Chapter 11

SEBASTIAN took Kai to his room at nang makarating sa silid ay agad nitong binuksan ang pintuan saka pinapasok ang lalaki.

Kai entered his room and Sebastian was leaning on the room's door, watching him with arms folded on his chest. 

Kai raised his brows at him.

“What?” 

Sebastian chuckled, “North, Monroe and me will discuss some important matters. Will you be okay here?”

Kunot-noong tumingin si Kai sa kanya. What's with his question? 

“Of course, I will! And you should go now. They must've been tired waiting for you,” Kai said dismissing him with his hands folded, mimicking Sebastian.

Napailing na lamang si Sebastian, “Thay can wait.”

“Yeah right. But you should really go now.” Ani Kai habang itinuturo pa ang daan sa labas, “They might punch you for letting them wait for too long.”

Pabirong sumama ang mukha ni Sebastian, “They can't do that. I'm a prince.” Anito na ngayon ay nakangisi na.

Kai shoved his hand, “Whatever.”

Sebastian chuckled saka naglakad papalapit sa kanya. He leaned his face over Kai's then kissed his forehead. Matapos niyon ay natatawa nitong ginulo ang buhok ni Kai matapos makitang natigilan ang lalaki. Dali-dali siyang lumabas sa silid bago pa man siya mahampas ni Kai.

“You...!” 

Ngisi-ngising tumakbo si Sebastian before looking back at Kai who was now glaring at him with a hint of smile on his face. 

Kai couldn't stop the small smile on his face the moment Sebastian kissed his forehead. It was warm. He was glaring at the prince yet he can't even suppress the smile off from his face hanggang sa mawala sa kanyang paningin ang prinsipe, his smile was still there.

What the fuck is wrong with him? He must've been sick! Goodness, Kai! Kai continued cursing himself and slapping his cheeks to wake him self up.

Sebastian made his way to his office. Nang makapasok, nadatnan niyang nagbabangayan ang dalawa. Napailing na lamang siya. Sebastian knew that North despised Monroe's existence and even though the man was aware of it, he likes teasing him more.

“Stop it, you two.” Bigla ay aniya na siyang ikinatigil ng dalawa saka mabilis na sinimulan ang kanilang pag-uusap.

“As I've said on the phone yesterday, I don't think that the incident was a mere 'accident'. It was planned, for sure.”

“And what makes you think that way?” Kunot-noong tanong ni Monroe sa kanya.

North remained serious, “I checked the damage car and I found this.”

North handed out a white piece of clothing with an emblem of a white skull and beneath the skull was a black flag.

“I tried looking up what this emblem means, but to no avail, there wasn't anything related to this emblem.”

Sebastian picked up the clothing and stared at it, “Does the king knew about this?”

“Perhaps. I haven't told him anything yet, but I assumed he already knew about the incident. He's a king after all.”

Indeed. It wasn't impossible for the King not to know about this. Kagaya ng nangyari sa kanya, kahit malayo ito, mabilis nitong nalaman ang pangyayari at mas nauna pang makabalik sa kaharian ang hari matapos malaman ang nangyari sa prinsipe.

“The incident happened yesterday was no accident. That is for sure. It could be intentionally made to threaten the prince, us.” 

North glanced at Monroe who was currently talking. 

“I was also thinking the same thing yesterday. They wanted to threaten us. It's possibly a message.” North added.

Sebastian continues to stare at the emblem then spoke.

“How was the driver.”

“Critical. Saru told me that they found six bullets from his body. Still, the doctors were actively checking on the patient's health.”

Ngunit bago pa man makapagsalita ulit si North ay biglang may kumatok sa pintuan.

“Come in.” Sebastian commanded.

Hindi na sila nagulat pa matapos makita si Saru, the same doctor who aided Kai's injury from before.

“At exactly eight thirty five, the driver died.” Anito habang naglalakad papalapit sa kanila.

Inayos ni Saru ang kanyang salamin saka tumingin sa prinsipe.

“Three bullets were found inside his stomach, two bullets on his right arm and one bullet inside the heart. My team were responsive enough to get all of the bullets out from his organs. They did their best but as I expected, obvious as it may, the driver still died.”

Saru took something out from his pocket then handed it to the prince.

“I found this letter too inside the driver's pocket. Hence, the accident was done intentionally. And that,” Saru said pointing the paper, “is the proof that someone manipulated the said accident.”

Binasa ni Sebastian ang ibinigay na papel ni Saru. North and Monroe moved closer to the prince.

It was a message. No, more like an indirect threat.

‘DID YOU LIKE MY SURPRISE? I HOPE THAT THE DRIVER SURVIVES.’

That was the message and below it was the same emblem North found inside the car.

The enemy weren't afraid to show their identity. They even gave them clues and even killed someone just to threaten them.

The meeting ended yet marami pa rin ang bumabagabag sa isipan ng prinsipe. As usual, he continued doing his job — signing and doing his paperworks. He almost lost his focus, mabuti na lamang at naisipan niyang ipahinga saglit ang kanyang isipan para makapagpatuloy siya sa ginagawa.

KAI WAS touring himself around the palace. Kanina pa siya ikot ng ikot sa buong palasyo hanggang sa matagpuan niya ang sarili sa isang music room.

He didn't know that there was a music room somewhere in the castle. Tinungo niya ang isang grand piano na nakalagay sa gitnang bahagi ng silid. He opened the keylid, sat in front of it then started testing two of the piano keys.

He glanced at the overall place. Medyo madilim ang lugar pero mayroon itong sapat na liwanag sakto lang para makita ang mga instrumentong naroroon.

Using his fingertips, Kai started playing the keys letting out a deep yet soft tune from the piano. His hands were playing in repetition, inulit niya iyon ng inulit until his mouth slightly opened then slowly, he started humming.

His fingers were fast and it created a nice, warm, and soft melody. This tune, he learned it from his mother. Ito rin ang unang nagturo sa kanya kung paano gumamit ng mga instrumento. She was a music lover, after all.

Nagpatuloy lamang si Kai sa ginagawa when his finger landed on the last key, creating a soft and final transition for the whole piece.

“That was lovely.” 

Shocked, Kai instantly landed his eyes on the person who was leaning at the entrance with arms folded on his chest. It was Sebastian, who was looking enthralled at how Kai played the piano.

“Since when were you there?” Kai asked the prince, na ngayon ay naglalakad na papalapit sa kanya.

“A while ago. I didn't know that you know how to play such instrument.”

Kai shrugged, “Well, now you know.”

Sebastian chuckled saka kumuha ng isang bakanteng upuan saka iyon itinabi sa upuan ni Kai.

Kai looked at him confused, “What the hell are you doing?”

But Sebastian just smiled and sat beside him then spoke softly.

“Can you play it again?” 

“No.”

“Play it again, please?”

Kai glanced at the prince who was now making cute faces and he finds it somewhat funny and cute, but he would never dare tell that to the prince. 

“Still a no.”

Sebastian sighed. 

“I'm tired. I've been busy doing some paperworks tapos pagkadating ko sa kwarto mo wala ka. I was worried kung anong nangyari at nasaan ka. Inikot ko pa ang buong palasyo, only to find you here.”

Tiredness was really evident on the prince's eyes and Kai could see it. Gusto niyang matawa at maawa sa lalaki. Hindi naman niya sinabi na hanapin siya but the way he spoke — as if it was his fault that Sebastian was exhausted.

Kai tsked then rolled his eyes at the man in front of him before his fingertips touched and slowly played the piano, once again.

The tiredness from Sebastian's face were instantly replaced with happiness and comfort. Sebastian leaned his head on Kai's shoulder na siyang ikinagulat ng lalaki.

Still playing, Kai hissed at him.

“What do you think you're doing?” Aniya at naiinis na tiningnan ang prinsipe.

“I'm tired.”

With those words, Kai heaved a deep sigh before glancing at the man on his shoulder.

“Fine. Rest then.” Aniya saka ipinagpatuloy ang paglalaro sa piano.

Upon hearing those words, a smile appeared on Sebastian's face. He was glad that Kai just let him rest on his shoulder. The music and Kai's warmth were enough to ease Sebastian's tiredness. 

Hanggang sa matapos ang tugtog ay nanatiling ganoon ang posisyon ng dalawa. Both of them remained silent. The silence were comforting, it wasn't awkward. Nanatili silang ganoon ng biglang basagin ni Kai ang katahimikan.

“I forgot to say thanks.”

“Hmm? For what?” Sebastian asked with his brows furrowed.

“For yesterday. It was one 'hella great trip.”

A smile tugged up on the prince's face.

“Wanna visit the place again?”

Kai chuckled. “I would love to. But seems like the prince is quite busy and tired.”

Sebastian laughed gently. Seeing him laugh, Kai's heart were pumping rapidly. He finds him handsome.

“We'll visit the place, again.” Sebastian said with a firm voice.

Kai nodded. “Yeah. Some other time, maybe.”

Sebastian moved away from Kai's shoulder then looked at him. 

“How did you learn piano?”

Kai glanced at him bago binaba ang keylid ng piano para maprotektahan ang keys nito. 

“My mom taught me.” He answered saka muling tumingin sa prinsipe. “He taught me various kinds of instruments including piano.”

Kai looked at him with a teasing face. “Well someone looks amazed, ” he said upon seeing Sebastian's enthralled expression.

Sebastian nodded, “I am.”

Natatawang tiningnan ni Kai ang prinsipe.

“How 'bout you? Do you know how to play this?” Kai asked, pertaining the piano.

“No, I don't.”

Sebastian saw how Kai's face changed into a confused one. 

“But my grandmother used to play various instruments inside this music room. This was his second favorite place in the palace.”

The memory of his grandmother was still vivid in Sebastian's mind. Matagal na itong patay, pero nanatili pa rin ang alaala ng kanyang lola sa kanyang isipan at hinding-hindi iyon mawawala.

“How about your mother? I haven't seen her yet.”

“Neither do I.”

Matapos marinig ang naging sagot na iyon ni Sebastian ganun na lamang ang gulat na naramdaman ni Kai. Sebastian's face were lonely and sad. Kai saw it. 

“She died after giving birth to me.”

“I-I'm sorry.” Nakayukong sambit ni Kai.

Sebastian forced a smile saka tumingin sa kanya. “It's alright.”

Hindi man niya tingnan pero nahahalata ni Kai na may bahid na pait at kalungkutan sa  boses ng prinsipe habang binabanggit ang mga katagang iyon.

Alam niya ang pakiramdam na mawalan ng ina pero magkaiba sila. Kai saw his mother while growing up meanwhile Sebastian didn't. Sanggol pa lamang ito matapos bawian ng buhay ang ina and that fact doubles the pain.

“I only get to see my mother's face in a frame, painted. Pero kahit pa ganun, hindi naman ako pinabayaan ng lola ko. She was there all the time. Hindi niya ako pinabayaan at pinaramdam niya pa sa'kin ang pagmamahal kagaya ng isang tunay na ina.”

Kai stared at Sebastian who was staring at the grand piano na animo'y sa paraang iyon ay naibabalik nito ang alaala ng kanyang lola.

Sebastian sighed then looked straight and met Kai's eyes. “But life was cruel, maski’ ang taong nagsilbing ina at kaibigan ko, ang taong minahal ko, hindi niya ito pinalagpas at pati buhay nito ay kinuha niya.”

Kai's chest tightened as he looked at him. Nakakahawa ang lungkot sa mukha at boses ng prinsipe. The prince seems so broken so Kai did what his mind told him to do.

He stood up saka hinarap ang prinsipe. He raised his chin then caressed the prince's face. Nagugulat man ay hinayaan lamang ni Sebastian na haplusin nito ang kanyang mukha. He likes the warmth of Kai's soft hands on his cheeks.

“If you want to cry, you can cry, okay? Don't look at me with your eyes hurting and voice trembling. It's making my heart tighten. I don't like it.”

Hearing those words from him while looking at his eyes directly, Sebastian felt the comfort he longed for. He closed his eyes, feeling Kai's warmth and the next thing he knew, a lone tear fell from his eyes.

Kai didn't expect what the prince did next, he pulled him closer to his chest, hugged him tightly and made him sat on his lap. The way the prince hugged him... as if he didn't want to let him go.

“What... What are you doing?” Gulat na tanong ni Kai sa kanya.

“Let's stay like this for a bit, please?”

Kai didn't know why but his chest suddenly clenched after hearing those words from him. He sighed then unconsciously hugged him back.

“Fine.” 

Hearing those words, Sebastian nuzzled and burried his face into his neck. His warmth calms him.

Kai's forehead creased nang maramdamang bumasa ang kanyang leeg at ang paggalaw ng magkabilang balikat ng prinsipe. He moved Sebastian's face away from his neck and there he saw the prince's face covered with tears.

He wiped off the tears from his cheeks and deeply stared at his eyes. Magkalapit lamang ang mukha nila and their lips were centimeters away from each other. Bumaba ang paningin ni Sebastian sa malambot at mapulang labi ni Kai.

Kai stared at him then his eyes falls down on Sebastian's lips then back to his eyes until both their eyes met. Kai's breath became heavy and Sebastian's hands around his waist was making his body tingle.

Sebastian's eyes went down on Kai's lips, back to his eyes and without saying anything, he crashed his lips against the other and Kai could feel the softness of his lips against his and he somehow likes the feeling of being able to taste and feel the prince's lips, one more time. It was like an addiction and he couldn't get enough of his sweet yet intoxicating kiss.

Ganun na lamang kahigpit ang pagkapit ni Kai sa likurang bahagi ng damit ni Sebastian lalo na ng biglang iginalaw ng lalaki ang sariling labi na siyang bumuhay sa kanina'y natutulog na systema ni Kai.