Michiaki’s POV:
I couldn’t stop thinking about what I heard at the Clinic while watching nurse Dawn eating her dinner. I also couldn’t believe that nurse Dawn could do this behind my back. I had been warning her about her ex-boyfriend, but it felt like she was not afraid of him.
It’s a pity that I didn’t get the chance to see that man’s face right away because I felt frozen for a second. Nurse Dawn grabbed the opportunity to close the office door, which gave her ex-boyfriend the chance to escape.
“Can you please stop watching me while I eat? Nagdadalawang-isip tuloy ako kung tatapusin ko pa ba ‘tong pagkain ko,” sabi ni nurse Dawn sa akin, dahilan para mawala sa isip ko ‘yung nangyari kanina.
“Deal with my interrogating stares, nurse Dawn. Alam mo ba kung ano ang nararamdaman ko ngayon? I thought
Michiaki’s POV:I’m almost done asking nurse Dawn all the questions I wrote on my cellphone, but I find it hard to sink in all the answers she told me. I couldn’t believe she would do things behind my back like it won’t affect me. Maybe she forgot that I’m supposed to keep her safe while she’s here— and I also have to protect her sister.“Ano pa ang hindi mo sinasabi sa akin?”Tanong ko kay nurse Dawn.Nurse Dawn looked away and mumbled some words. I didn’t quite hear her, so I leaned forward and listened carefully. But, it felt like she was doing the mumbling on purpose because she immediately shut up.“There… I said it already. Pwede na ba akong umuwi?”Sabi ni nurse Dawn at ibinalik ang tingin sa akin.“Ayusin mo muna ‘yung sin
Michiaki’s POV:Pagdating sa kwarto ko ay kaagad akong humiga. Nakakapagod pa lang i-sink in ang lahat ng sinabi sa akin ni nurse Dawn. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako nagkulang bilang tagabantay sa magkapatid na ‘yun. Hindi ko rin alam kung paano ko ito sasabihin sakanya, ang taong nag-utos sa akin na bantayan sila.“I want to talk to someone, but who?” I thought to myself.Gumulong ako sa gilid at kinuha ang cellphone ko na nasa bulsa. Tinignan ko sa may contact list kung sino ‘yung pwede
Michiaki’s POV:Like what I did to mom, I texted my uncle first to see if he was awake before calling him because I didn’t want to disturb him. I immediately called him after assuring myself that he was still awake. I didn’t wait long for him to answer the phone because he almost immediately answered the call.“What’s up? Is there something important that you’re going to tell me?”Kaagad niyang tanong sa akin pagkasagot sa tawag. Hindi man lang ako pinabati muna sa kanya.“Bakit gising ka pa?”Tanong ko sa kanya.“You know how my work is, Michiaki. It requires too much attention, and it sucks because I don’t get to have time for myself. Kung ako sa ‘yo… huwag mong gayahin ang trabaho ko,”natatawang sabi niya sa akin.
Cyborg’s POV:Maganda ang bungad ng gising ko kasi nakatanggap ako ng chat galing sa kapatid ko. Nakalimutan ko na rin kasi kung ilang linggo o buwan na kaming hindi nag-usap simula noong nagpunta ako rito sa Gangster Academy. Bago ko ginawa ang nakagawian ko sa umaga ay nag-video call muna kaming dalawa.“I’ve missed you,”ito ang bungad niya sa akin matapos masagot ang tawag. Ngumiti rin ito ng malapad tapos kumikinang ang mga mata niya.“I missed you too,”nakangitin
Xyrica’s POV:Sa tingin ko ay may nangyaring hindi maganda kina Michiaki at Cyborg. Simula kasi kaninang umaga ay hindi man lang magawang tumingin ng dalawa sa isa’t-isa, at tahimik lang ang mga ito. Sinubukan naming makipag-usap sa kanila noong nasa Cafeteria kami— sa pamamagitan ng pagtatanong sa kanila ng mga bagay na naiisip namin. Gaya nalang ng politics, business, video games, at kung ano-ano pa.Ang problema nga lang ay kung ang isa sa kanila ang magsasalita ay kaagad naman na tatahimik ang isa tapos inuuna ang pagkaing nasa harap nila. Kapag tinatanong naman sila kung ano ang problema ay parang mga bingi kasi binabalewala kaagad kami.
Xyrica’s POV:Cyborg and I didn’t go straight to our destination because I made him stop at the first Convenient Store we passed by. I asked him to park nicely then I went inside the store. He didn’t even ask what I was going to do inside, nor did I tell him why we stopped there.“Here’s your change,”sabi sa akin ng lalaking nasa counter.Kinuha ko ‘yung sukli ko, pati na rin ‘yung binili ko para sa aming dalawa ni Cyborg. Lumabas ako at hindi na inintindi ang mga tingin ng ibang costumers sa akin. Hindi ko naman kailangang ipaliwanag sa kanila na para sa akin ay fashion ito.Dumiretso sa loob ng sasakyan— dahilan para maputol ang pagkanta ni Cyborg sa musika na pinapatugtog sa radyo.“Kunin mo,”sabi ko kay Cyborg matapos kunin ang isang piraso ng ice cream na
Xyrica’s POV:“We’re here,”I calmly said to Cyborg as the two of us arrived at the most beautiful and peaceful place I knew.It’s an hour’s drive from the Cemetery, where Cyborg and I made our last stop. It also took us ten minutes to hike all the way here. This place has a lot of trees, and we can see the city from up here. This place is also peaceful because there are not a lot of people know that this place exists.“Wow. It’s breathtaking, Xyrica. How did you know about this place?”Cyborg asked as he gazed at the view of the city in front of him.“We kind of own this place,”I jokingly said to Cyborg.“Come on, Xyrica. Alam mong seryoso ‘yung tanong ko,”naiiling pero natatawang sabi ni Cyborg sa
Xyrica’s POV:Bumalik kami sa Gangster Academy dahil ayaw ni Cyborg na gabihin kami sa daan. At saka dahil na rin sa sinabi ko sa kanya tungkol sa tawag na natanggap ni Spencer galing kay Joy. Hindi ko sinabi sa kanya ang buong detalye kasi ang gusto ko ay mag-usap-usap kaming tatlo.Kaso, may problema ako. Hindi ako nagpaalam kay Spencer na sasabihin ko kay Cyborg ang tungkol sa tawag, kasi ang sinabi ko sa kanya ay huwag ipaalam kahit kanino. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang iisipin niya tungkol sa akin o kung ano ang magiging reaksyon niya mamaya.“Salamat nga pala kanina,”sabi ko kay Cyborg.Nauna akong magsalita kasi ingay lang galing sa radyo ang pumapagitna sa aming dalawa. Baka hindi siya komportable ngayon habang nagmamaneho dahil sa nangyari kanina.He looked puzzled, and he questioned me,“For what?”