Hyouka:Volume 3 Chapter 5-1

5-1 Four People, Four Cultural Festivals

048 - ♣16

     WANTED!
    As the 42nd Kanya Festival draws to its conclusion, the various clubs have held their activities in an orderly manner. However, as our 

dear readers would no doubt be aware already, that there exists those who would disrupt such order with blatant disregard. Indeed, it is none other than the thief known as "Juumoji".

    This thief would leave a message behind of the clubs which he has stolen from. Besides that, he (this writer is not yet certain as to the

gender of the thief) has also left behind something else, for fear of inspiring copycat crimes, as a socially responsible publication, we have decided not to disclose what it is.
    In any case, seven clubs have been targeted to date. As mentioned in our 4pm edition yesterday, the clubs that have been hit include the

A Capella Club, the Go Club, and the Magic Club as well as how they were targeted. And as our previous report mentions, "Juumoji" is still on course to stealing ten items.
    The Wall Newspaper Club would now like to make an appeal to our beloved readers, the students of Kamiyama High School. Are you going to

sit by and let this "Juumoji" get away with his crimes? Can you possibly sit by and let him, most likely a student himself, think we're inferior to him?
    This cannot be allowed to happen!
    The Wall Newspaper Club would thus like to seek out detectives willing to catch the phantom thief "Juumoji" in his act, and reveal his

true identity to all. We have great expectations of such a person, and their wisdom in defeating such trickery shall be published in a special edition for all to see.

Now that sure was quite a blusterous article, though I don't particularly dislike such style.

I didn't really learn much from the part about how the clubs like the A Capella Club and Go Club were targeted. The A Capella Club's cooler box had been placed outside the courtyard from the beginning of their performance, while the Go Club left their Go stones inside their club room the day before the Cultural Festival started without locking the door. In other words, the suspect could have been anyone.

I was probably reading the article posted on the billboard by the entrance with a smiling face. While I hardly know the people from the Wall Newspaper Club, I do get a sort of closeness with them by just reading such an article.

Besides, what moved me was the timing of this special edition. As they were supposed to release a special edition once every two hours (come to think of it, that coincides with the time taken for "Juumoji" to commit his crimes) starting from 8am. But right now it's only a little past 7. They must have pasted this first thing upon arriving at school. They sure got some spirit.

As I too was full of spirits to begin with, there's no way I could lose to them, as I too had arrived at school by 7. To be precise, I was already here when the gates opened at 6. And I was thinking there wouldn't be anyone at this time of day, but there turned out to be quite a number of people. Guess common sense doesn't work during the Kamiyama High School Cultural Festival.

Now, for the main target.

There were two clubs that begin with [KU]: the Quiz Study Club ([KU]IZU KEN クイズ研) and the Global Act Club ([GU]RO-BARU AKUTO KURABU グローバルアクトクラブ). While the [KU] in Quiz Study Club lacked a diacritic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakuten), and would seem like the obvious choice, their activities were already completed by the first day, not to mention they did not book any classroom for use (as a member of the General Committee, I guarantee this to be true). On the other hand, the Global Act Club would be holding a panel exhibition, which was quite rare for the clubs here, which means the door to their room would be open at all times. So by process of elimination, the best way to catch "Juumoji" on his act would be here.

I climbed the stairs and headed to the classroom of Class 3-E, where the Global Act Club would have their exhibition. Before leaving school yesterday, I went to check if they had anything stolen or if any note was left behind, but could find nothing. So by making a stakeout here first thing in the morning before "Juumoji" could act, I was sure of my success in catching him.

Even so......

There was already someone else in the Class 3-E classroom.

"Hey, Fukube, you're late."

It's Tani-kun, and it wasn't just him.

"Hmm? You're with the Classics Club...... Thanks for the help last time. So, you're into this case as well?"

It was Haba Tomohiro-sempai from the second year. I met him during the "Empress Incident" during the summer vacation, he's from the Detective Fiction Study Club if I remember correctly. Once this becomes public, it'll attract a great deal of attention. Looks like Tani-kun's prediction was correct. Does that mean I too have been attracted to it as well? Well, I don't deny it though.

Besides these two, there was another student I didn't know standing some distance from us. As this is the last day, it's not like the clubs would need to prepare for anything extra, so I presume he too is a detective-wannabe. That makes four of us. This is bad, though we may now have more eyes present, it would also mean security has become too tight for "Juumoji" to make his move.

Hiding such anxiety, I spoke cheerfully to Tani-kun,

"Hey, morning. For you to stakeout here, you sure must have some spirits, huh?"

"Same goes for you."

"So? Has it begun?"

With his thumb, Tani-kun pointed to the centre of the classroom,

"As if I'd show any kindness to an expected worthy rival. Go investigate yourself."

He must have not found anything yet, as if the crime has been committed, these three detective-wannabes wouldn't still be here. So I shrugged my shoulders.

The clock had just moved past 7. As we would need to be by the Gymnasium by 8.30 to have our attendances taken, if "Juumoji" were to appear, he too would choose this moment to strike. I, and most likely the other three as well, would be focusing on whoever has come here before then. If the crime had happened during this time frame, we would be able to narrow down the suspects.

Silently, I moved away from Tani-kun and Haba-sempai and leaned on one of the walls by the corridor. If I were a hard-boiled detective, I would have taken out a cigarette and smoked it while I waited. Unfortunately, this is a high school, so I took out some chewing gum instead.