Chapter 06

Chapter 06

“I-I’m HM.”

His cold stare gives me chills and makes my knees weak. His messy hair and perforated shirt makes me even more nervous and I don't know why. There’s something in him that really makes my whole system become weak. I tried to not look weak while our eyes were still looking at each other. I could see how he scanned me from head to toe. 

He smirks. I raised my right brow. What’s funny?

“I'm hungry, Ja. Can you cook something for me?” 

My eyes widened after what he did. After he scanned me, smirking at me, he passed by me as if I'm not here. The hell? May problema ba siya sa akin?

Umupo siya sa tabi ng inuupuan ko kanina while brushing his hair.

“Kuya, get up and go back to your room!” Pilit na pinatayo ni Janice ang kapatid. “You're not allowed in here, remember?!”

“Bakit naman hindi?” walang pake na saad ng lalaki. “Nagugutom lang naman ako, Ja. I'm not here to interfere or whatsoever.” Tinignan niya ako at agad din na binawi ang tingin.

Really? What's wrong with him? Bakit pakiramdam ko hinuhusgahan ako ng mga mata niya?

“Pero, kuya, bawal nga! Go back to your room! Please! Huwag ng matigas ang ulo—“

“Ikaw ang huwag na matigas ang ulo, Ja.” His voice became serious and demanding. “I told I'm not here to do something weird or what. I'm just here to eat. Am I not allowed to eat?”

“You are allowed, kuya, but not in here. You can eat inside your room.”

“Don't wanna.” 

“Kuya.”

“Stop, Ja. Do what you are doing. I'm fine here. I will not bug you nor your friend.”

Tumingin sa akin si Janice. I can see how afraid she is. She's sweating and panicking. I'm wondering why she's afraid? To whom? For what? 

“Fine!” Sumuko si Janice. “I'll tell Manang to cook something for you. Just, please, don't do anything. Alright?”

Her brother smiles and nods his head.

Matagal na tinignan ni Janice ang kapatid bago tumungo sa kusina. She even looks back at him making sure he'll do anything.

Nag-iba ang atmosphere nang maiwan kaming dalawa. I'm still standing from where I am and he's sitting. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin. Should I sit down and pretend that he's not existing or should I stay standing until Janice comes?

“HM, right?”

With the voice he uses, I constantly look at him. To my suprise, he's now looking at me while his hands are both on the top of the back of the sofa. He's leaning himself while staring at me.

I did not utter a word, waiting for him to say what he wanted to say.

“Do you know me?”

Napatitig ako sa kanya. What does he mean by that? 

“No.”

Kumurba ng ngisi ang labi niya.

“I bet you already know me,” he sounds so sure. “You saw us last time arguing, right?”

Kinabahan ako bigla. How come he knows that?

“No.”

He nods his head while smirking. “Playing innocent, huh?”

“What are you talking about? I don't know you. But…” I scanned him. “You look exactly like Xian.?”

“Xian again.” Bulong nya. “I'm not Xian, I'm Jian.”

Tumaas kilay ko. “So?”

He looks confused. “So?”

“Do I need to know who you are?” I need to pretend. “I don't care who you are.”

“Huh, really.” He sarcastically says. “I must say you're really something, Miss HM.”

“I'm not interested.” I ignored what he said but in fact it made my heart flutter.

Narinig ko ang marahan na halakhak niya. 

“Kuya.” Biglang dating ni Janice. “You can get your food to Manang. Go. Eat there. We're discussing something here.”

Tumayo siya at ginulo ang buhok ni Janice. “Thanks, lil sis.”

“Ahh!“ Tinaboy ni Janice ang kamay nya. “Go na. Kumain ka na!”

Tumawa si Jian bago kami iniwan ni Janice sa sala. He even looks at me as if he’s confirming something from me. Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. He smirks again before shaking his head and walking away. 

“I’m sorry, Hanneah, about that.” Janice faced me with a pleading face. “That’s my older brother, Jian.”

Ngumiti ako bago tumango. “It’s okay but he’s annoying.”

“He really is,” natatawa na sagot ni Janice. “Did he say something weird or rude?”

I shake my head. “Nothing.”

Lumapit sa akin si Janice at ginabayan ako para makaupo. 

“Makulit lang ‘yang si Kuya pero mabait naman siya,” i don’t know why she’s telling me this but okay. “Sadyang ganyan siya kasi hindi pinapayagan na lumabas nina mom at dad. He’s grounded and that’s his fault.”

This is the right time to ask her. I’ll grab this opportunity before it’s too late. 

“Grounded? What did he do?”

Umiling si Janice na ‘tila hindi kayang sabihin ang gusto niyang sabihin. “Basta long story.”

“Can I ask something about him?”

“Hmm, what is it?”

“I don't know if I'm just overreacting or what but I think this is the first time I saw him,” I tried to sound curious. “Did he ever appear in some of your family’s interviews or such?”

Umiling si Janice. “Never. And I don't know why. Basta bawal siya.”

Bawal siya? So are they really locking him up in this mansion? Does that mean from the day he was born he was already locked up here? But why though? If his siblings can go outside and live freely, why can't he?  

“Anyway, about Leo…”

Janice changed our topic into Leo’s cheating issue. Kahit na nakikinig ako sa kanya, I can’t stop myself from thinking about that Jian. Lalo akong na-curious. Why are they locking him? If Xian can taste his freedom, why can't Jian? I mean I don't care about that man, I am just curious. 

Almost six in the evening before I went home. After Jian went inside the kitchen, hindi ko na ulit siya nakita. Habang si Janice naman walang tigil sa paghingi ng advice on how she tell to her parents about Leo’s issue. I told her many suggestions but still that’s on her. 

“Mukhang pagod na pagod, ate, ah?” biro ni Lia pagpasok namin s aunit ko. “Ang daming tea bang nalakap ang utak mo?”

I rest myself on the couch and close my eyes. “Yeah, ang daming kwento ni Janice.”

Narinig ko ang halakhak niya. “Close na close na talaga kayo. From strangers to frennies na ba?”

Natawa ako. 

“Maiwan na muna kita, ate, magpahinga ka na po.” Nagpaalam siya at iniwan ako sa unit ko. 

Nakasarado ang mga mata ko ngunit gising pa rin ang diwa ko. And I can't brush off the factual information about Jian. Curiosity is killing me. A lot of questions bugging me. How come they are hiding their own son? They really are monsters. Even their own child, tatanggalan nila ng karapatan for their own sake.