Tantei Diaries

IV. First Case

It's been a week since sumali si Kenji sa club, at hanggang ngayon, wala pa rin kaming kliyente. Well, it can't be helped.Only four of us are here, wala si Pres...may inaasikaso ata.

I scanned the whole room, maliit lang naman ang club room. Just few chairs, a table, and a bookshelf. May nakatiwangwang din na white board sa gilid. What can you expect? Muntik na ngang madissolve tong club na to kung hindi lang napakiusapan eh.
Amanda is busy doing her homework, Ginnie, our other member, is dusting the shelf, and our new member Kenji is slumped on a chair. Ang tahimik.

The silence was broken by a set of knocks on the door. Nagulat pa si Amanda sa ginagawa niya. Umayos ng upo si Kenji. I stood up, and opened it.

Isang babae na nakasalamin, seemingly in Grade 8, ang nakita kong nakatayo roon. Medyo nag-aalangan pa siyang tumingin sa akin. She is wearing a PE uniform. She looks around nervously, before she spoke,
"Is this the Tantei club?"

"Yes." Sagot ko, at iginiya ko siya paloob. "What can I do for you?"

Pumasok naman siya, at alanganing tumingin sa paligid. I offered a chair, and she sat down. Umupo ako sa harap niya.

"Well, this would be the first case since I joined. This better be interesting." His tone was expecting. A smirk slowly forming in his lips. Parang nabuhayan siya.

She is fidgeting, obviously uneasy about us.
"I'm Akane Reyes. Uhh..Someone has been constantly sending me notes. I want you to find out who the sender is."

"What kind of note?" I heard someone speak from behind. It was Kenji. Lumapit siya sa amin.

"The creepy type. I think this is a work from a stalker."

"Have you sensed someone following you?" Kenji inquired. Magaling pala siya magtanong.

"Hmmm..no, but I feel uneasy sometimes. Like someone is watching me."

"When did this start? And do you have any idea who it might be?" Dagdag pa niyang tanong.

"I think it was three weeks ago, every Tuesdays and Thursdays, may nakikita na lamang akong sulat sa locker ko everytime na mag open ako doon tuwing umaga. The letter just consisted of simple messages like Hi!, or Hello, How was your day?, and the like. Ayos lang naman sa akin nung una, but just days ago, it slowly becomes disturbing...like You look really beautiful today, I want to make you mine or I wanna hold your hand...at kung ano-ano pa. It just gives me the creeps. Kung minsan may kasama na rin siyang picture ko."

Kenji seems to be contemplating on what she said. "Did you already tell this to anyone?"

"I considered telling it to the police, but I was afraid that I would cause too much trouble to my parents, since they are very busy. Hindi ko rin gustong mag-alala pa sila sa akin. Besides you, I only told this to my bestfriend."

"And who was that?", nagtanong na rin ako.

"It's Hiroshi. He was my friend ever since I transferred here last year."

"And how did he react?"

She looks uneasy before she answered. "He said that we should observe first...maybe it's just a prank or something. But it goes on, so he advised me to not be alone at all times."

"He didn't suggest going to the police?" There was a hint of suspicion in Kenji's voice.

"No. Naisip din niya siguro yung sitwasyon ko sa pamilya ko. He just volunteered to accompany me at all times."

"But he's not with you right now?" I asked. This Hiroshi is starting to sound suspicious.

"Uh...Y-yeah." Yumuko siya bago nagpatuloy. "It is because this is a secret. Ayoko na kasing maabala pa siya kaya napagdesisyunan kong humingi ng tulong sa inyo nang hindi niya nalalaman."