Not long after, Zane returned home from the hospital, the doctor's words still echoing in his mind.

"I need rest now," he muttered, glancing at the clock as he stepped into the flat. The room, though still in disarray, looked slightly less chaotic than yesterday.

He set his bag down in his bedroom, then scanned the flat, half-expecting signs of his flatmate, Raine, whom he suspected had been up to something questionable when he'd arrived home at midnight.

Unlike last night, he returned just past eleven after the quick checkup at St. Luke's. He checked the study—empty. The bathroom doors stood open, lights off, and her bed was unlocked. Concern gnawing at him, he peeked inside, only to find Raine at last asleep, wrapped in her warm, white blanket, snug up to her shoulders.

"Finally," he murmured, then headed back to his room to change.

The following day brought another midday break at Nueva Aurora University. Zane had just wrapped up his first class with the second-year Science majors, and now he and Raine were seated together at a four-seat table in the teachers' cafeteria.

"Genetically modified organisms," Raine began after her first bite of menudo and rice. Her long-sleeved pink shirt matched the shade of her tumbler. "Designer babies."

"What are you mumbling about?" Zane asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Huh?" Raine blinked, startled, as though snapped out of her memory palace. She hadn't realized he'd overheard.

"You were just mumbling away," Zane replied with a grin. "And here I thought I was the one with the worst memory between us."

"Oh, that? Just a bit of curiosity," Raine replied, her gaze drifting toward Zane's beef steak and brown rice. "How is it you've got better food than me?"

"Picked this up from the canteen down the road," Zane said, taking a bite.

"Oh, I'm envious of you, Mr. Nuñez," Raine teased.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You seem so carefree," she replied. "Just floating along, even with that knack for procrastination, while I've got a thousand things buzzing around in my head."

"Well, as a medical man, I'd recommend therapy—or at least avoiding what drags you down," Zane replied with a slight smirk.

"Anyway, I've got a new case! Care to come?" Raine's eyes sparkled as a grin spread across her face.

"I heard something!" came a voice from afar. Both turned to see Andrea, clad in her 'wash day' attire—a black gypsy top paired with a fitted black skirt. It was Wednesday, the one day each week when students and staff could wear casual clothes while their uniforms were laundered. Carrying a styrofoam food container in a blue plastic bag, Andrea strode over to Raine's right.

Raine forced a smile, casting a knowing look at Zane, as if to say, Here we go again.

"I heard something about a case," Andrea chimed in as she sat down and unpacked her food. "I might come with you if Mr. Nuñez decides to pass."

"Andrea, didn't see you around yesterday," Zane remarked.

"Had an unexpected emergency back home," she replied, catching Raine's gaze as it lingered curiously on her.

Concealer barely masking the dark circles, rumpled clothing, lipstick a shade bolder than usual, and just a hint of her kalachuchi flower tattoo peeking from her left shoulder, Raine noted, her thoughts sharp and observant.

"I hope everything's all right now," Zane offered, but his words trailed off as he noticed Raine's suspicious, perhaps slightly irritated, expression.

"The case I mentioned isn't what you think, Ms. Mercado," Raine said, her tone firm.

"Oh, come on. You literally just said, 'Anyway, I have a new case! Care to come?'" Andrea retorted.

"Wait, you're not the victim of that—" Raine started, then abruptly stopped. "Oh, never mind. It was someone else."

"What are you on about, Ms. De Verra?" Andrea asked, clearly confused.

"It's nothing, just some names," Raine answered quickly, though her response only deepened the puzzled frowns on Andrea and Zane's faces.

"Uh, what?" Zane asked, his confusion clear.

"Andrea," Raine replied. "You and the last victim from last month share the same name—Andrea. Are you two related?"

Andrea raised an eyebrow. "I haven't got a clue what you're on about, Ms. De Verra. What I do want to know is this new case you mentioned."

"Never mind that," Raine said, brushing it off. "Anyway, what do you think this new case is?"

"A case. Like you two will go off and solve crimes again," Andrea replied, her tone skeptical.

"Uh-huh?" Raine said, raising an eyebrow. "You want to see the new case I just bought, then?"

Both Andrea and Zane furrowed their brows as Raine set her fork and spoon down. She pulled her phone from her blue, thin checkered jacket, unlocking it to reveal a peach-coloured case from her gallery.

"Well?" she asked, eyes fixed on Andrea. "Was it worth it?"

A strange look crossed Andrea's face, as if the thought of What is she doing? What is this? ran through her mind.

"Oh, so that must be the delivery that came before we left the apartment," Zane said.

"Yes, that's it. Now, do tell—what do you think?" Raine asked.

"Well, it's good. Right, Ms. Mercado?" Zane replied, prompting Andrea to force a smile.

"Yeah, it's good," Andrea said, nodding before taking a spoonful of her fried chicken and rice.

"Now that everything's settled, we should get back to eating," Raine said, slipping her phone back into her jacket after turning it off. "We've still got plenty of paperwork to tackle."

While Andrea wasn't looking, Zane opened his mouth, silently mouthing the words for Raine to read: THAT'S REALLY THE NEW CASE?

Raine rolled her eyes and reached for her phone again. She unlocked it and typed a quick message:

A new client. Said we'll meet her this Saturday when we're free from classes. Wanna come?

Zane's phone vibrated, and he glanced at the message. His brow furrowed in confusion as he quickly typed a reply:

About what?

Raine, with a smirk, grabbed her phone and replied:

A private client. The police will take care of the rest. The client said we'll have another job.

"Uh... Why are you two on your phones? We're eating," Andrea snapped, clearly a little annoyed.

Oh, right. She's the traditional type, Raine thought to herself.

"I'll just send one last message to say I'll reply to this anonymous texter later, after lunch," Zane said, quickly typing his final reply.

Keep me posted. Ttyl.

"Ttyl? What does that even mean?" Raine asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What?" Andrea replied, confused.

"It's just something people say," Raine muttered. "Where does anyone even come up with that?"

"Well, it just means Talk to you later," Zane explained. "It saves time, that's why people use it. It's been trending for, what, ten years now? I'm surprised you're so behind."

࿐ ࿔*:･ﾟ

Saturday arrived. Lorraine Adriella de Verra, who prided herself on waking early, had gone to bed early the night before, likely in anticipation of meeting her new client as a private investigator—three years after she'd stepped away from the role. Zane observed her every move from the living room as she settled into her favourite chair, facing away from the analogue clock on the red wall. One hand cradled a saucer, while the other held a cup of the tea she always drank to start her day.

As Raine settled into her chair and reached for a book left on the table—likely forgotten in her busyness the day before—Zane finally made his way toward the small library that faced his bedroom, separate from hers. With his laptop now before him on the desk, he sat down on the wooden chair and began to type.

One by one, he carefully wrote down every detail he could recall from their recent adventures, determined to preserve the memories before his scattered mind allowed them to slip away. Lost in the recollection of their latest cases, he didn't realize how much time had passed until the morning slowly slipped away.

"What are you doing there?" Raine's voice interrupted as the door to the flat's library swung open. Zane's hands instinctively slammed the laptop shut.

"Uh... just journaling," he replied quickly, sitting up straight and reopening the device to deflect any suspicion.

"Why'd you do that?" she asked, eyes narrowing. "Got something to hide?"

"Hide something? Oh, please!" Zane replied with a playful grin, masking his surprise.

"You're typing a lot. Are you writing something?" Raine pressed, her curiosity piqued.

"A journal, I said," Zane repeated, maintaining his composure. "Of course, it's a lot."

Perhaps you could've just said a lesson plan, Raine thought, her gaze fixed on Zane as he smiled in response. The tension broke when a knock echoed from the door of their flat.

"Here she comes," Raine remarked, heading toward the door.

Before Zane followed her to meet their first ever private client, his attention was caught by a headline on the scattered news across the internet.

"A new suspected folklore is emerging, huh?" he muttered to himself. "Maybe this is connected to her new client."

"Someone's looking for you downstairs," Mrs. Clara called out from the door, breaking his train of thought.

"I almost forgot about my meeting later at school," Raine said, quickly turning and heading back to her room.

"What about your client downstairs?" Zane asked, watching as Raine passed him on her way to her aunt. She took Mrs. Clara's hand, gently placing it on his forehead.

"God bless, dear," Mrs. Clara spoke warmly.

Always eager to be early for appointments, Raine glanced at the clock on the wall, seemingly counting the seconds.

"All right, Auntie, let her in," Raine said, turning towards the kitchen. Mrs. Nuñez descended the stairs, ready to greet the visitor waiting below.

"Here? Inside this apartment?" Zane asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Privacy is still a concern," Raine replied. "Besides, every Saturday, the old men from 222B head downstairs to play cards. Then, at night, they move to the second common room below their flat to play bingo with their friends from outside."

"They dominate the building, then?" Zane asked.

"Why the sudden interest in them? They're just men left behind by their wives when they passed, one of them went abroad many years ago and married another man. The three of them have lived as an inseparable trio ever since," Raine explained.

It wasn't long before a woman appeared in the hallway, accompanied by Mrs. Nuñez. She exuded a distinctive beauty, her vitiligo accentuating her elegance. Her hair was neatly styled in a low bun, and she wore a tailored, knee-length white dress. A light cream cardigan draped over her shoulders, enhancing her complexion.

The lady's face lit up with a beaming smile. "It's you!"

Raine's gaze sharpened. "How is she?"

"She's fine," the woman replied. "Anyway, I'm Eteri Rylnn Magallanes. Your client sent me."

"Lorraine Adriella de Verra," Raine said, extending her hand for a handshake.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you," the woman replied, her wide grin warm and inviting. "I've heard so much about you and your impressive deductions."

"This is Zane Nuñez. He'll be assisting me, whether your employer likes it or not," Raine added.

"Nice to meet you, Madame," Zane greeted, shaking her hand as well. "Have we met before?"

"It's a pleasure to meet you again, Mr. Nuñez," Eteri said, her smile widening. "We met before in Manila after I came for a check-up. I'm amazed to see you here with this remarkable lady."

"Would you... like some coffee?" Mrs. Nuñez asked, eager to offer her hospitality.

"I just had coffee earlier, Ma'am," Eteri replied with a polite smile. "But thank you."

"I must head downstairs then," Mrs. Nuñez said, standing up. "I need to tend the shop before the customers arrive at eight."

"Goodbye, Mrs. Clara," both Raine and Eteri spoke in unison.

"Goodbye, Auntie!" Zane added, watching as she finally made her way out.

Raine's gaze narrowed as she observed Eteri, her thoughts flickering to the lady's recent activities. "How did your workload go last night?" she asked, voice steady.

"Huh?" Eteri responded, feigning innocence, though there was a subtle shift in her posture.

"You spent the night out with someone—a gentleman, I presume?" Raine mused, her eyes narrowing slightly. "There's a hint of cologne on your cardigan that doesn't belong to you—unless you've suddenly developed a taste for men's fragrances." A teasing smile played at the corners of her lips.

As she spoke, Raine's gaze shifted to Eteri's hands. Her eyes caught the ink smudge on her right pinky finger. "A pen, perhaps? Archival ink, am I right?"

"Raine, what are you doing?" Zane interjected, a bemused smile tugging at his lips. "Here we go again."

"It's often found in libraries," Raine continued, undeterred, her eyes never leaving Eteri. "And those eye bags suggest that after your date, you spent hours working in the library."

Eteri raised an eyebrow, her gaze shifting towards Zane before returning to Raine. "That's quite the keen observation, Ms. De Verra," she said, a faint smile curving her lips. "Now you've given me the inspiration to help you."

"Help? How?" Raine asked, her curiosity piqued despite herself.

Eteri handed them a rose-pink envelope, sealed with hot pink wax bearing the letter 'E' and some rose symbols decorating it. "Care to open and read it, Mr. Nuñez?" she asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

Zane carefully broke the seal and unfolded the envelope, revealing a sheet of crisp white paper. As he held it, a scattering of pink rose petals slipped out, their fragrance enveloping the room.

"Ms. Eteri Magallanes owns a consulting firm where she serves as Operations Manager and also works as a Freelance Library Consultant," Zane read aloud, his eyes scanning the printed text. "According to Michael Tschudy, founder and CEO of David Edward Business Solutions, business consulting involves providing expert advice and guidance to organizations to streamline operations, achieve objectives, and tackle complex issues."

Raine leaned in slightly, her interest piqued. "Sounds like something important. What else does it say?" she asked, her voice soft yet sharp with intrigue.

Zane's eyes drifted to the window, his mind wandering, but he forced himself to focus as Eteri spoke. Her words, though informative, were laced with the kind of business jargon he wasn't particularly fond of. Raine, on the other hand, was absorbing every detail with rapt attention.

"This includes nonprofits, government entities, NGOs, and virtually any organization striving for profit or a specific mission," Eteri continued. "Any organization facing challenges in reaching its goals could benefit from a consultant's expertise."

Raine raised an eyebrow, her tone keen, "And as a Library Consultant?"

Zane shifted in his seat, clearly struggling to conceal his lack of interest as Eteri explained. "Our role primarily involves advising libraries on how to enhance their operations and services. From reorganizing collections to implementing new cataloging systems or even designing layouts for new spaces, we improve the way libraries serve their patrons. We assess existing resources, identify gaps, and offer solutions to optimize everything from digital archives to physical spaces."

Raine nodded slowly, her expression thoughtful. "Fascinating. Sounds like you're giving libraries a much-needed makeover."

Eteri smiled, her confidence unshaken. "Exactly. The goal is to ensure they're not just functional, but engaging and accessible for everyone who walks through their doors."

Raine observed Eteri carefully, noting how the woman's confidence seemed to sharpen with every word she spoke. She was no stranger to delivering information with authority, a quality Raine respected but also recognized as an attempt to match her own poise. Eteri was impressive, undoubtedly knowledgeable, and yet Raine was conscious of how much she disliked drawn-out explanations. Still, she couldn't help but appreciate the clarity in the woman's delivery.

Eteri's gaze remained steady as she continued, "We also focus on strategic planning—helping libraries adapt to changing needs, whether that means transitioning to digital resources or finding more effective ways to engage the community." She paused for a moment, her expression slightly distant as she recalled her work. "What I spent the night doing was reviewing a collection of rare books at a city library."

"Your employer certainly knows how to choose their allies," Raine grinned. "Enough with the small talk. Tell me why they sent you. I have no time to waste."

"Take a seat," Zane motioned to the long sofa beside him.

Raine sat down on the square sofa facing him. "It's not just aswangs stealing the limelight," Eteri began as she took a seat, too. "Turns out, witches might be lurking about as well."