Chapter 3

"ANO'NG NANGYARI— OW!"

Lumabas galing sa loob ng puting kotse ang isang lalaking naka-v-neck tee-shirt, habang ang kaliwang kamay nito ay nakahawak sa humahapdi niyang ulo. Naniningkit matang tumingin siya sa kaniyang paligid, hanggang sa ito'y tumambad sa kasama niyang naka-dirty white shirt.

"Yohan, what happened?" Wincing, he asked once again in his deep and baritone voice, as he slowly approached the man he called Yohan, who's currently worrying for Seraphim. 

His presence caught the attention of the three, kaya sabay-sabay napalingon si Seraphim, Lilia, at ang lalaking tinawag niyang Yohan sa kaniya. But the latter just casted a sideward glance at him and didn't even spare a seconds to answer his question. 

While Seraphim's eyes widened in astonishment for a moment, when her gazes laid on him as she seems to familiarize his appearance. If she's not mistaken, siya iyong lalaking na-engkwentro niya kanina sa Mega Mall! The same guy who handed her the microphone that electrified her. 

Ngunit, hindi rin nagtagal ang pagkagulat sa kaniyang mukha nang mapansing hindi yata siya naalala ng lalaki.

Lilia on the other hand, her eyes dilated in surprise when she saw the presence of the man. She knew him! Naalala niyang nakita na niya ito sa loob ng kompanyang pinamumunuhan ng kaibigan ng daddy niya. But it seems like this man do not know or even remembers her, dahil panandaliang tiningnan lang siya nito.

At gaya kay Seraphim, nawala rin agad ang gulat nito sa kaniyang mukha nang may nasinghot siyang pamilyar na amoy.

"Gosh, you reeks an alcohol!" Lilia exclaimed at the man named Yohan, after sniffing something familiar which happened to be an alcohol. "Sera, let's report this to the police." She told to her bestfriend with conviction. 

"Teka, teka, ano ba ang nangyari? Bakit parang ang daming tao rito at nagkakagulo pa?" the man who just got out from the car then asked for the third time with his furrowed brows, while his eyes shot a glance at the people around him before returning it to Yohan.

"'Di sana magkakagulo kung hindi bigla-biglang umeksena ang kotse niyo," Leighton, who was also almost got by the car, suddenly stood up after picking up the money that was scattered on the ground. Dahil sa sagot nito, kunot-noong napalingon sa kaniya ang lalaking kasama ni Yohan.

"Nag-e-enjoy lang kami ritong kumakanta, pero biglang humarurot ang kotse niyo patungo dito mismo sa kinatatayuan namin. Muntik pa ngang masagasaan itong kaibigan ko, e." He added, casting a glance at the white car and at Seraphim who's now fully recovered from the shock, "Tulog ka siguro kaya 'di mo namalayan." Pahabol na sabi nito sa pamamagitan ng pagbulong.

Bulong ma'y narinig pa rin ito ng lalaki, but the man didn't  bother to make a response to him anymore, just when his eyes laid on Seraphim who may seems to be recovered but is still trembling. Noticing it made him to let out a heavy sigh, kaya ibinalik niya agad ang kaniyang tingin kay Yohan.

"Didn't I tell you that I will be the one to drive?" He told him, dahilan para makatanggap siya ng isang malamig na tingin galing dito. Well, his eyes are just usually cold as ice as ever.

"Did you hear yourself, Artherius? Coming from yourself who dozed off? You might cause worse trouble than this, if I did let you." Yohan argued back sliding his hand on his pocket, which caused the man named Artherius to shut up when he was hit with that realization. 

"But—" Artherius was about to make an argument after being in silent for a seconds, but Leighton drowned his words by stealing the spotlight. 

"Nevertheless, violation pa rin ang ginawa niyo na naging dahilan nitong insidente, kaya irereport talaga namin ito." Leighton responded by cutting off to the chase, and expressed his point.

"Which is why..." Yohan trailed and picked up his black wallet from his pocket, "I'm about to give you a reward." He added before surfacing the green credit card that he got from his wallet. 

None of Lilia, Leighton, and Seraphim saw that coming, kaya nagtatakang napatingin silang tatlo sa kaniya at sa green card na inabot nito. Artherius, who's caught off-guard by his companion, also joined the three who has been bewildered by that action.

"Are you trying to bribe them?" His usual deep baritone voice went even more deeper when he realized the intention of Yohan. Kunot-noong tiningnan niya ito, habang makikita sa mukha niya ang hindi pagsang-ayon.

"You heard me, a reward." Yohan replied, darting him a cold glance.

"Which can be considered as a bribery. I'm not against of being reported because we were undoubtedly at fault, also knowing the fact that we're both tipsy. At gaya nga ng sinabi niya," Artherius pointed his index finger at Leighton before saying more. "It is a violation."

"We can still settle this thing, right?" Yohan muttered after being shut by Artherius for a seconds. Nilingon niya ang dalawang biktima na tila naguguluhan sa kanila. "The decision is in your hands." 

Tahimik ang tatlong tinitingnan ang green card sa kamay ni Yohan, habang iniisip ang magiging kalabasan kapag pumili sila ng desisyon. They are either to accept the card, or report the whole thing to the police.

Kung tutuusin, hindi kasama si Lilia sa pagdedesisyon. Ngunit bilang kaibigan ni Seraphim at witness sa pangyayari, her insights about their certain decision matters. However, on the contrary, it seems like Lilia's mind is somewhere else. She is not thinking about the matter at hand. Thus, her eyes just keep on glancing at Artherius who didn't even mind her.

"Paano kung tatanggapin namin 'yan?" 

Seraphim, upon hearing Leighton's remarks, lifted up her head to give him a confusing gazes. She can not help but to wonder the reason behind his question. Though, she herself considered that to happen— if they were to accept the so-called reward. 

Bilang isang taong hindi gaano kagarbo ang estado sa buhay, nangangailangan talaga siya ng pera para matustusan ang pangangailan ng kaniyang pamilya. But there's a contradiction in it, as what Artherius have said, it can be considered as a bribery. At ang pagsuhol ay puwedeng mauwi sa isang krimen, knowing the fact that these two men violated one of the policies.

Ngunit gaya rin ng sinabi ni Yohan, maaaring maayos pa nila ito and even gave them a chance to decide. Although it is, however, they are not the only persons who are involved with this matter. Dahil may mga manonood ding muntikan nang masagasaan gaya ni Leighton at Seraphim.

"Then, the matter ends afterwards." Sagot ni Yohan, habang naka-angat pa rin ang kamay niya.

"If you were to pursue this 'reward'..." Artherius muttered as he put an emphasis to the last word. "Then, you gotta include these people—" he cut his words short upon noticing that the people who were the audience earlier, are gone.

Bewildered, he returned his gazes to them.

But it didn't take long enough and his bewilderment was replaced with astonishment when Leighton suddenly made a move that indicates he's done making up his mind. 

"Tapos ang usapan." Leighton swallowed the lump on his throat after having the possession of green card. Later on, he then turned his head to Seraphim who looked at him with a sign of agreement regarding the decision that he have made.

Seraphim undeniably needs a support to supply the needs of her family, and this 'support' presented itself in the very front of her. She can't refuse it.

"Before we call it a night," Artherius remarked after letting out a very heavy sigh in which attracts their attention. "Just in case you were to change your mind, let me introduce ourselves to you so you can look up to us anytime. My name is Artherius Llhawrenx Lebanon, and he's my cousin in the mother's side, Yohan Gray." He said, extending his hands to shake with them.

Naunang nagpakilala si Lilia sa kaniya, na sinundan ni Leighton, at ni Seraphim sa panghuli.

"Seraphim Guerrero." She replied, plastering an innocent smile on her face. Her pretty rough hand made a contact with the soft ones, as both of these men shook hands with her.

"So, see you when we see you! Sorry for the trouble." Artherius bid his goodbye after the short introduction with his feet gradually walks away from them.

"If your intention was really to have them looked us up considering the possibility that they'll change their mind, you could've gave them our contact numbers instead or our calling card." Yohan suddenly uttered after getting inside the car.

He doesn't sound sarcastic nor making Artherius looked like stupid. His voice is just monotonous as it is accompanied with a baritone.

"Well..." Artherius shortly replied as he wore the seatbelt. After he made himself comfortable, he then lifted up his head which gives him a sight of the three people that they just encountered. 

However, his eyes suddenly squinted into slits when it landed to Seraphim who's just standing still with her eyes staring blankly.

"I think I've met her already..." he said with his furrowed brows, catching the attention of Yohan who's about to make a U-turn. His cousin casted him a curious glance, prompting him to say more about his realization. 

"That woman who introduced herself as Seraphim. She seems familiar to me."