Cases Uncovered

11 | Now You See Me

"When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

-Shinichi Kudo

------

Chapter 11:
Now You See Me

· · ────── ·𖥸· ────── · ·
ZANE

10:56 p.m.

Raine guided me to a modest eatery on Fidel A. Reyes Street, the brisk five-minute walk leaving a chill in the air. The establishment, though small and unpretentious, still glowed with a warm light, its open sign a relief in the late hour.

I knew I wasn’t the only one shaken by the earlier incident. It was my first encounter with a real gun, and the fact that he nearly fired at my companion in the apartment still rattled me.

"Raine, I heard what happened earlier. You alright now?" A man, likely in his fifties, greeted us at the counter.

"I'm good now. Just a bit... shaken but all fine," Raine replied, mustering a smile despite what happened at Auntie's place.

"Got company today, I see," the man spoke.

"Oh, he's just looking out for me," Raine explained.

The man’s eyes flickered over to me, as if assessing my worth. With a knowing smile, he commented, “Seems like he’s doing a good job of it.”

"Um... thanks?" I muttered, unsure how to respond. Was it supposed to be a compliment or something else entirely?

"When did you two begin a relationship?" the man quipped.

My eyes widened in surprise, and a flush crept over my cheeks. "We’re not... We’re not together!" Raine and I blurted in unison.

"Not yet, then?" he teased, raising an eyebrow.

I had no intentions of entering a relationship, especially with college just starting. I didn’t want it to interfere with my studies, and I knew my parents wouldn’t approve.

"No, and it's highly unlikely for us to be together," Raine declared, her words echoing my own thoughts.

"Exactly what I was thinking," I chimed in, though secretly, I couldn't shake off the unexpected twinge of something stirring within me.

With a disappointed sigh, the man seemed to accept our reply. "That's too bad," he muttered before gesturing toward the seating area with a swish of his left hand. "Go ahead, find yourselves a seat. I'll come back when you've decided what to order," he added.

I took the menu from him and glanced at it. There were some dishes I hadn't tried yet.

Though I didn't glance her way, I noticed Raine walking off. Habitually glued to my phone, I kept my eyes on the paper as I trailed behind her.

It wasn't until she came to a halt that I tore my gaze away from the menu, finally snapping back to my deep thoughts. "What would you like to eat?" she asked.

"Uh... Are you going to look at the menu, too?" I asked, extending the menu printed on slightly stiff cardboard. She gently pushed it back toward me.

"I already decided what I wanted while you were reading," she replied. "Go on, look for yours. I'll pay for both." She raised her hand, signaling the person she had been speaking with earlier.

The old man approached us and asked, "What will you order?"

"Just tea and dark chocolate cake for me," she answered.