Reborn: The Awakening

Twenty Three

Nagising ako na parang mayroong gumagalaw sa tabi ko. Pilit kong iminulat ang mga mata ko upang pakiramdaman ang paligid. Ngunit hindi ko mapaliwanag ang sobrang bigat ng katawan ko.

"You awake now?" rinig kong sabi ng katabi ko sa paos niyang boses.

"Yeah," tinatamad kong tugon.

Nag-inat ako ng likod at gumulong-gulong sa malambot na kama. Ah, it's been a while since I got my back on a comfy bed! Gusto ko na lamang matulog pa ulit. Sobrang aliwalas ng mga mata ko nang dahil sa mahaba at masarap na tulog. Ito rin ang unang tulog ko simula noong dumating ako sa Magi Island na hindi ako nanaginip ng tungkol sa nakaraan ko.

Nang muli kong iminulat ang mga mata ko, halos malaglag ako sa kama nang makita sa tabi ko si Cohen, nakapikit pa rin at tulog na tulog. Sa sobrang pagkagulat ko, nasampal ko siya nang malakas. Rinig na rinig sa apat na sulok ng silid ang pagsugapa ng palad ko at pisngi niya.

"Tangina!" hiyaw niya nang mapabangon siya at mapahawak sa kanyang pisngi. Namilog din ang mga mata niya nang makita ako. "What was that for? And what are you doing here?"

Kaagad din akong napabangon. "That's what I wanna ask you!" sigaw ko sa kanya pabalik.

Inilibot ko ang paningin ko. Isa itong maaliwalas na silid na halos palibutan ng paintings na nakasabit sa pader. Sa kanang parte ng silid ay mayroong parihabang glass door na patungo sa kanyang mga magagarang damit at sapatos at isang malaking banyo. Sa kaliwang parte ay ang kanyang balkonahe. Is this... the Mortal House?

"This is my room," iritable niyang sabi at sinimangutan ako. "I'll ask you again. Why the hell are you sleeping in my room?"

"I don't know," pabulong na tugon ko. "You didn't bring me here?"

"Why would I do that?" Umirap pa siya at muling hinimas ang pisngi niya na nasampal ko. Umirap din ako sa kanya at hindi nagpatalo. How is this my fault? Kahit na naiinis ako sa sitwasyon namin ngayon, nagawa ko pa ring pansinin ang

Napalingon kaming dalawa sa pintuan nang bigla itong bumukas. Dire-diretso na pumasok si Ms. Thomnus mula roon na sinundan nina Forest at Pizselior.

"Great job, both of you," nakangiting sambit niya na ikinabigla namin ni Cohen. Napatingin ako sa kanya upang magtanong ngunit nagkibit-balikat lamang siya. "Our Intel had accessed your memories from the mission since you were both unconscious for already a week now. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," tugon ni Cohen.

"I'm sorry but I didn't like the idea of someone getting through me," may halong inis na sabi ko at nginitian si Ms. Thomnus. Nakita ko rin na napatingin sa akin si Forest nang sabihin ko iyon. "I'd appreciate it more if you, at the very least, wait for my permission no matter how long it will take."

Ginantihan ako ng ngiti ni Ms. Thomnus. The other guys didn't move as if their necks were stiffed by what I've said.

"I'll keep that in mind. But it was an urgent matter, so we asked your guardian instead," she said as calmly as possible. "Your Gramps gladly waived your memories from the mission, without waiting for your decision, so we could asses our next move. The whole Magus is at stake here, miss."

Hindi na ako sumagot. But still, they couldn't just barge into my head and peek onto my painful memories that even I had chosen to bury, as what Miss Aviel concluded on my last therapy. I really am sensitive when it comes to my memories.

"Could you tell us what happened? Why were we unconscious? And why was she sleeping here?" nakangiwing sambit ni Cohen habang sapo ang ulo. "I'm quite lost. Could you fill us in?"

Tumango ako. "Right. What the hell happened?"

"You were found at the woods by these lads." Itinuro ni Ms. Thomnus sina Pizselior at Forest na tahimik lamang nakikinig. "Both unconscious. And upon peeking at your memories, it seemed that you were sent back here by Lord Acius."

"That... I remember," komento ni Cohen. "Did anything happen after that?"

"Nothing. You were just soundly asleep. It must be because you jumped from 2013 to the present time. That exhausted your bodies that we almost thought you were in coma," natatawang kuwento niya tapos ay sinserong nangiti sa aming dalawa. "I was really glad that you were fine. The information that you've gathered helps us a lot. Not only that, we also find a good lead on my father's death. I'm really grateful."

Nangunot ang noo ko sa narinig. Her father's death? Muling bumalik sa akin ang mga pangyayari sa Magi Island noong pinatawag kami ng Magus Newspaper. The right-hand man of Lord Kira, Mr. Thomnus, is her father? Oh, gods! Kaya pala pamilyar ang surname niya!

"I'm glad to hear that," tugon ni Cohen ngunit may ngiti nang nakapinta sa mukha niya. He's back to his usual self, comfortably quiet but and approachable. "Any updates about the case?"

"We have already deployed men of Magus Black Operations as per Lord Acius' request." Maaliwalas na ang mukha ni Ms. Thomnus, mukhang abot langit ang tuwa nito sa papalapit na hustisya sa pagkamatay ng kanyang ama. The night that she gave us the mission was also the night that her father was killed, but I didn't see her shed a single tear. She's a professional.

"I see." Napansin ko na napalingon sa akin si Cohen, kung kaya't tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "What about this woman? Why is she sleeping in my room?" nakasimangot niyang sabi nang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa akin.

Ms. Thomnus chuckled. "You seemed close like siblings before going to the mission. I thought you won't mind."

"That siblings-like closeness ended in Terra," nakangising tugon ni Cohen at humarap kay Ms. Thomnus. "May I ask what day it is today?"

"It's Thursday," mabilis na sabi ni Ms. Thomnus. "If you're thinking of attending classes today, I advise you not to. Take your rest until Saturday, alright?"

"But—" pagtutol ng masipag mag-aral na si Cohen, ngunit kaagad kong pinutol ang sasabihin niya.

"Very much alright," nakangiting tugon ko at ibinagsak ko ang katawan sa kama ni Cohen.

"I'll leave you two, then," nakangiting sabi ni Ms. Thomnus at nilingon ang dalawang kasama. "Let's go?"

Gusto man manatili pa kahit saglit nina Pizselior at Forest ay napilitan silang sumama paalis. Kita ko sa mga mata nilang dalawa na mayroon silang gustong sabihin, ngunit isinawalang-bahala ko na muna iyon.

I heard Cohen scoffed. "Ha, you really are shameless." Inirapan ko na lamang siya sa tinuran niya. Wala rin namang magandang dulot sa akin kung makikipagtalo pa ako sa kanya. Maya-maya pa ay tila may naalala si Cohen ngunit minabuti niyang huwag magsalita.

"May problema?" tanong ko sa kanya. Nag-alangan pa siya bago muling nagsalita. Umupo ako muli at hinarap siya. "You can tell me."

"Froye," bulong niya. "Binigay ko ang susi ng bahay ko sa Capital, hindi ba?"

Napataas ang mga kilay ko. "Oh, I remember! What about him?"

Bahagya siyang umiling, pero maya-maya ay tumingin siya sa akin. "Wanna check him out?"