Dark Phenomenon: The Search (ON-HOLD)

Search 8: Curiosity

Search 7: Curiosity

Naging magulo ang kinabukasan sa mga estudyante. Hindi ako kasama duon dahil wala naman akong pakielam sa mga nangyayari. Ngayon na ang pagdating ng Assembly of Magic at magkakaroon ng welcome ceremony para sa kanila. I don't care about the Assembly. But I'm nervous. Not because of them but because of him.

Hindi dapat ako makaramdam ng ganito pero hindi ko maiwasan. I never felt this kind of feeling. Ang kabang nararamdaman ko at may halong excitement, at hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit. Is it the excitement because of him or the thought na posibleng masagot niya nang mga katanungang gusto kong mabigyan ng kasagutan? I'm sure that's the latter.

"Harper." Natigil ako sa paglalakad papunta sa Dining nang may tumawag sa akin. It was definitely Fantomina.

Should I face her?

Bago pa ako makalingon sa kanya ay namalayan ko na lang na nasa harapan ko na siya. I gasped.

"Harper," she said while giving me a reassuring smile. I don't know but it makes me happy. Does that mean she understand me?

"I'm sorry," we said in unison. That's weird but it makes us laugh anyway.

Damn. Ang gaan sa loob.

We stop laughing after a couple of seconds. Sakto naman ang pagdating ni Reid na nakangiting nakatingin sa amin.

"Naks, may nagbabati."

"We didn't fight, okay?" I just said. "Maybe it's because of what happened last day. It's complicated."

"Bumalik na ba ang ala-ala mo?" tanong ni Fantomina.

"Almost." There's no need to lie. They are true friends. I trust them. "I will tell you when the right time comes." At kapag malinaw na ang lahat.

"We understand."

Hindi na namin kailangang pahabain pa ang lahat. Sometimes, you just need to wait and see what lies behind their eyes. Hindi mo na kailangang magtanong o magsalita. There's no need to give them solutions because there's no problem at all. You just need to understand them, and stay beside them while they tried to fix everything. So do you. And that's enough to put everything in their right places.

Sabay-sabay kaming naglakad papunta sa Dining Hall. Nang makapasok ay sobrang nanibago kami dahil sa tahimik na paligid. I instantly smell the aroma of the foods. Maayos ang arrangement ng mga chairs at tables. There's even a decoration around. Pero ang unang mapapansin mo ay ang tatlong malalaking flags na nakasabit sa ceiling ng Dining Hall. Tinatabunan nito ang floor-to-ceiling na window sa dulo ng Dining.

"Pinaghahandaan talaga nila ang pagdating ng Assembly of Magic," mahinang wika ni Reid. Seryosong nakatingin ang mala-agilang mata nito sa tatlong malaking flags sa dulo.

"Hindi na ako magtataka. They have the second position. Mas mataas kaysa sa Academy." Umupo kami sa kanang bahagi ng Dining Hall. We're near beside a series of transparent windows kaya kitang-kita namin ang labas ng Academy.

Ang bawat sektor ng Macantria at may sariling posisyon. Nangunguna talaga ang Monarchy. Samantalang sumunod naman dito ang Assembly of Magic. Pangatlo ang Academy, and so on.

Mas makapangyarihan ang Assembly kaya hindi na kataka-taka na bigyan sila ng special treatment. Bagaman malakas ang kapit ng Headmaster sa Hari, hindi pa rin mapapantayan ng Academy ang lakas ng Assembly. They have their own golds. Their pride is unbeatable, even their unity isn't that easy to hammer. Their solidity is harder than diamonds.