Chapter 1

Ayashi's POV

In life, we all have mysteries that we wanna solve. Mysteries that are unanswered and mysteries that we just wanna bury behind us.

You know what's more mysterious? It's life. We don't know what life holds, we don't know anything about it but one thing is for sure, life can be taken away from us any time.

In a very young age, my father used to leave bunch of puzzles for me to solve. You see, my father is a detective but just like the other people who served their country, my father died while solving a case about a politician's sudden death.

I can still remember what had happened the day before he was killed. He told me that he already know who is the culprit, the motives, and he already found all the evidences then he suddenly told me that his life is in danger. I don't know what kind of danger he was talking about because I was still very young during that time not until, their enemies end their life.

My mother is the captain of the airforce while my father is a detective, my dad and mom must've known something that the enemies feared.

"Ayashi, you're spacing out again. Kakarating mo lang dito sa Pilipinas pero nagsasalubong na yang dalawang kilay mo." Usal ni Tita Ysabel habang nakatuon ang tingin sa daan, "May problema ba iha?"

Tita Ysabel is the one who raised me when my parents died, my parents must've known that their life is at risk because they left a will. When everything became traumatizing to me, I insisted in going to Japan where my relatives are. 

"I'm fine Tita, I'm just trying to remember every single detail of this place." I responded.

"I told you, you can continue your studies in Japan. Our relatives wouldn't hurt you, and you know that yourself." 

"I'm just sick of hearing them insulting my parents, my parent's death is something that shouldn't be humiliated about..." I clenched my fist, "...they don't have any rights to do that."

Tinignan ko ang tanawin sa labas, napangiwi agad ako dahil puro gusali at amoy ng mga sasakyan ang nalalanghap at nakikita ko. The sound of the horns outside keeps on lingering in my ears. Traffic is one of the things I hate.

"Naiintindihan naman kita Ayashi, pero sana maintindihan mo rin na iniiwas kita sa mga trahedyang nakita mo noong bata ka pa." Tita Ysabel said that reminded me about it.

If I keep on sulking and do nothing, my parents won't surely like that. I need to find out who is behind their death, and if I finally put all the pieces together—I'll eliminate them myself.

"Thanks for worrying about me Tita but I'll be fine," binigyan ko siya ng seryosong tingin, "I know you treasure dad so much since he is the only brother who treasured and understood you completely. His death should be given justice, and you know in the first place that I wanted the same."

"I'm doing everything in my power, Ayashi." Napasandal si Tita sa driver's seat, “But the case that your father handled is something that even confuses me."

The entire Yamamoto family works for the government. In short, lahat ng kasapi ng pamilya namin ay may posisyon sa gobyerno at sa army. The Yamamoto clan is in every part of the globe who wanted to serve each country, and my Tita Ysabel here is the captain of a secret alliance of the government whose job is to do some dirty work that the government cannot do publicly.

"I'll try to be a helping tool," the car started moving again, "but once I find out the man behind the death of my parents, he will regret what he did."

Your country failed to give you the justice you deserve, I guess I need to give you the justice myself.

Nang makarating na kami sa bagong paaralan na papasukan ko ay biglang huminto ang sasakyan tsaka ko napagdesisyonang lumabas, tinignan ako ni Tita Ysabel—para bang sinusuri niya ang reaksyon ko sa mukha.

"Don't get yourself into trouble Ayashi, okay? You need to keep a very low profile, your brother is well known in this place." When I heard her mentioning my brother, I quickly looked away.

"My brother is useless for me anyways," isinukbit ko ang bag sa balikat ko, "I'll see you later at home Tita."

"Be careful."

If my father is well known for being a good detective back in the day, then my brother is well known of being the chief of police in this area. He is the reason why the legacy of my father is still active up to this day.

I don't even wanna talk about him anymore.

While I was stepping foot on the campus, I can feel the other students looking at me as if I'm some kind of stranger—which I particularly am.

"Pwede ko po ba makita ang ID niyo, ma'am?" Tanong ng guard, kinuha ko ang isang school ID na nakalagay sa bulsa ng palda ko tsaka ko yun ipinakita sa guwardya.

This school is a little fancy, they will quickly assist everything you needed once you transfer. Your school ID, class schedules, uniforms and even lockers are already set, it makes it less hassle for me.

Napansin ko namang agad ibinalik ng guwardya ang ID ko nang masilip niya ang pangalan ko.

My last name will always be something worth fussing about.

"Pasok na po kayo Ms. Yamamoto," once the other students near the gate heard that, I can clearly see the terror in their eyes.

My brother must've left quite an impression to them.

Walang gana akong nagpatuloy sa paglalakad habang sinusubukang hanapin ang classroom ko, the other students that walk passed me is obviously avoiding me. 

Habang abala ako sa paglinga-linga sa bawat classroom ay napansin ko ang isang babaeng nakaharap sa locker niya na tila ba namumutla, that's strange. She looked at me before she close her locker.

I can't see no emotion in her eyes but the way her body moves, she seem afraid of something. She walked passed me, I shrugged my shoulders. Akmang magpapatuloy na sana ako sa paglalakad nang may natapakan akong isang bagay. Tinignan ko yun at nangunot ang noo ko nang mapansin kong isa yung susi.

Kanina kaya ito?

I took it from the floor and was about to call out for the girl I saw earlier when I just suddenly couldn't see that girl anymore. Where is she? I'm sure this key is hers, this is maybe the key of her locker.

"Isasauli ko na lang pag makita ko siya ulit..." mahina kong usal bago ibinulsa ang susi.

I was in immediate relief when I finally found my classroom, sumilip ako sa pinto at nakita ko na nagnename calling na ang guro. Looks like I'm late, so much for a first day.

"Ayashi Vixen Yamamoto?" She called out my name that made the whole class silent. "I'll call this name again, Ayashi Vixen Yamamoto, are you present?"

Ayoko talagang marinig ang Vixen sa pangalan ko. Why did my parents name me like that anyway? 

I knocked on the door. "I'm here, I'm late. I’m sorry.”

The teacher smiled.

"It's okay, it is still the first day of school anyway." She uttered in a gentle manner, "You must be Ayashi, come in.”

“Yes, I am.”

“You can take a seat now.”

Nang tuluyan na akong makapasok ay naramdaman ko agad ang mga titig nila na puno ng panghuhusga at katanungan, as if I care what they think about me.

Kaagad ko namang nakita ang isang bakanteng upuan sa likod kaya doon ko napagdesisyonang umupo, and it made me regret it afterwards.

"Pssst!"

I crossed my arms before closing my eyes tight.

"Pssst!"

I just give him the cold shoulder.

"I'm Calvin Johnson, isa akong miyembro ng school publication. I heard you're the little sister of Chief Lancelot, pwede ka bang maging parte ng—" 

"Not interested." 

He pouted.

"Hindi mo pa nga ako pinapakinggan—"

"Who says I'm willing to listen to you?" 

"You don't have to be so blunt." Nakanguso niyang ani pero hindi ko na lang siya pinansin at itinuon na lang ang atensyon sa guro naming nagsasalita sa harapan.

"To all of you who don’t know, my name is Cassandra Ponce. I'm 28 years old and I've been teaching in this school for 5 years already, I'll be your adviser until the end of the school year." She smiled brightly, "I'm expecting that all of you won't put yourself into any kind of trouble, got it?"

"Yes Ma'am Cassandra!!" Maligalig na sagot ng mga estudyante.

Her smile seems familiar to me tho—

—oh I remember, I met her six years ago. She even met my parents before they died, she's maybe 22 at that time and my brother is still 24. She is his girlfriend.

"Students, you need to take it easy since it is still the first day. So loosen up a little." She took a chalk from her table, "Now, maghahire tayo ng new class officers. So yung gustong mag-nominate—"

"AHHH!” A shrieking voice echoed in the hallway that alerted everyone.

Someone yelled, who could it be?