REYNARD

HOW MANY times had I told people that I hated lies? Five? More than my fingers? More than a dozen? Oh, I'd lost count already! Kapag may nagsisinungaling sa harapan ko—lalo na kung interviewee—lagi kong sinasabi 'yon. I wasn't championing this I-hate-lies movement just because I was taking Journalism as my course or just because I write for The Herald, our university's student publication. It's actually the reason why I chose those paths in the first place.

Lies are like growing weeds around a red rose. They steal the moisture and nutrients away from that poor flower—the same way that lies deprive a person of the opportunity to have their own informed opinion.

Sa panahon ngayon, hindi lang ligaw na damo ang anyo ng kasinungalingan. Minsan nag-aanyo pa 'tong nakaaakit na bulaklak. Sa malayo, mukhang legit na flower. Pero kapag lumapit ka at sinuri mo, mapapansin mong fake pala. That's how grave the war against lies had become nowadays. And it's a pity that many people would easily fall for them.

Nag-e-enjoy ba ako kapag may nasusupalpal ako ng katotohanan? Nakararamdam ba ako ng pleasure kapag may nade-debunk akong tao? Not really! So why was I in this crusade? Medyo personal ang reason. And—pardon me for saying this cliche—that's another story for another time.

For now, I was curious about what would happen to me next. Those who'd been reading The Herald's latest issues and those who had watched the most recent livestream on campus knew that I was currently in hot water.

"Reynard," the editor-in-chief called my name. His middle finger pushed his eyeglasses up the bridge of his nose. "I've got some good news and bad news regarding the so-called exclusive, explosive exposé last week."

Nasa conference room kami ng editorial office. Nakaupo ako sa isang side habang nasa kabila siya at dalawa pang editor. The Big Three—the EIC, managing editor, and associate editor—were present. Not every Herald writer would get this chance so I was extremely lucky to be given this opportunity. Puwede ko nang i-strike out sa bucket list ko!

"The good news is malakas sa SchoolBuzz ang video," sabi ng babaeng managing editor namin. Maigsi ang buhok niya, abot hanggang balikat. "Tinutukan din ng mga estudyante sa bawat area ng campus na may LED TV ang stream."

"The bad news is hindi 'yon ang exposé na in-expect natin," dugtong ng lalaking associate editor. Nakataas naman ang buhok niya. "Given na ginamit natin ang lahat ng broadcasting resources ng university—mula sa TVs, livestreams, radio station—hindi worth it ang subject na pinag-usapan on-air."

"So Reynard..." The editor-in-chief propped up his elbows on the table and put his hands on top of each other. His watchful gaze lingered on me. "Care to explain what happened? Bakit iba ang subject na lumabas sa broadcast at ang subject na pinitch mo sa amin?"

"The only reason why we authorized it ay dahil sa level ng exposé mo," dagdag ng managing editor. Dumagdag pa ang titig niya sa pressure na naramdaman ko. "We even reached out to other offices and organizations to make this happen. 'Tapos relationship update lang ng USC president at first lady ang i-e-expose mo?"

"That isn't like you, Rey."

Napakamot ako ng ulo. I knew they'd be asking that question. How should I put this? "I'm really, really, really sorry about what happened! I got too excited sa big scoop natin kaya hindi ko na-verify nang maayos. My bad, I guess?"

"Really?" Tumaas ang kaliwang kilay ng associate editor. "Ikaw na nag-expose sa corrupt personalities sa campus, nakalimutang i-double verify kung ano ang pag-uusapan n'yo ni Fabienne Lucero on air?"

"I know your work ethic kaya forgive me kung nahihirapan akong paniwalaan 'yon," pailing-iling na sabi ng managing editor, sumabay sa galaw ng ulo niya ang kaniyang buhok. "You wouldn't be careless with something as big as a scandal in the USC. You would double and even triple-check it."

"It happens sometimes. I'm not perfect, you know," palusot ko sabay kibit-balikat. "Kahit ang MVP ng basketball team, hindi papasok ang lahat ng tres na tinira niya. Ako pa kaya?"

"You are not perfect, but you are thorough," the editor-in-chief reminded me. "The reason why your exposés are air-tight is because you delve deep into them. You peel off the layers of an issue until you reach its very core."

"Most of the time, I am thorough. But not always," I corrected him with a smile. I might be a great investigative campus journalist, but I was not perfect. Far from it! "What's done is done. Hindi na natin maibabalik ang nasayang na oras, effort, at resources. Let's talk about the consequences of my action."

"Consider yourself verbally reprimanded. Don't do it again. That's all."

My eyes blinked repeatedly, shifting their gaze back and forth between the editors. Hinintay ko kung may sasabihin pa sila, pero nanatiling tikom ang kanilang mga bibig. What a downer!

"That's it?" I asked to confirm. "Only verbal reprimand for me wasting our resources? Wala nang mas mabigat pa? Wala nang dagdag?"

"Mukhang hindi ka pa satisfied sa sanction namin sa 'yo." Naningkit ang mga mata ng associate editor sa 'kin. "I thought you would be thankful lalo na't hindi mabigat ang penalty na ipinataw namin?"

I'd be thankful if they'd punish me in another way. "Are you not going to reassign me or what?"

"You're performing well in the USC beat," the editor-in-chief replied with a firm nod. "I see no reason for reassignment. You'll remain there until further notice.

"What I did was embarrassing," I confessed. That was a difficult pill to swallow. "And it doesn't sit right with me that I got away with just a slap on the wrist. Maybe it's best to remove me from that beat and reassign me to something less exciting, like, say, Lexecom? That will serve as a fitting punishment for a boy who misbehaved."

"G-Gusto mong ma-reassign?" hindi nila makapaniwalang tugon.

"I made a mistake so you need to make an example out of me para hindi ako pamarisan ng ibang staffers natin," I explained, gesturing to emphasize my point. "I don't mean to dictate how you manage the editorial staff, but you must show everyone that mistakes have consequences. Ano'ng sasabihin ng co-writers ko kapag nalaman nilang verbal reprimand lang ang parusa ko? They might think that it's okay to do the same!"

"But this is just your first offense for a violation that's not so serious," the managing editor argued. "While you didn't deliver the exposé that you promised us, we got some good numbers. Therefore, verbal reprimand is the most appropriate sanction for you."

"And you're the best correspondent to cover the USC," the associate editor added. "You ask the right questions. You hit them where it hurts. Kung aalisin ka namin doon, baka mag-suffer ang beat."

"What we're trying to say is that you're our best horse in that race," the editor-in-chief said. "It would be highly unwise to have you reassigned."

I might be their best horse, but that's no longer the race I wanted to play in.

"Riel can cover for me. She's one of our best correspondents." I jerked my thumb toward the workstation where a girl was busy with her laptop. "Alam kong may mga exposé ako na nakatulong sa pag-establish ng credibility ng Herald, pero hindi dapat maging reason o excuse 'yon para bigyan n'yo ako ng preferential treatment. Kung ibang correspondent kaya ang nakagawa sa ginawa ko, would you still retain them in their beat?"

"It appears you're keen on being reassigned," the editor-in-chief muttered, his gaze fixed intently on me. He paused, and the room fell silent. "Very well. As an additional sanction, you'll be taken off the USC beat and assigned to the Lexecom beat."

I pumped my fist in the air. I almost exclaimed "Yes!" They all looked strangely at me.

"Can I propose another?" I raised a finger. I wouldn't be satisfied with just a verbal reprimand and a reassignment. I wanted more. "I was a bad boy, and I deserve to be punished. Since I bothered the community with a useless exposé, fifty hours of community service seem appropriate. What do you think?"

"Community service?!" the associate editor blurted out. "Seryoso ka ba? Gusto mo pang dagdagan ang parusa namin sa 'yo?"

"I believe that's what I deserve."

"But that's not within the scope of our editorial guidelines," the managing editor replied, shaking her head. "We can suspend you or expel you from The Herald, but we cannot make you render hours of community service. That's way beyond our jurisdiction as a student publication."

"If you violate any of the school rules, the OSA can impose that penalty on you," the editor-in-chief concluded. "That's within their jurisdiction."

"So I just need to commit a violation, huh?" I muttered as I caressed my chin. "That's gonna be a piece of cake."

"Why does it sound like you're asking for it?" Narinig pala ako ng managing editor.

THE MEETING didn't go the way I wanted, but they gave me some useful ideas. Paglabas ko ng conference room, bumalik ako sa aking desk. My space was a bit messy—for a lack of a better term—with papers, sticky notes and newspaper clippings all over the surface. Magulo man ang mesa ko, organized naman ang thoughts sa aking isipan.

I craned my neck, scanning the editorial office in search of our top sports correspondent, but he was nowhere to be found. Oh, right! Malamang nagyoyosi siya sa smoking area ng campus. He would walk in here later chewing mint-flavored gum to mask his foul breath.

"For someone who's been scolded by the Big Three, you seem to be very happy."

I was about to turn on my laptop when a voice caught my attention. I raised my curious gaze and spotted a female student across the desk, her fingers dancing across the keyboard. Her black hair was neatly tied in a bun, with a few loose strands framing her forehead. Like me, she sported the navy blue Herald hoodie. Malamig kasi rito sa office lalo na kapag nandyan si Chief. He would always set the air-con at 16 degrees Celsius.

"And you must be very happy that I got scolded." I leaned back in my swivel chair and clasped my hands behind my head. "Magre-reflect sa record ko na meron akong infractions at mababawasan ang chances kong ma-promote bilang news editor next academic year. At dahil do'n, mas likely na ikaw ang maging heir apparent ni Nolan. So congratulations in advance?"

Nag-pause muna siya sa pagta-type bago umangat ang tingin sa akin. "You got overconfident sa panibagong exposé mo. You became careless. Reckless. Nakahanap ka tuloy ng katapat mo sa USC."

Naningkit ang mga mata ko. "Concerned ka ba sa 'kin at sa nangyari sa 'kin kaya ka—"

"Come on, Rey," she cut my words short. "Don't make it too easy for me to be next news editor and later on editor-in-chief. Walang thrill kapag gano'n. If I'm going to lead this publication in the next two years, I want to earn it."

"You know that I'm not interested in titles and positions." My gaze followed the chief as he exited the conference room with the two other editors. "But it must be nice to work in one of those cubicles and have some privacy for myself. 'Di na ako mako-conscious tuwing may dumaraan sa likuran ko at sumisilip sa kung ano'ng tina-type ko."

"Well, the biggest cubicle is already reserved for me," she quipped. Wait, she might be serious. "So choose a slightly smaller one on either side."

Ambrielle Zeferino is my fellow news correspondent in The Herald. It had been her lifelong dream to be the editor-in-chief. She made that fact known the moment she introduced herself during our orientation. She's a good writer, but probably not as good as me. Kung number of exposé ang pag-uusapan, I already got two while she got none. Pero dahil sa failed exposé ko last week—all thanks to Castiel Seville's intervention—she must be thinking na may chance na siyang maungusan ako. But she could be mistaken.

"Oh, before I forget." I rested my forearms on the desk and leaned forward. "Congratulations on your new beat! I wish you the best and hope you won't suffer the same fate that I did. If everything works out fine, this will give you the boost that you need to secure that news editorship position."

"New beat?" Her eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Because of what happened, the chief took me off the USC beat and reassigned me to the Lexecom beat. Let's just say that I've been demoted." As I requested. "So that means . . . magsu-switch tayo! Ikaw na ang magko-cover sa exciting na USC briefings habang ako naman sa boring na Lexecom sessions."

Her brows furrowed deeper. "You serious?"

"Shouldn't you be happy?" I asked. "Fun fact: every news editor who eventually became editor-in-chief covered the USC? Some of them even penned explosive exposé about past student governments. Who knows? You'll probably succeed where I've failed."

"And you didn't fight for it? Ni hindi mo cinontest ang reassignment mo?"

"I'm a good soldier, Riel. If the commander assigns me to the kitchen instead of the frontlines, I would oblige without any hesitation." But that wasn't the case here. It was me who chose to be in the kitchen, not the commander. Oh, well. What Riel didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

"You already have the gold, but you let them hand you the silver—"

"Ambrielle?" the associate editor called from his cubicle a few meters away from our workstation. "Ambrielle!"

"Yes?" Agad siyang napatayo at saglit na lumingon sa akin. I waggled my eyebrows at her.

"Busy ka ba? Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure."

I waved my hand and mouthed good luck. She left her seat and went into the editor's cubicle. They would probably discuss her promotion to the USC beat. If she was a truly grateful person, she'd be treat me to a cup of chocolate fudge sundae in the food hub as soon as she walked out of that cubicle.

Saktong pumasok ang kanina ko pang hinahanap na sports correspondent. Gaya ng inaasahan, may nginunguya siya sa bibig niya. Amoy mint, pero amoy ko pa rin ang sigarilyo nang dumaan siya sa likuran ko. Dumeretso siya sa kabilang workstation.

I grabbed a scratch paper from my rack and hurried over to him. "Hey, Raf! May lighter ka ba riyan? Pwede bang mahiram?"

"Sure!" He fished it out of his pocket and handed it to me. "Teka, nagyoyosi ka na rin? Wala sa itsura mo, ah?"

"Ah, no!" I shook my head as my thumb rolled down the spark wheel. Inilagay ko sa ibabaw ng lighter ang scratch paper na dala ko. "I'm just trying to find a way to earn hours of community service."

The paper instantly caught fire, sending smoke billowing up to the ceiling. Biglang nag-ring ang fire alarm at nagsaboy ng tubig ang water sprinkler sa kisame. Nagsitayo ang co-writers ko at tinakpan ang kanilang laptops at iba pang gadgets. Parang umulan sa loob ng editorial office. What a beautiful scene.

"REYNARD!"

Mission accomplished.

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