Don't Leave it at Three • A IV Of Spades AU

vii :: badjao

12:30 PM

At first, Zild was quiet. Very picky with friends. They roamed around for quite a long time, which bored Blaster out a lot (based from Badjao's observation). He looked at his fellow patients and couldn't help but feel very bad for them. Many were screaming, many don't have the capability to stay on their seats. The saddest of them all? They could not control themselves. Badjao glanced at Zild quietly and couldn't help but think...

Did you even have friends, Zild?

"No," Zild said out of the blue. It contained a hint of sadness, which made Badjao feel guilty of asking that question.

"You guys were my first ones," Zild said with a reassuring smile. "...but, that might be one-sided," Zild added.

"I don't know with Blaster, pero I'm your friend," Badjao said quickly.

Badjao expected a reply from Blaster, but he was silent.

Zild smiled then said no more.

Badjao was thinking of ways on how to stop Zild if he suddenly went all crazy, until suddenly, Zild stopped walking.

"Hello!" Zild said with a smile. He approached a patient who was staring at his own hand in amazement. There were red markings on his hands, and Zild wanted to know where it came from.

The patient didn't answer. He was still looking at his hand.

Badjao suddenly felt a cold breeze pass by his nape. A soul, Badjao thought to himself.

Badjao de Castro, that's my son, the voice spoke. Badjao turned around, and saw a man in a tuxedo.

"Ikaw ang tatay ng lalaking 'yan?" Badjao asked.

The soul nodded. I promised that I would return to him when there are eight red lines on his hands. Every year that would pass by, he would draw a line. But I never came, because I died.

Badjao looked at the father, then looked at the patient who Zild was practically shouting at.

"Kawawa naman," Badjao told the soul. "Ano ang gusto mong iparating sa anak mo?"

Sabihin mo sa kanya na mahal ko siya, the soul said, his voice cracking. So that he knows it's me, tell him na to welcome you into his pack.

"Pack?" Badjao asked.

That's his friend group. He calls his friends "part of his pack". Please, be his friend. His name is KL.

Badjao nodded, and approached the patient. "KL, your father loves you very much."

The patient didn't look up. "He's a shoe. A.K.A B-O-R-I-N-G! Boo boring!" Zild sighed, walking off.

But Badjao didn't stop. "Your father told you to welcome us to your pack."

And that made the patient look up. "Pa'no mo nalaman 'yan?"

Badjao just smiled, then touched KL's shoulder. Suddenly, KL felt his father's hug.

"Tatay..." KL said, his eyes tearing up.

"Mahal kita, KL." the father said, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"Thank you, Badjao," the father said, smiling. "Thank you." And the soul was gone.

KL then looked at Badjao, then gave him a hug. Zild rolled his eyes, while Blaster didn't care.

"Okay," KL said, "I'm KL. KL dela Cruz. Since my father told me to welcome you to my pack, I will."