No Label

D-Day

It all just started with a 'fun' deal. Mina just wanted me to meet someone and be happy.

That's what I thought.

I got to know Jill and what kind of guy he is. He may be fragile for a guy but he is a kind person. He treated me well even if both of us aren't sure with our feelings. We only dated happily for 3 days and the next days became cold and bitter. It's sad that we didn't love each other but it's a lot better than being attached and will end at this day.

I accepted this deal only because I wanted Mina to be happy also. It's like a fulfillment getting her a boyfriend. But everyday, I got more reasons to succeed. I want to know Mina's secret.

[I'm here]

I texted Jill. It's unusual na mas nauna ako sa kanya. 6pm pa yung plan pero nandito na ako sa meeting place namin 5pm pa lang. Hindi ko alam ano pinaplano ni Mina at sasama pa talaga ako dito. Gusto kong makarating kami ng mas maaga doon para mas mahaba pa yung oras nina Jill at Yanyan.

Tumunog yung chimes sa glass door nitong cafe kaya napalingon ako, nakita ko papasok si Jill. Damn--he is wearing a very formal attire. Mas formal pa sa first date namin. I guess mas type niya si Yanyan kaysa sakin. He is even carrying a bouquet of flowers. Is he giving it to me? Consolation?

"Is that for..."

"for Yanyan", he cut me off. Yeah, what do I expect? A bouquet of flowers for breakup? Pfft.

"Ah... let's go?", paanyaya ko. People are looking at us like we're a good couple on a date. I dress up like a feminine lady but I ended up like a chaperon.

We drove for about half an hour. Medyo malayo na yung place this time. We were both quiet on the first 15 minutes. Pero hindi ko kinaya kaya ako na ang bumasag sa katahimikan.

"Did you talk to Yanyan?"

"No. I bet he didn't expect something like this would happen today", he answered while his eyes keep focusing on the way.

"Hindi niya alam na magcoconfess ka ngayon sa kanya?", I sounded like a friend helping a friend to his crush. This is what I never imagined in my whole life. I thought Jin being inlove with kuya Nam is enough. I'm not watching BL series but I am witnessing it in real life!

"He never knew I'm like this. That I like him differently."

"What if he'll reject you?" Jill even dressed up formally and handsomely for Yanyan.

"I expected it though"

"You'll still confess?"

"Yeah. I'll take the risk". I clapped my hands in awe. Jill slightly laughed at my reaction.

We finally arrived to..."Where are we?", tanong ko habang dahan-dahang bumaba ng sasakyan at inilibot ang mata sa isang hindi pamilyar na lugar. Wala masyadong tao at mukhang malayo na ito sa city proper.

"I don't know. I just followed the navigator"

"Yun na ba 'yun?", turo ko sa isang private restaurant na hindi kalayuan sa kinatatayuan namin.

"I think so"

Sabay kaming tumungo sa restaurant na iyon. Madilim na ang paligid kaya inalalayan ako ni Jill baka matapilok ako. Bago kami pumasok, pansin kong inayos muna ni Jill sarili niya. Nang masiguradong gwapo na siya (well, he is all the time), pumasok na kami.

We are both expecting to see Yanyan inside but a different person welcomes us. "Mina? Bakit ikaw yung nandito?", tanong ko. She's even wearing a nice dress as if siya yung madedate.

"Where's Yanyan?", Jill asked looking so disappointed.

Mina just sit there as if we are invisible. She is not looking at us but I can see fear in her eyes. She is shaking. What's going on? "He is not coming", she said coldly keeping her pace.

"What? You've been lying to me, Nana?", Jill threw the blame on me when I don't even know what is happening. He looked so pissed. He've been waiting for this moment.

"No...I-I don't know", I stuttered and can't explain because I'm confused as hell too! He smashed the bouquet and aggressively leave the place.

"Jill!", I called his name and tried to stop him pero hindi ko alam sino uunahin ko. He completely went out of the restaurant and left me alone with Mina who's also acting weird.

"Mina, what's happening? Nasan ba si Yanyan?", umupo ako sa harap niya pero parang nakatulala pa rin siya. She is playing with her fingers and her lips and eyes are shaking. Why is she looks so anxious?

"He can't be here, it's dangerous", she barely said it.

Kumunot ang noo ko,"What!? For Pete's sake! Jill's been waiting for this moment, Mina! He is really angry now. I don't want to do this and that stupid deal!", naiinis na ako sa sarili ko. Naiinis ako dahil para akong tangang sumusunod sa mga plano ni Mina. She is talking bullshit at hindi ko na alam kung ano paniniwalaan ko.

Tumayo ako para sundan si Jill.

"He's the target"

Tumigil ang paghakbang ko at humarap muli kay Mina. She is now looking at me with  teary eyes. "What?", the only thing I could ask.

"Yanyan is the target", this time, tumayo na siya at takot na takot na parang nasisiraan na ng bait.

What? Target? Is someone trying to kill us? For what reason? Wala naman akong kalaban. "You're crazy", I ignored Mina. She must've hurt her head badly without me knowing. May trust issues na ako sa mga pinagsasabi niya.

Hindi pa ako tuluyang nakalabas ng biglang tumunog phone ko. Kinuha ko iyon at tinignan kung sino ang tumatawag.

Restricted Number is calling....

Hindi ako sigurado kung sasagutin ko yung tawag. I shifted my gaze to Mina who's looking at me like she knew who is calling. "It's starting", yun ang sinabi niya.

I took the courage to answer the call. "H-hello"

[You're boyfriend is quite handsome] Isang malalim na boses ang sumagot sa kabilang linya. Nakakatakot.

"W-who are you?"

[Curious? Then come here so you will know] Ibababa ko na sana yung tawag pero bigla itong nagsalita muli. [And so you can at least say your last farewell to your precious boy]

"What are you saying? Sino ka?", Kinakabahan ako, na baka nasa panganib si Jill. Everything that Mina said is making sense!

[I told you, you could save him if you come here as fast as you can. Now, run Nana. And save your boy]

The call ended and my tears are already flowing because of anxiety. Bigla akong nakatanggap ng text. Mabilis akong tumakbo para puntahan yung address na natanggap ko.

"Nana, don't! It's dangerous", hindi ko na pinansin ang sinabi ni Mina. Alam kong delikado pero hindi kakayanin ng konsensya ko kung may mangyaring masama kay Jill. Hindi ko alam paano ko siya ililigtas o kung anong sitwasyon ang sasalubong sakin pagkarating ko doon.

This place is somewhere here. Naglakad ako nang naglakad hanggang sa makarating ako sa isang abandonadong gusali.

Madilim, maalikabok at komplikado. Hindi ko alam saan ko hahanapin dito si Jill. Hindi ako pwedeng gumawa ng ingay dahil natatakot akong makita kung sino man ang kumuha kay Jill. Posibleng malaking tao yun at hindi ko kaya. Wala pa naman akong knowledge sa self defense. Bobo na ako dahil pumunta ako ditong walang paghahanda. Kung mamamatay man ako ngayon, at least malinis ang konsensya ko dahil hindi ko pinabayaan si Jill.

Pinaandar ko yung flashlight ng phone ko para makita ang dinadaan ko. Isa-isa kong sinilip mga silid pero walang tao. Bumaba ako sa basement.

Sa mga napapanood kong kidnap scenes, usually sa basement nagaganap yun. Mas tahimik at walang makakarinig sakaling sumigaw man yung biktima. Hindi ko alam bakit na re-recall ko pa 'yan sa sitwasyong ito.

Napalunok ako dahil tila horror house itong pinapasok ko. Nanginginig na ang tuhod ko at basang basa na ako ng pawis. Bawat ingay na marinig ko, tumatalon ang puso ko. Mukhang mamamatay ako dito dahil sa heart attack.

Indeed, dramas are based in real life. It's in the basement! Napansin ko ang kaisa-isahang silid na may ilaw. Yellow light kaya medyo dim at nakakatakot pa din. Pinatay ko ang flashlight at dahan-dahang lumapit doon. Kinakabahan ako dahil baka marami sila. Na baka sa aking pagpasok, sasalubongin ako ng mga b***l na nakatutok sakin.

But it's not what I'm expecting. Iisang tao lang ang nasa loob. Nakagapos at walang malay. "Ji--", I was about to shout his name when a hand covered my mouth and pulled me somewhere. Pareho kaming nakayuko sa isang maliit na espasyo sa loob ng silid. We are hiding in a pile of balikbayan boxes. Only the floor part is visible to us. Lumingon ako kung sino yung tumakip ng bibig ko. "Mina? How did you--", she hushed me.

I became alert when a sound of heels touching the dusty floor of this room was heard. Babae?

I typed the words I wanted to say to Mina para hindi niya kami marinig.

[Lalaki yung sumagot sakin kanina]

Kinuha ni Mina yung phone ko at nag type din.

[She used voice tapping]

I can slowly gasp the situation. This is what Mina is trying to know. I didn't know what she was saying was literal, that this deal is a life and death situation. 

But how can we save Jill? We're not strong enough to beat her. Siya lang mag-isa yung nandidito pero hindi namin alam baka marami siyang tauhan sa labas. At kung siya lang mag-isa siguradong may weapon siya na hindi namin kayang labanan. Pero I'm quite certain that she's not alone because she can't tie Jill like that all by herself.

We are just observing her without doing something. Maybe Mina planned this already but I should at least think another way. Pabalik-balik ang lakad niya na mukhang naiinip na. She didn't know I am here already.

She stopped walking. I don't know what she was doing because I can only see her feet. Wearing a 6-inches red pencil heels in committing a crime? What a psycho.

*Phone is ringing*

"s**t", I muttered. How can I forgot to put my phone on silent mode? Maybe I should get ready and face death now.

I answered the call to stop ringing but I know she heard it already. She knew we are here hiding. She can kill us anytime now.

[How's the air there?] Sounded like she's teasing me. The same voice is on the line. Hindi siya lumapit sa kinaroroonan namin. She is conversing through phone call so that we can't hear her real voice. Smart b***h.

Hindi ako makapagsalita dahil sa takot. Inagaw sakin ni Mina yung phone at siya yung sumagot.

"Why are you doing this?"

[Because I hate it] Naririnig ko pa rin ang kabilang linya kasi masyadong tahimik.

"What?"

[It hurts my eyes. It hurts seeing all of you laughing. I hate all of you becoming happy.]

"Then killing us can make you happy? You're crazy"

[If you want to live, then don't love anyone. Don't trust anyone]

Napahawi ng buhok si Mina dahil sa walang kwentang rason ng babae.

"Pag-usapin natin 'to ng masinsinan. Not this way."

[Are you that worried to this guy? He's not even your boyfriend, Mina]

Alam niyang si Mina ang sumasagot ng tawag? Kilala niya si Mina?

"I think it's someone from the group".

Bigla kong naalala ang linyang iyon. I have no clue who it is but I already felt betrayed. How can she do something like this?

"Then aren't you worried to what Nana would feel? If you kill the guy she loves?", depensa ni Mina. Malakas ang pagkasabi niya dahil wala na din namang kwenta kung makikipagbulongan lang kami kasi alam na ng killer na nandito kami.

[It's your fault, Mina. You are the one who made all of this.] She laughed but it sounded like she's crying. I pity her.

Tumayo si Mina at natumba lahat ng balikbayan box na tumatakip samin. Tumayo na din ako. I was getting my self ready to see who's behind of this s**t. But she is smart enough to hide her identity. She is wearing a mask.

"Who are you? Reveal yourself, you coward!", sigaw ni Mina. She is crying of anger and I just stand beside her. I don't know what to say. I just let my self cry.

Nakatingin ako kay Jill na wala paring malay. The tightness of that rope is already forming bruises to his arms. I may not have feelings for him but he is still my friend enough for me to worry.

[Do you think I would do that? I'm not as dumb as you, Mina]

"What do you want?"

[I told you, this guy is not my target.]

"Then don't kill him! Wag mong idamay si Jill dito. He is innocent"

[He just became my target. You made him my target]

Mas tumindi ang kaba ko dahil anytime papatayin niya na si Jill. I can't imagine myself witnessing a murder. I'm not sure if what is her purpose for killing us but I somehow gather the answers from their conversation. I should do something.

"We didn't love each other!", I shouted. "I wasn't happy with him. We just broke up today. Don't kill him, I'm begging...", I was out of breathe for crying too much.

[Aw... that's sweet]

I glared at her. I clenched my fist because of anger. I hate her laughing to this situation.

[Sorry, but it's too late]

She raised her hand holding a knife and ready to stab Jill. "No!!!", I was about to run thinking I could still save him but Mina hugged me forcefully. I closed my eyes because I don't want to watch.

I will forever remember everything. How someone was killed in front of me.

The End.

끝.