#5:

  "Mr. Hidalgo, this way."

  I remained silent, my gaze fixed intently on Mr. Tuazon.

  They’ve come to know me as a man of few words, one who speaks only when necessary. My demeanor is serious and composed, which has earned me a reputation for being difficult to approach.

  In fact, no one dares to approach me unless I personally instruct my assistant to facilitate the meeting.

     Sa sandaling umapak ang mga paa ko sa loob ng club na ito ay halos hindi ko na nais pang magpatuloy. Ang pinakaayaw ko pa naman ay ang maiingay na lugar, and my frustration grew as they insisted on meeting me here.

  I questioned their intentions; were they attempting to deceive me?

  We proceeded down the hallway, passing by every private box, isa sa malalagpasan namin ang private box na bahagyang nakaawang ang pinto, kaya bahagya akong napasulyap sa loob.

  My attention was immediately drawn to a young girl who was struggling as several men forced alcohol upon her, laughing insensitively at her embarrasing situation.

     Kunot ang noo ko na parang may nagtulak sa akin na pumasok sa loob.

  Before the young girl could collapse, I quickly grasped her hand, pulled her towards me, and wrapped my arm around her waist for support.

Hindi na kayang suportahan ng batang babae ang sarili nitong katawan, her frail form sagging in my arms.

  It's clear she is unfamilliar to drinking, her body's weakness a testament to the damage inflicted upon her.

  My gaze pierces through to the man responsible for forcing alcohol down her throat; I can see the fear flicker in his eyes as he witnesses my anger.

    Awtomatikong napaluhod ito ng makilala ako, at agad na humingi ng awa sa akin.

  Without hesitation, I lift my foot and deliver a swift kick, sending him stumbling to the ground. But he is quick to recover, kneeling again in a show of submission.

  The other men present follow suit, nagsiluhod na din sila sa harapan ko at kanya kanyang ang paraan ng pagmamakaawa nila sa akin.

  I glare at them with a serious expression, my face a mask of unreadable intent.

Sa pananahimik ko, hindi maitatago ang nabuong galit sa puso ko.

Habang nakahawak parin ako sa batang babae, mabilis na lumapit ang aking assistant.

  "Mr. Hidalgo, what should we do next?" he asks, but I remain silent, nanatiling nakatingin ako sa mga lalaking nakaluhod sa harap ko.

  In that moment, words are unnecessary; my assistant understands the unspoken directive: they must be punished without mercy.

  "Mr. Hidalgo, please. Show us mercy."

  Their voices echoed in the dimly lit room, a chorus of desperation.

  "Mr. Hidalgo, have mercy on us. We had no intention of harming the young girl. We were just having fun."

  The tone shifted, pleading grew more profound.

  "Mr. Hidalgo, we are begging. Have mercy."

Ang paulit ulit nilang pagmamakaawa sa akin.

 But I ignored their sorrows; mercy was not something I dispensed lightly. They showed no shame for their actions; it was their choice to risk the wrath of fate.

Napagpasyahan kong maghintay, maghintay na mahimasmasan ang batang babae kung ano ang balak niya sa mga lalaking nangbastos sa kanya.

  At that moment, she stirred.

  "Hmmm," she murmured, a soft, hoarse sound that hinted at confusion.

  Her head lifted slowly, eyes fluttering open, struggling to focus. They revealed a mix of confusion and vulnerability.

  "You are just like a little kitten in the wild, daring to venture into this kind of place. Huh! Where did you find the courage?" I wondered.

  As she was unable to support her own weight and collapsed in my arms once more, I took action.

  I lifted her small frame effortlessly with one arm. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around my neck, signaling the urgency of her condition.

  With one final, serious glance at the men who were kneeling and still imploring me for mercy, I turned and exited the private box, carrying the young girl in my arms.

  .....

  As I looked at the young girl sprawled across the bed, her figure gradually sinking into a deep drunken sleep, hindi ko mapangalan ang kakaibang emosyong biglang lumukob sa akin.

  I had brought her to a secluded room within the club, isang silid tulugan sa mga nagbabalak gumawa ng mga bagay na pang pribado lamang.

  Reflecting on what I had learned about her, that he was a part-time worker, earning a meager sum from her sales of alcohol.

  At just nineteen years old, she juggled her role as a student while navigating the harsh realities of life, driven by the need to support her family despite the weight of poverty.

  I let out a deep sigh, feeling the burden of my observations pressing against my chest.

  As I continued to watch her, I was struck by a chilling resemblance—she looked so much like someone I once knew.

  My thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a sharp knock at the door, pulling me back from the depths of my contemplation.

  "Mr. Hidalgo, Mr. Rivera is waiting in the private box with Mr. Tuazon," my assistant announced, the words cutting through the haze of my reluctance.

  With a serious tone, I replied, "Tell them that no transaction will take place. They are just wasting my time."

Nagpaalala sa akin kung ano ba talaga ang dahilan kung bakit ako napadpad sa ganitong lugar, sa pagkaalala ko ng bagay na iyon ay mas nagtagis ang aking mga bagang dahil nasayang lang ang oras na binigay ko sa kanila.

  From the very moment I had stepped through the club's entrance, nagpasya na ako na hindi itutuloy ang pakikipagnegosasyon sa kanila.

  "Yes, Mr. Hidaldo."

  I heard my assistant's footsteps receding from the door, leaving behind an unsettling silence that enveloped the room once more.

  "Hmmm."

Napasulyap ako sa batang babae,  noting the soft moan that escaped her lips, a barely audible sound na halos hindi ko naman maririnig.

  Her body was restless, tossing and turning in the bed as if she were caught in a restless dream.

  “Damn you, kiddo."

  I muttered under my breath, frustration welling up inside me as I hastily grasped her hand in a futile attempt to prevent her from undressing.

  The heat radiating from her skin, a consequence of the alcohol coursing through her system.

  Yet, despite my efforts to restrain her, she resolutely pulled away, her determination to undress only intensifying.

  “I-it's hot. W-what?” she murmured, her frown revealing her irritation, although her eyes remained closed as if she were unaware to her surroundings.

  With no means to stop her from undressing, I experienced a rush of urgency.

  In a moment of desperation, I removed my necktie, letting the fabric slip through my fingers as I bound her wrists, uncertain of what may happen next.

  .....

  I was sitting in a dark corner of that part of the room, near the window.

  Outside, the full moon cast a bright glow, filtering through the thick fog that enveloped the night.

  Shadows cloaked me, blending me into the darkness as I waited patiently for the young girl to wake up.

  Five hours had passed since I brought her to this room, and as another moment slipped by, I noticed her stirring.

Unti-unti siyang nagmulat ng mga mata, illuminated by the dim light, hindi maitatago ang kanyang pagkagulat ng tuluyan niyang napagtanto kung nasaan siya.

  With a gasp, she bolted upright, scanning the unfamiliar surroundings until her gaze landed on the dark corner where I sat.

  "W-who are you? W-what did you do to me?" She stammered, her voice trembling with fear.

  I could see her body quivering, napahawak siya sa kumot na nakabalot sa kanyang katawan.

Hindi maitago ang pinakawalan niyang paghinga ng masiguro na wala namang kakaiba sa katawan niya sa ilalim ng kunot.

Sa mundong ating ginagalawan ay wala ng babae o lalaki ang hindi nagagahasa ngayon, iyon ang nakikita ko sa kanyang ekspresyon.

 He focused on me once more, the unease in his eyes prompting him to ask again.

"W-who are you?"

  I made no move to rush her, I simply observed as she attempted to pierce through the darkness to find me.

  She rose from the bed, tentatively walking toward my concealed form.

  But then, the winds rustled the thick leaves outside, causing shadows to dance around me.

  Suddenly, the moonlight broke through, illuminating my figure, and in that instant, her fear intensified as she caught sight of me.