Vol 7 Chapter 6 (1/2)

Meg and Seron VII: The Fiancée out of the Blue - Chapter 6

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Chapter 6: The Photograph

The 13th day of the second month

It was after school on the day after Bridget’s request

“It is unbelievable! That person!” Meg fumed on the sofa

Gathered around were, as usual, Natalia, Larry, Nick, and Jenny Everyone except for Seron Whether he had luckily—or unluckily—been kept busy or had run aas up for debate, but either way he would not come to the office that day

Once again it was a bright and clear outside The sun reflected off theas ever

“I cannot believe it! That senior-classman is a very unfaithful person! I saw today, in person! I saith e “It was around the end of the lunch period Referring to the tiht, I hid like a detective at the hallway that SC Bridget passes Then the person I saw on the photo appeared She ith a different , like lovers And—”

Her hands trembled

“And before they separated and entered the classrooet kissed! I cannot believe it! Of course there were notme, in the hall So other people will have seen! Of course et has a different fiancé!”

Then she fell back into her seat like a toy drained of batteries

“It is very very sad that I was not fast, so I could not take photos If I had taken photos, I could ease SC Kenneth’s wound…”

The others waited for aa biscuit, was first

“That was easy So SC Bridget was exactly who SC Kenneth said she was”

“We mica’s testimony is trustworthy and valuable information”

Larry was next “But that’s not gonna be enough to convince their parents It’s not gonna be a walk in the park”

“So possibility 1 is out,” Jenny said She took out her notepad “I looked into SC Bridget too Le”

All eyes were on Jenny

“This is from a reliable informica just said”

“So there’s nothing but bad rumors about her, chief?”

“Pretty et is popular with the boys thanks to her looks, but it’s alirl had anything good to say about her I quote, ‘acts like a princess just because she’s rich and pretty’, ‘flirts with anything s about her handsouys’, et cetera I also spoke to people froe, “and it looks like she’s not really devoted to the club She’s the only sixth-year, but she’s only the vice-president This is all just testirain of salt”

“But if bad ruonna make any of ‘em better,” Natalia pointed out

“That’s one way of looking at it I have nothing else to report”

Nick raised a hand “I have also heard siet would enticeout on dates with her off-campus But none of theet serious, SC Bridget abandons him and ends the relationshi+p”

“Isn’t that an exaggeration?” Asked Natalia

“Indeed, these accounts do seem a little unrealistic But whatever the case we can conclude that SC Bridget isno attempt to hide her actions”

“Hmm…”

“I cannot forgive a cheater!” Meg cried,on a biscuit “Of course if we had not received the request she is a stranger to us, but now that we are here I will investigate very much! Next time I will take photos, I swear it! I will trail after her! Jenny, please givetoday!”

“Sure, but…” Unusually for her, Jenny trailed off

“Yes? What is the matter?”

“Isn’t tomica?”

“Yes, it is”

“We all talked about it and decided we’d throw you a party at the office toht not be able to enjoy the party”

Meg looked around at the others

Natalia, Nick and Larry all clearly hadthe party now

“Ah! Thank you sosaid with a ss gratefully! But fro this request!”

The next day The 14th day of the second month

The climate in the Capital District was back to normal

Much of the snow had been cleared fro students to move about ing a sense of normalcy back to the 4th Capital Secondary School

It was lunchtime

“Heythe door to Seron’s dors containing their lunches

“Thanks, Larry Have a seat”

Seron went into the hall, looked around, then flipped over the sign on his door from ‘RA AVAILABLE’ to ‘ON BREAK’

Seron’s new rooe roos as the others, with the addition of a small table with four chairs around it

Larry and Seron sat opposite one another at the table Larry tore open the three paper bags vertically

“We’ve got a hael sandwich, the usual roast beef sandwich, and—this is one of yours—a burger with cheese and tomato slices Which one d’you want?”

“The burger”

“Here you go, a taste of hoe juice”

Three servings of food and two beverages were laid out on the table Two servings of the food were for Larry, as a big eater

They each prayed briefly before starting on their meals

Seron ate as he first listened to Larry’s report

“—and that’s about it for what happened yesterday SC Bridget is definitely cheating on SC Kenneth, and Meget properly after school today to get that picture Obviously, we didn’t tell Megations about SC Kenneth”

“I see Thanks, Larry You’re a big help”

“If you’re inviting ot an idea about all this”

“I suppose I don’t knohether to call it an answer or a theory, so I can’t say for sure But…”

“You don’t have to tell ood reason for keeping secrets I trust you, buddy”

“Thanks, Larry I want to get ”

Larry quickly finished off his bagel before picking up the roast beef sandwich He finished it also in the blink of an eye and turned to Seron

“Have you properly talked to Megmica at all since then?”

Seron continued to chely on his food He sed and replied as blankly as ever

“No, not yet”

So sudden was the answer that Larry could not help but worry

“Today’s her birthday, you know?”

“Yeah We all shared our birthdays before, I remember”

“…Did you get her a present, by any chance?”

“No I didn’t”

“…You know, I’o up to her and ask her out, but maybe you should try and co-operate Help her out, you know? And e her mind—”

Larry paused Then his eyes widened

“I get it now! I’onna do that from the start, weren’t you?”

Seron nodded slightly, saying nothing Larry breathed a loud sigh of relief

“Now this is getting interesting Don’t worry about et worse at this point!”

A strange expression came over Seron

“It’s true,” said Larry, “the worst is over Now it’s tirace and recover your honor! Solve this probleo and show her what you’re made of!”

“…All right I’ll do my best”

“Atta boy, Seron!”

“I’, Larry Don’t let anyone else know”

“Yeah? What is it?”

“Today after school, I’ to—”

Once Seron had finished speaking—

“WHAAAAAAT?!”

Larry’s jaw hit the floor

After school

The locker area on the first floor of thewith students

The lockers of every student in the school were lined up there like headstones at a cemetery Students came and went in a hurry

Because students had to go to different classrooms for each class, they had to drop off and pick up textbooks at their lockers regularly Lockers also housed gy the winter

At thatlocker number 6333

And a short distance away—

“She is there” “There she is”

Meg and Jenny atching carefully Both earing leather bags containing rangefinder cameras over their left shoulders

The caet their hands on and wide-angle lenses with the greatest depth of field

That was not all Meg and Jenny earing not their usual leather shoes, but white canvas sneakers with rubber soles

“What d’you think she’ll do now?” Jenny asked, staring at Bridget

“Sheclub, I think”

“Dunno about that Apparently she doesn’t attend s all that much”

Jenny and Megazes were locked on their target

Bridget was getting her textbooks at her locker But suddenly her hand froze as though she had noticed so

“I wonder what is for snacks today”

“I have no idea, but I’ood”

Theyon an irrelevant conversation and discreetly cast glances to the side Bridget see her textbooks into her bag

During that tiates or the club building where enerally split the crowds into two streaet did not follow either

“I think she is going”

“Hm”

Bridget put her bag in her locker, closed it, and walked in a different direction from the other students As she was e home yet

She was headed further into the , which was full of classrooms

“Mission start Let us follow her”

“Right I’ll keep my distance”

Meg began to tail Bridget

Jenny followed several seconds behind Meg, as her face was known

As Meg watched, Bridget strode down the long hallway and crossed the covered ay to the new building She did not show a hint of suspicion

Meg quietly followed Her nervousness and anger gave her the face of a soldier headed for the front lines

“Whoa,” a first-year passing by Meg in the hall staggered away, frightened by her expression

Jenny found herself silently taking out her caht back

Bridget entered the new building

Al only housed classrooantly

Meg kept a safe distance and concealed her footsteps as she followed after Bridget

Because the new building was nearly deserted, Meg would be easily spotted if Bridget were to turn So she stopped following right after her—instead, she would wait until Bridget turned a corner or went into a stairwell

“It is my secret weapon…”

Each ti would take out an extendable pole with a small mirror attached to the end She would crouch down and hold out the et was headed

When the stairs turned, Meg listened carefully for the sound of Bridget’s footsteps so as to not lose her

Jenny watched it all from behind

“What’s gotten into her?” She wondered, taking a photo of Meg

The reflection on Meg’s et enter a classroo

The building was eo to the top floor, where the halls were completely deserted

About 20 irls’ bathroom

Meg crept fro inside Then she turned and gestured for Jenny to join her

Naturally, there was no one in the bathroohts were off

“So far so good You’re pretty good at tailing people, Meg turned, excited

“Heh heh Thank you, Jenny Even when I played ‘police and thieves’ when I was young, it was reat It would have been very convenient with this back then! I would have been the hero of my friends!”

“Shush —You think she’ssomeone in that classroom?”

“It is not nantly

“I suppose you’re right She’s pretty s and not the main one,” Jenny remarked

“Yes” Meg nodded

Unlike in the other buildings, the classroo did not have s that opened into the hallways This was because classroo included overhead projectors, which necessitated co outside were equipped with light-blocking curtains

The walls were quite thin so that the layout could be changed easily Teachers would often tell off students ere chatting in the hallways

In other words, the new classroo out for intruders It was the ideal location for a romantic tryst

“The guy ht already be inside”

“I will secretly pass by in front once I will know if I can hear two voices”

It was a sound plan Jenny nodded

“We’ve got no other choice What’re you gonna do if the guy’s in there?”

“I will listen and check the situation, then secretly open the door to scout Then I will take the photo and run away! The door is a sliding type of door, so they will not notice if I open it slowly Then you must run too, Jenny! I wish you luck”

“Calo that far yet We can always take photos from behind once they leave the classroom”