Moon of The Afterlife

Chapter 11: Crest

AS ARNOLD sat calmly on the sofa on the northern side of the living room, Dr. Jimenez sat quietly across the two young Bernals. Arche's impatiently tapping his shoe on the floor as they all waited for Cathy. Louise looks the calmest among the four, and she doesn't seem bothered about what the Doctor might announce.

Cathy entered the scene, carrying a cup of coffee which she served to the Doctor before sitting beside her children. 

"Thanks," Dr. Jimenez said and smiled as he tasted his coffee. 

The family watched him nervously when he put the cup back down and sighed before looking at them one by one. Dr. Jimenez then took an envelope from his bag and placed it on the table. 

"Sorry for the sudden visit, but I've brought you guys some good news," he started and pushed the envelope towards Arnold. 

Arche sighed after hearing the words, 'good news.' It might be a piece of good news for his family, but for him, this could be the most unpleasing news he could ever hear. Arnold curiously took the envelope and started reading through the papers inside. His eyes widened upon reading them. He looked at Dr. Jimenez with disbelief and asked, 

"Are these true?" 

Cathy then took the papers from her husband and looked at them. Her eyes watered both in surprise and happiness, placing her right hand on her mouth before looking at Dr. Jimenez. 

"Miraculously, yes," Dr. Jimenez said and smiled at the couple and their children. "Louise's illness disappeared like it never existed. I have double-checked, and the result stayed consistent."

But, Arche froze at what he heard. Louise's illness is gone, which means someone is indeed messing up with them. 

"Oh my God!" Cathy couldn't contain her happiness that she ended up bursting out with tears. Arnold tears up as well, and they thank Dr. Jimenez. 

"Congratulations on your recovery, Louise," the Doctor smiled at her. He's still confused about the whole thing, but he's starting to think that the disappearance of Louise's illness was indeed a miracle. Or maybe because that's the only explanation that makes sense. But unlike everyone, Louise doesn't look surprised. She just sat there while watching her family, wondering if she should celebrate with them or what. But, in the end, she forced a smile for the Doctor and the rest, not even trying to make it at least a little convincing or unnoticeable. 

"Thank you, Dr. Jimenez," Louise replied. She then stood up and looked at everyone. "I'll head upstairs. I need to finish my school works."

Everyone looked at her, so Louise drew a wider fake smile before turning her back and walking away. He walked straight to the massive staircase, and everyone watched her. Arche couldn't help but feel scared about every possibility. If something unpleasant happens to Louise, he doesn't think he could forgive himself, especially if Bakunawa is behind it. 

"AREN'T you afraid that your family would notice how unhappy you are, considering how upset you've been when you're still sick?" was the question that welcomed Louise as soon as she entered her room. "Are you upset about it? I warned you, didn't I?" 

Louise closed her eyes and sighed before walking towards her bed to sit there with her shoulders dropped. 

"I'm not upset. I've already accepted my fate, and I will never complain about it," she replied and flashed a weak smile. "To be honest, I'm happy..."

"You're weird. You're the only one who didn't flinch upon seeing me. Aren't you scared of a hideous creature like me?" 

Louise looked at the reflection on her mirror and studied it for a moment before shaking her head and smiling lovingly. 

"Why would I be scared? You're the prettiest thing that ever existed,"

Louse lifted her right hand to gently touch her own face while still staring at the mirror, and then a long moment of silence settled between them. 

ARCHE stood near the glass door that separates his bedroom and balcony, staring blankly outside with his hands tucked inside the pockets of his jeans. The thought of his sister is bothering him. 

I've been a coward. I ran away instead of facing her. I left my shell and my lover to avoid death. But after a very long time, she came for me again; she's here to destroy my family. 

Arche glanced up at his empty shell and felt his eyes watering. He's put in the same situation again, and he's stuck between being a coward again or standing firm to protect himself and his loved ones. 

Should I be brave and try my best to keep my family safe? Or should I run away to keep them from getting harmed? Should I. . . be a coward again?

EIGHT in the morning, when the sun has already risen, lighting half of the Earth and giving the Philippines an unpleasantly beautiful warm climate to be endured by millions of people, Dante is walking on his way to work. He was riding on a jeepney a few minutes ago, and unfortunately, the vehicle malfunctioned. And Dante, together with the tens of other passengers, has to wait for another one with the same route or else they would be late for school and work. He decided to walk since the cafe is only a few hundred meters away, and walking could be a way to cut travel expenses. His rental debts and water and electric bills are still in peril, so he needs to perform every possible solution he could come up with— double work and be cheap. 

Dante's in deep thoughts while walking, making him a little less attentive and aware of his surroundings. He's thinking about Bulan and his dream. That kiss felt so real that convincing himself that it was only a dream almost seemed impossible. That dream only made him miss Bulan more.

Dante stopped walking when his shoulder bumped into a man with thick eyeglasses, wearing a formal suit, and looking respectable. Dante looked at him and smiled awkwardly. 

"I'm sorry, sir," he apologized. 

The man stared at Dante's face for a moment before saying, "Sometimes, what we're looking for is just right before our eyes. We only have to take a closer look," before flashing a wide peculiar smile and leaving. 

Dante watched him walk away, puzzled. He stared at the man's back for a few seconds, then shrugged and continued walking. The man stopped walking and glanced back at Dante and shaking his head with a chuckle. 

After a few minutes, Dante arrived at the cafe where he spotted his boss at his usual spot, doing his thing— preparing orders at the counter. 

"You're late," Arche commented without looking at the newly-arrived Dante. 

"Sorry," Dante apologized with a chuckle while putting on his apron. He stood beside Arche and looked at the readily made coffees on the tray before asking, "What table should I serve these?" 

"Seven," Arche briefly answered and placed the last cup of coffee in it. 

Dante studied his face and noticed how cold and gloomy Arche seemed while talking to him. He looks so down that even his sighs show that something's bothering him. 

"Are you waiting for the coffees to get cold?" 

Arche looked at Dante blankly and tilted his head as a gesture to tell Dante to go and serve the orders. He wanted to ask Arche what was wrong, but he thought the conversation could wait. 

"No," Dante replied and stretched his lips for a quick smile, and left. 

Now it's Arche's time to watch him as he works. The thought of telling Dante the truth is knocking on the back door of his head, but he couldn't find the courage to do so. He had hurt him, and he had suffered for so long; where could Arche possibly get the audacity to reveal himself only to ask for his help? 

"Arche?" 

Louise's voice diverted his attention. Arche looked at his sister as she leaned forward at the counter, putting her elbows on the countertop, and smiled. 

"A customer just ordered a strawberry smoothie with yogurt," she said. 

"Oh, you're here?" 

Louise looked at her left side and saw Dante standing there. 

"Yeah. I'm no longer sick, so I can help Arche whenever I please--"

"Saturdays and Sundays," Arche corrected. "Your classes should always come first."

"Yeah," Louise nodded. "I'll be here during Saturdays and Sundays. Isn't that fun, Dante?"

Dante stopped for a moment before he smiled and messed her hair. 

"Yeah. Better than noisy clubs," Dante joked and laughed before leaving to get a glass of water as requested by a customer at table two. The thought of Louise's death bothers him, given that he still doesn't know who's behind what's happening to Louise. She could be in serious danger.

"You don't have to remind Arche about it!" Louise whined while frowning, stomping her feet like a child and rolling her eyes in annoyance when Arche's expression darkened because of the "club" thing. 

IT WAS after lunch at one when Louise found Dante sitting at an empty table while doodling something on his notepad. Dante's been sitting there for almost thirty minutes now, and he looks bothered about something. Arche's been standing behind the counter, leaning backward with his arms crossed above his chest, seemingly bothered about something as well for a couple of minutes now. Louise noticed the seriousness of the two, so she stood from a distance and watched them both for a moment. 

The cafe's busy until one hour ago. There are only two customers at the moment, which means the three have some time for a break. 

Arche's thinking about the same thing for two days while Dante's thinking about the crest he once saw in his dream. Both Arche and Dante want to ask each other questions, but no one seems to be getting the courage. Dante doesn't want to have Arche involved since his family will be affected, and Arche feels like an i***t trying to reveal himself to Sidapa after telling him lies that hurt him more. 

"Should I help them figure things out?" Louise asked herself as she looked back and forth at her brother and Dante. A wide grin was plastered on her face when she started walking towards Dante. 

"What are you doing?" Louise asked as she sat across him. 

Dante looked at her and shook his head. "Just doodling," he replied. "But I don't seem to remember the details I wanted to draw. I've been doodling for a while, but I'm not sure if I'm doing it right." Dante chuckled. 

Louise glanced at the notepad and saw the messy lines drawn by Dante. He wasn't a good artist, but the details are still visible and understandable. Louise leaned forward to look at Dante's notepad to see what he had drawn. There is a crescent moon and three cute stars on it, and Louise laughed upon seeing it. 

"What is that? Are you trying to make another logo for the cafe?" she commented while giggling. 

Dante looked at her puzzled, "I wasn't," Dante said. "What made you think I'm making a logo?" 

Louise stopped laughing. "Give me that," Then, she took the notepad from Dante. She wrote some words with some stylish font and fixed Dante's messy drawing. And after a moment, she gave it back to him and said, 

"It's the cafe's logo, Dante," 

He looked at the notepad and saw the thing he had never noticed. Dante froze when he realized the truth that's been lingering under his nose. He looked at the big logo on the wall and at the thing drawn on the notepad. It's identical. 

The crescent moon served as the letter 'C' in the word cafe, and the three stars on the right are placed at the tails of the letters F, E, and I.

Libulan's crest. 

Dante looked at Louise again. "Did your brother start this business, or did someone else start this before him?" he asked in a demanding manner. He has a strong feeling that the answer is near.

Louise looked at Arche for a second before smiling and nodding. "Yeah, he started this business about four years ago with someone I know," she answered. 

Dante's shoulder dropped. He couldn't find more questions to ask. He feels like he just completed the puzzle. His heart pounds hard as the realization sinks in. All this time, the person he's been looking for is right in front of him. Dante looked at Arche. His heart is almost breaking the wall of his chest. He clenched his fists as anger started building up within him. 

"He's been here... all along," Dante hissed as tears started building up at the sides of his eyes. 

Every clue he had encountered since they first met came back at him like puzzle pieces going back to their proper places to show the whole picture: The firefly that perched at Arche's shoulder, the flickering of the moon, which he missed that night, and when Arche recognized him that day when a vengeful soul escaped from the afterlife. 

How come I missed those? How come I didn't recognize you? Libulan, why did you hide so well?