Monday afternoon in June 2023 found the girls settling back into their shared home after their respective personal affairs. Cassy, still in her school uniform of a white blouse and a blue miniskirt, was the first to arrive. Her hair was neatly tied in a bun, with bangs framing her face. She immediately set about tidying up the lounge, a reminder of the chaotic week they had just had. As she moved to the kitchen bar, she noticed that the coffee maker was still plugged in. "Wait, I remember unplugging this before I left the house. I can't miss this because this is my routine," Cassy said to herself. Cassy was meticulous about the house chores, so it was unusual for her to overlook something like this. She shrugged it off and proceeded to clean the lounge and the kitchen bar. As she was cleaning, Theresa arrived. "I'm home," she announced, her voice filled with enthusiasm. Theresa was dressed in her standard bank officer attire, a red blouse paired with a black pencil skirt. She looked every bit professional, her hair neatly styled, and her makeup impeccably done. "Something's weird!" Theresa exclaimed as she entered the house. "Eh? What's weird?" Cassy asked, pausing in her cleaning. Theresa, who had an unusually keen sense of smell, sniffed the air. "A smell that I've never smelled before, especially in this house," she said. Theresa's heightened sense of smell was due to a condition known as hyperosmia, which gave her an increased olfactory acuity. It was a trait she had inherited from her mother, and it had proven to be both a blessing and a curse. "What smell? I'm not smelling anything," Cassy replied, trying to pick up what Theresa was smelling. "A hint of blood, and something else I don't know. Cassy, is it your time of the month?" Theresa asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. Cassy's facial expression changed, her eyes widening in surprise. "No, not yet. Is your sense of smell really that strong?" she asked, her voice filled with concern. Theresa nodded. "It's strong enough that I can tell whose scent belongs to whom. It's not mine either," she said. "W-w-wait! We each have a unique smell? Is that what you're telling me?" Cassy asked, her eyes wide with surprise. "Yes, I can even tell if it's your time of the month. I can also tell if a girl is pregnant as early as one week," Theresa explained. Cassy was both concerned and curious. She tried to smell her armpits, worried that she might have a bad odor. "You girls don't stink that bad. You each have a variation of a milk-like scent, and yours, Cassy, is the mildest," Theresa reassured her. "Really? I'm always concerned that I smell bad," Cassy admitted. "No, you do not. I can tell you're hygienic. You also eat healthy food based on the scent you produce when you're on your cycle," Theresa said. Cassy was curious about how Theresa was able to do this, but she was more curious about what Theresa smelled when she was on her cycle. "What is the scent you smell when it's my cycle? I'm extremely curious," Cassy asked. "A mild scent of strawberry. It mixes with your milk scent. The stronger the flow, the stronger the strawberry scent is," Theresa explained. "How are you doing this?" Cassy asked, her curiosity piqued. "Genetics. My mom is like this. She can easily tell if someone is pregnant in mere seconds," Theresa replied. Cassy was concerned. This was a trait of a manananggal, a Filipino cryptid notorious for eating babies in the womb using their long tongue. "You're not a manananggal, right?" Cassy asked, half-joking. Theresa laughed. "No, hell no!" she paused, then added jokingly, "Or am I?" "Mikayla has the most pleasant smell, she smells sweet, almost like brown sugar," Theresa continued, changing the subject. "Allaine has the most interesting smell, unique, she smells floral, but she contrasts between a mild flower, to a wild one." "What about Priscilla?" Cassy asked, intrigued by Theresa's descriptions. "Priscilla has the most consistent smell, she smells like a sleeping forest, calming and always fresh," Theresa replied. While they were talking, Mikayla arrived. "I'm back, girls!" she announced. Mikayla approached Theresa who was sitting on the sofa and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She also did the same to Cassy before returning to the sofa and sitting to rest. "So, girls, what are you talking about?" Mikayla asked. "Oh! We're talking about a weird scent that doesn't belong to this house," Theresa replied. Mikayla's facial expression showed alarm. "Really? Maybe a stray cat or something when we were gone. We weren't robbed, were we?" she asked with worry. Mikayla ran towards her room to see the situation in her room, and found out that it was as she had left it. Mikayla returned with a sigh of relief. "Phew, I'm safe," she said. "Big Sis, your shoes," Cassy said, reminding Mikayla of the most integral rule of the house: remove your shoes before entering the house. Mikayla was shocked and immediately went to the slipper rack near the main door and changed into a pair of purple slippers. "Sorry, hehe," she chuckled. Mikayla returned to her previous seat. "So, any news about the new guy who's supposed to move in here?" she asked. "None, no update from Ms. Elise as well," Cassy replied while she was cleaning the coffee pot. "No update from Elise as well," Theresa echoed. "I guess that guy really chickened out," Mikayla said with a hint of arrogance in her voice. Just then, Allaine arrived. She was dressed in a casual outfit of a loose white shirt and denim shorts, her hair tied up in a messy bun. A pair of sunglasses rested on top of her head, and she carried a plastic bag from the fresh section of the nearby mall. "What's up, triplets?" Allaine greeted her as she removed her shoes and changed into a pair of black fluffy slippers. "We're just discussing the new guy who is supposed to move in here," Cassy replied. Allaine, who was carrying a plastic bag from the fresh section of the nearby mall, headed to the kitchen bar and put it in the sink. "Bought some ingredients from the mall, I have beef here! Do you want to eat later?" Allaine asked. "Yes please! I'm starving!" Theresa replied with a groan. "Yes please! I missed your cooking, big sis!" Cassy said. Allaine's face flushed red with the compliment. "Aww... What do you girls want with this?" she asked. "Can we do Casserole night? I kinda miss Pinoy food!" Mikayla suggested. "Sure! Do you want Kaldereta?" Allaine asked. Kaldereta is a Filipino dish made from goat's meat or beef stewed in tomato sauce and liver paste with vegetables. It's a hearty and flavorful dish that's a favorite in many Filipino households. "Chef's choice," Theresa replied. Everyone nodded. "Alright! Casserole it is! Kaldereta ala Allaine!" Allaine announced. Cassy's facial expression brightened to the maximum level. Kaldereta was Cassy's comfort food, and Allaine cooked it with a twist. Allaine was the cook of the house, and she could almost cook anything. "Oh my God! Can I help please?" Cassy asked, eager to be involved in the cooking process. Allaine bowed and extended her left arm. "What is a magician without her beautiful assistant?" she said, playing along. "Come help me with the veggies," Allaine invited. Cassy approached Allaine, and as she raised her hand to tie her hair, Theresa, who was watching, said, "Hold that pose, Cassy!" Cassy held the position as the three of them looked at her. Theresa gave a very flirtatious smirk. "Someone's growing up," she said with a flirtatious tone. The other girls noticed it as well. "Holy Shit! You're right, Theresa!" Mikayla exclaimed. "Can someone please tell me what's going on?" Cassy asked, genuinely concerned. Allaine pinched Cassy's left hip gently. Too embarrassed, Cassy finished tying her hair and tried to cover her half-exposed hips. "What's happening, sisters?" Cassy asked, still confused. "Your body is taking shape now, in a damn good way," Allaine replied. Cassy was still confused. She was still growing, still maturing, and her body was changing in ways she didn't fully understand yet. "Your boobs are getting bigger, your thighs are also taking shape," Mikayla said straight up. "Sorry, I don't have a nice way to phrase it," she added, seeing Cassy's shocked expression. Cassy started to peel the potato and Allaine started to prepare the other ingredients. "Do you go to the gym, Cassy? It looks like you do. How else is your body shaped like that?" Theresa asked, joining in the conversation. "You know me, big sister, I barely go out of this house," Cassy replied while busy peeling the potato. Mikayla, who went to the gym regularly to maintain her body, looked very annoyed. "Are you a member of a sports club in your school?" she asked, trying to find an explanation for Cassy's physique. "No, I'm a school government official though," Cassy replied. Mikayla looked even more annoyed. "I guess I walk a lot in school. My duty makes me walk a lot, and my side gigs too!" Cassy said, trying to explain her physical activity. Allaine patted Cassy on the head. "I admire your perseverance, Cassy. Continue the grind. I'm here if you ever need help, anything okay?" she said, offering her support. "Thank you, big sis. Life's hard but knowing that you all are here lifts my spirit," Cassy said, her voice filled with gratitude. As the girls waited for the meal to be cooked, Priscilla arrived. "What's up?" she announced, removing her shoes and slipping into a pair of white slippers from the rack. "We're just about to finish cooking. Settle down so we can all eat together," Allaine invited Priscilla, her voice warm and welcoming. "Any news about the new guy?" Priscilla asked, her curiosity piqued. The others shrugged in response, indicating that they had no new information. Priscilla then excused herself to her room upstairs to change into something more comfortable. After about ten minutes, she returned, now dressed in an oversized shirt adorned with an anime print, her fiery red hair tied up in a loose bun. The shirt hung loosely on her slender frame, giving her a casual, laid-back look. "How was your day, Priscille?" Theresa asked, using the nickname she had given Priscilla. Theresa had a habit of giving everyone nicknames, a quirk that stemmed from her playful nature and close relationship with her housemates. Priscilla sighed, a tired look on her face. "I have work later. I'm already tired, but my deadline is so tight I can't even squeeze in a snack," she complained. "You're still working for that studio? The one that produces manga?" Mikayla asked, her interest evident in her voice. "Yeah, still working on the same project," Priscilla replied, her tone resigned. "Why don't you switch jobs? A normal one? Working with the Japanese is tiring, they're often overworked," Theresa suggested, her concern for Priscilla evident in her voice. Priscilla shook her head. "I can't. First, it's a work-from-home setup. Second, I earn almost 200k a month on this project. Third, I can't work in an office setting, I might get exposed," she explained, referring to her secret identity as the controversial digital artist DOT.TRIX. "Makes sense," Theresa conceded, understanding Priscilla's predicament. Just then, Allaine announced that the meal was ready. She and Cassy brought the food to the table while the others prepared the table and fetched drinks from the fridge. The table was set with a simple white tablecloth, and each place setting consisted of a plate, a glass, and a set of silverware. The drinks were a mix of soda, water, and juice, catering to everyone's preferences. Cassy led the grace before they started eating. "How was the family trip, Cassy?" Mikayla asked, her curiosity piqued. Cassy sighed, knowing that this was a safe space for sharing and that her housemates would understand her predicament. "My parents are making a move for me. They're pushing me hard to a guy named Carlos," she confessed, her voice filled with pain. "Why don't you just introduce a boyfriend or even a fake boyfriend to them?" Mikayla suggested, trying to find a solution to Cassy's problem. "I can't. I can't risk my cover being blown. My family thinks that I'm living in a small, shared room and studying at a cheap school," Cassy explained, referring to the lie she had told her family to hide her true circumstances. "Pulling that stunt would be hard, Mikay. Our Cassy could be exploited," Theresa added, showing her concern for Cassy's well-being. "If only someone could be trusted," Mikayla mused, her mind already working on possible solutions. "Cassy can just try to avoid meeting the guy as much as possible. I have a feeling that this guy is a sexual predator or something," Mikayla suggested, her protective instincts kicking in. "You don't have to answer this, but why are your parents so eager to marry you off to this guy?" Allaine asked, her curiosity piqued. "You won't believe what I'm about to say. The guy looks rich, so they see it as an opportunity to get rich," Cassy explained, her voice filled with resignation. "People who pretend to be rich or are rich often have this feeling of entitlement, thinking they can have everything they want," Mikayla said, her voice filled with disdain. "Money isn't everything, you know?" Priscilla chimed in; her voice soft but firm. "It's not everything for us because we're lucky enough to be in our position. But for Cassy's family? It's important. However,... it's still wrong. I mean, trying to pimp their daughter on someone?" Theresa said, her voice filled with disgust. "Only Cassy can decide whether it's right or wrong. The topic is so subjective, girls. Let's ask Cassy what she wants," Allaine suggested, trying to steer the conversation in a more positive direction. Cassy, who still had a spoon in her mouth, coughed in surprise. "What I want?" she asked, her face flushing red. The girls nodded in unison, waiting for her answer. "Promise you girls won't laugh?" Cassy asked nervously. Again, the girls nodded in unison, their faces serious. "I want to marry for love. I want my first to be my last," Cassy confessed, her voice barely above a whisper. Mikayla was about to laugh and say something, but Theresa pinched her leg, stopping her. Mikayla was a big love skeptic, and Theresa didn't want to ruin Cassy's ideals because of Mikayla's skepticism. "That's a nice endeavor. But what do you want in a boyfriend? Any qualifiers?" Allaine asked, her voice gentle and encouraging. "I have a simple list. Someone who's interesting, has a decent job, someone who will respect me, someone who I can trust to be my rock when all hope is lost," Cassy replied, her voice steady and sure. "What if he's super ugly?" Mikayla challenged, her tone teasing. "That's fine with me. I don't care about his past, as long as he works to better himself. That's what matters the most to me. Besides, how can you take care of someone if you can't take care of yourself, right?" Cassy countered, her tone firm. "That makes sense. Someone who can break that social construct," Priscilla added, her voice filled with admiration. "It will be hard to find someone like that in this world right now, but it's worth it, and you deserve that, Cassy. Don't settle for less!" Allaine said, pinching Cassy's cheek affectionately. They continued their conversation, sharing stories and laughter as they enjoyed their meal together. -A week After- A week after Priscilla's revelation about the strange occurrences in the house, the girls found themselves on high alert. They began to notice oddities that they had previously overlooked. The house, once a sanctuary, now felt like a puzzle with pieces that didn't quite fit. "There's this time that I heard the water flushing upstairs," Allaine said one evening, her brows furrowed in thought. "I know it because I can hear the pipes. I don't know which room, but I know it's upstairs." Priscilla, who had been quietly sipping her tea, suddenly looked up. "Another weird thing would be the coffee," she added. "The rate we consume the coffee is as if we added two more people in this house!" The room fell into an uneasy silence as each girl contemplated the implications. It was Mikayla who finally broke the silence. "Maybe one of us is pranking," she suggested, trying to lighten the mood. Theresa shook her head. "That would be impossible, Mikay. None of us have the time or the inclination to do that." It was true. Between their jobs, studies, and personal lives, none of them had the time to orchestrate such a complex prank. Priscilla's expression suddenly changed from curiosity to dread. "What if it's one of my stalkers who already knows my true identity?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "Stop overreacting, Pris. Only we know your identity," Mikayla replied, trying to reassure her. Allaine, who had been quietly listening, suddenly spoke up. "What if it's a ghost?" she asked, her eyes wide with feigned fear. Cassy, who had been quiet until now, chimed in. "Worse... a ghost stalker," she added, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. Priscilla groaned, covering her face with her hands. "You two are not helping!" Mikayla snapped, glaring at Allaine and Cassy. Despite the tension, the girls couldn't help but laugh. It was a moment of levity in an otherwise serious situation. But once the laughter died down, they knew they had to come up with a plan. Over the next few days, the girls became more vigilant. They started taking turns staying up at night, watching for any signs of activity. Cassy even tried to communicate with the supposed ghost, using a makeshift Ouija board and a white candle. The attempt was unsuccessful, but it did provide some comic relief. Meanwhile, Priscilla and Allaine took it upon themselves to check all the locks and nooks and crannies of the house. Their conversations during these inspections were often light-hearted, filled with jokes and laughter. But beneath the humor, there was a sense of unease. One day, while they were inspecting the main door, Cassy noticed something. "Uhm... Pris? Are those working?" she asked, pointing at a CCTV camera installed on the wall beside the main door. Priscilla's eyes widened. "Holy shit!" she exclaimed. She quickly ran to her room to get her laptop. After a few minutes of frantic typing, she managed to access the CCTV footage. The girls huddled around Priscilla's laptop, their eyes wide and alert as they watched the grainy footage from the CCTV cameras. The figure on the screen was unmistakably a man, dressed in a black hoodie, his face obscured by the darkness. He moved with a stealth that was unnerving, his presence in their home an unwelcome violation of their sanctuary. "Looks like a Korean serial killer starter pack," Mikayla joked, her attempt to lighten the mood falling flat against the tension in the room. The reality of the situation was sinking in. There was a stranger in their house, a potential threat lurking in the shadows . The girls quickly devised a plan. They decided to set a trap for the intruder. They took turns staying up at night, watching for any signs of activity. They were on high alert, their senses heightened by fear and anticipation. When the man finally appeared, they were ready. Theresa, with her keen sense of smell, was the first to notice the intruder. "He's here," she whispered, her eyes scanning the darkened hallway. The girls had positioned themselves strategically around the house - Theresa was on the ground floor, near the stairs; Mikayla was in the kitchen, ready to block the back door; Allaine was upstairs, ready to block the path to the bedrooms; and Cassy was hiding in the living room, phone in hand, ready to call the police. The man descended the stairs, his movements cautious. He was a large figure, easily over 150 pounds, and he was wearing a black hoodie and a face mask. Theresa confirmed that this was the burglar based on the smell he was emitting. It was a scent she didn't recognize, a scent that didn't belong in their home. The chase began when Priscilla, who was controlling the house's lights remotely, suddenly turned them on. The man was momentarily blinded, and he stumbled, disoriented. He tried to retreat upstairs, but Theresa was waiting for him. She tried to tackle him, but he managed to dodge her and continued running. The girls gave chase, their adrenaline pumping. Cassy was on the phone with the police, describing the situation in hushed, frantic whispers. The man ran into a room and locked the door behind him. But in his panic, he didn't realize that the room had a loft. He climbed up to the second floor of the loft and tried to escape through the window. But there was no ledge outside the window, and he fell from the third floor, landing with a thud on the grass below. The girls watched from the window as the man lay on the grass, groaning in pain. He had broken his arm in the fall, and he seemed to have run out of energy or will to escape. He just lay there, waiting for the inevitable. The police arrived a few minutes later. They questioned the man, who identified himself as Altair, a legal resident of the house. Despite his claim, the police arrested him for disturbance. As they led him away, the girls breathed a sigh of relief. The ordeal was finally over. But the sense of safety they once felt in their home was shattered. They knew it would take time to rebuild that trust. But for now, they were just glad that the mystery was solved. The house was quiet again, but the silence was heavy with the memory of the night's events. The girls knew that they would have to face the aftermath in the morning, but for now, they were just grateful to be safe.
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