Sarang

Chapter 12

disclaimer: long chapter

After the incident, they decided to close the Restaurant for today. I am sitting now beside Asher and facing the two cops. I just crossed my arms while waiting for them. One was busy writing while the other was busy looking at every corner of the restaurant.

I sighed and couldn't stop myself from talking. "Aren't we starting yet?" I asked impatiently. We've been sitting here for almost half an hour but still, nothing was happening. We're just wasting time.

"Wala kaming makuhang impormasyon tungkol doon sa dalawang lalaki." The man who was writing earlier said. I raised an eyebrow at what I heard. "Bukod sa marami ng nagrereport sa kanila dahil sa trabaho nilang magnakaw at kung anu-ano pang records ay wala kaming makuhang papeles na nagpapatunay na taga-rito sila at kung ano ang mga pangalan nila."

"So?" I asked him again. What does he mean?

"Ang tanging nakita lang namin sa kanila ay ito..." he took something from his plastic pocket and laid it in front of us, "...perlas at bulaklak."

My brows furrowed because of that. I immediately took it and looked at it carefully. A pearl and a flower? Is it just a coincidence or does it mean something?

"Gusto lang din naming malaman kung saan nakuha ng dalawang suspect ang mga sugat na natamo nila..."

Asher cleared his throat before looking at me nervously. I kept my face serious as I struggled to comprehend what was happening. Is it connected to what happened last night? Does it have anything to do with his business?

"Sinubukan naming i-check kanina ang CCTV pero hindi nakita kung paano nasugatan 'yong isa at kung paanong natamaan ng upuan sa ulo 'yong isa," he added.

"Hindi rin po namin nakita. Sobrang bilis po kasi ng pangyayari. Basta nagulat nalang po kami no'ng biglang sumigaw 'yong isang lalaki na dumudugo na ang kamay niya. 'Yong isa naman naglabas din ng patalim pero agad din siyang bumagsak no'ng bigla nalang may lumipad na upuan at tumama sa ulo niya," Vince told them.

Mashi and Hannah are unable to talk, same with the Chef because they were all inside when the incident happens. The two policemen also left immediately after getting answers from us. I just stared in the air while trying to think about what had happened. Should I ask her about this? No, I'm sure she won't give me an answer either.

I stopped thinking when I felt someone hold my hand. Asher is now looking at me while slightly squeezing my hand. When our eyes met, he smiled at me widely.

"Sus, si Bossing pasimple humokage moves!" I heard Vince saying something but I just ignored him.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Thank you," he said slowly. "Do you want to go shopping now?" he asked me. I couldn't speak immediately.

"Are you aware that all of this is because..." I gulped and look away. "...of the deal?

I put your life in danger. Are you still willing to continue our deal?"

He stopped squeezing my hand because of what I said. "Ilang beses mo ng tinanong sa akin 'yan pero... bakit pakiramdam ko gusto mo 'kong manatili sa tuwing tinatanong mo 'yan sa akin?" I look at him again when he said that. Is that really how I make him feel?

"Kaya katulad ng sabi ko, hindi Sia, hindi ako aatras sa deal natin."

I remained silent because of what he said. I don't know what to do, whether to let him decide or whether I will make the decision to break our deal. In the end, I just sighed.

"Magshoshopping ka, hindi ba? Sasamahan na kita. Saglit lang," he told me before leaving. I waited for him for a few minutes. When he came back, he was already carrying a bouquet of flowers.

"Hoy, Vince!" he shouted. Vince immediately came out and walked towards him. "Oh."

"Hala, Boss! Hindi naman na po kailangan!" Vince was shocked but still accepted it. "Pero dahil mahilig po sa bulaklak ang girlfriend ko, hindi ko na po tatanggihan. Thank you, Bossing. The best ka talaga!"

"Siguraduhin mo lang na hindi mo paiiyakin kung sino man 'yan. Tatanggalan kita ng trabaho dito, Vince," Asher jokingly warned him. Vince nodded at him and saluted. So, he really did gave him a flower for his girlfriend, huh.

"Supportive Boss," I told him but he just laughs.

"Alis na kami. Umuwi na kayo kaaagd pagkatapos niyo diyan," Asher told him.

"Thank you ulit, Boss!"

"Kami na pong bahala, Sir. Ingat po!"

"Good luck sa date, boss!"

Asher just nodded at them before pulling me out. "Saan tayo pupunta? Anong gusto mong gawin? Ano bang bibilhin mo?" he asked continuously. We decided to go to SM since it was the closest mall.

"What do you think?" I asked him while showing him the dresses that I picked. "Should I try it now?" I asked him. He nodded so I immediately entered the fitting room. I first tried the Beige Tie Back Lace Dress.

"What can you say?" I asked him while showing him the first dress that I got.

"Maganda. Mas lalo kang pumuti," he commented which made me smile. I went back inside the fitting room and tried the Classic White Overlap Skirt before going outside to show him. "Okay lang din, parang katulad lang no'ng kanina."

I tried the Black Printed V-neck Dress. "Hindi maganda, huwag v-neck!" he immediately said when I came out. I rolled my eyes on him and went back inside the fitting room and tried the White Bow Collar Blouse partnered with White Pleated Coat.

"Ayan! Ganiyan! Gandang tingnan!" he said cheerfully. I also tried the Black Velvet Lace Dress which he liked as well. "Ano 'yan? Pangit! Sabi ko huwag 'yong v-neck!" he said immediately when I tried the Green V-neck top partnered with a White Skirt. I tried a lot until I got satisfied. I took the ones that Asher liked and just left the ones that he didn't.

"Masusuot mo ba lahat ng ito? Syempre dapat lang, ang mamahal kaya!" he said as he followed me, carrying the paperbags. "Magbabakasyon ka ba sa ibang bansa? Sigurado hindi mo naman masusuot 'yong iba dito kasi nasa Pilipinas tayo!"

I just shook my head before entering the store where my favorite designer bags are. I just bought an Alexander McQueen shoulder bag and a Balenciaga handbag. I also got a Bvlgari purse before going to the counter.

"Is this all, Ma'am?" The cashier girl asked me. I nodded at him before giving her my black card. "Thank you and come again, Ma'am," she said so I left.

"Pagkatapos ng damit, bag naman? Anong susunod?" Asher asked me. When I looked at him, I saw that he was having a hard time with the paper bags, so I called my driver and asked him to pick them up.

I was busy looking for an accessory when my driver came. Asher was surprised when he took the paper bags from him. "Hindi na po, Kuya. Ayos lang," I heard him say but my driver did not listen to him.

"Grabe, nakakatakot naman makipagtalo sa driver mo," he told me. He is now able to walk with me while looking for a ring because he is no longer has to carry the paper bags. "Anong hinahanap mo?"

"A ring," I answered and tried all the rings that I saw. "I wish I could put more than ten but I only have ten fingers," I said and I heard him laugh. Asher just let me shop. He doesn't complain and every time I pay and look at him, he just waits patiently for me.

"Sa wakas, napagod ka rin," he joked when sat down. It was already dark when I finished so I invited him to eat. We even argued over where to eat so in the end, we just went to Bad Bird. "I'll pay for the food," he told me. I didn't argue with him anymore.

I ordered Fried Chicken Sandwich and Cheese Noodle while he ordered Boneless Chicken Thigh and Grilled Pork belly Sandwich. For the dessert, I ordered BB Chocolate Sundae for both of us.

"Do you love spicy foods?" he suddenly asked me while eating.

"A little. Why?"

"Wala lang. Susubukan kitang lutuan ng maanghang na pagkain sa susunod," he replied. I just nodded at him before continue eating. After I ate, I told him that I was just going to the comfort room. I was just serious while washing my hands. My eyes were sharp as I looked in the mirror.

"Why bother hiding when you know I can already see you?" I laughed softly before my face suddenly became serious. "Show yourself to me while I'm still calm," I said. Two men grinned as they walked towards me holding knives.

Without saying a word, I kicked one in the stomach while I grabbed the other one's hand before making him fall to the floor.

"Good thing you gave us time. Nagkaroon na ng pagkakataon ang mga kasama kong saktan siya."

Because of what he said, I hurriedly go out. My eyes widened when I saw the commotion inside. I immediately searched for Asher who was now trying to dodge every stab at him by the two men. I pulled out the other one and removed my bracelet. In an instant, my bracelet turned into a sword.

I stabbed him without warning and I immediately drop my sword when another man approached me. He pushed me with all his strength until I was leaning against the wall. He smirked before stabbing me.

"Sia!" I heard Asher's loud shout when he saw what happened but my face remained serious as I looked at the man in front of me. I immediately removed my clip and stabbed him in the neck.

"I can't say let's meet again since I can't die. I just hope that your time with start running once someday so I can kill again. Let's meet in heaven." I told him with a blank face.

"Hindi sa langit ang bagsak mo, Sia." Even with difficulty, he still insisted on speaking. I smirked because of that.

"Sure, let's see each other on the opposite side then," I said before he closed his eyes.

I removed the knife that had stabbed me before I walked closer to the sword and it went back to being a bracelet before I put it on again. Right after I put it on I was surprised when someone suddenly hugged me. I couldn't help myself but smile.

"Are you okay? I saw you got stabbed!" he said worriedly so I just smiled. "May masakit ba sa 'yo? Ano?" he asked me before hugging me again. "I thought something happens. Natakot ako ron."

"What are you scared of? I'm right beside you," I told him.

"That's what I am afraid of. To lose you beside me," he seriously told me.

"I'm not afraid of getting stabbed, I suffered far greater wounds than this," I smiled again at him before letting him hug me. "If it was you instead of me, I would've turned them into ashes so they won't be able to be born again," I said softly, enough for him not to hear.

"Ihahatid na kita," he told me so I just nodded. The police came immediately and I was not surprised when I saw the two policemen again from earlier. They didn't ask us any more questions and just let us go home.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked me for the nth time. From the time we left until we got home he kept asking that. "Sorry, I just want to make sure," he added.

"I'm okay, you don't have to worry. How about you? Did they hurt you?"

"No. I was able to avoid them," he answered me so I nodded.

"I'm going now. Let's just see each other tomorrow night."

"Bakit bukas ng gabi pa?" he asked in confused. I just smiled at him.

"I need to do something." he didn't ask again so I go out of the car.

"Aalis na ako," he told me. "Are you sure you're okay? Tawagan mo ako kapag hindi, ha?" I just nodded at him before turning my back and come inside my house. As soon as I entered the house, I immediately grabbed the doorknob as the blood in my chest started to drip. I got stabbed and I tried to stop the flow of blood so that Asher wouldn't have to worry.

"Sia!" I saw how her eyes widened when she saw me. She walked quickly over to me and helped me sit on the sofa. My eyes are closed, I'm getting very weak because I've been enduring it since earlier. "What happened?" There was a trace of concern in her voice which made me laugh a little.

"I'm surprised, you didn't know what happened," I told her but she just shook her head before standing up to get the first aid kit.

"Can you endure the pain? Do you want me to bring you to the hospital?" I immediately shook my head. the nearest hospital in my house is where Kaito is working so I can't go. I don't want asher to know this and I have no intention of letting him know.

"I'm sure you know they can hurt you especially when they're full of anger and resentment. Human or not," she said. "I told you to just stop that deal. You're now trying to put your life in danger because of that deal."

"I'm sure you also know that they can only hurt me but they can't kill me," I told her and laugh bitterly. "I just wish they can kill me with all those anger and resentment they have but they can't."

"They can't kill you but they're making you suffer in pain," she said. She's now putting a bandage on my chest. "Thank God, you didn't lose too much blood. Sia, how long will I see you like this? As long as your deal and your connection with him don't end, the threat to his life won't end either. I'm telling you, you won't like what you find out in the end."

"I don't know. At this rate, I'll end up killing everyone," I said. I leaned my head firmly on the backrest of the sofa. "Aren't you proud of me? I can protect the person who is important to me now."

-----

Third Person's POV

"Aren't you proud of me? I can protect the person who is important to me now."

Pagkatapos niyang sabihin 'yon ay tuluyan na siyang nawalan ng malay. Napailing siya bago tinitigan ang mukha ng talaga. "I am, Sia. I am so proud of you. I am always proud of you," bulong nito sa sarili at napatayo ng makarinig ng katok mula sa pintuan.

Hindi mapakali si Asher nang makauwi siya kaya kahit na sinabihan siya ni Sia na bukas ng gabi nalang sila magkita ay hindi na niya napigilan pa ang sarili niyang kunin ang susi niya at nagmadaling mamaneho pabalik sa bahay ni Sia.

May mali, 'yon ang alam niya. May pakiramdam siyang may mali kay Sia simula noong nasaksak siya. Nang makarating sa bahay ni Sia ay agad itong kumatok. Pareho silang nagulat ng makita ang isa't-isa.

"Uh, si... Sia po?" tanong nito sa nagbukas ng pinto. Nag-aalangan si Rose kung dapat ba niyang sabihin ang totoo o pauwiin nalang muna siya dahil natutulog na ito. Sa huli ay bumuntong-hininga siya.

"She's unconscious. She got stabbed," sabi nito. Agad na nanlaki ang mga mata ni Asher sa narinig at nagmamadaling pumasok sa loob. Naabutan niya si Sia na walang malay na nakahiga sa sofa habang may bakas ng dugo sa damit niya.

"f**k," mahinang bulong nito sa sarili bago lumapit sa kaniya.

"Ayos na siya. Nagamot ko na ang sugat niya. Ayaw niyang magpadala sa hospital dahil nandoon ang kaibigan mo at ayaw niyang malaman mo 'yon. Kaya nakikiusap ako sa 'yo, magkunwari kang walang alam."