- - FLASHBACK - -

｡˚⛓˚｡⋆. NARRATION

"These are the pictures and footages I got."

Hermés said as he handed Crow the envelope. After everything that happened, napagtanto ng binata na someone knows about his secret. Nakita niya kung paano nagtaguan ng sikreto ang mga kaibigan niya.

Yves' death was the proof.

The boy watched as how the man in front of him viewed the documents and the authenticity of the clips. Crow... was not old. He was wearing a tuxedo that made him look like a businessman. He looked more formal with his slicked-back hair.

"Are you sure about this?" Crow asked Hermés. Seeing all of those sides of their group's famous case, mas lalong naintriga si Crow. He did not believe the rumors in the internet... but rather, he saw the clean crime as the big loose end the police and investigators failed to see.

Hindi niya lang inakala na isa sa kanila ang lalapit sa kanya.

"Yes," Hermés answered. "Hindi na namin alam ano ang totoo. Our secrets were too deadly now."

"Yours is most deadly..." Crow said as he read the files. Si Hermés mismo ang umamin sa kanya na he had many mistakes... na sa kanya nagsimula ang lahat. But, the boy truly was desperate for this.

Desperado siyang malinis ang pangalan niya.

"You know, I want your case," saad ni Crow. "But, you should also know that you and your friends can get killed."

"I'll pay you," pamimilit ni Hermés. "I just need to know the truth and eliminate them."

Hermés knew what Crowbones really was. It was the most effective way to kill someone... dahil hindi sila nata-track ng pulis. He studied them... and to be honest, mahirap itong hanapin. But, like I said, he was desperate to remove this crime in his life.

He was the one who used an anonymous account to tweet the article about Crowbones. Sinigurado niyang aabot ito sa mga kaibigan niya... And damn, they really believed it was a haunted house.

"100 million," Crow said that made Hermés smirk. "Be sure to leave it in my post after this thing is over."

"I'm sure, Crow." He was sure that, at least, the questions in his friends will be answered.

- -

FIRST DAY IN CROWBONES

｡˚⛓˚｡⋆. GUCCI

"Ikaw ba ang nagdala sa atin dito?"

My brows furrowed when I was dragged to the side by kuya Hades! I was just looking for the items for the treasure hunt nang i-approach niya ako. And what the fuck... was he accusing me for kidnapping them?

"No!" I whisper-shouted. "I wanted to get the fuck out of here too!"

"Ibig sabihin isa sa atin ang pumatay..." Kuya Hades said as he leaned against the wall, looking at me. Tama siya... Crow said that Crowbones was meant to find the killer among us. Hindi nga namin tinuloy ang plano namin, e.

"What if..." I looked at Kuya Hades when he said that. "Ang nagdala sa atin dito... hindi alam na hindi sa atin ang pumatay."

Mas lalo nang sumasakit ang ulo ko sa mga theories namin.

"Aamin ba tayo?" Tanong ko sa kanya at yumuko. Even if we did not technically murder Yves, isa pa rin kami sa mga dahilan bakit iyon nangyari sa kanya. We contributed to her death... and talagang pinagsisisihan na namin 'yon. We loved her too.

"Siguro?" Kuya Hades asked and glanced at ate Chanel from afar. "Para na rin makaalis tayo."

"But, I'm thirty for answers..." I said and flashed a weak smile at him. I was desperate to know who killed my once best friend. At, mas lalo na sino ang pumatay kay kuya Achilles. I feel like it would haunt me forever kung hindi ko ito malalaman.

"So, hindi tayo aamin?" Hades asked. "Feel ko hindi rin aamin si Dior. Ramdam kong may pinoprotektahan 'yon, e."

I looked at ate Dior who was talking to ate Tiffany. Crow removed the tongues of ate Tiffany, ate Chanel, and ate Prada. But, unlike my other friends, alam na alam ko ang dahilan bakit iyon ginawa kay ate Prada.

She really lived up to her promise to not say anything.

Ate Dior, on the other hand, was hiding something from us. Hindi ko rin maiwasang isipin na baka kilala niya kung sino ang pumatay kina kuya Achilles and Yves. She was even distancing herself from us now.

"No..." Sagot ko. "Tell ate Dior that we'll stay until the end. Aaalamin natin ang puno't dulo nito."

- -

｡˚⛓˚｡⋆. ZEUS

"Nakita ko kayo."

Agad na napalingon sa akin si Dior that made me smirk. For someone hiding something, siya ang halata, ah? Umirap siya sa akin at saka pinagpatuloy ang paghahanap sa mga items for the treasure hunt.

"Ako, tigilan mo, Zeus," mariin na sabi ng kaibigan sa akin kaya natawa ako nang bahagya. "Maghanap-hanap ka nalang diyan ng mga pinapahanap."

"I saw you and Apollo on the night Achilles died." Natigilan siya sa ginagawa niya at saka umiwas ng tingin. Nakita ko kung paano nanginig ang mga kamay niya so I had to hug her before her panic attack worsens. "Calm down... Wala akong sasabihin..."

I immediately pulled away when I saw Apollo looking at us.

"May nagseselos..." I whispered and chuckled. Dior looked behind and saw Apollo avoiding her glances. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

"Bait mo rin, 'no?" Dior flashed a smile as her face started to normalize. Hindi na maputla ang mukha niya. "So, anong catch? Bakit hindi mo ipagsasabi?"

It was my turn to freeze.

Hindi ko naman masabi na ako ang nagdala kay Achilles sa ospital after Apollo almost beat him to death. I was angry too... lalo na noong nalaman kong nabuntis ni gago si Yves. I wanted to punch him repeatedly that time.

"What good would it do?" I shrugged.

"Bakit hindi mo masabi ngayon para makaalis tayo?" She asked, and that was my cue to give the uno reverse card.

"Why can't you?" I smirked at nakita ko paano tumikhim ang bibig ng kaibigan ko. Binalot kami ng katahimikan for a few seconds. She was probably reflecting on what she said.

Hindi ko kayang ilaglag ako at si Apollo because we were just angry. Mahal naming parehas si Yves kaya we let our emotions consume us. Achilles did not die at Apollo's hands. We were not killers... so bakit ko sasabihin sa iba na si Apollo ang pumatay sa kanya?

"Zeus..." Dior said and flashed me a smile. "Thank you."

- -

｡˚⛓˚｡⋆. APOLLO

"O baka naman si Prada? Fuck buddy mo si Achi 'di ba?"

Ang kapal ng mukha kong sabihin 'yun. Ako nga ang pumatay sa mahal ni Prada, e. Ako ang bumugbog kay Achi hanggang sa mahugutan ito ng hininga. Wala akong karapatang manakit ng tao ngayon.

Hindi ko 'yun sinasadya... pero pinangunahan ako ng galit ko dahil nabibwisit na ako sa lugar na ito. Una, kinuryente ang girlfriend ko. Tapos, sina Chanel at Gucci naman?! Putangina, sino ba kasi ang nagdala sa amin dito?!

Ayan tuloy, sinuntok ako ni Hades.

Napagpasyahan kong kalmahin ang sarili ko sa isang tabi. Akmang lalapit sa akin si Dior, nag-aalala ata. Pero, gusto ko muna ng space ngayon. Dahil, pati ako ay naiinis sa sarili ko at sa mga pinagsasabi ko.

Nasaktan din naman si Prada sa pagkamatay ni Achi.

Umiling ako sa girlfriend ko at nilibot ko nalang ang tingin ko sa mga nakalagay na bagay dito. Baka naman sakaling may mahanap ako at maging useful naman ako. Hindi ko na nga maamin na pinatay ko si Achilles, e.

Natigilan ako sa pwesto ko nang makakita ng isang pamilyar na tela sa tabi. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko... putangina... tandang-tanda ko kanino ito.

Dior.

Ganito ang tela ng suot niya sa debut ni Gucci. Napakaganda niya noon... bagay na bagay sa akin. Pero, hindi niya nairampa at naipagmayabang sa lahat 'yon nang dahil nalaman namin ang kababuyan nina Achilles at Yves.

Unti-unti akong napako sa pwesto ko nang mapagtantong...

Pinatay ni Dior si Yves.

Saglit kong tiningnan ang babaeng pinakamamahal ko habang napangiti ako nang mapait sa sarili ko. Couple goals, huh? At magmula nito, sunod-sunod nang nadagdagan ang mga sikretong tinatago namin sa isa't isa nang dahil lang may pinoprotektahan kami.

We stayed in Crowbones longer than we expected.

- -

｡˚⛓˚｡⋆. TIFFANY

I know your secrets so bad.

Matalim kong tiningnan si Hermés na kasama ngayon si Dior. Gusto ko siyang itulak palayo dahil ayaw kong ilapit niya ang marumi niyang kaibigan sa best friend ko. He's a pig... a monster... and fuck, a demon!

I wanted to expose his bullshit so bad.

Nagawa niyang uto-in ang mga kaibigan namin sa mga kasinungalingan niya. Two souls died because of him! I would gladly strangle him to death kapag nalaman kong siya ang pumatay kina Yves and Achilles.

"Tiffany." Madali akong ngumiti sa kanya. I had to act like I did not know his dirt. "Can I see the camera?"

Bakit, Hermés? Was it so familiar to you? Naaalala mo ba ang kabababuyan na ginawa mo?

I watched him look at it... I stared at his eyes... longing to see guilt from him. I prayed that, at some point, he will drown in his conscience and fix this. I hoped... that the Hermés I befriended... was still there.

Kaso wala.

"Do you think this is the one that filmed Yves and Achilles?" I wanted to scoff but nodded instead.

Bakit hindi mo sabihin? Ikaw ang nag-film sa kanila, right? Come on, Hermés! Show them just how much of a monster you are.

"We are also told to find a photo album," he said. "What if this camera captured the photos na pinapahanap sa atin?"

There's a snitch.

Someone among us saw this whole shit happened. Nakita niya ang pagkapatay kina Achilles and Yves... and I was sure why. Just like me, that one wanted answers too. Gusto niya rin malaman ano ang mga tinatago naming sikreto.

Our deadly and fatal secrets.

"It's impossible that the video will be showed." Why, Hermés? Ilang beses mo na sigurong napanood 'yon, you dick. "Crow said that these are clues. I doubt he'll show what we already know."

So, the pictures are clues about the killer, right?

- -

｡˚⛓˚｡⋆. CHANEL

"Marami akong gustong itanong."

I looked at Apollo who was staring at me like a puppy. I admit na he really had the looks... kaya nga almost everyone in our university would flock at him. Ultimo amoy niya palang ay kilala na sa paaralan.

Kaya nga, hindi ko rin maiisip na kaya niyang pumatay.

"Magtulungan tayo..." He added as he handed me the paper and pen he took out of nowhere. May ganoon pala rito?

"Kilala mo ang pumatay?" Tanong niya at saglit na umiwas ng tingin. He was... suspicious. His eyes screamed guilt, na para bang natatakot siya sa sagot ko. I stared at him for a moment before taking the pencil and paper.

I just know that Apollo will be devastated as I told him I know who the true killer is.

"Sino?" Hindi ko pa kayang sabihin. Hanggang ngayon, I was still scared. I was too fixated on the idea na kaya naming ayusin ito. I was thinking idealistically... na I became too detached from reality. Hindi ko na alam ang susunod kong galaw.

I never believed that Apollo's picture was the sex room.

I knew very well kanino 'yon... that was the room where the scandal video of Yves and Achilles were filmed. Nadaanan ko ang kwartong 'yon when I trespassed inside Hermés' house. Doon nangyari lahat ng pangbababoy ni Hermés sa mga kaibigan namin.

I then asked Apollo kung sino ang pinoprotektahan niya. But... he was playing safe. Hindi niya pa rin kayang magsabi ng totoo. We were running in circles.

Pero, napagtanto ko na ako rin naman... I was still hesitant of sharing what I know. I wanted to protect the group's bond so much that I forgot to realize na hindi ito maaayos kung patuloy kaming magsisinungaling sa isa't isa.

Hermés' lies were enough. Ayaw ko nang dumagdag pa.

I then took the paper and wrote something in it.

Yves and Achilles were forced to have sex with each other. I saw the uncut video and nakita ko ang tao na nanonood sa kanila. Before that, Yves told me na she and Achilles were already struggling.

Nagulat ako nang biglang pinagpapalo ni Apollo ang pader! I was quick to hug him and protect him from hurting himself further. Not gonna lie, I was already suspecting something about him.

He... did something... very wrong.

"Sino ang nakita mo?" He asked. Huminga ako nang malalim at kinuha ang lapis at papel. I looked at him for a moment before proceeding to write something.

The child born out of wedlock.

Hermés.

Hermés' father had an affair... at siya ang bunga. Because his father was a senator, he had to preserve his good and loyal image kaya hindi ito pinanagutan noong una. However, when Hermés' biological mother died, his father was forced to take him in. He did not want to take responsibility of Hermés... kaya inabuso niya ito.

Nanghina ang mga tuhod ko nang makitang umiiyak si Apollo sa sahig... his face screamed pain and betrayal. His best friend... the most important man in his life... was the one who caused all this.

But, bestie goals talaga sila.

"Kilala ko kung sino ang pumatay kay Achilles." Agad akong napatingin sa kanya as he said that. He was... willing to tell me who killed Achilles. I saw a ray of light, na baka makaalis na kami rito and we'll go back to our worlds.

However, what he said to me made my heart broke more.

"Ako." Ngumiti siya nang mapait sa akin.

- -

BEFORE CROWBONES

｡˚⛓˚｡⋆. HERMÉS

"I am going to give you a little something."

Hermés' brows furrowed as he sipped on his tea. Tumingin siya kay Crow na nakangisi at saka nagpalabas ng mala-demonyong halakhak. Hermés had to think that the man in front of him now was crazy.

"What's that?" Hermés asked, curious sa mga pakulo ni Crow.

Isang araw na silang nag-uusap at natutuwa si Hermés sa mga ideas ni Crow. He was fascinated because of his team... talagang mga professionals and experts sa larangan nila. Nabigla rin nga siya nang ma-duplicate ng mga tauhan ni Crow ang kwarto ng mga kaibigan niya.

"On the first day..." Panimula ni Crow. "I'll give you an advantage."

"I'm listening." Hermés smirked.

"You... and only you..." Crow said, making Hermés more intrigued than ever. "Get to eliminate someone."

"I get to pick who?" Kulang nalang ay mapatalon si Hermés sa saya. His plan was working better than he thought. Naisip niya nga na baka hindi naman dumating ang panahon na malalaman ng lahat ng mga kaibigan niya ang ginawa niya.

"Of course," sagot ni Crow. "And, I'll let you pick now."

Isang pangalan lang ang nasa isip ni Hermés. He was sure that this person already knew his secret. Akala ba ng taong ito na hindi niya malalaman na pumasok ito sa mansion niya habang tulog siya?

"I will pick Chanel," Hermés answered.

And on the first day, the crows kissed Chanel Sovanna her death.