Chapter 9

HINDI maipaliwanag ni Kai ang sayang naramdaman matapos makita ang iba't-ibang itsura ng mga pamilihan at lugar sa labas ng palasyo.

Sebastian brought him to the Kingdom's town. The streets were crowded and noisy, and children were running along the street.

Ngayon niya lang nakita ang ganoong klase na lugar. The town was busy yet everyone was happy.

 Kai would excitedly enter some random stores saka masayang tumitingin-tingin sa mga paninda nito and Sebastian would just chuckle at Kai's cuteness. Kai tried his best to maintain a calm expression even though he was having a hard time suppressing his excitement and Sebastian finds it cute.

'Seriously how can a man be this adorable?' Sebastian thought.

Nakangiting napapailing na lamang si Sebastian sa pag-uugaling iyon ni Kai. Kai often shows a defensive look whenever he's inside the palace. And seeing him acting cutely like a child is just something that Sebastian wouldn't want to miss!

"Hey! That's mine!"

"No! This is mine!"

"I saw it first so it's mine!"

"No! It's mine!"

Ganun na lang ang pagkagulat ni Sebastian matapos makita si Kai na nakikipag-away sa isang batang lalaki. Napailing na lamang si Sebastian bago nilapitan ang dalawa.

"Ano 'bang nangyayari dito?" Aniya ng makalapit sa kanila.

"That thing was supposed to be mine. I saw it first!" Kai said irritatingly at the boy.

"But I got it first!"

Sebastian stared at the pink octopus plushie at napabuntong-hininga na lamang siya. Tiningnan niya ang iba pang naroroon saka tumingin kay Kai at sa bata.

“Kai, marami pa namang ibang plushie diyan. Why don't you choose another one? Just give it to the little boy.”

Naiinis na tiningnan ni Kai si Sebastian. "No. I saw the octopus first."

Sebastian sigh. Lumapit siya sa bata saka nagsalita. 

“How about you? Ayaw mo 'bang ibigay na lang sa kanya ang octupos na iyan?”

But the boy didn't even dared to look at him saka matalim lamang tiningnan si Kai.

Without any choice, lumapit si Kai sa may-ari ng tindahan. Goodness, he can't believe those two! Just for a freaking plushie.

"Do you have another pink octopus plushie? Exactly the same as that one." Aniya saka itinuro ang plushie na hawak-hawak ng batang lalaki.

Gulat na napatingin sa kanya ang may-ari ng tindahan saka magalang na yumuko.

“Your highness.."

Sebastian smiled gently at the owner. People inside the kingdom already know how the third prince looked like. 

"Your Highness, how can I help you?"

Sebastian laughed shortly, “No need to be formal. I just wanna know if there is the same other plushie like that, over there." Aniya sabay turo sa hawak ng bata.

“Ah. I'm sorry, Your Highness. Marami po kasi ang bumibili ng ganyang disenyo kaya't iyan na lamang ang natira. Bakit po?”

“I see.” Nginitian niya ang may-ari saka muling nagsalita. "Wala naman. Salamat nga pala.”

Mabilis na tumango ang may-ari saka ngumiti. “Walang anuman po, mahal na prinsipe.”

Tinanguan niya ito saka muling lumapit doon sa dalawa.

KAI irritatingly stared at the boy saka tumingin sa hawak-hawak nitong plushie. He wants to have the plushie because it 'kinda reminded him of his late mother. Mahilig kasi ito sa octupos at paboritong kulay nito ang pink. 

“Hey, ayaw mo ba talagang ibigay sakin 'yan?” Tanong niya sa bata.

“Ayaw ko.”

Kai sigh. He looked at the other plushies.

“How about the dinosaur one? Ayaw mo 'nun?” Pilit ngiting aniya.

But the boy shakes his head then glared at him. 

Ha! Kai tried his best not to shout at the boy. Wala sa sariling isinilid niya ang dalawang kamay sa magkabilang bulsa, trying to calm his irritation.

"Ikaw na lang ang kumuha niyang dinosaur. You must've like it since you suggested it naman." Bigla ay sambit ng bata.

Kai awkwardly laugh at the boy, trying his best para hindi niya magawan ng kung anong masama ang bata.

He wanted to cuss at the boy pero pinipigilan niya ang sarili.

Nakangising tiningnan ni Sebastian si Kai na halatang nagpipigil ng inis. He wanted to laugh but he decided to just keep it inside him.

"That's the only one left." Bigla ay sambit niya. "Kai, just give it to the boy, okay?"

Matapos marinig ang sinabing iyong ni Sebastian ay mas lalo lamang nainis si Kai. Mas lumala pa iyon ng makita hiya ang batang ngayon ay ang lawak na ng ngiti.

"You little.." Akmang lalapitan niya na sana ang bata nang natatawang pinigilan siya ni Kai sa balikat.

“Why the fuck are you laughing, asshole?”

Sebastian couldn't help it but laugh at him. Ngunit bigla silang natigilan nang may tumawag sa bata.

“Becker!”

Mabilis na lumipat doon ang paningin ng dalawa hanggang sa makalapit na ang ginang sa bata.

“Becker! Where have you been?!”

‘Must be the mother’ Kai thought.

“I was just looking around, Mom. No need to worry.”

Kinurot ng babae ang pisngi ng batang lalaki. "Ikaw talagang bata ka."

Natigilan lamang ito matapos makita silang dalawa. Nang mapansin nito ang prinsipe ay mabilis itong napayuko.

"Mahal na prinsipe, ano po'ng ginagawa ninyo rito?"

“We were just touring around. By the way, is he your son?" Nakangiting tanong ni Sebastian sa ginang.

Nangingiting tumango naman sa kanya ang babae. “Opo, anak ko po. Siya si Becker. Bakit po? May nagawa po ba sa inyo ang anak ko?"

"Ah wala! Wala!" Sebastian said while shaking his head and doing hand gestures.

“Mabuti naman po kung ganun.” Ngunit natigilan ang babae nang mabilis nitong mapagtanto kung sino ang kasama ng prinsipe. 

“Mom, I wanna buy this.” 

Ibinalik ng ginang ang kanyang atensyon sa anak. “Ano ba 'yan, Becker?" 

“It's a plushie, Mom.” 

“So? Anong gagawin mo riyan?”

All of them saw how Becker sigh before answering, "I just wanna give it to someone, Mom.”

“Who?”

Becker stared at his mom. “Just buy it for me po, please?”

“Fine.” 

Magalang na nagpaalam ang ginang sa kanilang dalawa saka nakangiting tumingin kay Kai sabay yuko.

“T-The plushie..”

Nagugulat na napatingin si Sebastian kay Kai ng banggitin nito iyon. Kai watches the mother and the boy holding the plushie as they made their way outside the store.

“Kai, let's just forget about the plushie, okay? We'll try looking at the other stores baka meron pang ganun.”

Kai sighed. “Nevermind.” 

Nagpamauna itong lumabas sa tindahan at napakamot na lamang ng ulo si Sebastian saka ito ito sinundan.

Nasa unahan si Kai habang si Sebastian naman ay nasa likod nito at natutuwang tinitingnan ito habang naglalakad.

Bigla ay may naisip si Sebastian kung kaya't mabilis siyang naglakad saka sinabayan si Kai sa paglalakad.

“Hey.”

“Don't talk to me.”

“Let's visit the river.”

Lumingon si Kai sa kanya, “River?”

Nakangiti namang tumango si Sebastian saka may itinuro sa kung saan.

“There! At the west part of the town.”

“Okay.” Simpleng tugon ni Kai.

Nangingiting kinuha ni Sebastian ang kanyang kamay ang intertwined it with his.

Gulat na napatingin si Kai sa kanya. “What the fuck do you think you're doing?” Anito saka mabilis na inagaw ang kamay niya sa prinsipe.

“What?” Sebastian asked confusingly.

Kai gave him a what-the-fuck look saka nagpatuloy sa paglalakad.

Nalilito man ay hinayaan na lamang siya ni Sebastian saka ito sumabay sa kanyang paglalakad.

Akmang hahawakan na naman nito ulit ang kanyang kamay nang mabilis ang naging pag-iwas ni Kai sa kanya.

“Stop holding my hand!” Aniya

Sebastian made a defensive pose. “Okay, okay. I won't. Okay?”

Kai glared at him saka muling nagpatuloy sa paglalakad.

Sebastian grinned at Kai's back habang nagpamauna itong maglakad. Sebastian walked near him and then placed his arms around Kai's shoulder.

Annoyed, Kai glared at Sebastian's arm and then fixed his eyes on the road. Nakangiti namang tumingin sa kanya si Sebastian nang hindi nito inalis ang kanyang braso.

“Stop smiling, idiot.” Kai muttered nang hindi man lang ito tinitingnan.

“I'm not.” Sebastian smilingly said saka tumingin sa daan and Kai just rolled his eyes.

THE MOMENT they arrived at the river ay halos walang tao roon. Kai expected na maraming tao ang naroroon but to his surprise, halos sila lamang dalawa ni Sebastian ang naroroon.

Unlike the town, the river was way more peaceful and calming. Sila lamang ang naroroon kung kaya't dinig na dinig nila ang malakas na pagdaloy ng tubig sa ilog.

Maganda ang tanawin lalo pa't kagaya sa palasyo ay maraming nakapalibot na mga halaman at bulaklak ang naroroon.

“This place is magnificent.” Kai commented.

“Yeah.” 

Kai glanced at Sebastian who suddenly sat near the river. Sebastian patted the grass near him then straightly looked at him.

“Come on. Sit.”

Kai went and sat near him before looking down at the river. The water were clear and Kai could see varieties of fishes from it. Masyado itong malinis at nakakadagdag ng ganda nito ang mga batong naroroon at ang nga dahong nahuhulog galing sa mga puno.

“This river was born naturally in our world. Bata pa lang ako palagi na akong pabalik-balik na bumibisita sa lugar na ito. I just couldn't get enough of the river's beauty.”

Kai glanced at Sebastian who was staring at the river.

“Mabuti naman at hindi ka pinagbabawalan?”

Sebastian looked at him saka wala sa sariling napatawa.

“Ofcourse I do. Palagi nila akong pinagbabawalan noon but my grandmother was different.” Sebastian smiled saka binalik ang paningin sa ilog. “Instead of forcing me to bury my self with books and literatures inside my room, she did the exact opposite.”

Napatitig si Kai kay Sebastian. Nagsasalita ito na animo'y parang randam pa rin nito ang alaala ng lola.

“Instead of locking me inside my room, she brought me outside the castle. She lets me visit the town and meet new people, she even allowed me to join the gardeners on her garden.”

Kai smiled, “You must've really treasures her a lot.”

“I do. She made me realize loads of things, she made me see different views from various people and experiences. She was just extraordinary.”

“Just like my mother.”

This time, si Sebastian naman ang napatitig sa kanya.

“Just like your grandmother, my mother was also an extraordinary woman.” Kai said and the smile slowly faded from his face and Sebastian saw his expression changes.

Nanatili pa sila roon ng ilang oras at ninanamnam ang napakasarap na panahong iyon. They remained silent but it wasn't awkward instead it was the silence that comforts both of them. A silence that comforts their lonely souls.

“Well, it's getting late.” Tiningnan ni Sebastian ang relo saka tumingin kay Kai who was still staring at the fishes.

“Even fishes has its own freedom but people tend to take it away from them. Even small one's lost their chance to swim longer than they deserve.” Kai muttered.

“That's because people see them as livestock. Food to ease a human's hunger.”

“How saddening.”

Sebastian glanced at him and then the fishes. “Well, it just goes the same to other animals. People hunt them for food and the animals would arrive and survive. Exactly goes the same for humans, we hunt, we eat, so we can survive. And then later on, as we die, other animals will eat us. It's a cycle that forever lives among us.”

“A cruel cycle, you mean.”

“What more can we do? If we can't eat, then we'll die. Same goes for the other animals, if they can't hide, then they'll end up being preyed on. It's just a matter of surviving.”

Kai stared at the sky, “It's a matter of surviving in this cruel world.”

“Is it really the world that's cruel? Or is it the humans?”

Wala sa sariling napalingon si Kai sa kanya. “What do you mean?”

Sebastian shrugged and randomly laughed.

“I don't know. It just randomly crossed my mind.”

Kai stared at him and their eyes met. Sebastian smiled at him at naunang tumayo. Pinagpagan nito ang damit then he held out his hand to Kai for support so that he can stand up.

“Now, what's next?” Kai asked.

Sebastian glanced at his watch, hapon na at kailangan na nilang makauwi sa palasyo dahil medyo malayo ito sa bayan kung kaya't mahaba-habang oras din ang gugugulin nila para makabalik doon.

“For now, I think we need to go back. It's getting late and it isn't safe for us out here.”

Marami naman na ang napasyalan nila kung kaya't agad na tumango si Kai at hinintay kung ano ang susunod gawin ng prinsipe.

“I'm calling the driver.” Anito saka kinapa ang selpon sa bulsa.

Sebastian took out his phone then immediately contacted the driver pero ilang minuto na ang lumipas ngunit hindi pa rin nito sinasagot ang tawag.

“What's wrong?” Bigla ay tanong ni Kai sa kanya matapos mapansin ang pagkabalisa ng prinsipe.

Sebastian ended the call for the tenth times and then stares at his phone.

“The driver won't answer. Kanina pa nagri-ring pero hindi nito sinasagot ang tawag.”

“Is there any other person you can contact with?”

Sebastian nodded, “North. I'll try calling him.”

Mabilis na tinipa nito ang numero ni North at sa ikatlong ring ay kaagad nitong nasagot ang tawag.

“North!” 

“Yes, Your Highness? Napatawag kayo?”

Sebastian glanced at Kai, “The driver, I can't contact him. Hindi nito sinasagot ang tawag ko. Can you call him for me, North? Malapit ng gumabi kaya kailangan na naming makabalik diyan sa palasyo.”

“What? Nandyan pa rin kayo sa bayan? I thought you were on your way.”

“We're still here.”

Naguguluhang napakamot sa sentido si North sa kanilang linya.

“The driver went there kanina pa para masundo kayo. Kanina pa 'yun kaya akala ko na ilang minuto na lang at makakabalik na rin kayo rito sa palasyo.”

Now Sebastian was confused, “Then where the hell is he now?”

“Wait, I'll try contacting him. Nasaan ba kayo ngayon?”

“We are at the Town's River.”

“Okay, I got it. Diyan na muna kayo, 'wag kayong aalis diyan. I'll contact the driver.”

“Thanks, North.”

“It is my duty, Your Highness. I'll hung up now.” North answered before ending the call.

“And now we wait,” Sebastian said as he glanced at Kai.