365 Days [Completed]

Chapter 05

It's been a week when another letter arrived, the whole class panic since they didn't expect that a letter will arrive this soon but the thing that they're confused about is that there's no victim and yet the culprit is already sending a letter.

Manaka took the letter and open it aggressively, her brows are furrowed as she read the message from the black letter written in heavily stroked kind of writing, Ozeki who has a knowledge about strokes since she's in the Calligraphy club noticed that the stroke is made either in anger or in pain but after considering the recent happenings, Ozeki knows that it's from anger.

This person has a hidden resentment towards our class, but for what? Ozeki thought as she continue staring at each letter's strokes.

Dear Keyaki Class,
I feel bad for all of you. Hm, how about I'll step up the game? I'll give you a pretty big hint.

Hint:
A half-length portrait made by a certain Italian painter.

I'm giving you a chance to rescue one, if you can't then too bad.

Let's have fun this year!

"What is this?!" Risa exclaimed as she can't really understand what this person is thinking. On the other hand, Neru already has an idea what the hint meant but why?

What's the connection? Neru thought as she gritted her teeth in annoyance. On the other hand, Hirate notice something else.

What does this person means by 'this year'? Hirate thought as she don't want to believe that this person already has victims before, she don't want to think that this person is actually professional enough to not get caught until now just yet.

"This is stupid!" Manaka exclaimed as she throw the letter in the nearest trashbin, the whole class stare at Manaka in disbelief as she throw the black letter in anger. Panic and anxiety is taking over her mind and Manaka has no idea how to handle it other than being aggressive.

"Calm down, Manaka." Akanen said as she walk her way to the trashbin and pick the black crumpled letter up, Akanen furrow her brows as she noticed something.

"This person.. this person is a woman." Akanen thought as she glance at each one of her classmates trying not to be so obvious of the fact that she noticed something. She can't say the things that she noticed out loud because of the possibility that the culprit is listening and is hiding among them, Akanen don't want to think of such possibilities but she has no choice. She can't trust anyone in this situation.

The moment she pick the letter up, Akanen noticed that the letter has a sweet flavored scent. Akane has some kind of obsession with scents and thus she has a little knowledge of that field. Some people can't stand such strong scents, though the scent is faint in the distance but it has a strong scent when its near so maybe this person likes taking care of herself, aside from that theory the scent is actually very girly-like. Akanen don't want to think that the person behind this is a woman because it's too evil for her, Akanen don't have any idea who has such resentment towards them.

"Can I have it?" Neru suddenly approach Akane who's standing in her spot for a few minutes, not noticing that some of her classmates are already back in their own seats.

"Uh- yeah, sure." Akanen said as she handed the black letter to Neru, Akanen stare at Neru's face when she handed the letter to observe some kind of reaction when Akane's brows raised when she saw Neru's brows furrows.

"It's a woman's scent." Neru mumbled as she continue smelling the letter, Akane stare at Neru out of shock because she didn't expect Neru to notice such small detail. You can't really notice it unless you have a strong sense of smell.

"I don't have a strong scent of smell when it comes to fragrances but I realized that you can't really hide the smell of your surroundings and there's a higher chance that's it will attach in the letter and so I decided to smell it. I never thought that it's actually right." Neru said as Neru turn around and went back to her seat, leaving Akane behind completely dumbfounded.

Neru open the letter as she keep re-reading the same phrase over and over again.

A half-length portrait made by a certain Italian painter.

Half-length portrait.

Italian painter.

"There's a lot of Italian painter so I can't really tell if what my brain is telling me is true." Neru thought as she groan mentally, she already has an idea about the hint but she don't know what's the connection between them and thus, she's not sure whether it's correct or not.

On the other hand, Sato Shiori already guessed who the painter and what's the paint is but she has the same problem with Neru.

What's the connection?! I have no idea! Think! Sato anxiously thought as she continue fidgeting on her seat.

"A painter? Yes, an Italian painter. A half-length portrait but next? What's next then?" Neru on the other hand thought as she continue analyzing the hint over and over again.

And just like a bulb that tings, both Sato and Neru widen their eyes in realization. Both are nervous of that person's safety and for them, it's up to them. That persons' safety is up to them and they have no idea on how to protect her.

"Why didn't I think of that earlier?" Sato thought as she shook her head in disbelief and rest her head on the table desk.

"This person isn't joking, it is a pretty big hint. She really is serious and confident that she'll win in this dangerous challenge of hers." Neru thought as she took a deep sigh and smile mentally as Neru hope that the person behind this wouldn't caught them from the fact that they already figure out the hint.

They need to wait for another week and have to keep an eye of the person that they need to protect, on the other hand they need to look out from the observing eye of the two faced psychopath.

A half-length portrait made by a certain Italian painter.

"That hint talks about Leondardo Da Vinci and her painting Monalisa. The person who has the same name yet shortened to serve as a nickname is none other than, Shida Manaka." Sato thought as the nervous sweats form from her temple, like her classmates she can't say anything in case the culprit is watching and listening to them.

They have to figure this out individually, work together without getting caught by her sharp eyes.

"So the hint is actually for the nickname, this person is clever. I have to keep an eye on Manaka." Neru thought as she took a deep sigh, waiting for the dismissal so they can go home and share it to Hirate via phone.