"How's your mission?" Dr. Guild on the other line.
It was now 11PM, I was currently in my bedroom here in Irene's mansion, sitting on a single sofa.
On call with Dr. Guild.
It's been 2 days since the date with Vladimir happened, and he said he's busy and doing something but we'll go out once he's finished with his work.
"Doing good, I got close to him." I answered him.
"Good, how are you?" He said, I sighed and leaned my head against the sofa.
Dr. Guild or should I say Guild was the owner of the organization he's 43 years old, he found me.
I remember when my father abandoned us I started taking revenge by fighting with gangsters on the streets, skipping class until one night I was in the dark alley of UK fighting with gangsters I almost died because I was badly beaten up.
He saved me.
Then asks if why am I doing that things, I opened up to him.
He held me in my arms like my father didn't.
I found a father's love in his arms.
He comforted me, gave me advice.
When I found out he was a founder of an assasin organization, determination insisted me to join.
I ask him if can I join, he was hesitant at first but I insisted so he gave me what I wanted.
He was the one who trained me for 5 years, yet I surpassed his skills.
He gave me a different missions first because he said he tested my skills, it didn't disappointed him.
So after I completed the missions he put me on the ranking number 1.
But little did everyone know in the organization, before I was put in the rank 1 Dr. Guild and I had a 1v1 match.
He was defeated but he was proud.
What he taught me didn't disappointed him, his own skills was used against him.
Yet he was proud.
He became my second father.
He doesn't have any child because His fiance was taken by the mafias before their wedding, helpless he couldn't do anything.
The last word he heard from his fiance was, "Don't worry, you'll always be my first and last love. I'm sorry".
It must be painful for him.
Until now he's celebrating his fiancé's birthday, their monthsaries.
He's still wondering where she is right now.
He said, he saved me that day because he's seeing himself in me that day.
The way my dark blue eyes filled with anger.
I just stared at the ceiling and sighed heavily.
"I'm good, what about you?" I asked him.
"Her birthday is tomorrow, I'm gonna go celebrate." I nodded though he can't see me.
I can hear his voice is shaking, he's crying.
"Where are you?" I asked.
Nandito sya sa Pilipinas ngayon dahil nasa business trip sya, at the same time may inaasikaso din sya.
"In my condo." I immediately ended the call.
I stood up and grabbed my black coat together with the key of my bigbike, I went downstairs and stepped out of the mansion.
Tulog naman na sila Irene, maaga sila natutulog para hindi rin napupuyat ang mga bata.
I went to the parking lot at sumakaw sa bigbike ko, I put on my helmet and the engine roared to life as I started my Ducati.
I drove away.
Malapit lang naman ang condo ni Dr. guild sa mansion ni Irene.
When I arrived at the parking lot of his condo I stepped inside the building and went to the elevator.
Pagkarating ko sa 6th floor ay agad akong pumunta sa unit nya, inenter ko ang pass code.
Birthday ng fiance nya ang pass code nya, always. Even the password of his cellphone.
The door beeps as it opened, I stepped inside and closed the door behind me.
Hinubad ko ang boots ko at sinabit ko ang coat ko sa hook stand na nasa likod ng pinto.
Naglakad ako papuntang living room, the living room was huge, it has a heavily tinted glass wall. Patay ang mga ilaw at ang tanging ilaw lang ay nagmumula sa city lights sa labas.
Then my gaze landed on a man sitting on the couch, whiskey bottle and a glass was in front of him.
Nakapatong ang mga iyon sa table.
"Drinking again, I see." Sabi ko habang papalapit sakanya.
I sat beside him, I poured the glass a whiskey.
"What are you doing here?" Mahinang tanong nito.
"Sinasamahan ka." Malamig kong sagot at ininom ang whiskey.
"Sticking with me is really your nature huh?" Inilapag ko ang baso ng whiskey pagkatapos kong mainom ang laman.
I shrugged, "what could I say? You're always there whenever you needed me." Nag angat ito ng tingin saakin our gaze met, "just returning the favor." Saad ko pa na ikina ngisi nito.
"You don't have to." Napapailing na sagot nito.
"I wanted to."
He chuckles, "Mapilit ka may magagawa bako?" I chuckled.
He poured a whiskey on the glass, and he took a sipped on it.
After that he looked at me.
"You're not sleeping properly again." He clicks his tongue.
I softly scoffed, "I can't."
"Maeve, don't lock yourself in the past." I smirked.
"Said by the man who still can't move on." I teased but its a matter of fact.
He laughs softly.
"You got me there, but I don't want you to be like me Maeve." I looked at him, "you've been trough a lot and you don't deserve a father like him, I think of you as my daughter so I want you to be happy." My gaze softened at his words.
'I want you to be happy.' The words I want to hear from my father, yet I heard it from someone else.
Kusang pumatak ang luha sa mata ko.
Hinawakan nya ang pisnge ko at pinunasan ang mga luha ko.
"I can still see the pain Maeve, I know how It hurts. You'll get over it okay?" I slowly nods at him while the tears keep streaming down my face.
He pat my head and he smiled.
"You're doing great, Maeve. Keep going." Those words triggered something in me.
"You really know how to make me cry." I chuckled while I wiped my tears away.
He chuckles, "iyakin ka lang talaga." Pinitik nito ang noo ko.
"Aray." Daing ko.
"Sige na umalis ka na, magpapahinga na ako." Tumango ako dito.
Nagpaalam na ako sakanya at lumabas na ng unit nya.
Pagbaba ko sa lobby ay nakita ko si Vladimir na papasok, nagtama ang tingin namin at huminto sya sa paghakbang.
"Is this where you live?" I frowned and shook my head.
"No, I just visited a friend." Napatango ito.
"Ah, I see."
"Ikaw?" I asked.
"This is where I'm staying." Napatango ako.
Alam kaya ni Dr. Guild na dito din sya naka stay? Tss kahit naman alam ni Dr. Guild hindi sya makikialam.
Walang Pake sa Mundo ang matandang iyon, kahit pa nasa harap nya ang kalaban.
"Want a coffee?"
Hindi ako tumanggi sa alok nya, what can I say? Mahilig din ako sa kape.
Kasalukuyan kaming nasa labas ng 7/11 nakaupo sa bench, nasa harap namin ang kape na nakapatong sa table. He was sitting beside me.
"Why are you still awake by the way?" He took a sipped from his coffee.
"I couldn't sleep." I said, totoo naman kasi. Bukod pa Don hindi talaga ako natutulog sa Gabi.
"Oh? Is that so? I thought you're like a sleeping beauty." Napakunot ang noo ko sa sinabi nya, bumaling ang tingin ko sakanya at tinaasan ko sya ng kilay.
He chuckled, "I thought you're the person who fell asleep fast."
Nang aasar ba sya? Kutusan ko kaya to?
"Hindi ah, insomnia." Sagot ko, napatango naman ito.
"Take care of yourself, silly." He pats my head.
"I am taking care of myself." He chuckles.
"Oh yeah? Not sleeping is your way to take care of yourself?" I pouted, and he laugh.
"Once I find out you're not sleeping I'll put you to sleep myself." Napakunot ang noo ko.
"Anong ibig mong sabihin?" Takang tanong ko.
"I Have my ways to put you to sleep." Naging blanko ang ekspresyon ng mukha ko nang marealize kung ano iyon.
"Sapak?" Taas kilay kong Sabi sakanya.
He smirked, "Don't tell me you're getting it wrong? The ways I'll put you to sleep is i might inject you a midazolam, Lullaby you to sleep." Ramdam kong kusang uminit ang dalawang pisnge ko.
Tangina.
He raised a brow and his smirk widening, "Why? What are you thinking?"
"Tigilan mo ngako." Umiwas ako ng tingin.
"Oh? Don't worry what you're thinking, I can do it." Hinampas ko ang balikat nito na ikinatawa nya.
"I'm just kidding, I won't do it unless you told me to." Bumalik ang tingin ko sakanya.
"You're not gonna force me?" I asked.
He took a sipped from his coffee, "I'd rather kill than be a rapist." He looked at me, his eyes are full of sincerity.
"Thankyou."
He nodded, "We won't rush things, no need to pressure yourself because I won't pressure you." Napangiti ako.
Karamihan kasi sa mga lalaki ngayon ay gusto nila agad agaran.
While this man? He doesn't rush things.
He's gentle.
"Oh my god." Napasinghap ako ng matapon ang kape ko, natalsikan ang kamay ko ng kaunti.
He immediately gently grabbed my hand away from the slipped coffee.
He took the tissue and wiped it.
"Are you okay?" He wiped my hand with a new tissue.
"I'm sorry-"
"Shh, are you okay?" I simply nodded at him.
Is he mad? I'm so clumsy.
"Are you mad?" I worriedly said.
"No, no. Why would I? Just be careful next time okay? You might hurt yourself. Wouldn't want that kitten." He cleaned the slipped coffee and put the used tissue inside the cup.
I thought he's mad.
The fact that he was worried about me slipping a coffee and might hurt myself, he's not worried because I was clumsy. But the thought that I might hurt myself.
"Is it hurt?" Hinimas nya ng kanyang hinlalaki ang likod ng kamay ko na may maliit na namumula.
"Not really." I said.
"Wait here." He stood up and went inside the 7/11.
Nakakailang, hindi ako sanay.
Before, whenever I'm slipping something ay sinisigawan na ako ng tatay ko.
It's just different because I thought he's gonna be mad, but he didn't. Instead he was worried.
After a while he came back with a water bottle, it's cold.
He washed my hand with it.
"There, better?" I nodded.
Para akong maamong tuta, and whenever he was holding my hand nakukuryente ang buong katawan ko.
Bumibilis ang tibok ng puso ko, kumakawala iyon.
Nabablangko ang utak ko at may kung anong sumisigaw sa dito.
Tangina, ano ba to?
"It's already 12:30. You should go home." Tumango ako sakanya.
"Ikaw din, magpahinga ka na." Mahinahon kong Saad sakanya.
"Did you brought a car?"
"Ah, motor dala ko eh." Saad ko.
"You drive home and I'll follow you." Napakunot ang noo ko.
"Bakit?"
"To make sure you're safe." He simply said.
"Ha? Pero pagod ka-"
"I don't care, I want to make sure you're safe."
Wala na akong nagawa kundi ang pumayag, habang nag dadrive ako ay nakasunod sya sa likod ko naka kotse sya Yung Ford mustang.
Nakarating ako sa mansion at Sabi ko hintayin nya ako dahil mag park lang ako.
Pagtapos ko magpark ay lumabas ako ng gate.
I saw him, leaning against his black car.
"Thankyou for tonight." I smiled at him.
He gave me a small smile and nodded, "You're always welcome, now get it inside." I nodded.
He pat my head.
I was about to turn around when he held my wrist, napatingin ako sakanya.
"Goodnight." He caressed my head and he kissed my forehead.
Automatically, my heart raced.
Ramdam ko ang kuryenteng dumaloy sa buong katawan ko, ang puso ko na parang gusto nang kumawala sa sobrang bilis ng tibok nito.
Ang utak ko na sumisigaw na hindi ko malaman.
I was taken aback, lost at what he did.
It's the first time, first time I let a man did that to me.
I felt like something inside me slowly crumbling, I don't know what it is.
Nang umatras sya ay natauhan ako, ngumiti sya sakin.
Tumango ako sakanya at ngumit tsaka pumasok na sa loob.
Narinig ko ang pagalis ng kotse nya.
Bumuntong hininga ako, hanggang ngayon ay sobrang bilis parin ng tibok ng puso ko.
Pumasok na ako sa loob ng mansion.
"Hoy."
"Ay putangina mo!" Malutong na bulalas ko kay irene nang magulat ako sa boses nito.
Tumawa ito, "nakita ko yun ah." Nakangising pang aasar nito.
Napakunot ang noo ko, "Ang Alin?" Tinaasan ko say ng kilay.
"Asus, may pa forehead kiss ang Lolo mo. Hoy, akala ko ba hindi mag wo-work ha? Ano yon?" Inirapan ko ito.
"Magkano tuition ni isaac?" Walang gana kong tanong.
Tangina, suko ako.
Bakit ba kasi nakipag deal ako sakanya? Eh kung papasok ako sa relationship with Vladimir? Tanga ampota.
Yun Yung nasa mission, hindi ka talaga nag iisip Maeve.
"38,084 pesos Quarterly." Putangina daig pa college ng hayop na tuition na yan.
"Magbabayad ka na ba?" Tanong ko.
"Next month pa."
"Send ko nalang sayo bukas, pahinga na ako." Umakyat na ako sa hagdan.
"Hay sa wakas Maeve maiinlove ka na rin." Napairap ako nang marinig ko ang sinabi nya.
Pumasok ako ng kwarto ko at nilock ang pinto.
Ma-iinlove?
Hindi mangyayari iyon.
Napasinghap at napailing tsaka umupo sa kama ko.
This is all the sake of my mission, I won't let my feelings get in the way.
Sinandal ko ang ulo ko sa headboard ng kama.
I won't let it happen.
Napatingin ako sa bedside table, kung nasaan may frame.
It was our family frame, me, mom, Irene and dad.
Napatingin ako sa litrato ng papa ko.
I need to find him, kill him.
He need to pay for what he did.