Pilit kong ibinabalik sa isip ko ang mga nawalang alaala ngunit hindi ko magawa. Wala akong makuhang sagot. Huminga ako nang malalim tsaka na lamang kinuha ang folder na nakadikit sa ilalim ng table ni papa.

"Alam ko, maraming tanong sa na gumugulo sa isip mo ngayon pero alam mo anak, parang pagte-take lang ng exam 'yan, ang sagot sa mga tanong ay nasa ilalim ng desk kung nasaan ang mga libro. Nasa sa 'yo lang kung magkakaroon ka ng lakas ng loob sumilip do'n at kunin 'yon."

Binasa ko ang pamagat ng kasong nasa harap ng folder, "Arson and Murder at Dark Street Year 2007"

"Due to lack of evidence, the said case was closed. It was said that the fire begins because of a child playing with a candle with light and causing their house to burn down. And because of the guilt, the innocent child was feeling he stabbed himself..."

My forehead automatically twitched. This is seriously ridiculous! I turned the page and saw that it was written here that the said case happened in the afternoon. So it means, we can be able to see our surroundings because it was not yet dark, and even if the electricity was out, hindi natin mamamalayan dahil hindi naman natin kailangan ng ilaw. But then, that child was caught holding a candle kaya siya napagbintangang nagsimula ng apoy na naging dahil ng pagkatupok ng bahay nila. I was wondering, why would that child get a candle and a light?

Napatingin ako sa paligid. Alam kong mataas pa ang araw dahil maaga akong nakalabas kanina sa hospital but then this room is dim. Aakalain mong gabi na kahit mag-aalas dose palang ng tanghali. W-wait. H-hindi kaya, kaya kumuha ang batang 'yon ng kandila at posporo dahil madilim sa kinalalagyan nila at gumagamit sila ng ilaw ng oras na 'yon ngunit nang mawalan ng kuryente kinailangan niyang kumuha ng bagay na magpapaliwanag sa kwartong 'yon. Tama! Napangiti ako nang maisip ko ang lugar na 'yon! It does make sense now!

I know that this arson and murder really happened that year at sigurado akong ganoon din ang paniniwala ni papa kaya nasa kaniya pa ang record file ng kasong nangyari sampung taon na ang nakakalipas. Ito malamang ang dahilan kung bakit kami pumunta rito sa Laguna at mag-for good dahil lulutasin ni papa ang kasong ito. And it was just a mishap to my dad that I will be the one who will unravel this labyrinth case. I know, marami na akong kapalpakang nagawa noon but I am sure about my second life-it brought me luck. Wala nang halong kayabangan, I am positive that this case will be closed in the hand of justice.

I turned the page and I gasped because of the scene I am seeing right now. There are two boys in the same picture lying on the floor-one was burnt in the lower part of his body and the other one was stabbed on his left chest. This is wicked.

I closed my eyes trying to contain myself. I believe this is not my very first time to see someone's death and to think that it is only in the picture, why do I feel such feeling of grief and pain? And those faces are familiar... it seems that I saw them before. Hindi ko lang alam kung kailan at kung saan. Pilit kong inaalala kung saan ko nga ba nakita ang mga mukha nila ngunit lumipas ang isang araw ay hindi ko matandaan. Nasa bag ko ang record file dahil balak kong itanong mamaya kay Leo ang tungkol sa bagay na 'yon. Maybe he can help, no, he will surely help

I'm on my way to school. For the past six months that I was only in that cold bed lying and unconsciously sleeping, I wasn't able to graduate my last year in senior high so I am here to make up the classes I'd miss. But still, up until now, those boys' faces are lingering on my mind. It's as if that memory was just there at the back of my mind that probably would come out at the right time.

"He was the guy, right?"

"The girl was talking about in the video? Probably."

I glanced at the girls talking at the side of the hallway and I saw them looking at me as if they were referring to me.

"I heard he's the reason why that girl broke up with her boyfriend."

Eavesdropping leads to unconsciousness-unconsciousness that you might be bumped into someone because you're distracted. "I-I'm s-sorry, miss." I immediately apologized. I was supposed to walk past through her when suddenly our eyes met and I was lost in a moment. It was a few seconds or a minute passed but still, her eyes didn't blink nor looked away. It's as if she wants to have an eye-to-eye battle. But then, I forgot that I have a class to attend to so I interrupted. "Sorry miss, una na 'ko. Mag-ingat ka na lang din sa susunod."

Akmang maglalakad na ako palayo sa kaniya nang marinig ko siyang magsalita. "Finally, you're awake." She said while smiling but I can see through her eyes the sadness that I don't know what's the reason behind.

"Excuse me? Do you know me?" I asked. She didn't answer my question instead she said, "I am glad that you're here again, trying hard detective. See you around."

She walked away leaving me in that spacious hallway as spaciously as my head right now. What just happened? Parang naging blangko ang utak ko at puno ng space dahil clueless about what she said. Trying hard detective?

"Hey, what were you and the great detective talking about there?" He asked giving me a hint of jealousy in his tone. He clung his arm around my neck. "Great detective?"

"Yes, the lady you were talking to is the campus' great detective, you didn't know? She's so popular because of her deduction skills. I heard she's a type of loner and some students are thinking of her as a weird and creepy one but I think she's cool and awesome so I was wondering why were you two are talking as if you know each other?"

I shrugged. "Excuse me, who are you again?"

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