Chapter 01: One in a Hundred

Hirasaya’s POV

Whenever I see the people of Rozenhart, I was always reminded of snow. Maybe because of their fair skin and white hair which almost compares to an ice? Or maybe because of their delicate features like the ice structures they build? Ah, I think it was due to their eyes which resembles the rich color of the ocean that surrounds our place.

But the longer I stayed here, I realized that they were more like a blizzard: Cold-hearted, deadly, and always pushes me back (figuratively) no matter what— at least, they were only like that to me.

“Kung sinusuwerte nga naman! Tignan niyo ‘o! Hindi ba’t si Hirasaya ‘yon?”

I looked at where the voice came from and saw one of the group of bullies who keeps on pestering me. On their lead was Russel, whose hands covered in mitten, was pointed towards my direction. Wala pang ilang segundo ay namalayan ko na lamang na tumatakbo na sila patungo sa ‘kin. Bawat hakbang na kanilang ginagawa ay nag-iiwan ng marka sa niyebe na siyang nagsilbing sahig sa buong Rozenhart.

Nanlalaki ang mga mata ko silang tinignan— ang aking mga kamay at paa ay nagsimula na namang manginig dahil sa mga alaala ng frostbite at galos na dati na nilang ginawa sa ‘kin.

And this is the part where I must run and hide as fast as I can. But no matter how my mind keeps on commanding, my whole body just keeps still. Kung sa bagay, ilang ulit ko na rin namang sinubukan. Ngunit laging parehas ang nagiging katapusan: Pagkatalo.

“Not trying to run away ‘e?” Ngumisi sa ‘kin ang isa sa mga kasamahan ni Russel.

Lagi silang naghahanap ng away at ako ang punching bag. They knew that I was helpless. Paano? Dahil mayro’n silang isang bagay na wala ako.

Sinalubong ko nang matalim na tingin ang mga mata ni Russel. His orbs reflect a glint of mischief, ganito naman lagi. No matter how much my body shivers due to their presence, I remained my composure and gave each of them a glance.

“Hindi pa rin talaga niya alam ang lugar niya.” One of them hissed.

But Russel’s mocking smile only widens as he looks down on me. In his eyes was a reflection of my face which gives me the feeling of inferiority. Itinaas niya ang kamay at itinapat ito sa ‘king mukha. Sa pagkakataong ‘yon ay alam ko na ang gagawin niya. He’s going to show me that thing which I didn’t have. The card they always use to signify that they will always be superior than me.

“Watch,” sabi niya sa ‘kin habang inaalis ang mitten na nakatakip sa kamay niya.

His hand started to produce droplets of water… and slowly, those liquid slowly solidified which forms the image of an ice. In just a few seconds, his hand was already covered in ice.

A feeling of uneasiness surrounded me. Napakalaki ng improvement niya mula sa huli naming pagkikita, which is last week lang. Dati ay kaya inaabot pa siya ng minute bago makabuo ng yelo. Napatingin na lang ako sa ‘king talampakan habang ang dalawa kong kamay ay nakakuyom.

“Can you even do that?” sabi pa niya. That simple question never ceased to shatter my self-worth.

I always knew that I couldn’t. Because in this land full of people who can wield ice, I was the only one who doesn’t have any. And that disability, as they call it, caused my life to be unfortunate.

Of all the people, bakit ‘yong mga ‘di pa magaganda ang kalooban ang siyang nabiyayaan ng gift? Kasi alam ko na kapag ako sana ang mayroon ng ganitong gift ay gagamitin ko ito sa nakabubuti. Pero bakit sila pa? Ganito na ba talaga kalupit ang realidad?

“Back off,” I said sternly pero tumawa lamang sila.

Mas lumapit pa sa ‘kin si Russel hanggang sa ang hininga niya ay umaabot na sa ‘king mukha. Napaatras ako. “Are we supposed to be afraid? Hanggang salita ka lang naman lagi—”

Before he could even finish a sentence, I quickly pushed his jaw upwards and kicked his groin using my knee. Napaatras ang mga kalalakihang kasama niya. Maybe they could feel the pain… napaluhod lang naman kasi si Russel sa sakit.

The tables have turned.

Gaya nang inaasahan ay sinugod ako ng mga kasamahan niya. They were both running from the opposite direction— smoke going out of their hands. I waited for them to reach me before bending my body backwards.

‘Yung tig-isa nilang kamay na ipang-aatake sana nila sa ‘kin ang siyang nagsalpukan. At dahil ginamit nila ang ice gifts nila ay sa kanila lang din ito nag-backfire. Napalibutan ng yelo ang kamay nila at nagkadikit sa isa’t isa. Tuloy, hindi nila magawang makagalaw.

With my body still bent backwards, I saw Russel slowly standing. Agad kong ginawang sandalan ang likod niya upang makatayo habang siya naman ay napahalik sa niyebeng semento dahil dito.

They didn’t expect that I can already defend myself. Well, that’s a lesson for them because they must know that I was never the person who will let myself get bullied. Gagawa at gagawa ako nang paraan.

“H-hoy, Hirasaya!” Tinignan ako ng dalawang kasama ni Russel, bakas sa mata nila ang takot.

“Yup, that’s my name.” And with that, I walked away. Never in my life did I felt this satisfied.

I know that I’ll face the consequences of this later. Sa oras na may makakita ng ginawa ko kina Russel ay paniguradong ipapatawag ako ng mga elders dito sa Rozenhart. I can say that I only defended myself but they’ll punish me anyways… because that’s the sad truth.

It was easy on them to turn a blind eye when I was getting bullied, but the opposite if I was the one who attacked. Gano’n sila ka-biased. Afterall, people of Rozenhart considers me as an outsider… not as a family.

“I knew you have it in you.” A flash from a camera pulled me out of my reverie.

“H-huh?” I was dumbfounded when I saw a girl whose hair almost reached her waist. Nakasandal siya sa isa sa mga kabahayan naming dito na puro gawa sa yelo.

Lumingon ako at naroon pa rin ang nagmamaktol na mga kasama ni Russel at si Russel mismo na nawalan na ata ng malay sa lakas nang tulak ko. D-did she just took a picture of me and Russel’s group?

“Kanina ka pa rito?” sabi ko habang kinakalmahan ang boses.

“Uh-huh.” Tumango siya habang ang atensyon ay nasa kinuhanan niyang litrato sa camera.

Oo nga’t sinabi ko na malalaman din lang naman ng mga elders ang ginawa ko. Pero bakit sa dinami-rami nang makakakita ay bakit si Everess pa?!

Sa ‘ming mga kabataan ay itinuturing si Everess na siyang pinakamalakas. Her skills to use her gift almost topped that of the elders! Kumabaga, we’re in a different league. Hence, she’s mostly favored by the elders. Isang salita niya lang ay maaaring mas bumigat ang punishment ko.

“Don’t worry, hindi kita isusumbong.” She was smiling while still focused on her camera. I could hear my voice and Russel’s in the video she’s watching. So, she also took a video of our fight. I’m completely doomed.

“You know? Hindi ko talaga inaasahan na mapapatumba mo sila Russel. It was completely brave of you to do that, outsider,” sabi niya at napatingin na rin sa ‘kin. Is that amusement I can see in her eyes?

She was never one of the bullies. We never even interact! This is actually our first conversation.

“Keep it up, I guess.” She shrugged and I thought that she would walk away but instead, she approached me.

“Beware though… especially with the elders.” And with that, she left me.

W-what was that?

Napatingin na lang ako sa kaniyang likuran na siyang papalayo na. I saw something shiny on her hands. Wala sa sarili kong naigalaw ang kanang kamay na para bang inaabot siya. If only I was like her, then my life wouldn’t be like this.

I continued walking and roamed my eyes on the surroundings. Marami nang tao sa paligid ko at pare-parehas kaming nakasuot ng makakapal na jacket na gawa sa caribou skin. Sa ‘ming mga kamay naman ay mittens at snow boots sa paa.

Balot na balot kami dahil sa napakalamig na klima rito sa Rozenhart. Kahit saan ko itapon ang tingin ay puro infrastractures na gawa sa yelo ang aking nakikita. Gaya nang dati ay hindi magaganda na naman ang mga tingin na ipinupukol nila sa ‘kin. Sanay naman na ako.

Sa bawat pag-apak na ginagawa ko ay bahagyang bumabaon ang snow boots ko sa yelo. ‘Di rin gaya ng iba ay parang ako lang ang tinatablan ng lamig sa kabila ng makapal kong kasuotan. Dahil rin siguro sa gifts nila.

Natagpuan ko na lamang ang sarili na nasa border na ng Rozenhart. Sa ‘king harapan ay bumungad ang walang katapusang view ng karagatan. It was our only neighbor. Tanging ang siyudad lang ng Rozenhart ang narito.

I wonder what was beyond that vast ocean?

Sabi nila, puro ocean lang daw talaga. But somehow, I’m sure that there’s another city beyond the seemingly endless ocean that we could see. I know, because my this is the same ocean which brought me into this place. Although, I can’t remember what happened before hand. And I wish that I could.

“A penny for your thoughts?”

Napatingin ako sa nagsalita at nakitang si Kuro pala. He’s the only friend I have in Rozenhart. Siya, pati na rin ang adoptive parents ko rito ang close ko. They are my only home in this hellish place. Tinanggap nila ako sa kabila ng sitwasyon ko. And I’m thankful for that.

“‘Nak ng tokwa, Hirasaya! Sinaktan ka ba na naman nila?” Napuno bigla ng pag-aalala ang boses niya. Kunot noo niyang kinuha ang kaliwang kamay ko na sa gulat ko rin ay nagdudugo.

Oo, nakipaglaban nga ako kina Russel pero hindi naman nagdugo ang kamay ko noon ‘a.

Pumasok sa isipan ko ang imahe ni Everess nang papaalis na siya kanina. The shiny thing on her hands… was that a knife? Kumabog ang puso ko sa pag-iisip n’yon.

“Tell me what happened!” sabi ni Kuro ngunit umiling na lamang ako. Pinunasan ko ang dugo gamit ang laylayan ng caribou jacket ko. Hindi naman siya gano’n kalalim.

Everess is indeed scary. Ni hindi ko man lang naramdamang inalis niya na ang mitten ko. I hope our paths won’t cross anymore.

“‘Wag na ‘wag mong iisiping kalabanin sila, Kuro. Wala tayong laban doon,” sabi ko.

“Pero—!” I immediately placed a hand to cover his lips.

“Did it work the last time?” tanong ko at umiling siya.

Dati na naming sinubukang i-report ang mga pang-bu-bully nila sa ‘kin. Ilang beses. Noong una ay sinasabi nilang sila na raw ang bahala pero wala namang nangyari. Hanggang sa ‘yun na nga, nadiskubre ko na lang na ‘yung mga bully pa pala ang pinoprotektahan nila— ito ‘yung parteng hindi alam ni Kuro.

“But it gets worse!” Nagawa na niyang makapagsalita nang alisin ko ang kamay sa bibig niya.

Mapait akong tumawa. He’s always like this. He always acts like the older brother between us. Kaya mas lalo kong ayaw na masangkot siya sa ginagawa sa ‘kin ng mga walang magawa sa buhay. I don’t want him to also face the wrath of the elders.

Sinubukan kong palitan ang topic sa pamamagitan ng pagkuwento kung anong ginawa ko kina Russel. Just like Everess, he was shocked too. And before I knew it, his eyes were already filled with sparkles… at least figuratively.

“Enough of me, how about you? You seem busy nowadays.” Tinignan ko siya.

I don’t know if there’s something wrong with what I said but the atmosphere between us became heavier. He even avoided my gaze. Akala ko’y hindi na siya magsasalita kaya laking gulat ko nang umimik siya bigla.

“What do you think lies beyond the ocean?”