of staying with them for a couple of days."
"...very well." He said and, satisfied with that, Rina entered the room with him.

It seemed they had finished with the cleaning, and Suzu was sitting at Rina's desk drawing something while Katsuo helped Fuyuko with some studying.
"How did it go?" Katsuo asked without looking up.
"About as well as you would expect." Masaru said, "We're going to be doing a case for them."
"A case?!" Fuyuko asked, dropping what she was doing and looking at him, "For her?! Why?"
"I'll explain later." Masaru said, standing by Suzu and looking at her drawing, "Shouldn't we get going?"
"R-R-Right." Suzu said, "Let's get g-going."
They all quickly gathered their things and left for Suzu's place.

"It doesn't surprise me that someone would have it out for her." Katsuo said as they entered Suzu's apartment.
"I'm mostly confused about why you agreed to help her!" Fuyuko said, "Will you just help any girl in need, Masu?!"
"M-M-Masaru is a nice person." Suzu said, "He'll help anyone th-that needs it!"
"I don't know about that nice person bit..." Katsuo said roughly.
"In any case, it's my problem." Masaru said as he sat down, "I can handle it on my own. I don't expect any of you to touch this one."
"Are you k-kidding?" Suzu asked as she took some textbooks out, "I'll always h-h-help you! We're best f-friends!"
"And I'll always be by your side, Masu!" Fuyuko said, plopping down next to him, "Even when you realize that Rina is no good for you and you love the one that's always been with you!"
"That's not exactly relevant to right now..." Masaru pointed out.
"It looks like I'm outnumbered here." Katsuo said, "So I'll help if you need it."
Rina sat down and looked around at all of her friends. As they prepared to all study together, she wondered what exactly she had done to deserve such a group, one that perfectly embodied what she'd wanted from life. She turned her head away as she began to tear up, the ugly truth rearing it's way from within her. The truth that, at the moment, it appeared that this would be ending in a couple of weeks. As Rina remembered this, she felt a hand on hers, and looked over. It seemed while the other were bickering, Suzu had noticed her and walked over. Their eyes met, and Suzu's seemed to convey a message: that she had been scared about the same thing. So Rina took Suzu's hand a gripped it, and they both silently agreed something. Whatever happened, no matter what, they would always be friends.