"Why isn't she answering?" ani Troy nang i-dial si Riza pagkatapos niyang makita ang ilang missed call niya sakanya. "She's probably busy."
"Teacher Troy may delivery ka po," sambit ni Arlene sakanya pagkarating niya sa lobby ng research center.
"For me?" takang sambit niya pero kinuha parin ito. Binuksan niya ang box at namilog ang mata niya nang makitang cylinder ng dugo iyon. itinaas niya ito upang mas Makita.
_________
Nakaupo mag-isa si Shanelle sa swing na nasa balcony ng cabin habang nakatinagaka sa mga bituwin. Dumating naman si Chihoon at inabot ang isang tasa ng coco milk sakanya. "The hot coco you wanted."
Inabot niya ito. "Meron talagang hot coco sa kusina mo?"
Umupo si Chihoon sa tabi ng babae habang pinanood si Shanelle na inumin ang ginawa niyang hot coco.
Ngiwing nilingon siya ng babae. "Nilagyan mo ba ng asin to?"
"Experts say that salt can bring out the sweetness," ani Chihoon.
Napahinga nalang ng malalim si Shanelle. "Okay. Compare to chocolate spaghetti I can still accept salty hot coco. To tell you the truth, the food you are making is terrible. No, the right term is terrifying. But it's weird, dahil kahit ganon, kinakain ko parin dahil ikaw ang gumawa."
"There's an old saying that says You're willing to eat arsenic for the person you love," sambit ni Chihoon.
Marahas na nilingon siya ni Shanelle. "Ilang tao na ang pinainom mo ng arsenic?"
Nilingon siya ni Chihoon saka ngumiti.
"No matter how you say it, you're still my 8th ex-boyfriend I just broke up with. Can't you answer just one of the questions?" inis na sambit ng babae.
"If you calculated it according to someone whos dated 8 guys in 10 years, ho much would that be?"
Napatawa si Shanelle. "You sold arsenic professionally for more than 100 years. But I know you didn't because your kissing was horrible," aniya na tumatawa. "Pero teka, then ibig sabihin yung 6th ex-boyfriend ko and my best friend became intimate. Hes also tangled up with my 7th ex-boyfriend. My 8th ex-boyfriend is my best friends crazy fan and even kissed my 7th boyfriend before?!" malalaki ang mata niya sa realization. "heavens let the lightning kill me."
"Wait. Kelan ko hinalikan si Gabrielle Lee?" nagtataka naman na tanong ni Chihoon.
Nilingon niya ito na nakakunot-noo. "Diba nga niligtas mo si Gabrielle before?" aniya saka kinagat ang dila.
Inalala naman ni Chihoon ang nangyari sa ospital nun at kinuwento yun sa baabe. When Shanelle gets out from the room, he takes out a syringe saka kinuhahan ang braso niya ng dugo. Then tinurok niya sa IV ni Gab.
"Because of my enzyme, I won't start bleeding if I use a knife to cut my skin. But if I stick a needle into my skin, my body repair enzymes will automatically repair the wound. But the needle is still in, so it cant be repaired. Instead, I can get a very high concentration of repair enzymes."
Bigla namang napasimangot si Shanelle saka napaisip. Napatayo siya saka hinarap ang lalake. "Ibig sabihin pwede mo akong iligtas nang di kinakagat ang dila mo?! You just need a needle?"
Tumango si Chihoon. "Yes. But, no one would be carrying a needle all day. So, that was the fastest way and easiest method."
"I-its just for convenience?"
Tumango ang lalake. "then what would it be?"
Marahas na tinanggal ni Shanelle ang jacket saka tinapon sa lalake. "If a foul-mouth contest existed, I would just eat arsenic willingly. You're a real deal with read arsenic in your mouth! You win!" aniya saka tumalikod na. "Psh if I go back, I would really sing Kindy Let Me Go and Happy Break-up!"
Pinanood ni Chihoon ang pag-alis ng babae saka napangiti.
________
Troy spends the night studying about the blood sample that Riza delivered to him. Nakatulugan niya ang pag process ng mga tests kaya dun na din siya sa lab natulog.
Sa kabilang dako, nakalabas na din si Justin sa ospital. Dumating na din ang pinakuha niyang fake passport for his new identity pag nakuha na niya ulit ng dugo ni Chihoon.
_______
Shanelle and Chihoon went fishing that morning. Masayang hinanda ng babae ang bitag niya para sa mga isda upang mahuli sila. Nilagyan niya ng breadcrumbs ang loob ng jar.
Prente namang nakaupo lang si Chihoon sa batuhan at nagbabasa ng libro.
"Let me tell you, don"t look down on this little thing," sambit ni Shanelle habang nilalagay na sa tubig ang jar na naglalaman ng butag niya sa mga isda. "When the big fish want to eat the fish, it will go in! then it will be trapped."
Nilingon naman siya ni Chihoon.
"Woah! Perfect!" sambit pa ng babae
"So, your lunch will depend on this?" tanong ng lalake.
"Of course. Kung nasa bundok ka, kakainin mo ang mga pagkain sa bundok. Kung nasa tubig ka naman kakainin mo ang mga pagkaing nasa tubig."
"With your poor luck, youd probably eat mountain air when near mountains and drink dry water when youre near the water."
Lumakad si Shanelle papunta sa may lupa. "Ha! Kung helpless ako, ikaw naman old monster! Were an unfortunate pair. The perfect match. Don't rush to make fun for me!"
Chihoon smiled at her childishness.
"Just wait. I will definitely get a big and fat fish!" aniya pa saka inayos ang bitag niya.
"Perhaps there will be a big stupid fish."
"Psh," she scoffed. "Pero, saan ka na pupunta pa aalis ka na?"
"Bakit mo naman tinatanong?" Chihoon said tilting his shoulders.
"w-wala naman. Naisip ko lang baka magpunta na ako ng Hollywood. Flying everywhere and maybe land somewhere you will be at. Then we can eat together or something."
"Based on your acting, baka manatili ka lang second female lead," kontra naman ni Chihoon sa sinasabi ng dalaga. "Bakit ka naman pupuntang Hollywood? To be the background?"
"Bakit naman ako di makakapuntang Hollywood ah? Acting is not something you can learn in a day. Cant you see I'm trying hard to learn?" she said and rolls her eyes.
"I did see. You are really trying hard to be a flower."
"So what if Im a flower? Is it my fault that I'm pretty and have money?"
"Didn't you spend all your money in making your talent agency?"
"Beauty and wisdom are also wealth," confident paring sambit ni Shanelle.
Umiling nalang si Chihoon saka nangingiting binalik sa libro ang mata. "Siya nga pala, binili ko na yung villa sa Hu xin island." Napatingin ang babae sakanya. "May old residence has become a historical relic. If I come back in the future, atleast may pupuntahan ako."
Napangiti si Shanelle sa narinig. "tama, tama! Mabuti naman at binili mo na iyon! masayang sambit niya. The houses are becoming smaller and smaller. An inch of land, an ounce of gold. You were right to buy it." Bigla namang nag twitch ang mata niya kaya napakamot siya dito.
"Okay ka lang?" tanong ni Chihoon habang nakatingin sakanya.
"It twitched again. Simula pa kahapon, my eyelid kept twitching. What poor luck," sagot ng babae na nakahawak sa mata niya.
"Nagte-trembling lang ang eyelids mo," sagot ng lalake saka nagbasa na naman.
Shanelle pouts.
________
That morning, Troy continued to call Riza pero nanatiling nakapatay ang phone niya. "Naka off ang phone niya. Wala ding sumasagot sa phone nila sa bahay. Saan kaya siya nagpunta?"
"Teacher Troy, coffee mo," sambit ni Arlene at pinatong ang coffe sa ibabaw ng table.
"Salamat. Maupo ka," sagot ni Troy.
"Teacher Troy, kaya pa ba ng katawan mo? Di ka umuwi kagabi."
"May ite-test lang ako Arlene," sambit ni Troy. "Within a healthy cell, there exists a repair enzyme more perfect than Telomerase. Where is this enzyme made?"
Umiling si Arlene. "I can't imagine. Inside each cell?"
"Incorrect. The perfect repair enzyme is a foreign body that invades normal cells. They aren't produced in normal cells." Bigla namang nag ring ang phone niya. "Hello? What? I got a prize? Go get it yourself." Binaba niya ang phone. "Bakit kaya yung mga con artists na iyan palaging gustong i-scam ang mga tao?" he then decided to turn off his phone.
Di niya alam na dahil sa tawag na iyon, na-automatic hack ang mga files niya pati na ang mga files sa lab. All the researches he made was automatically hacked and erased.
_________
Nagising si Gab dahil sa isang tawag sa phone niya. "Hello?" pagsagot niya sa phone.
"Gabrielle! Riza was kidnapped!" balisang sambit ng mom ni Riza sa kabilang linya.
"Ano? Sige po. Pupunta na ako diyan," mabilis na sambit ni Gab saka nagmadaling bumangon.
_______
Riza was put on a storage with guys she doesnt even know. Nakapiring ang mga mata niya habang naririnig ang parang paghahasa ng itak ng isang lalake. Di naman siya nagpapanic. She just sits there and observes through her senses.
"Dinala namin ang isang Rizalane Kim dito dahil gusto lang naming humiram ng ilang pera sa Kim at Hubert family. Or else, we will calculate the captive by pounds, sambit ng isang lalake. 1M USD for each pound. We're not forcing you. We can deal in pieces as well. How much of the person you get back depends on how much you pay. Bibigyan lang namin kayo ng tatlong araw. When its time, well do an equal and fair exchange. You've seen the 8 o'clock Golden Time, right? If you dare call the police, then Miss Rizalane will..." nilagay niya ang itak sa leeg ng babe. "Di ko na kailangang sabihin."
Balisang ipinapanood ni Mrs. Kim kay Gab ang video ng kidnapper kay Gab. "Gab, anong gagawin natin? Riza's father just hurried back from England. Nag-iisa lang siyang anak namin. We can spend however much we need as long as she can return peacefully," naiiyak na sambit nig in ani Riza.
"Tita, tita, makinig ka sakin," hinawakan ni Gab ang kamay niya. "Nilagyan nila ng blindfold ang mata ni Riza para di niya Makita ang mga kidnappers dahil wala silang gagawing masama sakanya. They mentioned Kim and Hubert's family on the video. They probably send a video to Justin Hubert. Kinontak ka na ba niya?"
"No. I lost myself pagkakita ko sa video. Tinawagan ko agad ang ama ni Riza at sabi niya na tawagan kita agad. Riza, this child. Kinuhanan ko siya ng mga bodyguards, but she refused to have anyone follow her. E di sana di nangyari to!"
"Tita, wag kang mag-alala," pilit na pagpapakalma ni Gab dito. "Let me make a call to the station."
"No, no, no! di ka pwedeng tumawag ng pulis!" pigil ni Mrs. Kim sa kamay ng lalake. "Sasaktan nila si Riza!"
"Tita, believe me, okay? We've handled more than one kidnapping case. Masisigurado lang natin ang kaligtasan ni Riza kung iyu-utilize natin ang mga pulis."
"P-pero anong gagawin natin pag sinaktan nila si Riza?" napaiyak nang sambit ng matanda.
Biglang nag-ring ang phone ni Gab. Its Jackson. "Jackson, I'm busy."
"Gab makinig ka! Nakidnap si Miss Riza! Ngayong umaga yung secretary ni Justin Hubert thought that the video was a commendation report and accidentally sent a mass e-mail to the internal employees. Right now, kalat na kalat na sa internet ang video. Di pa kami nakatanggap ng tawag galing sa pamilya Kim o kay Justin Hubert. Alam mo na ba ang ukol dito?"
Napalaki ang mata niya saka nilingon ang mama ni Riza.
________
Pagkababa ni Justin sa kotse, madami nang reporter ang humara sakanya.
"hello Mr. Hubert. When did you find out Miss Kim was kidnapped? How do you feel?"
"Mr. Hubert, are the kidnappers furious with the videos exposure? Does it put Miss Riza's safety in jeopardy?"
Naglakad lang si Justin na nakatungo ang ulo habang ang mga guards ay hinahawi ang mga reporters.
"Mr. Hubert. The kidnapper is asking for a huge ransom of 92M USD! habol ng isang reporter. Since Miss Riza is your fiancé how much are you willing to pay? Or have you already reported it to the police?"
Napatigil naman sa paglalakad si Justin. Unti-unti siyang lumingon sa mga camera. "Half an hour ago, I already contacted my secretary and told her to sell off my assets and collections, all sold at a low price. No matter how much money it will cost, I will definitely save my fiancée. We are preparing the money. We didn't upload the clip online. We also didn"t call the police. Please try to guarantee my fiancées safety."
________
"Gab," ani Jackson pagkarating ni Gab sa station.
"Ano ng nalaman ninyo?" sambit ni Gab.
"Na-locate na namin ang sasakyan ni Miss Riza," aniya saka binigay ang folder sakanya.
Tinignan ni Gab yun. "Nasa DHA parking lot? Pumunta ba siya dun para hanapin si Troy?"
"Sinubukan ko ng kontakin si Mr. Jung pero Nakapatay ang phone niya," sagot ni Jackson. "Kanina, tinawagan ko ang assistant niya. Sabi ng assistant niya na magdamag daw siyang nag-research kaya baka daw natutulog na siya ngayon."
"Kahapon ng umaga dinalaw ni Riza ang bahay ni Justin Hubert. Go to the management company and get the CCTV footage."
Pagkaalis ni Jackson, sinubukan naang tawagan ni Gab si Shanelle ngunit naka off ang phone ng babae.
________
Kasalukuyan namang pinapanood ni Shanelle ang paglangoy ng nahuli niyang mga isada sa pinaglagyan niyang aquarium habang nakahiga siya. "In such a big lake, how did you guys come into my tank?" pagkausap niya sa mga ito. "Why is that? Hmm?"
Nilingon naman siya ni Chihoon habang umiinom ng gatas. "Probably because of unluckiness."
Napawi naman ang ngiti ng dalaga saka masamang tinignan si Chihoon. "I think you don't know how many disasters are in this world. Look forward to sharing this unluckiness with me," aniya na binalik na ang tingin sa mga isda. "My future boyfriend will be thankful to you."
"Future boyfriend? Your future boyfriend is busier than your work schedule," pambabara ulit ng lalake sakanya.
"Yeah, it says online that one way to forget a love is to hurry up and move on with the next one."
"Absurd theories are everywhere," sagot naman ni Chihoon.
Humiga ng maayos si Shanelle saka ngumiti. "But I think I can try."
"You dare," mahinang sambit ng lalake na nakapagpangiti kay Shanelle.
Magkatabi kasi sila sa kama ngayon at kumakain. "Who are you to me? Like you can do anything?" malapad ang pagkakangiti ni Shanelle na nilalapit ang mukha sa lalake.
Ngumiti si Chihoon saka niyakap ang bewang ng babae para makuha niya ang remote sa kama at binuksan ang TV.
Hinawakan ni Shanelle ang kamay ni Chihoon at nilagay sa tummy niya. "You never know, It could be that Im pregnant with a little monster. You could be becoming a dad."
Binawi ni Chihoon ang kamay. "Why is there so much nonsense? Kumain ka na nga lang diyan."
"Regarding Miss Rizalane Kims kidnapping case, our reporter interviewed Hubert Corps. Chairman, Justin Hubert," biglang napabangon si Shanelle pagkarinig ng balita.
Napalaki ang mata niya ng ibinabalita ang pagkakidnap ng kaibigan.
______
Pinapanood ni Gab at Jackson ang CCTV nang pagpasok at paglabas ni Riza sa elevator ng apartment ni Justin.
"May cameras ba sila sa hallway?" tanong ni Gab.
"Sa first floor lang. they didn't install them on other floors," sagot ni Jackson.
"When Riza went up to the fifth floor, she left the elevator for one minute. Anong ginawa niya?"
"She might have seen something interesting o nakakita ng kakilala niya," ani Jackson. "But this probably has nothing to do with the kidnapping. Di ba pinanood na natin ang footage sa parking lot exit? When Miss Riza was driving, wala namang unusual na nangyari."
"But it's still better to find time tomorrow para i-check ang hallway ng fifth floor," sambit ni Gab.
"Okay."
Bigla namang nag-ring ang phone ni Gab. "Hello?"
"Gab, you have to save Riza," iyak na sambit ni Shanelle habang nasa bus kasama si Chihoon pauwi.
"I will try my best. Don't be so worried."
"But I'm still worried," ani Shanelle na umiiyak.
"Ingatan mo ang sarili mo. Pagkauwi mo, wag kang lumabas mag-isa."
"Then I'll wait for your good news."
______
Nilingon ni Shanelle si Chihoon. "What to do? What if..."
Chihoon held her hand. "It'll be okay. I believe Riza will be fine."
"You promise?" aniya na hilam ang mukha ng luha.
Tumango ang lalake. "I promise."
"Kung nasaktan si Riza, pipilitin parin kitang gawin ang ayaw mong gawin. Tama ka. Human hearts are greedy."
"Di ko to ginagawa para sayo. Remember I'm her crazy fan," nangingiting sambit ni Chihoon.
Ngumiti ng bahagya si Shanelle saka pinatong ang ulo sa balikat ng lalake.