After arriving at the rooftop,we both sat in the bench here.Takahashi-sensei immediately pick up her pack of cigarette from her suit,pick up one stick and lit it up.After taking one sip from the cigarette,I spoke to her.

"So what do you want to talk about,Sensei?."

"Well before that,can I be honest here?."

"Honest?.Well that's fine with me."

"Okay.First of all I want to say that your two solutions you told to us earlier are absolute crap.No,the first part when you said that Reina is the culprit is alright.But things become messy when you add the fact that almost all of your classmates are accomplice.And about the suicide thing,that was nonsense."

"So what are you trying me to do?."

"I want you to tell me the truth.The truth behind this murder mystery.This case ended in a conclusion that Chinatsu comitted suicide but I don't believe that.Chinatsu may look like a weak person but deep inside she have a strong heart.She will never kill herself.

That was something I at least know about her.I'm her teacher afterall.What's more,you must also know it right,Hashimoto?.As the one who rejected her."

It seems like she got me.Well that was actually something I been expecting when we came here in the rooftop.

"Okay,I admitted now,Sensei.All the things I said earlier are just lies to hide the truth.Of course,Chinatsu-san never comitted suicide.However,there is really a murderer among us.And it was only one culprit.No more multiple accomplice.Lastly,what I'm going to explain right now is the absolute truth.So don't worry anymore,Sensei."

I kinda remember Yahiro-san's words.That murder mysteries doesn't end in a conclusion where the victim committed suicide.At the end,she was really correct afterall.

"I see.But why did you hide the truth from your classmates in the first place,Hashimoto?."

"Let me answer that later.For now let's go back in square one.But before that,let me asked you three questions.Actually,if you be able to answer these questions,you will find out the real culprit."

"Ho?.Then let see if I can answer it.

"Well the first question is did the murder happen before or after the earthquake?.

Second question:did the culprit really use the door to enter and escape from the crime?.And for the last question:why did the murder happen particularly today,February 14 or Valentines Day?."

After hearing that,she start thinking for the answers from my questions.After some time,she spoke up.

"For the first question,my answer is the murder happen before the earthquake.But for the second question,I actually don't know what did you mean by that.Are you saying that there is still another route for the culprit to enter and escape in the crime scene aside from the door?.And for the last question,is it really necessary to know why the murder happen today?."

Just like I expected,she doesn't have an idea to my second and third question since this was something I have been keeping for the whole time.Those two questions may look like came from nowhere but those are the keys to solve this murder mystery.

"Don't worry,Sensei.While I'm telling you the correct answers on each question,we also reduced the number of suspects as well.So listen carefully to what I'm going to say here."

"Then go ahead and tell me in detailed who is the real culprit."

After she said that,Takahashi-sensei noticed that her cigarette finally reach it's limit.So she took again another one from the pack.She lit it and take a sip.After that,I started on explaining to her the truth.Or I could also called it the third solution.

"To start it of,you got the correct answer in the first question.The murder was indeed happen before the earthquake happen.However,that fact doesn't eliminate any suspects so let immediately go to the second question.My classmates came to believe that the culprit used the door to enter and escape from the classroom but that was not actually the case here.So what is the another route that the culprit used?.To answer that,let's shift this conversation to building,facilities or malls.Did you noticed that there are FIRE EXIT to each of them to ensure a safe path for people if a fire broke out?."

Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

I stopped there as I asked that question to Takahashi-sensei.

"I know that.Well that's pretty normal for those establishments."

"That's right.But aside from those establishments,there is still one more place where fire exits also exist."

"One more?."

"School buildings.I thought you already know the existence of fire exits in school,Sensei."

"Sorry for that.It was not used before so I didn't noticed it."

Well she has a point.Actually,it was not really become useful since there is no fire broke out since the school started.

"But anyways it was not really a common fire exit you can found from the places I mentioned earlier.It was just small window which is attached to a another window.And our school are not exempted from that.We are actually have one in our classroom.But in this case,since our classroom was located in second floor,there is a long ladder right down to the ground.Additionally,that ladder was located in the middle of girls and boys' restroom."

"Wait,don't tell me...."

"You're right.The culprit used that small fire exit to enter and escape in the classroom."

Honestly,when the murder happen,I already consider the fire exit as a route for the culprit.

But I not yet confirmed it that time since I haven't quesitoned my classmates.But after that,I was finally conviced that this is where the culprit enter and escape the clasroom.

"And with that fact,the number of suspects will be greatly reduce,Sensei.Because if the culprit used the fire exit to enter and escape the classroom instead the door then the most suspicious people here are the ones who GO TO THE RESTROOM since they have an easy access to the LADDER towards the fire exit.I mean,that ladder and the restoom was located in back of the classroom afterall."

"So that also mean the people who didn't go to the restroom before the earthquake happens are already free from suspicion right?."

"Yes.And those people are:Tachibana-san and Onodera-san,who stayed in the staircase for the whole time.Hiten-san and Yahiro-san,who stayed in the second floor.Ichika-san and Hoshino-san,who stayed in the big tree.And Kanakura-san,who stayed in the hallway of first floor."

With that said,there are three people I didn't mention.

"Ayumi,Reina and Hosokawa.So among these three is the culprit?."

"That's right."

"And to determined who is the culprit among those people,the last question that you asked me must be answered."

"Actually,even though I didn't tell you the answer for that last question,we can still identify who is the culprit among them,by the process of elimination and deductive reasoning."

"Ho,really?."

"Yes.The last question is more like just made to find out the MOTIVE of the culprit,some-

thing like that."

"Motive?."

"Well I will tell that to you later.For now,let's focus on these three people."

After saying that,Takahashi-sensei pulled out again a stick of cigarette from its pack.I just realized now that she was heavy smoker.It was he already her third stick even though it was still not an hour had passed.Anyways,I continue on my explanation.

"In this particular part,there are two facts that we must remember.First is the culprit must already inside the classroom BEFORE Chinatsu-san go towards there.Why is that?.

Because if the culprit go inside the classroom AFTER or should I say,while Chinatsu-san was already inside the classroom,she would definitely freak out if she saw someone entering in the fire exit.And that was something that the culprit doesn't want to happen.In other words,Chinatsu-san must not aware of those actions.And the the second fact is the murder,including entering and escaping from the fire exit,must be done as quickly as possible because if they took a lot of time with those things,they will be suspicious.

And these two facts must be applied to one among these three people in order for to become the culprit.Yes,not only one but it must two facts.

So let's start with Hosokawa-san.Base on her testimony,the first fact applies to her.She go to the restroom before Chinatsu-san go towards the classroom.But I don't think the second fact also applicable to her.Yes,no one really confirmed that she really go to the restroom but take note that she have an E cup breast size.So what is the connection of that with this murder case?.Remember when I asked your breast size,Sensei?.I also did the same to others.But it is not just for show.I asked that to see who could possibly enter the fire exit easily.In other words,the one who have bigger breast size will never be the culprit since they will have a hard time to enter and escape in the fire exit.On the other hand,those people who have smaller breast size are the ones who could become the culprit.In short,in Hosokawa-san case,since she have an E-cup breast size,she will be hard

time in entering the fire exit and it will contradict our second fact.And two facts must be applied in order for her to become the culprit.So at the end of the day,she is not the one who killed Chinatsu-san.

Next is Reina-san.Honestly,she is the one I been suspecting from the start.But if we look

again her testimony,the first fact doesn't apply to her since she go towards the restroom AFTER Chinatsu-san entered the classroom.

Yes,she had a smaller breast,which is C cups to be exact,than Hosokawa-san which can make her to easily enter and escape from the classroom but as long as she avoided one from those two facts,then she will never be the culprit."

"Oi,oi.Don't tell me the culprit is..." Takahashi-

sensei said,opening her eyes widely as if she realized something.

"You're right.Those two facts applies to this student.This student go towards the restroom before Chinatsu-san enter the classroom and have small breast size,C cups to be exact.

In other words,the one who plan this murder from the start.The one who killed Chinatsu-san.The one who go to the restroom to climb in the ladder towards the fire exit.The one who asked my classmates to go outside from the classroom.The only one who remains in the process of the elimination.That is-Suzuki Ayumi."