Kevin Lee?

[FROM NOW, I'M GOING TO USE THIRD POINT OF VIEW, FROM THIS CHAPTER UNTIL THE LAST KAYA WAG KAYONG MALILITO]

"Where's Cyril?" this is the third time that Athena asked the same question. Kanina pa ito nagtataka kung bakit hindi man lang siya binibisita o pinuntahan ng kaniyang fiancee. Pangalawang araw niya na sa ospital pero hindi niya parin ito nakikita.

Napaiwas ng tingin si Brent na siyang nagbabantay sa kaniya. "Ahh kasi..."

"Kasi ano?"

Brent swallowed. "Hindi ko rin alam, Jade eh."

Walang nagawa si Athena kundi ang mapairap. She sighed before looking away. Ayaw niyang magalit sa kasintahan. She wants to understand him. Kilala niya ito. Alam niyang may dahilan ito.

It's either he's finding the one who shot her or he is now blaming himself.

Kilala niya ang kasintahan. Alam niyang hindi ito matatahimik hanggang hindi nahahanap ang bumaril sa kaniya at alam rin niyang sinisisi nito ang sarili dahil hindi siya naprotektahan nito.

But she gave him enough time. Naaasar na rin siya. Hindi man lang siya puntahan o silipin ng fiancee at nakakairita yun.

"Papuntahin mo siya dito." madiin na bulong ni Athena.

"Sorry, pero hindi ko yata kayang pilitin si-"

"Hindi mo naman siya pipilitin." mariing pinikit niya ang mata. "Sabihin mo lang sa kaniya na pag hindi niya pa ako pinuntahan dito ngayon, maghiwalay na kami."

Ng imulat niya ang mata, bumungad sa kaniya ang gulat na gulat na si Brent.

Mahina siyang natawa. "Though, don't tell him that I'm just kidding."

Hearing that, Brent chuckled. "Sure. Sasabihin ko sa kaniya kaagad." sagot nito at lumabas ng kwarto.

Malakas siyang napabuntong hininga at napasandal. Mabilis naman siya naigik ng kumirot ang sugat niya. Pangalawang araw niya na sa ospital pero kumikirot parin paminsan minsan ang tama niya.

Mariin nalang siyang pumikit at kinakalma ang sarili. She's wishing that the pain will go away.

Sigurado kasi siyang ilang minuto pagkatapos lumabas ni Brent ay darating na si Cyril at ayaw niyang makita siya nitong nasasaktan. Mas lalo lang itong hindi lalapit sa kaniya.

Mabilis siyang napaayos ng umupo at nilingon ang pintuan ng tumunog iyon at may nagbukas.

Kaagad na gumuhit sa labi niya ang ngiti ng makita niya ang kasintahang nakasilip sa pintuan. "Love?" he sounds afraid.

"Come here, Cyril. I miss you."

Cyril didn't obey her. Nanatili ito sa may pintuan, nakasilip. "Are you okay?"

Mas nilawakan niya ang ngiti. "Come here, baby. Please."

But still, Cyril didn't come near her. "How's your wound? Masakit pa ba? And don't lie to me." naririnig ang takot sa boses nito.

She sighed before speaking. "Baby, please, come near me. I miss you. Wag ka namang matakot sa akin."

Saglit na nawalan ng imik ang binata bago ito nagsimulang naglakad papasok at lumapit sa kaniya. Umupo ito sa may gilid niya at inayos ang kaniyang pagkakaupo. "How are you? Yung sugat mo? Kamusta na?" kumuha pa ito ng unan at inilagay sa kaniyang likuran.

She can't help but to smile. His sweet Cyril. How he miss him.

Walang sabi sabi niyang hinila ang binata at niyakap ito. Mukhang nagulat pa ito dahil hindi ito yumakap kaagad sa kaniya.

She don't want to lie. "I'm not fine, love. It's still hurting." ibinaon niya ang mukha sa leeg ng kasintahan na parang doon kumukuha ng lakas.

Niyakap naman siya pabalik ni Cyril at hinaplos pa ang kaniyang buhok. "It's gonna be okay, baby. You're gonna be okay. Nandito na ako."

Mas humigpit ang yakap niya sa kasintahan dahil sa sinabi nito. Miss na miss niya na si Cyril. Sa dalawang araw na wala ito sa tabi niya ay matamlay siya at parang palaging walang lakas pero ng makita niya ito kanina, agad na gumaan ang pakiramdam niya.

He's still carresing her hair when he said something. "Galit ka ba sakin?" bulong ng kasintahan. "I'm sorry I didn't visit you for over two days. I'm really really sorry. I just can't, baby. Hindi ko kayang makita ka sa ganiyang sitwasyon. It will drive me mad and insane, love. I won't stop you if you will be mad at me. But I'm really sorry. Kasalanan ko, mahal. Hindi man lang kita naprotektahan. And now, you're hurting because of me. I'm sorry."

Athena let go of Cyril and stared at his eyes. They are full of guiltiness and fear. Her heart soften. She raised her hand to touch his cheeks. "Baby, it's not your fault. Kasalanan ito ng bumaril sa akin at hindi ikaw. So please, please don't blame yourself."

"But-"

"Please? Ayaw kung sinisisi mo ang sarili mo dahil sa nangyari sa akin. You want to protect me, right? So do I. Gusto rin kitang protektahan, mahal. So don't blame yourself. Magagalit na ako sayo, sige ka." nagbibiro niyang banggit tsaka siya nginitian. Ayaw niya ng nakakaramdam si Cyril ng ganito. This is not Cyril. Oo, alam ni Athena na ang laki ng pinagbago niya simula ng magkaaminan sila but she don't want to change him.

'I love him for who he is.'

Nakilala niya ito ng malakas, ayaw niyang magbago yun. Ayaw niyang maging kahinaan nito. Ang gusto niya ay maging lakas nito. Proprotektahan niya ito tulad ng pagproprotekta nito sa kaniya.

'Kasi mahal na mahal ko siya.'

Mas lalong lumawak ang ngiti ni Athena ng hinahin ulit siya ni Cyril para yakapin. He bury his face in her neck. "Thank you. Thank you for always understanding even though I know it's hard for you. Thank you for always there, love."

She chuckled. "Ano pa bang magagawa ko eh mahal na mahal kita."

Mukhang natawa rin si Cyril sa sinabi ni Athena. "Mas mahal kita. Diba sabi mo nga, patay na patay ako sayo. Well, you have me wrapped in your fingers."

Tuluyan na siyang natawa at pinalo ng mahina ang braso ng kasintahan. "Syempre sa ganda ko ba namang ito? Talagang mahuhulog ka."

And finally, she did make the atmosphere lighter. "Hell, yeah. You're so beautiful and I'm so whipped."

Mahina siyang natawa at kumawala kay Cyril ng may maalala siya.

"Love.."

"Yes?"

"Nahanap mo na ba yung bumaril sa akin?" and just with that question, his fist closed and his jaw tighten.

"I did and..."

"And what?'

Athena's eyebrows meet when he didn't answer. Kitang kita niya sa mga mata nito ang galit pero saglit na dumaan doon ang pag aalinlangan. "Cyril, what did you do?"

He still didn't answer. Tuluyan ng luamabas ang pag aalinalangan sa mukha nito.

'May hindi siya sinasabi sa akin. May ayaw siyang sabihin sa akin.'

He sighed. "You're so precious to me that I won't let them run. I made them pay so fairly. I didn't show them mercy."

What does he mean? Hindi niya ito maintindihan. "Baby.."

Cyril's fist is shaking and trembling out of anger. Sa tuwing naaalala niya ang nangyari, hindi niya talaga mapigilang magalit.

His jaw keeps on tightening when someone hold his hand. Nalipat ang tingin niya doon at napunta kay Athena na titig na titig pala sa kaniya.

"What did you do?" malumanay ang boses nito na para bang sinasabi nun na wag siyang matakot. But he can't stop himself. Oo, galit siya pero mas natatakot siya.

Ayaw niyang mawala ang taong mahal niya.

"I...I did something horrible."

Ilang segundo itong nanahimik. Hindi niya alam kung paano sasabihin kay Athena ang ginawa niya. It's so inhuman.

"You wanna tell me?" Athena whispered.

He closed his eyes and took a very deep breath. "You'll get scared of me and leave me. No, I don't want to tell you."

"I'll get scared and leave you? Is it that horrible?"

"Y-Yes. V-Very horrible."

Ng imulat niya ang mata, nagulat siya sa nakita. Athena's smiling at him. She hold his hand tighter. "If you don't want to tell me then just forget it, okay? And please don't be scared of me. Stop thinking that you might lose me because you won't. Tinaggap ko na ang lahat ng tungkol sayo. Minahal ko na kahit mga kamalian mo so don't think that I will leave you. And for you to be scared like this...I don't like it Cyril. Hindi ikaw ito. Please don't make me your weakness instead, make me your strength. And I told you, nothing can make me leave you. No one, baby. No one."

Hindi napigilan ni Cyril ang mapayakap kay Athena. Isinubsob nito ang mukha sa kaniyang leeg bago nagsalita. "I just chopped somone's body parts and shoved a sword on someone's face."

Athena froze and her breathing literally stopped.

'Chopped someone's body parts. Shoved a sword on someone's face.'

Her eyes widen in shock and her lips parted.

"Pagtapos mong malaman ang ginawa ko..." pinakawalan siya ni Cyril at mahigpit na hinawakan ang magkabila niyang braso. "would you still stay with...me?"

She's shock but she still wants to answer and she was about to when someone opened the door and entered the room.

Athena gasped. "Papa?"

The clingy and sweet Cyril suddenly gone. Agad niyang naramdaman ang paninigas at pagiging seryoso ng kasintahan. He just hold her hand tightly as he stared at her father.

"How are you, my princess?" her father casually asked. She tried to smile though she knew that something is off. "I'm recovering fast, Papa."

"Then that's good to hear." tanging sabi nito bago binalingan ng tingin si Cyril. "How about you, iho?"

Hindi maitatangging nanlamig si Cyril sa tingin ng ama ni Athena. "I...I think I'm good."

"That's great..." nakangiting sagot ng ama ni Athena.

"By the way, Pa, what are you doing here?"

Sumagot ang ama nito ng hindi inaalis ang tingin kay Cyril. "Why? Hindi ko na ba pwedeng dalawin ang anak..." he stopped and changed his gaze to Athena. "ko?"

'Something is really not right here.' Athena thought.

"Well, aside from visiting you, ang fiance mo talaga ang pinunta ko dito."

Napatigil si Athena sa sinabi ng ama niya. Anong kailangan nito sa kasintahan niya?

Tumayo naman si Cyril at kahit ayaw niya mang bumitaw sa kamay ni Athena, kailangan niya.

"Sir?"

"Drop the formality, iho. Fiance ka ng anak ko so just call me Papa."

Cyril sighed. "Yes...Papa."

"I need to talk to you..." he stopped and gazed at Athena before looking at him again. "in private."

Nagsalubong ang kilay ni Athena sa narinig niya. What are they going to talk about that she shouldn't have to hear?

Lumabas ng kwarto ang ama niya. Saglit naman siyang tinignan ni Cyril bago ito sumunod.

She can't help but to feel curious about what they are going to talk about. Pero ayaw niyang sawayin ang ama. Kilala niya ito. Ayaw nitong sinusuway ang mga sinasabi nito.

Wala siyang nagawa kundi ang humiga na lang ulit at pumikit. She'll just go back to sleep, hindi parin kasi ganon kagaling ang sugat niya at kumikirot pa ito.

-----

Kevin, Athena's father, stared at Cyril. "I know what you're thinking about." paninimula ng ama ni Athena. Cyril keep his face emotionless and serious.

"Papa...what do you mean by that?"

Athena's father smirked. "Bata ka pa, iho. Marami ka pang hindi alam sa mundo. And you should know that papunta ka pa lang, pabalik na ako."

Natahimik si Cyril sa sinabi nito. There's something in his words that have another meaning, sigurado siya doon.

Marami pa siyang hindi alam? Ano? Ano pa ang hindi niya alam?

"I don't know what you're talking about." patay malisya niyang sagot. Tinawanan siya ng ama ni Athena. "Really? Still pretending, Mark Cyril Romero?"

Natigilan siya ng banggitin nito ang buo niyang pangalan. May iba sa ama ni Athena. It's more that just a father. There's something more about Kevin Lee.

And he have to know that.

"Is that you? The one I saw inside the house of Alessandro Bianchi?" nauubos ang timping tanong niya. Gusto niya ng malaman ang totoo. He knew something's just not right. May kailangan siyang malaman. May dapat siyang malaman.

Ayaw na ayaw niyang niloloko. Ayaw na ayaw niyang pinapaikot. He wants to control not being controlled.

Naisara niya ang kamao ng ngumisi ang kausap. "You already have the answers, Black. Don't stop yourself from knowing the truth."