I, the lord of ghost stories

Kana's father bows his head to Maiko in apology.

Zhen Yizi stood up in a panic, and politely returned the salute, but she didn't know how to react otherwise.

"Rumors spread very quickly.

I think you should have heard something...Makoko.

The day Chanel died, someone anonymously called the police and said my daughter committed suicide because she was being bullied. "

Although Mr. Gugou who was talking to Maiko didn't notice, Maiko could clearly see the principal's impatient expression.

"It's really embarrassing to come here to ask questions before my daughter's body was brought home.

However, neither my wife nor I think that child will commit suicide, and there is no sign of being bullied from Chanel's words and deeds.

Therefore, we want to talk to the teacher and Chanel's friends anyway, hoping to find out the truth.

We want to know why the child had to choose suicide. "

"Aren't you very close to the dead classmate Gugou?"

Ichinose-sensei squatted down and said as if he was going to grab Maiko's shoulder from behind.

He stared at Maiko's side face and uttered a sticky tone, which made her feel even more cringe.

His eyes were like some kind of cold snake-like animal, exuding the deep meaning of seeing the prey, which made Maiko's heart flustered.

"We... are just ordinary friends."

"Hasn't she discussed any troubles with you?"

"No."

Makoto bit her lip.

She can't take it anymore.

This is simply torture, maybe they still suspect that Maiko is the one who bullied Channa.

"...Kanna... did she really commit suicide?"

She mustered up the courage to ask Mr. Gugou.

"Did you leave a suicide note?"

"Last Saturday, Chanel said that the school had club activities and went out.

However, Chanel didn't go to the choir, and we don't know if she came to school or went to other places.At around four o'clock in the afternoon, she went to an apartment on the school route and climbed to the top floor. "

Mr. Gugou paused at this point.

"...After the police investigation, it was found that Chanel's shoe prints were left on the top floor of the apartment, and the surveillance camera only captured the picture of Chanel alone.

Moreover, the railings on the top floor are very high. If you don’t climb up, you can’t touch the top of the railings... If you are forced to the top floor by someone, or pushed down the stairs by others, there will definitely be traces of others who have been there. "

Recalling these old sayings must make Mr. Gugou very sad, right?However, it may be because he has said these things to many people repeatedly, his tone only sounds flat.

"The child should have climbed the railing of his own volition and then jumped off. From the evidence shown so far, the possibility of homicide or accident is almost zero."

Maiko remained silent, just looking down at her fist on her lap.

"...The police told us that the child walked straight to the railing with steady steps. Although I don't know how long she stood there, but I heard that there was no trace of hesitation. Instead, she climbed up and looked forward, and then simply...jumped down."

Twelfth floor.

Looking down at the ground from such a height, what kind of scene do you see?

Makoto closed her eyes tightly.

"Why doesn't she discuss it with my mentor?"

Teacher Lishui, holding a handkerchief, couldn't help crying bitterly.

She had been a beautiful beauty, but now she looked weak and emaciated from all the suffering, and big tears fell on the handkerchief on her lap.

"Whether it's in the classroom or participating in club activities, there are so many opportunities to discuss with me... I can't be trusted by her, which makes me sadder than anything else.

If I could see her that day, I might be able to help.Why?Why didn't you tell me..."

"...Maiko."

Mr. Gugou sighed, and then looked at Zhen Yizi sincerely.

"My wife told me that you have a very good relationship with my family's Chanel, so I want to talk to you... I am really sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable."

"I don't feel bad about it."

Makoto shook his head desperately.

"But I don't know anything... I'm sorry."

"The child is dead, and I know that to be an undeniable fact.

However, we couldn't believe that the child would commit suicide.

We thought, if she really committed suicide, what will she leave behind?So last night and this morning we also searched carefully, the desk, the notes in the school bag, the textbooks, and any place that might leave a message, but we found nothing.

She doesn't have her own computer, we only have one computer in the living room for the whole family to share, but there is no Chanel's personal folder in it. "

Mr. Gugou finished the passage in one breath, took a short breath and continued:

"Then, we realized that the only thing left was the mobile phone."

"cell phone……"

"We agreed to let her buy a mobile phone within the scope of pocket money, so she has her own mobile phone since this year... She always has a mobile phone with her, but we are looking for it in her belongings and at home. The mobile phone was not found. The police also searched the scene of the incident, but it has not been found until now."

Maiko remembered seeing Kanai's—the last—text message that day.The time of sending the message was half a day before Chanel jumped off the building, that is, on Saturday morning.

"We have checked with the telecommunications company. The last time Chanel used the mobile phone was on Saturday morning. If it was stolen or picked up by someone, there was no sign of improper use afterwards. If it is turned on, there is still a way to find out The location of the mobile phone, but now, there is no way to find it."

"……is that so……"

"I also asked these questions to other friends of Chana, so I hope you don't misunderstand, please answer me truthfully──Makoko, have you received a text message from my Kanna? Does she... have any troubles... Have you discussed with you about her plan to seek death?"

Maiko felt that all the adults' eyes were on her, and she couldn't help but get scared.

Teacher Shizumi was still holding on to the handkerchief, but she had stopped sobbing at some point and was carefully observing Maiko's reaction.

Watch what Maiko will answer.

──Chicken, keep those messages safe.

The text of that text message seemed to be floating in front of her eyes clearly.

"...No, we usually send text messages to each other occasionally, but...it's just ordinary chat, and we don't talk about that kind of topic."

"yes……"

Mr. Gugou slumped his shoulders.

"It seems that someone from this school called the police to say that Chanel was being bullied, and she committed suicide because of being bullied.

Maiko... haven't my children told you these things? "

"..."

"It doesn't matter if it's a small thing, can you tell me?"

"Okay, Mr. Gugou, using this questioning tone will make Guan Chuan feel troubled.

If Guan Chuan thinks of anything in the future, the school will inform you again. I think we can stop here for today. "

The headmaster smoothed things over.

"Our school is also investigating these things with sincerity. However, we still don't want the bullying incidents claimed by the media to cause tension among students. I hope you can understand the school's position."

"However, the police have clearly told us that someone reported a bullying incident at the school. There won't be any children who commit suicide inexplicably, right?"

Mr. Gugou was a little annoyed.

"If it's really because of the bullying incident, then Kanna was 'killed'? If that's the case, we have to investigate carefully. Depending on the situation, we might even ask the police to come forward..."

"Okay, okay, Mr. Gugou."

While comforting Mr. Gugou, the principal winked at Mr. Lishui. The teacher immediately stood up and gently pushed Maiko out of the principal's office.

Before the door of the principal's office was completely closed, fierce arguments erupted inside.

"No way? No way?! No one really thinks that such a clumsy rhetoric can be perfunctory?"

The angry voice of Mr. Gugou, Chanel's father, penetrated the door and resounded inside and outside.

"The result of the school's investigation is that they were not bullied at all?"

"All the teachers, all the students, none of them bullied my daughter, all of them are clean?

Only my daughter has a brain problem, so she jumped off the building by herself? "

"So at the end of the investigation, it is my daughter who is guilty and she has problems herself?"

"Principal, we are all adults. How dare you say something like this to me in front of a child who wouldn't believe it?"

"Who can be fooled by this perfunctory attitude?"

"Mr. Gugou, please calm down and we will do our best."

"That's enough, why bother to pretend, you're also impatient, and want to hit my face with your fist?"

"Old man, 20 years ago, when you were the grade director, I didn't like you...you are a hypocrite!"

"... Enough! Don't make trouble for no reason!"

After returning to the quiet corridor, Maiko began to relax her shoulders and sighed heavily.

She was so nervous that she hardly dared to breathe before, so her heart beat violently now.

As if trying to cover up the noise coming from the principal's office, Teacher Suisui gently pushed Maiko to the school building where the classroom was located.

"Thank you for your hard work, you can go back. Please don't tell anyone else about what Gugou's father said, and about the teacher coming to school today."

"Yes."

"The teacher has no way to intervene in this matter, does it make you feel wronged? Guan Chuan, if you think of any text messages or items left by Chanel, please tell the teacher. The teacher will help you keep the secret, you have to believe it Teacher."

"……Yes."

Besides, she didn't know what to answer.

Maiko walked towards the classroom with lifeless steps, thinking in a trance.

Chanel's phone.

If Chanel's mobile phone is found at the scene of the incident or at home, everything will be automatically disclosed, and I don't need to worry about it.If that's the case, Channa will tell her the text message about being bullied, and it will be displayed in front of everyone through a force majeure channel, and Maiko doesn't need to worry about whether she should take the initiative to tell her.

However, although I can't find Chanel's mobile phone now, it doesn't mean that I will never find it in the future.

Maybe the phone fell out when Chanel fell?Even if it is found one day, it may be impossible to read the information because it was broken; or, maybe Channa deleted the text message before jumping off the building.

──If you are provoked by those media reporters and say something you should not say, it will definitely be broadcast all over the country with embellishments.At that time, he might be regarded as a despicable informer by everyone and get looked down upon by everyone.

Makoto stopped suddenly.

The folders on her phone are still filled with text messages from Chanel and text messages from her back to Chanel.

However, there is a reason why Makoto cannot tell Kana's father clearly.Chana, who has been attracting attention with her beautiful singing voice since kindergarten, joined the choir halfway through her second year of junior high school.

At the beginning, Channa would happily use text messages to report club activities to her. However, since last month, the content of the text messages has begun to change——

[Chicken, I still feel left out and everyone pretends they didn't hear me say hello. ]

[Is it because Chanel is so powerful that everyone is jealous? ]

Maiko answered in a joking tone at first, but when she found out that Chana was seriously troubled, she also joined her in the same hatred.

[You tell the advisor directly that everyone maliciously excludes you! ]

[But the teacher knows that everyone treats me like that and doesn't care about me, they are all in the same group. ]

[how can that be possible?You haven't actually told the teacher, have you? ]

Because Maiko's mother is working outside, she has to help share the housework every day, so she is a little jealous of Kanna who can freely participate in club activities, and begins to feel a little impatient with her troubles.

[Chicken, my score was thrown in the gutter.I put it in my schoolbag carefully, so someone must have stolen it out. ]

[When practicing in groups, no one wants to be in the same group as me, I can only practice by myself. ]

[I can not make it.Chick, I can't sing anymore. ]