"Come on, kids. Let's play."

***

Matapos namin kumain ng hapunan ay napagdesisyunan ni Savior na umuwi na.

"Thanks po sa dinner, tita," aniya at nag-bow.

"Welcome, basta you can come here anytime." Ngumiti si mom at kumaway.

"Ihatid mo na siya, honey." Agad akong napatingin kay mom nang marinig ang sinabi niya.

My brows furrowed. "Mom, hatid? Ang laki-laki na niya, bakit ko pa po siya ihahatid?"

"Honey, it's a basic etiquette. Savior is a guest," sagot niya sa akin.

"Hindi na po, tita. Salamat po! Mauna na po ako," magalang na sambit ni Savior at naglakad palabas ng gate.

"Go on, follow him," mom chuckled as if she knew what I was thinking.

She really knew how to tease me. I sighed heavily. "Ito na po, mom."

"Sus, pakipot pa," mahinang bulong ni mom pero narinig ko pa rin.

I hissed. She really liked it kapag naaasar ako. Tahimik akong sumunod sa nilalakaran ni Savior. I wanted to talk to him but I don't have the courage.

I want to ask him a lot of questions but I don't know how.

Bahagya niyang binagalan ang paglalakad para makasabay ako. Napatigil ako sa paglalakad nang bigla siyang tumigil.

"Dito ka aa kaliwa, baka mahagip ka ng sasakyan," aniya at lumipat sa pwesto ko.

"As if I'll die from that," pangangatwiran ko pero sa totoo lang, I felt weird when he did that. Savior really is a gentleman.

Nang makarating kami sa exit ng village ay tumigil na ako sa.paglalakad. Lumingon siya sa 'kin at ngumiti.

"Salamat sa paghatid," aniya.

"As if naman na gusto kita ihatid," sabi ko at nag-kunwaring galit.

"Asus. By the way, I'll pick you up tomorrow, sabay tayo pasok." Hindi pa ako nakakasagot ay agad siyang naglakad paalis.

Tama ba narinig ko? He'll pick me up? Ano tingin niya sa 'kin, inutil na hindi kayang pumasok nang mag-isa?

"Don't think about anything. Kiiro, sa mga oras na 'to, walang ibang tao kundi ikaw at ako."

Argh! Bakit bigla ko na namang naisip ang sinabi niya kanina?

Naglakad ako pabalik sa bahay at dumiretso sa kwarto ko. Sobrang daming nangyari ngayong araw, I guess I really need to take a rest.

***

It was 6:30 in the morning when I went downstairs with my uniform on, all prepared.

"Mom, sabay na po-" I stopped when I saw a familiar face. He is sitting on our sofa while smiling. He is talking to my mom and seems like they are having fun. Napalingon silang dalawa sa akin nang marinig ang sinabi ko.

"Savior?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko. I can't believe he is serious last night.

"Good morning, Kiiro!" he greeted with a bright smile on his face.

"He said he'll pick you up, nagsabi raw siya kagabi?" tanong ni mom sa akin habang may kakaibang ngiti sa mga labi.

"Uhm, yes?"

"I see, then get going. Baka ma-late pa kayo."

Sa sobrang bilis nang pangyayari ay napansin ko na lang na naglalakad na pala ako sa kalsasa kasama si Savior. I'm occupied by my thoughts that I didn't notice him calling my name.

"Kiiro."

"Y-Yes?" Napatingin ako sa kaniya.

"Is something bothering you? Kanina ka pa tulala," aniya. Pagkasabi niya n'on ay napatingin ako sa kabuuan niya. Ngayon ko lang napansin ang suot niya. Like the usual, he's not wearing the maroon blazer. Nakataas rin ang mahabang manggas ng puting polo niya hanggang siko at ang maroon niyang neck tie ay maluwag ang pagkakalagay, dahil doon ay kitang-kita ang mga ugat niya mula sa kamay pataas sa kaniyang braso. I also noticed a brown paper bag om his right hand.

"No, it's nothing."

"Sure?" he asked. I just nodded in response and looked straight on our path.

"By the way, para sa 'yo," sabi niya at inabot sa akin ang paper bag. Tahimik ko itong kinuha at binuksan. It took me seconds to look what's inside. When I realized what is it, I immediately closed my eyes and looked away

A sunflower wrapped in cellophane.

"Why? Hindi mo ba nagustuhan?" tanong niya. Marahana akong umiling. I don't want to offend him but my relfezes act on its own.

"No, I like it," I told him and faked a smile. Nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad habang hawak ang paper abg at kahit isang beses ay hindi ito tinignan.

***

"See you tomorrow?" pagpapaalam ni Savior habang nakatayo sa gate ng bahay namin.

"Hindi ka na papasok?" tanong ko sa kaniya. It's not that I want to be with him longer, just like what my mom sais, 'it is a basic etiquette.'

Umiling siya bago sumagot. "Thank you but not now. Look," then he pointed our garage.

"You might have a visitor, ayoko na makaistorbo," dagdag niya pa at doon ko lang napansin ang kotsemg nakaparada sa garahe namin. It's so rare for us to have a visitor. I wonder who might that be.

"Okay. Take care."

He waved his hand good bye as he walks towards the exit of our village. Hindi ko alam kung bakit niya pa ako hinatid. I insisted that I can handle since mom would pick me up, but he said that he already told my mom na ihahatid niya ako pauwi.

I just shrygged my shoulders because of confusion. I don't want to disregard his kindness but I can't help to wonder if he wants something from me.

When I entered our large wooden door, I walked towards the living room. Pero agad akong napatigil nang maaninag kung sino ang bisita ni mom.

Detective Oliver Lim- AstroGame Corporation's private investigator.

I hid behind a wall and listened to their conversation. It's not in my habit to do thus but there's something inside me that's telling I have to hear what they are talking about.

"Just update me once na may bago ng lead." Base sa tono at boses ay alam kong si mom iyon.

"Yes, sure," sagot naman ng isang baritonong boses. Narinig ko ang tunog ng mga sapatos na malamang ay naglalakad na paalis.

Seems like I was late. Tapos na ang pinag-usapan nila. Maglalakad na sana ako papasok nang marinig ang paghinto ng mga yabag.

"And by the way, Annaliese. Make sure that Kiiro is safe, that pyscho might be lurking around, looking for his next victims."

Tila binuhusan ako ng malamig na tubig nang marinig ang sinabi ni Detective Lim. I know that he didn't say anything about who was he pertaining to. But hearing my name, that pyscho, and victims, I am sure that he's talking about that person.

The man who caused this damn phobia- that pyscho xanthophile.

Naglakad palabas si Detective Lim hanggang sa makasalubong niya ako. Umakto akong kakapasok ko lang ng bahay dahil kung malalaman niya na narinig ko ang sinabi niya, baka hindi na siya ulit pumunta rito. Kailangan kong makakuha ng impormasyon tungkol sa nangyari. In short, I need Detective Lim and his connections.

Yumuko ako bilang paggalang at gano'n din ang ginawa niya saka lumakad diretso sa pintuan. Dumiretso ako papasok at nakita si mom na nakaupo sa sofa habang hinihilot ang sintido nito.

"I'm home," sabi ko, dahilan para mapunta ang tingin niya sa akin.

"Oh, hon. Kanina ka pa ba d'yan?" tanong niya sa akin at sinalubong ako ng yakap.

"No po, kakarating ko lang." I lied.

"But I saw Detective Lim, ano pong ginagawa niya rito?" And lied again.

"Just passing by to say hi. Alam mo naman na kaibigan siya ng dad mo." But she lied too.

"Ah, okay po. Akyat na po ako," pagpapaalam ko at naglakad papunta sa kwarto ko.

I sighed heavily. I know that they're still investigating about it even after all these years, but I think I supposed to be the first one to know about this. Kung hindi nila sasabihin sa akin, then I'll find him by myself and make him rot in jail.