CHAPTER 3 - " THE HIDDEN BATTLE "
1288 Words
Night had fallen over the city, and the streets of Tondo were alive with neon and noise.
Pero sa loob ng isang lumang warehouse sa gilid ng pier, iba ang tunog — hindi trap music o karaoke.
Ito’y tunog ng laman na sumasalpok sa laman.
“Next up — El Panadero versus The Bulldog!”
Sigawan. Tunog ng bakal. Amoy ng pawis, dugo, at beer.
Sa gitna ng ring, nakasuot ng lumang gray hoodie si Miguel dela Cruz, head baker by day, underground fighter by night.
Hinila niya ang tali ng gloves. Sa gilid ng ring, hawak ni Tomas, ang kanyang coach, ang lumang towel.
“Steady lang, Miguel,” sabi ni Tomas. “Huwag mong kalimutan — para ‘to kay Lily.”
Miguel nodded. “Oo. Lagi.”
Every punch I throw keeps her alive.
---
Flashback — Three Hours Earlier
The bakery was closing.
Amber had stayed late again, pretending to “check the finances,” pero ang totoo, gusto lang niyang marinig ang tahimik na tunog ng oven at ng mixing bowls ni Miguel.
“Miguel,” tawag niya habang inaayos ang mga invoice. “Late ka na aalis ah.”
“May pupuntahan lang po,” sagot niya, iwas sa tingin.
“Personal?”
He smiled faintly. “Something like that.”
She studied him — yung mga kamay niyang may bakas ng gasgas at sugat. “You should wear gloves next time you deliver. Nakakatakot tignan.”
“Gloves, ma’am? Suot ko nga palagi,” sagot niya, pero may halong biro. “Ibang klase nga lang.”
Amber raised an eyebrow, not knowing how literal he meant it.
---
Present — The Fight
“Round one!” sigaw ng announcer.
Bulldog lunged first, wild swing. Miguel ducked, pivoted, then countered with a right hook.
Tama sa panga. Tunog ng buto.
Sigawan ang crowd.
“El Panadero! El Panadero!”
Sa bawat suntok, pumipintig sa isip ni Miguel ang imahe ng kapatid niyang si Lily — naka-oxygen, payat, pero laging nakangiti sa kanya sa ospital.
“Kuya, huwag kang mapagod ha,” sabi nito sa memorya. “Lalaban din ako.”
Mas lumakas ang suntok niya.
Mas humigpit ang panga.
By the end of round three, si Bulldog ay duguan na, habang si Miguel ay may hiwa sa kilay at namamagang kamao.
Pero siya ang tumindig.
Siya ang panalo.
Tomas threw a towel at him. “Panalo ka na naman. Pero kung ipagpapatuloy mo ‘to, kailangan mong mag-ingat. May mga tao nang naghahanap sa’yo.”
“Mga promoter?”
“Mga Montenegro. Kung malaman nila na ikaw ang head baker ng anak ng boss mo — tapos lumalaban ka sa illegal circuit…”
Miguel wiped the blood off his cheek. “Wala silang malalaman.”
Pero sa loob niya, may kutob na siya.
May isang taong masyadong matalino para hindi mapansin ang mga sugat niya — Amber Montenegro.
---
The Next Morning
Amber noticed it instantly.
Pagpasok ni Miguel sa bakery, suot niya ang long sleeves kahit mainit.
“Morning,” sabi niya, trying to sound casual.
“Morning din po,” sagot nito, pa-ubo.
Pero nung iniabot niya ang tray ng pandesal, nakita niya — may dugo sa gilid ng daliri, sariwa pa.
“Miguel,” tawag niya, malamig pero may halong concern. “Ano ‘to?”
“Ah, maliit na hiwa lang po, sa dough cutter.”
She crossed her arms. “Don’t lie.”
Tahimik.
Nagtagpo ang mga mata nila.
Amber stepped closer, lowering her voice. “I may not know what kind of trouble you’re in, but if you show up here hurt again, I’ll have to report it.”
Miguel chuckled softly. “Then report it, ma’am. Pero kung pwede lang… huwag muna ngayon.”
“Why not?”
He met her gaze, steady but sad. “Kasi minsan, ang laban ng isang tao, hindi mo kailangan pigilan. Kailangan mo lang unawain.”
She froze.
Hindi siya nasanay na sinasabihan ng gano’n.
“Unawain?” she echoed. “And what exactly should I understand, Miguel?”
“That sometimes, people fight not for glory…” huminga siya nang malalim. “…but for someone they love.”
Her lips parted — no words came out.
And before she could react, tumalikod si Miguel, naglakad papuntang kitchen, parang walang nangyari.
---
Amber’s Point of View
That night, hindi siya mapakali.
Nasa mansion na siya, pero ang isip niya ay nasa bakery pa rin — sa sugat ni Miguel, sa mga salitang iniwan nito.
For someone they love.
She closed her laptop, tumingin sa salamin.
For the first time, she wondered — Have I ever fought for anyone?
Hindi pera, hindi negosyo — but someone.
And that question haunted her more than she wanted to admit.
---
Miguel’s Point of View
Sa loob ng maliit nilang apartment, nakaupo siya sa tabi ng kama ni Lily.
“Nanalo ka na naman?” tanong nito, mahina ang boses pero may ngiti.
“Nanalo,” sagot niya. “May pambayad na ulit tayo sa dialysis mo.”
“Hindi mo kailangang gawin ‘to, kuya.”
“Wala akong choice.”
Lily held his hand. “Baka naman meron.”
Pero hindi na siya sumagot.
Kinuha niya ang maliit na pandesal sa supot at iniabot sa kapatid. “Yan, gawa ko. Pinakamasarap ngayon.”
Lily smiled faintly. “Basta promise mo sa’kin, pag nahanap mo na ‘yung babaeng magpapahinga ka, titigil ka na sa laban.”
Miguel laughed softly. “Babae? Sa klase ng buhay ko? Hindi ata ako pang fairy tale, Lil.”
“Eh baka ‘yung fairy tale na ‘yon, nagbebenta rin ng tinapay.”
---
Two Days Later — Bakery Scene
The day was unusually busy.
Amber was giving instructions sa mga staff nang biglang tumunog ang phone niya.
“Amber Montenegro speaking.”
“Miss Amber, this is from St. Luke’s Hospital. You’re listed as emergency contact for a certain Lily dela Cruz?”
Amber blinked. “Lily… dela Cruz?”
“Yes, ma’am. She’s been brought in by her brother. He requested privacy, pero sinabi niyang kilala n’yo raw siya.”
Her pulse quickened. “I’ll be there.”
---
Hospital Scene
When Amber arrived, Miguel was outside the emergency room, duguan ang kamao, pawis na pawis, nakaupo sa sahig na parang gumuho ang mundo.
“Miguel…”
He looked up, shocked. “Ma’am Amber? Bakit—”
“I’m your sister’s emergency contact. Why?”
He lowered his head. “I didn’t want you to find out like this.”
“What happened?”
“Naubusan kami ng pambayad. Sinubukan kong tumanggap ng extra fight kagabi. Natalo ako… pero at least nakarating siya rito.”
Amber’s heart clenched. “You risked your life for this?”
He met her gaze, eyes raw. “You don’t understand, ma’am. She’s all I have.”
She wanted to argue — to scold him, to tell him it’s reckless — pero nawala lahat ng salita sa labi niya.
Ang tanging nagawa niya ay umupo sa tabi niya, tahimik.
After a moment, she whispered, “Then from now on… you won’t have to fight alone.”
Miguel turned to her slowly, unsure if he heard right.
Amber’s hand trembled slightly, but she didn’t look away.
“Let me help,” she said. “Please.”
---
Sa loob ng ER, naririnig nila ang tunog ng makina. Sa labas, umuulan na.
Two souls from different worlds, nakaupo sa parehong bench — one covered in blood, the other in guilt.
For the first time, both felt something real.
Raw. Dangerous. Irresistible.
And as the rain fell harder, Miguel whispered, barely audible,
“Ma’am Amber…”
She turned.
“Salamat.”
- Writer
