~Author's note: Finally, I'm back guys! I'm fine now and I miss you all! And like I promised, babawi ako! So here's the update! Enjoy reading, everyone! And by the way, Cyril's story is coming to the end which means after this I can start the story of Brent and I hope that you'll also support me at his story. I'm sure he'll love to know that you'll support his oh-so-dramatic story too. Hehehe, peace Brent.~
"Mark, gising!" naalimpungatan si Cyril ng maramdaman niyang may yumuyugyog sa kaniyang balikat. "Wake up!" kaagad siyang napabangon dahil sa narinig na sigaw. He wiped his eyes and immediately looked at the one who screamed.
"Michael?" patanong niyang banggit sa pangalan nito. He's with Brent and Christian and the emotion of their faces, it's obvious that they're in trouble.
"What's wrong?" mahinang tanong bago tumingin sa kaniyang harapan kung nasaan si Athena na mahimbing paring natutulog. He sighed and kissed her hand that he's still holding. "Still not awake, my love?" he whispered weakly but as he expected, he didn't get a response.
Ibinalik niya ang tingin kila Michael na nakatingin rin kay Athena. They are pity and sympathy in their eyes and he doesn't like that. "Don't look at my wife like she's about to die."
Mabilis na nag iwas ang mga ito ng tingin at nilipat ang atensiyon sa kaniya. "Again, what's wrong?" he repeated.
Nagpalitan ng tingin ang tatlo bago sabay sabay na napabuntong hininga. And the sigh they just released is disturbing. "Talk." nauubusan na ng timping saad niya.
And Michael was the one who answered him. "We investigated what happened at your wedding and we found something...really bothering. Something that even I don't want to believe."
Kaagad na nangunot ang kaniyang noo sa sinabi ng kaibigan. Tama nga siya, may gumugulo nga sa mga ito at mukhang kailangan niyang malaman yun. Maingat niyang binitawan ang kamay ng asawa, hinalikan ito sa noo at tumayo para humarap ng maayos sa mga kaibigan. "What did you find out?" naguguluhang tanong niya sa mga ito. Mas lalo siyang naguluhan ng saglit na sumulyap ng mukha ng mga kaibigan ang pag aalinlangan, mukhang nagdadalawang isip ang mga ito kung sasabihin ba sa kaniya ang nalaman nila o hindi.
Tinignan niya ang mga ito ng masama ng umabot na ng isang minuto pero hindi parin nagsasalita ang kahit isa sa kanila. "If you're not going to talk then just get out of th-"
"We found out that Coraline might be involved in what happened to your wedding."
He's stunned and dumbfounded at what he heard. His eyes widened and he's confused. "W-What?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya.
His friends sighed and already expected his reaction so they just continued to said what they found out. "When Jade was shot, I immediately commanded the team to search for the snipers, and they found out that there are just three of them so they didn't have a hard time capturing them and locked them in the basement." pagsisimulang kwento ni Brent t sumunod namang nagsalita dito si Christian. "After they are locked, we quickly head to the basement. At first, no one of them wants to talk but when Michael took over...well, you know what happened."
Nalipat ang tingin niya kay Michael na nagkibit balikat, "Don't look at me like that, you're worse and scarier than me." he mumbled. "Well, the important thing is I made them spoke and that's how we found out that Coraline might be involved with what happened."
Nag iwas siya ng tingin at alam niya sa sarili niyang ayaw niyang maniwala sa sinasabi ng mga kaibigan niya. But he also knew that none of them are telling a lie. "What exactly did the snipers said that made you think like that?"
Kaagad na napansin ng tatlo ang pag aalinlangan sa mata at emosyon ni Cyril. They can't blame him because even they also don't want to believe at what the snipers said. The hell, Coraline is their childhood friend and it never crosses their mind that she can do something this horrible.
Pero habang patagal ng patagal, doon nila napapagtantong kaya nga nitong gumawa ng ganong bagay. It's been so many years since their last bond with her and actually, they doubt that they still really know her.
"She changed." bulong ni Christian na malayo sa tanong ni Cyril. "She's not the Cori we used to know."
Lahat sila ay napatingin kay Christian dahil sa mga binulong nito. He sounds serious and that's not the usual Christian they knew. That only means that he's not joking and messing with the situation right now.
Christian gloomily sighed before walking away. Lumabas ito ng kwarto na bagsak ang balikat at may sakit sa mga mata.
Christian might be a playboy and a trickster but he's also the most emotional in all of them. He's also very sensitive and what happened just now proved that all.
Bumuntong hininga si Brent bago nagsalita. "Don't worry, I'll look after him and just tell him everything, Michael. He deserves to know." huling sabi nito bago tinapik ang balikat ni Michael at Cyril tsaka lumabas.
Nagkatinginan naman si Michael at Cyril ng ilang saglit bago malakas na nagpalawa ng buntong hininga si Michael at nagsalita. "Okay, I'll tell you everything they exactly said and listen carefully."
-----
Mag iisang oras na simula ng ikwento ni Michael ang lahat at nagpaalam para lalo pang mag imbestiga. At mag iisang oras na rin siyang hindi mapakali.
Before Michael told him everything, he had a doubt that Coraline would do that but after he heard the whole story from him, he starts doubting his own thought. Unti unting nawala ang katiting na pinaghahawakan niyang hindi nga iyon gagawin ng nakababata niyang kaibigan.
Coraline is his childhood friend for hell's sake and he's the one closest to her when they are still kids. He has the right to feel the emotion he's feeling right now. Alam niya namang ayaw talagang magpatalo ni Coraline. Alam niya yun kahit nung bata pa sila. He knows her too well. Mas kilala niya ito kaysa kila Michael and as he remembers their days together before, mas lalo lang pumapasok sa isip niyang may posibilidad ngang may kinalaman ito sa nangyari sa kaniyang asawa.
Napabuntong hininga na lang siya at napahilamos sa mukha ng muling bumalik sa kaniya ang sinabi ni Christian.
'She changed. She's not the Cori we used to know.'
Napapikit siya pero agad ring napamulat at tinignan ang asawang mahimbing paring natutulog sa kama. Kinuha niya ang kamay nito at mahigpit na hinawakan. "If you're really involved with what happened to my wife then I'm sorry Coraline, but I don't think I can forgive you."
Hinalikan niya ang palad ng asawa at muling bumulong. "You may be my friend but she's my wife and you just hurt the most precious woman for me. Yes, she's safe now but she still suffered and I can never pass that over." pinikit niya ang mata at pinanatili ang palad ng asawa sa kaniyang labi.
'Wake up, wife. I miss you already.' he whispered mentally.
"W-What are you w-whispering?"
Kaagad na napamulat si Cyril at napatingin sa asawa. His wife's eyes are slightly open but her lips are smiling. Maliit man ang ngiti nito sa labi pero nagpapatunay iyong gising na nga ang kaniyang asawa.
Mabilis siyang tumayo at hinawakan ang pisngi ng asawa at hinalikan ito sa noo. "You're awake." bulong niya na para bang kinukumbinse niya ang sariling gising na nga ito.
Hinawakan naman ni Athena ang kamay ni Cyril na nasa kaniyang pisngi at mas ngumiti sa lalaking nasa kaniyang harapan. "Y-Yes, I'm awake." she whispered back.
Cyril chuckled bago inilayo ang mukha sa asawa at pinunasan ang pisngi niyang basa. His tears just flow. Lahat ng pinigilan niyang luha at tumulo na lang bigla. Seeing his wife okay makes him overwhelmed.
"A-Are you crying?" mahinang tanong ni Athena sa asawa na umiiwas ng tingin sa kaniya. Kinuha niya ang kamay nito at mahigpit na hinawakan habang hinuhuli ang paningin ng asawa. "Hey, I'm fine now. You don't have to worry. Look at me, hubby, I missed you." she comforts him.
Mas lalong siyang naluha sa sinabi nito at bigla na lang niyakap ang asawa. He can't stop himself. Mababaliw na siya pag hindi niya pa ito nayakap.
"Ouch, that stings." igik ni Athena kaya napabitaw din siya kaagad. Mabilis niyang tinignan ang asawa ng may pag aalala. "I...I'm sorry. Where does it hurt?" he said worriedly.
But Athena just shakes her head as a smile creeps to her lips. Tinignan niya ng mabuti si Cyril at hindi niya mapigilan ang sariling matawa dahil sa itsura nito. His nose is all red, his cheeks are wet and his eyes are swollen. "Cute." bulong niya habang mahinang tumatawa parin.
Cyril stopped when he noticed his wife laughing. Nawala ang pag aalala niya at napalitan ng nag uumapaw na pagmamahal dito. His wife really has him wrapped around her finger. He's really whipped.
Nakatitig lang siya sa asawa na tumatawa parin at tumigil lang ito ng mapansin nitong nakatitig siya. She stared back at him and they stayed like that for a moment.
And after a while, she breaks the silence. "I might heard it wrong but...are you talking about Coraline a while ago?" she lowly asked.
Nagulat siya sa tinanong nito pero mabilis rin siyang umiwas ng tingin dito. 'Looks like she heard me so what's the point of hiding it?' he asked himself mentally before looking back at his wife and he mumbled, "Yes. You heard it right."
Mukhang hindi na nagulat si Athena sa sinagot niya. Tumingin ito sa malayo at mukhang may malalim na iniisip. "Is she..." she stopped for a second before continuing. "the one who did this to me?"
Sinubukan niyang basahin kung ano man ang iniisip ng kaniyang asawa, but no luck. She's hard to read right now. Kahit mga mata nito ay may sinasabing hindi niya maintindihan.
'Indeed the Underground Society's Princess.'
He just emits a deep breath and answered his wife's question. "We're still not sure but we think that she's involved. Base on the people who shot you, Cori is the given name of the one who commanded them to hurt you and Coraline's nickname is Cori. I know they are many other people who have a name like that but..." he paused and when he's about to continue, Athena interrupted him.
"I don't think it's a coincidence." malalim siyang tinignan nito. "Don't tell me you're thinking the opposite. You aren't, are you?"
Natahimik siya at hindi magawang sagutin ang asawa but he immediately speaks when he saw the pain that crosses his wife's eyes. "It's not like that. What I just want to say is that...we don't have a piece of solid evidence ye-"
"It's too obvious, Cyril! It's too obvious that even a fool won't be deceived by her lame nickname excuse!" she exclaimed. "We both know what your childhood friend feels for you and I also know that she hates me to the core that it's not impossible for her to do something this terrifying!"
Cyril stunned at what she said. But what shocked him more is the tears that dropped from her eyes.
Nag iwas ito ng tingin sa kaniya at nagpunas ng sariling luha. He heard her sobbed as she turned her back at him. Pakiramdam ni Cyril ay nanikip ang dibdib niya sa nakita at narinig.
They just become a wedded couple but he already made her cry?
Gusto saktan ni Cyril ang sarili dahil sa nangyari. She's still suffering from her wounds and he should be comforting and easing the pain but what he just did? He just made her upset and he's a jerk for doing that!
Kaagad siyang tumayo at nilapitan ang asawa. He holds her shoulder and made her faced him. At mas lalo lang nanikip ang dibdib niya ng makita ang basang pisngi ng asawa.
Mabilis niya itong nayakap at inalo. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." he repeatedly hummed at her while hugging her tightly. "I'm so sorry. I love you. I love you so much." he added.
At gumaan ang kaniyang loob ng maramdaman niyang niyakap siya pabalik ng asawa. "I love you too. Sorry rin sa mga nasabi ko. I should have considered your feelings knowing that she's also your friend." she whispered back.
Ng humiwalay sa yakap si Cyril, pinunasan niya ang luha sa pisngi ng asawa at hinalikan ito sa noo. "Don't worry, my love, I'll make her pay if she really did it. Your right, she's my friend but you are my wife. Mas mahalaga ka sa akin at ayaw kung nakikita kang nasasaktan so I'm so sorry." he said passionately and kiss her nose next. "You rest until your energy comes back. Ako ng bahala sa lahat. All you need to do now is to rest and rest and rest so your wound will heal faster."
And his lips crawl to her lips. He kissed her deeply and add a little three more sweet kisses before he spoke again. "And if you're finally okay, we'll continue the delayed honeymoon, wife. You should really regain your whole energy cause I'll make sure to bring you to paradise after this."
Then he laid his lips back to her.