Chapter 39: Over Dinner

The ambiance inside the Vander Mansion is a million times scarier than in Ryu's car. Habang lulan kami ng kotse ay hindi kami nag-usap. Parehas kaming galit for no apparent reason. Maybe this is what we have in common as siblings. Little patience and bratty attitude.

Nang makarating kami sa Vander Mansion ay hindi ko pa rin siya pinansin at nagtuloy-tuloy lamang sa dining hall kung saan iginiya ako ng katulong.

Pagdating ko doon ay tila pinagsisihan kong hindi ko na hinintay si Ryu. It made me want to regret fighting with him dahil kailangan ko siya ngayon upang makapitan. When he walked inside the hall ay napaatras ako at hinawakan ang laylayan ng kanyang damit.

Bahala na kung hindi man kami
nagkasundo kanina, basta kailangan kong kumapit sa kanya. Okay he's scary when he drove with his brows meeting kanina. But these people in the long table are a lot scarier.

Did I miss to hear when Mom said that we'll have the Vander Clan's Dinner? Oh, I thought when she said Family dinner, she meant her, Rionessi, Ryu and me. When she said there are some relatives and family friends, I thought that she meant Cool with Cooler. But these people in front of me are not what I'm expecting. The long table was set for a feast, I expected it but not this lot.

I saw Artemis rose from her seat at lumapit sa akin. She hugged me and kissed my cheeks.

"Hello Amber— Oh I mean Ryle. My name is Ryza Raine Morisson! Your cousin", she said with a smile. Artemis has always been the carefree reaper that I know. Akala ko talaga dati she can identify an IQ count by merely looking at the person and how stupid I am for believing so. Sa pagkakaalala ko ay BS Psychology graduate ito, with flying colors and now she's pursuing medicine.  "Welcome to the family!"

I gave her a smile bago tiningnan ang mga tao sa mesa. There was this man who looks like Rionessi and I guess that's Artemis' father. Kasama rin nito ang babaeng walang kangiti-ngiti. Of the reapers, si Artemis at Ares lang ang nakilala ko.

Have I told you na hindi pa rin ngumingiti sa akin si Ares? He just used to look at me straight in the face. Cooler and Cronus were there too, of course they are the host of the house.

Sa kanang bahagi ng mesa ay may kambal na pawang babae. Parehong nakataas ang kilay nila habang nakatingin sa akin. It's hard to tell the difference between them by merely looking at their appearance. May tila mag-asawa din na naroon at may kasama itong lalaki. He was grinning like he's saying "I-know-what-you-did" at yung tipo ng tingin na magu-guilty ka kapag may ginawa ka.

"Is that your daughter Rionessi?", tanong ng lalaking kamukha ni Rion— I mean ni Daddy.

Dad rose from his seat at sinalubong ako. He reached for my shoulders at inakbayan ako. He faced the little crowd in front.

"Yes, everyone, I would like you to meet my daughter Ryle Vander Morisson", he said at napansin kong tila walang ni isa man na ngumiti sa kanila, well except Cronus. He was flashing his playful smile at nakikita ko ang pagkapilyo ni Cooler sa kanya.

Ayaw ba nila sa akin? Okay, I'm not expecting everyone to give me warm welcome with matching hugs and kisses like Artemis did pero di ba pwedeng magpakita man lamang sila ng konting galak? Even Cooler! He's not smiling at all!

"Rionessi, naniniwala na kaming si Sweet nga iyan after you presented us the DNA result, but how about that kid? She must undergo DNA testing too.", wika ng isang babae. She looks
like she's around 50 but still pretty and classy.

Nagulat na lamang ako nang tumayo si Mommy at ibinagsak ang palad sa mesa. "Are you doubting my daughter? I'm the one who carried her for nine months! I woke up one day without memory but I'm pregnant. I may be depressed that time but I'm really pregnant! I'm three months pregnant when the accident happened that leads to my amnesia and I carried her in my womb despite my memory loss!", galit na wika ni Mommy. "Bakit kailangan pang ipa-DNA test si Amber? I don't think that's necessary!"

"Oh, the cat has claws. Athena is really back", komento ng lalaki na asawa yata ng nagsalita.

"I can't believe this! You're seriously doubting my daughter!"

"She's obviously our daughter. Sweet already told us that she carried her. Ryu said before that his mom is pregnant. Hindi na natin kailangan ng DNA test para sa kanya", wika ni Daddy. "Ryle, welcome to the family."

Nagsalita ang kanina pang nakangiti na si Cronus. "Bakit hindi niyo muna ipakilala ang inyong mga sarili sa aking pamangkin habang hinihintay natin ang huling panauhin?"

Tumayo ang lalaking kanina pa nakangiti at lumapit sa akin. "Oh, thank you Sir. Hello Ryle, my name is Xavier, from the Morisson Clan." Inilahad niya ang palad sa akin. Tinanggap ko naman iyon kahit hindi ko gusto ang paraan ng ngiti nito. "I'm reaper Adonis. From the pelagic bloc."

Itinaas ko ang isang kilay. Pelagic bloc? What's that? Tila naintindihan naman niya iyon at bahagya siyang tumawa.

"Oh, sorry. My bad. Hindi ka pala pamilyar sa mafia. Well reapers are categorized into three blocs, Aerial, Terrestrial and Pelagic. Obviously, you know the differences between those words", he said. Bumaling siya sa kambal na masama pa rin ang tinging ipinupukol sa akin. "Hey Twin Cities, mind introducing yourselves to our cousin, Ryle?"

The name Ryle makes me uncomfortable. I'm more used to Amber.

"Amber. My name is Amber." Bahagya silang natahimik at tiningnan ako ng masama. Hey, what's wrong with giving them my false name?

"Right. Introduce yourself to Amber", wika ni Xavier o Adonis.I think he's way older than me. Even older than Ryu.

"Eh? Not interested", wika ng isa sa kambal. She had worn her hair so short with red highlights. The other had the same hairlength and they only differ with their highlights, hers is a little brownish.

"She's a Vander", paalala ni Ryu sa lahat. "And Vanders are to be respected lalo na ng reapers."

"I don't care, I don't like h—", hindi na natapos ng isa sa kambal ang sasabihin nang binunot ni Ryu ang baril. He pointed her the gun and she froze.

"Watch your tongue reaper." His dark glaring eyes shot towards the twin and I thought they might cry. Boo!

"Don't make it hard twins. This is supposed to be a dinner, not a fight", Artemis said. She was amused by Ryu's sudden mood. Knowing her, she loves fights and brawling like what Hermes and Eros used to do but she refrained from witnessing it now. Marahil ay gusto nitong tahimik na kumain.

"Fine!", wika ng may pulang highlights. "Hello Amber or Ryle or whatever. The name's Paris", wika nito in a sarcastic way. She isn't even looking at me when she introduced herself.

"I'm Berlin", wika ng isa. I thought she's going to say more but she didn't. Oh, not that I'm interested with stuff about them. I now understand why they are called Twin Cities. They are twins who are named after the famous cities of France and Germany.

"Ryle, that couple over there is your Tito Ramoncito with his wife Clavel. Artemis is their daughter", wika ni Daddy at tinuro ang mag-asawang hindi maganda ang trato sa akin kanina. "That's Ares, an orphan but still of the Morisson clan. The other couple is your Tita Allesandra and her husband Crisologo, Xavier is their son and the twins, too", pakilala ni Daddy sa mga ito. Actually, none of them are smiling at me, except Artemis of course, so to be fair, I'm not gonna smile at them, too.

Iginiya ako ni Daddy sa isang upuan, which is next to Ryu and beside Artemis. Mom kissed me and whispered something like ignore those annoying people.

"Bakit hindi na natin simulan ang hapunan Cronus?", wika ni Crisologo. Napansin kong tahimik ang lahat sa mesa. There is a vacant seat beside Cooler, straightly accross me and if I remembered it right, Cronus said that there's still one guest who's not around. I have a wild guess about who it might be.

"Just a little longer Crisologo. I think he's coming", wika ni Cronus and as if on cue, we heard footsteps towards the large hall at ilang saglit lamang ay iniluwa niyon ang taong inaasahan ko. He wasn't smiling when he entered the room, in fact he had the same expressionless projection as Cooler.

Gray Ivan Silvan...

No.

Gray Ivan Vander.

He was looking straight but happened to look at me. I felt my body temperature skyrocketted. He narrowed his eyes inquisitively, clearly curious about the interloper which happens to be me.

Tumayo si Cronus at sinalubong si Gray. Tinapik niya ang balikat ng anak, who just nodded at him.

"Everyone, you already knew about him a long time ago but I would like you to formally meet my son Gray. Gray, this is..... everyone", he said. 

Well yeah, he's being childish again.

Mas natuwa pa sila ng makita si Gray. I heard positive feedbacks about him being so smart. May nagbiro pa na Gray could be the Zeus who can overthrow his father like those in the mythology. Iginiya ni Cronus si Gray sa bakanteng upuan and it is directly across me. Dinner started at iba-iba ang paksa ng usapan doon when Cronus started his speech.

"This dinner is to introduce the Vanders before we will have a formal introduction for them in a form of a social gathering."

Nagsalita si Clavel. "Really Cronus? I don't object with it if it is your son, he can do a lot right? But Athena's daughter? Hindi ba siya ang dahilan nang minsan nang mapahamak ang anak mo at si Apollo? She's a jinx." The woman darted a disgusted look at me. I prevented myself from picking up the knife and throwing it on her direction. Sa lahat ng ayaw ko ay ang harap-harapan akong iniinsulto. It was Marion who put Gray and Ryu in danger!

"Don't you dare say something bad about my daughter in front of me", wika ni Mommy. She gave me a sorry look na sinagot ko ng pilit na ngiti.

"Totoo naman Athena ah!"

I know Mommy would reply to it kaya mas nauna ko na siyang hinarap. "Mom, I thought you told me on the phone that it's a family dinner. You failed to tell me that there are others who will be joining us. Well it would be fine if they're with proper etiquette. Or atleast the others do." I glared at Clavel who is now shocked.

"You see? Walang modo ang anak mo Rionessi! Is that how you were raised by your so-called father? Asal aso! Palibhasa, that's what a third-rate man who's —"

That's it! I've reached my limit! Bago pa man nito matapos ang sasahin, kinuha ko ang kutsilyo ko at ibinato iyon sa kanya. It wasn't as sharp as I expected but with the force I made, it was able to perforate the wooden long table and left her dumbfounded. Kung nagkamali ito ng galaw ay dumapo iyon sa kanyang kamay.

"Holy Crap!", the woman exclaimed. "Nakita mo na! She's—"

"Please respect my niece Clavel lalo na at nasa pamamahay ko kayo", Cronus said. He was carefully biting into his steak. Nagsalita ito ng hindi man lamang tinitingnan ang kausap. He just seems to enjoy the meal.

"God, the nerve!", narinig kong bulong ni Paris or was it Berlin? Uh, who cares anyway.

"Whoah. She's strong", wika ni Xavier at tinanggal ang kutsilyo. "Tita, better keep your mouth shut.  And by the way, hello Gray."

The latter gave him a smirk which made Xavier's face ashen. I thought Ryu's the only one who could give an annoying smirk pero pati din pala si Gray. The twin cities giggled.

What the hell?

"Goodness! Now it's making me confused of who among him and Zeus should I choose!", nakangiting wika ni Berlin — or was it Paris? Who's the one with red highlights again?

"Nah! We'll decide on that. God, they're really gods!", wika naman ni Berlin— or Paris? Uh, suck it. They don't matter anyway.

"I think the Vander boys are the hottest male specimen ever! I think I'll do my best to have them make me scream their names in pleasure."

I wanna roll my eyes to their exaggerations and lewdness. Meh! I'm sure those boys won't hook up with them— Fine! They're gorgeous so I'm not really sure about it. Maybe not.

"Amber", tawag pansin ni Cronus sa akin. I'm more comfortable in such name kaya marahil iyon ang itinawag niya sa akin. I raised my eyes from the food on my dish at inilipat iyon sa kanya. The others did the same too.

"I'm planning of having a social gathering to formally welcome you in the family."

I can feel their glares at me as they wait for my response about it. Why are they so mean? They're just so unwilling to accept this whole thing and just put it behind them. It's making me want to knock their heads together.

"Wag na lang po—"

"I insist. It's all settled then", Daddy said which made me sigh. So they weren't asking for my approval but rather informing me about it, and come hell or high water, such social gathering will happen.

"It's a good way to introduce Gray too, Cronus", wika ni Tito Ramoncito. His face is serious kanina pa lamang but among all of us, Cooler is the most serious.

Gray raised his gaze to the man who met it with equal intensity. "Sorry to disappoint you but I'm not a Vander, atleast not by name."

"Why Gray? I would trade my life to become a Vander!", wika ni Xavier who was very amused. The twins were mesmerized at this moment which I found very pathetic. Ares is silent, as usual.

"Then do it", wika ni Gray.

"Hanggang ngayon ba ay hindi mo pa rin nakukumbinsi ang anak mong sumanib sa atin Cronus?", Allesandra asked. Ibinagsak muli ni Gray ang kubyertos. Was he eating? I think he's not. Mukhang nilalaro lamang nito ang pagkain sa plato niya. On the other hand, Cooler was eating like he doesn't care about our exchange of conversations here.

"There's no way I will be joining you", wika ni Gray. "Kung iyan lang pala ang pag-uusapan sa hapunang ito, I shouldn't have attended here. It's all just a waste of time", wika niya. Tumayo siya at lumayo sa mesa. "If you'll excuse me, I have some things to do."

He walked away and I thought it he will leave the dining hall in an instant ngunit lumapit siya sa direksyon ko. He held my wrist at nabitawan ko ang tinidor ko. Like him, I wasn't eating.

"And I'm taking my COUSIN with me. We just have some things to discuss upstairs. School stuff. And of course, my way of welcoming her."

Hinila niya ako patayo. No one dared to speak as he pulled me but I could feel their stares at the back of my neck hanggang sa makalabas kami doon at paakyat na ng hagdan. He opened a door which leads towards an overview of the mansion's wide yard. Binitawan niya ako nang marating namin ang bahaging iyon ng mansion. The walls were made of glass kaya malaya kong nakikita ang labas at baba. We're on a high place l which made me dizzy. I thought I'm gonna fall that moment. Napahawak ako sa unang bagay na nakita ko doon. The sky is black, blanketed with millions of stars. There were few lights from the buildings and streets and it was like something out of a surrealist painting. Hindi ko inaasahang ganoon iyon kaganda. It made me somehow forgot why I was here.

Gray was staring at me. He was staring at my profile and I was staring at the view around me. He was staring at me as if I am even more beautiful than the view. No one ever stared at me in such way before. Like he was trying to memorize every inch of my face. I thought we will stay forever like this pero nagsalita ito.

"Nakausap ko na si Ryu. He told me everything", wika niya.

"Ah."

"I'm not happy about it."

Oh? So am I!

I tried changing the topic. "Hindi ka pumasok kanina. The chancellor had an announcement."

"Who cares."

"Everyone does."

"I don't."

"They're locking the gates of Bridle", wika ko. Teka, nakikinig ba siya?

"There's the backdoor."

"Oh."

"That's not what I want us to discuss Amber kaya kita dinala dito."

Napatingin ako sa kanya. "I thought we're going to discuss some school stuff."

"Yes we are."

"Then it's part of it. I don't like it."

"Not the locking of gates. It's actually a good precautionary action. I admire the chancellor for doing it."

Napatingin ako sa kanya. I know we were about to discuss big things, not just about us being cousins. Sa ngayon ay kailangang iwaglit iyon sa isip at magfocus sa kung ano man ang problemang may kinalaman sa Bridle.

"There are seven missing students at Bridle", wika ko sa kanya. He wasn't around kanina nang i-announce iyon ng chancellor so I presumed that he doesn't know about it.

"I know."

"You do?"

He let out a big sigh. "Yeah.  Seven but one is found and that makes it six. Six missing students."

"Thank God at kahit isa lamang ang natagpuan, ay meron pa din. Where's the student now?", I asked.

"At the morgue. He's a cold corpse", wika niya. It felt like a bomb just exploded in front of me. The student is dead? Does that mean that the Genesis penetrated even Bridle High
School?

Hindi agad ako nakapagsalita. I was left dumbfounded. Bridle isn't safe anymore but—

"I know you will be surprised to know it. But this one is even harder to believe..."

He's killing me by giving such thrill. I'm not he kind who's into it.

"What?"

"He's found dead at the dormitory, in his room. And the evidences scattered at the crime scene contain Jeremy's DNA and fingerprints."

Hindi agad promoseso sa utak ko ang sinabi ni Gray.

Dead.

Dormitory.

At the crime scene.

Jeremy's DNA and fingerprints.

Jeremy?!

Jeremy Martinez?

"WHAT?! MY JEREMY?" I asked surprisely. Tama ba ang narinig ko. At that moment, I'm wishing that he would say no but he didn't.

"Jeremy. OUR Jeremy."

Nahimigan ko ang lungkot sa boses ni Gray. Hindi pa rin iyon tuluyang tinatanggap ng sistema ko so he continued.

"There was a cap found at the crime scene at maraming may alam na kay Jeremy iyon. DNA samples say it's really his cap. There are also his fingerprints all over the area which is unusual since the victim was found on the fifth floor and Jeremy's room is on the second floor", wika niya.

"No. There's no way that Jeremy could kill!"

"That's what I'm thinking too. There are multiple stab wounds on the victim's body and a large wound on his head."

"Hindi iyan magagawa ni Jeremy!!!"

"I know. I believe that the multiple stab wounds are just to obscure the big cut on the victim's tummy which is I'm sure, act of the organization. It's up to us to clear his name."

Everything is still hard to accept. There's no way that Jeremy could have done it. No way.

Gray is right. It's up to us to give light to this case. It's up to us to clear his name.

#

—ShinichiLaaaabs