Episode 4 "Shadows Lurking in the Warehouse at Night" - "The Courage of That Day, Flickering in the Waves"

--A hooded figure sneaks into the back of the school building in the middle of the night.

It remains unclear what the shadowy figure, vaguely visible on the surveillance cameras, was doing.

But it may provide a clue to solving the surfboard theft case.

And it could be the same person as the mysterious figure seen at the docks - a mysterious figure.

I, Kohei Aizawa,
Together with Tomoki Otani and Hinata Tachibana, the manager,
The plan is to search an "unused warehouse" behind the school building at night.

However, we cannot sneak into the school at night without permission.

So, we decided to first consult with our advisor, Mr. Shuji Kurokawa (Shuji Kurokawa).

◇◇◇

1. in the staff room after school

After school, during club activities.

Before heading to the surfing club room, we visited the staff room.

Otani said, "Oh no, I'm so nervous. I wonder what he will say, Sensei," and opened the door to find Kurokawa Sensei at his desk checking papers.

Doctor, may I have a moment of your time?"

Hinata calls out fearfully.

The teacher looked up from her document binder and looked a little surprised.

Aizawa, Otani, Hinata...... what's up?"

We quickly cut to the chase.

We were told that a surveillance camera caught a person passing by the back of the school building late at night.

　Kiryu, the student body president, told me, 'You should check out that warehouse.' ......

　So I'd like your permission to go to the back of the school building at night. That I go to the back of the school building at night."

Dr. Kurokawa narrows his eyes and is silent for a bit.

His profile seemed to be filled with hesitation.

'Entering a school at night is inherently problematic.

　But ...... well, that's what Kiryu said."

Yes. Of course, we don't act on our own.

　I would feel more comfortable if the doctor would come with me. ......"

When Otani chuckles at the suggestion, the teacher looks at him for a moment as if surprised.

I'm with you?"　...... hmm."

After pondering for a while, he crossed his arms as if he had made up his mind.

I understand. It's difficult this evening, but I'll make myself available tomorrow.

　When I say night, I mean around 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., since it would be against school rules to do so too late in the evening.

　Of course, I will accompany you to keep you out of harm's way."

Hinata, with a look of relief on her face, says, "Thank you!" and bowed her head.

But, of course, don't yell or make a mess of the school.

　We haven't used the warehouse for a long time, but it's where we keep the school's supplies, in case you're wondering."

The teacher's low voice is laced with his usual sternness and a hint of impatience.

And, frankly, it's dangerous to expect too much.

　There's no guarantee that the board will be there; in fact, there's even a chance that there won't be any."

I give a small nod.

Indeed it is.
But if we don't do what we can, the case will not progress.
With Mr. Kurokawa with them, the club members' resistance to "nighttime searches" would be a little lessened.

I understand. I will behave properly so as not to cause trouble for the teacher."

The doctor finally confirmed, "Well, tomorrow night," and returned his attention to his desk.

His profile was tinged with unspeakable fatigue.

(He's a teacher, too, and I'm sure he's got a lot on his mind. ......)

With this in mind, we left the staff room.

◇◇◇

2. the depressing atmosphere of the surfing club

Later, when I showed up at the club room, the club members were not well attended today.

Perhaps the dark effects of the "board theft" are still continuing, and the number of people coming to practice is decreasing.

Department members who met with him face to face voiced negative comments such as, "We don't know anything in the end, and I wonder if there is any point in looking for the culprit.

Hinata is desperately trying to encourage them, saying, "Now is the time to stand your ground," but I'm not sure how well that is resonating.

Soon after, Saki Kawakubo, a senior, came to the club room.

He looks cool, but his eyes seem to be filled with irritation.

......Senpai Shinoda isn't here today?"

I haven't seen him yet. I didn't see him in the classroom either."

When Hinata replies, Saki-senpai sighs.

'I can't believe the tournament is coming up and our captain has disappeared. Maybe the injury is hurting him, but ...... it's time for me to push him too."

Um. ......."

We have to mince words.

Shinoda-senpai has often gone home soon after showing up at the clubroom in the past few days.

Is the pain in the foot the only reason or is it because of the conflict with Dr. Kurokawa? ......

Anyway, I want to practice properly, too, and if they find out who did it, I want them to do it.

　If it doesn't work again tomorrow, I might go directly to the doctor."

After saying this, Saki-senpai quickly left the club room as if she was going offshore.

She will probably be heading to the coast for a voluntary training session.

Hinata mutters with a complicated look on her face.

I think Saki really wants to get results in the competition," he said.

　I've heard that it was his dream to compete in the main inter-high school tournament with Shinoda-senpai. ......"

I see. ......."

Otani says admiringly.

It's not that Saki senior doesn't get along with the club members very well, it's not that he's isolated because of his talent,

Perhaps it is purely the pressure to produce results that is strong.

(Is it any wonder the atmosphere in the department is so bad? ......

　(Now that Shinoda-senpai is gone, who is going to put it all together?)

Such questions come to mind, but no answers are forthcoming.

Anyway, I hope tomorrow's warehouse survey will turn up something."

Hinata then clenched her small fists and smiled.
His smile is a little awkward, but that seems to be the only thing that helps right now.

◇◇◇

3. the missing captain, Shinoda's footsteps

As I was leaving the school gate after club activities, I happened to catch a glimpse of someone else.

If you look...Akira Shinoda, seniorHon.

Ah, Shinoda-senpai!

Hinata tries to run up to him, but Senpai looks a little surprised and then quickens his stride as if to run away.

Wait a minute!" Hinata chased after him.

Kouhei, let's go, too.

Otani urges me to follow him.

Outside the school gate, the senior walked faster without looking back.

However, his gait is somewhat unnatural, perhaps due to pain in his right leg.

"Seniors, are your feet ...... okay?"

When I call out to him, the senior stops suddenly and exhales painfully.

He said, "...... sorry, I didn't mean to run away. I was just thinking about something."

"Why don't you just come to the club room? Saki-senpai is worried about you too, you know?"

Hinata says, and the senior looks gloomy.

"If I go, it won't make any difference, ...... because hiding your injuries will only cause trouble for the members of the club."

No, it's not like that. Without the captain, everyone is mentally exhausted."

...... I see."

Shinoda-senpai was drooping and clenching his teeth.

It conveys an atmosphere of some desperation.

After a short pause, the senior mutters something to himself.

My foot injury is not as good as I thought it would be ...... but I really want to qualify for this one.

　Kurokawa-sensei would stop me, and the club members would tell me to 'take a break,' and it was painful. ......"

Then you can discuss it with your teacher at ......."

I was about to suggest this, but my senior interrupted me as if to cut me off.

'We've had many discussions. The teacher only says, 'Take a break for the future.

　Sometimes I wonder if someone hid that board to keep the injury from getting worse.

At these words, Hinata gasps.

Senior, don't tell me you suspect the doctor?"

I don't know "....... But I can only assume that's the case, I'm not getting any tailwind right now.

　Maybe someone is trying to stop me from going to the convention, even if I'm pushing myself."

'Even at ...... like that, there's no evidence or anything.'

I know. I'm just saying ...... on my own."

Shinoda-senpai starts walking again.

His back had an aura of hurt and he was unapproachable.

All we could do was say, "Take care ......."

Leaving behind a sad-looking profile, the senior disappears into the dimness of the town.

(I never thought that Kurokawa-sensei was the culprit. ......)

Thinking back, the teacher said, "As long as the lock was not broken, it could be an inside job.

He was not excluding himself, but he did not want to think about such things.

But now that I have heard Shinoda-senpai say, "I am doubting my teacher,

I have a strange uneasiness building up in my chest.

(If the teacher really is ......?

　No, no, no, that's premature. (Without any proof.)

Ohtani, too, looks bitter and grumbles, "Ummm .......

Hinata turned over, did not utter a word, and simply bit her lip.

◇◇◇

4. beginning of the night search

Next day.

Kurokawa-sensei had told us to meet at the back of the school building at 19:00 today,

He returns home immediately after school, has dinner, and then heads back to school.

Upon entering the property, the sea breeze stung my skin with its coldness.

The school building at night was somewhat eerie, and I felt my heart race with each footstep.

While waiting near the main gate, Dr. Kurokawa appears.

I said, "Okay, you're here. No one saw you, did they?" He looks a little wary.

In fact, it is probably because it is unusual for students to be on campus at this hour.

Come on, let's hurry up. We can't stay long."

Following the teacher, I go around to the back of the school building.

There was no popularity here, and the silence was as different from that of the daytime.

That's the unused warehouse.

The teacher pointed to an old building with a small iron door.

There are few windows and the exterior walls are rusted.

Watch your step, everyone. It's dark, and you might fall on the steps or debris."

As I approached by the light of my flashlight, I saw that the door was indeed unlocked.

When the teacher slowly presses it, it makes an eerie sound like a gee .......

The dusty air pierced my nose, and Hinata involuntarily coughed.

"Goho ....... There's no such thing as people. ......?"

I don't know. Stay sharp."

Otani's voice is also strained and raspy.

I stepped inside the warehouse one step at a time, my heart racing.

◇◇◇

5. inside of warehouse and old surf store logo

The warehouse is dimly lit and dusty equipment is piled haphazardly.

It looks like it has been neglected for a long time, with mattresses, old teaching materials, and broken desks.

'Wow. ....... They really aren't being used."

When Hinata murmurs, Dr. Kurokawa explains, "It seems the place has been abandoned since before I was assigned there.

When I held up my flashlight, it appeared as if something had been dragged across the floor.

Otani says, "What's this ......?" and shines a light on it.

"I got the feeling that something was brought here or taken out of here ......."

The teacher says quietly.

The layer of dust is thinning in some areas, a sign that someone has moved it within the last few days.

(After all, someone is in and out of here?)

My heart is racing.
The hope that perhaps the board was hidden here.

Let's split up and look for them. As long as it's not too dangerous.

At the teacher's command, we begin our search, moving things around us.

I moved a dusty crate and something tumbled down with a thud.

I'm at ......!"

When I shined a light on it in surprise, I saw that it was parts like old wax and surfboard fins.

Why is this ......?"

It has a familiar surf store logo.
Hinata says, "Huh?　This maker looks like Shinoda-senpai's board ......".

But it looks very old, and I don't think it's my senior's."

When I touched it, I found that it had indeed deteriorated as if it had been left here for a long time.

But it definitely has a surf store logo on it.

The teacher picked it up and gave me an indescribable look.

"...... This manufacturer is not well distributed.

　Some pro surfers used to use them all the time, but I'm sure there aren't many left in production."

You know your stuff, doc.

Oh well."

The teacher muttered and quietly put the part back in place.

They seem to have somewhat distant eyes.

(I heard that the teacher used to surf, so maybe he has some feelings for this manufacturer.)

A question grows in my chest.

"Dr. Kurokawa and his past as a professional surfer" - I have heard glimpses of such a story, but no one knows the details.

It doesn't look like there's a board itself here: ......"

Otani looks around again.

I searched behind the crates and shelves, but there was not a shadow of Shinoda-senpai's precious surfboard.

If things are piled up this high, it's possible they've been moved to another location."

Hinata voiced her disappointment.

To begin with, Shinoda's board wasn't necessarily here.

　But as long as there are signs that someone has moved it recently, it's not completely empty. ......"

The teacher walks to the back of the warehouse.

I can sense hesitation in his steps.

◇◇◇

6. mysterious footsteps and eerie shadows

The search continued for some time with no significant results.

You can hear Otani and Hinata's disappointed voices, such as "It's empty here too," and "There's nothing but dust ......."

Then--

A small noise was heard in the hallway.

Gee ...... the sound of a door creaking or footsteps ......?

What was that?

Otani gasps.

The teacher also asks, "Who's there?" and looks around.

My heart was pounding and my hands were sweaty from holding the flashlight.

(No way, the guy in the hood is ...... again?)

Fearfully, I walked back toward the warehouse door to find the dimly lit hallway quiet.

The floor is faintly illuminated by the light from an outside lamp shining through the window.

"Doctor, be careful ......"

Hinata warns in a whisper.

We also tried to illuminate the area with our flashlights, but we could not see anyone.

What was that noise I heard earlier?

Let's go outside."

The teacher opens the door slightly, and the night wind whistles in.

I look around the back of the school building, but it is not popular at all.

(Was it my imagination ......?)

In the awkward silence, no one opens their mouths.

Eventually, unable to catch any solid signs, we returned to the warehouse.

'Maybe it's an animal,' he said.

　There's no point in making a big deal out of it. Anyway, that's enough searching for us here."

At the doctor's discretion, this warehouse investigation was terminated.

In the end, Shinoda's board could not be found, and the only thing that seemed to be a clue was "an old surf maker's part.

It is somewhat regrettable, but staying too long might raise suspicion.

(Is this all there is to it? ......?)

Suddenly, Hinata stares at the floor and says, "Huh?" she shouts.

What's up?"

"Here ...... the dust is thin. Maybe it's a drag mark from something."

Hinata pointed to a different line from the floor trace that Otani was concerned about earlier.

It is really faint, but there is a brand new line extending out, as if something heavy had passed through it.

Looks like it's headed that way: ......"

We all shined our lights and followed the line to the back wall of the warehouse.

There, the line was suddenly broken.

It's not like there's any particular door at ...... by the wall."

The teacher lightly taps the wall, but the response is concrete.

There doesn't seem to be any big mechanism such as a hidden door.

Oh, we're running out of time. Let's go back."

No further exploration was possible, and the teacher hurried me out of the warehouse.

Staying too long in the school building at night is dangerous - I understand that, but I am also very eager to step in.

I'll leave it at that for today. Let's check back again."

Otani said so, and Hinata looked back at the warehouse with regret.

◇◇◇

7. unsatisfactory nights and drifting anxiety

Kurokawa-sensei leads us away from the back of the school building and we trot back to the main gate.

No one found us until we left the premises.

Looking at the clock, it was already almost 8:00 p.m.

I feel a strange sense of guilt and irritation at being at school at a time that would not normally be a part of my high school life.

'I'm sorry you didn't get anything, but don't ...... overdo it.

　Any more and we may be in violation of school rules, so let's break up for the day."

When the teacher broached the subject, Hinata bit her lip and then nodded.

Yes ...... but those floor marks are bothering me.

　It looked brand new, and it's possible someone could have been moving something around."

Maybe so. But anyway, that's it for today.

　Students wandering around the school at night can be a problem.

　You'll be scolded by the principal and the student body president."

Unable to say anything more back, we had to acquiesce for the time being.

(The doctor is cooperating, but it's still somewhat choppy. ......)

With these thoughts in mind, we all exit the school gate.

The town was cool at night, and the smell of the sea grazed my skin.

Thanks for all your hard work."

Otani lightly waves his hand and greets the teacher.

With a deep sigh, the teacher simply said, "Don't catch a cold," and walked in the direction of the staff parking lot.

Hinata looked at the teacher's back and said, "Sensei, you look tired.

I think he's worried about Shinoda-senpai's injury and all that."

That being said, the doctor is certainly not always so restless.

He may have responsibilities as an advisor to the surfing club, and the clash with Shinoda-senpai may have been mentally unbearable for him.

"Do you want to go home: ......"

They nod silently at my words.

Today's warehouse search was largely fruitless.
But the only thing that is certain is the remains of a brand new floor and the noises of the night - a sign that something is moving.

(What's in that warehouse?

　Old surf store parts and dusty equipment. ......

　(Perhaps there's another stash of space elsewhere?)

There's no end to it when you start thinking about it.

As I walk down the street at night, I recall the mysterious figures at the docks and the surveillance camera footage of hooded figures.

-I wonder if the culprit still has the board hidden somewhere.

What is the motive?

Are you really concerned about Shinoda-senpai's injury?

Or is someone else up to something?

......Whey, what's up?"

I came to my senses when Otani called out to me.

No, I've been thinking a lot. I've been thinking a lot about how I'm going to move tomorrow."

Surely, this is not going to get us anywhere."

Hinata nodded with a mysterious look on her face.

If the teacher is not too keen on the idea, maybe we can ask President Kiryu to help us?

　Maybe there's a way to get that warehouse officially unlocked."

-- Yes, that's right. There is a possibility that Kiryu-senpai would have a stronger authority to let us check the facilities in the school.

I'll do everything I can. I'll go along with you and Otani, too.

Yes, I'll help you.

　I hope we can get Shinoda-senpai's board back so we can all practice together again. ......"

Hinata's voice is filled with determination.

It can't end like this.
If the mystery of the board theft is solved, the atmosphere in the department may brighten a bit.

We parted at a nighttime intersection and headed back to our respective homes.

Along the way, the moon in the sky shone down on us as if looking down on us.

Tomorrow we'll go deeper into ......."

Muttering this, he shakes off the anxiety that spreads through his chest.

I couldn't hear the sound of the waves, but I felt as if the tide was calling us somewhere.

◇◇◇

--Episode 4: The End