Athyeia's PoV
Mula sa isang mataas na parte ng manor na napapaloob sa isang library ay napapahingang pinapanood ko si Levi.
Nandoon siya sa baba at gumagamit ng pana, may kausap siyang isang lalake na hindi ko mamukhaan.
That man might be his business associate.
I shudder at the coldness I felt.
Kagabi kasi ay labis nanaman ang pagulan.
The good news is, mukhang malapit nang matapos ang bagyo. Iyon ay dahil kahit medyo malakas pa ang mga pagulang nagaganap ay paunti-unti at marahan namang sumisilip ang araw na nahaharangan ng madidilim na ulap.
Due to the loneliness I felt, I indulged myself in reminiscing the thing we talked aboiut three days earlier from now.
Maraming hakbang ang isinagawa namin ni Levi bago makarating sa kaniyang opisina.
Two guards opened up his door.
Sa loob noon ay namataan ko si Jae-Ha na tahimik na nagbabasa ng isang libro.
When he saw Levi, agad nitong inilapat ang nakakuyom na kamao sa kaniyang kaliwang dibdib at tumungo. "Kamahalan." He greeted. Inilipat naman niya ang tingin saakin. "Binibini." Sambit nito at tumungo din saakin.
"Magandang umaga sa iyo Jae-Ha." Sabi ko. Ngumiti ito saakin.
"Isang magandang araw din po sa inyo Binibini." I smiled to myself and him as I watched him remembering the writings of Li-Em in the book.
Li-Em might stbe eleven, and Jae-Ha might be twenty, gayon pa man, love found ways.
Isa pa, noong kinasal sila, twenty-three na si Li-Em, habang thirty-three na ito. I don't see any problem with that at all.
Malayo man ang edad nila, masaya naman sila at nagmamahalan. They are not forced to love each other kaya kahit bata pa lamang ngayon ang aking kapatid ay sangayon padin ako kung siya ang magiging kinabukasan nito.
"We didn't come here to stare at Jae-Ha, Athyeia." Matigas at may gatol na sabat ni Levi sa gitna ng aking pagiisip. "Out Jae-Ha." Utos nito.
"Of course. Please pardon me." Mabilis namang sagot ni Jae-Ha bago nagbigay ng isang tungo at dire-diretsyong lumabas.
"Ang taray mo talaga." I told Levi as I rolled my eyes. "You should be gentle at Jae-Ha. Lagi siyang naandyan para sayo." Makatotohanan kong sambit.
Imbes na makita ang reyalisasyon sa mukha niya nang dahil saaking sinabi, mas lalo itong nagasumot. Ang mga kilay niya ay magkatabi nanaman at magkapantay.
"Why are you complementing him??" I raised an eyebrow.
"Bakit? May nagsabi bang bawal??" Nalilito kong sagot dito. I don't know what his problem is about. Gusto ba niya lagi nalang negativity ang nasa paligid niya?
Levi sighed. Nawala ang kunot nito sa mukha.
I was startled when he moved towards me. Napasandal tuloy ako sa pintong nakasara na sinarhan ni Jae-Ha pagkalabas niya.
"Ako din." He said with such dulcet persuation.
"What?" Sabi ko. Trying to move towards the side para hindi niya tuluyang masakop ang buong mundo ko. "Anong meron sayo?" I questioned.
He showed me a face of a little kid asking for a piece of marshmallow.
"Compliment me too." Tila naman tumigil ang mundo ko dahil sa kaniyang sinasabi.
I held my breath.
No Athy. Mababasa na niya ang libro, oras na malaman niyang hindi ka talaga si Athyeia, malamang lalayo na talaga siya sa iyo.
Pigil ko sa sobrang nararamdaman ko.
Tama na muna.
Maaaring masaktan lang kami pareho dahil sa iniaakto niya at iniaakto ko.
"I won't." Sabi ko. Umultaw naman sa mukha niya ang pagkainis. Lumayo ito saakin.
"Fine..." Tila nagtatampo nitong sabi. When I felt how unsatisfied and gloomy he is on what I said, hindi ko mapigilang mapahinga.
"I won't compliment you Levi. Baka tapos na ang tao at hindi pa ako natatapos." Napalingon ito saakin, I felt that tinge of happiness from him. Muli akong napahinga. That's just one thing of what I can do just to make him feel happy.
Tama nga sila.
Pag umibig ka, nakakatanga.
"Now show me the things we came here for."
That day, lumapit ako patungo sa kaniyang mesa. Doon ay nakita ko ang libro na kwento ng tunay na Athyeia, at ang sulat ko para kay Levi.
He explained to me na noong araw na nakaalis kami sa palasyo ay sinabi ni Verona ang mga bagay na pinagsasabi niya din noong nandoon sa kwarto ni Levi. And that, Verona gave him the book.
Klaseng kailangan kong magingat sa t'wing nasa paligid ang aking pinsan.
Masiyadong malikot ang kaniyang mga kamay.
I asked him why did he save me sa kabila noon, at sa kabila ng katotohanang hindi niya pa nakikita o nababasa ang aking sulat.
I was touched when he told me he trusts me.
Ngunit sana lamang ay hindi iyon magbago.
I don't know what he'll think of those things I've written.
Baka iniisip niyang gumagawa lamang ako ng kasinungalingan upang hindi mabuwag ang tunay kong pagkatao or, nababaliw na ako.
Magic ain't real.
Time travellers ain't real.
And fantasy can never become a reality.
Alam ko iyong lahat, but somehow, I was able to experience it.
And I hope that he will believe me.
Especially because he said those words.
"Athyeia?" Levi called after he explained what happened when I was away.
Kung bakit ba naandito si Verona, ano ang papel niya, at ang mga kaganapang hindi ko nais na marinig pang muli.
"What?"
"If I read this letter, you will still talk to me right?" Napakunot ako ng noo. Bakit naman niya iyong tinatanong??
"Why wouldn't I talk to you?" Tanong ko tungkol sa pinanggalingan ng isipan niyang iyon. He breathed.
"You said before you parted away that I must stay away from you." Light was reflected by my eyes when he said that. Labis ang kagalakan kong nadarama at nadagdagan pa iyon noong kinumpirma niya ang aking iniisip. He touched the letter and slightly kissed it. "Can I not do that when I'm done?"
Hindi ko mapaliwanag ang nararamdaman ko noong oras at sandaling iyon.
Still, I smiled. Dahil alam kong iba't-ibang uri lamang ng kaligayahan ang aking nadarama.
He didn't read it because he doesn't want to not see me. That alone makes my heart flutter more than a thousand jewels I might received as a gift from my Papa
"Of course. And I hope that you'll really do that." Masaya kong sabi. At kahit masakit, muli akong nagsalita. "And if your vision of me might twist into a state of hate, it's fine if you won't ever. I understand."
Kala ko ay hindi na madadagdagan iyong napakamagandang pakiramdam kong naranasan. But when Levi gave me a pure, gentle smile out of his happiness because of what I answered, that pleasant feeling trippled.
"I won't. I promise."
That was the most beautiful scene I ever saw in my life as Athyeia.
Napakaswerte mo talaga Athyeia.
"Athyeia!" Nagitlang napatalon ako saaking kinakaupuan.
"Shhh!!!" Said the royal book keeper na napadaan lamang. Gulat akong napatingin kay Yangzhe.
"Anong ginagawa mo dito??" I questioned him. "Ang lakas ng boses mo. Tsk." If you are asking why I am like this around him, it was because of the happenings after I wasn't held hostage anymore.
Mabait naman pala silang tatlong itlog. By that, I mean, Leor, Yangzhe, and Ezekiel. Makulit nga lang, the tribe made them travel with me patungo dito sa manor dahil daw sa ginawa nila saakin.
And that torture was for three days!
Three. Freaking. Days.
Mabuti nalang at may pinuntahan kaagad sila paglahatid saakin kaya naman muling natahimik ang aking mundo.
"Ang kapal din naman ng mukha mo." He hissed. Tinaasan ko ito ng kilay.
"Gusto mo bang isumbong kita kay Lola Liway??" Pananakot ko sa kaniya. Tumiklop naman agad ito at inalis ang kunot sa noo.
I inwardly laughed.
Hindi ka uubra saaking bata ka.
"So what brought you here??"
"Ipinadala ako ni Lola Liway para dito." May binunot siya sa kaniyang bulsa. It was a necklace which had an emerald circularly shaped pendant.
"What is that?"
"A gift." Sabi niya. "You helped us a lot. This stone was blessed by the tribes' prayers, it will keep you in good health." Dagdag nito. "Pasensya na muli sa ginawa ko noon."
I smiled at him. "Don't. If you didn't do that baka mas malaki pa ang pagkakagulo ngayon. I am glad to be of help." I answered positively.
Yangzhe smiled back.
If we won't always look for positivity, baka matagal na tayong namumuhay sa dilim.
Muli kong nilingon iyong pwesto kanina ni Levi.
I heaved out a sigh.
He's gone.
"I hope you would also keep the light in your heart. You should tell Azturias, hindi iyang pahinga-hinga ka na lamang." He stated. Napalingon naman ako dito nang may gulat na ekspresyon.
"How sure are you about that?" I inquired, acting defensive.
Ganoon ba ako kadaling basahin?
Yangzhe smirked at me. "Do you think that I can be one of the best assassins without the ability to look through a person?" I frowed.
He have a point. Tsk!
"Farewell." He saif before banishing into thin air.
I wished it would be that easy.
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