Just like one of those most essential parts in clichéd detective stories. I stutteringly told Elena that there was a person before, most likely a young woman, all white, standing just outside the gate, in the middle of the storm, holding a dagger, and even more, she and her weapon were bloodstained. And the most unbelievable fact is … that white being was … innocently smiling at me.

“A white … young woman, you said?” Elena seemed totally shocked.

“Yes …. Ah, the dagger! Her dagger is exactly the same as the one you found in the forest with us. Is that thing still with …,” I quickly replied, and asked her, but cut by her.

“Are you sure she is all white and a woman!? ... And yes, it should be still inside of my drawer,” Elena clarified, but really not looking like herself.

“She has long waving white hair, and wears elaborated gothic dresses with a large bonnet. She must be a female!”

We were suddenly out of topic in the middle of this inconvenient depressing weather.

“Then …, where is she now?” The confused detective had relieved some, but still doubting me.

As I expected, a rational thinker like Elena wouldn’t accept my statements directly without seeing it herself, or having any evidence to support the fact. Thus, I grabbed her hand quickly, and guided her to the location where that white woman was before. I was so determined to prove that white existence is a real deal that I didn’t feel any fear anymore. Elena could keep up with my impatient pace, but she needed to drop her umbrella, and ran under the rain together with me. She didn’t seem to care much about getting herself drenched either, unlike the usual girls. Her curiosity is her biggest interest. She also looked extremely eager to confirm that fairy tale though she was still mixed with some unsettled feelings.

Continuing to that clichéd mystery genre concept. Nothing. There was nothing in there. As though … nothing had ever been there. Elena and I were searching together with the one and only flashlight. The dripped bloods, and footprints must have already been flushed away by the rapid flowing water on the soil. No body nor corpse was found. No more of that eerie aura that could be felt even from a far distance away. The inner side of the forest was so deep and dark that we could only see for a limited range even with the help of the light, and the storm already declined to a normal rain. Everything had been reset to the how-it-should-be condition. Everything I wanted to prove was gone.

Changing the topic, Elena told me that she had searched in all locations including those I hadn’t explored yet. The back of the mansion which is by the beach, and the right open lounge. But the most important information is Kazuki had been found by Ryouta, and returned.

“Then we should quickly return to the mansion. Fionna-chan might have returned too.”

I must admit, I still couldn’t accept the fact that I couldn’t find any evidence to prove that strange phenomenon isn’t just a plain stupid hallucination of mine. Elena also looked somehow unsatisfied. But now, we were more concerned about the safety of our friends, and we must find out the cause of that previous glass breaking sound inside Ken’s room first. So, after we locked up the opened gate, the two of us ran back toward the mansion for the second time since that forest exploration which marked the beginning of everything about this Snow White.

Her umbrella? It had been blown away by the gust so far that we didn’t see it on our way back to the mansion. Though we had reached into the shelter in front of the main entrance. Before I could stop her, she had already run into the middle of the rain again so distant away just to fetch that little companion of her.

The rain suddenly ceased when Elena reached into the shelter again. It was just a coincidence, and the normal Elena would have been throwing a tantrum already like a little kid. But we couldn’t care less now. After leaning the umbrella at the corner beside the door as it was still dripping, we continued our run, and entered into the mansion together.

On our way back to Ken’s room, we found Kazuki at the far end of the main hall which was already wet spread by so many footsteps and droplets here and there. He looked like searching for something even though it was him who supposedly to be searched by. As we were approaching him hastily, Elena also quickly explained to me even before I had the time to think of what we were seeing right now about the man in front of us isn’t exactly the same with the fact she had told me earlier, very systematically and elaborately.

“When Kazuki-kun in wet attire had returned to us in front of Yamao-kun’s room, I asked Kaigo and Ringo to let me ask you to return back to us. They wanted to …, no, they must stay in there until the door is unlocked. But they also concerned about me, who so persistently wanted to go alone. Thus, I told them the still distracted Kazuki is going to help me find you as well. Since he is your best friend, and the reason you so wanted to go in the first place is to search for him. Also, we are going to search in the inside of the mansion only, carefully, cautiously, and certainly. Finally, after a hard confidence, we could really leave them, and after we really couldn’t see them anymore, I told Kazuki-kun to search in the inside alone, and I will go to the outside. Kazuki-kun didn’t let me at first. I persisted until I can again. The outside is far safer than the inside because of the heavy rain. I will just take a quick look around. I won’t wonder anywhere. I promise. Believe in me! I think you must be at the outside. I think you will think about that sound hearing possibility. But I am still not so sure enough about your cognitive ability. That is why we must separate our search. But then there was you. You really were at the outside, blank-mindedly standing in the middle of the rain. So please, don’t tell Kaigo and Ringo about this, ‘kay?”

The information was so long that the half-dried Kazuki already regrouped with us for quite some time. He and I didn’t really understand about what she had just said so quickly and confusingly. But we know that she would get into a big trouble if we were to tell the others about her previous selfish decision, especially to the twins. Couldn’t bear to watch her in such panicky state. All right, all right, we nodded together like the twins.

She is not even sure about my cognitive ability? How truthful. But still, she was doing all those things for me.

After Elena had put down the flashlight on one of the tables in the main hall, the three of us returned back as fast as we could to the other 3 members group, in front of the previous locked room. Now, half of everyone was assembled here. The others were the still missing Fionna, and Ryouta who was searching for her, Kaede and Chika who hadn’t returned from getting the master key in the kitchen, Takuma who was in his room far on the other wing, and Ken who was also in his room but just in front of us.

Megumi greeted us when we arrived.

“What? Kaede-chan and Chika-chan still haven’t returned with all of you yet? Oh my God. What are they doing right now? Why did you all choose the most coward one to get the key?”

Megumi was very stress out already. She shut her eyes, and hit her forehead with her right hand while her phone was on her left.

“I am going to help them!” once again I was acting automatically before considering carefully first.

“Me too,” Elena also worried about them.

“Looks like there is no need,” both twins noticed together some light running steps toward us. Kaede and Chika were sprinting as fast as they could with the master key in the latter’s hand.

“Sorry …, the key is … so hard to find …,” Kaede said breathlessly.

Kaigo swiftly received it, and unlocked the door that had been carefully checked by Ringo and verified it as just an ordinary locked door. The twins impatiently pushed that seal open which had been previously preventing us from knowing what was going on the inside, and causing so much trouble for us. Some of us who had seen the fact just stood still, and stopped to move.

“Sniff, sniff. Bad deeds started,” whispered by the two of the most identical ones in beautiful rhythm.

Elena and I could see nothing from behind. I wanted to know as well. What had made them paused so abruptly? In fact, I could sort of guess already. But I just didn’t want to believe it until I saw it with my very own eyes. I gently pushed the dumbfounded persons aside, and made my own way through to the front most from their narrow space. I immediately saw the fluttering white curtains at its wide-opened windows, and horribly broken vase in front of it as the appetizer before the worst thing ever. I was right, absolutely right after all.

Ken is dead, lying on his bed, disorderedly with his right hand hanging down that side. His expression was also like any of us, who didn’t know what was going on. His eyes were opened as wide as it possible, but still couldn’t be bigger than his silenced shouting mouth. He has his neck cut so deep, and splattered so much blood around the room that we were too sure already, he couldn’t be saved anymore.

Still not too late as the screams of hysterics were being released by the inexperienced fellow participants, echoed horrifyingly inside this brutal murder room, making the entire scene worse than ever. I was able to restraint myself from shouting not because I am so brave nor calm. But I was just being paralyzed once again in place, by the sight of a dead body, and so much bloodstains scattered before me for the first time in my life. And even more than any of that, the victim is one of the persons I had known for so long.

The ones who were still really calm and untroubled at all were Kaigo and Ringo. As though they had already been used to this kind of situations. They skillfully advanced toward the victim without causing any disturbance upon everything inside the room, persevering the scene as it was from the first time we saw it. They immediately did the procedures that a policeman and a forensic are supposed to do.

Kaigo kneeled down by the bed before performing the examination on Ken’s lying dead body, and Ringo was searching for any suspicious things around the room while the rest of us were still unable to move an inch.

As Kaigo was checking on the corpse with his gloves, he showed an identity card in his wallet to us in a flash, and kept it back again into his jean’s back pocket before we had the chance to see what it actually was. He was still busying as he explained.

“… line. Worry not, my fellow classmates. Just keep calm and stay wherever you want. I have my doctor license. As for Rin, trust me, she has her …,”

“… police license. I am searching for clues or evidences that might be left by me if I am the murderer. As for Kai, excuse me, don’t steal my …,” she, then, also showed us an identity card from a distance while still doing her job in her gloves, and skillfully saved it again that we also didn’t managed to see it clearly.

“Murderer …!?”

I was back to my senses again. This is a real murder occurred in front of me! Up until now, I just thought that a friend had ‘simply’ died there, not actually thinking far enough to who caused that. It is a so simple thought, really, if we are just on the side of reading, hearing, or watching from a story. But it really doesn’t cross in my mind at all. That cruelest fact.

The twins were absolutely right. He must have been undoubtedly killed by someone, by a murderer. No, it was still too early to conclude that there is only one person who did that, maybe two, maybe three, maybe a bunch of them. My mind instantly switched back to that still incomprehensible experience a few minutes ago. Yes, that white young woman must be one of them. that self-claimed Snow White with bloody knife, full bloodstained body, suspiciously out there in the middle of the stormy night, dark and unsettling aura, smiling as though unaware of everything, then she disappeared.

“I … I can’t believe …, a murder … has happened … in front of …,” Kaede stuttered as Chika was tremblingly hugging her. The little sister’s face was already as white as paper.

“Is he really … dead?” Megumi still tried to be composed. She was shakily checking her phone again, but then so quickly threw away that luxurious but useless communication device. It hit the side table before falling onto the floor. Everyone was startled, thinking that another unexpected thing had been repeated. She let out a despairing groan.

“Hey! How could this ever happen!!?” Kazuki was angry and stressed. His head shook very forcefully left and right to see everything in a clearer view. His still wet hair splattered some drops onto the cold bloody floor.

After the quick inspection, Kaigo rose, and announced professionally.

“Unfortunately, I believe the cause of death is what we are seeing right now, ehem …. The deep and broad cut on the neck. An instant dea ….”

*Prraaanggg.

We slightly jumped out of shock before the doctor could elegantly finish his excellent report. Another horror of glass breaking sound had really been repeated to terror all of us once again. It sounded like even louder than before as though we had been unconsciously preparing for that. And just like having another replay from the start of the tragedy, we impatiently ran toward the source of the latest sound, leaving the death body alone at its first discovered place.

Leaded by Kaigo and Ringo whom somehow reacted faster than any of us, we sprinted together to the opposite wing of the mansion. Despite so far away, we could already tell. It must be from Takuma’s room. The two of them, Ken and Takuma are so alike. They are only close, and prefers talking to each other much more than with any of us, and even get drunken previously at the very same time. That similarly done glass breaking sound, must be alarming us that Takuma had already ended up with the same fate as Ken.

On our restless way toward the second glass breaking room, in front of the main stairs, we saw Ryouta who was fully soaked by the rain running up the stairs toward us. He was gasping heavily while holding the back of his head with his right hand. Seemed that he just returned from the outside after searching for our other female friend who had been missing right after the dinner. When we regrouped on the second-floor corridor, we spoke as we were running.

“What is that sound?” he asked worriedly, in almost no breath anymore to any of us.

“We want to find that out as well,” Kazuki replied to the one who found him before.

“I can’t find Fionna-chan yet. Has she returned?”

“What?” I spontaneously answered with yet another question. Is … Fionna really the …?

“Not yet, more importantly …,” Ringo answered in my place, perfectly according to the current situation.

“… the source of that sound,” Kaigo completed his twin sister’s words.

I noticed the back of our newest member’s head that he was holding all this time was kind of strange. It was bleeding slightly.

“Ryouta-kun, your head ….”

“Oh, this. No worries, Yoru-kun. I will tell the details later,” Ryouta forced a smile on top of his still unbearable painful expression. We know that he is that kind of man. He is even more worried about any of us than his own self. We decided to respect his decision.

Now we finally arrived in front of Takuma’s room. The atmosphere felt really alike with the previous one. The door was locked, and no one replied from the inside for our deafening shouts, and door bangs. But one thing is different though, we can now unlock the door immediately because the master key was with us, with Kaigo more specifically.

Even though before opening the door, even though we were so exhausted already that shouldn’t be able to think clearly anymore. I, no, all of us should have known what had happened inside. All hints are exactly the same. Just like when a primary school teacher gives out a riddle to his students, and they have to guess it. No matter their answer is right or wrong. The teacher would eventually reveal its correct answer for their future reference. After that, if the same question with the same clues is being presented again. The students would have automatically known its answer without any hesitation. The teacher should be very proud.

Ringo is the one who unlocked the door this time because her twin brother just eccentrically gave out the master key which hadn’t left him even for a second after he received it from Chika.

They must take in turns, whatever the situation is.

Even though we had known and prepared our mental for the worst already, even though this wasn’t the first time anymore. We were still being dumbfounded again by the sight of the content designed in the second murder scene. We still … hadn’t gotten used to these gruesome and full of hatred murders, yet.

“Sniff, sniff. Bad deeds indeed,” chuckled by the two of the most alike ones in graceful rhythm.

Takuma is also found lying on his bed, dead, and disorganized. Nothing new though, just the same horrible and bloody scene as the first murder. It stunk our noses. The two of them has had their head almost severed. The two of them were indeed very same.

But actually, this one had gotten some bonuses on him. He had been stabbed so many times all over his body but there is no weapon to be found around. And his face is severely disfigured as though had been beaten rapidly with so much force and no mercy at all. Maybe, there was even more bloods sprayed all over the room’s everything from his mouth and body.

Kaigo and Ringo were just basically replaying what they had done in Ken’s room while we were unable to scream anymore. After a few touches and tests, the young doctor and the young police finally finished with their examination on the second corpse and scene. But it was the female’s turn now.

As I said, they don’t care about anything, but equality.

“The same as the first murder, yet again, nothing special. The cause of death is what we are seeing right now, ehem …,” Ringo explained in the speed of light, and pointed at the horribly stained environment of the second crime casually as though a presentation. She cleared her throat proudly for being finally able to finish what her brother so wanted to warp up in the first one before. The latter seemed so jealous at her. She continued in a slower pace.

“… though I still couldn’t confirm whether the beatings were occurred before or after the dea ….”

*Stepp. *Stepp. *Stepp.

Holy moly! The twins really were interrupted by something unexpected again. Equality at the finest! The constant knocking sounds of someone’s high heels onto the floor was coming toward the room. Of course, it wasn’t caused by any of us who were just standing barely in the inside, near the door. The twins just chuckled to each other, at their missed chances to finish each of their own first-class reports. They, then, gave a deep sigh, and an utterly disappointed face, so reversely from before.

That Snow White!? Finally!

Here came the beautiful young lady whom I most wanted to inquire to … as well. She appeared in front of the door while also drenched in her previous dark dresses. Even though she was seeing a murder scene right in front of her now. Her countenance was just the same as usual, nothing matters. Not even trembling from the coldness of her wet attires. Apparently, her makeup is also entirely waterproof at the highest quality.

“Where have you been!?” the person who had been searching for her previously had the most rights to ask.

Our foreign friend paused. And then faintly grinned at us for a moment. We had never seen her like that.

At last, after a long waiting since the morning, or even since the middle school period 6 years ago, a voice finally escaped from her small cute mouth. Her slightly distinguishable Old European accent had made her voice unique yet still very beautifully and perfectly sounded as naturally as any of us in our language. She is the Fionna.

“Rain likes me …, I guess.”

Two cold drops were unlucky to leave her flawless V-shaped chin.

All of us were completely silenced. She even gave out another unbelievable gift after her rare speech. It was also our first time to see that. It was even more astonishing than that first sudden grin. Even though it should have been a common countenance for any girls in the world, but it is as though never designed for her character at all.

She was now, showing a very innocent and cute smile that unimaginably matched perfectly with her usual unemotional fairy face to us all.

Was it her who had made that super adorable sound again?

“Iih hii.”