"WRONG TIMING ka ring magpakita sa akin, alam mo ba 'yon?" bungad ni Yasha sa lalaking tila komportable pa talagang nakaupo sa mahabang sofa na animo pag-aari nito ang bahay nila. Pero ang buwisit, hayun at tiningnan lang siya. Kulang na lang ay batukan niya ito.
But Yasha knew better than to do such a thing. Hindi pa siya nasisiraan ng bait para gawin iyon. Besides naaalala pa rin niya ang minsang ginawa ng lalaking ito sa kanya nang tangkain niyang sapakin ito sa sobrang inis niya.
"Ano na naman ba ang kailangan mo at napapadalas yata ang pagpapakita mo sa akin ngayon, ha, Takeru?"
Takeru frowned and finally stood up to face Yasha. "Na naman? I only went here to talk to you two weeks ago."
"And you usually appear before me na wala pa talagang pasabi once every two months for the past two years since that night. Ano naman ang gusto mong asahan ko, ha?"
"I should be the one feeling angry and irritated because of your recklessness, Yasha. Not you!" Takeru firmly stated. Ito na nga ba ang sinasabi niya kaya ayaw niyang napag-uutusan pagdating sa babaeng ito, eh.
Umismid si Yasha at inirapan si Takeru bago niya ito harapin. "Oh? So now you're saying na wala akong karapatang mainis sa 'yo? Na naisipan mo lang magpakita sa akin ulit after you learned that I was also investigating everything that has a relation to the attack at the Shinomiya mansion, as well."
"What do you expect me to do? Allow you to get involved in a battle where I couldn't even guarantee my own life's safety? You know you're much more important to me to let that happen, Yasha."
Hindi alam ni Yasha kung ano ang dapat na maramdaman sa pahayag na iyon ni Takeru. Part of her was happy, she couldn't deny that. But a bigger part of her was also hurt as a memory soon invaded her mind because of his words. "You know... I would've believed you if you were there that night to prove that to me. Instead, ibang tao pa ang napahamak nang dahil sa akin. I was expecting you to come and save me, in case you didn't know that, Takeru."
Minsan lang maglabas ng hinanakit si Yasha. But constantly seeing Takeru like this as if he was beginning to make it a habit to ruin her day every time he was appearing to her, sigurado na siyang pahihirapan talaga siya ng lalaking ito.
"That's why I'm telling you to stay away from this!" Marahas na napabuga ng hangin si Takeru at napahawak din siya sa batok. Sa totoo lang, gusto na niyang magwala at ibunton iyon sa babaeng ito na patuloy sa pagiging matigas ang ulo. But he remembered the last time he did something like that and he regretted it afterwards. "Look, what exactly is the reason for you to do this? Involving yourself with the affairs of the Shrouded Flowers will--"
"I know the consequences, okay? Hindi ako tanga para hindi malaman iyon," sabi ni Yasha nang agad niyang maintindihan ang nais ipunto ni Takeru sa kanya. "But I'm not doing this for the Shrouded Flowers, okay? I'm doing this for the man who saved my life and for my best friend who became my shield which made him end up in a coma until now."
"Yasha--"
"Alam ko ang dahilan kung bakit ka nandito ngayon, Takeru. But your words won't stop me from finding out the truth, okay? Kailangan kong malaman ang totoo tungkol sa mga pangyayari noong gabing iyon. I was invited to interview them for a reason. At least sigurado ako sa bagay na iyon." Kalmado na si Yasha nang muli niyang harapin si Takeru at sabihin ang mga salitang iyon. At least she was comfortable telling him those things kahit hindi naging maganda ang takbo ng relationship nila ng lalaking ito hanggang sa mga sandaling iyon.
Buntong-hininga na lang ang naging tugon ni Takeru sa pahayag na iyon ni Yasha. Pero maging siya ay gustong sang-ayunan ang ilan sa mga iyon. Ryuuki Shinomiya, Princess Kourin's father and the previous head of the Shinomiya clan, personally gave permission to Yasha to do an exclusive interview about the Shrouded Flowers. Iyon ang isa sa labis na ipinagtataka niya at hanggang sa mga sandaling iyon ay pilit pa rin niyang hinahanapan ng kasagutan.
What exactly was the purpose of the previous head of the Shinomiya clan to do something like that?
"Does this still had something to do with your parents' death?" mayamaya ay tanong ni Takeru.
For a few moments, Yasha was silent. But for Takeru, it was more than enough for an answer.
"Wala akong maisagot na matino kay Raiden sa tuwing magtatanong siya sa akin kung may ideya raw ba ako sa pagkamatay nila. But I know one thing. Their death isn't exactly what I would call a freak accident."
"And now you're thinking that the Dark Rose was behind that? In case you're still clueless, you're starting to get entangled to the web that our battle with the Dark Rose had woven because of what you're doing. You're not the only one who would be in danger but that includes your brother, as well. Yasha, you're not even trained to deal with them on your own. They're cold-blooded warriors who wouldn't hesitate and even blink as they eliminate you."
But the challenging look that Yasha gave to Takeru took him aback--albeit inwardly. For some reason, nakaramdam siya ng kaba para sa babaeng ito. "Don't tell me...?"
"Why do you think I allowed my uncle to train Raiden in swordsmanship? Why do you think I dared to risk the danger just to find out the truth? Marami ka pa nga talagang hindi alam sa pamilya ko. Anyway, as if I would just blurt it out to you like that." Iyon lang at akmang didiretso na si Yasha sa front door upang pagbuksan ng pinto ang intruder niya nang makaalis na ito. Well, it was her way of telling Takeru that their 'discussion' was over.
Pero ikinagulat ni Yasha ang biglang paghablot ni Takeru sa braso niya at ipinihit siya paharap rito. "What now?"
"What are you trying to prove, Yasha? Please, just tell me the truth! I can't afford to lose someone important to me anymore because of this," Takeru stated in a slightly desperate and pleading tone.
Minsan lang narinig ni Yasha ang tonong iyon kay Takeru kaya naman alam niya na seryoso ito. She sighed and shoved off Takeru's hold on her arm. "When the time comes, okay? Sa ngayon, malabo pa ang lahat sa akin."
Kumunot ang noo ni Takeru. "What was that supposed to mean?"
"The trauma I suffered because of the attack somehow blocked parts of my childhood and teenage memories. Lalo na ang huling sinabi sa akin ni Papa na alam kong talagang importante. Not to mention, patuloy na bumabalik sa isipan ko ang mga nangyari noong inatake ang Shinomiya mansion in a form of nightmares," pag-amin ni Yasha bago siya huminga nang malalim. Saka niya hinarap si Takeru at ngumiti nang malungkot. "Aside from my brother, you're the one who I confessed this to. Siguro nga, kailangan ko nang sundin ang suggestion ni Raiden sa akin na magpakonsulta sa psychiatrist. I won't be able to concentrate on my mission if I'm like this."
Bigla ay natahimik si Takeru at napaisip pagkatapos marinig ang mga sinabing iyon ni Yasha. Kasabay niyon ay nakaramdam siya ng samu't-saring emosyon sa mga nalaman niya. It was a good thing na siya muna ang kumausap sa babaeng ito. At least he would know how to help her with regards to her predicament. Until an idea hit him.
"Do you mind if I suggest a psychiatrist for you?" bigla ay tanong ni Takeru.
All Yasha did was to slightly frown. "You know someone like that?"
No comments:
Post a Comment