The Beast He Became (MRB Book 2)

Chapter 1

Life is really unfair, it is so unfair that it even ruined a wedding.

Naiwan akong tulala sa bulaklak na ngayon ay isang basura na lamang na kasama sa ililigpit ng simbahan. It's supposed to be with the bride, it's supposed to be passed to the next the bride. These flowers symbolize woman's love. But now, it's just a trash to be disposed.

Sa hindi malamang dahilan ay pinulot ko ito. I had a bad feeling about this wedding, I had a bad feeling about it this morning. These flowers caught my attention from the very start, kaninang umaga nang dalawin namin si Kim sa kwarto niya, nakuha na nito kaagad ang atensyon ko. But I can't seem to mind what's with these flowers and why are they so appealing to me.

"You're still here.”

I almost jumped in surprise when I saw Ken behind me. Matagal ko siyang tinitigan bago ako nakapagsalita. "You're here?"

Buong akala namin ay hindi ito dumating, we were looking for him since morning pero hindi siya nagparamdam. I stared at him and saw pain in his eyes, so transparent enough to let me know that he's hurting.

I looked at him in sympathy, hindi ko lubos maisip na sa araw na ito, dalawang taong nasaktan at iniwan ang makikita ko.

Hindi ito sumagot sa tanong ko, his eyes landed at the flowers I'm holding. Sinundan ko ito ng tingin."She's dead," I murmured.

"Bakit nandito ka pa? Bakit hindi ka sumama sa kanila?" I asked him, he should be with them right now, he should be one of those who are crying, I thought.

Umiling ito. "I let her go because I want her to be happy."

"But she's not meant to be happy," I continued. Tinignan ako nito, his eyes are talking to mine, and at that moment, I know someone needs a shoulder.

Hindi na ako nagdalawang-isip na yakapin siya. Naramdaman ko kaagad ang pagkabasa ng balikat ko dala ng mga luha nito.

This day, I saw a man trying to be strong, trying to stop his tears. And I thought I saw a strong person but no, because right now, the one who’s really strong is the person who's crying on my shoulders. How can a girl like her make two hearts rip apart, how can a girl like her make a strong man weak, how can a girl like her make the weak act so strong?

It was around three in the afternoon when I received a message from Samantha that Kim's already at the funeral. Sinabi ko iyon kay Ken pero nanatili itong tahimik sa tabi ko.

"Hindi ka ba pupunta doon?" I asked.

Umiling ito. "Hindi ko kaya, hindi ko pa kaya."

Hindi ako sumagot, I just watched how miserable he looks like. It took an hour before he stopped crying, at nang makita ko ang mukha niya kanina, akala ko ibang tao ang nasa harapan ko.

"How about you? You should go, baka hinahanap ka nila."

Umiling ako. "They don't need me there."

"Thank you, Larry, for staying. I know you and Kim aren't really on good terms, I feel so sad that you can never have the chance to be friends with her. But I know that she forgives you, Kim is very kind, alam kong nakalimutan na niya ang lahat."

I forced a smile. I don't want to stop him from talking just because I don't feel comfortable talking about Kim. Kenneth Yu is my friend, and I want to stay with him because I know he needs me right now.

Ilang oras ang iginugol namin sa loob ng simbahan. My head got full of everything he could say about her, pero nakinig ako, for a friend, I stayed and listened.

Hindi namin namalayan ang oras hanggang sa magdilim na, the church suddenly felt cold and sad and..mourning. I watched everything around us, walang pagbabago, it's still set for a wedding na parang naantala lamang ito at matutuloy din kinabukasan.

I sighed, pinulot ko ang mga bulaklak bago namin nilisan ni Ken ang lugar na iyon. I noted to myself not to get married, I noted to myself that I should not fall inlove.

And this church is a witness that love..can die.

*

"Naaawa ako kay Xian," Cuttie murmured beside me.

Tumango na lamang ako at tahimik na pinagmasdan ang lalaking tinutukoy niya. I sighed, it's been two days after Kim's death, pero nakasuot pa rin ito ng damit niyang pangkasal. He's been sitting beside her coffin and I never saw him leave.

"Kumain na ba siya? I never saw him eat," I asked.

"Armie forced him to eat yesterday, I think kahapon palang talaga siya kumain. Tubig lang ang tinatanggap niya mula pa noong araw ng kasal."

Hindi na ako sumagot at nagpatuloy na lamang sa panonood sa pagluluksa nito.

I've been a living witness of their love for each other, naroon ako noong mga panahong magulo pa ang lahat. I saw how the two of them fought for their love, I saw how they risked everything for that love. And I know how much he loves her that it's amazing for me not to see him crying right now.

Pero hindi ako bulag para hindi makita kung gaano niya pinipilit ang sarili niya na maging matatag. Maybe that's what Kim wants, maybe it's written on that letter.

Kim gave a farewell letter to Armie earlier that day, ito ang huli niyang nakausap at ito rin ang unang nakaalam sa totoong kalagayan niya. Maraming masamang bagay na nagawa si Armie sa kaniya but still it's her that she chose to trust. I don't really know how kind the Kim Scofield is, but according to everyone around me, she's an angel.

Ilang minuto na lamang at ihahatid na namin ito sa kaniyang huling hantungan. Her parents didn't want to extend her wake, ang gusto nila ay makapagpahinga na kaagad ang anak. They tried talking to Xian about this but he never talked again, wala itong kibo sa ilang araw na lumipas.

Napawi ni Ken ang atensyon namin nang magtungo ito sa harapan at lumapit kay Xian. We watched the two of them in silence.

Nakita ko ring naghihintay na lamang ang mga lalaking mangunguna sa paglilibing kung magbibigay na ng utos ang daddy ni Kim. Habang kaming lahat ay tahimik na nakaupo at binibigyan pa ng kaunting panahon si Xian na makausap si Kim sa huling pagkakataon.

Umiiyak ang mga kaibigan namin at maging ang mommy nito. Habang ako ay tahimik lang ding nakikiramay sa lahat ng nangyayari.

I watched the two broken men as they exchange words infront of the love of their life. I must admit how lucky Kim is, she's loved by a lot of people. Noong unang beses na makilala ko siya dahil kay Samantha, inamin ko na sa sarili kong kakaiba siya. She's a jolly girl and full of wits, she's pretty and she looks so fragile.

But despite those good traits, I still don't know why I don't like her. Or maybe because, she's my opposite, maybe because she lives the life everyone wanted me to live. But I was never like her, I never wanted to be like her, I would never want to end up like this.

We heard Tito Tyler talking to Armie behind us, afterwards ay lumapit ito sa dalawang lalaking nasa harap.

"Xian it's already time," Armie murmured beside him.

Subalit umiling lamang ito, he started hugging the coffin like he has no plans of letting go.

"Xian.."

Xian didn't speak. Nakayuko lamang ito. Lumapit ang daddy ni Kim sa kanila.

"Xian tama na," Armie cried. "Tama na please..we have to let her go."

I was fighting back my tears since morning pero nang bumukas ang bibig ni Xian at marinig kong muli ang boses nito ay tuluyan nang bumagsak ang mga luha ko.

"Kim.. Kim.. I love you, I love you so much. Do you hear me? Please don't go, please.."

Naninikip ang dibdib ko habang pinanonood ang nangyayari sa harapan ko, he's begging and yet he doesn't cry. I can't imagine how painful he feels right now. Everyone else around us also started crying at the scene.

"Xian.." Armie tugged his arm and hugged him. "Tama na please," she cried.

Lumapit ang mommy at daddy niya para ilayo siya. I watched him as he hide his face on Armie's neck, and I felt like my heart is breaking for him. Sa ikalawang pagkakataon ay hindi ko nanaman alam kung bakit ako nasasaktan.

Tito Tyler closed the coffin while shedding tears, nakayakap sa kaniya si Tita Claire. Everyone in our circle also went infront to bid goodbye. Hinila rin ako ni Cuttie patungo roon.

Habang unti-unti itong bumaba sa hukay ay unti-unti ring lumilinaw sa akin ang lahat, I am not crying because of her, I'm not crying because we lost her.

Lumingon ako sa likuran at napatunayan ko ang iniisip ko.

I'm crying because I'm hurting. And I'm hurting because he's crying.

**