Chapter 4:

KENJIE'S POV

The whiskey burned as it slid down my throat.

"You're unusually quiet tonight."

I ignored Richard's comment and took another sip.

The loud music inside the bar blended with the conversations around us.

Normally, I'd be listening.

Old habits never died.

Especially after years in Special Forces.

Pero ngayong gabi ay sobrang abala ng isipan ko sa ibang bagay. Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin nakalimutan ang ginawang paghalik sa akin ni Sevilla. At hanggang ngayon ay patuloy kong iniisip kung bakit niya iyon ginawa.

Richard sighed heavily.

"That's your third glass, Ken.." komento niya.

"It's my second," I corrected him but he shook jis head.

"That's the third glass..." pagdidiin niya kaya hindi ko na iyon kinontra pa.

Something had been bothering me all evening.

Solana Sevilla.

The woman I had been assigned to protect. The woman who somehow managed to destroy my peace of mind in less than two weeks.

I hated that realization.

Absolutely hated it.

Richard leaned back against his chair.

"She's beautiful, right?"

I slowly looked at him.

"Who?" kunot-noong tanong ko.

"The actress. The one you're protecting," pagkaklaro niya.

Humigpit ang panga ko at nakita niya iyon. At kitang-kita ko ang paglaki ng ngisi niya sa naging reaksyon ko.

"Oh.."

"Wag mo akong simulan, Rich..." banta ko sabay iwas ng tingin sa kanya.

"You like her," saad niya kahit na kakabanta ko lang sa kanya.

"You absolutely do," dagdag niya ng kita niya ang pananahimik ko.

I finished my drink.

"That's not a denial," usal niya pa at natawa.

Nagsisi tuloy ako kung bakit pa ako nakipagkita sa kanya ngayong gabi. Pero kailangan ko rin namn uminom kaya wala akong ibang magagawa kundi tiisin na muna ang pang-aasar niya hanggang sa matapos na kami at makauwi na rin ako.

"You know what's funny?" he suddenly said. "You've protected politicians, businessman and foreign diplomats..."

I remained silent.

"But somehow one actress is giving you a headache."

I stared at him. "You're assuming a lot. Baka kasing kana talaga--"

"I'm not.." dispensa niya.

I had met countless women more than capable of turning heads.

That wasn't it.

It was something else.

Something I couldn't explain.

Every time she looked at me...

It felt strange.

Like she was searching for something.

Like she already knew me.

And then...there was what happened earlier.

My grip tightened around the whiskey glass.

"Richard."

"Hm?"

"Have you ever met someone who feels familiar?" bulalas ko at agad na nawala ang ngiti niya sa tanong kong iyon.

"Familiar how?" he ask.

I couldn't answer it.

Not completely.

Only fragments.

A voice.

A pair of eyes.

A scent.

A memory I couldn't quite reach.

Like something buried beneath years of dust.

"Pakiramdam mo ba ay nakilala mona siya sa kung saan?" tanong niya at umiling ako.

"I don't think so. I'm not sure how and when and why she's familiar," pag-amin ko dahil iyon naman ang totoo.

I remembered every mission.

My memory had never failed me.

Yet when I looked at Solana...

There was always this strange feeling in my chest.

A feeling that shouldn't exist.

As if I had forgotten something important.

Something I wasn't supposed to forget.

I couldn't shake the feeling that she was connected to a part of my past I could no longer remember.

A part of my life that was desperately trying to find its way back to me.

~~~~~~~

KINABUKASAN ay maaga akong dumating sa Sevilla estate, habang hinihintay ang iba ko pang kasama.

I stood near the garden patio, one hand inside my pocket while the other held a cup of black coffee.

The staff moved around quietly.

Gardeners trimmed the hedges.

Housekeepers entered and exited the mansion.

Everything appeared normal.

I took another sip of coffee.

Only to hear the sound of tiny footsteps approaching from behind.

Instinctively, I glanced over my shoulder.

And immediately found myself looking at a small boy.

The four-year-old son of my client.

The kid stopped directly in front of me before looking up.

"Good morning, Mr Bodyguard!" masigla nitong bati bigla sa akin.

Sandali ko siyang pinagkatitigan bago ko dahan-dahang ibinaba sa ibabaw ng mesa ang hawal kong tasa.

"Good morning, buddy..." balik ko sa kanya.

At habang nakikipag-titigan ako sa kanya ay wala sa sariling napangiti ako. At mukhang pati ang bata sa harapan ko ay nagulat sa ginawa ko.

"Marunong ka po palang ngumiti?" he suddenly asked.

My brows furrowed as i crouched down in front of him. Pakiramdam ko kasi ay nangangalay na siya sa kakatingala sa akin. Kaya minabuti kong pagpantayin na lamang ang tingin naming dalawa.

"Mukha bang hindi ako marunong ngumiti?" mahinang tanong ko at walamg pagdadalawang-isip ma tumango ang bata.

"My mommy said that you're a grumpy man. Hindi ka raw po marunong ngumiti, you always looked annoyed with everything around you. But she's wrong. You just actually smiled at me and guess what mister?" aniya at sobrang liwanag ng mga mata niya habang nakatingin sa akin.

"What?" tanong ko dahil nakaramdam na rin ako ng matinding kyuryusidad sa kung ano man ang sasabihik niya.

Maya-maya pa ay humakbang siya papalapit sa akin at nagulat ako ng bigla niyang inangat ang kamay niya at hinawakan ang pisnge ko.

"You and i have the same smile. Also...your eyes become smaller when you smile. Parang ako lang din po kapag nags-smile ako," paliwang niya sa akin at sa mga sandaling ngumiti siya ulit ay doon ko lang natukoy ang ibig niyang sabihin.

We really do have the same smile.

"Akala ko nga po kayo ang daddy ko. But when lolo dad said that you're a bodyguard? I was so disappointed," he added.

"Bakit? Nasaan ba ang daddy mo?"

"Mommy said he left. She didnt know where he is. She's been looking for him when i was born but she didn't succeed in finding him--"

"Mateo," halos sabay-sabay kaming napalingon sa may pintuan ng umalingawngaw ang boses na iyon.

Nang magkatinginan kami ni Solana ay kitang-kita ko ang matinding kaba sa mukha niya.

"Mommy. Mister bodyguard just smiled at me--"

"Let's talk about that later. Kailangan muna natin puntahan ang lolo dad mo sa ospital," putol niya sa anak niya at mabilis itong binuhat papalayo sa akin.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang pumasok sa isipan ko at basta-basta na lamang along humakbang at sinundan silang dalawa. At ng ilang hakbang na lang ang layo nila sa akin ay inabot ko ang kaliwang siko ni Solana... dahilan upang huminto siya sa paghakbang.

"Have we met before, Solana?"