Kid

Chapter 9. Kid

AFTER that night, Rexton and his parents kept silent about what happened. Inako rin niya ang sanggol at bininyagan ng bagong pangalan ilang buwan makalipas nang engkwentrong iyon sa babaeng nagbigay sa kaniya rito.

Everyone was surprised when he sent out the invitation for the baby boy's baptismal. Naka-recover na rin ang bata noon at nagkalaman na. Hindi na ito buto't balat gaya nang una. Pagkuwa'y pinalabas na lang nilang tinago niya sa madla ang pagkakaroon ng anak, pero kalaunan ay nagdesisyon ding ipakilala na si Hans sa lahat.

He'd never forget Brianna's face when she learnt about it. At barely seventeen, he knew that she was betrayed and hurt because of him, having a child already. He also felt she had a huge crush with him before, and he just shattered her fairy tale dream about him upon announcing that he's a single dad. Paniwalang-paniwala rin itong hinahanap niya ang nanay ni Hans dahil pakakasalan niya. Para mabuo ang pamilya.

He almost told her the truth but his parents insisted they should keep it a secret to everybody. Including his closest friends. He agreed to them though, especially they still didn't know the child's identity. Hindi pa rin ito ligtas kaya mas mainam na itago ang katotohanan.

Ang nakakaalam lamang ay ang mga doktor at iba pang medical personnel na nagbantay at tumingin kay Hans nang nagpapagaling sa pribadong ospital.

The doctor who checked on him first even said that had they brought him fifteen-minute, or even five to ten minutes late, he wouldn't have made it. And there he realized that that was the baby's second life.

And that, he would own him and take care of him.

Alam niyang hindi rin pababayaan ng kaniyang mga magulang si Hans. Lalo na ang ama niyang hanggang ngayon ay nangungulila sa nakababata niyang kapatid—he grew up knowing his dad had a love-child, and they knew where she was. Yet, they let her live as a Salazar, the wealthy family who adopted her. Nakontento na silang panoorin ito mula sa malayo.

His dad was miserable because when his mom died, and his first love flee. That's where and when he was taken advantage by his step-sister's mom. That woman thought his dad was grieving by his loss, and she warmed his cold and lonely nights by drugging his father until she got pregnant. Nalamang binalak talaga nitong magpabuntis sa Papa niya para pakasalanan ito at makakuha ng parte sa yaman ng mga dela Costa. Unfortunately, she died after giving birth to his step-sister.

And his step-mom, his dad's first love, said that Hans might be a blessing in disguise sent to them to shower him with their love they should've given to his only sibling.

Yes, his stepmother. A year after that tragedy, she came back to his father and they finally got married few years after.

As stated, his biological mom already died shortly after he was born—she killed herself because his dad was cheating with his childhood sweetheart. Masakit isipin na hindi totoong mahal ng ama niya ang tunay niyang ina.

Pero kahit na hindi niya tunay na ina ang nagpalaki sa kaniya ay hindi niya iyon naramdaman. Minahal siya nito ng buo at totoo. At kahit nalaman niya ng sikreto sa tunay niyang pagkatao noong labing-anim na taong gulang siya ay hindi siya nagtanim ng galit.

The past was in the past as they said. At isa pa, totoong may kasalanan ang tunay niyang ina. Pero pinili niyang ibaon na lang ang katotohanang iyon. Afterall, everything fitted at their right places now.

He sighed heavily and focused on driving. Hindi niya namalayang bumagal pala ang pagpapatakbo niya habang inaalala kung paano napunta sa kaniya ang batang lalaki. Na kahit hindi na tunay na kadugo ay nagdesisyon siyang palalakihin itong isang dela Costa.

But he must find that mysterious and suspicious woman first. Gusto niya ring malaman ang dahilan kung bakit sinapit ng sanggol ang kalunos-lunos na bagay na iyon noon. 

He also wanted to make sure that Hans' would be safe, and he could never do that if he'd be frightened about the possibility that his child may be found by those people who wanted to kill him years ago. Halang ang kaluluwa ng mga taong nasa likod niyon dahil maging ang walang kamuwang-muwang na sanggol ay damay sa kasamaan ng mga ito.

FEW days after, Rexton was told that Brianna was at an entertainment agency in Korea. She's a trainee and a would be idol.

Napapikit siya, hindi niya alam na may ganoong plano ang dalaga. Whilst before, she used to share him about almost everything—he used to know even her fascination with the Boys Love genre during her teens. He even bought her some of her favorite magazines that had those intimate guy couples in the cover that she liked back then. Naalala pa niya kung gaanong mapanghusga siyang tinitingnan ng mga cashier sa tuwing magbabayad siya ng mga iyon. He also used to know about her crushes, too.

But now, they were slowly drifting apart.

Tumikhim siya.

"Saang kumpanya raw?" he asked her brother as they were still talking about it.

"MI Ent."

"What the fuck?"

"Why?"

"Are you sure about that?"

"That's what I remember. Teka, bakit hindi mo na lang tawagan? Sa inyo naman pala siya pumasok."

"She's not answering." Ang totoo ay wala siyang bagong number nito.

"Online. I-video call mo. That's how we always communicate."

"Ok."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you that's she's with Devon."

"What?" Teka, hindi iyon ma-proseso sa utak niya.

"I said my sister's with her best friend. He's her new bodyguard now."

"I am your sister's best friend." Saka ano raw? Bodyguard? What happened to Matthew?

"Noon iyon."

Fuck.

"Just call her already. Makipagbati ka na. Para kayong mga bata."

"Hindi naman kami nag-away."

"Kunwari naniniwala ako."

Hindi naman talaga. Okay naman sila. Okay lang sila. Matagal na iyong away nilang iyon, at nagkaayos na sila. Hindi na nga lang bumalik sa dating turingan... Kaya okay lang talaga sila. Hanggang doon lang.

"Basta tawagan mo. Hindi itong ako na lang lagi ang kinukulit mo." Binabaan na siya nito ng tawag matapos niyon. Hindi na tuloy siya nakapagtanong pa.

Pero hindi niya ito sinunod. Instead, he checked the list of the names of their trainees and he found Bree's name. But her group wasn't in the company right now. Nasa Dalian, China, para sa isang dance competition.

He knew that Bree was talented but she's more of a singer. He remembered those days where they were rehearsing for the play, and he must admit, he's still feeling guilty about leaving her hanging. The musical play they were supposed to perform that weekend was canceled because of him, and he heard lots of bad comments for him, but he never heard Bree's sentiments.

Kaya hanggang ngayon ay nakokonsensya siya. Hindi sapat ang paghingi ng paumanhin, at alam niyang isa iyon sa malaking dahilan kung bakit naging madalang na lang ang komunikasyon nila ng kababata.

She's always with her new best friend, and his heart was being crumpled by the fact that she already replaced him. Hindi na siya nito kailangan dahil may bago na itong kaibigan...

"Fuck. Who am I kidding? I sounded like a fucking kid!" marahas na bulalas niya sa sarili. "It's my fault... I should've have told you Hans isn't my kid. Hanggang ngayon, ako pa rin sana ang kasama mo, hindi ang kupal na iyan."

Napasabunot siya sa inis dahil iniisip niyang baka hindi lang magkaibigan ang dalawa. Nababaliw na yata siya dahil kausap niya ang sarili.

He sighed heavily.

"You said I was your favorite..." sentimyento niya habang nakatitig sa larawan nilang apat nina Brian, Chelin, at Bree na laging nasa wallet niya. Kuha iyon noong mga teenager pa sila—noong mga panahong lagi siyang sinasabihan ni Bree na siya ang paborito nito.

He folded it and he always looked at Bree during those times he's missing her.

"I wish I could turn back the time, love. I terribly miss you..."