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Chapter 55: Hide and Seek

"No... I... I haven't been asleep for a long time now, Soul. Hunter hasn't woken up in years! That's impossible!" pagtanggi pa rin niya.

Napaisip ako. We've been friends since we were little, I know Death more than anyone else and right now, I can tell he's genuinely confused. Which is why I'm starting to doubt everything as well. But that's insane! It's impossible!

"Maybe he really is unaware that Midnight's been waking up" sabi ko sa mga anghel.

"But..." napalingon ulit kami sa kanya nang umimik siya. Nakayuko siya dun at may malalim na iniisip, para bang nagdadalawang isip pa siya kung sasabihin niya ba to samin o hindi. "I've been seeing Hunter from time to time. He's mad at me for wanting to live because of her. We fought the last time I saw him" pag-amin niya.

"Th--that's impossible. Ever since your break down, I made you drink your medications in front of me!" protesta ko.

"Death" nag-aalala nang tawag ni kuya Joe sa pinsan niya. "Why would Hunter be mad at you for living?"

"He said he should've been the one alive. That this is his life, not mine. He wants me to stay away from little penguin, to keep her safe, to keep her alive. He said I'll kill her eventually too"

"No. You know that's not real, Death!" hinawakan ko siya sa magkabilang braso niya. "Your brother would never say that to you!"

"You don't know that" malamig na sabi niya saka tinanggal ang mga kamay ko sa braso niya. "He's been angry at me ever since he died! For some reason, he became angrier when I met her!"

"Why would Hunter be angry at you meeting Zoi?" mahinahon nang tanong ni kuya Adam.

"I don't know! He's always been like this, that's why I don't like meeting new people, but with her... It's like he's protecting her from me, like he knew her way before I met her" natigilan ako sa huling sinabi niya.

"Death, when was the first time you've met Zoi?"

"Here in the academy? I don't know. Detention?" takang sagot niya.

"No. Outside the academy" kunot noong sabi ko.

Umiling siya. "I've never met her outside Shi" siguradong sagot niya. I stared at his eyes for a few seconds pero hindi ko nakitaan ng kahit ano yun. He's telling his truth.

"I did... When I was chasing you after our last mission last summer kasi diba uminom ka" tangka kong pagpapaalala sa kanya. It's possible that he just didn't recognize her. "You beat up a couple of guys to save her from being raped. Hindi ko nakita ng personal pero nakita ko yung mga lalaking nakahandusay na sa kalsada. I asked Zoi if she saw you, I described you kaya nalaman niya agad na ikaw ang tinutukoy ko, she said ikaw ang nagligtas sa kanya nung gabing yun. That's why she's nice to you even after all that you did to her" paliwanag ko.

Umiling ulit siya. "I never saved anyone that night. I think I would've remember something like that! Isa pa, the first time I saw her talking to you in the detention room, I already noticed her! The moment I laid my eyes on her, her face never left my mind! I'm pretty sure I'd notice her too wherever I would meet her" protesta niya.

So Hunter has been waking up without Death's knowledge all this time? Dati, kahit hindi aware si Death sa mga nangyayari around Hunter, alam pa rin niyang nagigising si Hunter at nakakatulog siya. Pero ngayon, mukhang wala talaga siyang ideya na nagigising si Hunter.

Natigil ako sa pag-iisip nang mapaupo si Death sa lapag.

"Death" mahinang tawag ko sa kanya. Nagsquat ako sa harap niya.

"Why would Hunter do this when I finally found a reason to live?! Why would he ruin this for me?!" he's on the verge of breaking down.

Bakit nga kaya, Death? Is it because until now, deep down inside of you, there's still a part that believes you don't deserve to be happy? Kaya kahit ilang beses mong sabihin na gusto mong makasama si Zoi, eh gumagawa ka pa rin ng dahilan para itulak siya papalayo?