ADAMAS listened to Logan's surprise for Gon's birthday. He planned on giving her a huge bouquet filled with balloons. And at the bottom of the balloons were books and art materials. He also wanted to paint his room with Gon's favorite colors.

Aalis sila ngayon para bumili ng mga libro at materyales na kakailangan nila. Nauna siyang nagtungo sa pintuan dahil nagbibihis pa si Logan. Pagbukas niya bumungad si Gonietta na bahagyang nakataas ang kamay at mukhang kakatok pa lang.

"Oh. Aalis ka ba, Adamas?"

"Yes, my reddy readsy." Ngumisi siya. "Not just me but Logan too."

"Saan?"

"It's a secret." He chuckled. "It's a surprise for your birthday."

Napasimangot naman ito. "Paano pa magiging surprise 'yan, e, sinabi mo na sa akin?"

"You only know the idea, but you don't know what's coming." Nilampasan na niya ito. Naglakad na siya papunta sa hagdanan.

Habang pababa, tinawag niya ang system. "Hey, system. May I know who the characters transported in this dimension?"

[Response System: You may.]

[Initializing request. The list may take a moment before it will show up. Please wait patiently.]

Tumango lang siya. Tinuloy niya ang pagbaba sa hagdan at tumigil lang nang may listahan nang lumabas sa hologram. He let out a small gasp when he saw the numbers transported in the real dimension. It was quite a lot. Hindi lang mga villain kundi pati na ang ibang karakter sa ibang role.

He scrolled the list of names, hoping to find his nemesis.

And he didn't fail.

Malawak siyang napangiti nang makita ang pangalan ni Hamitherion. Nandito rin ang main character ng Odds of Tribes. He could bring him to Logan.

Kahit gaano pa kataas ang galit ni Hamitherion sa kaniya, hindi ito makakatanggi sa hiling niya kapag patungkol na sa mga mambabasa. Kagaya niya rin ang lalaki na lubos kung magpahalaga sa mga mambabasa kaya siguradong titiisin nitong makita siya para lang sa mambabasa.

But the problem was the House Spot. It might activate when they see each other.

"System, will the House Spot still activate even if we are in the real dimension?"

[Response System: House Spot is linked to the design of Fictosa. It can't function independently. Without the Fictosa's sky structure, House Spot will not activate.]

"Yes!" He clenched his fist in celebration. Now he just needed to find him with his threads. He wouldn't need to worry about the story replaying again and cost an amount of his time.

Nakarating na siya sa labas ng building. Ilang saglit pa ay dumating na rin si Logan. Sabay nilang hinintay si Anais na dumating. Wala si Anais sa plano nila subalit bigla itong pumunta sa apartment ni Logan kahapon. Nag-uusap sila tungkol sa gagawing surpresa kay Gon at nalaman ito ng babae. Wala silang ibang nagawa kundi um-oo nang magboluntaryo itong tumulong.

Ilang sandali pa, dumating na si Anais.

"Hi! Sorry, naghintay ba kayo?" saad ni Anais pagkatapos ibaba ang windshield ng kotse.

"Okay lang po. Kakalabas lang naman namin," sagot ni Logan. Pumasok na ito sa kotse.

Umupo rin siya sa backseat katabi ng lalaki. Nanatili lang siyang tahimik hanggang sa makarating sila sa bookstore. Inuna muna nilang bumili ng libro.

"What genres should we get?"

"Romance, Mystery, but prioritize Fantasy. Iyan ang pinakagusto niya sa lahat," saad ni Logan habang naglalakad na papasok.

"Okay, sige. You get the Fantasy books since ikaw ang may pinakamaalam sa gusto ni Gonietta and me and Adamas will find the other genres," suhestiyon ni Anais.

Tumango naman silang dalawa.

"We'll buy 150 books. 100 for Fantasy, 50 for the other genres."

"Okay."

"Understood, human."

Naghiwalay na sila at nagtungo sa iba't ibang seksyon kung saan naroroon ang mga genre na hinahanap nila. Hindi na binasa pa ni Adamas ang mga pamagat at kaagad hinablot ang mga librong may magagandang pamalat. Kung anong nakakaakit sa kaniyang paningin, iyon ang pinupulot niya.

Sinulyapan niya ang babae sa kaniyang tabi. Unlike him, she hadn't picked a lot. Dalawa pa lang ang hawak nito sa kamay at talagang binabasa nito ang story description na nasa likuran ng libro.

"Hey, human. I've been curious for a while . . ." Tumigil muna siya sa paghablot ng libro at hinarap ang babae. "Your mother hates artists, so how come she allows you to take the path of fashion designing?"

"Mom will agree as long as you can put millions of money on the table. That is her standard. Marami na rin kasi siyang nasaksihan na nagtagumpay sa fashion designing." Binalik nito ang librong binasa at tiningnan siya. "As for Adamas, Mom doesn't believe he will excel in that field because she hasn't seen one yet."

"He needs more time. He could've done a lot if they give him time. After all, storytelling isn't easy." Kinuha niya ang binalik nitong libro at sinali sa bibilhin dahil nagandahan siya sa pamalat.

"If he was Dad's son, he might be able to achieve it. Pero dahil anak siya sa labas, iba ang higpit na binigay sa kaniya ni Mom. She doesn't want him to take a risk that she can't assure his success."

"That's stupid." Kumuha pa siya ulit ng isang libro.

"By the way, why did you get that? I don't think it will be good. The description wasn't enticing enough." Tinuro nito ang libro na binalik nito kanina.

"The cover is pretty."

"You can't just judge the book by its cover."

"Sorry for you, I do judge. My wordy Noa always has thoughts of making her book cover the prettiest because it will serve as the first impression to my reddy readsy. She judged covers so I'll judge too."

"I know. But don't you think the content is more important?"

"I know this will be good." He patted the book placed on top of his long pile of books. "The emotion I'm seeing is enough for me to believe that these pieces are crafted with delicate care from their authors."

Binigyan lang siya nito ng nakapagtatakang tingin.

"I have here twenty-five. You get the other twenty-five. I'm going to give this to Logan." Naglakad na siya sa kabilang seksyon kung nasaan ang lalaki. Tatlong shelf ang pagitan nila.

He was about to show the books to Logan when a jolting feeling started to tickle his nape. Napalingon siya sa shelf kung saan nandoon si Anais. Kaagad na nagtangis ang ngipin niya nang makita kung sino ang lumapit sa babae.

The guy holding the darkest emotion her Noa had. The one behind her miscarriage and the immature fool who couldn't take rejection.

"Azure . . ."

His legs moved on his own but he halted when he remembered where he was. He was inside a bookstore with Logan and Anais. Marami ring tao ang nakapalibot. The witnesses were too many for him to handle.

Ayaw niya ring sirain ang araw na ito para kay Logan. He also didn't want him to see again how murderous he could get. Logan feared him for being too cruel, and he didn't want to add more of that fear.

He cursed inside his head while holding himself from rampaging. This wasn't the perfect time.

Nanatili siya sa kaniyang kinatatayuan habang hindi inaalis ang mga mata sa lalaki. May kasama itong babae. Lalong kumulo ang dugo niya nang makitang ito ang babaeng sinampal niya sa café na pinagtratrabahuan ni Logan. Kapit na kapit ito sa braso ng lalaki.

A series of murders flashed into his mind, and oh, how he wanted to make it a reality quick. Sa tuwing nakikita niya ang mukha nito, nasusuklam siya. Gusto na niyang mawala si Azure sa mundo ngayon din.

[Warning: Strong emotion towards a real person may lead to Character Disintegration.]

Iniwas niya na lang ang tingin nang biglang lumabas ang system.

"Hey, Mr. Adamas. You're ruining the book." Lumapit si Logan sa kaniya at nag-aalalang tiningnan ang mga libro.

Doon niya lang napansin na bumabaon na pala ang kaniyang mga kuko dahil sa galit. Kaagad niyang binigay ang mga libro sa lalaki kahit may sarili rin itong dinadala upang 'di masira ang mga pinili niya.

"You bring that. I'll go there and help you pick out more books." Turo niya sa katabing shelf kung saan mga Fantasy book pa rin ang laman. He needed to distance himself or else blood would be spilt in this peaceful bookstore.

Maglalakad na sana siya pero narinig niya ang nakakainis nitong boses dahilan para mapatigil siya.

"Hey, sis," bati nito sa kapatid.

Hindi naman sumagot si Anais. She fixed her gaze on the book and pretended she didn't see anyone.

"How long are you going to ignore me? It's not like I did something to you." He snorted. "You didn't even welcome me when I got back."

"Why would I welcome you? Who are you, anyway?"

"I'm your older brother?"

"Ah, really?" walang gana nitong sagot. "I thought I was an only child. Hindi ko kasi kayo maramdaman."

Peke namang tumawa ang lalaki. "What are you doing here? Our family is in great trouble right now yet here you are buying useless fiction?"

"It's none of your business." She glared. "Aren't you doing the same thing? Pampering yourself in this bookstore with a woman?"

"Oh, no, you're mistaken. Honey, can you tell my little sister what we're doing here?" Nilingon nito si Stacey.

"We're here to buy non-fiction books, medicine books to be exact. A very useful book that can save a lot of people."

"Do you not like fiction, love?"

"Nah. They're boring." Stacey rolled her eyes. "I don't understand why people indulge in delusional books. I can't even pass the first page."

Ngumiti naman si Azure sa kaniya at hinalikan ang noo nito. "I wasn't wrong in choosing you."

He clenched his fists as he listened to their dumb conversations. If only this wasn't a public place, he had already hung their head on the ceiling.

"I guess birds of the same feather do flock together," sarkastikong saad ni Anais. Tiningnan nito ang dalawa nang may mapanuyang tingin. "Mind you, they're not useless. The reason why you can't pass the first page is that you lack imagination. You're stupid at imagining things. You suck at any type of creativity. I bet you can't even draw a perfect circle."

Napangisi siya sa sinagot nito.

That's right! Slap it in their minds how bland their lives are for not liking art!

"Don't flex your inability to be creative because it will just disappoint me. I will just be going to look down on you." Anais looked at them from head to toe. "Both of you are an embarrassment actually. Bagay na bagay kayo."

Bahagya siyang napatawa. Hindi niya man makita nang buo ang mukha ng dalawa dahil sa mga shelf na nakaharang pero kitang-kita niya naman kung gaano nagbago ang mga emosyon nito.

Sasagot na sana si Stacey pero pinigilan siya ni Azure at hinila ito paalis.

Pfft. What a loser.

Natapos ang kanilang pagbili ng libro na may ngiti sa kaniyang labi. Ilang beses niya ring pinuri si Anais dahilan para magtaka ito sa kaniya pero hindi na niya iyon pinansin pa. Tinulungan niya si Logan na dalhin ang ibang libro habang naglalakad na sila palabas.

While he was walking, a sudden loud beat from his heart jolted his entire body. A strong and invisible force suck his chest, making him almost lose his balance. The books fell from his hand as he froze. Napatingin siya sa kaniyang mga kamay.

Nawala ang ngiti niya nang makita ang nangyari sa kaniya.

He glitched.

"Mr. Adamas, are you okay?" Napalingon si Logan sa kaniya at ganoon din si Anais.

His hand glitched again and the two saw it. Dali-daling lumapit ang dalawa sa kaniya habang naghahalo ang gulat at kaba sa mga mata.

"System, show me the progress bar."

[Character Restoration progress: 82%]

He hissed before looking at the two. "My progress bar is almost complete. I will be put back to Fictosa any time soon."