RYUICHI
KAKATAPOS lang naming magtalik ni Shimada-senpai and here we are now, sitting on the floor and not facing each other. Sa sobrang dalas na naming magtalik dito ay nagtago na siya ng manipis na folding bed dito sa kanyang opisina. And to be honest, I was starting to get bored of this routine.
"Kicchan had a mate once. If you look closely at his nape, you will see the little details of bite marks engraved on his skin that probably left a remarkable scar not just on his body but his heart and soul, as well. And I am telling you this not because I wanted you to know. This will serve as a warning. If you don't have plans on taking Kicchan seriously then you better put a stop to this before you break him any further."
Whenever I remember what that freaking four-eyed told me, I couldn't help but feel irritated. Hindi ko alam kung saan nanggagaling ang inis kong ito. In the first place, I shouldn't be worried dahil nandito lang naman ako ngayon para pagtakpan ang totoong pagkatao ni Shimada-senpai.
Palihim ko siyang nilingon then I felt a sudden sting on my chest when I saw him carefully rubbing his nape as if he was trying to trace something. Kahit nakatalikod siya sa akin, I could tell that his face was still flustered. I balled my hands into fists and clenched my teeth. Why am I even worrying over this stupid deal that we had? He was the one who asked for it and I just had to go along. I should not feel guilty for whatever he feels afterwards.
"Shimada-senpai… don't you think it's better if we stop this?" I suddenly suggested. No! That was not what I wanted to say! Prantik namang napatingin si Shimada-senpai sa gawi ko habang pinandidilatan ng mga mata. "Don't falter. I won't spill your dirty secret," pang-iinis ko pa sa kanya but he remained motionless and shocked.
"If you do that, I will have to fire you," tangka nitong pananakot but I knew exactly that it wasn't his concern at all. Rather than having his reputation be tainted, he's much afraid of the thought of having no one beside him to help him ease his painful heats.
And to discover that he was once bonded with someone, napagtanto kong baka hindi n'ya magawang kalimutan ang taong iyon at magpahanggang ngayon ay umaasa si Shimada-senpai na maiibsan ang nararamdaman n'yang pangungulila kung makakahanap siya ng panakip-butas.
Why didn't I notice beforehand? This situation was so similar to that of my mother's, only it was Shimada-senpai who was left broken. And to think that he's an Omega, I don't think I could give him the warmth that he's been longing for.
"Do whatever you want. My work here is temporary, anyway," saad ko at tila nabagabag siya sa narinig.
"What do you mean?" he asked, his voice slightly cracked at the end.
"Oh. You didn't read my profile? My old boss told me that I'll be your subordinate for a short time. He instructed me to help you out and when you manage to satisfy your customers again, I'll go back. I thought you knew," pagsisiwalat ko while smirking. Of course, it was a BIG FUCKING LIE. This was all I could think of to end our contract before I totally lose my cool and forget that I hated Omegas; that I hated him.
I despised to admit it but I could no longer see him as my boss or even as an ordinary co-worker. Just smelling his scent whenever he's in heat makes me want to ravish him. My instinct of wanting to destroy him and make him mine at the same time gradually overpowered my sense of reason. So, before I totally break him… I had to let go.
"Is that so? I understand," tila nawalan ng pag-asa si Shimada-senpai and just looked at me blankly. Seeing that reaction on his face almost made me want to grab his chin to kiss him but I stood up and controlled myself before I could literally do it. Because if I did, it means it was my loss.
"Guess… this is goodbye? Though we will still be seeing each other tomorrow. After you meet with that Fujiwara-san, I'll leave," I said and grabbed my things and left the office as if nothing happened again.
Maybe I was imagining it but I caught a glimpse of him trying to reach out his hand to me and call out my name but I refused to acknowledge it and pretended that I didn't notice that.
━━━━━━ ◦ ❖ ◦ ━━━━━━
I didn't want today to come, honestly. I wasn't able to get a modest sleep after telling those shits to Shimada-senpai.
Fujiwara Ichi-san will be coming over to further discuss their agreement. Bago magpasya si Shimada-senpai na pumirma ng mga dokumento, he needed to ensure that our client would be trustworthy or else, our company will be going down to the pits.
"Okuda-kun, okay ka lang ba? Mukhang pagod ka yata?" puna ni Moriya-san.
Pinilit ko namang ngumiti kahit na nasapul n'ya ako. "I'm fine. I just finished some… unfinished business last night. That's all," pagsisinungaling ko.
Moriya-san was quite the perceptive type of person. He might be acting worried now but who knows if he exactly knew that something was going on between me and Shimada-senpai.
"Okay. Napansin mo ba si Shimada-san kanina pagpasok n'ya? Maga ang kanyang mga mata na animo'y magdamag itong umiyak. Hindi sa nangingialam ako ha pero may ideya ka ba kung may bumabagabag ba sa kanya?" pagbabaka-sakali nito. He was clearly worried rather than poking into someone else's life. Moriya-san was simply a good person.
"Wala," I shook my head, averted my eyes and pretended to focus on my work.
「It's not something that I can easily tell to anybody,」I thought to myself before secretly sighing.
"Sana balang araw makita ko si Shimada-san na ngumiti," Moriya-san spoke again.
Nagkasalubong naman ang mga kilay ko sa pagdududa. "Moriya-san… Do you like Shimada-senpai?" It was a stupid question but the way he admired him, defended him, and seeing the good in him no matter how our boss treated us so coldly, it was as if he was madly in love with him.
Moriya-san's face literally turned red and I could almost see clouds of smoke escape from his nose and ears. He trembled like crazy and became fidgety all of a sudden. "Okuda-kun, binigla mo naman ako," sabi nito sabay kamot ng kanyang ulo.
"What? Was I right?" I began to feel like teasing him a bit. I saw no hostility in him that's why talking to him so calmly like this did not make me feel threatened if it turned out that he did have feelings for Shimada-senpai.
Mabilis naman siyang umiling. "Hindi sa gano'n, Okuda-kun. Malaki ang respeto ko kay Shimada-senpai. Kahit na medyo mailap siya at hindi marunong makisama, nararamdaman kong may dahilan kung bakit siya ganyan. Sa sistema na ginagalawan natin, kahit pa ano ang estado natin sa buhay, lahat tayo ay may tinatagong kalungkutan," pagpapaliwanag nito. "May mga Alpha na kahit mukha silang malupit ay napakabait nilang tao lalo na sa mga mahihina. Kaming mga Beta ay naiinggit sa kakayahang meron ang mga Alpha. Pero para sa akin, ang mga Omega ang pinakamalungkot sa lahat."
"Why?" For a brief moment, naisip ko bigla si Shimada-senpai habang sinasabi sa akin ni Moriya-san ang mga bagay na ito. I couldn't help but feel guilty.
"Kahit na malamig ang pakikitungo n'ya sa amin, ni minsan ay hindi kami pinagalitan ni Shimada-san. Inaako n'ya ang lahat ng responsibilidad sa tuwing nakakatanggap kami ng reklamo. Pantay-pantay din ang trato n'ya sa lahat. Lahat kami dito ay nararamdamang mabait siya pero hindi lang siya marunong magpahayag ng kanyang damdamin. Kaya naman… kahit na ano'ng mangyari, susuportahan namin si Shimada-san sa abot ng aming makakaya!" mahabang litanya ni Moriya-san.
"Nag-drama ka na naman, Moriya?" biglang sabat ni Amamiya-san sa aming usapan at sabay kaming napalingon sa direksiyon n'ya.
"Huh? Hindi, ah!" mariing tanggi ni Moriya-san.
"Pasensiya ka na kay Moriya, Okuda-kun," pagpapaumanhin ni Amamiya-san sa 'kin. "Alam mo kasi, bago namin naging boss si Shimada-san, may nangyaring trahedya sa kompanyang ito."
"Tragedy?" I frowned.
"Amamiya-san, huwag mong takutin si Okuda-kun!" tarantang sita ni Moriya-san dito.
"Ssh! Mas mabuti nang malaman ni Okuda-kun kaysa marinig n'ya sa iba. Baka kung ano pang kasinungalingan ang sabihin ng echoserang mga chismoso," giit ni Amamiya-san.
"P-pero…" The way Moriya-san spoke, halata sa boses nito ang takot sa ideyang muling talakayin ang sinasabi nilang trahedya.
Before Amamiya-san started talking, lumingon-lingon muna sa siya paligid at sinigurong abala ang iba naming kasama. Nang masigurong ligtas nang magsalita, she secretly snuck in between me and Moriya-san as if she was a run away criminal who was hiding from the authorities.
"May katrabaho kaming Omega noon, Okuda-kun," she started, "He was shy, gloomy, and alone most of the time. Isang Alpha ang boss namin noon at hindi nagtagal ay naging sila. Simula noong maging mates sila, nagpakita ng pagbabago ang Omega. Naging masayahin siya at open sa relasyon nila ng aming boss. Mahal na mahal nila ang isa't isa at lahat kami dito at ang dati naming mga katrabaho ay saksi sa kanilang pagmamahalan."
"Amamiya-san, sa tingin ko ay kailangan mo nang tumigil," nagmamakaawang sabat ni Moriya-san while trembling in fear.
"Kung naiihi ka sa sobrang kilabot edi umalis ka dito. Duwag," buska naman ni Amamiya-san sa kanya at binalingan akong muli. "Sa araw na magpro-propose sana ang former boss namin sa Omega, natagalan ito. Nag-alala ang Omega sa kanya pero kinumbinsi namin ito na baka may dinaanan lang kahit na pati kami ay nagtaka kung bakit hindi siya nasipot. Kasabwat n'ya kasi kami sa plano n'yang proposal. Halos kalahating araw din ang lumipas bago dumating si boss. Pero imbes na magalak kami, nagimbal ang lahat nang dumating siyang duguan ang kanyang damit. Nagmula ang dugo mula sa kanyang bibig at nag-iwan ito ng mantsa dahil pinagpapawisan siya nang husto. Puno ng napakaraming kagat ang kanyang mga braso at kamay. Humahagulgol din siya habang paulit-ulit na humingi ng tawad sa kanyang sinisinta."
"Amamiya-san…" Moriya-san was already shedding tears.
"Binunyag ng boss na aksidente nitong nakasalubong ang kanyang fated pair noong papunta na siya ng trabaho. Sinubukan n'yang labanan ang tawag ng pagnanasa ngunit nabigo siya. Dinalaw ng heat ang nasabing fated pair at ilang beses n'yang pinigilan ang sariling kagatin ito dahil ayaw n'yang magtaksil sa kasalukuyan n'yang mate at patunay lang no'n ang mga kagat sa kanyang mga braso at kamay. Pero mapaglaro ang tadhana, Okuda-kun. Sa huli ay hindi nagawang iwasan ng boss namin ang nakatakda para sa kanya. Kahit masakit, napilitan siyang bawiin ang bond nila ng kanyang minamahal upang palayain ito. Ngunit, iba ang naging epekto nito sa Omega,
"Isang linggo matapos nilang maghiwalay, nagpakamatay ang Omega sa loob mismo ng opisina ng boss. Nagimbal ang boss namin sa nasaksihan pero mas hindi n'ya kinaya ang isang pangyayaring magbibigay sana sa kanila ng labis na saya. Nalaman naming isang buwang nagdadalang-tao ang nagpakamatay na Omega dahil may iniwan itong patunay sa mesa ng boss. Hindi matanggap ng boss ang pagkawala ng kanyang minamahal kaya maging siya ay nagpakamatay. Sobrang traumatic ng nangyari kaya marami sa mga kasama namin ang nag-resign. Inilipat din ang department namin sa isang panibagong building at pinasara nila ang pinangyarihan ng trahedya. Ginawa ng mga awtoridad ang lahat upang hindi kumalat ang balita. Sinuhulan nila ang lahat ng mga empleyado na naging saksi maging ang mga nag-resign na."
I was flabbergasted. My throat went dry and I felt these unexplained emotions that crawled to my whole body. Ngayon ko lang napagtanto kung gaano kahirap para sa isang bonded couple ang malayo nang 'di inaasahan sa minamahal nila dahil lamang natagpuan nila ang kanilang fated pair sa maling pagkakataon.
My mother could have been hurting back then and yet… I hated her for not knowing the real reason behind. And now I've hurt Shimada-senpai, too. There's a possibility na baka naranasan ni Shimada-senpai ang pinagdaanan ng nagpakamatay na Omega kaya gano'n na lamang ang takot n'yang magkaroon muli ng mate.
What have I done? I went pale. It only dawned at me now. Sa sitwasyon namin, it seemed like Shimada-senpai was the one taking advantage of me but it was all the way around; I was the one breaking him.
"Okuda-kun? Namumutla ka yata," nag-alala si Moriya-san nang hindi ako nagsalita matapos marinig ang kwento.
Amamiya-san also gave me this worried look and regretted that she insisted on bringing up that topic that was supposed to be forgotten for everyone's sake.
"Sorry. Something came to mind," pagpapaumanhin ko. "Thanks for telling me," sabi ko na lang at napawi ang pag-aalala nila.
"O siya, maiwan ka muna namin. Lunch break na. He he," pag-iiba ni Amamiya-san ng usapan at hinila si Moriya-san patayo. "Relax ka lang, Okuda-kun. Katrabaho ka namin kaya nararapat lang na malaman mo," pahabol pa n'yang turan bago tuluyang umalis.
A few minutes after everyone else left to have their lunch break, biglang bumukas ang pinto ng aming department at pumasok ang isang lalaki na medyo may edad na pero kahit na gano'n ay matikas pa rin ang tindig nito, halatang healthy ang lifestyle na mayroon siya.
Binalewala lamang n'ya ang aking presensiya at naglakad patungo sa opisina ni Shimada-senpai pero bago ito mawala sa paningin ko ay tinapunan n'ya ako ng isang mapanghusgang tingin.
Then I suddenly felt this heavy aura that quickly escalated at binalot nito ang buong paligid. Our eyes met and we began throwing daggers at each other. This was the first time that I felt this kind of uneasiness. My whole body was trembling, more like it was telling me that the man staring at me right now was a threat. It's the same exact feeling that I experienced when I talked to that four-eyed freak.
Then all of a sudden, I started releasing a tremendous amount of deadly pheromones that Alphas produce when they feel that their Omega is in danger!
The old man showed me a mocking smile then continued walking. He looked like he was daring me to challenge him. Was it him showing off or was it something else? Like some kind of a warning. Whatever it was, it was overwhelming.
「Just now… I have a feeling that I should stop that ugly geezer from going to Shimada-senpai's office,」I thought to myself while clenching my fists but what was holding me back?!
「to be continued」