Chapter 2

“Who are you?” he asked then immediately stopped the car.

“I’m the one who should be asking you. Who are you?” I asked back.

“Isn’t it obvious? I am the owner of this car!” iritadong sagot niya.

“What? Where’s Gin?!”

“Why are you asking me? I don’t even know that guy, neither you. Where’s Emma?” he asked again, losing his patience.

“Why are you also asking me? I don’t even know that girl, neither you!” I argue.

“THEN WHY THE FUCK DID YOU GET IN MY CAR?!”

“BECAUSE I THOUGHT THIS IS OUR CAR!”

“WHY THE HELL ARE YOU SHOUTING?!”

“BECAUSE YOU’RE ALSO SHOUTING!”

Pareho naming habol ang hininga nang matapos ang sagutan naming dalawa. This is the first time someone shouts at me, gano’n pala ang feeling ng masigawan, now I know how Gin felt whenever I shout at him. Halos mapaos pa ako sa sigawan namin.

Huminga ako nang malalim bago ulit tumingin sa kaniya. He’s wearing a maroon tuxedo at naka brush-up ang medyo mahaba nitong buhok. I noticed also his long and thick eyelashes na mas define ang curl sa side-view, matangos at pointed din ang ilong and has a pinkish lips. I’m not sure if he has black or brown eyes, madilim sa loob ng sasakyan. Maputi rin ang kulay niya… no, more like maputla. He also has three piercings in his right ear na mas bumagay sa style ng buhok nito. Wait, am I complimenting him? No way. He is just like an ordinary person, nothing more, and nothing less.

“Quit staring!” suway nito at nag-dial sa phone.

Hindi ko siya pinansin at tinitigan siya mula ulo hanggang paa, he’s from that ceremony so he probably knew Mr. Tan. I have no choice. Kinuha ko ang penknife na kanina pa nakatago sa cycling ko at itinutok sa leeg niya. Though hanggang pagbabanta lang ang kaya kong gawin.

“Give me your phone,” I commanded. No’ng una’y nag-aalangan pa siya pero dahan-dahan niya ring ibinigay sa akin ang telepono.

Nang makuha ko ito ay nakita ko ang pangalang ‘Emma’. She’s probably the woman he’s waiting for. pinindot ko ang end call at ni-type ang number ni Gin.

“Drive the car,” utos ko muli at bumuntong hininga pa siya bago i-switch and engine.

“Fine.”

Hindi ko na rin naramdaman pa ang presensya ng mga humahabol sa akin at tinted naman ang windshield nito kaya imposible nang mahanap pa nila ako rito.

“I didn’t expect someone who’ll threaten my life is a woman,” sambit niya habang sa daan nakatingin.

“Shut up!”

Nakadalawang tawag na ako pero hindi pa rin sinasagot ni Gin ang telepono. Makakatikim na talaga ‘tong p*ny*tang ‘to mamaya. Sinubukan ko ulit i-dial ang number, and finally sinagot niya na rin.

“Hell—”

“WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!” bungad ko agad nang sagutin niya ito. Kahit ang kasama ko ay napatingin na rin sa akin dahil sa sigaw ko.

“Lady Fev? Where are you?” tanong ng sa kabilang linya.

“The hell I know!”

“Who’s with you?” he asked again.

“That’s not important. Just fetch me up here at… where are we?” tanong ko sa lalaking kasama ko.

“Let’s stop at the gasoline station near the hotel,” he offered.

“Alright. Just fetch me at the gasoline station near the hotel,” utos ko sa kabilang linya.

“Copy.” Pagkasabi niya no’n ay pinutol niya na agad ang linya.

Among our butlers, Gin’s the only one who can do something like this, he can boss me around and sometimes control me. I’m the boss here but when it comes to mission, he has permission from my Father to manipulate me. It’s because marumi raw ako trumabaho kaya kailangang kasama ko lagi si Gin. See? Even my own Father doesn’t trust me. But at least I wasn’t feeling lonely sometimes because of Gin even though he’s annoying. He’s the only person closest to me.

“Can you put down your knife now?” I almost forgot, may kasama pa pala ako. Binaba ko na ang penknife at binalik sa kaniya ang telepono.

“Can I call my friend now?” tanong niya ulit at nagsimula nang mag-dial. Hindi ko pinansin ang tanong niya at tumingin lang sa labas.

“Can I speak to her now?” he asked again, teasing me.

“Can you please shut up?” nauubusan na ng pasensyang sigaw ko.

Tinaas niya ang dalawang kamay na kunwari’y sumusuko sa pulis at ngumisi nang sumagot na ang kabilang linya.

“I’m sorry, something came up... yeah, wait me there... yeah... I’m sorry,” kausap niya sa kabilang linya saka ibinaba na ang tawag. “What’s your name?” he asked me seconds later.

“You don’t need to know,” I answered coldly.

“You don’t look familiar, are you somewhat related to Mr. Tan?” he asked that caught my attention.

“How are you related to Mr. Tan?” I asked back without answering his question.

“I asked first, you answer first.” nakangising aniya.

“I was just invited by a friend, I’m not related to him.” I lied.

“I see.”

“Then how are you related to Mr. Tan?” I asked again.

“You seem interested, do you have business with him?” he playfully asked.

“That’s not fair! I already answer your question and now is my turn.”

He smirked and simply answer, “he’s my uncle.”

“Bakit ka nga pala napunta rito?” he asked again.

“I told you, I was invited by a friend.”

“Not that, I mean, you look like being chased by someone.”

“That’s none of your business,” I looked away.

Tumahimik siya pero maya-maya lang ay nagsalita ulit ito.

“Mr. Tan cancelled the ceremony,” he added that caught again my attention.

“What do you mean?” I cautiously asked.

“The engagement ceremony of his daughter got cancelled due to a particular reason,” he explained without looking at me.

“What particular reason?”

I heard the beep sound of another car. That’s definitely Gin’s. Lumabas siya mula rito at lumapit sa sasakyan namin.

“That’s probably the guy you’re waiting for.”

“Wait, tell me what’s the—”

“Vanna! Thank God you’re safe,” sambit ni Gin pagbukas ng pintuan ng passenger seat.

“So Vanna is your name?” tumatangong ani ng kasama ko sa sasakyan.

Vanna is my name for this mission. It’s strictly prohibited to mention my name at public places that’s why. Tinatawag niya lang ako sa pangalan ko sa bahay or ‘pag kaming dalawa lang ang nag-uusap.

Lumabas na ako ng sasakyan at sumandal sa pintuan ng driver’s seat ng sasakyan namin. Gin’s currently talking to the guy I’m with earlier. Nang makaalis na ang sasakyan nito ay lumapit sa akin si Gin.

“I’m sorry for—ACKKK!”

Hindi niya na natapos ang sasabihin nang bigla ko siyang tuhurin sa sikmura.

“Para ‘yan sa paulit-ulit mong pagbaba ng telepono sa akin,” iritadong saad ko.

“Lady Fev, para lang do— AAHHH!”

“Para naman ‘yan sa pagiging bossy mo na akala mo ikaw ang nagpapakain sa akin!” I added pagkatapos ko ulit siyang sikmurahan.

“Fine, I’m sorry, okay?” Nakataas nang kamay na pagsuko nito. Ngayon ko lang din napansin na may pasa pala sa gilid ng labi niya.

“Let’s talk inside,” I commanded at pumasok na sa sasakyan.

Pagpasok namin ay hindi niya muna in-on ang engine. Tiningnan ko ang pasa niya sa labi at napansin niya agad na nakatingin ako roon.

“I got this from that group of black suit men,” he explained even though I’m not asking.

“I didn’inside” I looked away.

This time, I feel guilty. He was also surrounded by that men in black and all I did was shout at him. I even hurt him twice without giving him a chance to explain.

Gin’s the only person who can handle my attitude. Being a sadist and impatient woman, I’m amaze that he can handle his patience for me. I guess, because we’re at the same age. He’s the youngest among our butlers, he’s twenty two. The reason why my Dad trusted him with me is because he’s the son of our late head butler which was my father’s most trusted butler. Nang mamatay ang mga magulang ni Gin ay si Dad na ang nag-alaga sa kaniya. While I was raised by my Grandmother who trained me as an assassin, but not as strict as Dad’s. And that explains why he trusts Gin more than me. Minsan nga iniisip ko na lang na ako ang ampon at si Gin ang tunay na anak eh. I can’t even kill a single person. Though sa usap-usapan ay merciless daw ang Lauriel family which is true, ako lang talaga ang hindi kayang kumitil ng buhay. But I want my Dad to acknowledge me also as her daughter so I’m still doing my best finding a solution to finish every missions given to me without ending someone’s life.

“I’m really sorry for not showing up earlier, someone’s gotten on my way and I need to take care of it. It was like a plan to separate us,” he explained again.

“How come they knew you?” I asked.

“Probably from tracking your location. Pwedeng inaabangan na nila tayo roon.”

“Then why the hell did they plan a ceremony if they will going to ambush us?”

“The ceremony was just a bait,” he answered.

Naalala ko ang sinabi ng lalaking kasama ko kanina. The ceremony was cancelled for a particular reason, so it was probably because of us. But how did they know?

“Your dad called at me, he assumed that you threw your phone away because he’s the one who told me that someone’s tracking you,” he explained.

“Also, he said that you’re no longer part of this mission,” he added that surprised me.

“What?” hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko.

“Ang daddy mo na mismo ang nagsabi na hindi ka na kailangan sa misyon na ‘to dahil sa itinaas ng ranggo nito,” paliwanag niya na nagpalaki ng mata ko.

“What do you mean?” seryosong tanong ko.

“This is no longer a C-rank mission. This is now an A-rank.” Nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa sinabi niya.

Kada misyon na binibigay sa amin ay may ranggo. A-rank ang pinakamataas na ranggo dahil dito inaasahang makakaharap ka ng parehong assassin o mafia. Puro karahasan ang nakapaloob dito dahil walang mananalo hangga’t walang namamatay. Sa ranggong ito siguradong may dadanak na dugo na hindi ko pa naranasan dahil wala akong kakayahan. Kaya naman nagulat ako nang sabihin ni Gin na iniba ang ranggo nito. Minsan lang ito mangyari at hindi ko hahayaang hanggang dito na lang ang misyon ko. This time, I smirked.

“What are you smiling at?” walang ideyang tanong niya.

“This is it, Gin!” I said with a wide smile.

“What?” he cluelessly asked. Seconds later, he realized what I was talking about.

“Don’t tell me you're…”

“Yes, that’s what I’m planning to do.”