"WHY DO you have to shield me from all this, Ate? Hindi naman ako tatakbo, eh. Tutulungan pa nga kita kung talagang kinakailangan." But since Raiden suddenly felt so weak after hearing all that, nasabi na lang iyon sa sarili nang pabulong. Hindi siya makapaniwala na higit pa sa kung ano ang nalalaman niya ang dahilan ng trauma na pinagdadaanan ng Ate niyang si Yasha. Ang lakas nitong bumanat ng biro at pang-aasar sa kanya kahit ganoon na pala ang problema nito.
Eventually, Raiden's hold on his bakuto tightened not because of anger and frustration but because of determination to help his sister in every way he could. Soon after, he let out a hollow chuckle. May napala rin pala ang pagiging pasaway niya. Well, blame his curiosity for that. Pero dahil pinairal lang naman niya ang pagiging tsismoso, lalong dumami ang mga tanong na naglalaro sa kanyang isipan.
Pero karamihan sa mga tanong na iyon, may kinalaman sa Shinomiya clan. Was it him or the name seemed so familiar to Raiden? Sigurado na siya na minsan na niyang narinig iyon. Hindi nga lang niya matandaan kung kailan at saan. Sa pagkakaalam niya, hindi naman siya naaksidente para ma-trauma o magkaroon ng partial amnesia para makalimutan iyon gaya ng Ate niya. But he was sure of that feeling. Kailangan lang niyang pakaisipin nang mabuti ang tungkol doon.
Raiden sighed and looked at the starry sky. Pero sa ginawa niyang iyon, sumagi sa isipan niya ang isang alaala--one that had a relation to his sister's statement about not remembering what their father had once told them. And at the moment, it hit him--big time.
Agad na tinakbo ni Raiden ang direksiyon patungo sa family dojo. Nang makapasok siya ay agad niyang sinarado ang pinto at mga bintana at tiniyak na naka-locked ang mga iyon. Matapos niyon ay agad niyang tinungo ang isa sa makakapal na mga wooden poles ng dojo. He looked for a gap at the center of that particular pole. When he found it, he placed his index and middle finger on each side of the gap and pushed it. Soon after, that part of the pole opened, revealing a small compartment inside. But that compartment only hid the keypad that he really needed.
Raiden entered the password that his father had once told him as he punched in the keys. Seconds later, the middle area of the floor slid open to reveal a stairway leading to a hidden basement. For some reason, inilibot niya ang tingin sa paligid. He just needed to be sure somehow. After doing that, he went down the stairway and closed it using the hidden button on the lower part of the right wall in the middle of the stairway.
xxxxxx
"ARE YOU up for it?"
Pero si Shingo, hayun at nakatingin lang kay Takeru matapos niyang ipaalam sa doktor ang suhestiyon niya tungkol sa sitwasyon ni Yasha. Kaya lang, kung siya ang tatanungin, he'd rather keep the truth to himself.
Well, at least a part of the truth--especially Yasha's real goal as to why she was trying to go after the Dark Rose. At gaya nga ng sinabi nito, walang kinalaman iyon sa Shrouded Flowers. It all goes down to finding out the truth about her parents' death and her family's roots--which, of course, Takeru had found weird.
Ano ang kinalaman ng Dark Rose sa pamilya ni Yasha?
"You didn't succeed in persuading her, huh?" mayamaya ay tanong ni Shingo.
Takeru shrugged. "She's not the type of person who would want to be disturbed from her activities. And she made it very clear that no one could ever stop her. She wanted to do it for her brother and her best friend who was in a coma, she says."
Napakunot ng noo si Shingo. "Her best friend who was in coma? Sino naman iyon?"
"She didn't tell me. All that I know, that person happened to be at the scene of the attack and protected her to the extent of suffering near-fatal injuries that rendered him in a comatose state."
Bigla ay napaisip si Shingo. Pilit niyang inalala ang mga tauhan at ilang miyembro ng Shrouded Flowers na under comatose pa rin hanggang sa mga sandaling iyon dahil sa mga injuries na nakuha ng mga ito. Sa ngayon, may sampu pa mula sa tatlumpung biktima ang nananatiling nasa state of comatose. Pito sa sampung iyon ay mga young male members ng Shrouded Flowers at ang tatlong natitira ay mga female members. Pawang mga trainees ang mga iyon kaya naman kahit mahirap ay patuloy pa rin ang ginagawa nilang pagmo-monitor sa kondisyon ng mga ito.
Sa nakikita naman ni Shingo, patuloy pa ring lumalaban ang mga ito sa nakalipas na mahigit dalawang taong walang malay ang mga ito. Kaya naman ganoon rin ang pagpupursige nilang lahat na tapusin na ang labang patuloy na nagpapahirap sa kanila.
"Binanggit ba niya sa iyo kung member ng Shrouded Flowers ang best friend niyang iyon?"
Pero iling lang ang naging tugon ni Takeru. Well, it was the truth. Wala naman talagang sinabi sa kanya si Yasha. Hindi na niya ito mapilit na sabihin sa kanya ang tungkol doon. She held firm in keeping it a secret from him--even from her brother.
Mayamaya pa ay may napuna si Takeru. "Wait a minute... You haven't answered my question yet. Are you up for the task? Maybe you'll be able to take it as an opportunity to learn more about her true motive for doing as far as hunting down the Dark Rose on her own." It would truly be a feat if Shingo did manage to extract information from Yasha. Pero sa totoo lang, bigla siyang nakaramdam ng kakaiba sa dibdib niya sa isiping iyon. Of course, it was another weird thing for him.
Shingo's face showed reluctance. Napapahawak din siya sa batok niya dahil hindi siya makapag-isip na naman nang tama. Lagi na lang. "I don't know."
"Shingo, you rarely show hesitation when it comes to jobs like this. So what exactly holds you back now?" seryosong usisa ni Takeru.
Natigilan si Shingo sa tanong na iyon. Oo nga naman. Ano ba ang ipinag-aalinlangan niya. he was a psychologist, for goodness' sake! Maybe it would be if he just take this job as it was--just a job. Nothing more.
But for some reason, hindi maintindihan ni Shingo kung bakit nakaramdam siya ng takot na hindi niya mapanindigan iyon. This was about Yasha Wilford, after all. There was no knowing what could that woman do--at least naramdaman niya iyon mula nang unang beses niya itong makilala.
"Give me five hours to think and settle things in my mind. I'll give you my answer after that," pinal na wika ni Shingo at walang lingon-likod na iniwan sa study room na iyon si Takeru.
Seriously, ano'ng klaseng sagot ba talaga ang hinahanap ni Shingo? And to think he needed five hours to think about that...
Habang si Takeru, napapailing na lang sa inaktong iyon ni Shingo. Something was definitely going on with that guy whenever Yasha was involved. Somehow, he had the urge to learn everything about that--kahit alam niyang mali.
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