It was mid-October and Saizou could already feel the cold penetrating the marrow of his bones. Although he was used to the cold weather (he had, of course, experienced freezing winters back in Romania), the eerie air surrounding the main gates of Kantetsu Academy was being able to send a chill down his spine.

Was it just his imagination?

Kantetsu Academy had an outstanding reputation and appearance. It had both middle school and high school divisions, which featured hand-picked curriculums to bring out the best of their all-boys student body. It was now one of the best well-known teaching institutions in the world, having educated several Japanese elites - from DIET politicians to world-renowned musicians, scientists and athletes.

“And then here I am…” mumbled Saizou as he stood before the wrought iron gates that guarded the main entrance, suitcase in hand. He squeezed the letter with his other hand and took a step forward. Inori, I’ll definitely find the person who killed you and put an end to it all.

Stepping onto the school grounds, Saizou followed the stone-and-cement path that led to the front building. Being fall, the trees that leisurely decorated the path were almost completely bare; only a few leaves still struggled against the cold to clung to their branches. From the well-maintained appearance of his surroundings, one could tell right away that this was a place for those few who could afford an expensive education.

I can already guess that most students here are the typical spoiled brats that think the world is already theirs because they were raised to ride their mommy’s and daddy’s coattails, Saizou inwardly thought to himself as he more closely observed the type of place he was letting himself into.

The appearance of the front building also didn’t disappoint his line of thinking. A two-storied building, built in a Victorian-style: red bricks covered the entirety of the front side and the big windows had white, wooden frames. Saizou was starting to lose track of the fact that he was currently in an Asian country and not in Europe - that was how well done the reproduction of European housing was. The building seemed to be used mainly for receiving new students and guests, and was also where the teachers’ lodge and quarters were situated.

I didn’t expect the school to be like this but… Slightly mesmerised by his surroundings, Saizou shook himself and decided it was time to meet with the person who had sent him the invitation: the Headmaster.

Saizou stepped inside of the front building, finding several staff members running around all over the place. He somehow managed to catch one of the busy bees and asked for direction, receiving the information that the Headmaster’s office was placed in the northernmost side of the second floor. Not wasting a second more, Saizou followed the mental map he made from the instructions given to him and, ten minutes of walking later, he reached a big wooden door. A metallic plaque spelt ‘Headmaster of Kantetsu Academy’ next to it.

Curiously, it was only then that Saizou started to get nervous. He had travelled all the way to Japan and he didn’t even know what he should expect out of this encounter. He wondered what kind of person this ‘Headmaster’ would wind up being. How could he possess that kind of information on him when he couldn’t find any clues whatsoever in certain Japanese networks? The Headmaster must doubtlessly be a very influential person as they were carrying the reputation of this prestigious school on their shoulders. But was that truly the only reason why?

Saizou swallowed hard, trying to tamp down his nerves and impatience in the process, and gently but firmly knocked on the door. His heart was thumping madly as he anxiously waited for permission to come from within the office.

“Yes?” There suddenly resounded a strong and imposing voice. Growing slightly nervous once again, Saizou put his sweaty hand on the knob and opened the door.

“Excuse me,” said Saizou promptly, closing the door behind himself as he turned around to face the big mahogany desk. “My name is Mikami Saizou and I came here today because-”

“Because of the letter I sent you,” interrupted a busy-looking man, sitting on the desk while going through several documents. “Yes, I know who you are. Though I wasn’t expected you to get here so quickly. I only sent that letter one week ago.”

The man sitting at the desk had dark brown hair and a robust, sharp face. He wore glasses and his stare was focused and stern, fixed as it was on the documents in his hands. The Headmaster of Kantetsu Academy appeared to be one of those individuals who did their utmost not to make any mistakes, enforcing that same basic rule on those who worked beneath them.

“Yes, that’s why I came,” started Saizou with a certain hesitation. He nervously rubbed his damp palm on his pants’ leg. “You wrote that my older brother’s murderer is here.”

“Indeed,” shortly acknowledged the Headmaster, his eyes still stuck to the paperwork.

“How did you know I was looking for them?” asked Saizou in a slightly more upfront way. Part of him was irked over receiving half-assed replies left and right.

“Inori talked about you now and then so I knew right away you would attempt to do such a thing,” said the Headmaster, putting the documents he held down on the table and grabbing a few more from another pile.

So he knows Inori personally, noted Saizou in the back of his mind, gritting his teeth and narrowing his eyes. At this point, there wasn’t any need to restrain himself. He hadn’t travelled all the way there to be kept in the dark for longer than necessary.

“Who was it?” asked Saizou, his voice a cold, sharp blade. “Where are they!?”

“One thing at a time,” sighed the Headmaster, as he finally looked at the unexpected guest. “I sent you a letter saying Inori’s murderer was roaming around my school, yes. But I don’t know their identity either. What I wrote wasn’t bait to get your attention, however. The current circumstances and some deduction work led me into that conclusion.”

“I see… I’m sorry for snapping at you,” apologised Saizou, bowing down his head slightly.

The Headmaster released another soft sigh and straightened the documents on top of his desk, shuffling them from one pile to another. “And? You came all the way from Romania to Japan all by yourself. I take it that you’ve made up your mind in some sort of way, did you not?”

“Well… I…” started Saizou but when the Headmaster’s intense stare was finally directed his way, it seemed to have swallowed up all of his words. His initial plan of staying at the school - the closest location to the culprit - was slowly being seeped out of his mind by those eyes half-hidden beneath the glasses’ lenses.

In the blink of an eye, the mood in the office did a one-eighty.

“A room has already been appointed as yours in the dorms,” announced the Headmaster, a happy grin pulling the corner of his lips upwards - that smile was such a big difference from his stoic looks that it seemed unnatural in his face. It had caught Saizou completely off guard. “You see, I owe Inori a quite large debt. He has passed away, however, so you’re the one way for me to repay him. Sorry, did my face have you fooled there? It happens all the time so don’t take it to heart. I was born with a face totally opposite to my personality so, you know… Misunderstanding after misunderstanding. And as the Headmaster, I also need to play the role to a T. As an adult, you must know what I’m talking about.”

“Ah… Yes…” acknowledged Saizou, still extremely taken aback by the sudden personality reveal. If anything, it truly was the complete opposite of his initial impression of the headmaster. Wait… Huh?

“The introduction may be coming late but nevertheless, I’m Iwaaki Daichi, the current headmaster of Kantetsu Academy,” said Iwaaki, getting up from his seat and walking around the desk to grow closer to his guest. A satisfied smile always present in his lips. “And as I said in the letter, I’m also a friend of Inori. It’s a very long story so let’s save it for another occasion. I’ve already warned the teachers that a new transfer student would arrive somewhere throughout this month and I’ve booked one of the dorm rooms as your own. Textbooks and all other materials are already there waiting for you. All you need to do is move in, I guess.”

“Eh? Oh. Right,” awkwardly acknowledged Saizou, his mind racing a hundred miles per hour at the sudden information barrage. All he could say was, “Thank you, Iwaaki-san.”

“However…” continued Iwaaki, stopping right in front of Saizou. For some reason, the smile did no longer seem as innocent and playful as before. “I need a little favour in exchange.”