Sa ilang minuto ng paglalakad namin ay nakasalubong namin sila Thana.
“Hey, Nasaan si Ken?” tanong ni Third noong mapansin niyang kulang kami.
“I’m going to find him.”
Bakas sa mukha ni Bea ang pagkadigusto. Alam kong gusto niya ring iligtas si Ken but she’s probably thinking na masyadong delikado para saakin na pumunta mag-isa.
“Sasamahan kita.” Pahpiprisinta ni Gueyo.
“I don’t think so.”
Itinuro ko ang mga lalaking naglalakad papalapit sa kinaroroonan namin, hindi ko maaninag kung ilan sila.
“I need you guys to be my shield, kailangan kong hanapin si Ken.”
Ilang segundo bago sila tumango.
“Are you sure you’re okay alone?”
Tumango ako sa tanong ni Thana.
“I’ll go with you, kung may makakasalubong ka man sa daan, I can be of help.”
Nagdadalawang isip pa ako sa suhestiyon ni Ryu pero wala na akong oras para pag-isipan pa dahil palapit na nang palapit ang mga kalaban.
“I won’t be your burden.” Dagdag pa niya.
I unwillingly nodded.
I turned to Bea, and then Clarence.
“Protect her.”
Tumango si Clarence saakin at nagsimula na kaming maglakad palayo ni Ryu.
“Mag-iingat ka!” rinig kong sigaw ni Bea pero hindi ko na ito nilingon.
Nakapasok na kami sa loob ng mansion. Ang problema nalang namin ay hindi namin alam kung nasaan si Ken.
Napabuntong-hininga ako noong may limang lalaking sumulpot sa harapan naming ni Ryu. Kasabay naman noon ang malakas na sigaw ni Ken na umalingawngaw sa buong pasilyo.
Nanlumo ako nang marinig ko ang boses niya.
“Go ahead, I’ll handle this.”
Tinignan ko si Ryu. Disidido siya habang tinitignan ang mga kalaban na nasa harapan matapos ay tinignan ako habang nakangiti.
“I still haven’t thanked you enough noong niligtas mo ako. Ako naman ang magliligtas sa’yo so, we’re equal.”
I can’t believe him. I never thought na may ganitong side si Ryu. As much as I wanted to help him, I still have to go for Ken. Pero alam kong makakaya ni Ryu ang limang kalaban na nasa harap niya dahil theses past few days ay wala siyang ibang ginawa kung hindi ang magtraining at malaki narin ang inimprove niya sa pakikipaglaban.
“Thank you, Ryu.” I smiled at him then he smiled back.
I immediately run as fast as I can. Huminto ako sa isang malaking pinto sa pinakadulo ng mansion. Hindi rin ito masyadong napupuntahan kaya naman ito rin ang unang beses na makakapasok ako dito.
Tumambad saakin ang nakangising mukha ni Porsche. I haven’t seen him like this before. Pero hindi ako nagpakita ng kahit na anong emosyon nagpanggap akong walang pakialam.
“Nasaan si Ken?” tanong ko.
His mouth slightly opened. “I don’t understand why you’re asking for him when I’m here.” Aniya.
“Hindi ko kailangan ng taong mapagpanggap.”
Tumawa siya nang bahagya.
“All those things I did for you, you still end up looking for him in the end.”
Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya, hindi ba’t sinabi niyang wala naman siyang nararamdaman saakin?
“You said it yourself, wala kang nararamdaman para saakin, what’s the sudden change of wind?” tanong ko.
“Sudden change of wind? You’re wrong, Jelcy. All this time, ikaw lang naman ang dahilan kung bakit ako nandito, kung bakit tayo nandito.” I didn’t speak. “Do you want to know kung kailan kita unang nakilala?”
I was so confused while talking to him. Wala akong maintindihan sa sinasabi niya.
“Una kitang nakilala no’ng nagtry ka na pumasok sa E-1. I heard that was not your first time. I felt like you’re really intriguing person so I asked my father to let you pass kahit hindi naman na basehan ng talino para makapasok ka sa E-1.”
“Just when I thought you’re just an intriguing person, I was wrong. I felt like there’s more to that. I feel like I like you, or I love you even.”
“What are you saying?” I asked in disbelief.
“You still don’t get it?
I get it. But I refuse to believe.
“You were the reason kung bakit dinala ko kayo dito, I wanted you to notice me and I was not wrong, you don’t know how glad I am noong una tayong mag-usap. I felt like we were getting closer to each other. Pero I was wrong, again. I didn’t know you have a special friendship with Ken.”
He is crazy. I can’t believe na ibang-iba ang Porsche na nakilala ko sa totong Porsche.
A tear fell down my cheeks. I just realized it was my fault kung bakit nandito sila Ken. I am the reason they are suffering.
“Do you want to know a secret?”
My lips are shivering.
“I tried to kill Ken for countless of times, pero hindi ko alam at may sa demonyo pala siya. Palagi siyang nakakaligtas eh. But what pisses me off is when you’re always trying to save him.”
“That guy who attacked me in the forest, it was you who sent him, right?”
Ngumiti siya.
“Correct.”
Gusto ko siyang saktan. Gusto ko siyang sigawan. Never in my life have I thought na may makikilala akong taong katulad niya. He is evil.
“It was you, all along.”
Naglakad siya paikot saakin.
“I also know that you tried to hide things from me. Alam ko ang tungkol kay Miss Anika.”
Tinignan ko siya.
Hindi mawala-wala ang ngiti sa labi niya.
“You know, the kiss is actually unnecessary dahil alam ko namang iniiwasan mo lang na makita ko si Ken.”
I felt a heavy feeling in my stomach. I’m at loss of words.
He knew everything. Everything…
“I was the first person who knew you were working with Thana and Third. I knew from the first night.”
I couldn’t take it anymore. I want to leave as soon as possible but the thought of Ken screaming in pain is the only thing that stops me from leaving.
“You played with me.” I said almost can’t be heard.
“You played with my feelings first, Akala ko nagugustuhan mo na ako, pero ano?”
I smirked.
“Is it my fault that you’re stupid?”
He gasped.
“Listen, I never liked you. I will never like someone like you.”