"Okay class, don't forget to buy a copy of your books. You need it for our succeeding lessons, and most of the answers for your worksheets are there." the last reminder of their professor before she dismissed her class. With that, the students stood up and prepared their things for dismissal. Hebe was putting her writing materials inside her bag when Jiro happily approached her with that smile on his face.

"Hey Hebe!"

"Hey?" Hebe's startled response, looking confused at Jiro.

"Wanna grab the books we need? I'm going to drop by the bookstore." his invitation. "Well, that is... if you wanna go." he nervously scratched his head.

"Oh.. that's cool." Hebe replied with a smile. "I was thinking of the same thing."

Hearing her reply, Jiro brought his hands together with a loud clap.

"That's great! Let's ask if Aaron wants to come along." Jiro then turned to the guy who was busy finalizing his notes, while Gui was standing by his table, waiting for him. "Aaron!"

He was calling out for his friend, but he caught Gui's attention as well.

"Hebe and I are gonna grab out books. You... wanna come along with us?"

Aaron silenced for a few before he glanced towards Hebe who just remained silent, looking blankly at him. After a few seconds, Aaron stood up and brushed a smile towards them for a while.

"Gui and I are going somewhere. You guys go and have fun." his words as he shoved his backpack on his shoulder and held Gui's hand. "Let's go home."

Jiro and Hebe watched as their classmates walked out of their classroom. After a few, Jiro turned to Hebe and nervously laughed, telling her not to mind him.

=o=o=

"Beginner's Guide in Laws.. In and Outs of Police Department...How to be an Honorable Detective..." Hebe chanted as she browsed some books, running her fingers through the titles., afterwards grabbing one and scanning through it. After a few seconds, Jiro approached her, holding the books that they needed.

"Got them all!"

"Really? That's great." Hebe turned to him with a smile.

"In and Outs of Police Department? Whoa, you're interested in those kinds of things?" Jiro asked, with amazement. "You're the only woman I know whose interested in those."

"Ah.." Hebe laughed nervously. "Well.. maybe it runs in the family."

Hearing her reply, Jiro was startled.

"Runs in the family?"

"Uh... my dad is a detective, and he's working on the Black Rose case... and my brother is studying masterals and he's the top of the batch." she then turned to Jiro. "If ever my father fails to uncover who's the one behind this.. I want to take over... and whatever it takes to catch the culprit."

Jiro just stared at her serious face for a few seconds before he breathed out a smile, amazed by her attitude and determination.

"I... don't know what to say." he stammered.

"That's why I don't want people to be in favor of the false justice that Black Rose is making... because..it's just wrong. So wrong. If this goes on, people will be blinded .. and they will lose the idea of what real justice is... and I guess.. Aaron is one of them."

Hearing the part about Aaron, Jiro cleared his throat and browsed through the books as well.

"You can't blame him."

He caught Hebe's attention when he began to seriously talk about something.

"Aaron, Gui and I... we grew up in an orphanage. I asked them to stay and prepare a surprise for the nuns while I went outside to buy ingredients for a feast. But I didn't know, while I was out, a mad man trespassed and broke in the orphanage, carrying a gun. It was a massacre. Everyone was killed.. but Aaron and Gui hid inside a closet. When I returned home... I saw blood everywhere. I saw the man holding the rifle, standing in the middle. He saw me... and I thought I was going to die. But when the man pointed his gun towards me, Aaron immediately ran out of the closet and he wanted to cover for me, but then... Black Rose came..."

After the long sharing, Hebe felt rather bad while her eyes were focused on Jiro's face. SHe didn't know what to say, but she just felt bad. She blinked, turning her attention back to the book, which she eventually placed back on the shelf.

"I'm sorry... I probably said too much." Jiro cleared his throat. "Uhm... c'mon, let's get going. It's already late. I don't want you walking in the streets at this time of night."

=o=o=

"I'm home~" Hebe announced as she stepped inside her home, to find her family having dinner in the dining hall.

"Hebe! C'mon, c'mon!" a man in his mid fifties still dressed in his official uniform beckoned his only daughter to come join them for dinner beside his lovely wife. Hebe first placed her shoes aside and joined them, kissing her parents first before seating herself down. Before she could help herself with her favorite dumplings, a man in his middle twenties having his hair hanging up until his jawline, slender face and slightly built body sat beside her, crossing his arms.

"Young lady, I was waiting for you inside the parking lot but you didn't even leave a message that you were going somewhere." he reprimanded. Hebe bit her lowerlip before she turned to her caring elder brother.

"Ge... My cell was off. Ran out of battery." her excuse.

"You could've been kidnapped, lady." he added.

"Now, now, Danson. Drop the topic, it was good that your sister is safe." their mother smiled, interrupting the tensed up conversation. "Let's eat, the food is getting cold."

So the family indulged themselves with the dumplings that their mother made, the roast duck that their father bought on his way home, and that delicious mouthwatering rice with scrumptious aroma. They were talking about happy memories while Hebe's mind wandered about the Black Rose case, and what Jiro had told her. Keeping a silent and serious nature, her concerned father spoke up and ask her what was bothering her. This made her brother turn to her with his chopsticks in his mouth.

"Dad.. is Black Rose... really a bad man?" her question.

Hearing her, everyone turned to themselves, thinking about why was Hebe thinking about such a thing when her father must be the one thinking about it. To cut of the silence, Danson cleared his throat and took a sip of his tea.

"What made you think about that?" he asked.

"Well... it's just that my classmates say that he's a good person... and he helped out people too. I'm just confused." Hebe added.

"Well, people really have different views on the justice that Black Rose wants,but his ways... killing bad people is just wrong. Those people probably want a chance to change their lives, and he took it away from them." their father's explanation. "He must be caught... and judged."

"I want to catch him... and unveil his mask.. Dad, I want to help you." Hebe turned to her father with a determined look on her face. But her seriousness was cut off when her brother suddenly pinched her ear. "What was that for?!"

"Young lady, you shouldn't be thinking about those things. You couldn't even pass an exam perfectly, and you don't even fix your things properly. I can even see your underwear scattered on the floor and you want to catch Black Rose for yourself? Gimme a break." Danson breathed out a laugh. Hearing him, Hebe irrately hit him on the shoulder.

"Hey, I'm being serious, you know."

Their parents just laughed while watching their offsprings.

"Your brother is right, dear." their mother replied.

"You shouldn't be thinking about those things." their dad smiled as he grabbed another dumpling from the lazy-susan in the middle of the table. "It's too much for your brain." he teased.

"I'm studying hard on it!" Hebe pouted.

"Well, beat my brains first, young lady." Danson winked.

"I'm gonna kill you!"

The couple just laughed while their children childishly argue with each other that night. 
Forgetting the seriousness of the atmosphere.