Moonstruck: Divulgence

DIVULGENCE 25

𝓙𝓪𝔂𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓷 𝓩𝓪𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓪𝓼

Masakit ang ulo kong bumangon para patayin ang alarm clock. Damn! Hindi naman ako nalasing kagabi, pero ang sakit ng ulo ko. I took a quick shower and stormed out of the bathroom. I wore my suit uniform as the representative Dean. Honestly, hindi ko gusto ang style at color uniform nila. It is a faded, common suit. I prefer black and navy blue-branded suits.

Pinasadahn ko ang sarili sa malaking salamin at nagakawala ng malalim buntong-hininga. Mistulang naririnig ko ang boses ni Mint habang sinasabi ang natanggap kong mensahe kagabi. Hindi ako naniniwalang hindi ko anak si Jayshie. Positibo akong akin siya.

I was taken aback when I saw someone on my swivel chair. Hindi ko nakikita ang mukha niya pero ramdam ko ang presensya niya. Who the hell is he? Bakit siya pumapasok sa office ko ng walang paalam?

Wala akong nararamdamang takot o nerbyos man lang marahil ay hindi naman siya delikadong tao. Hindi pamilyar ang presensya niya sa akin pero pakiramdam ko ay kilala ko siya.

Tumikhim ako para makuha ang atensyon niya at hindi naman ako nabigo. He turned around with a smirk on his face. He is a student na walang magawa sa buhay. I know his personal information and I already met him personally last week.

"What do you want?" pirming tanong ko kay Saber at naglakad papalapit sa gawi niya. Umupo ako sa visitor's chair na siyang kaharap lamang ng swivel chair na kinauupuan niya.

"I have something to tell you," he said with a serious expression. In his well-founded voice, it is like he is talking to me as if he is my boss and I'm his secretary.

Weirdo talaga ang mga estudyante ng ACIS. May sari-sarili silang ugali na mahirap intindihin at pakisamahan. May ma-attitude, siraulo, walang emosyon, palaging gutom at kung ano-ano pa.

Last week, nang ianunsyo ang bagong SSG Secretary at Drama Club President ay nakilala ko siya. He seemed friendly and jolly that day, and now he is serious as fuck.

"Make sure that's important," I said in a firm voice. I want to establish my authority so he'll respect me. Sapat na sina Jayshie at Schy na hindi ako kinikilala at nirerespeto bilang Dean, hindi niya na kailangan pang dumagdag.

"It is about your daughter. I think importante siya sayo. Kung hindi ay aalis na ako--"

"N-No! Wait!" tarantang habol ko sa kaniya nang akma siyang lalabas ng office. Damn. He's quick! Malayo ang pagitan ng table ko sa pinto pero mabilis niya itong narating. He plastered a mischievous smirk that irked the hell out of me, but I chose and stayed calm. He mentioned my daughter, kaya paniguradong importante ang sasabihin niya.

But the question is, how and where did he acquire that confidential information? Habang tumatagal ay parami na ng parami ang nakakaalam sa pagkatao at anak ko. Ang problema pa n'yan ay kung nalaman ni Schy 'to ay baka bukas-makalawa ay alam na ng buong Pilipinas. Knowing him, mahirap tapalan ang bunganga niya. Hindi sapat ang limang box ng fortune cookies bilang suhol sa kaniya kapalit ng pananahimik.

"Sit down," I ordered him, and I closed the door. I made sure that it was locked so no one would overheared our conversation.

Ngumiwi ako nang umupo siya sa swivel chair na dapat ay ako ang uupo kaya wala akong choice kundi umupo sa visitor's chair na nakaharap sa direksyon niya. Hinintay ko siyang magsalita pero tahimik lang siyang nakatitig sa mukha ko.

"What now?" I asked, a bit annoyed, scrunching my forehead and leaning on the table.

He smirked as if he were amazed by my appearance. His mouth formed an O and he played with his tongue. "I'm not expecting this. You bit my bait. Sa totoo lang ay hindi ako sigurado sa bagay na iyon, Deputy. But basing on your reactions, I was right. You wouldn't react that way if I'm wrong, right?" Mahabang litanya niya ng hindi pa rin naalis ang pagkamangha niya.

"Ten percent or five percent? I'm not sure. Maybe she took most of her mother's resemblance."

If he has an idea about my identity, that means he is not an ordinary student, as everyone thinks of him. Now, it is my turn to smirk at him. I tapped my fingers on the table, making a synchronized beat.

"Introduce yourself, and I will do the same," nakangisi pa ring saad ko. May ideya na ako kung sino siya pero gusto kong sa kaniya mismo manggaling.

"Mapagkakatiwalaan ba kita?" he asked, hesitant, and leaned on the table. We're both now leaning on the table. Mas malapit kami sa isa't isa na tila ba ay nagbubulungan kami.

I sighed audibly as I shook my head. Nakakainis! To think na hindi kailangan niya pa akong tanungin kung mapagkakatiwalaan ako. Bakit ba hindi nila ako magawang pagkatiwalaan? Gusto ko siyang sigawan pero hindi ko magawa. Wala ako sa posisyon. I may be addressed as a 'Dean', but I don't know how I will establish my authority. Kung nasa kompanya o HQ ako ay kaya kong pasunurin ang lahat, dito hindi.

"Why do you think I am doing this?" Instead of answering his question, I questioned him back.

"For your daughter," mabilis na sagot niya at sumeryoso. "Let's have a deal. Magpapakiala ako at gan'on din ikaw--"

"At lahat ng mapag-uuusapan natin ay hindi makakalabas sa apat na sulok na kwartong ito. Nagkakaintindihan ba tayo?" I cut him off and finished his sentence. He slowly nodded. It seemed like na parehas lang ang takbo ng isip namin sa mga oras na ito.

"Lahat ng tanong ko ay sasagutin mo at gan'on din sa akin, Deputy. Deal?" he asked, then lending his hand. It's just like we are having a business transaction. I am more comfortable with this kind of conversation.

"Three questions. Tatlong tanong katumbas ng tatlong sagot," I bargained.

"How about five?" Pakikipagtawaran niya. Mistulang marami siyang gustong itanong. Interesado ba siya sa anak ko?

"Just three," I said prominently. The tone of my voice tells him not to demand too many answers.

He hissed. "Fine," he said, then surrendered. "I am Saber Zene Salavaria, and you already knew about my personal information," he began. He is smart on that thought. And what the fuck is his connection with Chou Salavaria? Or maybe they only have the same surname. That's possible though.

"And I'm good at computer stuff. I don't know the exact term to use since I'm not a pro in that field. Let's just say that I am a big fan of Malware."

I slowly nodded. "Is that so?" I asked.

Malware is the hacker of Generation Z. He has been addressed as the Gen Z hacker since he built his name on the year 2016 but no specific date. No one knows him. The majority of expert hackers tried to break into his system, but their devices just crashed in a second.

𝚁𝚢𝚔𝚎𝚛𝙼𝚘𝚘𝚗