Chapter 3: The Valentine's Death

"You're the good in me even if I'm bad but still you're the man I never had."

It's the last part (and the only part) na nabasa ko sa liham ni Marion kay Gray. Naging poetic na pala si Marion ngayon.

Yeah, Gray received a mail straight from somewhere kung nasaan man si Marion kasama ang isang tumataginting na box ng Knipschildt Chocolatier's Madeline truffle. Well if you're not familiar with such chocolate, let me tell you something about it. Isa lang naman ito sa highest priced delicacy. It's a rich
cream infused with vanilla pods and truffle oil, folded into the ganache for a day. Mind you, the truffle inside is the very expensive French Perigord Truffle!

Pero wala akong pake! Eh ano ngayon kung may chocolate siya mula kay Marion?! Who cares? I don't care and the carebears don't care!

"She's not over you," komento ni Jeremy matapos basahin ni Gray ang sulat. Nasabi ko na bang kaming tatlo na ang palaging magkasama ngayon?

"Hindi ko alam. Well, maybe. She even sent such expensive chocolates," wika naman ni Gray habang tinitingnan ang kahon ng mamahaling tsokolate. Sige! Kainin mo yan at nang masira yang pagkaganda-gandang ngipin mo o kaya ay baka may inilagay na lason si Marion dyan o di kaya ay gayuma! Sige ka!

Sinulyapan niya ako na nasa gilid. I didn't say anything mula nang dumating ang sulat at chocolate niya.

"Mahilig ka ba sa chocolates Amber? Gusto mo sayo na lang?" he asked at inirapan ko siya.

"No thanks. Baka may gayuma pa yan," wika ko. Ayoko nga! Baka ipakulam pa ako ni Marion at sabihing inagaw ko na lahat pati chocolates niya! NO WAY!

"I doubt it. It's still sealed," he said. Kahit pa nakakandado pa iyon, ayoko!

"I don't like the Italian truffles," wika ko. Of course that's a lie. Who doesn't love truffles?! Naalala ko tuloy noong nasa isla kami na pagmamay-ari ni Sir Arman Bridle, he prepared truffles for us!

Oh, Sir Armand! I need your truffles huhu! Nakakainggit yung truffles ni Gray na galing kaya Marion eh!

What's with all the chocolates? Well, it's already February and the previous month had been a peaceful one. Lumipas ang mga araw at linggo at ngayon ay araw na ng mga puso. Bridle High has been busy putting hearts around the school at may kung anu-ano pang pakulo para sa Valentine's day.

The school suspended the classes upang matupad ang mga kapritso ng Student Council. They have blind dates, marriage booths, love messages on air at kung anu-ano pang kalandian na naisip ng SC na sinuportahan naman ng school! Meh! They should have continue with the lessons lalo na at malapit na ang finals!

"I thought Marion is in London," wika ni Jeremy and Gray nodded.

"She's in London recently ngunit ayon kay Ryu ay inilipat na siya sa Italy for treatments,"wika ni Gray.

"You talked with the dev— I mean Ryu?" I asked. Himala! Mukhang magkaayos na yata talaga si Gray kina Cooler at Ryu.

"He emailed me. And yeah, he mentioned it once ng minsang magkita kami."

See? Improving! Nagkikita na sila! "Mukhang magkakaibigan na kayo ah. That's good to know."

He smiled a little. "Not really. I'm just being civil to them. I'm fostering amity with those guys."

"So ibig sabihin, nasa Italy ngayon si Marion?" Jeremy asked.

"Yeah."

"Why is she giving you a chocolate?" he asked again.

Ako na ang sumagot. "It's because it's Valentine's day," wika ko and I rolled my eyes.

"But guys are the one who's supposed to give you chocolates and not the other way round," Jeremy said. "It's Japan's culture, so maybe nasa Japan siya."

I mentally rolled my  eyes on his statement. Yes, it's Japan's culture na tuwing Valentine's ay ang mga babae ang magbibigay ng chocolate sa mga lalaki and in return, guys would give them something on White Day which is March 14. Anong klaseng logic ba ang meron kay Jeremy para isipin na porket ito ang nagbigay ng tsokolate ay nasa Japan na ito?

Bigla na lamang may humuli na CAT officer kay Gray. "Sorry pero ikakasal ka na naman," wika ng isang officer. Gray sighed at tahimik na sumama dito. Iniwan lamang nito ang mamahaling tsokolate sa mesa but he kept the letter in his bag. It's his 74th marriage just for today! Dinaig pa nito ang mga taong bahagi na ng kultura ang polygamy!

"Aren't you jealous? Mula Grade 7 hanggang Grade 10 ay ikinasal na kay Gray," wika ni Jeremy. He wasn't looking at me dahil may binabasa itong aklat.

Sinamaan ko ito ng tingin. Eh ano ngayon? Kahit pa lahat ng estudyante ng Bridle ay makasal dito, wala akong pake! Isama niyo pa maging ang mga faculty at staff, WALA AKONG PAKE!

"Jeremy, wala akong paki."

Jeremy has been married six times already. Well, ako? Nagkaroon akong isang blind date but I ended smashing the officer's face in the fish bowl na pinaglagyan ng mga papel na bubunutin namin. My date got a paper and it says that he can kiss me on the nose. Sa inis ko ay nahampas ko ang mukha ng nagpabunot na officer sa fish bowl and I stepped hard on my date's foot. See? After that incident ay wala ng lumapit pang officer sa akin.

Nag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin at sumeryoso bigla ang mukha ni Jeremy. "Do you remember that guy who got shot with Gray?" tanong niya sa akin.

Napakunot ang noo ko sa tanong niya. "Si Ryu?" Si Ryu ang nabaril kasama ni Gray diba?

"Tama. That guy," he said.

"Bakit?" tanong ko. Bakit naman siya nagtanong tungkol kay Ryu?

"Nasa likuran mo siya,"  he said at napalingon naman ako sa likuran ko. Ryu was really standing there kaya bigla na lang akong napatayo.

"Ano'ng ginagawa mo rito?" gulat na tanong ko. Ano na naman ang ipinunta niya rito sa Bridle? Wala na si Marion dito ah? Ah! Baka si Gray. Close na sila, right?

"I just dropped by to give you some chocolates. Baka kasi walang magbigay sayo kaya sayo ko na lang ibibigay ito," wika niya at inabot sa akin ang isang box ng chocolate.

And for this holy devil's sake, it's a Richart's Intense Valentine Gourmet Chocolates!!!!!! It's a box of 49 chocolates of each variety and aroma!!! WHAT THE HELL! WHY IS HE GIVING ME SUCH EXPENSIVE CHOCOLATE!?!

"Bakit mo ibinibigay sa akin iyan?" I asked him in disbelief.

"I bought them for my whores ngunit sumobra eh," he said with a smirk.

"I'm not a whore, you asshole!" I yelled at him.

"It's a different brand from the one I gave my bitches so don't you worry," wika niya. Different brand?! I don't care basta hindi ko iyon matatanggap! I am not one of his bitches.

"Look, I'm just joking okay? It's really for you kaya tanggapin mo na," he said. He grabbed my hands at pinahawakan sa akin ang box ng chocolate.

"Listen Ryu, alam kong sobrang yaman ninyo at barya lang ang pagbili mo sa chocolate na ito but I really cannot accept it! My gosh, that's very expensive. Hindi ko maatim na kainin iyan," I told him in a low voice. My classmates looked at me with jealousy in their eyes. A handsome guy gave me a box of super expensive chocolate. Marahil din ay nagtataka sila dahil alam nilang manliligaw ni Marion si Ryu dati, but now he's giving me some chocolates?! Uh, I hate their judgmental gazes!

Ryu looked at me impatiently. "Fine! Ayaw mo? Edi itatapon ko na lang!" he said and walked straight towards the nearest trash bin ngunit bago pa man siya makarating doon ay hinabol ko na siya. I know he would really throw it kapag hindi ko iyon tinanggap. Like I said, barya lang sa kanya ang ipinambili niya sa tsokolateng iyon.

"Don't! Fine! Akin na!"

"Good," wika niya. "I have to go."

"Yun lang ang ipinunta mo rito?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko sa kanya.

"Yeah, I have an important thing to do. Dumaan lang ako upang itapon yan sa iyo," he said arrogantly.

"Salamat sa PAGTAPON!" I said and I made emphasis on the word PAGTAPON. Okay! Sila na ang mayaman! "Alis ka na!"

"Aren't you going to walk me towards the gate?" tanong niya.

"Nakaya mong pumunta mag-isa rito kaya kaya mo ring umalis mag-isa, sige na. Sho! Sho!" pagbugaw ko sa kanya at sinamaan niya ako ng tingin.
"Uh, fine! I'll walk you! Don't look at me like you're going to slaughter me!" I looked at Jeremy. "Please look after the devil's chocolate for me. Ihahatid ko lang siya palabas."

Lumabas na kami ng classroom at nagtungo kung saan man ang kotse nito nakaparada. Namumuro na talaga ito sa paglalabas-pasok niya sa Bridle. Binesfriend na niya marahil ang guard!

"Aren't you going to say thank you?" he asked habang naglalakad kami.

"Uh, do I have to?" sarkastikong tanong ko. Aba! Naghahanap pa siya ng thank you?!

"Of course, you have to."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Ayoko. Don't thank me for walking you towards your car, that way , we're even," wika ko sa kanya.

"You're a brat," he said.

"And you're a jerk."

"A handsome jerk."

"Whatever".

Nang makarating kami sa tapat ng kotse niya ay sumandal ito saglit at tumingin sa akin. Uh, by the way, he got another car at ayaw ko ng alamin kung ano ang model niyon.

"You should prepare your teeth for more chocalates," wika niya habang tinitingnan ako.

"Hindi ko uubusin sa isang kainan lang ang chocolate mo, at isa pa mamimigay ako," sagot ko sa kanya.

He chuckled heartily. "I mean ay marami pang darating na chocolate para sayo."

Marami pang darating? Wala naman ah. Ito ang ang kaisa-isang nagbigay ng chocolate sa akin. "Whatever devil. Umalis ka na."

Sumakay na siya sa kotse niya at tinanaw ko naman ito palayo. Nang hindi ko na matanaw ang kanyang kotse ay bumalik na ako sa classroom.

"Thank God, you're back! I felt so uneasy sitting with these two expensive chocolates from abroad," wika ni Jeremy. Nasa harap kasi niya ang dalawang box ng chocolate na galing kay Marion at kay Ryu.

Dumating na rin si Gray at may dala na naman itong 'marriage certificate' na mula sa kasal nito. Nilakumos niya iyon at itinapon.

"Uh, there's another chocolate here?" he asked nang makalapit siya sa amin.

"Yes, that's for Amber mula kay Ryu. I'm waiting for the expensive chocolate for me too," Jeremy said and he giggled. May darating kayang mamahaling chocolate para sa kanya?

"Ryu gave you chocolates?"

Si Jeremy ang sumagot "Ano namang masama roon? Valentine's naman at isa pa, Amber is single and that Ryu i-is a j-jerk so masama nga talaga."

I glared at Jeremy. Ano na naman ba ang nasa isip nito? Naupo kami doon saglit at kung anu-ano ang pinag-usapan.  Ilang saglit lang ay isa na namang officer ang lumapit kay Gray.

"Argh! Okay! Sasama na ako,"  Gray said bago pa man magsalita ang officer. Tumawa na lang ito at agad na tumayo si Gray upang sumama ulit dito.

"Wag ka ng bumalik dito Gray dahil kukunin ka lang nila ulit," Jeremy said at mas lalong napatawa ang officer. Bumaling naman siya sa akin. "Magseselos na talaga ako kung ako ikaw," he said, trying to brainwash me.

"Unfortunately, you are not me so just shut up, okay?" wika ko sa kanya. Inilapag niya ang libro at hinarap ako.

Nagpatuloy kami sa pagbabasa ng muli na namang nagsalita si Jeremy. "Who's that guy na kasama ni Ryu noong birthday mo?" tanong niya.

"He's Cooler. Why?"

"Hi Cooler!" bati ni Jeremy at bigla na lang akong napalingon sa binati ni Jeremy. Nandoon nga si Cooler and just like Ryu, he was holding a box of expensive chocolate.

"Hi and hi Amber! Happy Valentine's," he said at inabot sa akin ang box na may nakasulat Debauve & Gallais's Le Livre.

"Happy Valentine's Day too Cooler," wika ko sa kanya ngunit hindi ko inabot ang hawak niyang chocolate. "What's that?"

"It's a box of chocolate," sabi ni Jeremy. I gave him a deadly glare at umakto naman ito na iziniper ang bibig.

"Yeah, he's right. It's a box of chocolate," pagsang-ayon ni Cooler.

"I know, idiot. But why are you giving me such thing?" tanong ko sa kanya ngunit si Jeremy pa rin ang sumagot.

"Kasi nga Valentine's day," Jeremy said at sumang-ayon ulit si Cooler. I gave Jeremy a deadlier glare than the one I gave him a while ago. If course, I know that it's Valentine's!

"Amber, just accept it okay? Wala namang masama kasi Valentine's. Look, every girls have chocolates too," wika niya at nilingon ang paligid. He's right. Most of the girls had  chocolates na marahil ay binigay ng mga kasintahan, manliligaw o kaya ay flings ng mga ito. Maybe some just bought their own chocolate para sa sarili. Love yourself kumbaga.

"I have 49 chocolates in a box na galing kay Ryu kaya hindi ko na kailangan iyan," inirapan ko siya ng sinabi iyon.

His brows wrinkled. "Pumunta si Ryu rito? Kaya pala nagmadaling umalis ang loko! Both of us have something important to do but he left ahead of time. Tell me, nanliligaw ba sayo ang lokong iyon?" Cooler asked at hinawakan ako sa balikat.

Si Ryu manliligaw sa akin. Duh! Just duh! IMPOSIBLE! At isa pa, si Ryu at ako? Yuck, I can't imagine! Okay, he's devilishly handsome but he's a jerk. I don't like him.

"Do you hear what you are saying Cooler? Nakakadiri ka," wika ko sa kanya at mukhang nabunutan naman ito ng tinik.

"Wag kang magpapabola dun. He's a jerk," he said.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Great. A jerk just called his cousin jerk." Ryu's a jerk and Cooler's a jerk too. Both of them are jerks. Period.

"I'm a lesser jerk than him," he said while grinning. "Anyway, tanggapin mo na dahil may importanteng lakad pa ako," wika niya at biglang tumunog ang cellphone nito.

Tiningnan niya iyon at agad nagpaalam sa akin. "See? They're calling me. I have to go. Happy Valentine's day again Amber!" 

Agad na nagmadaling umalis doon si Cooler. Ni hindi ko na ito nasamahan papunta sa main gate.

"Salamat at hindi mo ako iniwan dito kasama ang tatlong mamahaling tsokolate," Jeremy said matapos kong ilagay sa desk ang box ng chocolate na mula kay Cooler.

"I can't believe those guys gave me chocolates as if they're just giving a one-peso coin," wika ko habang tinitingnan ang mga nakalapag na chocolate sa mesa. I guess I have to brush my teeth more than thrice kapag kinain ko na ito. Ilang saglit lang ay nakabalik na si Gray at dumeretso ulit ito sa basurahan upang itapon ang kapirasong papel tanda na ikinasal na ito.

"Another expensive chocolate?" he asked at mas lalo pang kumunot ang noo niya nang makita ang isa pang box na galing kay Cooler.

"Bigay ni Cooler. Cooler, your brother," Jeremy said. Alam nitong magkapatid si Cooler at Gray noong nasa ospital kami and Cooler donated blood for Gray. Ang hindi lamang nito alam ay bahagi pala ng mafia sina Cooler at Ryu.

"Nandito siya?

"Yeah and he just left. He's in hurry," sagot ko. Napansin kong dumilim ang ekspresyon ng mukha ni Gray. Uh, what's wrong with him?

Kinuha niya ang bag niya at isinukbit iyon sa balikat. "Jeremy, you take care of the truffles, kakainin natin yan mamaya. May bibilhin muna ako sa labas," he said at agad na lumabas ng classroom.

"Nagselos si mister," Jeremy said nang makaalis na si Gray. Nagselos? Jealousy and Gray don't go together kaya imposible ang pinagsasabi ni Jeremy.

"You're talking nonsense Jeremy," wika ko sa kanya ngunit hindi niya ako pinansin. Sa halip ay ipinagpatuloy lamang nito ang pagbabasa.

Ilang minuto rin ang lumipas bago ito muling nagsalita. "Amber, are you having an affair with married-looking man?" he asked out of the blue kaya napaangat ang tingin ko mula sa binabasa kong advance notes.

What the hell? Anong akala niya sa akin, home wrecker?! I'm not having an affair with anyone! Be it married-looking or not!

"Jeremy, masasapak na talaga kita. Why are you asking?"

His gaze passed me nang magsalita ito kaya napalingon na rin ako sa pinto. Uh, maybe I should sit facing the door at hindi ganitong nakatalikod ako. Paglingon ko ay nakita ko si Kuya Rex, Khael's ever loyal driver walking towards our direction.

"Amber, mabuti at kilala ka rito. Nagpatulong ako sa isang estudyante kung saan ang classroom mo kaya sinamahan nila ako rito," wika nito nasong makalapit.

"Kayo po pala Kuya Rex", wika ko at inabot niya sa akin ang isang bouquet ng bulaklak at isang malaking dark chocolate.

"Pinapabigay nga pala ni Khael," wika niya.

"Naku po! Hindi ko po iyan matatanggap," tanggi ko ngunit pinilit ni Kuya Rex na tanggapin ko iyon. Ayoko namang pahirapan pa ito kaya hindi na ako nagmatigas. Nang makaalis ito ay agad kong tinawagan si Khael.

"Hi there Special A! Happy Valentine's day!" bati niya nang sagutin niya ang tawag.

"What's with the flowers and chocolate Khael?"

"Why? You don't like it?"

"You shouldn't have bothered! Inutusan mo pa si Kuya Rex!"

"It's because you are spe—", napahinto ito saglit. "Wait, I just have to finish this call," wika nito and his voice seems irritated. Ako ba ang kausap nito?

"I'm sorry Special A. Hindi ako ang mismong nagbigay. I can't leave Athena, I'm part of the student council. I'll just call you later, I still have a wedding," he said with a sigh.

"Fine," wika ko at agad na pinatay ang tawag at hindi ko na hinintay ang sagot niya. Uh, mukhang suki rin ito ng marriage booth sa Athena.

Jeremy and I just sat there at may kanya-kanya kaming hinaharap na libro. Bigla na lamang kaming napatayo ni Jeremy nang may isang estudyante ang humihingal na lumapit sa amin.

"Nasaan si Gray?" tanong nito. Sa pagkakatanda ko ay bahagi ito ng student council.

"He went somewhere. Why?" Jeremy asked.

Napahawak ito sa dibdib matapos magpunas ng pawis. "Kailangan namin ng tulong niya! An SSC senator was poisoned to death!"

***

Agad kaming nagpunta ni Jeremy sa student council office. I already called Gray at agad naman itong nagpunta. Naroon na rin ang mga pulis na tinawagan ng skwelahan.

Kalunos-lunos ang sinapit ng biktimang si Janice Ellevera, an ABM student. Her body was stiffed and her back was arched. Nasa mesa ang kinakain nitong tsokolate. Ayon sa ibang mga SC officer, dalawang oras na mula nang nanginig ang katawan niya na nagsimula sa leeg. Nagkaroon din ito ng convulsions na naging tuloy-tuloy until her backbone arches.

Lumapit si Jeremy at inamoy ang bibig na biktima. "No doubt, this is a case of cyanide poisoning," seryosong wika nito.

Napatingin naman ang lahat ng nandoon sa kanya maging ang mga pulis. Silence filled the room habang nakatitig ang lahat kay Jeremy. They must be surprised with his statement.

"Uh, that's what you're going to say, right Gray?" he asked. Sumeryoso ang mukha ni Gray at inilapag ang chocolate na kinakain ng biktima.

"No. There's no almond-scent from the victim's mouth and the evidence in the victim's body indicates that it's not a cyanide poisoning. By the way, sino ang nagbigay ng tsokolate sa biktima?" he asked and a guy from student council stepped forward.

"Ako, pero hindi ko siya nilason," wika niya. Nagpakilala ito bilang Melvin Dignos, another SC senator. Nagtanong din si Gray kung sino ang kasama ng biktima sa lumipas na dalawang oras. Isang kaklase nito na si Irish Magno ang kasama nito sa loob ng SC office at ang SC auditor na si Jhonrey Cuizon.

Kinausap sila ng mga pulis upang hingin ang mga statements. Tiningnan ko naman ang biktima. Gray said it wasn't a case of cyanide poisoning. Kung gayon ay anong lason ang ginamit ng salarin upang lasonin ito?

Lumapit si Gray sa tatlong suspect. "What's your parent's business?" he asked each one of them.

Si Melven ang unang sumagot. "Ano naman ang kinalaman ng business namin sa kasong ito? I told you, that chocolate I gave her is not poisoned! Bakit ko naman siya lalasonin? I'm courting her!"

"Why don't you just answer my question?" mahinahon na wika ni Gray. He wasn't affected by the sudden outburst of one of the suspects.

"Is this your method of investigating? You dig personal lives?" sagot naman ni Melven.

"My method is build upon the observation of trifles," he said with full confidence. He got his arrogant attitude again lalo na kapag may kinakaharap itong kaso. "So, hindi mo ba sasagutin ang tanong ko?"

"Fine! To clear your doubts, my family's into farming and crop production," sagot nito.

"That's all I want to hear. Thank you," wika niya at tinanong naman niya ang iba ng parehong tanong.

Si Irish Magno ang sunod na sumagot. "We're into toy production business."

"My family is into pastry and cakeshop business," sagot naman ni Jhonrey. I was thinking if Ryu and Cooler would be suspects of this crime at tinanong ito ni Gray ng, 'hey, what's your family business?' it's ridiculous to think that they would answer that they're into mafia. Uh, I rolled my eyes into my own stupidity.

"I already know who's the one responsible for such painful and dramatic death of the victim," wika ni Gray kaya lumapit ang mga pulis sa kanya.

"Sino?"

"It's the one who's into farming business," wika nito at galit na napatingin naman si Melven sa kanya.

"What? Ano naman ang koneksyon ng family business namin sa kasong ito? And haven't I told you that I'm courting Janice? Why should I kill her?" he asked in disbelief.

"You must be familiar with strychnine. A sign of strychnine poisoning is just like what we see in the victim. Her back is arched and there's an instant appearance of rigor mortis. It attacks the nervous system and it contracts the muscles in the body and death is a result of asphyxiation due to paralysis of the respiratory pathways," paliwanag ni Gray.

"Ngunit ano ang kinalaman niyan sa family business ng mga suspect?" tanong ng isang pulis.

Gray flashed his familiar arrogant smile. He only flash it when he's very sure of his deduction. "It's an ingredient for stimulant but it's widely used as pesticides and you're the only one who could have access to such alkaloid. You used pesticides to eliminate pests and rodents, right? I'm sure you have access to it," wika niya habang nakaharap pa rin kay Melven.

"Thanks for the lecture but I don't even know such thing. Ngayon ko lang narinig mula sa iyo ang bagay na iyan. I don't even intervene with the family business kaya hindi yan pamilyar sa akin," mayabang na wika nito.

"May pruweba ka ba?"

"I'm sure he already disposed the proofs of it but we don't have to worry. We can have an experiment using that bitter crystalline alkaloid. Mayroon tayo noon sa laboratory. I can just request the new incharge to let us have some for our experiment," Gray said.

"What kind of experiment?" tanong ni Irish.

"I want you to drop some strychnine on your eyes. Don't worry, it's used as stimulants and it can improved performance that's why athletes used that thing," sagot nito.

"If that will prove my innocence, I would participate in such experiment," wika ni Jhonrey.

"Me too. I would also participate para malaman natin kung sino nga ba ang pumatay kay Janice. God! I was hysterical during her convulsions!" pagsang-ayon naman ni Irish.

"Good, so let's have Melven to be the first one to perform the experiment," Gray said with a different smile. "Just a few drops on your eyes."

Napakunot naman ang noo ni Melven. "Are you out of your wits?! You want me to pour that on my eyes! Don't you know that inhalation or absorption of that thing is fatal and —" Gray cuts him off.

"Exactly. See? You already know how does it work. By why did you say a while ago that you haven't heard such thing?"

"Oo nga! Sinabi mo kanina na hindi mo alam ang bagay na iyon," komento ng isang pulis.

"Ang ibig kong sabihin ay —"

"You can't deny it anymore."

Napabuntong-hininga naman ito. "I guess I have to pay the consequences of my deeds. Oo, pinatay ko siya using such poison. Everything that this guy, Silvan I think, said is true."

"Bakit Melven? Gaya ng sabi mo ay nililigawan mo siya diba?" tanong ni Irish sa kanya.

"Yes, I did and I thought she likes me. Yun ang sabi niya but the truth is may boyfriend na pala siya. Alam mo bang nagconfess ako sa kanya in public? Sa mall. Sa mall ko ginawa ang pakulong naisip ko. I thought she would like it ngunit pinahiya niya ako. She said I'm the most disgusting guy she'd met in her entire life. I felt humiliated that's why I killed her," pag-amin nito.

I wonder why people would resort to such thing. Hindi sila tulad ko na kapag may bagay na nakakapagpadepress sa akin, I just go out and eat ice cream and after that, I'm fine. Well that proves the individual differences of people.

***

The case has been solved at naglalakad kami pauwi ng dorm. Nagvolunteer si Jeremy at Gray na ihatid ako kaya pumayag naman ako. I let Jeremy carry the chocolate and the flower.

"Sunod-sunod na yata ang mga pagpatay dito sa Bridle," komento ko habang naglalakad kami. Gray was walking with his poker face at kanina pa ako nagsasalita rito ngunit si Jeremy lamang ang sumasagot.

"Yeah. Who do you think is the murder magnet here? Ikaw o si Gray?" tanong nito. Gray and I both glared at him. "Ah, eh, just kidding!"

Nagpatuloy naman kami sa paglalakad. Gray was holding tight on his backpack. Pansin ko lang, kanina pa nito suot ang backpack nito, ni hindi nga niya iyon inilapag kanina habang nilulutas niya ang Valentine's Day Murder Case kanina.

Nang makarating kami sa entrance ng dorm ay nagpasalamat na ako sa kanila. Jeremy gave me the flower and chocolate ngunit nakatayo lang si Gray sa harapan ko.

"What?" I asked him. Tiningnan niya si Jeremy at tila naintindihan naman nito ang ibig sabihin ni Gray. Lumayo siya sa amin at iniwan kami sa harapan ng dorm.

"Hoy, hindi ka pa aalis?" tanong ko sa kanya nang nanatili itong nakatayo doon habang matamang nakatitig sa akin.

"I know you have expensive chocolates but I hope you would appreciate mine. I cannot give you expensive one dahil wala akong panahon na bumili and I cannot just travel abroad just to buy chocolates," wika niya. Kinuha niya ang backpack at binuksan iyon. Inilabas niya ang malaking jar ng Nutella at iniabot iyon sa akin.

"Happy Valentine's Day Amber," he said at iniwan akong nakatulala habang nakatitig sa ibinigay niyang nutella.

He hopes that I would appreciate it? Well, Nutella is my favorite! Ilang saglit ay nahimasmasan na ako sa pagkatulala ko at agad akong pumasok ng dorm.

Pagdating ko sa kwarto namin ay agad kong inilapag ang mga box ng chocolate sa kama kasama ang bulaklak samantalang kumuha naman ako ng kutsara at binuksan ang nutella at agad nilantakan iyon.

I'm gonna thank Gray for this. NUTELLA IS HEAVEN!

#

—ShinichiLaaaabs❤