TWENTY.

DYING MESSAGE.

"RINO, ANO NA!? Sumagot na ba!?"

Nanako fidgeted her fingers. She is yet to settle with Minami. She argued with her, remember? The tension had passed through both of them. Minami stated that she is coming with them if she is unable to prevent the police officers from taking Saku to jail. Pero pati siya mismo ay wala na rin dito! Ngunit siya mismo ay wala na do'n! Ayaw niyang mangyari 'yon! Hindi! Baka may nangyari na sa mga kaibigan niya!

"I'm trying! Isa pa, damay rin ang Kuya ko!"

"Yoshino, have you seen my art materials!?"Someone had just entered, which shocked them both. Nitong mga nakaraang araw, pabalik-balik sina Rino at Nanako sa dorm. Dahil sa mga pangyayaring 'to. And this has been happening since Minami was taken.

Shori dropped his backpack and suddenly approached Rino. At higit pa rito, binatukan ito. "O, napadaan ka rito? Nagngangawa ka na naman ba dahil sa nalaman mong may ibang crush si Yoshino? May nalaman ka pang ilakad kita, gago."

"Salamat na lang sa lahat, pre!"Inirapan ito ni Rino.

"What—"

Shori gave Nanako her typical shining smile, which confused her even more. He leaned closer to her, adjusting his gaze at times and grinning at Rino.

"Hindi ka maniniwala sa sasabihin ko," Shori smiled once more, flashing his bright smile at Rino and gradually annoying him.

"Pre! Manahimik ka na! Utol tayo ah. 'Di ko sinabing ilaglag mo' ko!"sigaw ni Rino

Shori began looking beside the windows and doors, as if he expected someone. He crossed his arms, and he suddenly thought of someone. "Kelan kaya uuwi si Yoshino?" pagpaparinig nito.

Nanako raised her eyebrows, "Ano ba kasi 'yon!?"

He understood that despite his princely behavior, he was quite nosy. He likes to put his nose too much. At kundi pa halata, talagang gusto lang niyang magmukhang natotorpe siya sa harap ni Yoshino. 'Yun naman talaga 'di' ba? He's even irritated with those fake smiles he had!

"Yung bestie mo..."

"Yuck!" Sigaw ni Nanako at duro kay Rino and she rolled her eyes, "Wala akong bestie na maingay! Ay meron! Si Minami 'pag kinikilig!"

"Bait mo naman, Suginami!" Sigaw ni Rino habang napairap at saka ginulo buhok niya, "So, what are we going to do? Are we heading there to figure out why they're missing?"

"Then, I'll come. In Minami's stead."

Napaduro na lang si Rino at tinabig naman 'yon ni Nanako, "H'wag kang oa d'yan, tanga! He's the same as you. A Demigod." She rolled her eyes at him.

Nanako's gaze moved towards Shori. She couldn't help shaking her head. Since they were all staying in the dorms, she knew how he always stared at Minami, and she felt awful for Shori and sighed. "Babaitang 'yon! Lakas sa mga lalaking S ang initials, ah!"

"Huh?" Tanong ni Rino

"Wala, bobo! Slow mo talaga kahit kailan, Rino. Kaya ngayon ikaw na ang naghahabol kay Yoshino? Hahaha—"

"Parang 'di kayo naghalikan sa bar, ha?" tanong ni Shori at ngumiti sa kanilang dalawa.

"Yuck!" Sigaw nilang dalawa.

Nanako simply pouted at her cousin. She couldn't tell if he was worried or simply toying with her. Nanako raised her eyebrows and simply grumbled at him.

Shori blinked and smiled at her. You can't tell what he's thinking at all. Shori stopped smiling after receiving the scar on his right face, she's not sure when.
It was at the library; perhaps they had just started college at the time.

Minami was standing up higher to grab her book, and Shori was staring at her carefully, "Why not help her?" Shori gripped his bandaged right face and said, "I can't..." Nanako understood, however, that he was a good guy.

"Just help her, dammit!" Sigaw ni Nanako at tinulak na lang 'to she wrapped her arms and grumbled.

Shori was uneasy with the people around him. He was not used to having so many people around him. He was usually silent and spent much of his time in his studio, knowing that all he cared about was finishing his sculpture artworks.

He was quietly examining the girl with raven hair and pink highlights, and as her lavender eyes met his own, he quickly looked away, feeling a hint of flush on his face. He exhaled. He isn't really good with people, is he?

"Umm...I can help," he muttered.

"Damn it, talk loud!"Nanako hissed. She tapped her heels and furrowed her brow; even though she had prepared this for him, he was still behaving shy, right?

His hands were fidgeting, and he hurriedly put on his black hood since he felt so shy near her. Shori first got affections for her about a week ago. And nobody knows. He does not wish to pursue it, either. He was just enough by throwing glances at the lovely woman in another department.

"Sure! Galing kasi ng isa r'yan! Aba iakyat ba naman ang libro ko!"Pagmamaktol ni Minami kay Shori, "I'm not nosy, right? Ganda ko kaya!"

'Maganda. Sobrang ganda mo.'These were Shori's thoughts, and he couldn't help but smile as he silently reached out his hand to give her a book. She doesn't appear to notice that his right face is bandaged, therefore everything is good.

"Here, your book." He said with a smile.

Shori has been quiet since they first started college. Kaya naman naisipan niyang isama si Shori sa dorm at ang iba pa nilang kaibigan. Matagal nang magkasama sina Nanako, Yoshino, Minami at Seto. Gusto kasi niyang mabawasan ang pagiging introverted niya. 

Nanako has been unable to leave him alone ever since. At times, she feels very protective of him because certain people could easily take advantage of his kindness. She also knows him. Shori would do anything to avoid some pointless conflicts. And it upsets her!

"Basta, sasama ako. Para kay Minami..."

"Nak ng puta! Tibay mo naman sa pagiging second lead, pre—"

"Kaya ka 'di binabalikan ni Yoshino, eh. Gago ka pa rin, Rino. Hilig mo sa bata! Pulis! Hulihin niyo 'to!"Duro ni Shori kay Rino habang si Nanako naman ay naghahampas sa table at tumawa ng malakas.

"Gago,"Napailing na lang siya. 

"Alam mo, tara na!"

Nanako grabbed her hairclips and hurriedly placed them on her hair. She also took the address Saku gave her before he disappeared. Perhaps whoever this detective is can assist them with the message he wishes to express. 

☫✠_____♆_____✡♆

BEHIND THEM, both of them are making noise. It was something she never imagined Shori would do. But he used to be quiet. She wanted to keep her good memory. 

When they got there, Nanako hurriedly knocked on the door and said, "Pardon me. Raine is the reason we're here." 

After they arrived, isang matandang babae ang dumating para tulungan sila. Dinala silang tatlo ng matanda kay Raine. The woman with ponytail eyed them and she seemed to be quite surprised than usual. 

Nakatingin lang si Nanako sa lugar at parang kinikilig. Sinabi sa kanya ni Saku na mayroong isang kilalang detective na hindi niya alam kung saan niya siya natagpuan. Alam niya kung paano ang galawan ng lalaking 'to. The woman with the ponytail looked at them and appeared more shocked than usual. 

"He said that there are three, siguro kayo na 'yon?"

Nagkatinginan naman silang tatlo at agad naman pumunta sa harapan si Rino. 

With a sudden bombardment of questions, he asked the girl, "Where is my brother? He's ridiculous! He unexpectedly sent his message, almost bidding farewell, and he's now nowhere to be found! Miss! I take it you knew something?" He was breathing heavily and was as tense as usual. He simply doesn't understand why Saku had to bid farewell. As though he were leaving him, good-bye. 

"Oo may alam ako. He sent these evidences..."

"That prick," Rino hissed. 

"I don't think Saku will just die yet."

Nagulat na lang si Rino sa sinabi ng dalaga. Ano'ng sinabi niya? Halos mapanganga siya sa sinabi ng babae, "Ulitin mo nga sinabi mo."

"That can't be! Saku will not die.."

As she approached them, she placed the evidence Saku had sent here. A strange key. Additionally, there was a knife and bits of magazine paper.

 As she gazed at these three, Raine closed her eyes, unsure of how to express it. "Hindi naman talaga. Sa pag-uugali ng lalaking 'yon malabong sumuko 'yon basta. Sa tingin ko pinadala niya 'to dahil sa isang mensahe. Kung sino ang may pakana sa pagkakakulong niya."

"First, we have to be decode his message. Is that okay?"Itinuro ni Raine ang magazine at inabot kay Rino ang kakaibang kutsilyo at susi.

"But these things are odd, maybe you guys know it."

'Di man lang nagtataka ang babaeng 'to kung tao ba talaga ang kaharap niya, at kinuha niya 'to at napataas ang kilay ni Rino sa kanya. 'I mean, Saku's still Hades' son. Ngayon lang yata ako nakakita ng isang tao na tulad nito.' Now he wants to know what kind of friendship she had with Saku. Realizing Saku's a twisted person.

Raine scattered the magazine papers and appeared to be enjoying the message that she wanted to understand, until she observed the guy with glasses clearly staring at her, "Aren't you gonna help?"

"I am!" Nanako lifted her hand, excitedly approaching Raine and sitting with her, as if she had already trusted her.

Rino gazed at the girl closely, weary of her, until his eyes widened when Raine finally combined all of the letters and images. "I see. So that's what it is," Raine replied.

"That fast!?"

Raine touched the letters; the scent and age of the paper indicate that these magazines are from an ancient house. And judging on how jumbled the sheets were, Saku may have sliced them very neatly on purpose.

"It was mentioned here. The unexpected disappearance of people here is linked to a place that you were aware of."

Shori put his fingers on his chin, and he noticed that both the key and the knife were glowing. Of course, the human couldn't see it. The aura. Because those are magical objects owned by a Demigod. Someone who lives in the Twilight Vale. He could use his cosmic magic to figure out what was going on or where they were.

That was the only thing he could do to understand Saku's message here.

"And he indicated this." Raine pushed a few letters that spell "B-I-T-T-E-R."

Nagulat na lang si Rino sa mga tao sa paligid niya nang makita niyang kumunot ang noo ni Shori at nagtanong, "Sinasabi mo bang isa 'yan sa traydor?"He had never seen him that enraged.

Shori was aware of the situation. How that girl, Mara, continuously longed to get back to Minami. That snake! He was covered by dark magic, which thankfully only Rino could see. He's a Demigod, after all.

Also, he's Hermes' son.