Chapter 2 (1/2)
”Oh? Are you jealous?” I said while grinning to annoy hi me?”
HARRIET
Life in the university doesn't always resolve between House Holmes and Moriarity There are still two other Houses: House Watson and Adler
Students wearing yellow vests are the Watsonians, narapher, Dr John Watson Of all the students in Class 2-A, they're the ones who's very fond of codes Theyand afternoon that's why just one look they would immediately kno to decipher it
”Maybe they used the Bacon cipher that's why the structure is like that?” A girl that had long hair with highlights and wore an eye glass asked ”Look, compared to the other codes' structure that's the closest”
”I don't think so Maybe they uy that was just standing and thinking deeply answered, ”They used that tactic before and they can use it again What do you think, Mina?”
Beside the in her iPad She has a long hair and her forehead was covered with her bangs She then showed them a series of dots and dashes When her two companions saw it, the two just nodded and continued their conversation
Wilhelmina Williams, also known as ”Mina” is the weirdest person in our class It's not because she's eating a breathing chicken nor is it because she's drinking an expired chocolate Her way of of co her her peers and classmate was… unique in its oay You won't hear her voice; instead if you'll talk to her she'll reply through her iPad that she always carried And if she's going to answer you, you would still need to decipher it because she only communicates via Morse code
Yeah, she's weird but equally brilliant
Meanwhile, students wearing green sweatshi+rts are the Adlerians, named after the woman who beat Sherlock Hol skills They're so great at acting that you wouldn't even know if they're faking it or not
For now, their House has the most students compared to the other Houses, probably because there are a lot of a two-faced people in this world Perhaps their best representative in our class is Aiden Alterra -the self-proclai -if Ito some
Some says that he's the heartthrob of our school; the one who everyone has a crush on Well, that's because it feels really good to crush his face
My gaze went to his direction; he ith a guy and a girl He was laughing with thehed No irls love him
Coincidentally, he also looked at ave me a wink and flashed a smile
Augh! I averted oose bumps all over my body He can make all my hair stand in just his one wink How dare him! Does he think that he can catch me with his cuteness?
”Why do you have a disgusted look in your face?” Kristine asked, she was sitting at ht side, ”Do you still feel bad for what happened last time?”
”Maybe she has it now that's why her ” Shekinah joked
”I just saw so that ruined my day” I answered
I could only restat 7 o'clock My gaze went to the other rohere Morrie, as remained quiet hile his companions continued to talk endlessly
I wonder what's going on his mind sometimes
The classroo footsteps Even if I won't look at the person who entered, I already knew that whoever was it earing heels around three inches
”Good reeted once we stood, ”Welcoraphy 101 For today, we'll discuss one of the most common codes used”
Or first subject this raphy Compared to other schools, this university had a different curriculuht was for us to become an effective detective I always look forward to this subject since I was interested in encrypting and decoding codes
Our Cryptography instructor is Theresa Cabrera, we call her Professor ”Terry” It became a habit of mine to read the character of a person and she's one of the teachers who caught my interest Sohts are hard to decode You can co us
”Who a you here have heard of the Morse code?” She tucked so the platform of our small classroom
Everyone one of us raised our hand, yet he pointed at the guy that was beside my row, ”Yes, Morrie?”
”Developed by Sa used as aradio operators in the nals -long and short, which are translated into dots and dashes”
Since I' his answer, I just wrote my my name in Morse code I already read in advance about this so I don't really need to listen to the introductory part of the lesson
”You probably think that fa this codeat everyone in the rooe in Morse code and that clue is crucial to the case?”
Our Cryptography instructor continued discussing while I continued writing stuff in Morse code It's really like this if youto worry about even if you'll be called for recitation
[1]
”You can also use Morse code if you want to relay soue while the two of you pretend to have a casual conversation” Professor Terry explained, ”The tapping of your fingers, the sto of your eyes -you can use these coestures to transmit information”
Whoa I thought that Morse code is only effective at writing dots and dashes
”Just re signals so the receiver of the et confused, okay?”
”Yes, ma'am”
”Why don't we try it now? Let's see if you can apply the concept of Morse code in a secret conversation while having a casual one”
Professor Terry craned her to look around our classroo for our class activity
”Miss Harriet?”
”Eh?”
Wait, me? I look around the classroom, maybe there's also someone with the same name, 'Harriet' asa bit aard, I stood up and was pushed by Kristine to go at the front Professor Terry pulled a chair and put it near the teacher's table
He let , ”Ah! Mister Morrie! Come here!”
Wait a minute, why is that from all the students in this classroom, ma'am picked him? Can't it be just Kristine or Shekinah?
Morrie jumped from his seat and went toward us His two hench match
Morrie pulled a monobloc chair that was at the other side of the table andeach other
”This exercise is how you can co with each other” Professor Terry said
This Moriartard [2] before me and I nodded at the same time before we could look at each other I could easily push the table to his direction to make him out of balance at his chair
He crossed his ar on his elbow That h Morse code
”You look so gorgeous today,” he said dryly, not letting go his stare onsomeone from your House? Or is he from another House?”
I put my left elbow at the table and rest ht hand on the table and began tapping ers
”Oh? Are you jealous?” I said while grinning to annoy hi me?”
”Why would I be jealous? You are far fros so easily”
”So I assus easily, ah? You think you're so handsouy on this world, I still wouldn't engage with you”
”Touche”
I sla our class wasn't surprised He even looked so happy withdesperation on their target's faces
I prayed to the patron to forgive uy
”Okay! That's enough!” Professor Terry went between us before I could throwtheir conversation, you would understand why Miss Harriet reacted that way But please, let's avoid those kinds of exchanges Okay?”
I may look physically weak but that's only a cover I could take down a man like Morrie within a few uy would already be in a clinic One of these days, he would really get it
”Thank you” Morrie winked atto his seat I clenched ave me a wink He was able to increase !
Just wait for it, Morrie We'll beat you, Moriartian Laugh while you can Soon you'll burst into tears, wondering how the Holmesians ”that sucked” kicked your ass
Our class for the day has finally ended, yet my irritation for that Morrie still hadn't disappearedEvery time I'll hear his voice or see his shadow, my blood would start to boil I force this emotion to pile up inside me for howm any hours and force myself to shut up until I can
To remove this stress, I went to the Gladstone Gy This is where our class for self-defence and physical education is set Outside is an archery range where you can practice shooting If I was only skilled enough on archery, I would have used this to let o out
Our gymnasium was too spacious and can accommodate all students of QED UniversityEvery tihThe floor was quite shi+nny and clean that you could even use it as a mirror to look at your reflection
I could throwthe punching bag, I went to the singlestick section I saw a training duer that the last time I used it
I rele stick in the rack I placedthe wooden weapon I closed my eyes and deeply breathed When I could finally relax, I started to hit the training dummy
I iined Morrie's face on the dummy's head as I repeatedly hit that part with the wooden stick My hitdummy was about to fall