XXV. Unraveling Secrets

"Wait, where are we going?" I asked, my voice laced with suspicion.

I might not be good with directions, but I was sure this wasn't the way home.

"Just calm down." Antonio chuckled.

If I could pinch the driver, I would.

"Where exactly are we—"

"We're here," he interrupted, his voice filled with enthusiasm as he brought his big bike to a stop.

We got off, and I took in my surroundings.

The air was fresh, the breeze gentle. The landscape stretched out before me like something out of a memory—cozy, peaceful, quiet. It reminded me of my grandfather's place.

"Where are we?" I asked again.

Antonio smirked. "That question has been asked over and over again."

I rolled my eyes and muttered under my breath, "Well, if you had just told me in the first place, maybe I wouldn't have to keep asking."

He raised an eyebrow. "You do realize it wasn't just your fart that heard what you said, right?"

What an idiot.

I shot him a glare and reached to pinch his side, but before I could, he grabbed my hand and led me toward a small hut.

A woman was hanging laundry outside, while a man, his clothes still damp with sweat, approached from the rice field.

"Good afternoon," Antonio greeted them politely.

I froze.

Did I just witness Antonio being… well-mannered?

Do you actually have this side, Antonio, aside from being a troublemaker?

"Come in, come in." The couple welcomed us warmly, leading us inside their humble home.

The man removed his hat and hung it on the wall. The house was simple—everything made of wood—but there was no sense of emptiness. Instead, it felt warm, lived-in, full of life.

We sat down, and the woman placed snacks before us, offering a kind smile before stepping away.

The man wasted no time. "I assume you're here for the CCTV tape?"

Antonio nodded.

Meanwhile, I was completely lost.

I shot Antonio a questioning look and whispered, "What's going on?"

"Just trust me," he whispered back, a soft smile curving his lips. "I'm giving you what you've been hoping for… little by little, Kaesu."

My confusion only deepened, but before I could press him further, the man returned—holding a tape.

My heart pounded.

This is it.

Excitement. Fear. Anger. Sadness.

I reached for it, but the man held it back and spoke first.

"I'm impressed you managed to find me," he said. "But that only means one thing."

Curiosity clawed at me. "What do you mean?"

"If you found me, then Gabio can too."

I stiffened at the name.

"He needs me far more than you do."

A chill ran down my spine. "Wait—can you explain?" My hands trembled slightly, a cold sweat forming on my skin.

Antonio's hand found mine.

I looked at him.

His eyes—calm, steady.

Every time he looks at me like that, my heart naturally settles down.

He gave me a small nod. Trust me.

I swallowed and nodded back.

The man sighed. "Gabio ordered me to erase this CCTV footage. That's when I knew something was wrong. If it was nothing, they wouldn't have cared so much about getting rid of it.

Before I erased the original copy, I made sure to keep one for myself. After I did what they ordered, I left. Took my family here—to keep them safe. I couldn't risk staying there, knowing I was tangled in their mess."

Antonio let out a deep breath.

Meanwhile, I sat there, processing everything.

Gabio?

He ordered the erasure of the footage?

I didn't even know who the man was, yet he was a key figure in this tangled web I was trying to unravel.

"If it's alright with you," Antonio said, his voice firm, "can you tell us exactly who Gabio is?"

The man exhaled, then handed me the tape.

"Gabio Enriquez," he said. "Director of Adair University."

Silence.

What?

I shot up from my seat. "He's the director of our university?"

The man looked just as surprised at my reaction. "You don't know your own university's director?"

Even Antonio stood up, his brows furrowed. "No. For some reason, the director has never been introduced to us. But…" He paused. "Uncle Luis might know him."

Uncle Luis.

Antonio was right. Now that we knew the people involved, our next moves would be clearer.

I clenched my fists.

I wanted justice.

But I didn't know anything.

I thought I knew something, but in reality—I was completely in the dark.

The man's voice broke through my thoughts.

"By the way," he added, "someone else searched for the CCTV record after I erased it."

My heart skipped a beat. "Who?"

He shook his head. "I don't know. But it wasn't Gabio. Someone else was involved. Someone who knew about this… and was looking for answers too."

Antonio crossed his arms. "So, two people were involved, but they weren't allies."

I exhaled sharply. "So, what you're saying is—they were both after the same thing, but they weren't on the same side?"

The man nodded. "That's a good way to put it."

A heavy silence settled between us.

Then, the woman from earlier appeared, standing beside her husband.

"It's getting late, sweethearts," she said gently. "Why don't you stay the night? We can prepare a place for you to sleep."

I forced a smile, still lost in my thoughts. "Thank you, but Antonio can still drive us home. Besides, we have things to finish."

Antonio gave them a polite bow, and we stepped out.

The night had fallen without us realizing it.

Time flew so fast.

And yet, it felt like we had only scratched the surface of something much, much bigger.