Chapter Text
Getting into her top choice middle school, Rumi was on cloud nine. She had studied and pulled all nighters all for the sake of this moment.
She smiles as she sits at her desk. It was straight at the back, a seat away from the window, just as she wanted. She was far enough out of sight that she wouldn't be called on often but not in the corner where she would be thought of as delinquent.
And the best part was she would have prep time for class introductions!
Rumi smirks to herself as the student straight to the other end of the class awkwardly tries to think of something interesting about themselves.
I won't mess up this time!
Since kindergarten, Rumi somehow managed to fumble her class introduction. Her worst so far had been biting her tongue mid sentence and needing to be taken to the nurse's office.
The thought made her face pinch but she swiftly recovers.
I have more time to prepare this time. The teacher is going from left to right so I just need to be ready when he reaches me.
After the student sits, the person next to him stands up to speak, leaving three more people in front of her.
Rumi nods to herself.
My name is Rumi Yokoi, age 14. An interesting thing about me is I am learning to crochet. I hope we all get along with each other.
She mentally repeats the words like a mantra.
However, her thoughts come to stop when a slow but constant clicking sounds from next to her. She looks over at her right neighbor, curiousity and annoyance peaked.
It was a boy.
He had dark brown hair fell just above his eyes, spiking out in a few places. His eyes were bright green, focused on something under his desk where the clicking was coming from.
Rumi narrows her gaze below his table and gasps.
There was a dead doll the floor, chalk lines around her and all!
What the-!
Resisting the urge to bend down to see clearer, she strains her eyes at the scene. Under the boy's desk, the tiled floor was covered with a small bedroom model. On the bedroom carpet laid a blonde doll, her dress caked in what was supposed to be blood. There was a small knife next to her.
A murder scene?
The clicking sound returns, forcing her attention to the boy's hands. One hand held a doll with a detective hat, a small camera in his grip, while the other held a pen that he was clicking. Rumi blinks before realization dawns on her.
Oh it's an investigation. He's taking pictures of the body.
She gives the boy a wary look.
Why is he doing something like this during class? What if he gets caught?
Glancing to her left, anxiety creeps up on her as she sees there are only two people before her turn.
She bites her lip, going back to her mantra.
My name is Rumi Yokoi, age 14. An interesting thing about me is I am learning to crochet. I hope we all get along with each other.
*Click click*
Annoyance raising again, she turns a glare on the boy. However, she stops short when she spots three new dolls sit with the detective doll in the corner of the room. The new dolls were dressed in a butler, maid and business suit respectively.
Rumi watches curiously.
An interrogation?
First, the maid doll raises up a teapot and makes a repeated tipping motion. Next, the butler doll makes a wiping motion with a ripped piece of tissue in hand. Lastly, the businessman doll simply lifts his mini-laptop.
The detective taps his hat.
On the other hand, Rumi puts a hand on her chin.
So, the maid was making tea while the butler cleaned and the husband was working. None of them have any evidence though.
She looks at the detective, who was now looking at the body of the victim.
What will he do now?
Suddenly, the detective doll lifts up the knife next to the corpse and, to Rumi's surprise, he throws it away. He then turns the body over and lifts something up.
Rumi squints until she makes out that it was a spacebar key.
That's-!
Coming to the same conclusion, the detective points at the businessman doll, who immediately tries to run away. Pulled in by the scene, Rumi quickly takes up her eraser and flicks it at the doll, causing it to fall over.
Take that! Justice!
She looks at the mini laptop and spots a little bit of red on the edge. Looking back the turned over doll, there was some red on the back of her head.
That's it! He hit her in the head with the laptop and put the knife to make it look like it was a stab that killed her. But one of the keys fell out.
Rumi smirks victoriously.
Well done detective! Put that criminal behind bars!
However, instead of doing as she thought, the boy quickly begins to pack away all of the dolls. Rumi tilts her head.
Huh?
Before she could question his actions, a cough comes from behind her.
Looking up, horror fills her as the teacher stares back with a stern expression.
"And what is your name?" The teacher asks.
Rumi stands up. "My name is Detective Crochet, age Yokoi! Nice to meet you!" She vomits out.
There is a silence.
Damn!
As the class breaks into laughter, Rumi rounds an aggressive glare at her right neighbour, who had completely cleared away the game and taken out his books. He looked outside the window, ignoring her stare.
"Thank you for your introduction, detective." The teacher jokes before gesturing to the boy. "How about you give us a normal greeting, Seki?"
Rumi gapes, fury boiling within her, as the boy gives a completely calm introduction.
Curse you, Seki!