#DontTakeBusinessPersonally
"So that's what happened."
"Bakit hindi pa'rin kayong dalawa?"
"Mga senpai, matagal na 'yon! It's just a simple crush! People change and feelings fade, chos."
"Wow, so wala ka nang gusto sa'kin ngayon, Shin?"
"Nagtataka pa'rin nga ako anong nagustuhan ko sa'yo e."
"Aba'y—"
"Oh, shut up. That's 10 years ago. Move on."
"Ano'ng nangyari kay Miki?"
"Nasa clubhouse niya kasama si Minnie."
"Gago."
"Nyahaha! Ilang linggo rin silang hindi nagpansinan no'n!"
"Oo nga, ang aarte pa kasi."
"Ang kulit. Dudes, bata pa kami no'n."
"And you don't have a chance with Zen, I told you before, right? He only loves himself."
"Oi James Isaac, that is not true. I also love cats."
"Okay, if you say so."
"Inaatake ka pa'rin ba ng conversion disorder mo, Shin?"
"Minsan. Hays."
"Hahaha, sabi nga kasi ni Dan, Rindelle Snow has a fascination for mentally incapacitated people."
"Says the guy with Narcissism disorder?"
"T'IS NOT A DISORDER. SADYANG GWAPO LANG AKO."
"Lol."
"Dan, ikaw naman magkwento."
"Why me?"
"Para malaman namin kung anong kagaguhan ang mga na-experience mo kay Rin."
"Grabe ka naman sa kagaguhan, Dad."
"Fuck you, Rin."
"Nyahahahaha!"
"Okay, tama na 'yan. Go na Dan."
Dan.
Chancellor's office.
Bakit ang dumi sa Chancellor's office.
I heard Rindelle Lazaro chuckled beside me so I gave him a confused look. Is there something funny?
"So, is there anything I can help you with?" The chancellor asked as he hovers around the whole room. Stopping to press the piano keys, creating a beautiful melody. But imagine the dust getting inside his body because he touched it? Ugh, the wind is probably carrying it now. It's a good thing I brought a surgical mask with me. Kaya naman habang hindi pa napopollute ang buong lugar isinuot ko na ito.
"Our apologies for barging in without earlier notice. See, we just found out about your connections to politics and in British embassies." Rindelle Lazaro stepped forward while grinning nonchalantly.
This made the chancellor stop and look at us. Or stare if you may. I feel violated.
"How did you know that?" Chancellor looked interested. At least, he wasn't angry we violated his privacy.
I stepped back because I saw a crack at the floorboards. Ugh, I can't stand it. I can't stand it. I can't stand it! I can see germs peeking out from it! Gah!
"Information may vary from sources. . . But really, I just hacked your accounts. And finding your name in the internet isn't that hard either." He grinned cheekily at Chancellor's wide-eyed face.
"So, have you found out anything?" Chancellor asked, as he regain his composure, and trying to be serious.
"Not much." Rin smiled disappointedly—I'm calling him Rin now because he suggested it—and Chancellor snorted audaciously. "Just you, having an affair with your secretary. And your bank accounts. And your little hobby." Rin smiled innocently like he didn't do anything shameless.
This guy is frightening. Is he really the same age as me?
The Chancellor choked on his own saliva. Or maybe he forgot to breathe that he literally let out a choking sound. Either of the two, he seemed surprised at what he heard. Rin smirked victoriously.
"You don't know me, kid. I can ruin your life if you don't stop what you're doing." Chancellor threatened while sweating bullets. Not convinced, sir. You need to do better than that, because as far as I can remember, Rindelle Lazaro threatens people in a far more different level.
Rin laughed out loud and walked past Chancellor and sat in front of the piano. He started playing it and wow, his music blew my mind. Even though I can see bacteria trying to creep up on him, but there's some kind of barrier trying to deflect it. Wow. Is this God.
"Chancellor, you're wrong." Rin conversely said while playing the piano.
"What?" Chancellor confusedly asked. I fixed my glasses and crinkled my nose.
Rin abruptly stopped playing with a loud drop on the piano keys. Before looking intently at Chancellor. Emanating an intimidating aura. "You don't know me."
Boom. Beat that Chancellor.
Chancellor blinked fast and gaped at Rin before laughing nervously. "Who do you think you are, child?!"
Rin grinned ear to ear. "I am Rindelle fucking Lazaro. Sir."
"Get out!" Chancellor looks like he lost all his blood while pointing exasperatedly at the door.
"We would, if you'd help us." Rin said innocently while standing up. "We want that five storey building of yours near this school. You know, the one you were building on the other street."
"What?! No! Get out or I'll call the cops!" Chancellor screeched. Gripping the edge of his table for support. Baka atakihin 'to sa puso 'a?
"But if you call the police, hindi lang kami ni Dan ang mapapahamak. What about your illegal hobby? Also, your wife would know about your secretary, right? You wouldn't want that, would you?" Rin frowned. "And considering we're minors, we would get away with it. But what about you? Alele?" He grinned.
Mukhang may sasabihin si Chancellor but chose to not do it. I know, Chancellor, I know. He did that to me too.
"What do you want to do with that building? You know it's not finished yet. If I'm going to give you the whole damn place I'm not going to pay for the rest of the repairs." Chancellor said. Sitting down on his chair with a dejected look. "I can sue you for this too." He added.
"Well, that's up to me. And of course, you'll have something in return. I'm not that evil to take something that someone took so hard to have." He smiled.
Actually, you are 'that' evil.
"What will I have in return if you're taking away my building?" Walang ganang sabi ni Chancellor habang nakatingin sa lamesa niya.
"What do you say, about an organization?" Rin suggested while grinning wickedly.
"Org? For what?" Chancellor asked, but this got his attention so he looked at Rin with interest.
"I'll tell you the details some other time but, If I take over this school, a hospital, a police station, maybe the media, and half this whole country. Will you do everything as I say? I'll make you richer than you already are." He said with so much confidence I almost believed him.
"And how are you going to do that?" Chancellor scoffed. Sitting back comfortably at his swivel chair.
"Hmm. . . Oh. Before I forget, here's a gift." Rin grinned and threw a pack of blue sparkling diamonds—I don't know what that is but it looks so beautiful I couldn't see germs around it.
"Is this. . . ?" Chancellor gasped while analyzing intently the contents of the packet.
"Clear blue crystal meth." Rin smirked and walked over to my side.
"H-How did you get this?"
"I made that myself." He shrugged. Seriously?
"What?!" Chancellor reacted.
"Don't worry, it's tried and tested. That's a rare form of meth that I created. If I sell that, I'll be richer than you. But, I don't have any reliable clients so I couldn't. So, are you getting what I'm implying?" Rin grinned cheekily at him.
"You want me, to help you sell these." Chancellor let out a single laugh while shaking his head in amazement.
"I want you to give me the blueprint of your building." Rin smiled darkly.
"Okay. I get it. But how did you make these?" Chancellor asked while holding out the packet of crystal meth.
"I'm a pharmacist." Rin grinned.
"With your age? You're like twelve. . ."
"Fourteen actually." I commented.
"I have highlanders syndrome. Do you know what that is?" Rin said casually. Chancellor's forehead creased in apparent confusion. "It's a rare disease that the only known person to have it is a korean boy named Hyomhyung Shin. He looks like a 10-year-old kid, but he's actually Twenty-six." He smiled ruefully.
Chancellor gasped and I probably looked surprised—at least, I feel surprised.
"Yep, I am the same as he. Basically, I am biologically immortal." He chuckled darkly.
By biologically immortal, he means, people would still die from disease and accidents but they wouldn't experience the normal effects of aging.
"That's right." He said while looking at me. I fixed my glasses and crinkled my nose. How in the world did he just know what I'm thinking?
"You wouldn't have the later years." I stated. "You'd remain physically and functionally able." I deducted and he nodded gleefully. Wow. The curious case of Rindelle Lazaro.
He chuckled while shaking his head.
"How old are you, really?" Chancellor asked. A sparkling gleam apparent in his eyes.
"24." Rin shrugged. "But I'm registered as fourteen so. . ." He intentionally trailed off while grinning maniacally. "Do we have a deal, Chancellor?"
Chancellor breathed in and opened his drawer that contained a blueprint.
"Oh, Chancellor, sign here. It's a contract." Rin grinned and gave him a paper that I can't see what was written.
Chancellor signed it without reading the contents and handed it over to Rin along with the blueprint. "I'm looking forward to working with you, Rindelle Lazaro." Chancellor said and offered his hand to Rin.
Rin gladly took it. "Pleasure doing business with you, Chancellor."
He handed me the print and the contract before we took off. Pagsara ng pinto napahinga naman ako ng maluwag. It's done. Surprisingly, we did good. Kinabahan ako do'n.
Rin laughed with his somehow anime-like laugh. "Good work handling all that bacteria."
I scowled at him. "Are you really 24 years old?" I asked.
"Nope. But I wasn't lying about the highlanders disease. Lesson number 10: to make a lie more believable tell him a piece of truth first." He laughed. "I call it Lie-truth formula."
"So, how old are you exactly?" I asked exasperatedly.
"Like I said, I'm registered as fourteen." He grinned. "Let's go back to SC, and tell everyone the great news. Zen and the others are there by now."
"You called Kurt, and that guy earlier. Did something happen?"
"Oh, You know Shin? She has conversion disorder. So I called Ken to check up on her, and Zen to cure her." He laughed carelessly.
"What did you do to him, by the way?" I asked while we walk through the halls.
"Zen? I told Shin earlier I'm making him rich. . . I made him a model. Para naman may pakinabang siya." He smirked.
I shivered. "So that's what you mean about the media." I muttered.
"Yep, you're quite observant." He snapped his fingers. "I've decided. I'm making a detective agency. That's what our organization is gonna be."
I stopped walking. Detective organization? Seriously? He looked at me with an innocent expression. "What? Let's go!" He grinned.
I shook my head and followed him.
"What about the hospital thing you said?" I asked, catching up to him.
"You caught that too, huh?" He smilingly muttered. "Follow me." He said and ran off.
Outside school.
Gate 1, 1st street.
Nakalimutan ko ang sanitizer ko sa bag ko na nasa loob ng SC.
"Here." Nagulat naman ako nang abutan ako ni Rindelle Lazaro ng alcohol. He read my thoughts again.
"I didn't." He chuckled. But you just did. "I just figured you'd want to wash your hands. Sorry, if I only have alcohol." He said ruefully.
"N-No, it's fine. Thanks." I answered. A bit flustered. I may have misunderstood him a little. Just a little though.
"Why are we here?" I asked habang nagpupunas ng kamay. Ibinalik ko na rin sa kaniya ang alcohol niya. Nasa labas lang kasi kami at nakatayo malapit sa malaking bahay dito sa 1st street. Nasa tapat kami nito, pero malayo.
"See that guy?" He pointed towards a naturally curly-haired guy—na nakatalikod sa'min— maputi at medyo matangkad. Mukha siyang foreigner, who's trashing around a car. He looks just about our age too.
"And?" I asked with brows raised.
"His name is Jin. At least, that's what I call him. He's one of those people suffering from ADHD." He said while grinning maniacally.
"How do you know him? And, how is he a key-point to that hospital thing you said?" I asked while watching the guy wreck a whole car. I pity the owner. Really. Lesson number one: never give a mallet to a child with ADHD.
"His Dad is a Doctor, a constant customer of mine." He smirked.
"His Dad, is taking drugs?" For some reason I'm pitying this Jin. He's just laughing while hammering a Toyota corolla.
"No. My client is his Dad. But the drug is for him." Wait, what? I did a double take at that so I gave him a surprised look—at the very least, I feel surprised.
"You are making a minor take drugs? What?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko. Is he out of his mind?!
"Relax, you should know that methamphetamine is a drug, right? It's use is not just for abuse. In some cases, meth is used for treating patients with intractable ADHD." He laughed. "I'm selling it illegally for a legal purpose. Aren't I great?! Nyahaha!" He confidently said.
Napailing nalang ako. Trying to restrain a grin. I was wrong, I didn't misunderstand Rindelle Lazaro.
He really is a bad person.
"Are you going to use him like you do to us?" I asked after a considerable moment. At this point on, I probably accepted the fact that I am a pawn of Rindelle Lazaro. A piece he just needs to complete that kingdom of his. And I'm not regretting I did. The guy has a potential in succeeding. Why haven't I met him earlier.
He smiled at me. "I need him too. But I'm not just randomly using you for my sake." He sadly smiled at me and looked at Jin, "You guys are my family. You're all I have. And when that org is done. No one is gonna hurt you guys ever again." He seriously said.
This is the first time I felt sincerity in his whole being. This is bad.
Then he smirked and laughed maniacally. "Nah, I'm not that melodramatic. Who cares about you guys? Nyahahaha!"
Ay. Wow. I gave him a deadpanned stare.
"Tara, balik na tayo sa temporary base natin." He grinned and walked back. I groaned and followed him.
He's a great liar, but his feelings just slipped. Or did it? It's no use thinking about it. No one could possibly know what this guy is thinking
Student Council Office.
"What the hell is with this heavy atmosphere?" Rin grinned as we walk inside the room.
It's true though. Loraine is glaring at Shin. Shin is looking outside the window. Constantly darting her eyes towards the guy named Zen. The long-haired guy was sitting as far as possible from the girl while twirling something on his fingers. . . A gray penguin keychain? I guess.
Then there was Elly, she was staring intently at Kurt—like she always do. And Renz, the guy whose hair is something I find rather disturbing. How in the world did that end up in a spiky do? I hate it. No. I loathe it. It always makes me feel frustrated.
"Like you don't actually know." Kurt rolled his eyes.
"I don't." I muttered.
"Hello, Dante. How's the meeting?" Kurt greeted, smiling a little.
"It went. . . Well." I shook my head. That was the most amazing thing I have seen my whole life. I couldn't possibly describe it.
Kurt's forehead creased a little, then he shrugged.
Rin laughed. "Dan, show them the blueprint." He commanded while snapping his fingers. I sighed and unfolded the print on top of the table and showed them the design of a five-story building with 1,024,000 m2.
"1,024,000 m2?! Really? That big?!" Gulat na tanong ni Loraine.
Rin laughed. "Yep. Aren't I brilliant?" He said and winked at the girl. She turned pink and averted her gaze elsewhere.
"So, gaano kalaki 'yon?" Zen asked.
Ken snorted. "It's as big as the Central World in Bangkok, Thailand." He rolled his eyes. "What did you do to make the Chancellor agree?"
"Barter system. Or in layman's term, bargaining." Rin grinned victoriously.
"What did you offer?"
"Like what I offered you guys." He innocently said and walked over to Zen. He held his hand out and Zen smilingly shook his head before handing the penguin keychain over to Rin, "My presence." He smirked.
"'Yan 'yong ibibigay ko sa'yo Rin. Sabi mo kasi mahilig ka sa penguin." Zen grinned at him.
"Yay!" Rin ecstatically said and put the keychain over his right arm, like a bracelet.
"Really? He agreed just like that?" Loraine scoffed in disbelief.
"You don't trust me?" Rin frowned. "Dan can tell you all about it." He pouted and puffed his cheeks like a child and plopped down on Kurt's chair.
They all looked at me and that made me uncomfortable. I hate it when people stare at me. Kinuha ko muna 'yong sanitizer sa bag ko at nilagyan ang kamay ko. I touched the blueprint that the Chancellor touched earlier. The virus might me crawling to my skin now.
Inilabas ko ang kontrata na pinirmahan ni Chancellor kanina. Ngayon ko lang nabasa ang nakasulat and it says that the whole land and structure belongs to Kurt Ethan Novicio.
"Why did you use my name?!" Gulat na sabi ni Kurt, stealing the paper from my hands.
"To avoid complications. If it's in your name it wouldn't be suspicious. It's a building near your school, no? Besides, don't you want to make your Father proud?" He laughed and twirled the penguin keychain on his arm. Kurt glared at him.
"Why didn't you just put it on your name?" He asked exasperatedly.
"Like I said, to avoid complications! People would wonder where did a Rindelle fucking Lazaro sprout from? There's no beanstalk Jack! I sold the cow for a building instead of a giant. I am the giant, we're building my castle." Rin laughed maniacally like a villain and it's frightening.
"Rin. My Father would be angry." Kurt said between gritted teeth and closed eyes. He's calming himself from the sudden rush of anger that flowed through him.
Rin stood up and walked to stand in front of Ken. He grinned maniacally at him and chuckled darkly. Then the next words he whispered on Kurt's ear sent shivers down my spine. Or probably everybody's spine.
"He won't be, if he stopped breathing."