II - The Codes and Syphers Club

The Next Day @ Codes and Syphers Club Room...

We knocked on the door.

"Uhm... excuse me." Sidney called out. They turned to us.

"They seem busy," Darwin whispered to me.

Indeed, they looked busy. There were scattered books and papers on the long table and even on the floor, with laptops and tablets piled on the table.

They said the Codes and Syphers Club was always busy on Saturdays and they were often at school for unknown reasons. Sometimes they were in the computer laboratory.

A tall guy approached us, a Grade 12 student based on his ID.

"What do you need?" He asked.

"Ah, we just wanted to ask if you could be interviewed?" - Lyka.

"Interview?" He looked at his companions. "Who wants to be interviewed?" He asked.

"Huh? What interview?" A guy by the window asked.

"Wait, what are you going to interview them about?" He asked us.

"We wanted to ask about the book 'The Legend'. We're doing research about the author of that book." - Sidney.

"About the book— Wait, what?! About the author of the book?!" We were surprised when he exclaimed as if he couldn't believe what we said.

His companions also stopped and looked at us.

"About who?" A girl confirmed.

"About... the author of the book..." Sidney's answer was hesitant and cautious, seemingly nervous about their reaction.

"Ah..." The guy we were talking to seemed unsure of what to say.

"We're the school representatives for the Festival next month. We decided that the topic of our research will be about the author of the book 'The Legend'. We want to know directly from them why they wrote that book, for the Festival, because their book cannot be the topic." 

"So the reason of the author is your topic, right?" I swallowed hard at the cold tone coming from the guy sitting at the long table right in front of us. His eyes were also cold and emotionless, sitting cross-legged with reading glasses on.

"Ah... yes, that's it." - Darwin.

"Wait, let me talk to them first." He signaled us to follow him. We talked outside their club room.

"You know... the author of the book is taboo for us. So if possible, please don't mention that name too much. Especially in front of Josh." He pleaded.

"Josh? The guy with reading glasses?" - Sidney.

"Yes. For personal reasons as well. Ah, about your interview..."

---

"Let's just come back on Monday." Sidney reiterated what kuya Felix— the guy we talked to earlier—said.

"Why do we need to come back on Monday?"

"Because they're busy. Hmm!"

= ❈ =

Monday @ Library....

"Is the author just one person or a group?" Edmund asked kuya¹ Felix.

He volunteered to be interviewed because the entire History and Literature Club had an important event today.

"Hmm... I can't say it's just one group because..."

"So they're a group?" - Lyka.

"Something like that. But... how do I explain it? Ah, yes! Let's just say the author is a group." - kuya Felix.

"If the author is indeed a group, how and when was it formed?" - Sidney.

"Way back... our Junior days." - kuya Felix.

"What's the involvement of the History and Literature Club with the author?" - Darwin.

"Huh? Don't you know?" I furrowed my brows at his reaction. "What?"

"That the book was a collaboration between the Codes and Cyphers Club and the History and Literature Club?" He pointed to the book he was holding. It wasn't too thin nor too thick, but it had a decent size, broad. Its cover was grey with the writings on the front cover in gold.

'The Legend'

On its side, it said 'Collaboration of Codes and Cyphers Club and History and Literature Club' also in gold and cursive.

"We know that, but our question is — huh? Wait?" I paused as I realized something.

"What is it, Darell?" Sidney asked.

"The collaboration of the two clubs for the book, and the author was formed during your Junior High... Sidney, who were the President or members of the Codes and Cyphers 3 years ago?"

"The first member and the creator of the club. It's Ate² Hera." She answered.

"Hera?" - Darwin.

"As in Hera Vitenio? Kuya Josh's girlfriend?" Lyka almost exclaimed in a low voice.

"Kuya Josh's girlfriend?" - Sidney.

"Yes. Hera is the current President of your club back when the two clubs collaborated, while Josh was the President of the Codes and Syphers. That project became the bridge of love between the two club Presidents." Kuya Felix had a cheerful and sweet smile on his face.

"How did you know that kuya Josh and Ate Hera were a couple back then, Lyka?" - Darwin.

"I researched last night. And besides, they're still a couple until now." Lyka answered with crossed arms.

"But the Hera you're talking about... I don't think I heard that name even when I first became a member of our club." - Sidney.

"Maybe because your club was already in the middle of its demolition when you became a member. The History and Literature Club was left with no members back then, so it was almost closed by the school, mostly because most of your club members back then were Seniors and some transferred after the accident that happened to the President." - kuya Felix.

"Huh? What happened to the President? What happened to Ate Hera back then?" - Lyka.

"Oops! That's not included in our interview. And also... Hera's name is also taboo for the two clubs." We fell silent. "Next question!"