[A/N: Unedited! You may encounter grammatical and typographical errors ahead!]
Akira's Point of View
Nakamulat ang mga mata ko pero kadiliman pa rin ang sumalubong sa aking paningin. Akmang i-aangat ko sana ang aking mga kamay para kunin ang nakatakip sa aking mga mata nang mapagtanto kong nakagapos pala ang mga ito sa likod ng aking kinauupuan. Gayundin ang aking mga paa sa paanan ng upuan.
Ganunpaman, pilit kong ginalaw ang aking mga kamay at paa, nagbabakasakaling lumuwag ang tali.
"Tulong! May tao ba r'yan? Somebody, please help me!" I shouted, hoping that there will be someone out there who might hear and help me.
"Fuck this rope!" I cursed, and kept on trying to loosen the tie.
Sa bawat pagpilit ko, ramdam ko ang sakit at pagbaon ng tali sa aking mga kamay at paa. Sa kabilang banda naman, bigla akong napaisip. Sino kaya ang taong nagpadakip sa akin at itali rito? Sa pagka-alala ko wala naman akong atraso sa kahit kanino, maliban nalang kay Raige. Pero, imposible naman kong siya magpapadakip sa akin dito, 'di ba? Who might it be?
"Help!" sigaw ko pa. "Aray," mahina akong napahiyaw dahil sa sakit.
"Stop it, Akira."
A voice made me stopped and even think for awhile. That voice. . . It's too familiar. I knew that voice. That manly voice that felt comforting. Is it----
"Keiton?" I confusedly asked. Out of my consciousness, I cried.
Is it really him? Well, I shouldn't be doubting that. I know it's him. Hinding-hindi ako maaaring magkamali. Hinding-hindi. . .
Even without hearing his answer yet, my tears continued to overflow from my eyes. Some were directly falling to my cheeks and some were stucked and absorbed by the clothing that's blindfolding me.
"Yes it's me, Akira," he said, making my tears shred once again.
"Tama nga ako. B-buhay ka nga, Keiton. Thank God at buhay ka," mahina kong wika. Alam kong dapat akong matuwa dahil buhay siya, pero bakit may bahid ng lungkot ang aking nararamdaman?
'I shouldn't be sad,' I cheered myself, taking a deep breath. Still, I managed to hid the sadness and showed how grateful and happy I am vibe.
"Pero, paano?" tanong ko. Paano siya nakaligtas sa pagsabog na 'yon? "Your car exploded, how did you managed to escaped from that explosion?"
Judging based on the direction of his voice, alam kong nasa bandang likuran ko siya. At malamang nakatali rin ang kamay at paa niya.
"That explosion is used as a diversion."
"Diversion?"
"Yes," he answered. "Pinasabog nila ang kotse ko para makuha ang atensyon niyo at doon magpukos. They've used that to take an opportunity to abduct me without being noticed. At paniguradong ginamit din nila ang pagsabog na iyon para mapaniwala kayong patay na ako't hindi na hanapin pa," pagpapatuloy niya.
"Raige and the rest of your friends were still finding you. Gaya ko, hindi rin sila naniniwalang patay ka na, na kasama ka sa pagsabog ng kotse mo. They literally worked hard to find you, pero nahihirapan din sila. Just before I got abducted, Dart was hospitalized. He---"
"For what reason?" he cut me. "Is it connected to my abduction as well?"
His voice seemed weak. Hindi ko maiwasang hindi mag-alala sa kanya. Pinapakain kaya siya rito? Hindi naman siguro masyadong masama ang pagtrato sa kanta ng mga nag-abduct sa amin, 'di ba? Pero base sa tono at lakas ng boses niya ngayon, parang kabaliktaran ng iniisip ko ang sagot.
"It might be connected. Simula nung may dumukot sa 'yo, marami nang sumunod na hindi magandang pangyayari. Para bang may taong galit na galit sa inyo. Pero sino?" I slighty tilted my head towards his direction, waiting for something he would like to say.
He might have a clue. Sila ang mas nakakaalam sa ginawa o nagawa nila. They're mafias, so it is expected to have someone who has so much hatred to them. But the question is. . . Who is this person? At bakit ako nadamay?
"I don't have any clue to who is this person might be," he said, hopelessly. "I'm sorry."
Para akong tinubuan ng isang napakalaking tandang pananong sa ulo. Bakit siya humihingi ng tawad? And on a snap of a finger, naalala ko na dapat pala talaga ako ang humingi ng kapatawaran sa kanya.
Biglang bumigat ang aking pakiramdam. Ibinalik ko ang direksyon ng aking ulo at iniyuko. Yeah, right. I should be the one asking for his forgiveness. I cheated. Alam kong mayroon pa kaming relasyon ni Keiton pero pinili ko pa ring mahalin si Raige.
"Why are you saying sorry?" bagsak balikat kong tanong. "Why are you saying sorry if I should be the one who must say that?"
"What do you mean, Akira?" He seemed confused. "I'm saying sorry because it is our fault. Kasalanan namin kung bakit ka nasali rito. Kasalanan namin kung bakit ang dating mapayapa mong buhay ay nagulo. Ginulo ko ang buhay mo. Patawad."
My tears started forming in my eyes ready to burst down, but I kept on holding them back. Napakagat nalang ako sa aking ibabang labi para narin makatulong sa pagpipigil ko ng iyak.
"Kei. . . I'm sorry..." And with that words, my tears burst out. I can feel its warmth as they are passing through my cheeks and as they are being absorbed by the clothing in my eyes.
"Akira. . . But, why?" His voice broke. That manly voice he has' has changed. It went broken. Is he about to cry as well?
"Kei, all these days that you went missing. . . I... I cheated on you."
Keiton's Point of View
I was awakened by the noises in my surrounding. Parang may tao akong kasama sa kulungang ito. Ramdam ko ang mga galaw niya mula sa aking likuran. This person might be trying to escape.
"Tulong! May tao ba r'yan? Somebody, please help me!" shouted by the voice.
I was frozen for a minute and was unable to hear anything. That voice. . . I knew it! That voice I just heard is the one that I was longing to hear. Pero, bakit siya nandito? Dinakip din ba siya nang dahil sa amin? Sa akin. . .
"Help!" sigaw niya pa.
"Stop it, Akira." I shouldn't be mistaken. She's Akira. Her voice is what I am longing to hear for. But I couldn't stand hearing her shouting in this empty room. Parang tinutusok ang aking dibdib ng mga kutsilyo, knowing that there is no one who can hear the both of us here.
This room is sound proof. What ever noises we made, not even how loud we shout, no one from the outside can hear. We're doomed!
At first, she was doubting what she heard as well. Sino nga bang hindi, kung sa kanilang paniniwala ay patay na ako, 'di ba? So, to make her believe I assured her that it's me and I am still alive.
I explained everything as to how I am still alive and got into this four-cornered, sound proof room.
Gulat din ang pumapaibabaw sa aking sistema ng malaman ko ang nangyari sa labas habang ako ay nakakulong dito. And for making Akira involved in this trouble, I know it is our fault so I said sorry.
"Why are you saying sorry?" she asked in her lower voice. Hint of sadness is in it. "Why are you saying sorry if I should be the one who must say that?"
Beat it.
All of a sudden, I was filled with confusions. Ano ang ibig niyang sabihin? Why does she kept on insisting that she must be the one who should be asking for forgiveness? Overthinking made my heart filled with nervousness. It's pumping blood in an abnormal rate. It's beat is beyond normal.
"What do you mean, Akira?" I asked, trying to compose myself but confusion is in it. "I'm saying sorry because it is our fault. Kasalanan namin kung bakit ka nasali rito. Kasalanan namin kung bakit ang dating mapayapa mong buhay ay nagulo. Ginulo ko ang buhay mo. . . Patawad."
"Kei, I'm sorry. . ." Her voice trembled. I know that she's crying and just keeping herself not to sob louder.
"Akira. . . But, why?" My voice broke. I can't handle the pain that is starting to grow. I'm confused, something is bothering me. My thought, I can't think properly. What's wrong? Gulong-gulo ang isip ko. Gusto kong maniwala na wala lang 'tong inaasta ni Akira ngayon, pero damn it! I just can't neglect the fact that something isn't right, and I know it is serious.
"Kei, all these days that you went missing. . . I... I cheated on you."
Her voice felt like a cold breeze that's blazing into my skin. That words of her gave chills to my body. Just after hearing what she said, my eyes watered and tears began crossing its path downward, I cried.
Kaya ba sinabi niya kaninang siya ang dapat humingi ng kapatawaran? Kaya ba hindi ko kayang isawalang bahala nalang ang inasta niya ay dahil sa katotohanang gumawa siya ng pagkakamali? Gusto kong magalit. Nais kong magwala. Pero, kung tutuusin. . . kasalanan ko rin ang lahat. Ako ang nagkulang at malamang ang pagkukulang kong iyon ay sa iba niya nakita at naramdaman.
"Is it Raige?" I asked, acting strong eventhough it hurts.
At the back of my mind, I was hoping it isn't him. But the chances is too low. I know it was him. I know it is my friend whom Akira loves.
"Yes. I'm sorry."
The pain went doubled. Akala ko hindi na mas sasakit pa ang isipin kong si Raige nga, pero mali ako. Mas masakit palang marinig mula sa labi niyang tama ang taong iniisip kong ipinagpalit niya sa akin.
"No, Akira. I'm sorry. . ." Out of all the pain and confusions I had, that were the words came out from my mouth. "I'm sorry dahil nagkulang ako. Patawad kung hindi ako naging sapat para sa 'yo."
I bowed my head as tears continued falling. My body went weaker. My hands and feet were trembling. I'm not enough.
"Pero minahal mo naman ako, 'di ba?" tanong ko.
"Keiton, I love you," sambit niya.
Gumuhit ang ngiti sa aking mga labi kahit ang sikip pa rin ng aking dibdib. Habang patuloy na lumalandas ang aking mga luha, isa lang ang aking naiisip na sabihin.
"Salamat," sabi ko kasabay ang muling pagdaloy ng masaganang luha sa aking mata. "Salamat at minahal mo ako. Salamat at kahit sa saglit na panahon naramdaman ko ang pakiramdam ng minamahal. Salamat at naramdaman kong mahalin ng taong aking mahal."
"Keito---"
"It's enough, Akira. It's fine. Okay na sa akin ang marinig na mahal mo ako. I just have one thing to say."
"What is it?"
"I'm always here for you."