ARTEMIS LARCENA
Nang matapos akong kumain ay dumiretso agad ako sa guest room habang dala ang tray na may pagkain at gamot. My doctor texted me the medicine prescription for that guy kaya naman inutusan ko si Addie kanina na bumili ng mga gamot. Noong una, kinukulit niya pa ako kung para kanino 'yon pero nang samaan ko siya ng tingin ay tumahimik din naman siya. She always listens to what I say and that's one of the things that I like about her.
Nang buksan ko na ang pinto ng guest room ay sumalubong sa'kin ang tingin ng taong nakaupo sa kama. He looked straight into my eyes with an expressionless face while sitting motionlessly on the bed.
"Here. I brought food," I said. Inilagay ko ang tray sa side table at umatras ako para sumandal sa pader. I folded my arms while meeting his gaze.
"Eat," I commanded when he just looked at the tray.
Walang imik na kinuha niya ang tray at nagsimula nang kumain habang ako naman ay nakatingin lang sa kanya. It's probably uncomfortable to eat when someone's watching you, but this is actually a way for me to not regret helping him.
Habang kumakain siya ay sinusuyod ko nang tingin ang katawan niya. From his dark, soft-looking hair, to his well-sculpted face. Medyo nagtagal akong tumingin sa mukha niya. How can someone as handsome as him not become famous in the showbiz world?
His face exudes freshness. Hindi nakakaumay titigan ang mukha niya. Ang hahaba ng pilik mata at ang kapal ng kilay niya. Sandali naman akong napatingin sa ibabang parte ng katawan niya.
I wonder if that part if that part is also thick...with hair.
Before my thoughts wander somewhere else, ibinalik ko na ulit ang tingin ko sa mukha niya. He looked half-Japanese and half-American. I wonder if he can understand Filipino language?
After staring at his face for almost five minutes, my eyes automatically went lower. My line of sight slowly traveled down to his naked upper body; from his chest which has a barcode tattoo, then to his abs and lastly to his pelvis.
Feeling ko tumutulo na yung laway ko dahil sa nakikita ko ngayon.
"9/10," I mumbled. That's how I would rate him, overall.
Napakunot ako ng noo nang may mapansin ako. Why didn't I notice that earlier?
There's a familiar tattoo located on the right side of his pelvis. Matapos niyang kumain ay inilapag niya ulit ang tray sa side table pagkatapos ay pinunasan ang labi niya.
Lumapit ako sa kanya. I slightly pulled down the trousers he's wearing to fully reveal the tattoo without any ounce of hesitation.
"You must have a liking for tattoos, huh." The tattoos placed on his body have different meanings. The barcode placed on his chest symbolizes that he's part of the Camorra Mafia's lab rats while the unique serpent tattoo on his hip bone is an insignia of a famous organization of assassins. I've worked with them in the past so I know a lot of things about them.
Of course, those tattoos could be fake but I'm certain that they're not. Sa tagal kong natatrabaho sa organisasyon, alam ko na kung totoo ba ang insignia sa katawan ng isang tao o hindi.
Bumalik na ako sa pagkakasandal sa pader. I crossed my arms while submerging deep into my own thoughts.
But if he really is one of those assassins, then why does he have that barcode on his chest?
"Puh..." I raised an eyebrow when he made a sound for the first time.
"What? Spit it out." I was also curious about what he's going to say.
"Pervert," he said.
My face immediately turned sour.
I did not even do anything but was still called a pervert?
Tumikhim ako. I just dismissed what he said and went on with the important questions.
"Now that we know you can speak, I have some things to ask in regards to you," I said.
Hindi siya umimik at nakatingin lang siya sa'kin pero nagtanong pa rin ako. "What do you remember before you got here?"
"Bakit ko naman sasagutin ang tanong mo?" He asked back. I was a bit taken aback by the fact that he can speak in tagalog. He looked foreign so I thought that he couldn't understand tagalog but it also makes sense, we're in the Philipines it's not that unexpected.
"Well, this is also for your sake. I'm trying to help you here."
"Help me with what? Hindi ko kailangan ang tulong mo," He replied coldly.
Tinaasan ko lang siya ng kilay.
"You don't remember anything, do you?"
Wala pa rin siyang reaksyon pero napansin ko ang bahagyang pagbago ng ekspresyon mukha niya.
Ha! I'm right.
"Ano naman sayo?" he retorted with a monotonic voice.
If it weren't for his face, I would've kicked him despite being wounded.
"Have you not realized your situation right now? Wala kang ibang mapupuntahan. May mga tao ring naghahanap sayo na paniguradong hindi maganda ang intensyon. So if I were you, I would gladly accept the help of this good and helpful woman."
Napabuga na lang ako ng hangin nang hindi man lang siya umimik.
"This is my last question. Natatandaan mo ba kung sino ka o kung ano ang pangalan mo?"
After a few seconds, he shook his head as an answer.
Mukhang wala siyang naaalala tungkol sa sarili niya pero mabuti na lang at ang general world knowledge niya ay maayos pa rin. Because if his whole memory were wiped out, I'll have a hard time dealing with him.
"If that's the case, then you don't have a place to go to, right?" I stated.
He stayed silent but still kept listening. Siguro naman nakuha niya na ang ibig kong sabihin?
"You don't have a good impression on me based on how you talk to me so you probably don't want to stay here. Kung ayaw mo talaga dito, I can let you be on your own with nowhere else to go."
The whole room went silent. Hinintay ko siyang magsalita hanggang sa matapos ang ilang minuto. And just when I thought I should leave to give him space to think, he opened his mouth and uttered a few words.
"Please, let me stay." He pleaded but still with his face devoid of any emotions.
Oh? Ang bilis naman.
Matamis naman akong napangiti nang may pumasok sa ideya sa isipan ko.
"Okay. I'll let you stay here until your memories recover but...in return, I want you to kiss me...on the lips," I teased with my lips upturned.
I know that I sounded like a pervert but who cares? He's my type. And besides, I wanted to see an expression from his face so teasing him a little bit wouldn't hurt.
Natigilan naman siya sa sinabi ko. I could see his body stiffen after hearing my words.
". . ."
"What if...I get pregnant?"
This time, I was the one who was left dumbfounded because of his question. Binabawi ko na ang sinabi ko kanina. Even his general knowledge was damaged.
"Forget what I said. Papayagan kitang tumira dito. But, I have a few rules. Sasabihin ko 'yon bukas; so for now, don't do any funny business. May CCTV ang buong bahay na 'to and my room is only next door." I warned.
He only stared and blinked at me without moving. I sighed.
Why am I always surrounded by weird people?
Biglang nabasag ang katahimikan sa loob ng kwarto nang biglang bumukas ang pintuan. Sabay kaming napatingin sa taong nagbukas nito.
"Nabili ko na yung mga pinapabili mo. Para kanino ba 'to, bakit ang dami?"
It's Addie. Sumilip siya mula sa pintuan at tumingin sa gawi ko na naging dahilan ng panlalaki ng mga mata niya.
"Bakit may nakahubad na lalaki dito?!"
Tinignan ko lang siya na parang hindi big deal na may kasama akong lalaking topless sa loob ng guest room.
"Don't act so surprised. This is work related," I explained then gestured her to give me the medicine.
"Ha? 'Di 'ba matagal ka nang nag-quit sa Organization na 'yon? May bago kang trabaho?" she asked confusedly but still went inside and handed me the medicine she bought.
I never kept any secret from Addie. Alam niya halos lahat nang nangyari sa'kin noon at pati na rin ang tungkol sa trabaho ko.
In the past, I worked as an agent in Clandestine Organization. That place is basically my home after that incident when I was six years old. When I turned seven, nahanap ako ng Head ng Organization na pagala-gala matapos mamatay ng mga magulang ko.
My mother was an orphan and I don't know anything about my father at that time. Wala akong kilalang kamag-anak namin at wala ring kumupkop na kamag-anak sa'kin noon nang biglaan silang mamatay. At a young age of six, I was forced to be independent in order to survive. Napilitan din akong mamalimos noon para lang makakain.
The Head of Clandestine Organization was the one who raised me to be who I am today. I'm really grateful that he found me. Dahil sa kanya, nalaman ko ang dahilan kung bakit pinatay ang mga magulang ko. He promised to help me find the killer of my parents in return of working for the Organization.
When I was still young, I underwent different types of trauma and was forced to overcome it all. Natuto akong humawak ng baril at makipaglaban kasabay ng ibang batang trinain sa Organization. There are almost two hundred of us children being trained in the Organization and after years of constant training, they started to send us out to different missions. Driven by my resentment, I did my best to become one of the best agents there but after becoming one, I still left the Organization due to some reasons.
"Yep, but this is related to Camorra Mafia," I replied to her.
Binuksan ko ang ilang gamot at ibinigay 'to sa lalaki para inumin niya pero tumingin lang siya sa'kin. It's like he's hesitating whether or not he should drink it.
"Walang lason 'yan, trust me." I assured.
Nang hindi niya pa rin kunin mula sa kamay ko ang mga gamot, inilapag ko na lang ang mga ito sa bedside table pagkatapos ay kinuha ang tray.
"Addieline, dalhin mo 'to sa kusina at 'wag ka nang bumalik dito." I ordered while forcefully giving her the tray. "Bukas ka na magtanong sa'kin dahil may gagawin pa ako. So, save your saliva for tommorow."
Wala siyang nagawa kundi ang sumunod sa utos ko kaya naman nakasimangot na lumabas siya sa kwarto. Nang makalabas siya ay sumunod na rin ako dala-dala ang iba pang sobrang gamot. It'll be troublesome if I left it with him and he decided to drink the medicine along with it. Baka ma-overdose pa siya. I don't know how much of an idiot is he so it's better safe than sorry. Hindi ko na nilingon pa ang lalaking nakaupo lang sa kama.
It's his choice if he'll drink those or not. And besides, I still have things to do.
When I got inside my room, next door, I fished out my phone from my pocket and called an old acquaintance of mine. Nakailang ring lang ay may sumagot na agad.
"Axl?"
"Yes, loves?" An artificial deep voice greeted me on the other line. Halatang pinahusky ang boses.
"Give me the complete list of the members of Ezlo, ASAP," I ordered. Dahil may kailangan ako sa kanya, hindi ko na pinuna ang pag-iiba niya ng boses.
Agad naman akong nakarinig ng kalabog galing sa kabilang linya.
"Seryoso ka!? Gusto mo bang isunod na nila ako sa listahan nila?"
"I'll pay you twice the amount."
"At saan ka naman kukuha ng pera? Two million na lang ang laman ng bank account mo ano...don't tell me balak mong ibayad ang sarili mo sa'kin? Hm. Pwede rin. Matagal na 'kong nagpaparamdam sayo pero lagi mo 'kong dinedeadma kaya, why not coconut?"
This man. He's really keeping track of how much money I have. Nagpaparamdam? Is he a ghost?
"Stupid. 'Wag mong problemahin ang pera dahil tumatanggap na ulit ako ng mission galing kay Klion. So keep your feelings to yourself."
"Ang sama mo. Wala na ba talaga akong pag-asa? At saka, saan mo ba gagamitin ang info ng mga—"
"Bye."
Binabaan ko na siya ng tawag pagkatapos ay binuksan ko ang email ko. Nagreply muna ako sa isang email bago ako humiga sa kama at natulog.