Everything felt like it's messier than it was before. It's as if all things become dull and fade as time passes. All the missions and plans become blurry.
And here's Yeonica, standing in front of Zaranaia's lifeless body, which is now inside a coffin. A few days have passed, and since the death of Zaranaia, she has not gone to school as Yumi.
Yeonica still remembers vividly how the police found Zaranaia's body; she was drowning in her own blood, pale and hopeless. With a suicide letter in her skirt's pocket, which Yeonica knows she never wrote.
Zaranaia was found in front of an abandoned building, just meters away from her favorite convenience store. Police officers from Lakewine Station stated that before they found her, a loud bang was heard, indicating that Zaranaia fell from the rooftop. Until now, police are still investigating her death, and it's yet to be determined if the cause of death is a result of suicide or murder.
"Yeonica, please, take a fucking rest. Look at yourself," Leana worriedly told her. She offered her foods and drinks, but Yeonica repeatedly refused to at least fill her stomach.
"I'm fine. Just leave me here and go home. I'll be with her for a few more minutes," Yeonica simply answered. She blamed herself.
Yeonica felt merciless guilt for doubting Zaranaia and treating her as cold as ice before she died. It turns out she never did anything and was innocent. The guilt was devouring her, and looking at Zaranaia's crying and mourning family made it worse.
What could've happened if she never left Zaranaia alone that day? What could've happened if she checked and answered her calls a little earlier? What could've happened if she never let her suspicions lead her actions and checked everything first? Those questions have never left her since then.
"Yeonica. Stop blaming yourself. No one wants this, and you're just doing your job. It was not wrong to have suspicions. Suspecting and investigating is normal for lawyers like us. Other people's evilness is not your fault," Leana told her, trying to lessen the heaviness Yeonica feels.
Yeonica remained silent, staring at Zaranaia's pale body. She was just a kid.
Leana held Yeonica's shoulders, pulling and guiding her to sit down. Yeonica didn't fight her. She doesn't have the energy to do so.
"By the way, what's your plan? Are you still continuing your disguise as a student?"
Yeonica unhesitatingly nodded. "Of course, I won't cancel it. Now that I'm sure that the culprit is just around us, inside that hellish school, I won't stop until I find the murderer," Yeonica firmly said.
Leana looked at her with a lot of worry visible on her face. "Yeonica, what if we stop here? Your life is in danger now. Those monsters have the guts to kill a student. You'll never be an exception, especially now that those killers seem to know your identity already. Zaranaia said they know you got those pictures, right?"
"I know, Leana. But it's too late to stop all of these. My soul is craving to see how all of these will end," Yeonica answered.
In the middle of their conversation, visitors to Zaranaia entered the cold, spacious room where the casket is located. It was Zarco and Edem. Yeonica immediately avoided their eyes and looked away.
"Leana, you talk to them," she commanded, and Leana nodded.
They both stood up. Leana made her way to the two students while Yeonica went to the back of the room, behind the chairs and tables, making a distance from them.
Before Yeonica got away, Zarco took a glance at her, noticing that Leana'd been with her earlier. Leana saw that, and she immediately tried to get his attention.
"She's also a lawyer, my co-worker, Atty. Harmie," she said.
Leana looked at them for a minute before finally deciding to talk. "I know I'm not a police officer, but can I ask you about Zaranaia? I see that you're from her school, too."
Edem slowly nodded. Zarco does the talking. "Yes. We're her classmates," he answered.
"But, Ms. Secre, what are you and your co-worker doing here? Do you know Zaranaia?" Edem asked.
"Someone in our law firm knows her. We're currently working with the police about her death. It is yet to be told what really happened to Zaranaia. If a foul play was found, we're about to step up. That's what I know," Leana lied.
Zarco proceeded to look in the coffin. He and Leana can feel that Edem is hesitating at first, but she looks anyway.
"I told you to run," she whispered to herself.
"Have you noticed anything unusual before the day of Zaranaia's death? I'm sorry to ask," Leana made a move.
Both of the kids shook their heads. "I was never close with her, actually," Zarco told her. Edem remained silent, still looking at Zaranaia's lifeless body.
Leana took a deep sigh, realizing she'd never get any information from Zaranaia's classmates. She remembered Yeonica telling her that affection and friendship inside Class 3 don't exist.
Yeonica at the back is quietly observing them. Now that Zaranaia is dead, it has been unintentionally proven that she was never involved in Margareth's death and was not responsible for those pictures she found in her notebook. Everyone became suspicious for her at this time.
Until now, she never really determined the real connection between Zarco and Edem. She just knows that they are almost always together, as Zarco never leaves Edem alone, especially inside the school premises.
Zarco, who suspiciously transferred to Olkizia High School after the death of Margareth Yamar, and Edem, who is being bullied by Margareth and Mezily, can both be the potential murderers of Margareth. Or even accomplices.
"Wait a minute."
Yeonica suddenly stopped after remembering something. She took out her phone from her pocket and checked her dial history and messages.
She completely forgot; Zaranaia wasn't the only one contacting her at that time.
"Zaranaia's in danger."
An unknown number texted her this message.
Intrigued, Yeonica clicked the dial button. She called the number. But, as she expected, no one answered the call. She dialed it many more times but still got no response.
Yeonica's attention got stolen away when she heard the familiar voice of someone entering the room. She turned around, and she found Mrs. Estiva.
She slightly looked away. Her appearance as Yumi is completely different, but she just cannot be sure.
The adviser approached the family of Zaranaia. As she talked with them, their cries even got louder, almost echoing inside the closed room. Yeonica firmly closed her eyes and decided to get out. She can't watch them.
Before exiting, she noticed that Zarco and Edem had already gone out, too. She looked at Leana to ask if she got something from them. Leana understood her eyes, but she shook her head.
__
"I'll just update you on our group chat regarding your requirements for my subject before the exam week. See you tomorrow."
Yeonica came to school again as Yumi. She's never present, though; she's absent-minded the whole day, her eyes never leaving Zaranaia's now empty seat.
"Hey, dimwit savior. Ma'am Estiva said she'll wait for you in the office. Woah, new teacher's pet?" Mezily told Yeonica and laughed after.
She ignored her nonsense talking and went outside. Mezily just smirked and rolled her eyes, looking at her walk.
"Yumi." While walking, someone suddenly approached and called her. Yeonica turned around. It's Edem.
"What do you need?" she bluntly asked, unintentionally.
Edem was surprised at first at her tone, but noticing that it was unintentional, she proceeded to talk. "Are you going to the faculty?"
"Yes. Why?"
Edem didn't answer. She looked at Yeonica intently, and her eyes felt like they're digging Yeonica's soul.
"What's the problem? Do you have something to say?" Yeonica asked, noticing her unusual action.
"Turn back. Before everything is too late."
"What? What do you mean?" Yeonica asked, surprised by what Edem just said.
Edem gazed at her deeply, her eyes somehow covered with fire. Yeonica couldn't tell if it was worry or anger. "I don't know who you are, but know your place. Are you not realizing everything until now?" Edem continuously said. Yeonica had never heard her talk that long before.
"What are you saying? Do you know anything? Stop talking around the bush!" Yeonica firmly said. Edem was trembling, she noticed.
"It's your fault that Zaranaia is dead. If you never came here in the first place, everything wouldn't turn into something like this."
Yeonica's emotions built up inside. She held Edem's shoulders, impassioned. "What—"
"You're being played!" Edem shouted and escaped from Yeonica's hands. She then pushed Yeonica, followed by her throwing a notebook at her. Edem ran away after.
"Wait! Edem! Stop there! Edem, wait!" Yeonica repeatedly called her loudly, but she never dared to look back. She was about to follow her when she noticed the notebook Edem threw at her—it's familiar.
She picked it up, and there she confirmed. It belongs to Zaranaia.
Yeonica opened the notebook and scanned it. She checked from the first to the last page, turning the pages quickly. She stopped when she reached a page. A picture was inserted.
"What the hell?" Yeonica almost forgets every word she knows.
The picture is her walking her way to Olkizia High School. Not as Yumi Amuelga, but as Yeonica Harmie.
Terrifyingly shocked, she planned on following Edem again. "Edem! Wait for me—" As soon as she turned around, that's when she met the whole darkness.
With her ringing ears and aching head due to the impact of the striking force, her body fell down. The notebook and picture fell out of her hand. With her blurry vision, she saw a familiar figure of a woman slowly walking towards her, picking up the things she'd just been holding earlier.
"Yeonica, you poor thing. Your adviser is still waiting for you at the faculty. Guess you'll be late again?"
That was the last thing she heard before completely passing out.