For The Stars Have Sinned

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The glass window of the car rolled down and I saw the face of Lyndon, that good Engineer who likes to accuse people around and Papa’s business partner.

I sighed for the nth times and nodded, agreeing to him half-heartedly. “I know, I know,” I said and frowned.

He’s been talking about how it’s not safe to travel alone, and I can still hear him talk about it even when we almost reach the port. It’s just annoying. I’m not a kid anymore but why does he always scold me?

I know his point and I understand it, but I just let him blabber because his car was about to reach the Larica building.

I leaned forward on the back of the passenger seat and looked out the windshield. The car turns to Pier 3 and turns to gate 5, where Pier 1 is. Until now, I didn’t understand why the numbering of the piers and gates was reversed. I think it just exact only at Pier 3, eh.

“The renovation will start next week. For the meantime, don’t visit the Port,” Lyndon said suddenly, cutting my thoughts.

I looked at him. “Which part to renovate?”

“To the left straight to the beacon. The beacon will also be moved to expand the coverage.”

My eyes squinted. “In your words… you will not interfere with Papa’s office, right?”

“That’s the initial plan.”

I raised my eyebrows at his answer. “Oh,” was all I could say.

The car stopped in front of the Larica Building. I immediately got out of the car and took big steps towards the entrance. I even saw some of Papa’s fishermen. They were fixing the net. Some of them even waved at me before retracting their gazes and back at what they were doing.

I faintly smiled at them, looking at them one by one. Most of them were moreno. But they’re not too brown, just medium in color. Maybe because they only sail every night and come home before the sun rises in the east.

Papa told me that they use different fishing methods. His favorite’s using a floodlight to attract fish to the net.

Maybe that’s why fishes were expensive during the full moon. There’s not much to be caught because the water’s bright and the fishes were easily distracted.

I passed them by and continued into the building. I saw a few employees and they were mostly technicians. Walking straight to Papa’s office, I knocked on the door before going inside. I saw him sitting on a swivel chair and writing something. I coughed a bit.

He looked up and smiled when he saw me. “Your eyebags too big. Are you still sleeping, Rishel?” he asked, clearly kidding with me.

My lips twitched in a smile. “Well it’s exam week, Pa.”

He laughed and beckoned me to come. I obeyed. “Did you fail the exam?” he asked when I stopped in front of his table.

I snorted at his question. “I did…”

He just chuckled and shook his head. “You didn’t study. What will you answer in the exam?”

“How did you know, Pa?”

He shook his head. “I know you. You’re spending more time with your band idol and books than with studying.”

“Pa.” I pouted my lips. “Those are my stress relievers.”

“Stress reliever? Rishel, with what you’re doing, those are no longer stress relievers. They’re stress givers.”

“Papa is really…”

“Why?” He frowned. “Isn’t it true? Instead of studying for the exam, you’re facing your phone and watching videos. Instead of helping with the chores, you’re in your room reading again. And now, you’re stressed with the exam because you don’t know what to answer. Even your mom doesn’t know what to do to get you out of your room voluntarily. I heard that your mom is turning off the WiFi so you will walk out of the room.”

“That’s…”

“Rishell, are you doing it right?”

I sighed and shook my head. “No.”

Papa’s eyes narrowed and he nodded. “You should know the limit. If you don’t, you’ll definitely screw it up.”

“I know my limit, Pa.”

His eyes narrowed at me, clearly not believing my words. “Show me that you know and I will believe.”

I pursed my lips and nodded. I said goodbye to him and quickly left the room. What a joke. I don’t know what I will hear from Papa if I don’t go out. I just put the new books on the bookshelf.

Suddenly my phone vibrated. I looked and saw that it was a notification from GC. They say there is an undiscovered author who writes well. When someone sent the link, I immediately clicked that link. The author’s username is CareLikeGoldFish.

It must have a very short attention span. I shook my head, downloaded all his written books in my private library, before I hid my phone inside my pocket. I decided to go to Ayala to buy an addition to the collection.

But when I walked out of the room, I saw a man’s naked torso. He was holding a blueprint and was looking down from time to time at the extent of the dock. He was standing on the terrace just opposite the door of my collection room.

I quietly walked to the stairs but suddenly the good Lyndon called me. “Rishel.”

I could do nothing but stop and face him. I blinked. “Yes?”

“Come here.” He smiled at me. “I have something for you.”

I caught my breath when I saw his smile. That man’s playing his cards well! What else could I do except to obey his highness? But was it easy for me to simply obey someone? “Sorry, I need to—”

He cut me off. “Just a minute.”

Pursing my lips, I took a step towards him sighing in defeat. Fine, for the sake of our dirty big secret.

Because it’s an open space, the wind blew to and fro. My hair’s still on the loose so it’s like I was facing a bunch of hair blowers from front to back because the wind’s blowing my waist-length hair everywhere!

Terrible. The wind wasn’t that strong earlier, eh?

“What do you want?” I asked and stopped in front of him, locking my hair with my palm.

He looked below the terrace again and pointed to the dock that I could see from up here. “That area is too narrow for a fishing port. That should be widened a little. I heard your father is planning to buy parts in Pier 2 for construction of seaport.”

“I guess…”

He glanced at me. “Your course is naval architecture?”

I raised my eyebrows. “So?”

He was silent for a few minutes while looking at the dock. I didn’t speak anymore and waited for what he had to say. The sun had set in the west and the salty air was cool. I could smell the moss and washout paint from the ships nearby.

“Before the crime happened in Boljoon, there was a murder victim in Argao. A University student. The victim came from a Vine concert and her remains were found a few kilometers from the venue.” He glanced and looked down at me. “Is it a coincidence, Rishel?”

My eyes squinted. A murder victim before that incident? And it had something to do with Vine also? It’s suspicious. Realizing that Lyndon was still staring at me, I looked away. “Why are you asking me? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Keep pretending, lady.” He chuckled. He reached for a few strands of my hair that escaped to my face and tucked them behind my ear. “Sooner or later, I’ll dig out all your secrets…”

I took a deep breath and met his gaze with courage. “I don’t have any secrets, Mister. Maybe you have the secret and you’re pushing the blame on me?”

He raised his eyebrows at what I said. After a while, the corner of his lips twitched and he laughed. “We’ll see, Rishel… We’ll see,” he said before walking away.