The Test

Evo's POV

"Do you like lollipops?"

I looked at Kaycee, who was sucking on a lollipop by my side. Bella sat by the window and said she was worn out and needed to sleep. That is why Kaycee is sitting next to me.

"All right." He handed me a lollipop, and I took it. I opened it and swallowed it immediately.

"You two look so cute. Are you guys close?"

"Ah," Kaycee said.

"Yes, all three of us are close. Bella, Kaycee, and I." I said.

"Really? However, before the USBO polls, you didn't know each other. I mean…"

"We only became close after the election," I said.

Perhaps this is why you no longer spend as much time with Zoey as you once did.

"Have you and Zoey broken up?"

Kaycee looked at me. "You had a relationship with Zoey?"

"Oh, she's my friend, like you and Bella," I said. "We're not in a romantic relationship."

"Haist, sometimes men who are too friendly can be annoying," Kaycee whispered.

I chuckled and didn't say anything else.

–

It was late in the evening when we finally made it to campus. And since we left our cars in the university parking lot, we used them to get home. Bella and Kaycee's two motorcycles went first. It's rush hour, so there's a bit of traffic on the way home. When I saw two motorcycles turning into the exclusive village where I live, I was just about to turn.

"Huh? What are they going to do here in the village?"

I followed the two motorcycles until they went through a gate. I stopped my car, which was not too far away, and walked closer to the entrance where two motorcycles were going in. I quickly looked through the gate and saw Bella and Kaycee get off the bike. I smiled. I didn't realize they were just my neighbors.

—

The loud ringing of my phone woke me up. I still closed my eyes and groped for my phone under the pillow on the other side of the bed. As soon as I got a hold of the phone, I took it and looked at it. My phone's bright display temporarily blinded me. I answered, even though I didn't know who was calling.

"Hello? What is this?"

"Good morning to you, Evo!"

I took a deep breath when I heard Kaycee's voice on the other line. 'Why did he call him so early?' I thought.

"Why did you call?"

Kaycee said, "Hmph, my greetings to you are pleasant, but you haven't even answered. Anyway, it looks like I woke you up. Get up now, because your test starts at ten in the morning. I will send you the address, and please don't be late for Evo. You will fail your test if you are late, regardless of your talent. Excellent luck."

Because I heard a busy tone, I couldn't say goodbye. I got out of bed when I checked the time. It is 8:30 in the morning. Then my phone rang, and it was Kaycee with a message. She provided the test location.

Andrew was surprised to see me dressed after showering and getting ready. He came right up to me while I was eating a breakfast sandwich and followed me to the dining room.

"It's the weekend," Andrew said.

"I understand," I replied, before taking a bite of the bacon without even sitting down. "I also took the fresh juice that Manang made for me.

"Where are you going? Can I come with you?"

"Nope, it's not possible."

Andrew scowled. "Why?"

"Because other people were allowed."

"When did you learn to keep a secret from me, huh? You would always tell me where you were going." I didn't reply. Instead, I kept eating. "What happened at Subic? You don't even tell me what happened there."

I looked at my wristwatch, took another piece of bacon, and drank the juice. "I have to go now. When Dad asks, you can say, "I'm with the USBO Officers."

"What?" Andrew asked.

I rushed out of the house and went straight to the garage without looking back.

—

I have been waiting for someone to contact me since this morning, so I'm curious. When I arrived at the address Kaycee had given me, there were still 15 minutes until the time we had agreed on. The park was bustling with people, surprising me. Children were playing, and young people appeared to be going for a walk. Couples are also present.

I could hear everyone's thoughts. I held my head because it hurt so much.

"You're earlier than I thought," said Eduard, the police officer in charge of Kaycee and Bella's team.

"Time is golden." I just said it.

Edward chuckled. "It's still early, so I can tell you what will happen today."

I nodded. "O-okay."

"You solve a case alone. You can use your abilities."

"My ability?" I asked. I remembered that they were unaware of my ability, so they permitted me to use it. If I can read the minds of the characters in this drama, I can swiftly complete this test and identify the culprit.

"Here." Eduard gave me a headphone. I frowned. "Once you finish the case, you can only remove it."

'Is he already aware of my abilities? How can I use my ability if I have headphones in my ears?' I thought.

"I will be with you, but I will not help you. For this reason, I will also manage your headphones."

"Whoa, why do I need headphones?"

Eduard didn't answer right away. Instead, he kept staring at me, and I could tell what he was thinking.

Eduard wondered, "What's up with him? Why is he talking about headphones? Is there a connection between his skills and his mind?'

"Those headphones are ugly," I said because I couldn't think of another reason.

"I know you are wealthy and possess expensive items, but these headphones are essential to me," Edward said. "If you don't want to use that, stop now."

"Why are you angry? I was just being honest." I said. "Okay, I'm going to use it. Just play some wonderful music, sir."

Eduard scowled. "Have you eaten?"

"Just two pieces of bacon and juice for breakfast."

"Why aren't you happy, Haist? I don't eat bacon very often."

"May I eat first?"

"No."

"Huh! Why?"

"When you're full, you'll feel lazy and move slower, so you'll eat later."

I didn't say anything. I held my head again. "Oh, are you okay? Did you want to quit?"

I thought, 'He wants me to quit so badly.'

"I will not quit. I'm fine."

"Then..." Edward said. He grabbed the radio and immediately sent a message to his team. "We'll start earlier than expected. Evo is here." Someone on the other end of the line responded to the static sound. Eduard was watching me.

"You must use all of your senses. Is that clear?"

I nodded. "Yes, I will use all of my senses."

"It won't take long; we'll only need thirty minutes. Is your car properly parked?"

"I think so, yes."

"It's good," Edward said. "I'll go with you, but I won't get in the way. Remember all the important details. Let's start."

It was the first time I felt nervous after the accident. I started putting on the headphones, and to my surprise, it wasn't music but random noises. Because of this, I definitely can't use my abilities.