AGNES

I went straight to E-class' classroom when I heard the bell rang and after several sessions of cold baths due to the struggle of getting rid of the rancid smell off my hair. Ingay at gulo ang unang sumalubong sa akin pagbukas ng pinto. May ilang naghahabulang mga lalaki at nag babatuhan ng papel, yung isang grupo ng kababaihan naman ay abala sa pag-tsi-tsismisan sa isang sulok habang ang iba ay busy sa pag lalagay ng mga kolorete sa mukha.

May mga magkasintahan din na panay ang display ng kalandian pero wala manlang ibang classmates na pumipigil sa kanila dahil gaya ng magkasintahang iyon ay may kanya kanya din silang mundo. Tahimik akong pumasok sa loob at lumapit sa wooden desk sa tabi ng bintana, lumangitngit ito nang umupo ako dahil sa kaedaran nito at hindi tatagal ay bibigay na 'to.

The entire room is a wreck, maraming cracks sa semento kaya minsan mapapa dapa ka nalang kapag hindi ka mag-ingat sa dinadaanan mo. Sira ang mga bintana dito at kinakalawang ang mga window frame kaya mahirap itong isara tuwing umuulan o kapag dismissal na. Wala ring ventilation dito at tanging ang hangin lang galing sa labas ang nagsisilbing electric fan, malas lang namin kapag maaraw dahil sa sobrang init, it's as if we're going to get cooked alive. Unti-unti na ring nababalatan ang plywood ng kisame kaya palaging basa ang classroom kapag umuulan dahil tulo at butas ng kisame.

Biglang nagsitigil ang mga kaklase ko sa kalokohan nila at nagmadaling bumalik sa kanya kanyang desk nang bumukas ang pinto ng classroom. Kumalabog ito nang pumasok ang isang matangkad na guro na nasa late 20's wearing his neatly-ironed black suit and tie, bangs neatly combed upwards revealing his forehead, at may peklat sa gitna ng kanyang kaliwang kilay-si Mr. Kwoon ang adviser namin.

Humarap siya sa lectern at tumitig sa mga estudyante na nasa harapan niya, his cold stare gave a chilling aura surrounding the classroom made my classmates sit straight. Ilang segundo ang lumipas nagsalita na siya.

"Ngayong araw ang simula ng ikalawang semester ng huling school year, at bago kayo grumaduate kailangan niyong malaman kung ano ang magiging final exam niyo."

Mas lalo kaming na-curious kung ano iyon.

"Iba ito sa mga nagdaang simulation at practical exams kung saan sa arena at sa virtual classroom ito ginagawa. Ang final exam niyo ay magaganap sa labas ng campus."

Halos lahat ay nanlaki ang mga mata at napa singhap dahil sa narinig, napa awang labi rin ako dahil sa gulat. Aren't we forbidden to go outside Phantom Academy? Kaya nga walang naglalakas loob umapak sa labas ng campus gate, maliban sa The Five Virtuosos.

Mr. Kwoon smirked "I know you'd give these reactions the moment the School Master announced this during our meeting. Ngunit kabilang ito sa curriculum ng Phantom Academy. Bago kayo gru-ma-duate bilang Professional Assassins kailangan niyong sumabak at ipasa ang final exam, at iyon ay ang actual assassination sa labas ng campus," dagdag niya.

Nagtaas ng kamay ang isa kong classmate na brown ang kulay ng buhok at naka ponytail na si Aya. "Mr. Kwoon, ibig sabihin ba ay papatay na kami ng tao?"

"Yes, kaya ito naiiba. Hindi ito kagaya ng simulation exams kung saan virtual target ang papatayin niyo, at hindi ito practical na classmates at teachers or kapwa estudyante ang kakalabanin niyo. Kundi totoong tao, actual assassination."

Habang tumatakbo ang oras ay pa-intense ang kaba at pressure ang bumabalot sa classroom at doubt sa sarili ang nararamdaman namin. Hindi tiyak kung magagawa ba namin ito o hindi dahil alam ng lahat ng estudyante, at sa tagal narin ng pananatili ko dito sa E-class-unlike sa A at B-class-ang E-class ay hindi pa nakaka patay ng tao.

"Alam kong hindi niyo pa naranasang pumatay ng tao pero ang simulation exams ang nagpatunay sa inyong kakayahan na handa na kayo. May ilang buwan pa para mag-ensayo at pag-aralan ang lugar kung saan kayo i-a-assign at siyempre sa taong inyong papatayin."

Sinundan namin ng tingin si Mr. Kwoon na pabalik balik maglakad sa harap namin habang tinatalakay kung paano namin gagawin ang Final Exam. Isa-isa raw kaming bibigyan ng impormasyon tungkol sa taong dapat naming patayin, personal profile niya, kung saan siya nakatira, edad, kasarian, background, at iba pa. Tinalakay din niya ang mga dapat at hindi dapat gawin duringexam, I took out a notebook and wrote them:

Mga dapat gawin:

1.) Student can use any assassination style you want.

2.) Student can pick any weaponry you can use for your exam.

3.) The desire for the type of death for your target is up to you.

4.)The plan for the perfect crime should be designed originally.

Mga hindi dapat gawin:

1.) Calling for a friend or school authorities is not allowed in terms of crisis.

2.) Student's identity must be kept secret and must not be revealed especially to his/her target, once revealed will respond to immediate disqualification and will result in failure.

3.)cStudent should not kill the persons related to his/her target.

4.) Student should not engage in personal relationships, develop mutual feelings and feel sympathy towards his/her target.

Idiniin ni Mr. Kwoon ang huling forbidden rule na parang binabalaan niya kami. Hindi dapat kami maka ramdam ng awa sa kanila as per Mr. Kwoon, at lalong hindi dapat kami ma-inlove sa kanila or vice versa or any kind of intimate relationship dahil agad kaming babagsak, hindi makaka-graduate, at higit sa lahat ay magdamag kaming ikukulong sa Red Room.

Agad na napatingin sa akin ang mga kaklase ko nang binanggit ni Mr. Kwoon ang Red Room. I shrugged, the word alone sent chills down our spines. I've been there years ago, hindi na nga lang malinaw kung ano ang ginawa nila sa akin noon pero nandito parin ang mga peklat na naiwan sa katawan ko na magpapa-alala kung anong klaseng takot at hirap ang dinaanan ko sa madilim na kwartong iyon. And I'm not comfortable in dwelling my past that might cause my trauma to return.

"Lahat ng mga estudyante from A-class to E-class ay kukuha ng exam na ito, walang exceptions and special treatments. The Final Exam is dated on November 11th, no pressure, you still have months to prepare," ani niya. "It's always been my goal as your teacher to lift my students to their achievements, kaya pagbutihin niyo ang pag-hahanda if it means sacrificing all your free time. Remember, your goal is to become professional assassins, this is your last chance to prove yourselves, claim it my E-class students," muli siyang humarap sa amin, both arms behind him. "Class dismissed."

Mr. Kwoon left us with mixed emotions painted in our faces: confusion, pressure, nervousness. Considering we haven't killed a single person all these years, the final exam won't be as easy as we think it will be, the simulation exams itself are already hard enough for our class to pass.

Kahit anong gawing pag training as long as hindi kaya ng konsensya namin ang pumatay, ang school na mismo ang bibitaw samin and we can kiss our assassination dream goodbye.

"E-class, bago tayo magsilabasan kailangan ko muna ang atensyon niyo." Nang umalis ng classroom si Mr. Kwoon, ang Class President namin na si Ashley ang pumalit sa pwesto sa lectern. Naglabas siya ng poster na naka ipit sa dala niyang notebook.

Phantom Academy will host a banquet for the victorious mission administered by the Five Virtuosos independently for the first time.

Note: ALL STUDENTS ARE OBLIGED TO ATTEND

"Gusto malaman ng Student Council kung a-attend ba ang E-Class sa sinasabing banquet para sa Virtuosos. Alam naman ng lahat na isang karangalan ang lumabas para sa isang mission na walang teachers na gumagabay kahit mga estudyante palang sila. And since naging successful ang The Five Virtuosos sa pinaka unang mission nila it's only natural to hold banquet so-"

"Buong E-Class ay walang may pake!"

Nag iba ang ihip ng hangin. The nerve wracking atmosphere caused by Mr. Kwoon's sudden announcement about our final exam suddenly change. The entire classroom has gone quiet and bitterness was painted on most of my classmates' faces.

"'Bat naman tayo a-attend kung hindi lang din kapwa estudyante ang turing satin ng ibang taga section?" One of my classmates said.

"Maliban dun, parang palabas lang din yan ng mga taga A-class para ipagyabang sa buong campus na meron silang Virtuosos na kesyo malayo na ang narating. Wala nang bago dun, tayo lang madadamay," sabi ng isa kong kaklase, pronouncing the Virtuosos' name with spite.

"True, kimkimin nalang nila ang nararamdamang selos sa grupong pabor kay School Master imbes na hayaan nating ibuhos satin ang galit ng ibang estudyante. At Least behave sila pag wala tayo."

What my classmates said were all true. The reason why our class became the coping mechanism of sadistic students was due to their never ending jealousy towards the Virtuosos' academic achievements. Their skills have earned the top ranks making them unreachable and elite thus making the other students feel inferior. And because of our 'dog eat dog' educational system, most students need to bring down others just to secure their place of not being at the bottom, E-class students are the perfect candidates for their reckoning.

"Nakuha ko na ang nais niyong iparinig, I'll inform the Student Council that E-Class won't be attending the banquet, again, like all the previous banquets held," sabi ni Ashley "Pero remind ko lang na kahit naka-iwas tayo sa maaring magaganap sa banquet, hindi pa rin tayo makakalaya sa abuso ng estudyante. Okay E-Class we may now be dismissed. "

-oOo-

Normally, sa canteen ako dederetso kapag tumunog ang kampana ng school para kumain ng lunch pero dahil iniiwasan ko si Beth at ang mga alagad niya, naisipan kong kumain sa ibang lugar. Lakad takbo ako sa pag akyat ng hilltop sa gitna ng gubat bitbit ang dala kong nilagang itlog-the only menu available for E-class. The forest hilltop is a secret place where I usually go alone to tend my wounds or collect my thoughts.

Pinunasan ko ang aking pawis at binilisan ang paglakad nang maaninag ko ang puno sa hilltop, ngunit bigla akong tumigil at dali-daling naghanap ng pwedeng mapagtaguan.

"Who's there?"

I held my breath while I stealthily crawled my way to the bushes to hide. My heart won't stop beating, it's been awhile since I've heard his voice from up close let alone see his face. My body acted as soon as I saw his silver hair fluttering with the wind and his tall lean figure resting against the Pine tree. Buti nalang maraming bushes na pwedeng pagtaguan.

But did he see me though?

"Just me, Gin"

Isang malalim na boses ang lumitaw sa katahimikan. Huminga ako nang maluwag, buti hindi ako ang nakita niya, it would've been awkward kung nalaman ni Gin na nandito ako or worse makita na nagtago ako. Pero teka, sino ang kausap niya? I took a peek and saw a tall, well-built young man, his uniform and hair a bit unkept, and sharp eyes that matched his jaw. Ang angas ng dating niya kaya nakilala ko kaagad kung sino siya.

Gin sighed. "What brings you here Jack? How did you even find me?"

Jack jerked his thumb at the main building. "Hindi ka ganoon kabilis tumakbo kaya mabilis kitang nasundan. Pinapabalik ka ni Miss. Kim, hindi magsisimula ang meeting natin with the elders pag hindi present ang leader. "

Gin let out a frustrated sigh. "I don't feel well, tell them I might not make it."

Jack looked at him. "I'm not buying you feigning illness again, pag nalaman ng elders na iniiwasan mo ang responsibilidad mo bilang leader-"

"Then what? Pakinggan ang walang katapusang litanya ng sermon para ipamukha kung gaano tayo kapalpak sa misyon?"

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko, tama ba ang narinig ko? Seryoso ba sila? Their mission failed? "The'' Five Virtuosos? With Gin as their leader? All my life I've never been able to witness the perfect Gin fail!

Pero teka, sa pagkakaalam ko in-annonce ng school na successful ang mission nila.

"Yes, that would be an obvious scenario coming from the elders. But from how the academy managed to announce that the failed mission was a success, I have a hunch that the School Master might give us a second chance to clear our name-"

"I already know that Jack, and I don't care how tainted our name is from the eyes of the elders. Ang sa akin lang, how did we fail? How did they manage to find a hole in my plan? He was already under my control, how did they slip away from my grasp?"

I never seen Gin this disturbed before, ngayon ko lang din napansin na mukha siyang stressed, magulo ang buhok, dark bags, and his face is even paler than it already is. I rest my head on my knees, I can never imagine how hard it might be for him to fail for the first time in his big debut.

While Gin looks troubled while messaging his head, Jack remains calm. "Kahit kami ay naguguluhan kung paano nangyari iyon, kaya dapat natin i-report ang ating mga nalalaman sa elders para ma-address agad ang problema. We know it's not your fault Gin, they were a miscalculation of your plan. Kailangan lang natin mag plano ulit at mag ingat sa susunod kung bibigyan man tayo ng isa pang chance ni School Master."

Bumuntong hinga ulit si Gin for the nth time, Jack's reassuring words made his rational state come back. "Fine, we shouldn't let a fake banquet and the elders' mouth be the end of our debut, we need the School Master's approval for us to continue with the mission. "

Jack smirked, finally hearing what he wanted his leader to say. "After you, leader." He crossed his arms feeling the achievement of persuading his leader to come back. "I'm certain this place has helped you clear your mind?"

Gin stopped and remained standing before uttering a word. "No, I came here out of a bad habit." He looks back, his eyes the same as he looks at me during his arrival at the main campus. "Anything that reminds me of Ryder will never be a good memory for me to dwell."

-OoO-

"Seryoso ka ba?"

Akala ko tapos na ang araw dahil in-announce na wala kaming afternoon class dahil busy ang academy sa paghahanda ng banquet para sa Virtuosos, dederesto na sana ako sa dormitory para makapagpahinga nang sinabihan kami ng class president namin na si Ashley na mag tipon sa classroom. At dahil medyo late ang dating ko, nagtaka ako dahil bumungad sa'kin ang dismayadong mukha ng mga kaklase ko, unfortunately I already know why dahil sa nakapaskil na note sa blackboard.

Dear E-Class, we understand your concern, however this is an important event for the success of The Five Virtuosos, so everyone, including you are obliged to attend. We will take any means of retribution should any of the students from E-Class fail to comply.

-Supreme Student Government