LUKE MATTHEW THE THIRD WEEK of classes opened with the usual peaceful Monday. The calmness of the environment as I walked the long way to Albertus Magnus University is as annoying as it can get every time. Like any other school day, I left the Salcedo Mansion several hours earlier than my schedule to spend about one to two hours in my Pops’ house. The rest of my free time is spent walking to the uni and reading thrilling adventure novels in AMU’s library. A thrilling adventure—something I have yearned for all of my years—an experience that (maybe) any high school student would wish for. I gave a jolly greeting to the security guard as I entered the premises of AMU. However, the quietness that welcomed my ears was deafening. My bottomline here: Afternoon classes suck. There weren’t even students loitering around the campus. Everything’s just boring—TOO BORING! . . . Or maybe not. The blanket of silence was torn apart when some of the morning class students, a few faculty members,

 HIBARA I SECRETLY MADE my way to the gymnasium. I am going to bump into Toto, Levy, and Irish, and give them an unexpected grilling. Oh, this is exciting!“Mrs. Torres, excuse me. May I go to the restroom?” Levy raised his hand. Hmm, I think I will be interrogating him first.I entered the male restroom and had to put up with the stench. Why do all the male restrooms I know reek of such smell? Maybe I’m just not used to it because I’m a female.From the cubicle, I saw Levy arrived and stood in front of the urinal. Shocks! I stepped back so I wouldn’t move the door. He might be suspicious if the door suddenly changed its position without anyone else entering the area. When I heard footsteps, I returned to my position and found Levy leaving the restroom!“Hold your position, Levy,” I announced my presence as I pushed the cubicle open.“AHH!

HIBARA “LEVY TICCUS!! YOU said we’re going to take recess together!” Someone shouted from behind and suddenly there was another person dashing through the hallway. Was that Janden Vher? I think I also saw his photograph on the CAT Officers board. “You know why Levy ran. I saw you staring at him before he ran. What is it, Detective? Are you on another case that involves our classmates?” The Major said as he stood behind me. “Alright there, Major. How about you stop prying on my business or refrain from being stupid, stop asking, and start thinking?” I retorted without looking at him, then took the white folder from my desk and left the classroom. Of course, he’s gonna be following me. I smiled mischievously as I started running. “Hey!” He shouted as he chased me down the flight of stairs. “Detective! Stop running!” I stopped abruptly by the second floor and he lost his sense of gravity, thus failing to acknowledge the final three steps of stairs and thumping on the tiled hallway. I

  LUKE MATTHEW   BLACK AND WHITE Mystery… My very first case! I’ve never felt such tremendous adrenaline as when I went to rescue Janden. I want to feel it again; the rush, the thrill, and the way it felt like it’s just me against the world— it was amazing. And if this insulting, unpleasant child will give me this high school adventure I’ve been yearning for, then I’ll stick with her. Hibara White Cake is the detective; a magnet of tragedy after all. “Do we still need to attend classes? Why don’t we just proceed with the case?” I asked the Detective as we climbed up the stairs leading to the fourth floor. “Well, if you want to graduate, you know the answer. If you want to repeat, you still know. Besides, without Levy, we don’t have a good lead. If we can’t find him, we’ll just have to wait for the masquerade,” she answered and then entered the classroom. I sighed and followed after. “Why don

  LUKE MATTHEW   “WHAT ON EARTH are you saying? That is preposterous! Don’t give me this kind of disagreeable information.” “But why, Miss Cake? Is the young detective afraid of the truth now? Didn’t your father tell you that when you have eliminated all which is impossible—” “—then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. I KNOW, DOCTOR! And it isn’t Dad; it’s from The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes.”   “What’s going on?” I asked as I woke up from all the noise. I didn’t even notice that I fell asleep earlier. “Oh, did we wake you? Sorry about that, Major. I just had a talk with a demon!” The Detective spoke sarcastically. “A demon?” I asked, confused. I looked in her direction and she’s standing beside Dr. Marquez, one hand clutching her side and the other on the bed’s railings to support her balance. “I am pertaining to this doct