Shin2 Dan: Chapter 11: Stolen a Mother's Keepsake (2)
“So what do you have so far?” Yamada asked Fukuda as he stepped into the room the same time as Kamiki excitedly put down his bentou. The moment the lunch bell rang, while keeping a distance from each other, the three had quickly headed to their secret hideout. Kamiki and Yamada, in particular, were very eager to begin the mission. As Yamada quickly hops to his natural seat between the two, Fukuda slowly opens her netbook.
“Hurry up!” Yamada rushed Fukuda.
Fukuda heaves a sighs before she begins, “The victim is Kawashima Umiko, from class 1-B. After basketball club practice yesterday, around 4:00pm, Kawashima-san returned to the girl's locker room to change her clothes, only to find that her locker is wide open. Upon inspection, only one thing was missing, and that is the family heirloom from her mother side, also a memento from her deceased mother, a ring. As she described, the ring dated back from the Heian period, given to her family as a present from the court itself. I'm unable find a proper appraisal for the item as of yet, but this item may be worth millions to billions. It's not a surprise that the thief would steal it.”
“Millions to billions?” Kamiki exclaimed in surprised, “Why did Kawashima-san bring it to school anyways? If it's such an important item for her family, she shouldn't be bringing it out.”
“I heard from some of the girls that Kawashima-san was forced into it.” Yamada said, thoughtfully.
“What do you mean?” Kamiki asked.
“The rumors are that Kawashima-san and a few of her club members are currently at odds with each others.” Yamada rests his head on his hand, and slowly tap his chin, “Apparently, the older girls are jealous that she made the team despite just being a freshman. They sometimes called her as a ‘motherless child’ and ‘nobody’. Possibly, in her frustration, she brought them the only proof that her mother was indeed somebody.”
“As in bullying?” Kamiki was shocked at the revelation.
“So the girls from the club probably already know about the importance of the ring when Kawashima-san brought the ring to show them.” Fukuda said, ignoring Kamiki's last comment as she begins to eat her bentou.
“Precisely.” Yamada nodded, “While it is still just a rumor, they have a high chance of being possible suspects. The problem is whether it is the work of everyone on the team, or an individual. We also can't ignore the fact that there is possibly a different person responsible for the theft. After all, not many people know about the ring until after it was stolen.”
“Did she tell anyone else about the ring?” Kamiki asked. Yamada shakes his head. “So I guess, we only need check out the club members.”
“That would be a good plan.” Yamada nodded, “Mamayu, can you please go take a look in the girl's locker room?”
Fukuda nodded as she chews on her rice.
“Fukuda-san, I wondered if you can look at the camera in the girl's locker room.” Kamiki innocently asked, causing Fukuda and Yamada to stares at him incredulously.
“Are you a pervert?” Fukuda snapped after she swallowed her food, “Why would there be a camera in the girl's locker room? The school does not want to get sue by parents you know.”
“Oh, that's right.” realizing what he just suggested, Kamiki's face turns red.
“Actually,” Yamada thoughtfully tapped his chin, “That's not a bad idea.” This time, it was Fukuda and Kamiki that turn toward him.
“That's not what I mean!” noticing their stares, Yamada explained, “There should be a camera outside of the locker room, we can check that.”
“That's right!” happy that his suggestion was somehow helpful, Kamiki smiles, “Good idea, Yamada-san.”
“I already checked it during class.” Fukuda pointed at her netbook, “Beside from Kawashima-san, who came in at 4:00, there are no one else going in and out from 2:40 to 4:00. Kawashima-san is the last person that left at 2:40, and she's the first person to enter the locker room at 4:01.”
“Are you sure there is nobody else?” Kamiki asked.
“What do you mean by that?” Fukuda snarled at Kamiki, causing Kamiki to cowered back in his chair, “Do you not trust my professionalism? I assure you that I'd been checking it at least 10 times.”
“I'm sure that's not what Kamiki-kun mean.” Yamada tried to calm Fukuda down. Fukuda takes great pride in her researching and observation skills, thus, she will get touchy when anyone questions it. Yamada is the same way, so he understands her emotions well.
“The thief might come from the window.” Yamada quickly changed the subjects.
“We won’t know until we check the club room out later.” Fukuda shrugs.
“Kamiki-kun,” Yamada quickly turns to Kamiki, “I need you to get information about Kawashima-san and her ring from the club members. But remember to keep a secret about our mission.”
“Okay.” Kamiki nodded.
“If the item had left the school, then we need to quickly find the culprit.” Yamada fold his arms across his chest.
“Why is that?” Kamiki asked.
“When an item is stolen,” Fukuda answered, “the longer it is we waited, the harder it will be for us to find it again. Since this item is an important memento, it holds an even more important meaning.”
“I see.” Kamiki nodded.
“I’ll try to get some more information from her friends.” Yamada nodded, and stands up, “I’ll be going now.” Yamada quickly stood up and get ready to leave. Seeing this, Kamiki follows suit.
“I guess I’ll be going as well.” Kamiki closed his half eaten bentou.
“Wait a second, Kamiki-kun.” Before Kamiki could follows Yamada to the sliding door, Fukuda called him back.
“What is it?” Kamiki asked.
“I’m sending you a list of members in the club.” Fukuda said as she quickly type in her netbook, “It will be helpful to you, so please take a look.” With this, she pressed enter, and seconds later, Kamiki could feel the vibration of his keitai.
“Oh, thank you.” Kamiki happily takes the phone out and look at it. After confirming that it was indeed the message from Fukuda, he put his keitai back into his pocket. He quickly turns and waves at Fukuda with a big smile before rushing out the door.
Alone in the room, Fukuda quietly walks toward the table containing 3 computer monitors. It had been a while since she used them, so the screens are coated with a thin layer of dust. Turning their respective computers on, she tried to wipe the screen off with her handkerchief. While the screen only got slightly less dirty, her handkerchief became even dirtier.
“Work, work!” Sighing to herself, she sits down in front of the middle screen and begins typing on the keyboard.
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Author's Note: Part 2, information gathering stage. Even though I didn't reveal much yet, I bet some of you already see the answer already. Fukuda is smart, so she always spend her class time doing mission research to give the guys during lunch. It's hard work. The real question is, what does Shin2 Dan mean? If I ever able to finish this arc, the answer for that will be reveal. :D
“Hurry up!” Yamada rushed Fukuda.
Fukuda heaves a sighs before she begins, “The victim is Kawashima Umiko, from class 1-B. After basketball club practice yesterday, around 4:00pm, Kawashima-san returned to the girl's locker room to change her clothes, only to find that her locker is wide open. Upon inspection, only one thing was missing, and that is the family heirloom from her mother side, also a memento from her deceased mother, a ring. As she described, the ring dated back from the Heian period, given to her family as a present from the court itself. I'm unable find a proper appraisal for the item as of yet, but this item may be worth millions to billions. It's not a surprise that the thief would steal it.”
“Millions to billions?” Kamiki exclaimed in surprised, “Why did Kawashima-san bring it to school anyways? If it's such an important item for her family, she shouldn't be bringing it out.”
“I heard from some of the girls that Kawashima-san was forced into it.” Yamada said, thoughtfully.
“What do you mean?” Kamiki asked.
“The rumors are that Kawashima-san and a few of her club members are currently at odds with each others.” Yamada rests his head on his hand, and slowly tap his chin, “Apparently, the older girls are jealous that she made the team despite just being a freshman. They sometimes called her as a ‘motherless child’ and ‘nobody’. Possibly, in her frustration, she brought them the only proof that her mother was indeed somebody.”
“As in bullying?” Kamiki was shocked at the revelation.
“So the girls from the club probably already know about the importance of the ring when Kawashima-san brought the ring to show them.” Fukuda said, ignoring Kamiki's last comment as she begins to eat her bentou.
“Precisely.” Yamada nodded, “While it is still just a rumor, they have a high chance of being possible suspects. The problem is whether it is the work of everyone on the team, or an individual. We also can't ignore the fact that there is possibly a different person responsible for the theft. After all, not many people know about the ring until after it was stolen.”
“Did she tell anyone else about the ring?” Kamiki asked. Yamada shakes his head. “So I guess, we only need check out the club members.”
“That would be a good plan.” Yamada nodded, “Mamayu, can you please go take a look in the girl's locker room?”
Fukuda nodded as she chews on her rice.
“Fukuda-san, I wondered if you can look at the camera in the girl's locker room.” Kamiki innocently asked, causing Fukuda and Yamada to stares at him incredulously.
“Are you a pervert?” Fukuda snapped after she swallowed her food, “Why would there be a camera in the girl's locker room? The school does not want to get sue by parents you know.”
“Oh, that's right.” realizing what he just suggested, Kamiki's face turns red.
“Actually,” Yamada thoughtfully tapped his chin, “That's not a bad idea.” This time, it was Fukuda and Kamiki that turn toward him.
“That's not what I mean!” noticing their stares, Yamada explained, “There should be a camera outside of the locker room, we can check that.”
“That's right!” happy that his suggestion was somehow helpful, Kamiki smiles, “Good idea, Yamada-san.”
“I already checked it during class.” Fukuda pointed at her netbook, “Beside from Kawashima-san, who came in at 4:00, there are no one else going in and out from 2:40 to 4:00. Kawashima-san is the last person that left at 2:40, and she's the first person to enter the locker room at 4:01.”
“Are you sure there is nobody else?” Kamiki asked.
“What do you mean by that?” Fukuda snarled at Kamiki, causing Kamiki to cowered back in his chair, “Do you not trust my professionalism? I assure you that I'd been checking it at least 10 times.”
“I'm sure that's not what Kamiki-kun mean.” Yamada tried to calm Fukuda down. Fukuda takes great pride in her researching and observation skills, thus, she will get touchy when anyone questions it. Yamada is the same way, so he understands her emotions well.
“The thief might come from the window.” Yamada quickly changed the subjects.
“We won’t know until we check the club room out later.” Fukuda shrugs.
“Kamiki-kun,” Yamada quickly turns to Kamiki, “I need you to get information about Kawashima-san and her ring from the club members. But remember to keep a secret about our mission.”
“Okay.” Kamiki nodded.
“If the item had left the school, then we need to quickly find the culprit.” Yamada fold his arms across his chest.
“Why is that?” Kamiki asked.
“When an item is stolen,” Fukuda answered, “the longer it is we waited, the harder it will be for us to find it again. Since this item is an important memento, it holds an even more important meaning.”
“I see.” Kamiki nodded.
“I’ll try to get some more information from her friends.” Yamada nodded, and stands up, “I’ll be going now.” Yamada quickly stood up and get ready to leave. Seeing this, Kamiki follows suit.
“I guess I’ll be going as well.” Kamiki closed his half eaten bentou.
“Wait a second, Kamiki-kun.” Before Kamiki could follows Yamada to the sliding door, Fukuda called him back.
“What is it?” Kamiki asked.
“I’m sending you a list of members in the club.” Fukuda said as she quickly type in her netbook, “It will be helpful to you, so please take a look.” With this, she pressed enter, and seconds later, Kamiki could feel the vibration of his keitai.
“Oh, thank you.” Kamiki happily takes the phone out and look at it. After confirming that it was indeed the message from Fukuda, he put his keitai back into his pocket. He quickly turns and waves at Fukuda with a big smile before rushing out the door.
Alone in the room, Fukuda quietly walks toward the table containing 3 computer monitors. It had been a while since she used them, so the screens are coated with a thin layer of dust. Turning their respective computers on, she tried to wipe the screen off with her handkerchief. While the screen only got slightly less dirty, her handkerchief became even dirtier.
“Work, work!” Sighing to herself, she sits down in front of the middle screen and begins typing on the keyboard.
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Author's Note: Part 2, information gathering stage. Even though I didn't reveal much yet, I bet some of you already see the answer already. Fukuda is smart, so she always spend her class time doing mission research to give the guys during lunch. It's hard work. The real question is, what does Shin2 Dan mean? If I ever able to finish this arc, the answer for that will be reveal. :D