ALEXER POV,
'If it's not yours, don't take it.'
That's what my mom always told me when I was young. She was always teaching me what is right and what would be good for me. Now that I'm older, I know what it is the right thing to do and what is not.
I don't know why the culprit didn't think that what he had done was wrong.
He's taking things that don't even belong to him, what would he do with a lot of pencils anyway? Would he sell it? I just don't understand the culprit in this case, it's so weird.
I could probably understand if he did it once or twice, but thrice or more? What is it all about? Collection? -.-
I looked at Comere who's walking in front of me. He's not walking that fast, it just happened that we have a little gap while walking at the same time.
"Are you not going to attend your class and wasting your time listening to them?" Asked Comere. Was he talking about the teachers?
"Uh, no… We just don't have class now, our teacher didn't come to class in our subject."
"I see." He stopped then turned his head back to me. "Now, we're going to where I did get the name of Justin Villaflor!" I haven't answered him yet but he continued to walk and left me.
When we got to the back of the parking lot of our school, we went ahead to the Guard's house. Comere walked directly to one of the Guards who was standing, it seems he knew the guard because he greeted Comere smiling.
"Oh, Comere! How can I help you?" The guard greeted him happily.
"I'd like to ask you once again about Justin Villaflor. Who is he anyway? I can't find some info about him. You told me Justin Villaflor is one of the victims." Comere said, didn't even bother to greet the old man back.
No manners, huh?-.-
"Ohh, right! I was wrong about that, Comere. His name is not Justin Villaflor." The old man scratched his head shamefully. "The name Justin Villaflor is the cousin of one of the male victims in Art Class. It's really not Justin Villaflor, sorry Comere. I'm old, I tend to forget things now."
"Is that so?" Said Comere.
"Hmm. Yesterday I saw him with his younger sister. He even bought her soft drinks. Then she called him 'Kuya Nejo'. He's the cousin of Justin Villaflor, one of the janitors here in Wilford."
I almost got shocked when Comere snapped then just left. He didn't even bother to say thanks and goodbye to the guard. He walks fast so I'm the only one who talks to the guard and says thanks.
He really needs someone with him when he's doing an investigation, it's kinda rude to leave just like that while you're talking to somebody. -.-
When we got in the D-Club room, I frowned at Comere while he just stared at me like I'm the biggest question in his life that he can't even figure out what I am.
What a stare. -.-
"Now the word Nejo is like a bulb! When I heard that, I had an idea but it's uncertain." He crossed his arms and stared at the clubroom's window. I then sat on the couch and rolled my eyes at him.
Why is it just me that he wants to solve the case with him? Is he sure that only the two of us can do this? If Wada and Vienne are here, this case would be just easy to solve and for sure they would be a lot of help to Comere than me. Isn't he gonna call those two? Aish! I don't even know what I'm doing, what I might do could be wrong and then, what? Comere would just get mad at me. -.-
"Listen, I have a plan. All we need to do is to make sure we'll catch him in the act." Comere said smilingly just a little bit when I looked back at him. I knew it… for sure he would give me a hard task…
How should we do it anyway?
"Aren't you gonna call Wada or Vienne?" I asked, trying hard not to show how nervous I am about his plans.
"No, just you. You're the only one here, and I can see in your face that you're interested in solving this case.." He sounds like he's trying to say the opposite because of his sarcastic tone, "Anyway, I have a hunch about something on you, I'm just checking if I'm right." He stood up and picked up a notebook. I let out a big sigh and looked away.
I knew it, it's wrong to go here in the club room without any reason.
And what did he say? Hunch about something in me? Could it be that he's just hungry and that's why he's imagining things that I can contribute something to if I tag along with him? -.-
It's almost 6pm, classes would end soon and I didn't get back to my classroom because of Comere.
I'm not sure if he's always like this, he's too consistent in solving the case. This made me think that he's not attending his class anymore and locked himself in his clubroom.
Maybe it could be a perfect hideout when you don't want to attend your class. -.-
"Let's go. We need to go inside the locker room and set a trap." After saying that he walked out of the clubroom instantly so I did the same, I walked fast trying to match my pace with him.
"Right now? There's no people yet in the locker room." I said.
"Exactly! Are you gonna plant a trap when you are next to your victim?" He asked sarcastically which I facepalmed.
Yeah, his right Alexer, use some common sense. -.-
"So what's the plan? How can we catch him?" I asked, trying to change the mood. He stopped from walking and looked at me while smirking. Oh, here he goes again. He has this creepy look. Everytime he does it, it makes me nervous. =.=
"Let's just wait for 'him' to bring out the evidence. He was definitely storing everything inside his locker."
Him? So he thinks the culprit in this case is a male?
"How can you be so sure?" I doubtedly asked to his abilities. But he just shrugged his shoulders and glanced at me.
"I'm just guessing. Are you impressed?"
*Stunned*
Really? Sometimes, I really can't describe his attitude. -.-
Oh, whatever!
Comere asked me to hide behind one of the cabinets that was close to the window. And how about him? I don't know where he would hide himself. All he just said to me is, I should not move until he didn't give me the signal.
And he also said to me that I should point the camera that I'm holding at the door. Those were only his instructions. Aside from that, he said that he'll do the rest.
I wonder what he will do to the suspect, if all his guesses are true.
Guess your ass Comere, tss. -.-
A few minutes later, I noticed a guy entering the door.
He quickly walked to the center aisle and opened his locker. I immediately noticed that he's opening his bag and quickly put something in his locker–wait? He's kinda familiar to me…
"It's been a long time since I last saw you here. How are you, Verco?" I remembered that I need to record this with the camera I'm holding. I immediately pointed my camera at Comere's direction who just started talking to the man who I just saw.
"Oh, Shion. Nice to see you again." The man sounds insincere in his greeting to Comere. I winced at his reaction and continued listening to their conversation.
"How's your parents? I heard they were hospitalized." Comere said.
"How do you know about it?"
"People talked about you the other day after the finals. And they were almost shocked because of the result." Comere just shrugged as if his words didn't affect anyone, especially the guy he was talking about. "I wonder how you're able to spend time in Art Class these days, while equipment is too expensive to purchase."
I immediately noticed the guy Comere's talking to, clenching his fist. Comere really provoked this guy and for sure he's probably getting on his nerves.
"I have some savings, so I can buy the things I want." The guy said angrily to Comere, he quickly closed his bag and slammed it to his shoulder. "Thank you for your precious time Shion, but I need to go."
"No, don't go yet. I'm not done talking to you," Comere stopped him. "I just wanna ask you how many pencils you have?"
"I already told you, I am the victim here." The guy said angrily to Comere.
"Really, I didn't say you're the culprit so… why so defensive, Mr. Nejo?"
Nejo? O.o????
"What the hell are you saying?" It's obvious now that he is annoyed. Comere just puts his hands on his pockets like he doesn't care at all if the man in front of him is furious.
"Oh, so you're denying it. Before you came inside this not so classy locker room, I saw you hesitating, and at the same time, I watched you putting some pencils inside your locker, I guess you got it from today's Art Class. A kind of genius thief doesn't deserve a rank here in Wilford Academy."
"Stop." The guy said angrily. "Don't blame me. You still have no evidence. And if I did pick up the items that were lost in the Art Class, why do you care? Are you the one I robbed?"
"Are you saying you are innocent? Victim of your own hands?"
"Don't push my patience, Shion."
"Don't wait for me to tell everybody how many pencils you stole from them." Comere quickly changed his position and opened the guy's locker. There were lots of pencils and boxes of whatever was inside popped out.
Comere picked up a box and showed it to the guy.
"If this is not yours, why does this one have a name 'Veronica'? Is Veronica your sister? Or your classmate?" Comere sneered at him. The guy didn't answer him so Comere continued to talk again. "Veronica Miles Velasquez stated yesterday that her one box of pencils got lost during Art Class after she told everyone that she bought a box of it. You don't have enough savings to purchase this expensive pencil, Verco. The price of this box of pencil is equivalent to your tuition fee here in Wilford Academy. So, are you gonna hide the truth till death? Try me."
Comere gestured like he's telling me to come out, so I did come out from where I'm hiding.
"I have evidence here, I saw the pencils, I saw you and I filmed this scene. Do you want me to post this video on social media and let people guess if you're telling the truth and I'm just accusing you?"
The guys stared at him but then he let out a big sigh and tried not to look at Comere.
"You don't have to do that, Shion… Ok, fine. I admit. I did take all of those pencils from my classmates and from other students from Art Class." He said quietly, Comere pocketed his hands and let the guy speak.
"I was just scared to fail more in rankings. I just did what I had to do to distract them in Art Class. There's a contest incoming here in Wilford, right? I need to win to get the prize! I might stop schooling if I couldn't pay my tuition… I just did that to save my dreams."
"Do you really need to cheat yourself?" Comere commented and the guy he's talking to got surprised. "You want to fulfill your dreams? Your goal? Do you think that you can fulfill all your dreams if you deceive yourself?"
"There is no other way, Shion."
"You're only fooling yourself… You'll not be able to achieve your dream if you can't think of the right ways to accomplish it." Comere gets the camera I'm holding and turns it off. He looked at the guy again and said, "Living in this world is very hard, cause there are people like you, the way you think… Tch. You know what? Sometimes, desperation is a pathetic reason." Comere tapped the guy's shoulder, "Have a good day, thief." Then he left the room.
I stared at the guy and I saw him starting to cry. I didn't bother myself to watch him, so I quickly followed Comere outside.
"Comere, wait. That's it?" I confusedly asked him. "We'll just leave him there without doing something?"
"What else do you want us to do? We just need him to confess. It's up to him if he's going to take them all back and change his ways, or he'll keep continuing doing that." Comere stopped and held the camera up. "And of course, if he does that again, we already have evidence for him to get expelled. He will not mess with me again, believe me." He winked and walked again. I was left alone astounded.
"Eh, wait a minute Comere! I still have a question!" I yelled and he looked back at me again, but this time he looked annoyed. "What was Nejo? And how do you know he's the suspect?"
"Good question!" His active expression was back and smiled. "Actually, I was expecting Justin Villaflor, the janitor, to come into the locker room. But when I saw Verco from afar, I got suspicious of his actions. And then, like I told you, Nejo is like a bulb. Now it confirmed the hint. Nejo is Nexus John Verco, so I just watched him until I saw the evidence inside of his locker.
"So, you're not expecting him to be the suspect in this case at all?" I was surprised and asked him which he pointed quickly in the air.
"Exactly! I was surprised either, but I managed to stay cool." He winked again. I squinted my eyes, impressed, then he continued to walk. He left me alone again, whistling.
To be honest, Until now, I still can't figure out Comere's true identity. -.-
But at least, I know now, this is what it feels like to solve a case…
Even if I was not the one who solve it… -.-