『SUE』
"Master Garet, please..."
Nope. Ilang beses na kaming nagpaawa sa harap ni Master Garet, ngunit hindi pa rin niya kami pinapansin. Siguro, kailangan pa namin umiyak nang dugo bago niya kami tingnan nang tuluyan.
"Give me one reason kung bakit papayagan ko kayang sumunod sa grupo nina Light?" Tanong ni Master Garet.
Sinimangutan namin siya't sinamaan nang tingin. Kanina pa kami nagsasabi ng mga rason sa kanya! Pakiramdam ko dinodogshow talaga kami ni Master Garet. Kasalanan talaga 'to ni Sky, siya ang laging pinagtitripan ng papa niya, ngayon nadadamay pa kami dahil sa pagiging bobong anak niya.
"They are taking too long, Master Garet," Aizelle reasoned. Master Garet eyed and studied her, "This isn't the time to sit here and wait for them to come back-"
"Your time is running out... is that what you mean?"
"Our time is."
"I see," Master Garet mumbled. "You may leave whenever you want, but I want you to go to Alexis first. And... Aizelle, stay."
Pare-parehas kaming nagtatakha na tumingin kay Master Garet saka kay Aizelle. Hindi naman sila close, for all I know ay si Tita Freya ang ka-close ni Aizelle sa mga gurang, maybe a private message from Tita Freya ang pag-uusapan nila?
"Kayong lahat ba si Aizelle?"
Lalo kaming napabusangot nang itaboy kami ni Master Garet palabas sa office niya. At dahil excited na excited ang mga kasama ko dahil finally after nang kalahating araw na panunuyo kay Master Garet ay pinayagan na kami, hindi na kami nag-aksaya pa ng oras, dumiretso agad kami sa Cerxes kung nasaan ang bahay nina Sky.
"Ano kayang pinaguusapan nina Master Garet at Aizelle?" Celine asked, whispering.
"You're a chismosa," said Serena.
"I mean, aren't you curious, too?"
"I'm nagtatakha, but not that eager."
Sky suddenly brooded; his eyes squinted while walking beside Riley and looking at Celine with a hint of interest. "Aizelle had been talking with Papa for almost a month. I'm shocked that you didn't know."
"Really?" I mouthed. I unconsciously glanced at Celine and Serena, who immediately shrugged their shoulders.
That's quite unnoticeable. Kami-kami ang magkakasama sa cabin, especially sa iisang kuwarto pero hindi namin napapansin na umaalis si Aizelle. "And now... I'm really curious kung anong pinag-uusapan nila."
"If Aizelle is not telling any of you, then that matter must be private. Don't be too nosy. Mga babae nga naman," ani Riley. Saglit kaming tumigil sa harapan ng bahay nina Sky saka niya kami tiningnan. "Not all matters should be shared. We all have our own problems that must be addressed by ourselves."
And his words left us dumbfounded. Riley and Sky immediately went inside, making the three of us sigh. It was our fault, I know. Pero alam ko, ramdam ko na unti-unting naglalagay si Aizelle ng pader sa aming lahat, hindi lamang kay Light. It felt like she's slowly... slowly... running away from us by putting a wall so that we won't notice her disappearing.
"Why aren't you entering?"
Gulat akong lumingon sa likod, nando'n si Aizelle at may hawak na isang malaking kahon habang nakangiwit. Walang modo niya akong binangga na para ba akong harang sa daan. Tangina nito. Madapa ka sana, una ang mukha. Barumbado siyang pumasok sa loob saka iniwan kami sa labas.
"Sue, ang laki mong harang d'yan. H'wag kang tanga," puna sa akin ni Celine saka mabilis na pumasok sa loob.
Nakabusangot akong sumunod sa kanila ni Serena't nakita namin si Tita Alexis sa tabi ng isang portal na sa tingin ko'y imbensyon ni Master Garet. Inabutan niya kami isa-isa ng mga backpack saka nilagay ro'n ni Aizelle ang box na hawak niya, ilang beses pa akong kumurap dahil basta lamang niya talaga nilagay ro'n ang box na para bang hindi iyon triple ang laki sa hawak niyang bag.
"Same features lang ito sa cubes," sambit ni Tita Alexis. "Since susunod kayo kayna Ice, hindi niyo puwedeng dahil ang mga cubes. And don't be surprise kung pinayagan kayo ni Garet dahil matagal na niyang binabalak na pasunurin kayo sa grupo nina Light."
Tumabi ako kay Aizelle saka bumulong sa kanya, "Anong mayroon sa box?"
"Pinabibigay ni Tita Savannah sa anak niya," ngiwit na sagot niya. "Ginawa pa akong delivery man."
Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ako dahil sa inis niyang mukha o ano. Nang lumitaw sa harap ang Intelectix ni Tita Alexis, bumungad sa amin ang pangalan ni Light, at ang huling beses kung kailan sila nakapagusap.
"That's the issue," Tita Alexis said, pertaining to Light and her last interaction. "We couldn't contact the first group. We don't have any idea what happened to them."
"So, basically..." Sky mumbled. "Taga hanap kami ng mga nawawalang tanga?"
Malakas na tumawa si Riley saka fist bump pa sila. Naks, sana all mag-bestfriend na. "Plural kasi magkakasama sina Phoenix." Sinilip pa ako ng dalawang gago't ngumisi. Ano 'to hinihintay niyong ipagtanggol ko 'yong isa?
Tita Alexis suddenly cleared her throat, and leered at Sky and Riley. Mga mayayabang kasi. "Pack your things, and be back before dawn. We shouldn't waste time, especially since the Primordial Gods are fighting over the kingdoms."
"Ma..." Sky mumbled. "Are you going to leave?"
"Yes."
"How about Bleu, then?"
"He's with Alyssa," Tita Alexis said calmly. "I'll be aiding the Alchemy Kingdom since Garet is busy protecting the academy."
"Please, be safe."
"I will, My Dear Skyler."
•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•
"Ready?" Tita Alexis asked. We exchanged glances at each other and slowly nodded. "Be sure to find them. Careful, everyone."
With Sky leading our group, we immediately departed and entered the portal. We arrived at a dusty basement as if the house had been left abandoned by its owner. I looked around and saw Serena's twitching eyes, and she was slowly analyzing the place as if she was feeling nostalgic. I unconsciously coughed. Everything was covered with molds and dirt, and even cobwebs.
"Let's go," Sky said.
Tahimik namin siyang sinundan, samantalang si Serena ay sumabay naman sa kanya't mahina silang nag-usap. Our priority is to locate the others. Wala kaming ideya kung anong nangyari sa kanila, hindi rin namin alam kung may Primordial Gods bang nandito na kinalaban nila o ano.
"Serena knows this place well," bulong ni Celine sa gilid ko, tinapunan ko lamang siya ng tingin at hindi ako nagsalita.
"Pangit mong kausap." Hindi ko naman siya kinakausap, ah?!
Nang makalabas kami sa abandonadong bahay, ang nakangiwing mukha ni Serena ang agad kong napansin.
"Ah... tangina naman..." We all looked at Serena with our eyes widened. Oh, she's serious right now?! Is a blue moon rising tonight?! "This place is a hassle. Bakit dito pa nakatira si Sapphire?!"
"What's with this place for you to finally talk like that?" Aizelle asked.
"Living hell."
"Really?"
"Yes. Mamatay man si Light."
Tumingin lamang si Aizelle kay Serena para bang wala siyang narinig, at naunang naglakad palayo sa bahay. Pinitik ni Sky ang tainga ni Serena't sinamaan 'to ng tingin. "Foul 'yon," sermon niya pa.
At dahil sa biglaang katahimikan, naging mabilis ang paglalakad namin. Bumungad sa amin ang isang maingay, at mausok na siyudad. Maraming matataas na building na halos mahawakan na ang langit, nakakabingi rin ang walang sawang busina ng mga sasakyan, at siksikan na kumpulan ng mga tao.
"Oh... shit..." We all looked at Serena. The looked on her face can never be explained by mere words, especially that... She couldn't describe how she was feeling. "I..."
She slowly turned her head in our direction; still her eyes were twitching with the feeling of confusion and embarrassment written all over her face. "Just fucking look above..."
Our eyes dwindled, and so is our minds. What the fuck am I seeing?
"Feeling ko tulog pa ako. Saktan niyo nga ako," sambit ni Aizelle, pilit hinihigit ang kamay ni Celine na para bang willing na willing siyang magpasapak.
Riley awkwardly laughed and looked to Sky, "Try again next time ka raw."
"Can I punch in the face, Riley? Isa lang," bulong ni Sky habang matalas ang tingin na pinupukol sa billboard na tinitingnan namin.
I awkwardly smiled, and let my eyes feast to the familiar faces flaunting their charismatic and seductive faces while advertising a certain brand of rum on the gigantic billboard. It was odd, unsightly, and feels so unrealistic. Since... it was them.
Since it was Aizen and Ice...
And they fucking looked like a hot-ass couple.
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