Case 1: The Young Lady’s Assassination

The 13 students who were dragged out the bus felt their heart sped up and their eyes lit up in hope. They can go home! They can still see their family! They all cheered in their heart, happiness can be seen in their face. Even after they were roughly pushed towards the policemen, the happiness and relief painted on their face didn’t fade.

Along with the gasps and exclamations of the crowd, the students cried as they were greeted by their relatives who had long been waiting for them. They hugged tightly for their reunion and checked if the students had wounds.

The seven students that were left felt their life became bleak. Their eyes fell on Suzuki Mio who’s silently crying. Even if they would yell at her, nothing will change. They could only wait after one hour.

“M-Mio – sama…” Aria cried. She chose to stay behind and accompany Mio. She took Mio’s hand and held it tight. “We… we’ll be fine, right?” she asked, her face and lips pale, her nose is red and her eyes bloodshot from crying.

The past assassinations to her were all unsuccessful. Before those people could get close to her, the bodyguards around her immediately took her away and brought her to safe place. After a series of exchanging blows with the assassins, the assassins immediately left after one or two of their companions died. Aria cowers inside the car beside her, but relief can be seen in her face. However, Suzuki Mio never felt any relief. Even if it was her enemy, but a life has been taken away in front of her. She was never a saint, but knowing a life died because of her – even if it was an enemy, still, she feels a deep guilt and regret. She never told this to anybody, not even Aria who is her confidant, nor to the man she hired as her bodyguard – her last straw. This guilt and regret, she will bring these forbidden feelings to her grave so that her parents wouldn’t blame themselves after knowing how their daughter felt. After all, they hope for her to live, albeit who dies.

She blew out air and looked at her watch. Half an hour had already passed after the release of the 13 students. She looked at the 5 crestfallen students. “Release them.” She told the criminal near her. “Release them. It is only me you want. No need to wait.” She said.

Aria’s eyes went wide. “Mio-sama! No - !” she cried. She was about to pull Mio when the criminal held her neck. Her face went from pale to red when she felt her breath was stuck on her throat.

“Aria!” Suzuki Mio cried and held the criminal’s arm holding Aria high by the neck, her head almost touching the roof.

The other 5 students whimpered and cowered in their seat, shrinking as much as possible so that the criminals won’t see them.

“Mmf!” Aria cried in pain and slowly losing her breath.

“Stop! Stop! Just let them all go now! I am staying behind!” Suzuki Mio cried as she hit the arm of the criminal and trying to unclench the hand on Aria’s neck.

The criminal glared at her, then to Aria. “If she’d squeak another word…” he said and let go of Aria’s neck.

“Ugh!” Aria cried when she fell on the floor, holding her neck as she catches her breath. “Haaaa…”

“Aria!” Suzuki Mio called and helped her up.

The criminal only sneered and left them to tell the news to his boss. “Mio…” the students called their unfortunate classmate.

“I’ll be fine.” Suzuki Mio told them after she helped Aria sit beside their female classmate. “I’m sorry if I dragged you all with me.” She said and bowed.

Their eyes went wide, shocked. Suzuki Mio is kind but also proud. She apologizes, but never did she bowed unlike now. They stared at her in shock. “M – Mio – “ they called, but were cut short when the sound of the helicopter can be heard.

“Oh?” the leader of the criminals said and grinned. He looked at the police in charge, a fake regret in his voice. “We will be taking our leave now, then – “ he said as he looked inside the bus.

Their eyes went wide when they saw a student was dragged out of the bus and was handed to the leader of the criminals. “Suzuki Mio!” the police in charge exclaimed under his breath when he saw the female student. The onlookers also were stunned. After all, it was the heir of the famous legal arm-dealer businessman.

They were all pushed away by the gusts of wind coming from the helicopter and had no other choice but to take more steps back. The helicopter’s ladder fell beside the leader of the criminals. The leader then took Mio, held her by the waist and grabbed the ladder by his other hand. The other criminals took this chance to ran to their car and started it. One of them that was pointing a gun to the bus driver instructed the driver to move the bus.

“Hold it!” the police in charge yelled to his companions who tried to shoot the escaping criminals. “You might shoot the students!” he yelled on top of his lungs amidst the roaring helicopter above their heads.

The crowd immediately ran in all directions on the sight of a possible shootout. The police in charge gritted his teeth as he watched Suzuki Mio taken away by the leader of the criminals hanging in the helicopter that’s now flying away. The Seiken Academy bus now also moved after the road was clear. The criminals’ cars immediately bypassed the bus and the criminal in charge of the bus driver flee from the bus and boarded his companions’ car.

It was a sickening defeat. This task if too tall for him to take. All he thinks now is if the student that was taken away will be safe. He ordered his subordinates to check the students that were inside the bus. He felt his limbs are weak. If even just one students were injured… he may pay for his life.

He just now hopes Suzuki Mio will stay safe… even if that hope is as small as an ant in the middle of the desert.

“Mio-sama!” Aria’s scream rang as they watch the figure of the helicopter turn into a dot in the horizon.

Somewhere…

A shadow moved in the damp walls illuminated by countless candles. Inside a small and humid space is a figure wearing layers of thick clothes. In front of the figure is a long stone table, the edges were engraved in countless unrecognizable characters.

“Soon… very soon… your life will be mine… Suzuki Mio!”