[Casper…]
That ridiculous girl is surely fun to mess around with and I could tell that it was easy to manipulate her own comprehension. She was just a low-key desperate being who was solely devoted to her own religion which is also known as her lover. I somehow felt relieved when all those intruders just left me behind closed doors.
It was interesting enough to stay and finally have a serene environment within Mitsui's residence. Based on what I observed from where I am right now, there are a lot of trophies and uniforms about basketball that were displayed throughout the entire space. Those cheap posters that illustrate his idols were also such a sore eye to me.
Why do these people have all the luxury of time to be care- free? Even I can't help to be relevant to their ideals since I already abandoned my courage to seek happiness for myself. Maybe every- thing does not actually work the way we planned. I'm still a minor and it just sucks that I am always on the pilgrimage of my past which is being constantly killed several times with the trauma of losing someone I've cherished for the rest of my life.
"Is that so?! But according to his history, that guy named Mitsui suffered from severe injuries which forced him to quit his favored passion of the sport. Wasn't that a bit heart-breaking for anyone young master?"
I almost went hysterical when this guy just suddenly showed up from nowhere. "It's none of my business and where the heck did you come from, Sebastian?!" I'm so pissed at him that I should- n't be shouting at him on purpose.
"Uhhmm... I supposed I ended up waiting inside this room's closet, my lord." Tinuro pa niya sa akin ang mahiwagang closet nila. He was literally serious about his alibi and I'm quite dis- tressed about how he can act stupid again this time around.
"You weren't kidding, aren't you?" I hissed and became a little bit concerned for myself since I remember the time when I al- most had a headache trying to make excuses for him while he en- joys petting a wild tiger during a circus play.
"May problema ba dyan Casper?" That old crazy woman, Hillary, asked me from the kitchen. It's too much for me to underestimate a woman's intuition although she was far from where I am.
"No. None in particular." I said in reply while this demon beside me started to mock me again as always.
"So, you agreed to choose another lame alias for yourself this time, young master?" He was nagging me like there was no tomorrow and this guy really has the guts to ruin my plans.
Pinagsabihan ko na talaga siyang itikom ang bibig niya at baka hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko at kung ano pa ang magagawa ko sa kanya.
"Shut up already. Why do you always bother to care about unnecessary details? For as long as I can conceal my true nature, we won't have any problems regarding your interest, isn't that, right?"
"Indeed." He responded briefly. Thank goodness that our usual morning routine went smoothly somehow.
Though he will not be in charge of my meal this time, he still became hands-on about my tarnished appearance. "But you, as a queen's dog guard, will be described as a dying frog in this coun- try. It was quite refreshing music to my ears, young master." He giggled conservatively into my face but I didn't bother myself to listen to him any further.
I'm quite satisfied that they did not treat me like a pile of household rubbish and they provided me with clothes that were as decent as humanly possible. While Sebastian dresses me up, I just confirmed that this certain guy named Mitsui used to work for my company which frankly surprised me due to the fact that kindness was just a rare sight for me and their own hospitality for a strange lad like me is one of its best examples.
"By the way, how's your deal with those jerks who were trying to abduct me at the riverside?" I inquired about him since he was also present at that time it happened to me.
I sensed a murderous intent from his expression. "Apparently they are breathless corpses at this moment and were about to be buried 6 feet under the ground. I guess the confirmation should be later broadcasted nationwide under government-owned media." He started with his most innocent smile.
I must also acknowledge his efforts since those evil guys who were trying to hurt me were killed and definitely became the root cause of heinous crimes in this specific society.
"I also made sure that the silverware I used to slash their throats would never be identified no matter how passionate their authorities can be." He added as I simply chuckled on behalf of their ruthless karma. Ironic isn't it but they deserve the bad luck which I imposed to happen through Sebastian's hands.
Meanwhile, a sudden blast from the main entrance door was heard and I panicked constantly due to the possibility of getting caught red-handed by both of them.
"Get lost now or they will notice your presence here. Make sure that everything is well organized for our company's event." I insisted on that request in order for us to fulfill our main purpose of going here to Japan.
He kneels down at me as a sign of respect. "Yes, my lord." He said and carefully dashed towards the exit door of my room.
- BACK TO SCENE -
Everything just went back to normal in an instant. Iyon na sana ang inaasahang hopes and dreams ni Hillary na mangyayari ngunit nagbago ang kanyang expectations nang makita niyang muli si Mitsui na lagapak sa kalungkutan. "Naku po! Biyernes santo na naman ang mukha mo. Ano nangyari sa lakad mo?" nag-aalala na sabi ni Hillary habang si Casper naman ay nagpasyang tumambay muna sa staircase upang makahanap na rin ng makakain at papunta sa kusina.
Napatigil siya sa paglalakad habang napaupo na lamang si Mitsui sa sofa na mukhang lanta sa sobrang init. "Ayos lang naman pero meron pa rin akong hindi maintindihan at matanggap sa nangyari." sabi ni Mitsui at lumingon ito kay Hillary.
"Ano bang sinabi ng US embassy sa'yo?" tanong ni Hillary sa kanya. Kahit sino ay hindi mababasa kung anong nasa isipan ngayon ng binata dahil sa seryosong pustura nito.
"Noong nakaraang buwan ay may isang babae na kawangis mo ang nagtanong rin ng impormasyon tungkol sa kalagayan ni Claire pero ang sabi nila sa kanya ay nakauwi na raw si Claire dito sa Japan." panimulang kwento ni Mitsui.
Halos hindi makaimik si Hillary sa sinabi ni Mitsui. "Pinuntahan ko rin kanina ang bahay nila malapit sa bungad ng Shizuoka pero hindi pa rin alam ng pamilya niya kung nasaan siya. Ang nakakapagtaka lang ay gaya rin nila ay wala silang ideya sa kinaroroonan ngayon ng anak nila. Bakit hindi mo ako sinabihan tungkol sa bagay na iyon?" tanong ni Mitsui na mukhang dismayado sa paglilihim sa kanya ni Hillary.
"Hindi ko alam kung paano ko ipapaliwanag sa'yo ang nangyayari noon dahil gaya mo ay wala rin akong ideya kung nasaan si Claire. Wala akong mukhang ihaharap sa'yo tungkol dyan." paliwanag ni Hillary ngunit sa pakiramdam ni Mitsui ay pawang kasinungalingan na lamang ang lahat ng sinasabi niya sa kanya.
"Pero kahit na... Hindi mo pa rin sinabi ang gustong gusto kong malaman mula ng umalis siya sa tabi ko. Talaga bang sinasadya mong tuluyan nang mawalan ng kahulugan ang pinag- samahan naming dalawa hah?!" seryosong tanong ni Mitsui at walang magawa si Hillary kundi aminin ang kanyang saloobin.
"Oo. Inaamin ko na naging ingrata at makasarili ako dahil sa'yo. Ikaw lang naman ang nagparamdam sa akin na kaya akong mahalin ng isang tulad mo sa kabila ng lahat ng masasakit na salita na naririnig ko mula sa'yo dati pa." nagluluhang sabi ni Hillary ngunit anumang sabihin niya ay nawalan ng tiwala si Mitsui sa kanyang mga pahayag.
"Huwag mong isisi sa akin ang lahat kung bakit mo piniling maging ganyan. Mas mabuti pa sigurong tigilan mo na ako. Puro pasakit ng kalooban lang naman ang inabot ko sa pagpapasensya sa lahat ng ginagawa mo sa amin ni Claire." naiinis na turan ni Mitsui sa kanya at saka siya iniwan mag-isa sa sofa.
"Hindi ka nagmamahal dahil sarili mo lang ang iniisip mo at wala kaming puwang diyan sa utak mo kundi mandohan ang lahat ng sinasabi at kinikilos namin. Nakakabwisit ka na." bulong na lamang ni Mitsui sa kanyang sarili dahil sa dismayado ito nang malaman niya ang tinatagong kulay na mayroon si Hillary.
Sa mga nagdaang sandali ay hindi nila inaasahan ng mapatid si Casper ng bola na nakaharang sa may hagdanan. "Oh… I'm sorry. I did not intend to bother you two." namumutlang sabi ng bata dahil sa kahihiyan.
Bakas naman ang pag-aalala nila sa bata. "Ayos ka lang? May masakit pa ba sa'yo?" tanong ni Mitsui.
"Wala na masyado. Maraming salamat nga po pala sa pag-aalaga sa akin." masayang sabi ni Casper sa kanya.
"Kumain ka na. Ipagsasandok lang kita saglit ng pagkain." sabi naman ni Hillary nang pumunta na siya sa kusina at naghain ng kanin at ulam.
Nilapitan ni Mitsui si Casper and he tapped on his shoulders. "Pasensya ka na at narinig mo pa ang pag-aaway namin. Ako nga pala si Mitsui. Kung may kailangan ka puntahan mo lang ako sa garahe." kalmadong sabi nito sa batang kasama nila sa bahay at tila nahimasmasan na si Mitsui kahit papano.
"I'm Casper by the way." pagpapakilalang sabi ng bata.
"Ikinagagalak rin kitang makilala." ngiting sabi ni Mitsui sa kanya ng guluhin niya ang buhok. Namalagi muna si Mitsui sa kanilang garahe upang paghandaan ang event na gagawin ng kanilang kumpanya para sa mga empleyado.