The Incomplete Detective [Volume 1]

[05] Trail in a Tale

Sebastian

SUCCESS DOES not walk towards you, you work towards success. Sometimes, you even need to run faster and go even faster, because success itself runs away, and gives us a long chase. Walang pinagkaiba sa proseso ng pag-i-imbestiga upang malutas ang isang kaso. It takes time and patience.

Dalawang linggo na rin ang lumipas matapos ang pagkasawi ni Bartolo, ang kabayaran ng kapabayaan namin ni Delvin. When I thought that my life will soon be invaded by tragedies, d'on nanumbalik ang karaniwang tahimik at payapa kong pamumuhay.

No leads. No threads. No connections.

Sinubukan na naming magtanong-tanong sa mga past teammate, kaklase, at maging sa mga kaibigan ni Bartolo. Subalit, mailap ang kasagutan. Tila isang larawang pininta lamang sa isipan ang kaniyang kasintahang si Allison. Most of his friends believe na gawa-gawa lamang ni Bartolo si Allison para lamang masabing mayroon siyang girlfriend. Biro naman ng iba'y may sakit na sa pag-iisip ang dating Taekwondo champion resulta ng pagkakasipa ng kaniyang ulo. Marami pang testimento—lahat ay basura lamang.

We are really facing a red light in a jam-packed intersection at the moment.

Napabuntong-hininga ako dahil sa walang patutunguhang pag-iisip. Makikinig na muna ako sa aking guro para maiba naman ang ginagawa ko sa klase. I glanced at Castillo, the rapping crinkled-face teacher on Fundamentals of Human Psychology.

"It is essential for us to study human psychology because it helps us to understand human mental processes and behaviour. In most cases, it is used to help those people with mental disorders or even to those who need guidance... In some application, it helps to determine the tendencies of an individual to trace its past or future actions," the old teacher spitted like a street rapper.

I'm not gonna lie, I am pulled by our present lesson. For the first time, something piqued my interest. Understanding human psychology may be a handy tool for us after all. Sa pagkakaalam ko, ginagamit ng ibang mga detective ang psychology sa pagso-solve ng kaso. If one can profile their enemy base on their action and behaviour, we may predict their future actions just like what the teacher said. We can plan ahead in this blitz chess, at puwede rin naming ma-backtrack ang mga previous action nila.

"Most common misconception about psychology practitioner is that we can read minds, but what we truly do is analysing the observable behaviour then makes assessment out of it," she added while walking around the front. "...And to tell you how powerful Psychology is, a least knowledgeable person always falls to the made-up information only because it started with psychology says."

Some of my classmates laughed at that last line of the old teacher. Iba'y napakamot na lang ng ulo. Mayroong ding tinignan ang kanilang mga kasama. Some are obviously guilty for the crime.

Fake news spread like wildfire because of human's lack of will to verify information. Basta makita lang nila sa internet ise-share kaagad. Mayroon ngang iba na pinaniniwalaan ang mga quote ng mga fictional character about sa gobyerno ng bansa—laughable.

Castillo waited for a second before continuing her lecture. Nakinig lamang ako hanggang sa kumalembang na ang bell. Shortly, naghanda na kami para sa aming lunch break. Tumayo ang iba kong kaklase, handang lisanin ang aming classroom. May iilang naunang tumungo sa pintuan ngunit tinawag sila ni Castillo. "Pinapaalala ko lamang sa inyo na kailangan na ninyong sumali sa isang club bago matapos ang linggong ito."

Matapos ang announcement, our class was dismissed. Nagsilabasan na ang lahat. Tumungo ako sa cafeteria para busugin ang aking kumakalam na tiyan. Sometimes, listening to our lessons does make my stomach empty. Kung ba namang nagra-rap ang teacher, talagang four times ng energy ang kakailanganing gamitin para lang maintindihan ang tinuturo niya.