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'She's a Tanaka'
"Saph!" gumulong Si Saph sa kama at tinakpan ng unan ang mukha niyang nang marinig niya ang boses ni Nyx mula sa labas ng kwarto niya.
At the other side of the door, Nyx was busy fixing his shirt's collar while facing Saph's white bedroom door. He is used to her waking up late, but today was not an ordinary day. He had something prepared for her today.
"Young master, should I wake her up?"
Tumingin si Nyx na matandang babae na nakatayo sa gilid niya. May dala-dala itong tray na may isang tasa ng honey-lemon tea. Hanggang dibdib niya lang iyong matanda at halos puti na ang buhok nito. Saglit na ngumiti si Nyx sa kanya.
"It's okay, Lady March. I'll take care of this. Mamaya mo na lang po ibigay 'yan kay Saph," anito. Tumango naman iyong matanda at naglakad na papunta sa hagdan saka bumaba. Pag-alis nito ay tumingin muli si Nyx sa pinto ng kapatid niya.
"Hey, I'm just reminding you that Anpa said we'll have visitors later," aniya at inayos ang buhok niyang medyo basa pa.
Saph rolled over on the bed once more at ginulo na rin ang buhok niya sabay pikit. She hates waking up early. Dahan-dahan niyang minulat ang mga mata niya at tumingin sa bedside table. Makikita rito ang kanyang cellphone, isang astronaut lamp, at ang kanyang alarm clock. Saph's face heated up with anger when she realized it was still six in the morning.
"Ang aga pa, Nyx," sabi niya pero wala siyang narinig na sagot nito. Nyx, on the other hand, only heard murmurs from her room.
Wala nang nagawa si Saph at bumango saka naglakad papunta sa kanyang pinto at binuksan ito. Bumungad sa kanya ang kanyang kapatid na nakabihis na na parang aalis. Nakasimganot na nakatingin si Saph sa kanya pero natawa lang si Nyx rito. Magulo kasi ang buhok nito at halatang gusto pang matulog.
He brushed his index finger just on her nose tip. Nainis naman si Saph at inulit ang sinabi niya kanina. "Ang aga pa, Nyx," anito at humikab.
Natawa muli si Nyx at tumingin sa cellphone niya noong nagvibrate ito. "Mamaya, alas sais ng hapon. 501 North Street," sabi niya rito at pinisil muna ang pisngi ni Saph bago tuluyang umalis.
Naiwang nakatayo si Saph sa pinto ng kwarto niya at parang naguguluhan pa. Umiling na lang siya at pumasok na sa kwarto. It was their summer break, and she was planning to sleep all day. She recalled what her brother said. Saph knew it would be one of those business meetings that her grandfather prepared for them.
As far as Saph was informed, corporate meetings are supposed to be held in a proper setting. For her, North Street is just a street.
Baka naman may secret place sila doon? Isip niya at tumingin sa salamin na kasing tangkad niya lang. She looked at her brown, wavy, and waist-length hair, as well as the mint green pajamas that she was wearing.
Her hazel eyes, the same color as her brother's, glimmered in the firstray of sunlight that entered her room.
Why am I being asked to come now? Isip niya ulit.
She's never been invited to any of these meetings before. Tanging si Nyx lang ang nakakapunta. She thinks that her grandfather runs a sketchy business because of Nyx's suspicious character after coming home from one of those meetings.
And as for her grandfather, Saph and Nyx call him Anpa. She had never met him in person. She has never seen his face, nor his shadow. Her grandfather only supported them financially. He gave them a roof above their head and not only a simple roof, but a big one. She lives in her grandfather's mansion. The mansion has a number of people waiting to serve them their food, wash their clothes, clean the areas, and mostly handle everything that needs to be done around the mansion.
Despite not seeing her grandfather's face, Saph loves and respects him for what he did after they lost their parents. When her parents died, Nyx, Saph's older twin brother stood on their behalf of them. He was the one managing all the expenses that go around the house, checking in on Saph's academic status, and attending her school meetings.
Saph's looked at the ID picture that was hanging by her desk. It was her old grade school ID. She looked at her full name, Dawn Sapphire T. Dela Vega. T for Tanaka.
Her brother's name is Dawn Onyx. Both already celebrated their eighteenth birthday and are starting their first year of college in a few weeks. Most people call them Tanakas instead of Dela Vegas. The twin's mother was a Tanaka and the society valued the Tanaka's name more than their father's.
Saph wasn't quite sure why people made a big deal of being a Tanaka. She noticed that even Nyx stood by that title.
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Hindi namalayan ni Saph na nakatulog pala siya ulit kaya noong nagising siya dahil sa gutom ay napatayo siya sa kama at parang naguluhan pa.
Bakit walang gumising sa akin? Nasaan ba sina Lady March? Isip niya at hinahanap ang mayordoma ng bahay.
Tumayo si Saph at sinuot ang indoor slippers niya tsaka bumaba dahil nasa second floor ng mansion ang kwarto niya. Tumingin-tingin siya sa paligid at napansin niyang parang walang mga maid na naglilinis. Paliko na sana siya patungong kusina nang may mabunggo siya. Sinapo agad ni Saph ang noo dahil parang nabunggo siya sa isang matigas na bagay. Nawalan pa siya ng balanse kaya napaupo siya sa sahig.
"Oh, crap! Sorry!" rinig niyang sabi ng lalakeng nasa harap niya at doon niya nalaman na ito pala 'yong nabunggo niya.
Saph quickly got up with the stranger's help. Humihingi parin ito ng tawad sa kanya hanggang sa tingnan siya ni Saph sa mga mata. He was smiling widely, probably out of nervousness for having bumped into her in her own home. He was tall and had brown curly hair.
If Saph was a boy or if she decided to cut her hair short, they'd both have the same hair dahil parehong-pareho ang kulay ng buhok nila.
"Okay ka lang?" tanong nito sa kanya.
"Ahh, okay lang," sagot ni Saph. She didn't question why the person was at their house dahil naalala niya ang sinabi ni Nyx na may bisita ito ngayong araw. Maglalakad na sana ulit ni Saph papunta sa dining table nang may mabunggo na naman siya.
What's wrong with this day? Why am I bumping into everyone? Isip niya at inis na tumingin sa nabunggo niya.
"You okay, miss?" Another manly voice asked her. And who's this guy? Ang dami naman atang bisita ni Nyx? Isip ni Saph at napansin na may dumating pang isang lalake na may hawak na baso ng tubig. Tinaasan niya ito ng kilay.
"Dude, you're not going to help Dawn?" tanong noong lalake na kararating lang. He was at tall as the guy that she bumped into. This one has jet black hair with glasses habang 'yong nabunggo ni Saph ay blonde ang buhok at may itim na sa gitna.
Saph made a disapproving face when he called her Dawn. It's not like she doesn't like the name. She just feels uncomfortable with it dahil dalawa silang Dawn sa bahay. Saph tried my best to be polite before glaring at each of them.
"Oh! Here!" mabilis kumilos 'yong nabunggo niyang lalake at inabot ang kamay niya kay Saph pero ngumiti lang ito at tumayo mag-isa, leaving the guy's hand hanging mid-air.
"Kaibigan po ba kayo ni Nyx?" she asked politely. Tumango 'yong lalakeng nabunggo ni Saph matapos niyang makabawi sa pagkahiya dahil hindi tinanggap ni Saph ang kamay niya. Dumating 'yong lalake na unang nabunggo ni Saph at kumaway sa dalawa.
"Are you here to hang out or...?"
She trailed off dahil minsan ay hindi naman nagtatagal sa mansion ang mga bisita ni Nyx. "Actually—"
The guy with glasses cut off what the guy with curly brown hair was supposed to say. At sakto ring kararating lang ni Nyx. "Hey, sis!" tawag nito kay Saph.
Tiningnan nila ito na pababa ng hagdanan at nakabihis ng maayos na parang may lakad ito. Nyx is tall. He's around 183 centimeters.
As his twin, Saph is supposed to be as tall as him, but her height was cut off a few centimeters from Nyx's height. She is 173 cm tall. And speaking of height, Nyx's visitors were also as tall as him. Saph took notice of her brother's pale skin.
She knew that Nyx hates it kapag nabibilad siya sa araw kaya magkasing-puti lang silang dalawa. Nyx likes to style his brown hair in a very neat style. Tumango si Saph bilang pagbati habang naglalakad ni Nyx palapit sa kanya.
"Hey," tamad niyang bati kay Nyx. Tumango si Nyx at lumapit sa tatlong lalake na kaharap ni Saph.
"Ahh, you've met them?" tanong nito sa kanya dahilan para tumaas ang kilay ni Saph.
"Met who?" tanong niya kahit may idea na siya na 'yong mga lalaking ang tinutukoy ni Nyx. He smiled at her before speaking once more.
"Sila," nakapamulsa nitong sagot as he was referring to the three na kaharap ni Saph na ngayon ay apat na. She raised an eyebrow at the new guy who just came in. He was as tall as them, had deep brown hair, and was avoiding Saph's gaze.
"This is Ezekiel Fortalejo, you can call him Kiel. He's from the Fortalejo family. They run the tobacco corporation that Anpa is associated with," sabi ni Nyx at tinuro 'yong lalake na kasing kulay ni Saph ang buhok at 'yong unang nabunggo niya.
"Anpa is affiliated with a tobacco corporation?" tanong ni Saph.
"He's affiliated with a lot of enterprises. That's why he's rich, Saph," sagot ni Nyx at pinagpatuloy ang pagpapakilala sa mga lalakeng nasa harap nila.
"And this is Zackery Dans, you can call him Zack. His family runs most of the clubs here in the city. They have branches in Tokyo and Seoul as well," aniya at tinuro ang pangalawang nabunggo ni Saph, 'yong medyo blonde ang buhok.
"This is Demo Ford. As you can tell from his family name, they own most of the auto dealerships in the area, well, mostly the country. These guys are the same age as us, by the way." Tinuro ni Nyx 'yong pangatlong lalake na nakita ni Saph at tinawag pa siyang Dawn.
"And lastly, Ashton Bridger, also known as Stone," sambit ni Nyx at tinuro 'yong lalakeng huling dumating.
"What? They own a construction company that produces stones and builds bridges?" wala sa sariling tanong ni Saph. She immediately covered her mouth when she realized that she was speaking out loud. Tinaasan siya kaagad ni Stone ng kilay.
"No, we own banks, schools, real estate agencies, and law firms," diretsong sagot ni Stone. Ngumiti na lang si Saph at tumingin kay Nyx na ngumiti lang din.
Who would name themselves after a lifeless object? Isip ni Saph noong binalik niya ang tingin kay Stone.
"Ano namang ginagawa nila rito?" tanong ni Saph at pinilit na ngumiti kahit nababagot na siya kakatayo sa harap nila. They are Nyx's guests, and she needs to show them politeness as a respect for her twin.
"May gagawin kaming te—aray ko! Demo!"
Tumaas ang kilay ni Saph noong binatukan ni Demo si Kiel. Hinimas ni Kiel ang batok niyang pinalo ni Demo. "Bibig mo kasi," Demo said.
"Bakit? Anong meron?" tanong ni Saph pero hinawakan na ni Nyx ang magkabilang-balikat niya at sinabing kailangan niyang kumain dahil tanghali na ito nagising. "What's on the menu? Tsaka asan sina Lady March?" tanong niya ulit habang ginigiya siya ni Nyx papunta sa kusina.
Hindi ito sumagot at pinaupo siya sa pwesto niya doon sa kitchen table dahil ayaw ni Saph na kumakain sa dining area. Mahaba kasi ang mesa doon pero siya lang naman ang kakain.
"Aalis muna ako," paalam sa kanya ni Nyx noong nakaupo na siya. Tumango si Saph at tiningnan ang toasted bread sa mesa at ang iba pang pagkain na hinanda para sa kanya. Kinuha niya kaagad ang strawberry jam sa gilid pero napansin niyang wala ang kutsilyo sa tabi ng tinidor sa mesa. Tumayo siya at umunta sa mga drawer para kumuha ng kutsilyo.
Pagbukas niya ng knives' drawer ay ikinagulat niya nang makita niyang wala na roon ang mga kutsilyo. Napapikit na lang si Saph at kinagat ang ibabang labi nito. She already has an idea why the knives are gone and why there was no one in the mansion.
Paglingon niya sa kinaruruunan nina Nyx ay nakita niyang umangat ang gilid ng labi ng kapatid niya at lumabas ng bahay habang naiwan 'yong apat na lalaki na nakatingin sa kay Saph at nakangiti ng nakakaloko.
Umirap si Saph at nag-inat na lang ng katawan. Can I have a peaceful day in this house? People are always killing and hitting each other here. Isip niya at tinali ang buhok.
Alam na ni Saph ang routine na ito dahil ito ang pinapagawa ng lolo niya sa kanila. She recalled that he mentioned these events as special training. Saph didn't question why she and Nyx both require special training. As grandchildren of an extremely wealthy businessman, the twins are prone to be kidnapped for ransom.
Nakita ni Saph na inilabas noong apat mula sa likuran ng jeans nila ang mga kutsilyo at pinuwesto ang mga ito sa kanya-kanyang kamay. Napansin ni Saph na may pito pang kutsilyong doon sa top shelf kaya kinuha niya ito at inilagay ang anim sa kamay niya at 'yong isa ay iniwan na niya muna.
She waited for them to attack. Zack was the one who fought first. Tinapon niya ang kutsilyo niya pero nailagan ito ni Saph. Binaliktad ni Saph 'yong lamesa at ginawang shield dahilan para mahulog ang lahat ng pagkain na nandoon.
"Get out of there, Sapphire!" Someone screamed. It was Demo.
"Naghahanda pa siguro 'yan!" It was Kiel's high-pitched this time.
"Shit! Dalawang kutsilyo na lang natira sa akin!" When Saph heard Zack's words, she smirked. It was music to her ears. She was enjoying listening to their yells and conversations nang binasag ni Stone ang isang picture frame doon sa gilid para matahimik sila. Parang sinisiguro niya na maririnig ni Saph ang sasabihin niya.
"Afraid of us, Sapphire?" Muntik nang matawa si Saph sa tanong nito.
"Oh, I think we have a coward here," Stone said.
Saph stopped thinking, breathing, and moving for a minute. Her bell rang. It was as if a switch was flipped inside of her and now all she wants to do is kill, kill, and kill.
"You're a coward if you can't fight."
"There's no coward in this family!"
"How can you call yourself a Tanaka?!"
She threw two knives each at Demo, Kiel, and Zack. It was a question how she managed to hit the three of them at dumikit sila sa pader dahil sa mga kutsilyo na nakatarak sa mga damit nila. Matapos niyang itapon ang mga kutsilyo ay sumugod ni Saph papunta kay Stone at sinipa ito dahilan para mapasandal siya sa pader.
Saph moved so fast that Stone had no time to react. She had the chance to punch him but instead of punching him, her hands stopped mid-air. Tiningnan ni Saph ng diretso si Stone sa mga mata bago dumiretso ang kamay niya sa pader sa gilid ng ulo niya. Natigilan si Stone dahil sa nangyari. Tiningnan niya ang kamay ni Saph dumugo na habang nakasandal parin ang braso nito sa dibdib niya para idiin si Stone sa pader.
Sa sala kung nasaan si Nyx ay rinig niyang sobrang tahimik ng kusina.
"Young master, tapos na po," sabi ng isa sa mga tauhan niya. Tumingin ni Nyx sa dalawang Tanaka guard na lumapit sa kanya tsaka siya tumayo at pinaalis na sila. Naglakad siya papasok sa kusina at napahinto noong makita niya ang posisyon ng kapatid niya.
Nakita niya mismo na binitawan nito si Stone na agad na napaupo sa sahig. Nyx checked his timer. He noted that the assessment was less than ten minutes today. Tumingin si Nyx kina Kiel, Demo, at Zack na nakasandal sa pader habang tinatanggal ang kutsilyo na tumama sa damit nila na naging dahilan para mukha silang binitay sa pader.
Tumingin muli si Nyx kay Saph na hawak ang kamao niya at humuhugot ng malalim na hininga. Umiling ni Nyx at kinuha ang panyo sa bulsa niya tsaka tinalian ang kamay ng kapatid niya.
"I'm tired. Tell Anpa I won't make it," sabi nito at umalis sa harapan ni Nyx. Sinundan niya ng tingin ang kapatid at namulsa na lang.
"Grabe! Babae ba talaga 'yon—" sinamaan ni Nyx ng tingin si Zack sa sinabi niya. Ngumiti na lang ito at tinulungan si Kiel sa pagtanggal ng kutsilyo sa damit niya. Napangiwi si Demo habang tinitingnan ang punit niyang damit dahil sa kutsilyong tumama dito.
"I told you, don't take her easy," Nyx said. Kanina niya pa sinasabi sa mga ito na 'wag na lang nilang gawin ang inutos ng lolo ni Nyx.
"Akala ko papatayin niya ako, buti na lang mabait 'yon," parang wala sa sariling sabi ni Kiel bago siya umupo sa sahig at tumingin sa paligid na magulo na.
"Anong nangyari sa 'yo?" tanong ni Demo kay Stone dahilan para tingnan siya ng iba. Nakaupo lang siya sa sahig habang nakasandal sa pader at nakayuko.
"Bakit ka ganyan?" kunot-noong tanong ni Nyx.
"She's different," Nyx scoffed at what Stone said.
"Of course, she's a Tanaka," tipid na sabi ni Nyx at tumalikod na. Some people arrived to tend to their wounds because, after all, they're still sons of influential families.
Binalik ni Nyx ang cellphone niya sa bulsa niya matapos kong sabihin sa lolo niya kung anong nangyari sa training ni Saph ngayong araw. He got into the car and scanned some papers.
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Tanaka Body Enhancement Project
'Test subject: D.V. Tanaka, Dawn Sapphire'
'Status: Classified'
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Tinapon ni Nyx ang papeles sa kabilang upuan at tumingin sa building na hinintuan ng sasakyan niya. Hindi niya namalayan na nakarating na pala sila dahil masyadong siyang tumutok sa mga papeles na binabasa niya. He got out of the car and was greeted by hundreds of men wearing tuxedos.
"Welcome, young master!" sabay-sabay na sigaw ng mga 'to. Nyx walked out of the car and walked past the line of men greeting him. His aura was on another level. After all, he's a Tanaka.
The Tanaka clan is known for leading a number of associations. They're affiliated with Yakuza-rooted clans and large enterprises with trillions of net worth. Aside from that, the Tanaka clan is known for other businesses hidden from the world.
They're influential, rich, and powerful.
Sa pamilya nila ay si Saph lang ang hindi nakakaalam sa mundong ginagalawan nila. Of course, she knows about their affiliations with large businesses, but she's not aware of the sketchy one; that the Tanaka clan is a member of the Twilight Society.
The Twilight Society is home to the most elite and furious clans and the Tanaka clan is one of the society's founding members.
It's a society where ordinary people cannot entirely be free. It's a society where life is calculated in small numbers and where the hunters feed on the prey.
It's a society that Saph is bound to rule.
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