Chapter 1

MUSIC can either be happy or sad. All his life, Kai only wrote sad lyrics and sang sad songs. Never in his life did he experience such amazing happiness and God knows how much he wished that he could experience one – but looks like it will never happen.

Fuck wishes. Wishes are wishes. It won’t come true, no matter how long you kept on wishing, it will never come true.

Malungkot siyang tumingin sa lapida ng kanyang ina.

“When do you think, Mom?” He sigh. “When do you think will I be able to experience happiness? Do you think I can still experience it?” Mapait siyang ngumiti, “Well, I guess not.”

‘Am I not deserving to be happy?’

Kai softly caress the gravestone of his mother while sadness fills his whole system. 

“Mom. Dad. . . He’s. . .He’s gonna marry another woman. They’ll be married next month. Will you be okay?”

He waited for an answer but he never received any. Only the soft movement of the wind envelops the whole surrounding. Everything was calm and silent.

How peaceful. 

He stared at the marble gravestone. It’s so silent, as usual. 

It was saddening.

Kai wanted to cry but looks like his body isn’t functioning well. No matter how much he wanted to shout, it remained silent. No matter how much he wanted to cry, it never lets him. 

Is he sick? 

But he always took his medicine on time and follows what the doctors are telling him to do. They said that it'll be fine, the pills can help him.

Yeah, that’s right. 

But why does his nightmares still haunts him everytime he sleeps?

Mahina siyang nagbuntong-hininga.

He doesn't know what to do anymore.

“I’ll be very busy starting next week and the following months, Mom. Sadly, I won’t be able to visit you for a while but don’t worry, I’ll be telling you lots of stories the next time I’ll pay a visit.”

Kai tried to smile, but he failed. He sigh.

“This is frustrating. Mom, I think I'm going crazy.”

Manager calling. . .

Kai stared at his phone. He placed it back in his pocket then stood up from where he was sitting. 

“Well, I guess I’ll be going now. My manager is calling me.” Once again, he stared at his mother’s name, “Goodbye. I miss you, Mom.”

He left the whole place with his heart still broken. Same as usual. No changes.

Nang tuluyan na siyang makaalis sa lugar na iyon ay saka niya lamang sinagot ang tawag.

“Hello?”

“Kai? Where are you?” 

“I’m heading back now.” He look at his watch. He still have twenty minutes before the photoshoot.

“Where are you? Are you okay?”

Nang makalapit sa kanyang kotse ay agad niya itong binuksan at pumasok doon.

“I’m fine. I’ll end the call now.” 

“Wait—”

Kai ended the call. 

He stared at his phone for a couple of seconds before heaving a deep sigh. Hindi na rin nagtagal at binuhay niya ang makina ng sasakyan at mabilis iyong pinaandar patungo sa venue kung saan magaganap ang photoshoot.

“WRAP IT UP, GUYS!”

Pagod na tumayo si Kai mula sa stool na inuupan matapos ang buong shoot. Thankfully, everything turned out great.

Hindi pa man siya tuluyang makaalis ay sinalubong siya ng isa sa mga staff upang ayusan. 

“I’m thirsty.” Bigla ay sambit niya.

Mabilis na tumalima ang isa sa mga umayos sa kanya, nagtungo sa kung saan at agad siyang inabutan ng tubig.

“Thanks.”

“Mr. Montez!”

Automatically, Kai looked at the direction from where the voice came from. Hinihingal na lumapit sa kanya ang isang babae.

“Sir Kai, m-may. . . may naghahanap po sa inyo sa labas.”

Huh? Sino namang maghahanap sa kanya?

He gave the girl a confuse look. “Sino raw?”

“Wala po siyang sinabi. Nagkakagulo sa labas ng studio dahil pilit itong pumasok pero pinipigilan siya ng mga gwardiya sa labas.”

Huminga ng malalim si Kai bago tumingin sa babae. “Lead the way.”

Habang nakasunod sa babae ay hindi mapigilang mapaisip si Kai kung sino man ang taong naghahanap sa kanya.

Whoever that someone is, Kai knew that the person is troublesome.

He doesn’t have many friends. Iilan lang rin ang kakilala niya at mabibilang lang din ang mga malapit niyang kaibigan. So who the hell would  want to visit him and cause trouble?

Biglang napatigil si Kai nang may isang taong biglang pumasok sa kanyang isipan. 

“Don’t tell me. . .”

There’s no way that it’s him. . . No freaking way!

Iniisip niya pa lang ang mukha ng lalaki ay kumukulo na agad ang dugo niya. 

There is no fucking way that he’s—

Nang tumama ang kanyang paningin sa labas ay ganun na lamang ang pagpigil ni Kai sa sarili at pilit itong kinalma. 

Nang makumpirma kung sino ang nasa labas ay automatiko siyang tumalikod at babalik na sana sa loob ng bigla siyang tawagin nito.

“Kai!”

“Fuck. . .” He muttered. Damn it!

“Kai!”

Huminga siya ng malalim bago muling lumingon sa gawi ng lalaki. Blanko ang mukhang nilingon niya ito.

“Kai. . .”

“Anong ginagawa mo dito?” Tanong niya ngunit tumitig lamang ito sa kanya saka lumapit. Ganun na lamang ang pagkagulat ni Kai nang sa paglapit nito ay bigla siya nitong niyakap.

“H-Hey!” Gulat man ay matagal bago siya napaatras at tuluyang umiwas sa pagkakayap nito sa kanya.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?!” galit na sambit niya kay Ali, the man who crushed his heart five years ago para lamang ipagpalit kay Bea, ang anak ng bagong babae ng kanyang ama. And God knows how he hated him so darn much that he wanted to break his neck.

Kahit na medyo malayo sa kanya ay dinig na dinig niya pa rin ang bulungan ng mga tao sa kanyang paligid.

“Kai. . .”

God. He can’t believe himself adoring this man before when he’s THIS irritating.

“I already asked what the hell do you want from me. Please don’t make me repeat again, Ali.”

Tumitig ito sa kanya, “I. . . I just. . . I missed you.” 

Napataas ang kilay ni Kai sa sinabi ng lalaki. The fuck?

“I see.” He really can't believe this guy. “Since nagkita naman na tayo ngayon, I bet everything's settled? So, if you’ll excuse me, I still have work to do.”

Akmang tatalikod na siya nang biglang hinawakan ni Ali ang braso niya kung kaya't napabuntong-hininga na lamang si Kai at pinipigilan ang inis na nararamdaman sa binata.

Damn all these dramas. Goodness!

“Look—”

Akmang magsasalita pa si Ali nang biglang nagsalita si Abby dahilan upang mapahinto ito sa pagsasalita.

“Kai, the next shoot is about to start. You need to get ready.”

Their work is done, Kai is aware of that but his manager’s excuse was needed at the moment. 

Tumingin si Kai sa direksyon ng manager niya and muttered ‘thanks’ to her. Saka siya muling tumingin kay Ali. 

“You heard her, right? I still have work to do, Ali.” Binawi niya ang kanyang braso sa pagkakahawak ng lalaki.

With that he left him standing outside habang siya naman ay agad na nagtungo sa pribadong silid upang ikalma ang sarili. 

Calm down, Kai.

Calm down.

Calm—

Ngunit napatigil siya ng may kumatok sa pinto at iniluwa niyon si Abby. 

“Kai, someone’s calling for you.”

What the. . .

“Sino?”

“Walang sinabi but she said it was an emergency. “ Anito at may iniabot na cellphone na agad naman niyang tinanggap.

She?

“Hello?”

“Kai! Oh God!”

Mahinang nailayo ni Kai ang cellphone sa kanyang tainga saka iyon muling inilapit.

“Your Dad is in the hospital right now at nasa kritikal ang koneksyon niya!”

Automatikong napatayo si Kai sa kanyang kinauupuan matapos marinig ang sinabi Deian, ang fiancee ng ama niya.

“Bakit siya na-ospital?” Kinakabahan man ay nagawa niya pa rin iyong itanong.

“Umatake na naman ang sakit niya sa puso! You have to be here, Kai. He needs you! We need you!”

Matapos iyong marinig ay ganun na lamang ang pagkakunot ng kanyang nuo. What the hell? 

Kai knew for sure that his father was in a stable condition the last time he checked his health. So why is she telling him that?

Nagtataka man ay nagmamadali pa rin siyang lumabas sa studio at nagtungo sa parking lot ng building.

But a few blocks before he could reach his car. A flashing light went straight ahead in his sight making him temporarily blind and the loud ear-shattering beeping sound of a car made his whole system stop.

Everything went so fast and before Kai realized, his body was already laying flat and unconscious on the ground.

MEANWHILE, Bea smirked at the unconscious body lying on the floor, blooded. Perfect.

Nakangiting nilingon ng babae ang mga lalaking inutusan niya.

“Good job, boys.” Aniya nang biglang tumunog ang kanyang cellphone.

Nakangising sinagot niya ito.

“Yes, mom?”

“Bea, how was it?”

Muli niyang tiningnan ang walang malay na katawan sa kanyang harapan saka nagsalita.

“It was a success, Mom.”

Narinig niya ang mahinang pagtawa ng ina sa kabilang linya.

“Very good. Let’s proceed to the next plan, shall we?”