Ghost Story Club-Chapter 146: Sixteenth Ghost Story The Mysterious 4th Period (10)

“Let’s go.”

The three of us walked down the second floor hallway again, and entered the broadcasting room adjacent to the main faculty office.

Creak-

“I! Why would I do something like that!”

“Now, now, calm down……”

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The broadcasting room was quite lively with the addition of the new arrivals.

The angry homeroom teacher, the young detective who was trying to calm him down, along with Teacher Han Ari, who was trembling in the corner.

“I’m a teacher here, a teacher! How could I do such a thing?!”

“That’s something we’ll have to investigate later, but for now, I have an urgent call to take, so everyone please stay here for a moment. Hello? Yes, Chief…..”

The detective went into the soundproof room to answer the phone, and soon the Vice Class President and Joo Yeseul also entered the broadcasting room.

With the addition of the newly joined homeroom teacher and Teacher Han Ari, the total number of people gathered in the broadcast room became seven.

And with the detective added, there were eight people crammed into the already narrow broadcasting room, making the space quite crowded.

“J, Joony Boy……”

Hearing someone calling me, I turned around to find the homeroom teacher trembling with anger and pointing at me with a finger.

“Such, such an absurd accusation…..”

“……”

“I, I’ve treated you so well… and this is how you’re repaying me….”

The fact that the homeroom teacher had the spare key, which meant he could run down the empty hallway at any time and open the window to our classroom.

It seemed that the detective told the homeroom teacher that I told that.

‘Did he really just snitched what I told him? Seriously….’

Is that really a detective or what?

I glared at the detective, who was seen struggling on the phone inside the soundproof studio beyond the glass window.

He was probably getting a scolding from his superior who had connections with Detective Park Gangwon.

But I didn’t feel sorry for him at all.

‘Actually, I almost felt a little sorry for him seeing the way he bowed his head, but the fact that he snitched to the homeroom teacher that I accused him evaporated that guilt away.’

He fully deserved it.

Slid-

Soon, the detective hung up the phone, opened the studio door, and stepped out.

He immediately glared at me with wide eyes.

“…I clearly bowed my head to you and apologized, but do you really need to go this far—”

“Who was calling?”

I asked, cutting off the conversation to get only the information I needed.

He glared at me with a serious expression.

“…My superior.”

“Really?”

I asked again.

“I clearly apologized….”

The detective mumbled something under his breath and moved forward in front of everyone.

He still seemed to be having a hard time accepting the situation.

Soon, he stood in front of us, glanced at everyone, and then nodded his head.

“Everyone is here.”

“……”

“Thank you very much for your cooperation despite your busy schedule.”

When he was with us, he mixed in informal language whenever it suited him, but as soon as the teachers were around, he began speaking with formal language and more politely.

“Now, I would like to ask the two teachers to compare their statements based on the newly gathered information.”

“… Yes.”

“Since the first witness, Teacher Han Ari, lost consciousness, it is the first time I’ll be hearing her statement. I have set up the broadcasting equipment so that the conversation inside can be heard outside, so those of you waiting can also listen to the content and simply confirm if it matches what you experienced. Now, then, Teacher Han Ari.”

“Yes, yes……!?”

Teacher Han Ari flinched in surprise when suddenly called.

The detective pointed to the inside of the studio with a look that seemed to ask why she was surprised.

“Let’s go. You need to give your statement.”

“Ah, yes… yes……”

Soon, Teacher Han Ari stood up with an anxious expression.

If she just had the school uniform on, she looked young enough to blend in perfectly among the students without feeling strange.

Rather, Jinhee, who was standing casually next to me, looked more like a senior.

I nudged Jinhee and told her that fact.

“Hey, you look more like a senior than the Teacher.”

“Oh~”

Jinhee lifted her chin as if proud of herself.

“F*ck you, got some guts?”

This time, I leaned toward Hayoon and whispered.

“I’d even believe it if you said you were friends with the Teacher.”

Hayoon just chuckled quietly in response, without saying anything.

Meanwhile, the Vice Class President and Joo Yeseul were looking at me with a questioning gaze.

[While I was coming down to the first floor for work and walking down the hallway… I saw someone standing in the east hallway, holding what looked like a doll…?]

[A doll?]

[Something that looked like that…..]

Through the glass, we could see Teacher Han Ari giving her statement inside the soundproof studio.

Since even the sound of the conversation could be heard through the broadcasting equipment, it felt like we really were in an interrogation room.

‘Except for the fact that this spot is usually reserved for police officers.’

However, the six of us, watching the conversation through the window, were in the position of suspects, not police officers.

“Joony, I can’t believe you really accused me… I treated you so well…..”

Behind us, the middle-aged, balding homeroom teacher with a round belly, like a raccoon, kept grumbling with a frown on his face.

‘He’s being too noisy….’

I waved my hand as a gesture to tell him to stop, then focused back on Teacher Han Ari’s interrogation.

“…What’s with that gesture? Are you telling me to be quiet right now? Honestly, how far has the authority of teachers fallen… Hmph, hmph…..”

[So, you came down to the first floor for work, and were passing by the main entrance, when you heard a noise. You turned around, and saw someone was standing there holding a doll.]

[Yes, when I got closer later, I realized it wasn’t a doll, but a corpse…..]

Teacher Han Ari, who was a science teacher, actually trembled at the mention of the corpse as if she was still in shock.

[So why did you think it was a doll? Is there a reason?]

[Well… if you saw the body, you’d understand, the upper and lower body were separated…]

She shuddered once again before continuing her statement.

[What I saw… was just the upper body….? The person looked like they were holding it…..]

[So, you’re saying someone placed the body in the hallway, is that correct?]

[Yes…]

Which means she witnessed the killer.

In an instant, everyone’s gaze, including the grumbling homeroom teacher, turned toward Teacher Han Ari.

The detective also narrowed his eyes and glared as he asked.

[The person. The one who was carrying the body. Could you please describe their appearance?]

[That… I couldn’t see it properly……]

“Haa……”

Someone inside the broadcasting room let out a sigh.

Well, it wouldn’t be that easy to resolve.

[It was broad daylight, but there was some backlight… I couldn’t really make out the appearance…..]

[Was it a man or a woman?]

[I think, it was a man……?]

The detective nodded and wrote something down in his notebook.

[So what happened afterwards. After you encountered the man carrying the body?]

[After that, I approached the man to see who it was… and then suddenly, he ran off.]

[Where did he go?]

The detective leaned forward and asked.

[Where did he run to?]

[He jumped through the hallway window…]

[I see…..]

The detective jotted something down again.

[And then, you who arrived at the scene to check what was going on, lost consciousness after seeing the horribly horrific sight of the corpse?]

[Yes, I remember screaming… but when I came to my senses, I was in the infirmary…..]

[I see, hmm…..]

After scribbling something down, the detective finally sent Teacher Han Ari out with a quick thank-you and called for the homeroom teacher.

[Please come in, Mr. Park Damim.]

“Lee Joon…..”

The homeroom teacher shot me a glare, then quickly turned around and entered to switch places with Teacher Han Ari.

Teacher Han Ari, who opened the soundproof door and walked out, stumbled as if her legs had lost their strength. The Vice Class President and Yeseul quickly ran over to support her.

“Teacher, are you okay?”

“Uh, yeah… thank you……”

The three women began chatting among themselves.

On the other hand, Hayoon, Jinhee, and I from the Ghost Story Club were just sitting quietly.

‘Homeroom teacher… I wonder what kind of reaction he will show.’

If Teacher Jang Hwaeun failed to win over Teacher Han Ari, the next priority to consider would be the homeroom teacher right in front of us.

Anyway, the homeroom teacher is currently the one among the school staff who has the most contact with us, yet still shows a surprisingly favorable attitude.

“……”

Slid-

Whether aware of my thoughts or not, the homeroom teacher glared at me sharply through the glass window and then began giving his statement to the detective.

[So, I don’t really understand why I had to be called in…..]

[Please look at this map, Teacher. The CCTV on both sides is capturing everything without a gap, and behind the building, this student, Lee Joon, is facing directly towards you. Then, the only possible entry route is not the sides or the back, but directly in front. At that time, this class, Class 1 Grade 1, was empty because they were having their P. E. class.]

[But, but our Vice Class President student must have locked it before leaving-]

[What I’m saying is, you can secretly reopen it after it was locked by the student. During the gap between the consultation session, no one was around to see anyway.]

[Why, why would I do it! You’re saying I opened it but why would I even do that!]

The homeroom teacher huffed angrily, clearly agitated.

But the young detective continued with his blunt words while glaring.

[To put it directly, it was probably to help an accomplice.]

[Ac, accomplice! What nonsense are you saying!]

The homeroom teacher exploded in anger as if he was incredulous.

That was exactly the reaction I had when I was suspected of being the culprit earlier.

Now, the homeroom teacher sat in that spot, enduring the same kind of frustration I had experienced at the hands of the brainless detective.

[But when you think about it, it’s quite clear. The homeroom teacher was definitely consulting the students 17 and 18 at the time the body was placed, so it would have been impossible for you to commit the crime. However, it would have been entirely possible for you to walk through the empty hallway between consulting the students 15, 16, 17 and 18, and sneak into the classroom, and secretly open the window.]

[Re, regardless of whether it is possible or not, why would I do something like that……]

[So you admit that it is possible.]

[……!]

The homeroom teacher seemed at a loss for words, his mouth opening and closing in confusion.

Since the homeroom teacher was the only one in the first-floor teachers’ office at the time, there was, in fact, no alibi during the gap between the consultation session.

‘Surprisingly, he’s doing a good job.’

When the detective kept pressing me earlier, I thought this person might have some hidden agenda.

I even wondered if he was on the same side as that Dogma of Void, but seeing him now, being just as relentless with the homeroom teacher as he has been with me, it seemed like that was just his usual investigation style.

“……”

I thought carefully for a moment, then quietly muttered toward the detective.

‘Status window.’

Pop-

《Status Window

Name: Jang Gihoon

Age: 36

Title: Young Detective

Disposition: ???

Special Ability: None

Quirk: ???

Understanding: 0/100》

‘Hmm… It seems like he really is a detective…..’

He didn’t seem to be in cahoots with the suspicious force in the school, and since the Status Window popped up, it didn’t seem like he was a ghost story either.

‘His name and title are both correct.’

Especially, since he arrived here only after receiving a report about the murder, there was little chance that he’d been involved in any plotting.

This detective’s attitude toward me really seemed like he was either brainless or just trying to get things done quickly by framing me with a false statement from the beginning.

[…But why is it a confirmed fact that Joon was watching the teachers’ office from the back of the school? I was in the teachers’ office, but I didn’t see anything.]

[The female student who was facing the teacher during the session said she saw him.]

[Who? Who is it?]

[Attendance number 17, In Hayoon.]

[Hmm……]

The homeroom teacher turned his head and glanced over at us through the glass window.

[If it’s Hayoon…..]

After staring at us for a moment, he turned back to the detective and asked again.

[What about Yeseul? Did Yeseul see him too?]

This time, the detective turned his head toward us and asked with a gesture through the window.

Of course, Joo Yeseul shook her head, indicating she hadn’t seen anything.

[…I didn’t see him, and Yeseul didn’t either, but Hayoon did. Hmm…]

The homeroom teacher, who had been pondering for a moment, soon broke into a sly smile.

[Excuse me, Detective. Could you listen for a moment….]

[……?]

The homeroom teacher whispered something carefully into the detective’s ear.

Soon, the detective’s expression changed as he listened.

[…Is that true?]

[Of course, of course. It’s true. I’m the homeroom teacher, after all.]

The homeroom teacher chuckled, as if gossiping about something mischievous.

[And, and by the way, I heard it from the students in our class…..]

[……]

[You know, that guy over there, well, they were saying…..]

The homeroom whispered with a sly smile while pointing at me.

I had a bad feeling about this.