#HowToDealWithPeople
"O bakit walang nagsasalita?"
"A moment of silence for my dead brain."
"Oh shit, Zen. You have a brain?!"
"Fuck you, FUCK YOU JAMES ISAAC NEWTON."
"I know, my name is as glorified and awesome as my being."
"Luh. Kasing kapal mo 'yong libro na binabasa ni Ken kahapon."
"My name is not Ken. And that is not just a book. It's my bible—"
"He calls Mortal Instruments a bible."
"Technically, it talks about Angels and Demons."
"And Downworlders."
"We don't read Mortal Instruments, dude."
"I'm stuck between I don't know and I don't care."
"Buuuurn."
"Ngayon ko lang narealize. Hayop ka Jin. Ikaw ang pumatay sa Tatay ko."
"Which one?"
"Dude! You don't remember the people you killed?!"
"I have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. I don't care, about small details."
"DUDE. YOU THREW MY DAD'S BODY IN A DUMP."
"Oh, so your Father is the policeman. Sorry for your loss, but he's a dick. A walking dick."
"Thank you—what the fuck. Tinulungan pa ako ni Rin na hanapin ang pumatay sa Tatay ko tapos all along katabi ko lang pala? And I admit, his brain is in the wrong head."
"And now he's dickless, which means he's brainless—OH!"
"Now, now, don't let this start a fight."
"We won't. My Dad's a dick anyway. AT ANG ASTIG MO JIN I SALUTE! Apir!"
"Apir."
"Sometimes it really amazes me how Shin can just let something go like that."
"Keep moving forward kasi mga bes. Tignan mo, hindi naging kami ni Zen kasi Hashtag nagparaya ako. Chos!"
"Ew ka."
"Wow 'a!"
"So. . . Sino nang magkukwento? Si Rin ulit?"
"Nope, try Ken."
"Okay."
"Ay weh?"
Ken.
Ocampo Bank.
It should be illegal to go out on a Saturday morning. There should be a law saying we can't get out of bed until half past noon. I don't have the energy to talk, much less to walk on a sunny day. But Rindelle Lazaro, has enough batteries to come rushing into my house and ordering me to go with him to a freaking bank. Which reminds me. . . "Zen's family owns a bank?"
"Yup! Pretty amazing right?" He squealed while clapping his hands—or flippers, since he insists he's a penguin.
"Did you get a number?" I salute the orderliness and quick response in here. I like it.
"Yep! Let's just wait for our turn."
I shrugged at that and turned my attention to the big flatscreen TV. It really amazes me how Zen could have all these and yet he's there, on a studio having his pictures taken because Rindelle Lazaro told him so.
My forehead involuntarily creased upon hearing a news about a dead guy found near a dumpsite. Blinded and mutilated. And by I said mutilated it was far more horrific than a severed arm or foot.
His cock was cut off. I shivered at the thought. How could've anyone do that? It's too cruel. Last week someone was also murdered. Police says it was probably just some kind of Fraternity fight. I don't really care but the news was kind of alarming, knowing that someone is out there, killing people.
I saw Rin's shoulders moving. What is he laughing at?
"Nothing." He answered my unspoken thought.
"Anyways, anong number ka ba? Bakit ang tagal." Pagrereklamo ko. Nakakainip na kasi rito at nagugutom na rin ako.
"25. Patience, my dear friend." He laughed. I have many things, except patience. Habang nakatingin kay Rin, naalala ko 'yong sinabi niya no'ng isang araw.
I'm not entirely sure why I still hang out with this shrimp after telling me that my Dad should die. After that he told us he's just joking. But I doubt that. He can say something so seriously but don't really mean it, and he can say something like that as a joke but really means it.
But there's no point dwelling on that. After all, there's no way he'd kill my Dad.
As we wait I can a hear a guy shouting in a corner, a few people gathering around him. Not that I'm curious, malakas lang talaga boses niya so it's not really my fault for eavesdropping.
"Ikaw ang pumatay!" He accused someone. Wait, someone died? Luminga linga naman ako para makita kung anong nangyayari, and good enough, someone was splayed out on the floor, bleeding. It's a guy, not sure how old he is because I can't really see well in this direction, and I can't really see well. Badum tss.
"Anong ako?!" Ang pumatay daw—okay sorry. The accused guy screeched.
"Nilapitan mo siya at hinampas sa ulo ng matigas na bagay." The guy deducted as he walks back and forth like a bloody detective that knows what he's doing.
Apparently he doesn't. Saan naman tayo makakakuha ng matigas na bagay na ipanghahampas sa isang tao na hindi makikita ng lahat?
"Nasa'n ang ginamit kong panghampas." The accused guy facepalmed.
See? Also. . . Did they even call an ambulance yet? The guy is probably still alive if they did.
"May tumawag na ba ng ambulansya?" Someone from the crowd asked. Which made the detective wannabe and everyone fell silent.
Rin laughed beside me, and brilliant enough he got they're attention. "I called the police 15 minutes ago, since you all looked preoccupied."
The detective wannabe snorted and walked over to our direction.
"Sino ka bang bata ka?" He asked with inclined brows.
"I have no obligation to answer you. But since you asked so politely, I'm just a concerned bystander that wants to make a loan." He smiled at his sarcastic remark and bowed a little. I chuckled at him and he winked at me.
"Hoy bata—" Hindi na natapos ni Kuya ang sasabihin niya dahil biglang nagsidatingan ang mga pulis.
"You're welcome." Rin smirked at the guy which made the latter glare at him with so much frustration.
The guy clicked his tongue and walked back to the crime scene.
Rin laughed heartily. "That guy's an idiot." He uttered between laughs.
"What do we do now?" I asked grumpily, plopping down on my seat. Seriously, gusto ko nang umuwi at ipagpatuloy ang naudlot kong tulog. But now, we can't because something like this happened. Hindi kami makakalabas because obviously the whole place is in a lockdown until further investigation is done.
"Hm. . . Okay, ayoko sanang mangialam but you leave me no choice, my dear Watson." He said and stood up.
"Wait." I stopped him before he could even walk away. He gave me a confused look, I handed him a baseball cap—to where I got that, it's just on the chair that I was sitting at. Someone probably left it here—and told him to wear it. He rejected at first, but I'm known to be quite persistent.
"Wear the hat, Rin." I demanded.
He frowned and dejectedly put it on before giving me a resigned look. "Happy?"
I smirked and fixed my own cap. I always wear mine whenever I go out on a none business meeting day. And as for why I gave him a cap, nothing really.
I just want him to have a matching look with me.
He shook his head and walked at the scene, with me, following behind.
"I called the cops." He informed the officer that's asking the civilians some questions.
"Oh, pasensya na bata pero hindi kayo pwede rito. Salamat sa pagtawag ha?" The officer smilingly said while patting Rin on the head, or cap, if you prefer. I snickered at the sight. Ang liit kasi kaya napagkakamalang mga ten years old lang.
His face darkened for a moment but he quickly replaced it with a crooked grin.
"This guy was killed by that woman!" He faked shocked, accused.
Napatingin naman kaming lahat sa babaeng itinuro ni Rin. Wait lang—Loraine?!
"What the hell?!" Gulat na sambit ni Loraine. Her face became pale with horror as she stood gaping at the scene across from us.
Kahit ako gulat na napatingin kay Rin na nakaturo pa'rin kay Loraine. Until he broke out into peals of laughter. "I'm just kidding! Nyahaha!"
I gave him a deadpanned stare. Siraulo.
"Boy, hindi ito ang tamang lugar para maglar—"
"I'm actually pointing at the woman behind her." He said with a serious tone.
Napaurong naman si Loraine at tinignan ang babaeng nakasuot ng sombrero, naka maong na polo and skinny jeans, with her hair tied in ponytail. She's tall. When I say tall, like really tall. Enormous.
"Paano mo naman nasabi?" The officer asked with a skeptical tone. "Nakita mo ba?"
"No, but—"
"Hoy bata wag ka ngang sumasabat! Hindi mo naman pala nakita e, ito nga 'yong pumatay o!" The guy from before interjected and dragged the guy he accuses in front of the body.
"Pucha! Hindi nga ako! Ang kulit mo 'a!" The accused guy exasperatedly said.
Rin smirked and walked in front of the body. He stared at it for about five seconds and then he grinned maniacally. "Alright." He sniffed. "How did you say he killed him?" He asked the brawny guy pretending to be a detective.
"Hinampas niya ng matigas na bagay. Obvious naman o, bumagsak itong biktima padapa, tapos maraming dugo ang dumadaloy mula sa ulo niya. Basag ang bumbunan niya at ang sabi ng mga tao naglalakad lang daw siya nang bigla siyang bumagsak sa sahig." Then he tugged the guy by the arm and pushed him towards the body. "Nangyari 'yon pagtapos siyang mabangga nitong lalaking 'to. Nagmamadaling maglakad, alam niyang may tao sa unahan niya pero sinadya niya pa'ring banggain." Paliwanag nito.
"Hindi ko nga kasi sinadya e! Ang kulit mo rin e no? Baka ikaw ang pumatay?!" The accused looked at the body horrifically. "Ni hindi ko nga siya kilala e!"
The detective wannabe smirked. "Pero nakaupo lang ako ro'n no'ng bumagsak siya. Itong katabi ko ang nagpapatunay na nakaupo lang ako habang nangyayari ang krimen." He said and pointed at the woman Rin accused earlier.
Rin laughed with his unique laugh then abruptly stopped. "Your joke is a tear jerker." He sarcastically said. Ang savage no'n 'a. "You said he was hit by a blunt object. Did you even studied the body?" He scoffed and looked at the corpse. "He was hit by something different. And it can be done by a woman, or a man. It can also be done without making any contact. In truth you can be a suspect too, you know? But I already concluded that, that woman is the culprit." He laughingly shrugged.
This guy laughs at everything what the heck. There's a murder, Sherlock. Contain your excitement.
I looked at the body intently and analyzed the head. There's a wound opening and it's small and round, probably 1 cm by size. The blood obviously is contracting from there. That blockhead said that he was hit by a blunt object. But that can't be the case if there's an opening like that. Rin said, the killing can be done at a distance, even without making contact at the victim.
I placed my right hand on my chin. Think. What weapon can be used even by a woman that can kill a person in a distance?
Oh.
I asked an idiotic question. What in the world is wrong with you Kurt. It's obviously only that thing. I mentally hit my forehead.
"Bata ano ba'ng problema mo?" The brawny guy screeched.
"You, in all honesty." Rin shrugged. I heard Loraine giggle so Rin winked at her which made the girl blush bright pink.
Really, what is she doing here?
"So ano'ng murder weapon?" The officer asked. Cutting the brawny guy to whatever nonsense he was about to say.
"That is the question, eh? As an officer yourself, you should know." Rin grinned sardonically. The officer knotted his forehead and leaned at the body to check the wound. Sir, you should've done that earlier.
"It's a gun." I suddenly blurted out. Kinabahan naman ako bigla nang tignan nila akong lahat na para ba'ng hindi nila alam kung anong klase ng nilalang ang nakatayo rito. I swallowed a big lump inside my throat and looked at Rin, quietly panicking.
Rin grinned cheekily at me. "Yep, it's a .38 special caliber, a Double-Action-Only revolver, that even a woman can handle. It's the best self defense for an attacker, so to say." He agreed.
"Sapat ba 'yong kalibre para makapatay ng tao?" The accused guy asked.
I was actually thinking the same thing. The bullet is too small, but considering the shot and the wound opening it's a clean headshot. It was a shot just under the skull, the occipital lobe was hit. Probably, the victim lost his ability to see, before falling on the floor and died of blood loss.
"That's right, Ken." Rin answered my unspoken thoughts so I stared at him. "It's enough. The DAO gun is extremely reliable and a highly accurate gun. It's also easy to operate. With just enough practice even a child can assassinate someone." He explained. And the officer agreed with him. How could he possibly know about guns? And again that's an idiotic question. He'll probably answer 'I'm Rindelle fucking Lazaro' at that. Best not ask.
He chuckled before continuing. "See, they shot him in less than a yard, right at the occipital lobe. He lost his sight and fell face first on the floor. And the body is angled there—" he pointed at the teller. "—Which means he was shot there." He pointed at the seats that the brawny guy claimed to sit on.
"Pero dapat may nakarinig ng putok ng baril, 'di ba?" Officer asked. Point taken.
"Indeed. So why didn't you hear it?" Rin asked the brawny guy.
The guy, shocked, looked at everyone who's staring at him with suspicion. People probably thinks that he's an accomplice by now.
"W-wala akong narinig, basta nakita ko lang na nabunggo siya nitong lalaking 'to." He pointed the guy he accused earlier. "At bigla nalang bumagsak ang biktima sa sahig." Paliwanag niya.
Rin laughed. "Because that's the point there. She shot him the moment this guy bumped into him so people wouldn't hear."
"Pero maririnig pa'rin 'yon." Officer countered.
"Could they have used a silencer. . . Perhaps?" I wondered out loud. Rin snapped his fingers and looked approvingly at me.
"Yep. And no one would notice if the gun was concealed with a jacket, right?" Rin grinned and looked at the woman.
"But revolvers can't be suppressed." I remembered.
"Not quite, there are some revolvers that can use silencers too. . . But at this point on I'm guessing, the gun is made just for you." He deducted while staring at the woman.
"Kaya pala ang sabi mo ang babaeng 'to ang pumatay." The officer said and gave the woman a glare.
"Yep, but of course not just that. Her trousers. . . Don't you think it looks funny?" Nakangising sabi ni Rin habang tinuturo ang pantalon ng babae. Napatingin naman ako and right enough, it's a bit bulky at the side. Probably, the gun.
"Not probably. It is the gun." He said. Napasinghap naman ang mga tao at nagmamadaling kinapkapan ng pulis ang babae na hindi umiimik at kumikilos.
"For an accused suspect you are quite silent. I'm guessing you're a hired killer." Rin laughed with skepticism.
True. Kanina pa siya inaakusahan pero hindi siya umiimik. And still, she didn't utter a word.
"You are suspected of killing this man who we still hasn't identified." The officer announced, showing everyone the revolver—with silencer—he found from the woman before putting cuffs on her. The woman looked at Rin which Rin replied with a serious stare.
"Boy, who are you?" The girl asked with a thick Russian accent. Oh shit, she's foreign. That explains the ginormous height and unusual figure.
Rin looked intently at her for a moment before grinning nonchalantly and fixing his hat. "I'm the Hatter." He bowed gracefully and with a laugh, walked over the teller. I half-bowed and excused myself too, before following Rin.
The officer shouted a thanks to us and Rin just waved at him without looking. I smirked at the brawny guy—he just glared at me—and saw Loraine staring at us. I motioned my head for her to follow me.
Ano ba kasing ginagawa nito rito.
"It's not my number yet, but can you help me first? Nagmamadali kasi kami and as you saw, we got sidetracked." He flashed a perfect set of white teeth at the lady inside the booth.
"What can I do for you?" The teller asked nervously. Probably still shocked someone died.
"We want to know how much money is getting transferred inside this card every month." He said with the most childlike voice I've ever heard him say, and handed the teller a black card he got from inside his pocket.
The teller told us to wait a moment so Rin nodded cheerfully at her. That childlike attitude of his is really deceptive. It's a talent.
"Guys ano'ng ginagawa niyo rito?" Loraine whispered in frustration. Pag lapit niya sa'min.
"We should be asking you the same question. Why are you here?" I asked with raised brows.
"Inutusan ako nila Mama mag deposito. Pauwi na dapat ako kaso may ganitong nangyari." She ruefully said. Tinignan ko naman siya maigi and she's trembling. Ngayon ko lang napansin na namumutla rin siya. I forgot, people isn't accustomed of seeing people splayed out on the floor with blood.
Rin laughed while looking at me. So I gave him a 'what?' look.
"And you are?" He asked in between laughs. Nakita ko namang kumunot ang noo ni Loraine so I cleared my throat and fixed my glasses.
To his question though, I am.
I always see myself in the mirror, lying on the floor with blood on clothes, cuts and bruises on my face and body.
So, I am accustomed to seeing them.
Rin looked at me with a look I didn't understand. Without uttering another word, he got back to staring at the booth of the teller and ignoring us.
I guess he read my thoughts.
"I didn't. And I can't." He sighed.
Magsasalita pa sana ako kaso, biglang nagsalita 'yong teller at sinabing nakita niya na.
"The monthly balance transferred is one million pesos. . ." The girl trailed off and gave us a doubtful look.
"One million?!" Loraine said with so much surprise. She clasped her hand on her mouth when she realised she's being loud. "Seryoso?!" She whispered but with the same surprise apparent on her voice.
Rin grinned maniacally. "Thank you, Miss! Will you loan all that?" He said. The lady slowly nodded and typed something on her computer with shock written all over her face.
"Oh, write it in Zeke Norton Ocampo's name." He informed the lady cheerfully. Which somehow calmed the lady. Then she got a passive look on her face and continued typing. I guess she thought it was Zen's money.
Wow, I commend Rin for using his people wisely. Hah! This is the reason he got close to us. So he could use our names. Way to go, evil bastard.
Rin chuckled while shaking his head in amusement.
The teller then gave us a receipt. Rin thanked her as sweet as he can. He really can fool everyone with that. He looks like a 10-year-old boy.
Pagtapos no'n umalis na rin kami sa bangko nila Zen. Still in shock, Loraine and I were speechless. Well, I'm not in shock. I just don't know what to say because it's so impressive. Besides, everything will be under control with that much money if Rin wanted to build his empire on 5th street.
Somehow, I am getting stressed over this. It's not even my plan.
"Well, that was. . ." I trailed off. Trying to break the silence with unnecessary conversation. Why the hell, Kurt. "Eventful." I muttered.
Rin laughed. "It is. Zen ultimately robbed his own bank."
"Wait, what?" Napahinto naman kami sa paglalakad ni Loraine.
"What?" He asked innocently.
"What do you mean 'what?'?!" I exasperatedly said. "What did you just do?"
"Chill." He laughed. "Technically, I robbed his bank. But I used his name." He smirked.
"How?" Sabay na tanong namin ni Loraine. Confusion taking over my sanity.
"I stabbed his uncle's hand for the signature, so I could have that black card or in other terms ownership card. Nyahaha!" He maniacally said.
"Why did you have to stab him?" I exasperatedly said while massaging my forehead. I am stressed out of my life here.
"Because it will be cool to see his whole hand mark in the contract sheet!" He clapped with twinkling eyes. My lips twitched at that. "Besides, he thought I was just a child and he can control me. He's planning to rob me off after. . . So, I instilled fear inside him." His face darkened with a maniac grin playing on his lips. "From now on, whenever he signs a contract, he'll picture my laughing face as his hand bleeds because I stabbed him with a pen."
"Pen?!" Sabay na sabi namin ni Loraine.
"Nyahaha! Lesson number eleven, be creative."
My lips twitched. I'm probably restraining a grin right now.
Rindelle Louis Lazaro, never fails to amaze me.
ヽ('▽｀)/
06.