Memories in Addition

6: Who Can You Trust?

Joyce didn't know what was going on.

Okay, sure, she has some sort of idea; Alex's death, as well as the school's secrecy about it was kind of hard to ignore.

Also the fact that when they came back to the music room, even her corpse disappeared. There was no other trace of her anymore.

But beyond that, she didn't know what was happening.

For one, all the other students except the people in Palliola didn't seem to remember her in the slightest, even though she was the most active member of the LCLC club aside from Nadhine and Yanyan, so she's supposed to be well-known in the school!

And another thing...

She really doesn't need Clark's amnesia problem adding up to their already big pile of problems.

And yet, she knew how important that fact is to connect all the missing pieces of the puzzle, so they unfortunately can't just ignore it.

Michael blankly watched as Joyce shoved her face at the table with a groan, before turning back to read on the book in his hands as he remarked sarcastically. "You're a ray of sunshine today."

"Oh, shut up. You try solving this whole mystery and then we can talk."

"Why can't you just leave that to the reincarnated prophet and disciple? They're the types who are well-known to be good at analyzing situations."

Joyce gave a side glance at Florence and Hans, who was also trying to analyze their situation together with the help of Sonaya and Isay, before glaring at Michael. "And we'll just do nothing? Is that what you're saying?"

Michael glared back. "It's for safety."

"How can it be for safety when the others are clearly working together to solve this one--"

"Because it's going to ensure safety to you!"

That statement made Joyce stop. Michael froze as well, realizing what he'd just said.

Then, he looked away dismissively. "You're not participating in playing detective. Let the rest of the class handle this, okay?"

Joyce debated throwing a pencilcase at him, then decided against it. It would do no good to hit royalty, after all.

But then...why would he even say that to her? As if he's personally concerned about her, even though they've barely talked?

If anything, he should be acting that way to Florence and Bea; they're the ones she constantly see talking to him casually, after all.

So, why her?

Joyce sighed. Another mystery to solve, I guess...

😅

"Okay, so", Florence showed her notebook to the rest. In it, there was an anime sketch of an ominous man holding a knife. "This is what we hypothesized that happened."

It was dismissal time, and quite a number from the class had decided to leave to avoid suspicion from the school while the remaining people discussed what they had learned about the case so far behind the cover of working on the board.

So, Nica and Shana started to sketch the design on the cartolinas that were sticked together to cover the board as the rest of them turned their eyes on the girl in front of them.

Shanell hummed at her drawing as she sat next to Clark cross-legged. "Never thought you'd be the anime artist type."

"I'm a proud otaku", Florence confirmed with a smile, before she started to explain. "Now, we all saw Alex leave with Nadhine out the door at recess, right? Then, Nadhine was called over by one of the teachers, and Yanyan was a witness of that, while Alex continued to walk down the stairs to buy her snacks."