TRAVIS VILLAFLOR (TPHCS1 - TAGALOG VERSION)

Greek Village. Even the name still makes me smile..

Isa ito sa mga bagay na itinayo namin mula sa wala,  just pure audacity, money, and stubborn loyalty. Twenty bachelor friends, deciding, half-drunk and fully serious, that adulthood would be lived on our own terms. No cramped condos. No boring subdivisions. No neighbors complaining about noise. Just a private village carved into the larger empire that is Black Village - owned by the Montifierro.

Our village.

I stood near the entrance of Black Village’s enormous party hall, watching the lights shimmer against polished marble. The decorations were exactly how I liked them. Elegant but loud in that subtle billionaire way. Gold accents, crystal chandeliers with soft black and champagne tones. Nothing tacky and nothing excessive.

Well… maybe a little excessive. Birthday ko naman, so who cared?

Twenty-five. May mga taong napapraning sa numerong ’yan. Ako? Hindi. I’m filthy rich. Heir to Villaflor Empires. Owner of Villaflor Industries. Self-made billionaire. Food productions, telecommunications, at kung anu-ano pang businesses na parang literal na money-printing machines.

Life has been generous.

Some people panic at that number. I don’t. I’m filthy rich, heir to Villaflor Empires, owner of Villaflor Industries, self-made billionaire. Food productions, telecommunications, even businesses that practically print money. Life has been generous. Still, birthdays have a strange way of making even the most confident man reflective.

Inside the hall, the energy was already buzzing. Friends, families, acquaintances, residents of the sub-villages and everyone mingling, laughing, drinking. The Lethal Team occupied one corner like they owned intimidation itself. The Diablos looked dangerously relaxed. The Seven Deadly Sins radiated their usual chaotic magnetism. Villareal Heirs, Billion-Heirs, the Montifierro Brothers…

Black Village gatherings were never small affairs.

My eyes drifted toward our table.

Eighteen seats filled, with two empty seats.

“Of course,” bulong ko. 

Montemayor twins. Missing, as always.

Hindi ko mapigilang mailing nang bigla akong siniko ni Vaughn. “What?” tanong ko dito, already annoyed.

Bahagya niyang itinagilid ang ulo niya, at tumingin sa kabilang side ng hall. “Kanina pa nakatingin sayo yang bunso ng mga Montemayor aderfos.”

Sinundan ko ang tingin niya.

At nandoon siya.

Si Raine.

The Montemayor prince. Treasure of the Montemayor twins, as they always proudly say and flaunt. Tahimik na nakaupo, looking like he didn’t belong in a room full of predators disguised as heirs. Soft features, nervous energy, eyes that carried too much emotion for Black Village standards.

At oo…

Nakatingin siya sa akin. Nang magtagpo ang mga mata namin, mabilis niyang iniwas ang tingin niya. 

Cute. He was dangerously cute. Napabuntong-hininga ako. “Oh, and so,” I said flatly.

“He already confessed his feelings to me.”

Tumaas ang kilay ni Vaughn. “Seriously?”

“Yes.” Nagkibit-balikat ako. “I cleared it with him. Told him we can’t be together. I have Cathy.”

“At isa pa,” dagdag ko, “he’s our friends’ brother. At yun lang ang tingin ko sa kanya..”

Ngumiti si Vaughn. “Well, still. Kid’s got guts.”

“I’m straight as an arrow,” bored na sagot ko dito.

That statement had become my personal defense mechanism. Hindi dahil kailangan kong patunayan ang sarili ko, kundi dahil dito sa Black Village, considering we are a tight knit community, you’ll be the talk of the town. Hindi naman siya masamang bagay. It’s just…Well, it's an excuse. I’m not gay. That’s just all.

Tumango si Vaughn. “Cool, aderfos. But speaking of Montemayor… where are the twins?”

“Tinatanong pa ba yan?” sagot ko.

Mula sa kabilang side ng table, nagsalita si Lance habang may cake pa sa bibig. “And who’s this Cathy?” Bago pa ako makasagot, hinampas ni Klaus ang likod ng ulo niya.

“Hey, idiot! Don’t talk with your mouth full!” Lance swallowed dramatically..

“At si Cathy,” patuloy ni Klaus, “is Travis’s girlfriend. For a month now.”

Kumurap si Lance. “Sorry. I didn’t know Cathy.” Napakamot siya ng ulo. “The only saying I know is ‘Don’t eat when your mouth is talking.’”

Awtomatikong napatingin kaming lahat sa kaniya. At bigla itong tumayo. Ay gago! Ayan na naman siya. Alam na namin ang gagawin nito.

“IS IT WRONG TO EAT?!” sigaw niya. Nanahimik ang buong hall. Lahat ng ulo napalingon sa amin. “NASAAN ANG HUSTISYA! BASILIO CRISPIN! PALAYAIN ANG PILIPINAS” Napatampal na lang ako sa noo ko. Hindi man lang tinama ang mga pinagsasabi niya.

For half a second, there was stunned silence.

Then the hall erupted into laughter. Because of course it was Lance. Nag-peace sign siya na parang proud pa sa kagaguhan niya bago muling umupo, pulang-pula ang mukha.

Leviathan leaned back, habang umiiling. “There he goes. The idiot.” Napangiti ako dito.

Well, that’s Lance. A walking disaster and an endless entertainment.

Moments like that reminded me why Greek Village existed. Why brotherhood mattered. Why money meant nothing without people who could laugh at you, and with you, without fear.

Hindi pa tuluyang humuhupa ang tawanan nang may biglang commotion sa entrance. At on cue, pumasok ang dalawang pamilyar na pigura. Tsk. Finally, “Oh, there they are,” sabi ni Heaven. “Bakit ang tagal niyo?”

Pumasok sina Samuel at Rafael Montemayor na parang walang kababalaghan na nangyari. Which automatically meant something unusual definitely happened. Lalo na nang mapansin ko ang bite marks sa leeg ni Samuel. Interesting.

“O, mga gago. Ano na namang titingin-tingin niyo diyan?” tanong ni Samuel, narrowing his eyes.

“Like what?” sagot ni Stavos, smirking. Rafael pointed. “Like that.”

Lumapit si Lance, grinning like a devil about to cause chaos.

“Tsk. Aderfos, why make things awkward?” Umayos siya ng upo. “I’ll just ask.”

Dramatic pause.

“Masakit o masarap ba Samuel?” Nanigas si Samuel at si Rafael binatukan ito.

“What?!” Sigaw ni Samuel. “Gago ka talaga Lance. Pinagsasabi mo diyan.”

“We didn’t do anything wrong, asshole.” Rafael smirked and cooly replied. Tsk. Halatang meron. Nakita naman ni Samuel ang reaksiyon niya kaya’t pinandilatan niya ito. Kumurap si Lance, innocent face activated. “What did you do?” Then he grinned. “I meant the food you ate.”

Dead silence. Mukhang ready nang pumatay si Samuel.

“Wh—fuck—you—” 

“Another what, Samuel?” tanong ni Lance dito.

“Asshole.”

Samuel leaned back, exhaling sharply. Then he turned to me. “Oh, and Travis.” Then he smirks.

“Happy Birthday, fucker.”

I laughed. And everyone laughed.

That’s us. Relentless teasing with zero boundaries and absolute loyalty. We could insult each other like enemies and still stand together like family when it mattered. Because beneath the chaos, beneath the arrogance, beneath the wealth…

We’re brothers.

Eventually, the laughter faded as the coordinator stepped forward. I walked toward the stage, adjusting my jacket slightly. The lights felt warmer up there, brighter. The crowd blurred into a sea of familiar faces.

Lumakad ako papuntang stage, inaayos ang jacket ko. Mas mainit ang ilaw doon. Mas maliwanag. Kinuha ko ang mikropono. “Friends, families, fellow colleagues, residents of this Village…”

Silence.

“I, Travis Villaflor, am very happy and thankful to all of you.”

Soft murmurs.

“At kahit hindi ako relihiyoso—”

“Hahaha! Aderfos, hindi ka naman talaga relihiyoso!” sigaw ni Lance.

Tumawa ulit ang hall at napailing ulit ako.

“Hey, gago,” sabi ko dito. “Hindi ko kailangan opinyon mo.Bakit? Birthday mo ba? Tsk. Birthday ko to gago. Hintayin mo ang sayo.”

More laughter followed. Ngumiti ako bago nagpatuloy. “Even though I’m not religious… I’m thankful to all of you.”

At totoo iyon.

For friendships.

For loyalty.

For the madness that somehow became my normal.

“Kontento na ako..”

Napunta ang tingin ko kay Cathy.

She’s beautiful.

Smiling.

Radiating warmth.

“I hope Cathy and I will be together forever.”

Cheers.

Whistles.

“I love you, Cathyrine.”

Natural na lumabas ang mga salita sa aking bibig ngunit parang may kulang. Bumaba ako ng stage, hawak ang bouquet of roses, Ferrero Rocher chocolates neatly placed. Bahagyang lumaki ang mga mata ni Cathy. Sumabog ang hall sa ingay.