Ten Years Unsaid

Chapter Two

The night felt lighter downstairs.

Music blasted from a cheap speaker—medyo basag na yung tunog, pero sapat para takpan ang ingay ng siyudad. Halo-halong tawa, kwentuhan, sigawan, at walang katapusang asaran filled the air. Someone was arguing over a card game, another group was dancing kahit wala sa rhythm, habang yung iba, nakaupo lang sa gilid, nakangiti, content sa simpleng presence ng isa’t isa.

It was messy.

It was loud.

It was alive.

Everything Johan’s world was not.

“Sa wakas! Bumaba ka rin!”

Kael’s voice cut through everything, bright and familiar. Before Johan could even react, hinila na siya nito palapit, parang wala siyang choice kundi sumama sa mundo nito.

“Kala ko aakyat na lang ako para sunduin ka, eh,” Kael added, grinning widely.

Johan raised a brow, hands casually in his pockets. “You wouldn’t.”

Kael leaned closer, playful. “Try me. Kaya kitang kaladkarin.”

From behind them, North let out a quiet snort. “Gusto ko ‘yan, actually. Para maiba naman.”

“Manahimik ka,” Kael shot back, rolling his eyes, but there was no real irritation—just familiarity.

Then he looked at Johan again.

This time, softer.

“You good?”

Johan nodded once. “Yeah."

Simple.

Controlled.

Safe.

But even he knew—

that answer stopped meaning anything a long time ago.

“Uy, inom!” someone shouted, suddenly appearing with a bottle raised in the air.

Kael didn’t hesitate. “Game!”

He grabbed it, took a quick swig, then laughed when someone cheered.

Johan didn’t move.

Instead, he leaned slightly against the wall, arms crossed now, eyes fixed on one person.

Watching.

Observing.

Memorizing.

Kael’s laugh—too loud, too real.

The way his eyes disappeared when he smiled.

The way he threw his head back without thinking, like he trusted the world not to break him.

Johan swallowed.

There it was again.

That quiet ache.

“Hindi ka pa rin umiinom?”

Kael was suddenly in front of him again, holding out the bottle with a teasing grin.

“Grabe ka talaga. Ang boring mo minsan, pre.”

Johan shook his head lightly. “I have work.”

Kael frowned. “Work? It’s midnight.”

Johan didn’t answer.

Because how do you explain a world that runs on blood… to someone who dreams of peace?

Kael tilted his head, studying him more carefully now.

“You’re always like that,” he said slowly. “Parang may ibang mundo kang iniisip.”

Johan met his gaze.

For a moment—

too long.

“…Maybe I do,” he said quietly.

Kael blinked.

Then laughed it off, like it meant nothing.

“Basta ha,” he said, nudging him lightly. “Huwag mong kalimutan bumalik dito. Kami ‘to.”

Kami.

The word lingered.

Johan almost spoke.

Almost.

His lips parted slightly, chest tightening as something unfamiliar rose up his throat.

Ten years.

Ten years of silence.

And still—

he couldn’t say it.

Because the moment he did

everything would change.

And Johan had learned early in life

change never came without destruction.

Then his phone vibrated.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

The signal.

His entire demeanor shifted—subtle, controlled, but undeniable.

His gaze hardened. His posture straightened.

North noticed immediately.

“Excuse me,” Johan said.

Kael frowned slightly. “Ngayon pa?”

“I won’t be long.”

“Promise?”

Johan looked at him ,really looked

as if trying to memorize something.

“…Yeah.”

But they both knew he was lying.

————

Tahimik sa kabilang kanto.

The laughter faded with every step Johan took away from the group. The music became distant, replaced by something colder… emptier.

A black car waited under a flickering streetlight.

The moment he approached, the door opened.

“Sir.”

Johan got in without hesitation.

Inside, the air felt heavier.

Colder.

Real.

“Movement confirmed,” the man in front said immediately. “The Rivas group crossed into our territory. Three warehouses compromised."

Johan leaned back slightly, eyes darkening.

“Casualties?”

“Two of ours. Five on their side.”

Silence filled the car.

Not grief.

Not anger.

Just calculation.

Then—

“Prepare the men,” Johan said, voice steady, almost detached. “We move before sunrise.”

“Yes, sir.”

No hesitation.

No fear.

No second thoughts.

This was his world.

A world where loyalty was bought with blood.

Where mistakes were buried with bodies.

Where survival meant becoming something less… human.

The car engine started.

And just like that—

Johan left the only place that ever felt close to normal.

Meanwhile—

Back on the street—

Kael stared at the empty space beside him.

“…Ang bilis naman nun,” he muttered, scratching the back of his neck.

North stepped beside him, hands casually in his pockets.

“He’s like that,” North said.

“Yeah…” Kael forced a small smile.“Busy guy.”

But his eyes didn’t move.

Still fixed.

Still waiting.

“…Pero minsan,” Kael added quietly, “parang ang layo niya kahit nandito lang.”

North glanced at him, unreadable.

“You ever tried asking him why?”

Kael shook his head.

“Hindi na kailangan.”

“Why not?”

Kael looked down, fingers tightening slightly around the bottle he was holding.

Then he smiled.

Small.

Faint.

Almost sad.

“Because whatever it is…” he said softly, “…feeling ko hindi ako kasama dun.”

North didn’t reply.

Because for the first time Kael wasn’t wrong.

The city continued to breathe lights flickered ,

Voices rose and fell life moved forward like nothing had changed.

But somewhere between laughter and silence—

between light and shadow two worlds were already pulling apart , One filled with warmth the other with blood and standing in between them was Johan.

A man who had everything power, control, fear

and yet was willing to walk deeper into darkness

just to protect the one person he could never have.