Welcome, Player: Grand Quest

Chapter 106: Surprise, Slayer!

This is actually how I visualize Hiraeth. Long-haired boyy. Hanggang sa may dibdib niya na 'yan pag di nakatali.

-chapter one-hundred-six-
____________________

SOLACE

"Slayer, is that you?"

NATIGILAN AKO sa tanong. I turned around to see a boy standing behind me, brows furrowed in confusion. Nanlaki ang mata ko. Paano niya ako nakilala?

At sino siya?

His black hair with white stripes is tousled. His white uniform shirt is rolled to his shoulders. Nakasungkit sa kaliwang balikat niya ang strap ng backpack at may hawak-hawak siyang safety gloves at electric drill.

I blinked once. Twice. "I'm sorry, you must have gotten the wrong person."

I can't associate his face with anyone I know in game. Sino kaya ito? At paano niya napamilyaran ang itsura ko bilang slayer? Ugh. Mula kahapon pa ako minamalas.

Nanatili ang titig niya sa'kin pero hindi na siya sumagot. I awkwardly shifted my eyes from him to the wrench shelves. Natapos na ako sa pagpili at nakatayo pa rin siya doon at nakatitig sa'kin.

Now, I'm suffering! Sino ka ba?!

Sinulyapan ko siya. Nakahilig siya sa isang shelf at nakahalukipkip. I sighed and was about to turn away when he speaks again.

"I'm not mistaken. You're the slayer."

Ngumiti ako. "Ano po 'yong slayer?"

Tumayo siya ng tuwid at inilagay ang isang kamay sa bulsa. He mocks his head, "You look exactly like Solace. Ang pagkakaiba lang ay ang buhok mo at na wala kang elf ears. Still, I know you're her."

Kumunot ang noo ko. Ang Oddcredibles lang talaga o di kaya sina River, Rase, Ace at Irusu ang nakakanotice, since they're beside me all the time or with me the longest. He's not part of our guild at hindi ko din siya kilala personally. So if he knows me in game, he knows me since I was in Gaea?

"I see. You don't recognize me?" the corner of his lips slightly twitches upwards. "Was our battle in the finals really that boring?"

Nalaglag ang panga ko. "Astro?"

What is he doing here? At talaga bang dito lang siya banda nakatira? This is so weird. Meeting someone you know in game without prior notice.

"Took you long enough." kinuha niya ang mga dala ko. "What do you need with these? May kinalaman ba 'to sa pagkawala mo sa game?"

Ngumiwi ako. Of course, they'll find it weird since I'm almost always online. I wonder how the Oddcredibles are doing now.

Nauna akong naglakad papunta sa counter. "Mm. Something happened and the virtual gear broke. As well as the game chip."

Tumango siya. Dumaan ang katahimikan sa'min habang hinihintay namin ang pagcheck out ng items.

"Iisahin lang po ba?" tanong ng cashier. He looks like a highschool student.

Umiling ako at pinagiba ang items ko at kay Astro. "Unahin mo na lang sa kaniya."

"Sige po."