[Seven-Minute Semblance] MASTERMINDSFORHIRE & RAGNAROK

Chapter 5 - Usual Semblance

He let himself be carried and laughed even more. "I wasn't gonna die, my plan was perfect!"

"You were, pero pasalamat ka sa 'kin dahil nakapagpigil ako." Ibinaba ko siya sa may kitchen island at saka siya niyakap. Hinayaan ko na basa ang kamay niya, matutuyo rin naman ang damit ko.

"I'm still washing the dishes, Fraulein Snow," he said, his voice muffled against my shoulder.

"I know." Hinigpitan ko pa ang yakap sa kanya, hinihintay na yumakap siya pabalik. "I'm just happy you remember me now."

"I wasn't the one who thought I was a hallucination."

"I'm sorrryyy, you were just too good to be true. And before you came, I used to daydream a lot about my mom getting cured one day. I daydreamed about a rich person visiting us, seeing us, and helping us. I daydreamed about my father coming home one day..."

I used to daydream about all the nice things I didn't have.

"And then one day, this same day, you walked into my life... and changed all that. Every hour I had spent with you, albeit stressful, felt like I was living my daydream of having a happy life."

He hugged me back tighter. "You're not going back to that kind of life anymore."

Futhark will die.

I flinched at the thought. I directed all my attention to Joyeuse.

The Mad Hatter's Plan. Futhark will die. The Mad Hatter's Plan.

"I love you," I told Joyeuse, just to hear myself being louder than all the voices in my head.

"I love you today, too."

"Will you love me tomorrow?"

"I'm not done loving you today." He pulled away and cupped my face, leaning closer.

"Happy birthday, Jule."

"Who's loving who tomorrow?" Biglang pumasok si Aodhan at nabitiwan ang hawak niyang baso ng beer. Kitang-kita kung paano nawala ang ngiti sa mukha niya at napalitan ng gulat na may halong awkwardness. "Oh, you two are... hugging each other."

Mas nagulat ako sa sinabi ni Aodhan kaysa ro'n sa nabasag na baso.

Nagtaas ng kilay si Joyeuse. "Why are you still here?" masungit niyang tanong. "Are you going to tell on mum? Are you going to force me to return back to Ireland?"

"No, no!" Tinaas ni Aodhan ang mga kamay niya. "I'm not here to do that. I'm here to show you that I support you."

"Oh," I said. "Thank you." Kumuha ako ng dustpan at lumuhod para iligpit ang kalat ni Aodhan.

"That's fiiine. Besides, knowing Jule, I know this is just a phase."

Natigilan ako.

"What do you mean, a phase?" Nagtanggal ng apron si Joyeuse at hinarap ang tatay niya.

Hindi nahahalata ni Aodhan na na-offend ang anak niya... at ako. Tatawa-tawa pa niyang dinagdag, "It's not because Futhark's a lad; your mum and I have no problem with that. You know Ireland. It's just that of the eight relationships you've had that we know of, the longest one was three days."

Nanginig ang kamay ko.

"Just don't hurt Futhark that much, he's a very good friend."

Nagpintig ang tainga ko. Hindi ko alam kung alin ang mas masakit—'yong kamay kong nagsusugat sa pinupulot kong bubog o 'yong naririnig ko. Hinayaan ko na lang ang lahat. Kung aakto akong walang naririnig, hindi siguro ako masasaktan.