Puella Magi Rei ♥️ Magica: Afterglow

Chapter 23: "Questioning"

Days go by, and Mitakihara Middle School is in mourning. The body of Iroha Shizune, a first year student, was found in the Boiler Room during a maintenance check conducted by a member of the faculty. After an autopsy conducted at the request of the family, it was found that Iroha did not have a clear-cut reason for her death. According to the state that her body was found, she was a perfectly healthy young girl, there wasn't any kind of toxins found in her blood, no apparent wounds on her body and all of her organs were in good health, it's like her body just spontaneously shut down. However, after the Mitakihara Police requested the surveillance cameras of the hallways, it was discovered that Iroha sprinted into the boiler room around 11:30 AM, and Gin Akumu, Iroha's classmate, could be seen entering around 11:35.

Gin was not seen exiting the boiler room at all, which could only be ruled out as a glitch in the surveillance cameras, however, because Gin was seen entering the boiler room at the time Iroha Shizune was found deceased, she was brought in to questioning at the request of the chief of police.

"Miss Akumu," an officer asked, laying down pictures of the surveillance footage revealing the hallways, and timestamps. ".. Miss Shizune could be seen sprinting in to the boiler room, and you can be seen sprinting in after her. What reason did you have for going into the boiler room that day?"

"W-Well.." Gin fidgeted her fingers underneath the desk. ".. I saw Iroha run in there, and.. I knew that students really shouldn't have any reason to enter a room like that to begin with, so.. I lingered in the hallways for a bit while everyone was going off to lunch, and.. When she didn't come out, I got worried."

"Was Miss Shizune deceased when you entered the room?" The officer asked.

".. Yes.. I-" Gin feigned tears, as she ran a hand through her hair. ".. I entered, and.. She was laying behind the heaters, up against the wall.. She looked like she was sleeping, and-.. When I tried to wake her up and she felt cold, I sprinted out the back door and went to find the Nurse's Aid, but she had already gone off to lunch along with the Nurse."

"Do you know of anyone who might be able to attest to what you are saying today?" The officer asked.

Gin bit her lip, narrowing her eyes as she began to think. ".. Uh-"

"Yes. Myself."

Gin turned her head, to find Homura Akemi entering the room, before placing her hands on Gin's shoulders.

"I saw Gin run out of the back door of the boiler room. She was in hysterics." Homura stated. "Now if you don't mind me asking, officer, why exactly are you questioning Gin? Clearly Iroha Shizune meant something to her, otherwise she wouldn't be in as much of a state that she's in. She's clearly in shock, clearly not in the right headspace to undergo this kind of interrogation, and I will be happy to have my father's lawyers involved if I feel the need is necessary." Homura glared.

The officer bit his lip, before waving his hand. ".. Miss Akumu, you may leave. I apologize for the timing of this investigation, we are only trying to prevent anything like this from happening again, none of us like to hear about kids being found dead."

"I understand." Gin nodded, slowly standing up. ".. Thank you for your focus on this investigation.. It means a lot."