Prologue

Ayashi's POV

"Dad, what is that red dot on mom's chest?" I asked while pointing on the red dot.

My father smiled before hugging me.

"It's nothing, dear."

I saw the same red dot on my father's forehead.

"Woah, you have the same red dot too Dad!!" I uttered excitedly, "What could that be?"

Then out of nowhere, my dad put a necklace on my neck. It's a lockett with little diamonds surrounding it.

"Wear this and never take it off, okay? This will save you someday."

"Dad, why are you crying?" 

Before my father could answer, I heard the sound of a gun. I trembled as my face filled with fresh red liquid , I looked over at my mother and I trembled even more as I saw her lifeless body on the floor.

"D-Dad..." with fear, I managed to look at my father's face and my tears started falling from my eyes.

N-No, this can’t be.

This is just a nightmare. This isn't happening, no. 

"NO!!!" I wiped the sweat on my forehead as I roamed my eyes around the room.

It's just a nightmare.

Narinig ko naman ang malakas na pagkalabog ng pintuan, napatingin agad ako sa pinto na kakabukas lang at bumungad sa akin ang nag-aalalang mukha ni Sophie, isa sa mga pinsan ko.

"I heard your scream," huminga ng malalim si Sophie, "are you having nightmares again?"

"It's nothing, it always happens." Pinasadahan ko ng tingin ang orasan, it's still 3 in the morning.

"Bumalik ka na sa pagtulog mo, Ayashi. May flight ka pa papuntang Philippines bukas hindi ba? Mahaba-haba rin ang flight mo kaya magpahinga ka ng mabuti."

"Yeah," bumalik ulit ako sa pagkakahiga ko sa kama.

I was about to turn the lamp off when Sophie went to my direction, she put a glass of water on the desk next to my bed.

"You should drink some water to freshen your mind a little.”  Naglakad siya muli patungo sa pintuan.

She closed the door of my room but I'm still left wide awake. I diverted my gaze on the sliding door of my room that connects to a little veranda, bahagyang bukas ang sliding door kaya medyo nakikita ko ang nangyayari sa labas. 

The sun is about to rise soon.

I'm currently in Japan, I continued my life here together with my cousins whose parents also died. This is an exclusive residence for the Yamamoto family, even tho I have a legal guardian I still choose to live here.

If I want to survive, I want to enhance myself to live in a life that is full of nightmares.

Napadako ang tingin ko sa cellphone ko nang biglang umilaw yun, I took it from the desk near my bed and I saw a text message.

From: Starfire

I already sent all the information you needed, Vixen. 

Received 3:30PM

Tumayo ako habang dala-dala ang phone ko tsaka ako tumungo sa study table. I took my laptop from my bag before I sat down on my swivel chair as I placed the laptop above the study table.

I turned it on before I received an e-mail coming from Starfire. I clicked the document she sent me, bumungad sa akin ang mga maseselang larawan ng mga walang buhay na katawan kasama na ang ibang mga article na nakapaloob rito.

My phone rang, I quickly answered it.

"Can you explain this to me, Starfire?" I asked as I crossed my arms.

"Those bodies in the pictures are some example of the bodies that your father saw before he died, he gather these kind of photograph from the highly secured archive of the Philippine government. I managed to hacked their system but not for too long, the one who is guarding the archive seems to know that someone will be trying to hack it. The government hid it from the public since the death of the victims is still unknown, they can't actually tell the public that it's all just an accident since the autopsy report will say the latter." Starfire's voice filled my empty room.

"Why?"

"There is an unknown chemical that was found inside the body of each of the victims, I tried asking about it from legal scientists who works for our organization but no one seems to know it."

I looked at the pictures, a red fluid is coming out from their mouth. I wonder why.

"How about some illegal associates you know?" Starfire cleared her throat when I mentioned the word illegal. 

"Vixen, we're working under the government—"

"Let me rephrase what you just said, tayo ang inuutusang gawin ang mga gawain ng gobyerno na hindi nila magawa sa harap ng publiko. The archive of the organization is highly protected that even regular workers like us are prohibited, don't you think there is no reason for that?" I gritted my teeth, "My father died to serve that country, my father died while solving that politician's case. When my Dad died, sinara nila ang kaso na pinaghirapan niya. Do you think that's fair?"

"You are my friend that's why I'm doing this—"

"I'm also a daughter who lost her parents," pinasadahan ko ng tingin ang telepono, "so tell me now, what did those illegal associates of yours told you?"

Starfire heaved a deep sigh.

"Fine, this will put me to danger." She hissed, "That kind of chemical was rarely produced since it is highly dangerous, some scientists are working on it so that it can be use to human."

"Are you trying to tell me that the chemical was made by a human and it was not produced naturally?"

"Yes.”

I scrolled down on the document she sent me when I suddenly saw a photo of a school. The school is located in the Philippines. 

"Tell me Starfire, anong ginagawa ng litrato ng isang paaralan sa dokumentong sinend mo? Is there something I need to do with this?" Inis kong usal.

I strictly told her that she should only give me an important information.

"It's St. Joseph University, it's a school that is located in the Philippines and the same school you are enrolled to."

I rolled my eyes.

"So?"

"You should start investigating there, Ayashi."

Napailing-iling ako tsaka ko pinatayan ng tawag si Starfire, bahagya kong minasahe ang sentido ko upang kumalma at makapag-isip ako ng maayos.

The chemical was made and it's not just a natural substance. 

Tumayo ako upang halughugin ang laman ng drawer ko at agad ko din namang nakita ang hinhanahap ko. Sinaksak ko agad ang flash drive sa laptop, I looked for the document I was looking for.

This flash drive was owned by my father, lahat ng ebidensyang nakalap niya ay itinapon lang at binalewala ng pulisya matapos ideklara ang kamatayan niya. The flash drive in my possession is the only thing that's left, I'm glad that my father saved some of the information that I needed.

I studied the information since I found the flash drive. It's chaotic.

After reading the document that was on the flash drive, I crossed my eyes tight while trying to analyze everything.

Nakaramdam naman agad ako ng dalawang mata na nakatingin sa gawi ko.

"Sophie is eavesdropping, Vixen. Shall I take her out?" Tigress, one of my companion, asked through the earpiece. 

I opened my eyes.

"Yeah, shoot her." Nakarinig agad ako ng kalabog sa pintuan kasabay ng ilang sunod-sunod na hakbang papalayo, nagbuklat ako ng libro. "Shoot her now."

Nakarinig naman ako agad ng putok ng baril. Tigress is not only one of my trusted companion but she is also a great on using a sniper, that's why I kept her in charge about my safety 24/7.

I heard heavy footsteps approaching my room, I'm glad that the others are asleep or they will probably gonna hear what was happening. Bumukas ang pinto ng aking kwarto at bumungad sa akin ang nakangising pagmumukha ni Tigress habang hawak-hawak sa kwelyo ang pinsan kong babae na may sugat na ngayon sa paa niya.

Inikot ko ang swivel chair na inuupuan ko bago ko tinignan si Sophie na masama ang tingin ang ipinupukol sa akin.

"My, my, I should be the one glaring at you like that." Pinagkrus ko ang dalawang binti ko, "Ganyan pala ang itinuro ng mga magulang mo sa'yo?”

"Let go of me, stranger!!" Nagpupumiglas siya sa pagkakakapit ni Tigress sa kanya pero pumalya rin siya kilaunan, she looked at me once more. "Ayashi, magpinsan tayo. Hindi mo dapat ginagawa sa akin ito, I'm your cousin!!”

"Really?" I boredly utter. 

"Yes, so I don't clearly understand—" hindi niya natapos ang pagsasalita niya nang may itinapon akong papeles sa mismong harapan niya.

"Oh Sophie, I know you understand well." 

Gulat niyang pinasadahan ng tingin ang nakalagay sa papeles, she trembled before looking at me.

"H-How d-did y-you...."

"How did I find out that you're not actually their real daughter?" I smirked, "It's just business actually. Let me shorten what's in that paper, it just clearly states that you are just adopted. My Tita and Tito hide the truth well but the truth can become noticeable once it started to stink, you don't deserve our surname. Because Yamamoto's were never tried betraying their own family so tell me Sophie, who told you to spy on me?"

"I'm not spying on you, believe me—" Tigress is the one who slapped her cheeks.

The pathetic nature of human is that they continue to lie even if everyone already knows that they are lying.

"They say that words are sharper than knives," tumayo ako tsaka ako dumukwang upang magkapantay kami, "let me tell you something again.”

Inilapit ko ang bibig ko sa tenga niya.

"Ang mga magulang na nagpalaki sa'yo ay hindi naman talaga patay. You wanna know the most iconic twist?" I saw her tears rolling down her cheeks, "May anak na sila, totoong anak."

"N-No, you're lying."

"Oh? So what are these?" Nilagay ni Tigress ang mga larawan sa sahig, "They look so happy with their newborn. They don't love you, Sophie. They just dump you out because you are not even their real daughter to begin with."

"No, nandoon ako mismo sa car accident kung saan sila nawala. I was there, Ayashi. You can't fool me!!"

"Ever heard about cyborgs?" She started sobbing.

"N-No..."

"There is nothing left for you—"

"Ikaw din naman ah!! Namatay ang mga magulang mo kaya wala ng natitira para sa'yo—" kinasa ko ang baril at itinutok yun sa ulo niya

This girl is pissing me off.

"You’re starting to shorten my patience, kaya sagutin mo ako kung ayaw mong pati ang walang kwenta mong buhay ay mawala." She trembled even more when she looked into my eyes, "Because Sophie, I was ordered by your parents to eliminate you so I'm a little bit merciful right now. If you don't answer my question, I'm going to pull this trigger, as easy as that. I'll count from one."

"Why w-would they—"

"One."

"Ayashi, please—"

"Two."

"Ayashi—"

"Three—"

"It's him!!!" Naiiyak niyang usal habang nakaturo sa screen ng laptop, itinapon ko ang baril sa kama tsaka ako muling napaupo sa swivel chair.

"Bring that traitor to the hospital, baka ako pa ang sumagot sa gastusin ng lamay niya.”

Tigress was about to leave together with my traitor cousin when she suddenly spoke.

"Ayashi, hindi ba talaga nila ako p-pinahalagahan?"

"Nope, because if they ever appreciate you, you are supposed to be with them. Isa ka lang bagay na gusto nilang itapon kapag sawa na sila. Ngayon na may totoo silang anak, hindi ka na kasali sa magpapakumpleto sa pamilya nila." I answered straightforwardly before I heard her nonstop sobs while being dragged away by Tigress.