Chapter 4

I could see the amazement in Ira's face, mouth agape.

"How's your voice so deep, dude?" he asked, inspecting the guy's neck to see if there was something he could see there. "Is that your real voice, or do you just do that to surprise us?"

Based on the guy's reaction, it seemed that he often gets this kind of reaction and questions a lot.

"Uh, it is my voice. Anyways, what do you guys want? It is your first time eating here, right?"

I answered, "yes, it is. I would like to try your Sisig, and I will have a bowl of extra rice."

Sisig is protein since it is pig's ears and face, plus there will be egg in it, which is also a source of protein. I gotta gain some weight and continue doing some light exercise. Maintaining a physically fit body won't hurt to do so, and if I can, you can too! So what are you waiting for? Get up your damn bed and start doing some exercise! Stop watching some random vids on the internet that would just make you hungry and eat more than you should!

"Ohh, what's this sour scent I am smelling?! Is it Sinigang?!"

"Y-Yes," the guy answered, moving his face away from Ira's face. "My classmate just finished cooking it."

"Woo, is it shrimp?"

"Yea—"

"Alright! I will order one plus extra rice! Wait, is it unlimited soup?"

"Since it is your first time eating here, you two get unlimited soup and a free extra rice!"

"Sweeeeet!"

Adobo or adobar (Spanish: marinade, sauce, or seasoning) is the immersion of cooked food in a stock (or sauce) composed variously of paprika, oregano, salt, garlic, and vinegar to preserve and enhance its flavor.

Pinakbet (also called pakbet or pinakbet) is an indigenous Filipino dish from the northern regions of the Philippines. Pinakbet is made from mixed vegetables sautéed in fish or shrimp sauce.

Sisig (/ˈsiːsɪɡ/ Tagalog pronunciation: ['sisig]) is a Filipino dish made from parts of a pig's face and belly, and chicken liver which is usually seasoned with calamansi, onions, and chili peppers. It originates from the region of Pampanga in Luzon.

Sinigang is a Filipino soup or stew characterized by its sour and savory taste. It is most often associated with tamarind (Filipino: sampalok), although it can use other sour fruits and leaves as the souring agent. It is one of the more popular dishes in Filipino cuisine.

Bicol Express, known natively in Bikol as sinilihan (lit. 'spiced with chili'), is a popular Filipino dish that was popularized in the district of Malate, Manila but made in traditional Bicolano style. It is a stew made from long chili peppers (siling haba in Tagalog) or small chili peppers (siling labuyo in Tagalog), coconut milk/coconut cream (kakang gata in Tagalog), shrimp paste (bagoong alamang in Tagalog) or stockfish, onion, pork, ginger, and garlic.

(All information is from Wikipedia.)

***

It is 1 o'clock in the afternoon. The sun was past its peak, but it's still searing hot if you're ever out in the buildings and establishments.

Although each classroom has AC installed to cool the rooms and students

I could still feel the intense heat oozing from my body as my classmates focused their attention. I am in a predicament I won't be able to escape unless I do the right thing. And the right thing to do is immediately, accurately answer my professor's question.

Explanation! I really hate explaining! Hah! Let's just get over this and sit down.

The topic is, 'what kind of hero would you wanna be if you were given a chance?'

"You said you don't want to become a hero, Mr. Esecleus. Why is that?"

asked my professor.

Everyone's gaze indicated their eagerness to know my answer. While everyone was fixated on me, I saw Ira cheering me with two thumbs up from the other side of the row I was sitting.

'You can do it!'

I had told him about my irritation when it comes to explaining things in front of many people, and he totally understands where I am coming from.

Before I answered, I cleared my throat first like words were stuck on my airways. It is slightly suffocating.

"Uh, the reason why I don't want to become a hero is I'd rather be a vigilante. Heroes are a bit overrated, so I am gonna be a vigilante if given a choice. I would help those whom I think would benefit from my actions. Don't get me wrong, I am also willing to help those in need if I see fit."

I also included another explanation as to why I don't want to become a hero because I know my professor would only ask me questions again after an explanation. Even without a signal from my professor, I sat down, satisfied with my answer, and just focused on my journal to divert my attention.

Considering how I did not hear any follow-up question from my professor, I guess he was satisfied with my answer, thus calling Ira.

"Mr. Ira Buenaventura, what type of hero would you be if given a chance?"

Ira stood up, fixing his hair, running his fingers on it, and grinning as if he was waiting for this moment.

"The hero I want to be is a person who would sacrifice his own life for the sake of others, people close to me, and those in need of help!"

As the students explained why they wanted to be like this or that kind of hero, one of my classmates excused himself.

"I--I need to go... to the toilet."

We just thought that the guy was just at his limit and could not suppress it any longer, thus prompting him to ask the professor for permission and left the classroom.

But from what I see it, my classmate is acting strangely. His actions were not that of someone who is on the verge of wetting their pants or shitting themselves. It was more like stifling his emotions, feelings of rage. His face is flushed, his face drenched in sweat, and he was gnarling on his teeth. Since I was lost in thought for a minute, I just heard the laughter of my classmates resonating inside the classroom. Even my professor is laughing at the guy's suppressed emotions.

Just plenty of seconds ago, after my classmate left the classroom, a one terrified loud scream from a woman rang from the hallway. Bothered by the scream, my classmates came pouring down the steps like a madman, desperate to see what happened outside in the hallway.

What we saw was a few students, scared shit of the incident they witnessed, one woman lying on the ground, unconscious, and our classmate wept aloud at the terrifying deed he had done.

"N-No, d-don't look at me like that. I--I was not in my right mind!"

Our classmate hysterically clawed his fingers down his face, now denying that it was not him who hurt the other student, which was clearly bleeding on the ground.

Instantly, curious students who want to know what is up in the hallway gathered and formed a crowd.

"Has he gone mad?" I heard one of the students from behind me say.

While others were mad and terrified, I stood there wondering why her blood seemed disgustingly beautiful, then I suddenly came back to my senses, learned that the coast guards had arrived already and some paramedics.

"Give way, students!" said one of the coast guard, and the crowd was split in half, giving way to the adults. "Go back to your classrooms! Class isn't finished yet!"

Before they took my classmate away, squirming violently from their grips, I heard him say words that gave me chills. He yelled these words, yet it did not feel like everyone heard him.

"No one is normal! Stop hiding behind that mask!"

The paramedics took the unconscious student on a stretcher while the witness stayed in the hallway for further investigation of the incident.

When everyone had started to walk away, as I shifted back and began on my path towards my classroom, my eyes noticed the camera pointing directly at the hallway, where the incident exactly had enacted.

"The ability to conceive all actions..."

It was just then I realized that everywhere I go, I am bound to be seen by the all-seeing eyes, although anyone has a blind spot to themselves.

***

Tomorrow morning came, and we are in our classroom, waiting for our class to start. While we were waiting for our professor to pop up on the widescreen behind the podium, Ira and I were having a chat about yesterday's incident.

"Do you think it's so strange how immediate the school's response was to the incident?" asked Ira, munching on some chips, his breakfast. "It's only been just a few minutes, and the coast guards had already arrived. And shouldn't they be guarding the sea, not taking orders from a school to investigate an incident?"

All the crumbs from Ira's munching were falling on the desk, making a mess of my safe space.

"First of all, stop eating chips for breakfast, Ira!"

~