YMM#5: Traced

Naiah's POV

"You know him?" I asked but maybe he knows him besides, it was our first meet, I don't know him that much. I don't really know his circle of friends.

"Uh, Yes," he said, unsure.

"Really?" I asked again, this time, he was the one I am staring at. He looks uneasy with the question so I shrugged. Maybe there are things that you can't have; besides that is his decision. He chose to be silent then respect it. You know, just a piece of advice, there are things that you don't need to know. There this word that you should know. Privacy. We have our privacy.

Oh, let's say, he is really my cousin but, there were things he couldn't and doesn't want to say to me. I'll respect that, of course. That is after all his privacy. The same for me. It was hard to trust someone, honestly speaking. Trust, it was not easy to give that, you need to earn it. So if you have that kind of personality which is, you want to know everything even though you are already crossing the line, better stop that. Learn how to respect each of their privacy. Okay, that was so wrong of me to judge you but I am just stating a fact.

So the question is....why are we talking about trust issues? The thing is, I am just asking if he knows Keiko. Geez! My brain, stop wondering, rest for a while okay?

"Okay back to what was the reason why we are here, you may start. Anything, just say what you need to say. There wasn't a problem on that one, right?" I intentionally averted the topic.

"First of all, here is a picture of your father"

"What the heck is this?!"

"A picture"

"Yeah, I know that but who is this? Are you kidding me?!"

"Of course not!"

"You're my father?" I asked, bewildered. I thought he will show me a picture of my dad, but then how come it was his face that I see.

"What?! Am I that old looking to you?!"

"Stupid!"

"Whoah?"

"Hahaha, are you kidding me? Really?"

"It was your father! Though, I'm wondering why you told me it was me. Hmm? Are you thinking what I am thinking?" he looked at me, he raised his brows, up and down. Tsk, I know what is he thinking.

"Don't even think that! Like duh?!"

"Why? What are you thinking about what I am thinking right now?

"Huh?!"

"Are you nuts?"

"Whoah, wait there!"

"You did it first!"

"And why did you follow me then?!"

"What are we arguing, really?"

"Asked yourself"

"That's your father's picture," he said to stop our nonsense argument. He took a sip of his wine.

"Are you my cousin or brother?"

"Cousin"

"Eh, why do you look like him? As for my features, I only inherit his nose and eyes, gray eye. You? You inherit it all"

"Your father has a twin brother, and that's my father. Getsume?"

"Oh, he has a twin? Hayyss, why don't I have one?"

"Am I your parents that you're asking me that one?"

"Am I asking you?"

"And who the hell are you talking to?"

"Myself?"

"Are you crazy?"

"I'm not!" I rolled my eyes, I fell silent.

"I already know my father's face. What's next?"

"Here's the thing" I glanced at him when suddenly, he sounded serious, too serious that I don't even dare to joke around.

"What is it?" I asked. He stared at me first before he uttered those 6 syllables.

"He's been missing for 3 years"

"Ms. Rizonde! ?" I glanced in front of me. There stood my terror teacher and she's currently glaring at me.

"Ma'am?" I asked. She looked at me as if she wants me to burn down through her murderous stare.

"Who told you to spaced out during my class?" she asked, her brows are raised. She looks at me in an 'answer-me-seriously-or-else' look. I wanted to say, 'it wasn't even a serious case' but I kept myself, quiet.

"I'm sorry" you may continue your class, I want to add, but I decided not to. Tsk, I shooked my head as I remember something. She doesn't have a husband, to begin with, it was the reason why she is like a bomb ready to explode. Why doesn't she find herself one, right?

"Next time, don't space out in my class or if you want me to make you spaced out because of a failed grade, that's totally okay with me. Just tell me" she seriously said. I want to roll my eyes because of that. She wouldn't dare to have my records filled with her remarks, failed, on it. She wouldn't dare.

"Yes ma'am" I answered, nonchalantly. This teacher really?! Geez!

I heaved a sigh. I remembered again what happened last night. He was about to say something to me when his phone rang. I didn't have a chance to asked his name. And just now, I realized, we didn't have a proper introduction before we tackled about my father.

He said that my father was missing 3 years ago. That means, until now, he's still missing. I sighed, hoping he's not what I am thinking. I can feel it. He's still alive. He couldn't be dead, I still have unanswered questions left.

The way my mother avert my attention to different things just to make me clueless about my father. And, why she couldn't let me saying or talked about my father in front of her. What really happened?

"Hey" I glanced at my left side. I was walking my way to the cafeteria. I heaved a deep breath, good thing, Ma'am terror already finished her class.

"It's been a while," I said, we continue to walk in the hallway.

"We just met yesterday, but yeah, it's been a while" I cleared my throat. Guess, I'm still pre-occupied with the pieces of information that my cousin said last night.

"Where to?" she asks.

"Cafeteria, wanna grab some snacks?"

"Yeah, sure"

"Still have a class after?"

"Hmm, I think, none. You?"

"Same. Do you somehow have a plan today?" I asked her. I wanna go out and have a stroll. It's different stress if it was about school stuff. Not to mention, about personal kinds of stuff at the end.

"None"

"Ha? What are you doing with your life? Tsk, you're life's so boring" I kidded. As you would know, we seem like long time best friend.

"Ah, there is. Want to go shooting with me?" I stopped in my tracks with that question. Shooting?

Bang! Bang!

I closed my eyes tightly when I remembered that incident again. Geez! I'm trying to forget that one! I shooked my head and tried to focus my attention on her.

"You do shooting?"

"Yes, if you want to register, consider it done"

"Are you the owner of that shooting range? How could you say 'consider it done?' Do I need to be impressed?"

"Silly" she shooked her head, but her expression never changed. It's still expressionless and cold. I shooked my head at that.

"Come on, I'm hungry"

"Your fault"

"Don't be judgemental"

"Out of topic"

"Oh, really?"

"Yes"

"Are you being sarcastic?"

"Not really"

"What?"

"Nevermind, let's go" I shooked my head and walked our way. Hays, what's just happened back then? Nonsense. Geez!

I was about to take another step when I felt my phone vibrated, I reached for it in my pocket and read the message. I furrowed my brows when I recognized the number showed on my phone and as I read the message. L also stopped and looked at me when she sensed I'm not at her back anymore.

"What is it?"

I shooked my head as I read again the message.

"We traced your father....."