"King Ashton arrives!" Lahat ay tumingin sa malaking pinto habang ito ay bumubukas. Ang pamilyang Yamamoto ay lumuhod at yumuko para mag bigay galang sa hari.
"Your Majesty!" Bati ng lahat.
"You may rise." Utos ng hari at nagsi-tayuan naman ang lahat.
"May I know what brings you here, your Majesty?" Magalang na sabi ng nakatatandang Yamamoto.
"I'm here to offer you work, Yamamoto." Taas noong sabi ng hari.
Nag katinginan ang mga Yamamoto. Ayaw nilang galitin ang hari pero nangako silang hindi sila mag papa-alipin sa kahit na sinong hari.
"I'm so sorry, your Majesty. But we swear in the name of god and our ancestor that we won't work for someone.... Even if it's the King." Lakas loob na sabi ng nakatatandang Yamamoto.
"What?!?!" Galit na sabi ng hari.
"How dare you disobey me Yamamoto?!? Even if you don't want to, your Family will work for me! Die or work for me, choose Yamamoto." Malamig na sabi ng hari. Galit na galit ito at gusto na nitong patayin ang lahat ng tao sa loob ng mansion na iyon pero hindi niya ginagawa dahil kailangan nito ang serbisyo ng mga Yamamoto.
"We're very sorry, your Majesty. But we prefer to die." Sabay sabay na sabi ng mga Yamamoto na naging dahilan para lalong magalit ang hari.
"HOW DARE YOU?!?! YOU WANT TO DIE?! THEN I WILL GRANT YOUR WISH! DIE!"
Riku's PoV
"Shit!" Agad akong napabangon ng dahil sa panaginip na iyon. It's hunting me again. It's just been 2 months since my whole family died. Of course I still won't forget it.
"Are you ok, Riku??" Napatingin ako sa may tagiliran ko ng biglang nag salita si Hansuke. Isa sa mga batang nakita ko sa kalye mula sa lugar na pinangalingan ko. Halos lahat ng tao sa country F ay pinatay ni King Ashton pagkatapos nitong patayin ang pamilya ko. Ako lang ang nakaligtas dahil nag tatago ako nun sa second floor ng bahay namin.
"Yeah, I'm ok. Did I wake you up?" Nakangiting tanong ko dito. Yung tatlong bata ay nasa back seat, natutulog, habang si Hideo naman ay nasa pagitan namin ni Hansuke. Nasa isang sasakyan kami, one of the inventions of my dad. Hindi lang ito ang sasakyan na dinala ko. Marami pang iba na nasa capsule. Pero ito ang ginamit ko dahil it can drive on it's own.
Gabi na ngayon at hindi ko alam kung nasaan na kami. Kanina pa kami nag lalakbay dito sa diserto at hindi parin kami nakakakita ng isang siyudad. Buti na lang at marami akong stock ng pagkain at tubig para sa aming lahat, kung wala, nakupo! Kanina pa kaming patay dito!
"No. I'm watching the stars. And I'm hoping I can see a town or a place that we can stop by." Sabi ni Hansuke habang nakatingin sa labas ng bintana. Tinitigan ko siya. Bakas sa mata niya ang lungkot pero ang mukha niya ay nananatiling blangko. Hayst. Kawawang bata.
"I know we can see a town tomorrow morning or noon. It shows in the map. But we will just by some foods and clothes, then we will find some lot here in the dessert for our house." Sabi ko at napatingin ito sa akin.
"What?! We'll live here in the dessert? Why not in the town?!!?" Mahina pero pagalit nitong sabi. Bumuntong hininga ako. Tinitigan ko siya. This is the first time I saw that expression of him.
"You really want to stay there?" Tanong ko dito.
"Of course! I don't want to stay here in the dessert. What if some creature appear here?! Like those giant bugs?!" Galit paring sabi nito. "What if one of them are sick? What if this car is broken and we can't get some food in the town? What if.... What if... What if..." Patuloy siya sa mga "What ifs" niya.
"Stop. If someone is sick, I'll cure them. If this car is broken, I'll fix it. If we need food and this car is broken? Don't worry. I will walk from the house to the town to get some food." Matigas kong sabi.
"You'll cure us?! What are you? A doctor?!"
"Yes! So stop your what ifs! I'm a doctor. And I'm your guardian now. So please listen to me! We can't stay there because it's country A! They will know we're from country F because of our tattoo on our nape! Luckily, only baby Hideo don't have tattoo!" Inis kong sabi dito. Nagulat siya sa mga sinabi ko.
"You're our guardian now?" Mahinang sabi nito. "Will you protect us?"
"Yes, I'm your guardian now. And yes. I will do the best I can to protect you." Sincere na sabi ko. Bumuntong hininga siya.
"Scratch that." Naguluhan ako sa sinabi nito. Hindi ba siya naniniwala sa sinabi ko??!!
"What do you mean?"
"Let's have a deal." Seryosong sabi nito.
"What deal?" Curios na tanong ko.
"When we are sick, you will take care of us. And I, Hansuke Sato, swear to the name of god and to my parents that I will protect you at this four." Seryoso paring sabi nito na ikinagulat ko.
"How can you protect us????" Nakangiting sabi ko.
"I'm sure you know how to make robots that can teach me some skills, right? And some equipments for my training at a gym. I will be the most strong man in the world so I can protect you." Natawa ako sa sinabi nito. And for the first time. He smiles. And he looks so handsome when he smiles.
"Well boy, you need to wait 1 year so you can train. I'm into medicine not machines. Lucky you that I brought the books of my father so I can study on how to make some robots." Tatawa tawang sabi ko.
"Well, I can wait. I just start training with my self.... So it's a deal?" Inilahad nito ang kamay niya.
"Of course. It's a win-win for all of us. It's a deal mate."