/6/
No Cases, No Sleuths?

---

ENZO STARED at himself in the dusty, unkempt mirror in his tiny room — thunder rumbling from across the distance. Iniayos niya muli ang kaniyang kurbata, trying to adjust it again for the umpteenth time.

It was barely morning, with the sky still dark out, and rain threatening to pour down at any moment. Mukhang sinasabayan ng langit ang pakiramdam ng binata as he scowled, fumbling with his tie and ultimately gave up.

Before he could curse himself, there was a knock on the door.

"Anak?" tanong ng kaniyang ina na dahan-dahang binuksan ang pinto. "Oh, ba't 'di ka pa nakaayos?"

The older woman stepped inside the cramped space and reached out to fix her son's tie. Napabuntong-hininga ang binata habang patuloy na kumukulog sa labas.

"Aish, ang aga-aga bumubuntong-hininga agad! Smile, anak. Mahaba pa ang araw," his mother urged, pushing the tie upwards to its correct adjustment. Hindi nagsalita ang binata at napatingin muli sa salamin para tignan ang kaniyang repleksyon.

Beneath the mixture of what seemed like a frown and a scowl, there was a hint of deep-seated sadness and disappointment in Enzo's expression. "Tama ka ma," he sighed once more. "Mahaba pa nga araw."

Dahil dito ay nag-aalalang hinarap ng ina ang anak sa kaniya, placing both of her hands on his shoulders. "Lorenzo, hindi ko alam kung anong ikinalulungkot mo. Pero kung ano man 'yan, wag mo masyadong parusahin ang sarili mo. Proud ako sa'yo, 'nak. At alam ko, kung nandito rin ang papa mo, mas lalong proud 'yon sa'yo," she said gently.

The young man nodded before hugging his mother. She was right. Though Keira Suarez, the heir of the family that couldn't even give the right wage and work benefits to his mother, might now finally have a seat in the student council, Enzo still won as president after all. The fight he was leading was not yet over.

It had barely even started.

"Congrats Enzo!"

"Enzo, ang galing mo talaga!"

"You'll run for president again next year right??" masayang bati agad ng mga Castillians sa binata pagkatapak nito sa Castillo High; all of which he simply responded with a quiet nod and smile.

It was a rainy Tuesday morning, but it seemed as if the young man had brought with him the storm as he walked towards the deputy president's office, the place where he could find momentary solace in order to brace himself for what was to come.

Sure enough, there it was waiting for him inside.

"Enzo, dearest!" Keira squealed happily as soon as he opened the door. The young girl's dark blonde-dyed hair that was styled in a Marilyn Monroe-esque cut, bobbed with her every move as she jumped from Enzo's — giddy to see and torment her ultimate foe.

Gulat na napatigil ang binata nang makitang hindi lamang si Keira ang nasa loob. Inside were other familiar faces too who immediately stood up from their seats amidst his presence.

And then it hit him. It was the newly-elected student council officers that had won in yesterday's voting polls. They were all here. In his office.

"Mr. President!"

"Honored to be serving with you Kuya Enzo."

"Congratulations for winning, Enzo! Can't wait to work with you."

Samu't-saring bati ng mga tao, buzzing around him like flies until all their faces blurred together. Enzo managed to put on what he hoped was a decent smile of gratitude before glowering towards Keira's direction.

"Ah thank you, thank you-excuse me for a moment—yes, can't wait to work with you too," he said hastily, going through the crowd before grabbing Keira by the arm and pulling her to the corner.

"What the hell was that?? Mamayang hapon pa 'yung turnover ceremony, bakit mo sila dinala agad lahat dito?!" he hissed, prompting Keira to roll her eyes.

"Is that how you thank your newest vice president who made a significant effort to gather your subjects??" sarkastikong sambit nito, blinking dramatically like the actress that she was.

"Subjects?!" he whispered, appalled. "Are you out of your damn mind, Keira?? Hindi palasyo ang student council. We're here to serve the Castillians and only the Cast—"

"Not on my watch," Keira snapped back. "Listen up Enzo. It's been nice having you lead us around with your bossy ways, but I'm the queen now. I get to have a say in ruling this place, and you're going to watch me. You're going to sit tight, pretend you're such a great student council president, while letting me handle the reigns. Got it?"

She then smiled — the brightest, fake smile she could ever muster.

Enzo stared at her before tossing his head back in laughter. Agad niyang binitawan ang braso ng dalaga.

"That's very ambitious of you Keira, but that isn't going to happen while I'm president. You won't be spoiled here the way you've been pampered all your life. Kung ako sa'yo, ipasa mo na lang rin resignation letter mo before I kick you out of this council myself," he said in a low, quiet, threatening voice.

Keira let out a snort.

"Well if you want to play the long game then, Mr. President. So be it. Baka sa huli, ikaw ang umiiyak at wala na sa student council. Baka lang naman," she smirked before walking away. "See you at the turnover ceremony Enzo. It'll be a blast being appointed vice president beside you."

It took all of Enzo's willpower not to strangle her to death.

---

"Jarrell, papasa nga nung coke," Quinn, who was lying down on the sofa of their office, asked his friend who was busy playing mobile games with Sera by the chairs near the fireplace.

"Teka pre, malapit na akong manalo," Jarrell, who was wearing his varsity jacket, responded absent-mindedly. Napasimangot ang binata at tumingin naman sa kabilang dulo ng opisina kung saan nasa may meeting table si Rein at Ann, their books and notebooks out, arguing about the formula of something.

Her sister on the other hand was by one of the computers, giggling as she seemed to be chatting someone online.

Quinn frowned even deeper before returning his gaze to Rein and Ann.

"Rein," he called out lazily. "Papasa nga nung co—"

"Shut up for a moment Q. Lobris here doesn't know when to stop arguing with me," sabat ni Rein before blabbing once more to a heated Ann who was now gesturing animatedly about something that had to with physics.

Quinn let out a loud, obnoxious groan. It was a Thursday afternoon, and there was nothing to do. He had already finished most of the schools works he needed to passed, his friends were quite busy to spend time with him, and unfortunately, no real cases came knocking to their office door. The man was bored to death.

As if the universe read Quinn's mind, sakto naman na biglang may kumatok sa pintuan, dahilan para mapaangat ng tingin ng lahat. It had almost been a month since school started, at wala pa ring lumalapit na Castillian sa kanilang opisina para manghingi ng advice regarding a case. Kaya naman sa kada tao na kakatok sa opisina ay abang na abang ang mga ito — Quinn most especially.

The spectacled boy immediately shot out of his seat. "Ako na!" he announced.

Nakangiti niyang binuksan ang pintuan at sinalubong ang bisita, only for it to be a guy holding a bouquet of daisies and a brown medium-sized teddy bear in his hands. Light brown ang kulay ng kutis ng binata. He was sporting a French crop haircut, and had a particular mole under his left eye.

Quinn's smile immediately fell.

"Ay, Quinn!" the boy exclaimed, smiling dorkily. "Nandyan ba si Queenie?"

Tinitigan ng binata ang lalaki mula ulo hanggang paa. It was none other than Kai Romero — the short guy that had started courting Queenie over the course of the summer.

"Why?" he asked, changing his tone and, folding his arms, immediately turning into the defensive, older brother mode.

"Uh, ibibigay ko lang sana ito—"

"No."

Quinn immediately slammed the door, and Queenie, who had anticipated Kai's visit, yelled out in horror. Agad namang natawa 'yung apat nilang kaibigan habang mabilis na tumakbo papunta sa pintuan ang kaniyang kambal.

"Quinn, respectfully, I know masakit maging single pero wag mo 'kong idamay sa kawalan mo ng love life ha! Alis—!"

"Hoy Queenie Rose Gintuan, isusumbong kita talaga kina mama, umayos ka!" duro ng binata sa kapatid. Queenie made a face in response before pushing him aside and opening the door to acknowledge her suitor.

Wala nang nagawa ang binata at napaupo nalang muli sa sofa habang nakabusangot.

"Look at the bright side pre. Queenie will be out of your hair and you can finally find your own girl!" pang-aasar ni Jarrell habang patuloy pa ring naglalaro sa kanyang cellphone.

"Yeah right," the dark-skinned boy snorted. "Lahat nga kayo puro jowa inaatupag—and don't give me that 'hindi ko siya jowa' monologue bullshit. God. Kailan ba tayo magkakaroon ng disenteng case ha? I swear if we have another student knocking to our office with the plead of finding their missing wallets, I'm going to go insane."

"Ayaw mo ba nun?" Sera asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "No cases definitely mean the school is alright, students are safe, and everything is peaceful and quiet — the way that it should be."

"I mean, I don't blame Quinn. I'm kinda missing the thrill and the rush of solving a case," Rein shrugged, leaning on his back and hovering his arm over Ann's chair na para bang inaakbayan ito.

The Lobris girl rolled her eyes in disgust and immediately slapped his arm away.

"Yes, but unlike you, I don't have my own Ann Lobris I can flirt and argue with, Mr. Casanova," Quinn scowled like a little kid.

"Quinn, respectfully, kung gusto mo lang naman, you can bribe him to flirt with you instead," Ann frowned, glaring at her rival who placed his arm over her chair again with a cheeky smile.

"Alam mo, kailangan ka na ata naming hanapan ng jowa," Jarrell nodded, standing up from his chair.

Natawa naman ang binatang naka-salamin. "And where the hell do you guys think I can find a girlfriend?" he retorted.

The Castillian Centrum was not the answer that Quinston Rhys Gintuan was expecting from his friends as they stood in front of the area, passing by the groups of Castillians that walked towards different sections, others hovering to the announcement boards.

"Pre, mukha bang virtual reality dating app ang Centrum??" hindi makapaniwalang tanong ni Quinn, eyes wide behind his glasses.

"I mean, it's a good place to start—"

"I know dating is something very important to you boys, pero look," Sera interrupted, nodding towards a group of students who seem to posting something in the announcement boards.

"Club advertisements. Malapit na nga pala ang Org Week," Ann observed, watching the other students also post flyers on the other sections of the Centrum.

"Jarrell," biglang sitsit ni Rein, nudging him from his side.

"Ow! Ano ba??"

"Enzo coming straight here. Look your best," Rein muttered, dahilan para matuliro si Jarrell.

"Oh shi—"

"Campus Sleuths," Enzo greeted coldly, avoiding Jarrell like the plague.

"Go," Rein whispered.

"Enzo! Congrats sa pagpakapanalo pre!" Jarrell piped, trying to tone down his cheeriness. "Pa-blowout ka naman, hehe."

Enzo turned to him sharply. "Thank you," sambit nito before eyeing all six of them and turning to see the other students in the Centrum.

"Magpapablowout lang ako kapag naka-recruit na kayo ng mga panibagong members for Org Week," he said, nodding towards the other students.

"Ba't 'di pa kayo nagrerecruit pala? Wala ba kayong planong gawin for your organization?" the president asked, raising an eyebrow.

Agad namang nag-tinginan ang anim.

"Actually, we were going to talk about it for our usual Friday meetings—"

"Good," tango ng binata.

"So what cases are you currently handling? I assume the office is being kept for good use?" tanong muli nito.

Enzo's question made Ann wanted to sink into the earth and bury herself alive. She had been so busy trying to understand her lessons in basic accounting that had momentarily forgotten her presidential duties to the Campus Sleuths.

"Well," Ann stuttered, for the first time in her life. "We haven't really gotten a case ye—"

"It's only the start of the school year Enzo," Rein stepped forward, mabilis na sinalo ang dalaga. "You can't expect us to immediately deal with a case."

Enzo let out a low whistle.

"I'm sure you brilliant-minded lot can find even a simple case to trouble yourselves with? Surely you know about the three-month inactivity rule of clubs?" taas-kilay na sambit ng presidente.

"Three-month inactivity?" Jarrell repeated, confused.

Enzo clicked his tongue in disappointment, and Jarrell could feel the president's annoyance with him grow tenfold more. "Yes, the three-month inactivity."

He then leaned forward. "Campus Sleuths, if your organization finds no new recruits and no cases in three months, it is deemed inactive. And if it is deemed inactive..."

His voice went an octave lower. "... the club will immediately be deactivated, and of course, your office will be given to another, more active club. That's the rule."

Napakurap ang anim na estudyante at inayos ni Enzo ang kaniyang postura bago ngumiti. He then adjusted the gold pin on his blazer, the very crest that reminded fellow students of the student council's prestige and authority.

"So I suggest, you guys better start moving. Or..." he hummed in thought, as the six Campus Sleuths stared at him, stunned.

"Would it be more appropriate to say, you six better start sleuthing?"

---

NOTE: Hi sleuths! No updates on June 7 & 8 due to a scheduled vacation with friends. Hope all of you are enjoying the summer break as well! If you like this chapter, follow me on my social media accounts for more updates. You can freely message and post on my FB page, tweet your thoughts to me on Twitter, or show me your fan arts and favorite quotes on Instagram.

FB PAGE:
IsadoraQuagmire13 or @isadoraquagmire13
https://www.facebook.com/isadoraquagmire13/

INSTAGRAM:
@isadoraquagmire13
https://www.instagram.com/isadoraquagmire13/?hl=en

TWITTER:
@isa_quagmire
https://twitter.com/isa_quagmire?s=09

Remember to use the hashtags #TheEmpire and #TE aside from tagging me so that we can compile all TE-related posts!