Princess' Eleven Brothers

5: They Already Know

| They Already Know |

PJ'S POV

Kung kanina nag-iiyakan kami ngayon naman ay tumatawa. Pero sila lang 'yon dahil hiya ang nararamdaman ko. Bakit? Pinapakita lang naman kasi nila Mama at Papa ang mga pictures ko dati noong bata kina M-mommy at D-daddy.

Hoo! Hindi pa rin ako sanay na tawagin sila ng gano'n.

But I know someday I will used to it. Kaya nga kahit hiyang-hiya na ako dito hinahayaan ko na lang sila dahil alam ko naman na gustong-gusto nilang masubaybayan ang paglaki ko na hindi nila nagawa.

Naisip ko lang.

If I didn't get lost what was my life right now?

Siguro close na close kami. Hindi kami awkward sa isa't isa pero... Hindi ko naman makikilala sina Mama, Papa at Kuya. Saka si Sheena din. Hindi ako magkakaroon ng best friend na katulad niya.

Kaya ayos na rin siguro 'to. At least, nakilala ko silang lahat. Nadagdagan din ang mga taong mahal ko at mahal ako. I will never change this life I have if I can. Ito at ito pa rin ang pipiliin ko. Sila Mama at Papa pa rin ang gusto kong magpalaki sa akin even though I know it's unfair with my real parents.

.

Lumipas ang oras na gano'n pa rin ang ginagawa namin. Nakisali na lang ako sa kanila tapos ine-explain ko sa kanila kung anong nangyari doon sa picture na 'yon. Ngunit naputol iyon nang may mag-ring na cellphone.

Napahinto kaming lahat hanggang sa may kinuha si Daddy sa bulsa niya. It's an expensive phone then he tap it and put in his ear before he speak. "Yes? What's happening? How they—? Okay, okay. We're coming home." Then the call ended.

Nagtataka kaming lahat kung sino 'yon pero hindi namin matanong.

Nahihiya pa ako.

"Hon, who's that?" Si Mommy.

He look at her and whisper on her ear that makes her eyes widden. "What? Oh my gosh... We need to go." she said then turn to me. "Sweetheart, sorry if our bonding got cut but we really need to go, okay? But don't worry, we'll still see each other." She smiled.

Kinabahan naman ako doon. "M-meaning? K-kukunin niyo na po ba... Ako?"

Nagkatinginan silang dalawa pati kaming tatlo nila Mama at Papa bago ko binalik muli sa kanila ang paningin. "Uhm. N-not yet, baby. If you're not yet ready, i-it's fine. W-we can still wait." Lumungkot ang kanyang boses na siyang ikina-guilty ko.

Lumalabas kasi na parang ayokong sumama sa kanila kahit na totoo naman. Pero hindi porket ayaw ko hindi ko na sila gustong makasama. Siguro masyado pang maaga bago ako bumalik ng tuluyan sa kanila.

"Huwag kayong mag-alala, pwede kayong bumalik dito anytime." pag-singit na lang ni Mama na ipinagpasalamat ko.

Sumali na din si Papa. "Oo nga. Welcome na welcome kayo dito tutal kayo ang mga magulang nito ni PJ."

Nakahinga ako ng maluwag sa pinagsasabi nila. Mabuti na lang may mga magulang akong katulad nila.

"Thank you. But we really need to go." Si Daddy na nagsalita. "We'll comeback tomorrow or the other day. Princess," Napatingin ako sa kanya nang tawagin niya ako. Tumingin muna ako kina Mama para humingi ng permiso nila. Nang tumango sila pareho doon lang ako tumayo at pumunta sa kanilang harapan.

They hug me that made me shocked. Hindi ko agad sila nayakap dahil sa pagkabigla.

"We will comeback, alright? We just need to deal with someone." They said and both kiss me in the forehead then we walked outside and watched them leave.

As their car gone Mama and Papa go back inside our house, leaving me here.

I smile.

See you, Mommy and Daddy. I'll wait for you both.

~~ •• ~~

THIRD PERSON'S POV

As soon as Jasfher and Yasmin arrived at their home—more accurately, a mansion, because it was far too large to be called just a house—they hurried inside. Upon entering, they saw eleven young men gathered in the living room, deep in discussion.

"Kuya, do you think Mom and Dad will come home with Ate?" asked by the second youngest, who was sitting at the side of the couch.

The second eldest, sitting alone on a chair, answered. "I hope they do. I want to see our sister already, too."

The third youngest, seated in the middle of the couch, joined in. "Me three! I want to see Ate as well! I hope she'll like us!"

"Yes, Kuya. I hope she's just as excited to see us as we are to see her." added the youngest, who was sitting between his twin brothers.

They were triplets.

The third oldest, sitting on the couch, commented. "Don't worry. If she doesn't like us at first, we'll make sure she will does."

"We'll teach her some games!" exclaimed the fifth and sixth brothers, who were sitting besides their third brother.

They were twins.

"I'll defend her no matter what." said the fourth brother quietly as he stood nearby.

"I'll protect her so we'll never lose her again." the eldest brother thought silently as he leaned against the wall.

"Me, too." said the seventh brother simply, without looking up from his phone.

The eight brother—PJ's twin—crossed his arms. "Well, I won't let all of you keep her to yourselves. My twin is mine alone." he said grumpily, ignoring the glares his brothers shot at him.

While their sons were talking, their parents stood there watching them. Jasfher listened silently, his expression serious, while Yasmin looked on in awe at the sight of her sons.

When the conversation died down, the two of them slowly stepped closer.

The eldest son was the first to notice them.

He straightened up and walked over to his mother, ignoring his father. "Mom." he greeted, kissing her on the cheek before returning to where he had been standing.

Soon after, the rest of his brothers approached as well.

"Mommy!" the triplets shouted as they ran to her, hugging her tightly and kissing her cheeks.

Yasmin smiled as she kissed them back. "Hello, my babies. How are you three? Did you give your older brothers any trouble?" she asked playfully. Then she turned to the first triplets. "Did your twins give you and your brothers a headache?"

He glanced at his twins before shaking his head. "No, Mom."

"Mom, were you with our sister?" asked her fifth son—one of the twins.

Yasmin looked at him, then at her husband. Longing was clearly visible in their eyes as they turned back to their sons.

Jasfher was the one who answered. "Not yet—but soon. We’re just giving her time to adjust to us. Don’t worry, your sister will come home in time and all of you will finally meet her."

All of the boys lit up with excitement at his words.

At last, they had found their sister.