[Airish Laxamana]
"Airish! Look a Melody Stuff toy!" Ngiti ni Kuya Euwan habang ibinigay sakin ang isang regalo niya. This jerk... Hindi porket pinatawad ko siya ay magiging walanghiya na ulit siya...
Flashback:
"You... Why are you here? Did I allowed you to come over here? Sinong nagpapasok sa 'yo dito?" Bakit alam niya na nasa kompanya ako? Sa pagkakaalam ko ay wala akong taong sinabihan kung nasaan ako... Hindi naman kaya sinundan niya ako ng hindi ko nalalaman?
"How cold you are~" Hindi niya ba alam ang salitang distansya? Hindi niya ba alam na ayoko na siyang makita?
"Get out at once." Tinalikod ko ang upuan ko sa kanya. I don't have the time to play around with him. Ano nanamang sasabihin niya sa pagkakataong ito?
"Please, let me clear this misunderstanding... Please..." Tumingin ako kay Dylan kaya bumuntong hininga siya bago lumabas ng opisina. Sa totoo lang ay ayoko na talagang makita ang pagmumukha ng taong ito... Ayoko lahat pati na ang presensya niya...
Hindi ko parin iniharap ang upuan ko. Hindi na ako bata para bigyan pa siya ng tiyansang magpaliwanag.
"Do you want me to trigger the system?" Sambit ko lang habang nakatalikod sa kanya. Hindi ko siya kayang harapin dahil masakit parin sakin ang mga ginawa niya.
"You don't have too... Kahit nakatalikod ka... Basta makinig kalang sa sasabihin ko..." Kinuha ko ang cellphone at sinasaksak ang headphones bago ito inilagay sa tenga ko. Nagsimula akong magpatugtog pero mahina lang ito.
"Even if you wear that... I'll not give up... I'm here to tell you about everything from the start..." I already know your story... Mom already mentioned it... But all this time... Gusto ko ba talagang sa 'yo manggaling ang dahilan?
"I'm sorry if I have to watch you... I'm sorry if I can't protect you... Herra framed me up Airish... Ang akala ko talagang kaya niyang sirain ang kompanya... Kung nakinig lang sana ako sayo at hindi ko 'yon sinabi sa kanya... hindi ka sana mapapahamak... I always blame myself for being a weak one... That girl controlled my life..." Hindi ikaw ang may kasalanan... It was Herra... Sa totoo lang ayokong marinig ang mga salitang ito pero gusto ko paring malaman ang side ni Kuya.
"You suffered so much pain because of me... I'm sorry for being a useless brother... I'm sorry for treating you like that... I didn't need you to forgive me... But I want you to know my side. You're always pushing me away... Hindi mo ba alam na masakit saking makitang itinataboy moko?" Hindi ako nakakibo. I can't deny that his words really pierced my heart... Every single word... Ayokong sinasabi niyang wala siyang kwenta dahil lagi naman siyang nandiyan sa tabi ko...
"We already broke our sibling trust. And you're also keeping your distance... I want you to be happy... So if you want me to stay away from you for A LONG TIME... And if you want me to disappear..." Kumabog ang dibdib ko ng may kumasang baril. Agad akong lumingon tsaka ko inalis ang headphones ko. Agad ko itong nilapag. Talagang nakuha niya ang atensyon ko sa araw na ito...
"It's already fine for me Airish..."
"I won't forgive you if you die." Napatingin na ako sa kanya. Hindi rin maganda kung iiwasan ko ang bagay na ito...
"I'm too immature to sensed that you're in pain..." I went too far... Takot akong harapin ang araw na ito pero kailangan ko nang tapusin ang takot na ito...
It's not his fault but still... He's involved... I can still forgive him but I can't give him the chance and trust...
"I'm sorry... I just want us to be closed again... You're still my princess are you?" Sa panahong ito ay ngumiti ako. Alam kong hindi ko kayang pagkatiwalaan si kuya pero oras na para patawarin ko siya... I won't run anymore...
"You're treating me like a child." Ngisi ko sa kanya. He just smiled as he walks towards me.
"Can you give me a hug?" Looks like he's in his child mode... I can't blame him... Dahil isa pa... Ang tagal na rin simula ng magpansinan kami...
Who would have ever thought that...
There's still warmth in his hugs...
"I missed you..." Humigpit naman ako ng yakap tsaka napangiti. Sino bang hindi?
"Welcome back Kuya Euwan..."
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"Ilapag mo nalang sa sofa." Sambit ko. Hindi niya ba nakikitang nagbabasa ako?
"Reading books? New hobby? Speaking of hobby... Where's your hubby?" Isinara ko ang libro ko. That's the true nature of Euwan Laxamana. Isang madaldal na nilalang sa harapan ko. Isang pagkatatok naman sa pintuan ang nakaagaw ng atensyon ko.
Hindi ko pinansin si Kaijin dahilan para tignan ako ni Kuya Euwan. "Talk to him." Mahina niyang bulong. Bakit ako pa ang kailangang kumausap sa kanya? Did I do anything wrong?
"I won't." Ayos na sakin ang lahat. But if he doesn't wants to talk to me... Then someday, he will. No need to rush.
"You didn't know what he's gone through?" Anong sinasabi ng lalaking ito? Hinigit ko papatayo si Kuya Euwan. Ramdam ko ang pagsunod ng tingin ni Kaijin pero alam kong may alam si Kuya na hindi ko nalalaman.
Pagkarating namin ng garden ay hinihingal siyang napaupo sa damuhan. Hindi na ba nagjojogging ang isang ito? Mas hingal pa siya sakin... He's not taking care of himself is he?
"Tell me your knowledge or else I'll let Ate Asumi knows the truth." Napalunok naman siya. Napabuntong hininga siya bago tumingin sakin.
"Right, he wants me to keep this as a secret... But it's time to be careful Airish. Your enemy is all around you... Someone sent Kaijin a message... They tell him na nasa kamay ka nila. Pumunta siya sa isang abandonadong building para hanapin ka. But it's just a trap made by someone." Napakunot ang noo ko.
"I also received a message... It's from Kaijin... He's busy on that day..." So the message was not from him? At galing iyon sa ibang tao? Then what's the purpose of setting traps if they didn't kill him?
"I think they're from an organization. Axis have a feeling that this is a work done by Wang Sisters." Helvetica is dumb but Herra is not. So it's not them...
"Talagang nakagawa ka nanaman ng kaaway." They're into me... And Kaijin... He...
"Bakit hindi niya sinabi sakin?" Wala bang tiwala sakin ang lalaking 'yon? This is his way of protecting me? How bullshit is this? Although I already knew about it -u-
"You know the reason. He knows that you'll distant yourself from him." That jerk... That's why he's uncomfortable these days... It's because of the accident... Kung sinabi niya lang sakin ng maaga hindi ko na kailangang taasan ang pride ko... But then, alam ko naman na -u-
"You're helpful as always." Tinignan niya naman ako bago tumayo. Nagpagpag siya ng damit bago tumingin ulit sakin.
"What's your plan?" If someone is plotting an evil plan... Bakit naman ako magpapatalo?
"First, I'm gonna fix this misunderstanding. Second, Lead my group. I'll be exposed if someone sees me entering that building... Pretend to be me for a while." Let me see if I can entrust you my foundation Euwan...
"You can count on me." Ginulo niya ang buhok ko bago ngumiti.
"Then, I'll be working on your command Little Princess." Sinong maliit? 2 centimeters lang ang tangkad niya sakin!
"Don't ever come back you jerk."
"I'm afraid that you'll miss me." Napairap ako sa hangin. What's with the confidence?
"Kidding! Why so serious?" May saltik ba ang lalaking Ito at bigla nalang siyang tumatawa?
"Be safe!" Ngiti ko nalang sa kanya habang papaalis siya.
Napabuntong hininga ako bago bumalik sa loob. "Hindi ako galit. You have your reasons. Euwan already told me about it." Napabukas ang bibig niya. Pero alam kong hindi niyo 'yon gugustuhing mabasa.
"But you see, I'm not that unreasonable person... Hindi ako lumalayo kung alam kong kaya ko pa." Dahil sayo... Natututo na akong lumaban ng may kasama...
"You're not angry anymore?" Parang tuta niya akong tinignan. You did it for my sake... Bakit naman ako magagalit sayo?
You've been trick...
"I'm not." Nablanko naman ako ng maging parehas na ang tingin nila ni Kuya Euwan.
"Then hug me." Seriously?! WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS JERKS?! ADIK NA ADIK BA SILA SA YAKAP?!
"Don't be so childish Mr. Del Mundo–" Hindi ko pa natatapos ang sinasabi ko ay hinigit niya na ako papalapit sa kanya.
"You made me feel this way Airish... I don't want you to hate me... I'm not dumb... You're in danger... And it's my job to protect you..." For not telling the truth because you're afraid that I might get hurt in the future? All of us needs to suffer...
But starting from now on... I'll be counting on you...
"Please take care of me in the future Kaijin..." It's my first time to rely on someone... At aaminin kong ayoko nang kumalas sa pagkakayakap ng taong 'to...
"I will." Napangiti naman ako at napayakap narin sa kanya.
Don't let go of your promises...