The Twin Knights

Chapter 3

Iniwan ko silang nakahilata sa sahig at umakyat na sa kwarto. Paniguradong pagkagising nila ay  hihilingin na nilang lamunin ng lupa. 

After waking up from a deep sleep, I stretched my arms and yawned. Napakaganda ng umaga ko at  kasing ganda pa ng araw ang mga ngiti ko! 

I thought for a second that what happened yesterday was just a dream, but when I checked my  camera, I realized it wasn't. Tinakpan ko ang mukha ko dahil sa sinag ng araw na tumatama rito galing  sa bintana. Base rito ay tingin kong mga alas nuwebe na ng umaga dahil sa init na tumatama sa balat  ko. 

Instantly, I got up and fixed my bed before I went to the bathroom to perform my morning ritual. Not  less than an hour later, I finished fixing myself and only wore a black pants that I paired with a loose  sweatshirt and black sneakers. I put my hair in a ponytail and left a couple of strands on each side. 

Bumaba ako sa sala at nakitang mahimbing pa rin ang tulog nilang anim. Wow, hindi talaga sila  nagising at pumunta sa kanya'kanyang kwarto? Oh, Omy Golly. 

I pursed my lips while looking at them. I manipulated the air that surrounds the living room and  lowered the temperature in the living area. I saw them shudder because they don't have blankets to  keep them warm. 

Ilang segundo ang lumipas ay unti-onti na nilang binubuksan ang kanilang mga mata at mabilis na  bumangon, siguro naalala ang nangyari. Nanlalaki ang mga mata nila habang nililibot ng tingin ang  buong lugar. I'm at the corner, enjoying watching their reactions and expressions while looking  stupidly around the area. Damn. Their face is so precious! 

I can't take it any longer, so I burst into a laugh, almost rolling over the floor because of the happiness  that I can't contain anymore. Ramdam ko ang matatalas na mga tingin na pinupukol nila ngunit ay  isinawalang bahala ko na lamang ito. 

"Your... face is so... priceless!"sSaad ko sa gitna ng pag-tawa sa harapan nila. I was having a hard time speaking because my laugh can't die down. "I thought... you won't be... scared... pero..." I continue laughing and stop trying to speak because I can feel the pain in my tummy that is starting to succumb to my soul. 

Feel ko mamamatay na ako. Hello, lucifer. 

"Oh, no. You didn't, Ayuki!" 

"Oh, I just did!" I tried to stop myself laughing when I saw all of them glaring at me. I bit my lower lip while looking at my Kuya Miro who's having a tantrum. 

"Huwag mo sabihin na ikaw ang may pakana noon, Ate Ayuki! Huhuhu!" Raven said while he's starting  to create a small sobs. His lips quiver as he was looking at me with his teary eyes. 

I tilted my head to the right while I can imagine my reaction forming into a crooked face. Sabi niya ay  huwag ko raw sabihin, so hindi ako nagsalita. 

"So, you really did made fun of us?!" I can feel the intensity of his stares that is piercing through my  skin. He blew out his cheeks and let out a harsh breath, trying to calm himself down. 

Uh-oh. I think someone just pricked my heart... 

I can't stop feeling the heat on my cheeks because of his cute reaction. I bit my lower lip as I  bowed my head to avoid meeting his gaze. Instead of being threatened, he made me blush like a cute  child! Oh, gosh. What have you done to my tiny shy heart, Cody?! 

I almost want to kiss him when he raked his fingers through his hairs. Hala, tangina... 

I unconsciously sat down. I felt my knees became jolly as I tried composing myself. Trying so hard not  to make them notice how I adore Cody so much. Pasimple kong pinaypayan ang sarili ko dahil sa  nararamdaman. 

"Ayuki, bakit mo ginawa iyon?!" Sinulyapan ko si Kaizer na namumula ang mukha dahil sa inis. Ah, Cody's view of face is better than him and so I averted my gaze back to Cody but, I immediately look  away when I caught him staring deeply at me as if trying to dig up to my brain down to my heart. 

Like he still did not steal my heart last year... Ahe.

I can still hear Kaizer's lady voice, continuously throwing a fit because of what happened yesterday.  He's really using his high pitch like he thought he has a nice voice! I think he just damaged eardrum. If  I didn't know him, I could make an assumption na isa siyang gay dahil sa tone ng voice niya kanina. I  really should let Tita Leah, his mom, watch the footage! I can imagine her flying in the sky while  laughing. 

"Muntik na ako layasan ng puso ko, Ate Ayuki! Onti na lang ata at magaalsabalutan na iyong puso ko para maghanap ng bagong amo." Greyson pursed his lips while clutching his chest like his heart will  abandon him anytime. Ang arte... 

"Dahil sa ginawa mo, patay ka sa'min, Ayuki." Pinanliitan ako ni Jayden nang mga mata habang may nagbabantang ngisi ang lumabas sa kaniyang labi, tho na-mukha lang siyang si joker pero expired  version. 

I only roll my eyes after shrugging my shoulder at them. Tumayo na ako sa upuan matapos ayusin at  tignan ang damit kasabay ng buhok. 

"Dapat makita nila tito at tita iyong footage! Paniguradong magiging proud sila sa'kin dahil sa  sobrang talino ko," pagmamalaki ko. Binigyan ko sila ng isang ngisi habang ang mga mukha naman  nila ay tulala sa'kin, mga nakanganga na akala mo ngayon lang nakakita ng dyosa. 

"You recorded us!" Kuya Miro screamed like I did not announce earlier that I have footage of their  priceless reactions. 

Dapat ko na bang irecord ang mga sinasabi ko para hindi masayang ang mamahalin kong laway?  Siguro nga... 

"Ay, hindi, hindi. Joke lang iyon. Hehe." I smiled sweetly at them bago ulit mag-salita, "Char! Papunta  na ako sa kanila. Ciao!" I teleported to the back of the palace, because behind it is a two-story house.  This is the usual rest house of our parents, who often kill their time by catching up with each other  whenever their free time matches. 

The color of the walls was in the shade of a wooden style, like a tree. It has bushes, flowers, and even a  strand of leaves that surround every corner of the house. There's also a sliding glass door in the right  corner and there's a mini terrace, as well as a second floor. It looks cute and refreshing at the same  time as it has a natural and cozy atmosphere.

Dumeretso ako sa loob kung saan naabutan ko sila na masayang naguusap-usap at nagtatawanan na  parang mga binata't dalaga pa. Mukha silang may sariling mundo! 

"Hi, everyone!" I have greeted them. They went in silence as they stared back at me, shock at my  sudden appearance. 

"What are you doing here, baby?" My smile widened when I heard the calming voice of my mother. I went near her and almost threw myself down to give her a tight hug. Oh, how much I miss our  bonding! 

Ang una't huling rule ng academy ay bawal lumabas ng paaralan ang lahat ng estudyante, unless may  permiso, na kung minsan ay sinusunod namin at madalas ay hindi. Hehe. T 

"May ipapakita po ako sa inyo! Maangas ito, kailangan lang natin hintayin ang mga uranggutan!"  natutuwa kong saad. 

Confusion is written in their faces while they look at me. Mom took off her hug and made me sit  between her and dad. Niyakap ko ang braso ni Dad at mas nagsumiksik pa rito na parang apat na  taong gulang pa lang. Dinig ko ang mahinang tawa niya dahil sa inakto ko matapos halikan ang aking  ulo. 

"Where are they now?" Tita Stacy asked, sitting next to her husband, Tito Lucas. 

Sanay na sila sa akin na tawagin ng kung ano-ano ang anim na lalake dahil simula pagka-bata pa lang  ay tinatawag ko na sila ng ganoon. Ever since we were a kids, ako ang tinuturing nila na prinsesa ng  grupo since I'm the only girl among them. 

"Okay, okay. What do you want to show us?" I turned my eyes to Tita Jordyn while I was still hugging  my parents' arms. 

"I just want to show how brave your son is!" I responded proudly. Pinalobo ko ang aking pisnge at  pinakawalan din matapos ang ilang segundo. Kinagat ko naman ang aking ibabang labi matapos  niyon habang naghihintay sa pagdating ng anim.

When I felt their presence, I moved more to hug my parents. A few seconds later, they appeared in  front of us with a frowned face. They even threw a sharp glare at me, and I just bit my lower lip to  suppress my giggles. 

"Kaizer, son. Why do you look at her like that? Stop it now!" pinagalitan siya ni Tita Leah nang makita  kung gaano katalas ang tingin na pinupukol niya sa akin. Iniiwas ko na lamang ang tingin ko at pinagkaabahalahang tusok-tusokin ang braso ni Dad gamit ang daliri. 

"And the five of you, as well." I can hear the threatening tone in the voice of Tito Lucas, as he was also glaring at them because of what they were doing to me. 

Perks to be the only princess in this family. 

"She's just engaged in a very wonderful act, and I'm so proud to have a sister like her." I can almost  imagine him blowing me fire with his mouth, toasting me to death 'until my skin can no longer be  identified, but I'm still pretty uneven if that happens. "So freakin' proud," he said. There's a hint of sarcasm in his tone, and a sly smile was evident in his lips. 

Weh? 

"What is it, Ayuki?" Dad nudged me a little, but his voice was sweet as if it was scaling my mood.  Perhaps, terrified of my wonderful thoughts. I was able to think about how amazing my mind was. 

I stuck my tongue out at the six of them and made several holograms in front of us. I made slight  movements using my hands while pointing to the hologram, small particles formed in it, until the  video clearly came to life. 

"Be ready, you monkeys!" pang-aasar ko habang nakatingin sa hologram na ginagawa ko. Ang scene na naroon ay kung saan hinahanda ko pa ang mga props na kailangan ko. 

"What's that ba?" Tita Trixie asked, not to leave the line of her vision in the video. 

"Watch and laugh, Tita." I laughed a little. Sinandal ko ang ulo ko sa balikat ni Dad at mabilis naman  niyang tinapik-tapik ang kaliwang balikat ko na parang pinatutulog ako.

Maya-maya ay napunta na sa scene kung saan pumasok na ang anim at sinubukan buksan ang ilaw  ngunit hindi nangyari. Nagpatuloy ang video at nang lumabas na iyong multo ay kasabay niyon ang  malalakas at maka-labas tutuli na mga sigaw nila. 

I looked at the adults and saw them sniggering as their eyes widened because of the scene. It was so  silent, and the only thing we could hear was a video playing in front of us 

Ilang minuto ang lumipas at ngayon ay sabay-sabay na silang humahalakhak dahil sa tuwa, hindi  makapaniwala na masaksihan ang kahindik-hindik na mga reaksyon ng kanya-kanyang anak sa video.  Natapos ang footage ngunit hindi ang mga tawanan sa loob ng sala. Ang mga matatandang lalake ay  halos gumulong na sa sahig habang hawak-hawak ang tyan, patuloy pa rin sa pagtawa ng malakas. 

Napatingin ako sa anim na nakatingin sa sahig habang pinapanuod ang mga ama nilang paikot-ikot sa  sahig, mga lukot ang mukha at masasama ang tingin sa magulang. Pulang-pula sila marahil sa hiya na  nakita at napanuod ng magulang ang isa sa kahihiyan na nangyari sa kanila, na pwede mo na  ikumpara sa isang kamatis sa sobrang pula. Kitang-kita ko ang mga matutulis nilang nguso na onti na  lang ay sasayad na sa sahig. 

That day ended like why did I pull a prank on them which is, of course, because of my out of  boredom.