DEALING WITH THE DEVIL (Vander #1-COMPLETED)

29: Zero is the best

“---Argh! Shit!” His face grunted as he moved away.

Lol hindi raw masakit. Hindi naman pala eh.

“Can you just let go of this?” tanong niya sa akin. “I promised this won’t happen again.”

“A promise that you won’t even try keeping.”

Napabuntong-hininga siya nang malalim. “I will try harder. You know getting shot is only natural.”

I scoffed. “Not all people experience a bullet deep in their tissues in their whole life, buddy. And you, ilang beses na ba? Anim? Pito? I lost count.”

“Okay okay, just let go of this. Do not even think of beating me once I recovered,” sabi niya sa akin.

I stared at him for so long, trying to recall the hellhole I was in when I thought I lost some people I love because of death. It was something I don’t want to experience again. Mahinang tumango ako sa kanya.

Fine, I’ll let go of it. Yes, I will.

“Alright, wanna see a magic trick?” I asked and his face lighted up like a kid.

“Sure!”

I let out my annoying smirk. “Remember that red Bugatti Chiron Sport you had at the garage?” Unti-unting napalis ang ngiti sa kanyang mukha. “One moment it was there, then poof, it is gone.”

Napahawak siya sa kanyang sintido. “Not that one please, it’s hella expensive!”

I shook my head. “Mas mahal ang buhay Cooler.”

Ilang beses siyang napakamot. “You can take the Aston Martin Vanquish, not the--”

“No, I’ll take the Bugatti,” sabi ko sa pinal na boses.

He looked problematic right now. “I think I’ll prefer it if you will beat me to death instead.”

“It’s final,” wika ko at lumapit sa gilid ng kama at tiningnan ang mga gamit niya na naroon. “I’ll continue the business for now. Just stay here and rest.”

“But--”

“No buts.”

“You had company, remember?” paalala niya sa akin.

Company? Ah, Titless. “She can go back home.”

“Like right now? Ryu it’s almos two in the morning, why would you let a girl home at this hour, alone?”

“She’s not just some girl Cooler, you know that.”

Mariing umiling siya. “Kahit na. Isa pa, ikaw ang nagdala sa kanya rito, it’s only fair that you take her home too.”

“I’ll let Poseidon take her--”

“Alam mong mas kailangan natin si Poseidon ngayon,” putol niya sa sinabi ko. He has a point. This is a dangerous business and Poseidon is the best reaper to trust at times like this.

“Maybe Mnemosyne will--”

Pinutol niya ulit ang sasabihin ko. “You know Mnemosyne. I’m sure they didn’t get along. Wala akong nakitang babae na nakasama mo ng kahit ilang segundo na nakasundo niya. She would go threatening them with whatever, right?”

Tama ulit siya. Mnemosyne tends to get jealous over women around me. Kahit noong mga bata pa lamang kami ay inaaway na niya lahat ng mga babaeng lumalapit sa akin. And everyone were afraid of her, only few weren’t.

Sumilay ang kakaibang ngiti mula sa labi ni Cooler. “Or how about you continue this and I’ll take her home?”

And what, give titless the satisfaction of having Cooler to herself?