ADAMAS was impatiently tapping his fingers on his arms. Nakaupo siya sa sofa habang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa nakasarang kuwarto ni Logan. Isang linggo na ang lumipas matapos ang kaarawan ni Gon at isang linggo na ring hindi nagpapansinan ang dalawa. Sa mga araw na iyon, walang tigil din sa pagtratrabaho ang lalaki.
Minsan lang din silang nagkakausap dahil puro trabaho ang ginagawa nito. Kahit madilim na ang gabi, naabutan niya pa rin itong gising. Nag-aalala na siya dahil baka bigla na naman itong mahimatay at magkasakit.
It wasn't the only thing he was worried about but the color of his emotion too. His dark and heavy emotion had been taking its shape since the night of Gonietta's birthday. Mas lalo itong lumaki, kinakapitan na ang buong braso ng lalaki.
"System, the progress bar," utos niya sa system.
[Character Restoration progress: 87%]
He hissed. He should've moved after Gonietta's birthday, but he couldn't just leave Logan alone. Baka bigla na lang itong kainin ng sariling emosyon at wala siya. Hindi naman siya makakapayag doon. He wouldn't let that happen.
His dark emotion was too similar to his author. Even if there were quite a difference, he was certain it was a triggering emotion that could lead to something terrible. And he couldn't fathom witnessing another writer killing himself without him doing anything to stop it.
Until now, he was still in pain. He would lose his mind if he witnessed something like that again.
Bumukas ang pinto ng kuwarto ni Logan kaya kaagad siyang napatayo. Kaagad siyang sumunod sa lalaki na naglakad palabas para pumunta sa trabaho.
"What are you doing, Mr. Adamas?" taka nitong tanong.
"I'm going with you."
"Huh? But I'm going to the company." Nilingon siya nito.
"I'll go there with you."
"You can't."
"I'll go!" pamimilit niya habang 'di inaalis ang tingin sa emosyon nito. The dark emotion represented Logan's face right now--tired.
Bumuntonghininga naman ito. "Bahala ka nga, Mr. Adamas. Bawal ka rin naman sa office."
Hindi na ito nakipagtalo sa kaniya at bumaba na. Sumunod din siya kaagad. Hanggang sa makarating sa publishing company na pinagtratrabahuan nito, nakasunod lang siya. Papasok na sana sila sa building ngunit napatigil nang may makitang pigura na naglalakad din papunta sa pintuan.
It was Gonietta and a guy.
Napasingkit ang mga mata niya sa lalaki.
Who the hell is this?
Napatigil din sa paglalakad ang dalawa nang makita sila.
"Oh, hey, Logan!" bati ng lalaki. He raised his hand as a gesture.
Tumango naman si Logan at ngumiti. "Hey."
Nanatili lang tahimik si Gonietta, nahihiya itong magsalita.
Pinasadahan niya ng tingin si Logan at napansing ang pagbagsak ng balikat nito. Isa pang emosyon ang lumabas at iyon ay purong kalungkutan. Adamas then figured the guy must be the one Gon mentioned before. The guy she liked, Zaren.
Tiningnan siya ng lalaki mula ulo hanggang paa. "And who is this? A cosplayer?"
His eyebrows immediately furrowed. How dare he said that?! He was real! The real Adamas Vondrov Riscarte!
"Ahm . . . well . . ." Napakamot si Logan sa kaniyang batok na nilingon siya. Nagdadalawang-isip sa sasabihin dahil baka maulit ang nangyari sa una nilang pagkikita kapag um-oo ito.
Siya na lang ang sumagot. "Insolence. No one is allowed to mistake me for who I am. I am Adamas Vondrov Riscarte, the real deal!"
Zaren laughed. "I see. In character na in character nga. Kuhang-kuha kung paano magsalita si Adamas."
He gritted his teeth in annoyance. He was ready to scratch the guy's face with his sharp nails, but Logan intervened.
"Should we go inside now? The meeting will start soon." Nauna nang maglakad si Logan papasok. Sumunod naman ang dalawa at siya rin.
Nang makapasok, nilingon siya ni Logan. "Mr. Adamas, doon ka na lang mag-stay. Like I said bawal ka."
Tinuro nito ang lounge. He just snorted in response and walked to where the longest sofa was. Umupo siya sa sentro habang nakakrus ang mga braso.
Adamas waited for how many hours there. May mga lumapit din sa kaniyang mga employee at nagtanong sa kaniya para magpa-picture. Hindi naman siya umangal at hinayaan ang mga ito kung anong gusto nilang gawin sa kaniya. If it was for his reddy readsy, he would always be willing to do what would make them happy.
May bumaba sa hagdan kung saan umakyat ang tatlo kanina. Akala niya'y si Logan iyon pero nalukot kaagad ang mukha niya nang makitang si Zaren ito.
Lumapit ito at tumabi sa kaniya. "Aren't you bored here, Adamas?"
"I wasn't. But seeing your face makes me want to die of boredom."
"That's harsh." Tumawa ito. Kinuha nito ang phone at tinutok sa kaniya. "Puwede magpa-picture?"
He hissed before answering. "Go ahead." If he wasn't one of his readers, he would never agree.
Ilang litrato rin na may iba't ibang anggulo ang kinuha nito. Sa lahat ng nagpa-picture sa kaniya ito ang pinakamatagal.
"Thanks, Adamas!" masigla nitong sabi at tiningnan ang phone.
As he scrolled through his phone, Adamas watched his emotion. Seeing him earlier with Gon, there wasn't any hint of gentle red in his emotion. There was nothing special.
He seemed not to be interested in Gon.
"Hey, human. Why do you hang out with my reddy readsy?"
"With who?" Inangat nito ang tingin.
"Gonietta."
"Oh, nothing really. She's one of my friends so I think that's why?" He shrugged. "And she's also from my team so we're kinda close."
"I don't care if you're close with her, human. But this is one thing you need to remember." Hinawakan niya ang kuwelyo ng damit nito at hinila papalapit sa kaniya. Bakas sa mukha nito ang gulat dahil sa kaniyang ginawa. "If you ever ruin the two people I'm rooting for, I'll kill you. Remember my words."
"Whoa. Chill. I just--" Zaren paused when he got distracted. Napunta ang tingin nito sa kanan kaya napalingon din siya.
Nagtagis ang mga ngipin niya nang makita kung sino iyon.
It was Azure.
Binitiwan niya si Zaren at madilim na tinitigan ang lalaki. May kasama itong mga guwardiya. Lumingon ito sa kanilang direksyon kaya napangisi.
That's right. Come here. Your death is waiting for you.
"Mr. Laurien!" bati ng katabi niya nang maglakad si Azure sa kanilang direksyon.
"Mr. Pairentida," sagot din ni Azure at nakipag-kamay kay Zaren.
"I couldn't believe your in front of me now, sir. It's nice meeting you. Thank you for your interest in our company."
Ngumiti si Azure. "I would like to expand my business and judging from the state of your publishing, I think it'd be a good choice to invest with you."
"It would be an honor, sir."
"Our meeting will start in an hour. But can we start now? I have actually something to attend." Azure looked at his watch before looking at Zaren. "I'm sorry if I have to make this request now and didn't make a heads-up earlier."
"Oh, no. It's fine, sir. Kakatapos lang din sa general meeting namin and we just got our break. I'll notify the heads right away of your arrival."
"Sure. Thank you, Mr. Pairentida," nakangiti nitong sabi. Hindi halata sa mukha nito na kaya nitong pumatay ng sariling kapatid at batang nasa sinapupunan pa lang.
He wanted to strangle him already, but it wasn't the perfect place. Everything was too open. Masiyadong marami ang witnesses. Logan and Gonietta were here too.
Why do I always see you in the wrong places?
Kinuyom niya na lang nang mahigpit ang kamay niya at doon tinuon ang poot na nararamdaman.
Bumaba ang tingin ni Azure sa kaniya. He looked at him from head to toe with his puzzled face.
"What is that? That costume is so ugly." Tinuro siya nito.
Lumingon naman si Zaren sa kaniya. "Oh, that is actually a cosplayer of Adamas Riscarte from Odds of Tribes."
Azure tilted his head after hearing a familiar name. Nakapamulsa itong naglakad papalapit sa kaniya. Yumuko ito upang magkapantay ang kanilang mukha.
"Adamas, huh?" The color of his emotion was swamped with disgust. "What a stupid name."
Mahina itong tumawa bago tumalikod sa kaniya at nagsimula nang maglakad. Sumunod naman si Zaren.
Bago pa tuluyang makalayo, may biglang pumasok sa isip niya kaya napangisi siya. Tinawag niya ito.
"Hey, insolent Laurien!"
Azure halted. He turned with his eyes glaring at him. "What did you call me?"
"I do not like repeating myself." He matched his gaze with his cold eyes. If only his veil was clear enough for Azure to see his face, he would be frightened.
"Cosplayer, I don't think you have the position to act cocky with me." Dahan-dahan itong naglakad papunta sa kaniya.
Lalo siyang napangisi nang mapansin ang pagbabago ng emosyon nito. He was pissed.
What a petty human.
"Believe me, I have. But I just want to tell you today to be careful on climbing up the stairs." He chuckled. "You might trip."
Kumunot ang noo nito. Ilang sandali pa bago umiling at tinalikuran siya. Hindi na ito sumagot pa at naglakad na palayo sa kaniya.
He immediately summon his thin threads and made them twine in the feet of Azure. He waited for him to reach the middle of the stairway. When the height was enough for the man to be impaired, he pulled the thread hard. Azure slipped and banged his face on the stairs before rolling down on the floor.
His bodyguards gasped, including Zaren. Siya naman ay ngumisi. Isang maliit na tawa ang tumakas sa kaniyang labi.