The Peculiars’ Tale

Translated by: whosays25

Edited by: seiji96

/27/ Exam

-Morris-

Darkness had now devoured the daylight. We are still outside the main house, waiting for an update. Three hours were wasted in waiting. We were feeling bored, impatient.

Jill was not far away. I knew she was angered by my actions earlier. I couldn’t help it. Even though I truly wanted to tell her the truth, I couldn’t because I promised to Lucille.

She momentarily looked at me but averted her gaze immediately.

Their faces couldn’t be painted after Miss Karen announced what they were doing next. She hurriedly left and told us that she would be gone for some time then she disappeared. Until now, she’s yet to come back.

“Men.” Someone patted my back. It’s Tadeo.

“I’m feeling nervous, men.” What he said mirrored his countenance.

“Why?” I asked.

“I don’t know, men.  I feel that Miss has been possessed by an evil spirit. She did things randomly. Geez, I even thought that I would be able to relax here.” He muttered in dismay. I grabbed his shoulder so that he would stay on one spot. Because he keeps on moving and roaming.

“She’s so unpredictable.”

“Geez! Maybe she’s been setting up some traps. My G.o.d, I’ve seen this in a movie. What was it again?” He’s trying to recall while scratching his head. “Ah! I got it! It’s Death Bell, men. d.a.m.n, I have to go home now!”

“You’re being paranoid, Roman.”

“Moreso, Battle Royale! MEN! THAT’S IT! What if Ma’am Karen make us do that? We’ll be killing each other in a place like this, then WAAAAAAHH!”

“Silly!” I said, laughing at his folly. We’re being glared by our cla.s.smates. They heard Tadeo’s crazy words and now they were thinking what if he’s right.

“Look! They’ve been infected by your paranoia, Tadeo.” Someone suddenly appeared next to us. It was Cris, much known as Baldo. He fist b.u.mped with Tadeo but when he turned to me, I hesitated. We used to do this before. Before. Now, this will be the first time after a very long time, because after that incident, we drifted away from each other. Because of an unknown cause. Is it because of Lucille? Because Tamaki was affected? Because of everything? Dunno.

“Oh, so you were scared, Baldy! Ahaha! Baldy! Baldy!”

“You’re nuts, that’s you! Don’t call me Baldy, beast! You’re really TADO!”

They strangled each other jokingly, like how they always did before.

“Only Senji is missing, and our F4 would be complete again.”

“You’re disgusting Tado! F4 your face!”

“Hahaha, you’re still smelly, Baldy!”

I wish it would be always like this, as if nothing happened before.

“Morris, you mite, still as quiet as ever.” He observed.

“How are you, Cris.”

“Whooo! You’re still solidly calling me Cris, haha! Moreso, you asked how I am as if we’re not seeing each other.” He laughed with Tadeo. I smiled and stared at his eyes, I was thrown back to see that moment.

“Lexi.”

“Tsk, don’t call me Lexi.”

“S-sorry. Hehe.” It was between him and Alexi, one day at the student plaza. He always told us about her. They were childhood friends since their houses were in the same neighborhood and they went to the same elementary school. When he was in high school, after learning that Alexi will be studying at White Knights, he studied hard for the scholarship. He said he wanted to guard his childhood friend.

“I want to give you something.” He bought an angel key-chain for her because he knew that Alexi liked angels since she was little. “You already k-know, right? Since we were young, I already like you.”But he doesn’t have the courage to fight for his feelings.

“Baldo, please! Can you stop pestering me? And also, stop bringing up the issue of us being childhood acquaintances. That’s in the past!”

“W-why? Because I’m not rich?”

“Yes! Women like me are not born to be poor!”

It was a saddening fact that when this incident happened, it was also the time that we were no longer talking to each other due to what happened to Tamaki.

Cris was deeply hurt by the reality, that Sabina changed so much, that she became pretentious and that she didn’t like him.

“Look!” He put down the envelope at the top of the table. When he had a chance to meet Alexi’s boyfriend at the coffee shop, he talked to him. “See what Sabina has been doing for you.”

The man opened the envelope and scanned the pictures after bringing them out. It was the photo of Alexi while exiting the club. He knew long ago what was her real job and he wanted this to be the reason for her to stop that.

However, the person only gave him a smile before putting the pictures in his pocket. “Can I ask something?”

“Fine.”

“What are you to Alexi?”

On that question, Cris couldn’t reply. That was how the other person left him.

“Could I be blamed if I gave her too much care? Isn’t that how loving is? You could exceed the boundaries. Even if you knew it’s already trespa.s.sing, you’ll still continue. Even if you knew you’re not being loved back. Probably it could not be called ‘meddling’, but ‘caring’. Unfortunately, my care didn’t bring her good result. I was wrong. It was a mistake that I gave those photo to that d.a.m.nable beast. I thought he didn’t know about Alexi’s sacrifices. I thought what I did was for her best. It was just my foolish thought. That’s why, you’re right when you said that. I don’t have the right to love.

“Hey, Morris. You looked dumbfounded.” I cut out the scenes playing in his memories.

“I only feel strange about it.”

“Sus, you’re still not used to his mite face?” – Tadeo.

I glanced at my right. The other two copied me. Tamaki was there, staring at us while leaning on the tree, alone, about twenty meters away from us. Cris and Tadeo became silent.

“Senji men.” Tadeo whispered.

They wanted to come over there but all of our cellphones rang. Each of our ringtones were different so it became very noisy. I immediately forked my phone from my pocket.

* 1 new message*

I opened it.

*Go to common room. Bring your pens.”

-K.I

“What’s this?”

“Men, it seems everybody received this.”

“From Miss?”

Everybody was clueless, even me. All of us entered and went to the designated room. Weird. The facilitators of the villa were nowhere to be found. On the other hand, that was the only odd thing here.

We expected to see Miss  in the common room but she was nowhere. There’s only a laptop on the table that was placed at the front.

I came forward and move the mouse pad so that the screen saver will be gone.

The projector suddenly emited lights and Miss appeared on the screen.

“Good evening.”

“SOB, Morris! I’m feel nervous again. I knew this would happen!” Tadeo whispered next to me.

“I told you earlier what our activity will be. But before I explain the details about it, I’ll be taking your phones.”

“HUH?”

They gave different reactions to what Miss had said. They were surprised when a man in black who was wearing a mask entered.

“Who’s that?”

The person collected the phones and placed them inside his bag. When he approached our group, I stared at his exposed eyes.

“I’ll be counting on you, Rommel.”

This person is Rommel Romulo? He’s not really a seminarian? And he’s conspirating with Miss… only for this?

“Yeah, right. Like always, Karen.”

“Thanks.”

It’s only because I owe you and Cairo  a big favor.”

“I know.”

Who is Cairo?

“Sshh…” The man put his finger on his lips as if telling me that I should remain silent about his ident.i.ty. Even though I was confused, I handed my phone to him and Tadeo did the same.

After that, the man actually didn’t leave.

“So…you may take your seat.” Miss spoke again. We directed our eyes on the huge screen. Where is she now? I don’t have any clue. We followed what she commanded and like an obedient dog, we carefully and slowly took our seat. “The rule of this game is simple, just follow all my instructions and you’ll be fine. But as I’ve said, out of fifty people, only three will be happy. Only three people will receive a special reward as winners.” It’s still quiet. “So let’s start everything… with an exam.”

The extreme chill could be felt, everybody feels anxious. I know, every person here must have guessed already that what would happen next are not simple.

“…to determine again who are in the caste ranking. The caste will be the basis of this whole game. He will distribute the test papers and you have twenty minutes to answer.”

The masked man distributed the test papers and after receiving theirs, they immediately started filling it up with answers. The timer registered on the screen. I hadn’t began answering because I was looking at them. I saw Jill and she was also not doing anything to her test paper, then our eyes met.

“Jill! Wait for me!”

“Let go of me, Morris!”

“I will explain.”

“Don’t. I don’t want you to. Enough.”

“Jill. Please! You promised that whatever it takes, you’ll believe  in me!”

“Shut up!”

She was the first to avert her gaze. She began answering. I sighed deeply and also focused on my own paper.

“Time is up. Exchange your papers.”

T/N notes: Tado – short for a particular slang which I wouldn’t  mention. When Baldo said the word, he was only playing with Tadeo’s name by removing the ‘e’. The word could mean ‘d.a.m.nable’, ‘b.a.s.t.a.r.d’, and the likes.