Chapter 5

-(KAJI YUJIRO ALDANA POV)-

-᯽-

“Kaj, anong balita? Sumagot na ba siya?” Tanong ni Jace sa akin nang ako’y makarating sa main residence.

“No, ni-seen lang niya ako.” I answered plainly before sitting at the sofa.

Kasalukuyan akong nandito sa bahay dahil kukunin ko ang iba naming gamit ni Axzie, may nakita kasi kaming bahay na pwedeng lipatan at napag-desisyunan namin na duon na lang kami kaysa sa California mag-stay.

“Nasaan kaya yun, ilang araw na siyang hindi umuuwi, nagdala pa ng bagahe nung umalis.” Wika ni Jace at saka nagbukas ng dyaryo.

“Hindi kaya pinuntahan niya si Emy?” Giit ko rito na siyang nilingunan niya.

“Si Emy?” Ulit nito na nakataas ang isang kilay.

“Oo, I mean ‘baka’ lang naman diba? Sabi mo may dalang bagahe, so I assumed na pinuntahan niya.” Sagot ko rito ngunit nag iba ang ekspresyon nito.

“Emy already fucking thinks Gelal is dead, so why would he go there?” He asked again.

Akmang sasagot ako nang marinig namin bumukas ang pinto na naging dahilan upang kami’y lumingon ruon, seeing him behind the door with a bag on his back. 

“Lal, saan ka galing?” Tanong ko at saka sinalubong ito.

“Pre.” He started, giving me a bro hug.

“Musta ka, pre?” Tanong ko as I patted his back.

“Ayos lang, may inasikaso lang ako.” Wika nito sa akin.

“Where the fvck have you been these past few days?” Jace asked beside me.

“Galing ako kay Attorney.” He answered.

“Anong ginawa mo run?” Tanong ko naman.

May pinakita itong envelope sa amin ni Jace at binigay sa akin, causing me to receive it and reveal the contents inside.

“This is..” I started, my eyes widened as I saw the marriage certificate.

“My marriage certificate with ‘Emy.’” Sagot nito na ikinagulat namin.

“Akin na nga yan.” Giit ni Jace ngunit agad iyon binawi ni Gelal sa akin.

“Sabihin niyo nga sa akin, may dapat ba akong malaman?” Tanong nito, bakas sa kanyang tono na hindi ito nakikipag-biruan.

Nilingunan ko si Jace at base sa kanyang ekspresyon ay kinakabahan ito.

“Saan mo yan nakita?” Tanong ko naman rito.

“It doesn’t matter kung saan ko nakita, bakit may marriage certificate kami ng babaeng to pero kami ni Jescel, wala?” Tanong niya. “May tinatago ba kayo na dapat kong malaman?”

“Lal, that woman is dead.” Wika ni Jace na ikinagulat ko rito.

“Jace-” Naputol ang aking sasabihin nang sumagot si Lal.

“Dead?” He asked confusingly with his brows furrowed.

“Yes, she died years ago. Pinakasalan mo siya dahil sa perang maiiwan niya.” Sagot nito, which shocked us both.

Akmang sasagot muli si Gelal nang may tumawag dito na nagmumula sa hagdan, causing us to look on whoever it was.

“Babe, where have you been? I was so worried about you.” Giit ni Jescel habang ito’y pababa ng hagdan.

Ngunit hindi ko narinig na sumagot ang kaniyang kasintahan, bagkus siya ay umalis, slamming the door behind him.

“Saan yun pupunta?” Tanong ni Jescel sa amin nang makalapit na ito.

"Hindi ko alam." I answered before heaving a deep sigh.

Nilingunan ko si Jace nang kumalma ng kaunti ang sistema ko, nagtataka pa rin ako bakit niya sinabi na patay na si Emy kay Gelal.

"Ba't mo sinabi kay Gelal na patay na si Emy?" Tanong ko rito at bakas sa tono ko na naguguluhan ang aking isipan dahil ruon.

"Dahil alam kong hindi titigil si Gelal sa kakahanap kay Emy, at may chance na bumalik ang memorya niya, you don't want to see him locked up in his own room do you?" He asked me, causing me to be even more confused.

“Eh hinahanap na nga niya si Emy-” I was cut off when he spoke again.

“Tumigil ka na, Kaj. I said that for him to stop doing some nonsense shit again, now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some things to be taken care of.” Giit nito at saka umalis, making his way upstairs.

Napailing na lang ako sa inaakto ng mga ito, my thoughts being set aside for a moment dahil may kailangan rin akong gawin.

-(GELAL THEODEN FRANCISCO POV)-

~°∆°~

Kasalukuyan akong nasa condominium, at hindi na umalis ang tingin ko sa hawak kong marriage certificate na nakuha ko a few days back dahil sa pangalan na ito.

Emerald Corlyn Bustos Verdanio

And Jace’s words had me intrigued as well, saying this woman is dead but hadn’t told me the cause.

Maybe he was lying just so he can get away with the question I asked him…

As my mind was filled with questions, a ring from my phone caught my attention, wondering who it was.

Kaya walang alinlangan ko itong tinignan, seeing the name ‘Love’ had me thinking.

Ngunit kahit ganun, sinagot ko pa rin ito. Baka si Jescel lamang ito at baka siya’y nag-aalala sa akin.

“Hello?” Tanong ko nang masagot ko ang tawag.

Ngunit, wala akong narinig na sagot mula sa kabilang linya kundi pag-hikbi lamang.

Huh?

-(EMERALD CORLYN VERDANIO-FRANCISCO POV)-

~§~

Wala akong ibang ginawa kundi tingnan ang pangalan ng caller ID, seeing the name ‘Love’ had me weeping silently, and the voice that I longed for to hear was on the other side of the phone, but I can’t take my hopes up, he’s already dead.

But, is he really dead?

“Hello? May I know who this is?” He asked while the call was on loud speaker.

So… it really is him…

"Hello?" I asked back as I wiped my continuous tears.

"Who is this?" Tanong nito muli.

"Just call me… Cory." Sagot ko rito habang pinipigilan kong umiyak. 

"Okay, Cory. How did you get my number?" He asked.

I always have your number …

"Maybe I just pressed the wrong number, I'm so sorry." Giit ko na lamang rito habang pinupunasan ang aking mga luha.

"It's okay, we all make mistakes." Sagot niya muli.

There was a moment of silence between us, and I quickly looked around the room to see if anyone was with me, luckily I was all alone, and no one can hear this but me.

"I guess I have to go, it was nice meeting you, Cory." Wika nito na ikinataranta ko naman.

"Wait." Sagot ko naman.

"What is it? You want to talk to me?" He asked again.

"I wanna know your name, y-you haven't told me your name yet." Sagot ko rito, my insides were already a mess, and my mind was screaming that it's him that I'm talking to.

"Just call me Theo." Sagot niya, which caused me to cry outloud.

(Just call me… Theo…)

Hindi ko na napigilan pang umiyak dahil rito, lahat ng memorya ko na kasama siya ay bumabalik at hindi ko alam kung nananaginip ba akong gising o sadyang kausap ko talaga siya.

"Cory, are you okay?" Tanong nito mula sa kabilang linya.

"I-I'm fine, I was just-" Naputol ang aking sasabihin nang sumagot ito.

"You were crying, is there something wrong?" He asked again.

"Everything's… everything's fine…" I answered.

"Do you want to tell me what's wrong? Or-" Naputol ang kanyang sasabihin nang sumagot ako.

"It's fine, this is nothing. I guess I should be going now, take care, Theo." Giit ko rito, waiting for his response.

"Okay, stay safe and take care, Cory." Sagot nito at saka na niya binaba ang tawag.

Nang maibaba na niya ang tawag, dali-dali kong binitawan ang cellphone ko at saka humiga dahil narinig kong bumukas ang pinto.

"Hey, babe. I brought some fruits for you." Panimula ni Dean na may hawak ng isang basket ng prutas.

"Salamat, lagay mo na lang dito." Sagot ko at saka tinuro ang mini table.

Sa buong oras na paguusap namin ni Dean ay hindi ko maiwasang isipin ang pag-uusap namin ni Theo, dahil doon ay nag-ooverthink na ako kung dahil ba ito sa side-effects ng mga gamot na ininom ko o talagang nakausap ko siya sa telepono.

Am I dreaming? Or the call was actually real?