Tantei High (Erityian Tribes, #1) | Published under Pop Fiction

Chapter 5 - Alternative Name

Nakatingin lang ako kay Akane habang nakaangkla ang braso niya sa amin ni Riye dahil palabas kami ng dorm. Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala sa mga pinagsasabi nila kanina. My brain couldn't accept them as truth. Sino ba kasing maniniwala sa gano'n? Namuhay ako nang normal sa loob ng fifteen years, tapos bigla kong malalaman na hindi pala ako normal?

According to Riye, Akane has an enhanced hearing. Imagine? She could hear anything within a 100-meter radius! Totoo ba 'yon? Maniniwala ba ako? Pero nagawa niyang marinig kanina ang paparating pa lang na mga tao kaya ibig sabihin ay totoo nga. Wait. Naririnig niya kaya ang naiisip ko ngayon?

"So, naniniwala ka na ba ngayon? That we aren't joking?" she asked and I was caught off-guard. Did she really hear my thoughts? "This is why I'm in Meitantei," dagdag niya saka siya tumawa.

"Pagpasensyahan mo na siya, nee-san. Ganyan lang talaga siya," sabi naman ni Riye.

Just like what she said earlier, the three guys arrived in front of us. Hindi ko pa sila kilala dahil hindi naman sila nagpakilala at nahihiya rin naman akong magtanong.

"Hoy, Ken, ang tahimik mo yata ngayon?" tanong ni Akane sa lalaking nagbuhat ng maleta ko kanina. So his name is Ken, huh? Japanese name pala 'yon?

"He's always quiet when there's a beautiful girl," sabi naman ng isa pang lalaki. He has brownish hair and his calm expression made him look bored.

"Kaya nga maingay ako kapag kasama ko si Akane," Ken retorted and Akane glared in return.

"Ha-ha. Funny," sabay irap ni Akane. "Anyway, Reiji, mukhang sinusundan ka na naman ng stalker mo."

Reiji pala ang pangalan niya. I noticed the subtle movement of his eyebrows after Akane told her that. A second later, he marched back into the dorm.

Humiwalay naman sa amin sina Ken at 'yong isa pang lalaki. Papunta yata sila sa ibang building habang kami ay sa Midori para ipa-register daw ang alternative name ko. Actually, I was thinking about it earlier and one name continued to linger in my mind.

"Nee-chan, may naisip ka na ba?"

"Uhm . . . oo kaso . . . siguro okay na 'yon. Paano pala kung may kapareho na ako?"

"That's okay, as long as wala na siya rito o naka-graduate na, pero kung nandito pa ay kailangan mong palitan. We should have unique alternative names inside the campus," sagot ni Akane.

"Saan pala tayo pupunta?" tanong ko naman nang makapasok na kami sa Midori at hindi ko akalaing ganito pala kalaki ang loob nito.

"Sir Hayate's room," Akane said with a grin. "He's a cutie!"

"Nee-san!" suway ni Riye pero lalo lang ngumiti si Akane.

Pagkatapos naming kumaliwa, kumanan, umakyat at kumaliwa ulit ay narating namin ang room ni Sir Hayate. Hmm . . . familiar ang name na 'yon pero hindi ko maalala kung saan ko narinig o nakita.

"Ilabas mo muna ang ID mo bago tayo pumasok."

"O-okay."

Nilabas ko naman ang ID ko at . . . ah! Naalala ko na siya! He was the signatory on the certificates and papers. He's Hayate Kitamura.

Wow. Hindi ko akalaing mami-meet ko kaagad siya. I was wondering if he was the one who picked me or was it decided by a council? Nakalimutan kong itanong kanina kina Akane at Riye kung paano pinipili ang transferees.

"Tara na," Akane said and she tugged us inside the office.

Pagpasok namin ay nakatalikod ang taong nakaupo sa upuan. Paniguradong siya si Sir Hayate.