As his classes ended earlier than expected that day, Rendo walked down the famous college stairs and saw Verona waiting at the lowermost case. He figured as much that she does not intend him to ditch her again, and so he meets her.

"Hey there. Have you been waiting long?"

"Not really. I just arrived as well."

"So, should we get going?"

"Of course."

They walk together to the main university library.

"The library closes at 5 PM. So, we've a few more hours to go. What do you need there, by the way?"

"Reference material for our project."

"It's a group project?"

"Yes."

"Then why are you alone here?"

"See, we practice division of labor. I'm assigned to do the research here."

"Hmm. I see."

Then, there was awkward silence. Soon enough, they reached the library.

"Well, that was fast."

"Yeah. It's quite near to my college building."

"Mm..."

"So here you go."

"Oh... Um, okay... Thanks, I guess?"

"You have the letter of intent, right?"

"Yeah, sure."

She goes up the stairs towards the entrance, while he goes on his way back to the university road. However, he has not reached far when he hears her calling.

"Hey! Rendo! Wait!"

He stops and turns around.

"What?"

"Well...," she puffs while speaking, "the guard said... I can't... come in..."

"Hmm. That's odd. Even if you're from a private school, you should be able to have access. Of course, there's a fee for private researchers, but still."

"What do I do?"

"Okay. Let's go there."

So they did. It turns out that while researchers from private and independent institutions do need to pay a fee, such access can only be granted to students at least of graduate status. Undergraduate students are not allowed to access the hallowed halls of the main library. Thus, Verona fails to achieve her mission in this university. Meanwhile, Rendo tries to console her as they walk together once more.

"It's alright. Knowing our technology today, there must be some digital copy of the books you're trying to find."

"Yeah, I hope you're right..."

"Aw. Come on. What's with that tone?"

"Well, this day's not a very good one to begin with."

"How come?"

"First off, you ignored me."

"Oh... Sorry 'bout that."

"No worries. I figured you wouldn't really remember me... Actually, you seem to not remember until now..."

Rendo looked at her quizzically.

"What do you mean?"

Verona looked at him with a smiling face.

"Do... Do you really not recognize?"

He shook his head.

"No. I don't recall?"

"Oh... Okay... May I ask though?"

They looked forward again.

"Yes?"

"Why're you still not accepting my friend request in SNS?"

Again, if you are just catching this now, SNS is an abbreviation for Social Networking Service.

"Ah, that? You see..."

"What?"

"I don't have internet at home?"

"That's no excuse! We have mobile data now."

"Er, you see..."

"What? Tell me."

"Oh! Just look at the time! My goodness, I have to go!"

Rendo was about to run for it, and in terms of speed, he can easily leave her in the dust, but she suddenly grabs his hand. This caused him to almost fall over the muddy sidewalk.

"That's it? You're gonna disappear again?"

"Um... About that..."

"Mm?"

That time, which was just two chapters back anyway, he checked Verona's phone and saw his mother's message to go home already. Of course, he is of legal age to stay late in the evening, but one also cannot discount advice from your parents, even though it would seem like a stern command to some. So, when a classmate of hers noticed that the bag he is holding is Verona's, he took the opportunity and gave back the bag with the phone in it. Nothing more, nothing less. It turns out, of course, that this classmate is Maida, her friend.

"How'd you know how to open my phone's lock?"

Rendo laughed nervously.

"You see, I kinda saw how you opened it then... So there?"

"You mean, with just one or two looks, you managed to memorize the phone's lock pattern and password?"

"Eh. Two-step verification is so mainstream nowadays. It's elementary."

"Well, wow... Maybe I should change them later."

"Come on now. It's not as if I'd get your phone to repay for the damage on mine."

"You seem to have thought of it that far, don't you?"

"Oh, no! It's against my values."

"I know."

"Look, you keep on giving hints that you know me well, but how? Have we met before?"

"I won't tell you... unless..."

"Unless?"

She stopped at this point, seemingly embarrassed of herself.

"Well... unless... You agree to... to have lunch with me!"

He stopped as well, and then looks back at her.

"Oh. Why not? How's the Town Center for you? Of course, it has to be somewhere halfway, right? You've classes, too."

She catches up with him and then pushes him forward.

"Then let's go home. I have your number, so just message me, alright?"

"Hey! No need to push me. I've my own legs."

"Always serious. Is that how you deal with other people?"

For some reason, they both laughed thereafter. As they reached the terminal, one had a sudden realization.

"It just occurred to me," Rendo said after slapping his forehead, "If we boarded the same jeep a while ago, does that mean we have the same way going home?"

She smiled, "Why, yes. That's right! So, are we going?"

He held the outside bars of the jeep and said, "Please, go first."

However, as she walked towards the jeep, it suddenly began going backward by a few inches.

"Look at that! You can pull jeeps with one arm?"

He was just as surprised.

"I... Hmm! I guess?"

She giggled, and then boarded the jeep. He followed her and they sat beside each other.

"Oh. I thought you're going to do your disappearing act again."

"Yeah, I've thought of that... But, I suppose I can go with you, right?"

She punched him lightly, and the jeep went on its way as soon as it became full. As always, there is the extra two or three people being loaded into the limited seating capacity of the public utility vehicle. As the jeep traverses the heavily congested national road, the two continued talking. They are somewhat a noisy spot in a vehicle full of quiet passengers.

At one point of their lively conversation, Verona asked, "Don't you remember talking about that topic before?"

"I did? But didn't we just meet?"

"Yes, you were. You're talking about your theory on Yamashita's treasure to a girl once. In this same jeep."

"Hmm..."

At that instant, Rendo's brain began working overtime. He recalls that day quickly enough. It was a number of years back. He was talking about it with a woman... yes, it was his girlfriend Alisse! Then again, how did Verona come to know about that?

"Are you a spy or something?"

"No! Of course not."

"Then how did you know about that?"

"Well, actually..."

"Hmm?"

"I was sitting parallel to you at that time."

"You were?!"

"Yes. You seem to haven't noticed me, though... You're like, engrossed to that girl..."

"Oh..."

"Who's she? Maybe I know her?"

Rendo suddenly looked away from her and stopped speaking.

Puzzled, she asks, "W-why? What's wrong?"

He then looked back at her with a smile.

"No. That's nothing. Anyway, is that the first time you saw me?"

"Uh, I won't tell you until our lunch tomorrow!"

"Hmm. I see that I can go now. The jeep's near the terminal."

She grabs his hand, causing him to be unbalanced, which forced him to sit down again.

"Hey, wait! What's the rush?"

"We've different jeeps to ride after this anyway. Besides, it's almost always heavy traffic in the highway. So much about modernization."

"I thought there are trains going to Marikina now?"

"Yeah, but still expensive enough considering my budget."

The jeep stops at the terminal, and all its passengers go down. As soon as they unloaded, they mixed with the sea of people trying to cross the intersection and getting to ride their next public utility vehicle. While Verona tried her best to keep herself close to Rendo, she soon lost him in the crowd. So, she decided to take the train going to Antipolo, where she goes off on a station in Pasig. As for her, the day seemed to be a hybrid of successes and losses. Meanwhile, Rendo was busy chasing jeeps that are already full. Anyway, jeeps of the older type would still cramp up as many passengers as they can, to the point of letting some of them cling to the outside bars (locally known as sabit). He becomes one of these passengers clinging for dear life... or rather, clinging to the jeep in order to get home eventually. It was a typical day for him, but Verona seemed like an anomaly in his routine life. She seems to know him like an open book, but they only met last week, and have not even accepted her as a friend in SNS. He did not even tell her that he resides in Marikina! This woman confused him enough to almost miss his stop.

Are Rendo and Verona related to each other somehow? Stay tuned!