Chapter Five
1157 Words
Hindi na siya nakatulog.
Paikot-ikot lang si Kael sa kama buong gabi, kumot magulo, unan kung saan-saan napunta. Ilang beses siyang pumikit, ilang beses niyang pinilit na matulog, pero bawat segundo na lumilipas, mas lalo lang siyang nagigising.
Parang may mali.
Hindi niya alam kung ano.
Pero sigurado siya meron.
He grabbed his phone again.
3:17 AM.
Still nothing.
Kael stared at the screen, thumb hovering over Johan’s name.
“Ang tanga mo,” he whispered to himself. “Matulog ka na.”
But instead he opened the chat.
Last message: weeks ago.
Typical Johan.
Short replies. Late replies. Minsan seen lang.
Sanay na siya doon.
So bakit ngayon—
parang hindi sapat?
He locked the phone and threw it lightly beside him, exhaling sharply.
“…Bwisit.”
He sat up, elbows on his knees, hands covering his face.
“Busy lang ‘yun,” he muttered again.
Pero kahit ilang beses niyang sabihin—
hindi siya kumbinsido.
—
By morning, pagod na pagod siya.
Hindi sa katawan.
Sa isip.
Kael didn’t bother fixing his bed. He grabbed his jacket, phone, keys—then stopped.
He looked back at his phone.
Still nothing.
That was it.
“Ang tigas ng ulo mo,” he said under his breath.
Then grabbed it.
“Fine. Ako na pupunta.”
—
Hindi niya alam kung saan magsisimula that was the problem with Johan he was always there pero at the same time,hindi mo siya talaga maaabot may mga parte ng buhay niya na bukas.
Late-night talks. Random hangouts. Small moments.
But most of it?Locked ,Hidden ,Untouchable ,Still Kael knew one place.
“Vale Tower?”
The guard’s voice was skeptical, scanning him from head to toe.
Kael nodded. “Yeah. I’m here to see Johan.”
The guard frowned slightly. “Do you have an appointment?”
Kael blinked.
“…Appointment?”
He let out a small, disbelieving laugh.
“Pre, kaibigan niya ako.” The guard didn’t react.
Instead, he spoke into his radio.
Kael shifted his weight, irritation slowly building.
“Ang arte naman,” he muttered.
A few seconds passed then the gate slowly opened.
“Proceed.” Kael didn’t hesitate.
—
The moment he stepped inside something felt off ,Too clean ,Too quiet and Too controlled.The air itself felt different.
Hindi ito yung mundong kilala niya his footsteps echoed faintly against the polished floor as he walked further in, eyes scanning everything.
People moved with purpose.
No laughter.
No noise.
No life.
“…Ano ba ‘to,” he murmured.
A woman approached him, professional, composed.
“Mr. Mirel?”
Kael nodded. “Yeah. Where’s Johan?”
She hesitated just for a second.
But Kael noticed.
His chest tightened slightly.
“…Is he here?” he asked, slower now.
“Yes,” she answered carefully. “But—”
“Good,” Kael cut her off. “I’ll go to him.”
“Sir, wait—” Too late Kael was already walking.
—
The hallway felt longer than it should.
Each step heavier.
Each second louder.
Hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit.
Parang may pumipigil sa kanya.
Parang may ayaw siyang makita.
Then he saw them.
Men in black suits.
Serious.
Still.
Standing outside a single door.
Kael stopped. “…Ano ‘to?”
One of them stepped forward. “Sir, you shouldn’t be here.”
Kael frowned. “Excuse me?”
“This area is restricted.”
“Restricted?” Kael let out a dry laugh. “Nandito si Johan, ‘di ba? Tatawagin ko lang siya.”
“Sir—”
“Johan!” Kael called out, knocking on the door. “Hoy! Lumabas ka nga—”
No response.
His chest tightened.
“…Johan?”
The men exchanged glances that was enough.
Something dropped in his stomach.
“…Buksan niyo ‘to,” he said.
“Sir, we can’t—”
“Buksan niyo.”
His voice changed.
No jokes.
No smiles.
Just something sharp.
Something real.
Silence.
Then—
Slowly—
The door opened.
—
The world stopped johan lay on the bed still
pale bandaged.
Machines quietly beeping beside him.
For a moment Kael forgot how to breathe.
“…Ano ‘to?”
No one answered.
He stepped forward.
Slow.
Careful.
Like the scene might shatter if he moved too fast.
“…Anong nangyari sa kanya?” he whispered.
“Operation,” one of the men said. “There was an attack.”
Kael shook his head.
“No… hindi—”
His voice cracked.
“He was fine,” Kael insisted. “Kagabi kasama ko siya tumatawa pa ‘yan .
“Sir—”
But Kael wasn’t listening he reached out hand trembling .Then gently held Johan’s hand.
“…Hoy,” Kael said softly.
Nothing.
“Johan.”
Silence.
His grip tightened slightly.
“Pre… tama na ‘to.”
Still nothing.
“Joke mo ba ‘to?”
The machines continued.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
Kael swallowed hard.
“…Hindi funny.”
Nothing.
His vision blurred slightly.
He blinked it away.
“Gumising ka.”
A whisper.
Soft.
Fragile.
“Johan… gumising ka.”Because suddenly—
everything felt wrong.
Too quiet.
Too still.
Too final.
—
Minutes passed.
Or maybe hours.
Kael didn’t know.
He stayed there.
Hand still holding Johan’s.
Eyes fixed on him.
Waiting.
Hoping.
Begging.
For something.
Anything.
“…Ang tanga mo,” he whispered, voice breaking.
“Hindi ka man lang nagpaalam.”
His thumb moved slightly against Johan’s hand.
As if trying to wake him up.
As if touch alone could bring him back.
—
Outside the room—
North arrived.
He stopped at the doorway, watching.
Kael didn’t notice.
Didn’t move.
Didn’t speak.
North exhaled quietly.
“…Too late,” he murmured.
—
Inside—
Kael lowered his head slightly.
Still holding on.
“…Hindi ka pwedeng mawala ng ganito lang,” he said.
More to himself than anyone else.
“Hindi pwede.”
Because for the first time he understood something he wasn’t ready to accept.
This wasn’t just worry.
This wasn’t just friendship.
This was something deeper.
Something heavier.
Something that made his chest ache in a way he couldn’t explain.
He clenched his jaw.
“…Bwisit ka talaga.”
A broken laugh escaped him.
“Lagi kang ganito.” But his voice softened again.
“…pero hindi ka pwedeng ganito.”
Silence answered him.
And for the first time Kael realized
this wasn’t distance.This wasn’t Johan being busy.
This wasn’t something he could ignore.This was real.
This was dangerous.This was something that could take Johan away completely.And standing there
holding a hand that didn’t hold back Kael felt it.
Clear.
Sharp.
Unavoidable.
Fear.
—
“…Johan,” he whispered again.
This time not confused ,Not casual ,But careful.
Like the name meant more than it used to.
“…gumising ka.”
Because if Johan didn’t , Kael didn’t know what he would do. And that terrified him the most.
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