The classroom fell into a suffocating silence after Mira's words. No one moved. Even the teacher looked frozen beside the board, uncertain whether to interrupt or pretend nothing had happened. Rain continued tapping against the windows, the steady rhythm making the moment feel even heavier. Ren could feel the tension spreading through the room like an invisible fog. Dozens of confused intentions rose from the students—shock, curiosity, fear—but one presence stood apart from the rest. Yuuto Tanaka. His calm mask had cracked again, only slightly, but enough for Ren to sense the shift clearly. The killer had realized something dangerous: someone was watching him.
Detective Hayashi didn't react the way Ren expected. Instead of questioning Mira or correcting her, he simply observed the room quietly. His sharp eyes moved across the students one by one, studying their reactions like pieces on a chessboard. For a brief moment, his gaze stopped on Ren again. Ren felt it instantly. It was different from the attention of the other students. Focused. Measured. Almost as if the detective was trying to understand something about him. Then Hayashi turned back toward Mira. "Someone is lying," he repeated calmly, as if testing the weight of her words. "That's a serious claim." Mira didn't sit down. She remained standing beside her desk, completely calm despite the attention of the entire room. "I didn't say who," she replied softly.
The teacher cleared his throat nervously. "Tachibana, this isn't the time to start accusations." But Hayashi raised his hand again, silencing him without even looking. "No," the detective said quietly. "Let her continue." A ripple of surprise moved through the class. Mira tilted her head slightly, as if she had expected that answer all along. Ren watched her carefully. She wasn't nervous. She wasn't guessing either. She was pushing the situation forward deliberately, forcing the killer to react. And it was working. Ren could feel Yuuto's intention shifting more and more. Suspicion. Irritation. Calculation.
At the back of the classroom, Yuuto leaned deeper into his chair, casually spinning his pen again as if the conversation had nothing to do with him. But Ren could sense the tension beneath the surface. Yuuto's attention had completely locked onto Mira now. He wasn't afraid. He was analyzing her. Mira finally sat down slowly, her expression returning to its usual calm smile as if nothing unusual had happened. "That's all," she said lightly. Hayashi studied her for another second before nodding once. "Interesting observation." Then he turned back toward the rest of the class. "If anyone remembers seeing something unusual this morning, please report it to the staff. Even small details can matter."
The second investigator finished writing in his notebook, and the two men began walking toward the classroom door. For a moment it seemed like the conversation had ended. But just before leaving, Hayashi stopped. He turned around slowly and looked back at the room one final time. His eyes moved across the students… then stopped briefly on Ren. This time the gaze lingered slightly longer. "Sometimes," the detective said calmly, "the truth reveals itself through the smallest reactions." Then he opened the door and left.
The moment the investigators disappeared into the hallway, the classroom exploded with whispers. Students leaned toward each other, discussing the strange conversation and Mira's bold statement. The teacher tried to restore order, but the atmosphere had already changed. Ren barely heard any of it. His attention was focused on one thing. Yuuto Tanaka had stopped spinning his pen. For the first time since the detective had arrived, he was completely still. Slowly, almost casually, Yuuto lifted his eyes from his desk. His gaze moved across the room… and landed directly on Mira. Ren felt the intention immediately. It was no longer cautious or curious. It was sharp. Cold. Dangerous. The killer had made a decision.
And now Mira Tachibana had officially become his next problem.