UNREACHABLE? GUESS AGAIN.

PART 12

AFTER THE INCIDENT.

Hindi na bumalik pa sa school si Zhan. He just went straight sa terminal para maghintay ng jeep.

Nakapila siya, medyo lutang pa rin sa nangyari.

BIGLANG MAY HUMILA SAKANYA.

"H-Hoy!" gulat niyang sabi.

Di siya agad nakareact. May humawak ng wrist niya at hinila siya palayo.

BLACK HOODIE.

Hindi niya kita yung mukha pero kilala niya yung likod.

He’d recognize it anywhere.

"Yibo??" pero hindi sumagot.

Nagmamadali lang siyang hinila palayo.

AND JUST LIKE THAT, THEY ENDED UP IN A LUXURY CONDO LOBBY.

Nasa exclusive residential building na sila.

No wonder Yibo could punch like that...

he’s fucking rich.

AYY ANONG KONEK??

YIBO TOOK OFF HIS HOODIE.

Zhan blinked.

PUTANGINA POGI??

"I’m sorry." Zhan snapped out of it.

"Huh?" he frowned. "For what?"

"Ah, kanina ba?" Zhan laughed awkwardly, scratching his nape.

"Uy, ako nga dapat magsorry sayo eh, nadamay ka lang. Sorry talaga."

YIBO JUST SMILED SOFTLY.

Tangina.

Anong klaseng tao ‘to?! Pabago-bago ng personality??

The silence between them stretched like an elastic band, one wrong move away from snapping.

Then just as Zhan was about to exhale and break the weird tension...

"ZHAN!!!" A hand gripped his wrist, yanking him away from Yibo.

What the—?!

ALECA APPEARS. She gripped his wrist, dragging him away from Yibo.

Malakas ang kapit niya halos bumaon ang kuko niya sa balat ni Zhan.

Behind them, Yibo silently followed, his face unreadable.

Pagkalabas ng condo, Aleca finally let go and faced him.

"Kailan ka ba mags-stop, Zhan?! Lagi na lang gulo ang dala mo sa buhay ko at sa buhay ng iba, you're making a living out of causing problems for everyone!"

Napatingin sa kanila ang ibang tao pero wala silang pake.

Aleca looked furious, her chest heaving up and down as if she ran all the way here.

Aleca heard about the commotion sa library pero tapos na nung dumating siya.

So she left at hinanap niya si Zhan.

At nung nakita niya ito sa terminal, BIGLANG MAY HUMILA KAY XIAO ZHAN.

"Yibo?"

Nagulat siya pero hindi na siya nagtanong at sinundan niya sila.

Even if it meant running all the way here, hingal na hingal.

She stopped outside the condo, fixed her hair gamit ang pocket mirror.

Sinigurado niyang maganda pa rin siya bago umeksena.

She watched as Zhan and Yibo talked seriously.

BACK TO THE PRESENT.

Zhan rolled his eyes. "OA much?!"

"Ano ba pinaglalaban mo? I can settle and solve my own problems." but Aleca’s next words hit him like a train.

"HINDI PA BA ENOUGH SAYO NA NAMATAY SI ATE FIONA DAHIL SA MGA GULONG DALA MO?!"

The world froze.

A sharp ringing noise filled his ears.

His heartbeat pounded against his ribs.

His fists clenched. His jaw tightened as he gritted his teeth.

Did she just drag their sister’s name into this?!

"WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?!" -
Zhan

His voice shook with anger and with disbelief.

*SLAP!!* Aleca slapped him hard

"NO! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU, ZHAN?!" - Aleca

"STOP." Yibo's voice was calm but laced with danger.

He stood firmly, like a barrier between the chaos, his eyes sharp and cold as he stared at Aleca.

Pagkatapos, binalingan niya si Zhan.

Then without warning, Yibo dragged Aleca inside. Zhan stayed behind, rooted to the spot. His thoughts were a mess.

The slap. The anger. Aleca’s words.

After what seemed like an eternity, they finally returned with Aleca's face streaked with tears.

...

(okay na 'to)