A Detective and a Middle School Student Work Together to Defeat Lupin

After the watch and hair clip incident, my school life returned to normal. Or at least, as normal as it gets for an Arez Redzel. I was still busy sleeping in class, copying Kalet's homework at the last minute, and occasionally getting involved in silly debates about the latest games. Kalet Hacley and Chestina Dolkness now often walked with me. Chestina, with her unique flower-patterned hair clip and her slightly awkward but intelligent personality, was an interesting addition. She often asked how I managed to 'guess' the culprit of their stolen watch and hair clip, and I always had a logical answer that somehow managed to convince her.

"Arez, why do you think Mr. Alan always wears floral ties every Tuesday?" Kalet asked one afternoon, as we walked home from school.

I shrugged. "Maybe he has a lot of floral ties in stock. Or he just likes flowers."

"No way!" Chestina exclaimed. "There must be a hidden meaning! Maybe it's a secret code for a secret plant enthusiast club at school!"

Kalet and I just exchanged glances and shook our heads. Chestina indeed had too wild an imagination.

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My home life also had its own surprises. Since the Lupin incident, Rose Claret seemed to have turned my house into an impromptu detective headquarters. My parents, who worked abroad, traveled frequently, so my house was often empty. But I never expected an eccentric detective to make it her personal base.

One afternoon, as I was comfortably lounging on the sofa watching TV, Rose suddenly appeared from behind the kitchen door, wearing a duck-patterned apron.

"Arez, have you eaten?" she asked, stirring something in a pot.

I flinched, almost dropping the remote. "Rose?! How did you get in?! And why are you wearing that apron?! That's my mom's apron!"

Rose just smiled proudly. "I found a delicious mushroom soup recipe online. And your front door was unlocked. I told you, detectives have their ways. Just consider me your new older sister now."

I snorted. "An older sister? I don't need a weird sister who always appears out of nowhere; my life was more comfortable before you came calling yourself my sister."

"Minor details," she said dismissively. "Besides, I can't let my little brother, the rookie detective, starve. Your brain won't be able to think clearly then."

She served a steaming bowl of mushroom soup. The aroma of the soup was indeed tempting. Since I hadn't eaten yet, I would try a little, "Next time, call first if you're coming, Rose," I said, sipping the soup.

It tasted good. I didn't expect her to be a good cook, even though she copied the recipe from the internet, but it seemed I liked this soup.

"How is it?" she asked, leaning forward.

"Good," I replied briefly.

"Really?" Her body moved closer, a wide smile gracing her face.

In response, I just nodded slowly, then continued to sip the soup. Her expression turned into a pout as she pulled her body back. Perhaps my brief answer didn't meet her expectations?

Returning to herself, she then placed a paper bag on the table in front of me. "Oh, this. A gift for you."

I frowned. "What gift?"

I opened the bag. Inside was a dark brown trench coat, a fedora hat similar to those often worn by detectives in movies, and a small magnifying glass.

"These... detective clothes?" I looked at her strangely. "What are these for?"

"To show your identity as a detective," Rose said seriously. "A detective must have their own unique style. I've thought this through carefully. You'll look cool in this."

I held the trench coat. It felt... heavy and a little ridiculous. "But I'm just... Arez. I'm not a real detective."

"Not yet," Rose corrected, winking. "I recruited you, and you have talent too. I'm here to hone it. Consider this your uniform."

I sighed. I wasn't interested in actually wearing it, but if I threw it away, I'd look like someone who didn't appreciate gifts, so maybe I'd just leave it in my closet. It seemed my life would never return to normal.

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Sunday arrived again. I was enjoying the beautiful morning, planning a marathon nap session, when my phone vibrated. A message from Chestina.

Chestina: Arez, do you have time? Can we meet at the cafe near school? There's something important I want to talk about.

I frowned. Important? Usually Chestina only sent messages about homework problems or conspiracy theories about the school's guard cats. If I refused, I would disappoint her; she was also a new friend of mine since the watch and hair clip incident back then. It was better to accept. I replied: Okay. What time?

Chestina: 2 PM.

I replied: Okay. Then I sighed. Goodbye, nap.

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At 2 PM, I arrived at the cafe. Chestina was already sitting in a corner, with a cup of latte in front of her. Her face looked anxious and a little tense.

"Hi, Chestina. What's up?" I asked as soon as I sat down.

Chestina looked hesitant. She stirred her latte with a small spoon, her eyes avoiding mine. "Um... it's... I... I want to talk about something."

"Yeah, I know. That's why I'm here," I said, a little impatiently. I hated beating around the bush. "Just spit it out. What is it? Is the school guard cat really a spy?"

Chestina shook her head quickly. "No! It's more serious." She took a deep breath. "Arez... I want to ask for your help."

I raised an eyebrow. "Help with what? Math homework? I can't promise your grade will be good if I do it."

"Not homework!" Chestina finally looked at me, her eyes full of hope, but also a little desperate. "Arez, you're the person who can find lost things, right? You found Kalet's watch, my hair clip... so I'm sure you can help me find... something else."

"What do you mean?"

Chestina bit her lip, appearing very reluctant to continue. "It's... it's a bit personal. And it might sound strange."

"Just say it," I urged. "I won't judge you. Unless you ask me to find your missing sock."

Chestina finally sighed. "Alright. Arez, I want you to help me get back my lost memory."

I frowned. "Lost memory? What do you mean?"

Chestina looked at me with teary eyes. "When I was four years old, my uncle told me something. I don't know what it was; I completely forgot his words. But... I remember the feeling. At that time, I cried. I felt very sad."

She continued, her voice soft. "I've tried to remember it for years, but I can't. It's like a part of me is missing. I believe... I believe you're the right person, Arez. You can find anything lost."

I fell silent. Finding a lost memory? This was far more complicated than searching for a watch or a hair clip. How? Should I perform hypnosis? Search for memory traces in someone's brain? This was beyond my ability as a 'lazy detective.'

"Chestina, I... I'm not sure I can do that," I said honestly. "How do we search for memories? They're not physical objects."

Chestina looked down, her shoulders slightly slumped. "I know it's difficult. But... I don't know who else to ask for help. You're the only person I trust to do this."

I sighed. Trapped again. I didn't know where to start. A lost memory of an uncle's words at the age of 4, leaving only sadness. This was the most personal and, perhaps, the most difficult riddle I had ever faced. Since she trusted me, I would at least try.

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The next few days, I was still confused. I had tried asking Chestina for more details about her uncle, about her childhood, about anything that could be a clue. But the results were nil. She only remembered the sadness. A dead end.

This was truly beyond my expertise. How do you search for something invisible and intangible?