Rion's POV
I headed to my bathroom, took all my clothes off and stood under the cold flowing water of the shower. Ilang minuto rin akong nasa ganoong tayo at hinahayaang maglandas ang tubig sa buo kong katawan.
I let out a sigh. It was a very tiring day. And one hell of a night!
Kanina pa sana akong nakauwi pero bilang SSC President, tungkulin kong tiyakin na walang estudyante ang maiiwan sa University lalo na't nasuspendido ang klase.
But I learned that Dollar was still in the Chem Lab doing her reports. Pupuntahan ko sana siya para pauwiin na pero hindi ko namalayang sandali akong nakatulog sa isa sa mga room sa sixth floor. Marahil ay dahil sa sobrang pagod dahil sa mga ginagawa naming tatlo nitong mga nakaraang araw.
And I was fully awake when she entered the room. I was fully absorbed by her presence and did not bother to let her know that I was awake. And how could I miss her sweet smell gayong ramdam kong napakalapit niya sa'kin.
And that was insane! I had to control myself a while ago para hindi siya halikan. At lalo pang kabaliwan nang magprisinta akong ihatid siya pauwi.
What happened to my rule that I must avoid everything about her? Pero mas lalo lang akong napapalapit sa kanya. But then again, I couldn't let her safety at stake, could I?
But damn it! Si Moi dapat ang maghahatid sa kanya. But duty calls. At tinawagan din ako ni Alvaro para ipasundo ang pamangkin niya. At kahit wala siguro ang mga dahilang 'yon, aakuin ko pa din ang paghahatid sa kanya ng ligtas.
But unfortunately, Moi exactly do our 'filthy jobs' near where I parked my car.
Kailangan kong makialam kanina para hindi malaman ni Dollar ang nangyari sa paligid. And alert the team to 'clean up' the case. Nang sa gayon ay hindi malaman ng media ang nangyari. That way, the team operates secretly, at nalalagas ang mga sindikato nang walang kamalay-malay ang mga tao.
But I hardly focused on my job when I heard Dollar shouting my name in the middle of the rain.
Damn it! That was the last thing I needed. Ang mahaluan ng emosyon ang trabaho ko. Looking at her very worried face when we got into the car, my beliefs strengthen. Na hindi kailanman magiging ligtas ang taong mapapalapit sa'kin. Na kadikit na ng madilim kong buhay ang trabaho ko. At na hindi ko mapapayagang may mapahamak na ibang tao o malagay sa panganib ang kaligtasan dahil lang sa klase ng trabaho ko,
And most of all, not Dollar's safety...
But how could I make her stop in chasing me everytime? I can see the determination in her eyes when she told me her last words before she got out of the car. And that thing was giving me headache big time!
I turn off the shower and looked at myself in the wall-to-wall mirror. Water's dripping all over my body.
Dumako ang tingin ko sa di-kalakihang tattoo sa kaliwa kong dibdib, sa tapat ng puso. That was a symbol. I'm carrying this tattoo for five years. Nang magsimula akong magtrabaho kay Alvaro. Pero hindi ito simbolo ng grupo naming tatlo. Sarili kong desisyon ang pagpapalagay noon. At kung bakit ganoong tattoo ang pinalagay ko. The reasons were only for me. Ako lang ang nakakalam.
I gently touch it and trace the outline of its curves. And again, as I first promised to myself when I first had the tattoo, I'm swearing to myself, that I won't let anyone or anything hurt the person who symbolized this tattoo, prioritize her safety. And secretly love her, without owning her, without destructing her...