I didn't know what happened after that, the last memory I had was hugging Alaric. And it turned out that I passed out because of shock.

I woke up in a white room and I thought I was in the hospital but when I saw the other details of the room, I realized I'm not.

I looked at the picture frame beside the bed I'm lying at agad na nanikip ang dibdib ko.

It was Alaric and me at Ilocos and I was smiling so widely while his arm was draped over my shoulders. We looked young and that's before our lives fucked up.

Buhay ko nga lang pala, nadamay lang siya dahil minahal niya ako.

And he saved me again last night. Kung hindi siya dumating, hindi ko na alam kung ano ang mangyayari. I must've been dead by now.

Pero bakit nga ba nangyari iyon? Hindi ba enough ang lakas ng security namin? Masyado bang makapangyarihan ang kalaban?

Napadaing ako nang galawin ang binti. Damn, oo nga pala, may tama ako. Sa tingin ko ay daplis lang naman but it still hurts.

"Gising ka na pala."

Agad akong napatuwid ng upo nang marinig ang boses na iyon.

"Uh, yeah." I answered and looked away as soon as I felt his piercing gaze.

"How are you feeling? May masakit ba? Just tell me." He asked again.

I shook my head. "I...I'm okay."

I sighed. I'm not sure but I already have a feeling na alam na talaga niya ang totoo. But what's stopping him from confronting me?

"Are you sure?"

Tumango ako inilipat ang tingin sa picture frame.

"Siya ba ang kamukha ko?" I faked a laugh.

Nanatili ang kanyang madilim na ekspresyon at hindi sumagot.

I smiled. "Kamukha ko nga. At kaya mo ba ako niligtas kasi kamukha ko siya?"

He sighed and moved closer. "You like this, huh?" He uttered and gave me a mocking smile.

I did the same. "What are you talking about, Prosecutor Manjarrez?"

"Aren't you tired pretending to be another person?"

I raised a brow and moved closer hanggang sa mag lebel na ang tingin namin.

"Just pretend not to know me, Alaric. Madadamay ka lang. And besides, ibang tao na rin talaga ako. The Klio you've known was already dead a long time ago."

He smiled. An action I didn't see coming.

"She was never dead, Penelope. Buhay na buhay siya sa puso at isip ko." Diretso niyang sagot habang nakatitig sa mga mata ko. "Madamay man o hindi, choice ko na iyon, and I am choosing to get involved."

"Why get involved? You had a great life ahead, pero bakit mo tinapon 'yon para sa isang taong katulad niya? Why did you do that, Alaric? Why did you waste your life?"

Umiling siya. "I didn't waste my life. To wait for her is the greatest decision I've made. Hindi iyon sayang at hinding-hindi ko pagsisisihan."

"So you like this? Living a stupid life just because of me?" I laughed.

"Bakit hindi? Loving you is the only way I could continue living and it's not stupid."

Tanga ka na ba talaga Alaric?

"So it's okay kahit na sabihan ka ng ibang baliw, tanga, gago, manggagamit, at kung ano-ano pa?"

He smirked. "Nakalimutan mo na yatang sanay na ako sa mga salitang iyon. Those can't hurt me anymore. Alam mo kung anong mas nakasakit?"

I didn't say anything and I guess he took that as a cue to continue.

"That's when I wasn't able to do anything before you disappeared. Doon ko mas napagtanto na wala akong kwenta."

Umiling ako, remembering what I heard back then... such as the way people treated him dahil lang alam nila ang koneksyon niya sa akin.

"Hindi..."

Muli siyang ngumiti ngunit hindi na nakatakas sa akin ang luhang tumulo sa mga mata niya, pakiramdam ko ay kinurot ang puso ko dahil doon.

Damn, I still...

"And seeing you now like this... hindi ko alam kung ano ang mararamdaman ko. I want to be happy kasi sa wakas nandito ka na ulit. Tama ang pakiramdam ko, buhay ka nga. Worth it ang paghihintay." He cried.

"Alaric."

I wanted to play tough. I wanted him to stop this madness already. Gusto ko lumayo na siya at maging masaya nalang. But now that I am seeing this side of him, I feel wrong.

Pero mali nga naman talaga.

"I already have a family, Alaric."

Tumango siya. "I know, Klio. Pero okay lang. Ang makita kang buhay at masaya, okay na sa akin 'yon."

A tear fell from my eye.

"T-Thank you...sorry..." hirap na hirap kong sabi.

Umiling siya at hinawakan ang kamay ko. "No, don't be... wala kang kasalanan dahil biktima ka lang."

Tears continued falling from my eyes ngunit agad din akong kumalma nang maramdaman ang mainit niyang yakap.

I felt guilty pero gusto ko munang hayaan ang sarili kong maramdaman ang kapayapaan kahit ilang sandali lang.

I hugged him back.

We stayed like that for minutes. Humiwalay lang kami sa isa't isa nang marinig ang alarm na umalingawngaw sa paligid.

"I guess lunch is ready." Aniya at binigyan ako ng ngiti. "Let's eat?"

Tumango ako ngunit agad ding napatigil nang mapagtantong tanghali na.

"Shit! I need to go home! Baka hinahanap na ako!" I panicked.

He sighed. "I'll take you home but you need to eat first before you leave."

"Alright, I'll just make it fast." Sagot ko nalang at sumunod sa kanya.

When I went out ay napagtanto kong nasa bahay niya ako and it was a huge one, maganda rin ang interior design at sandali pa akong napanganga dahil dito. I just stopped admiring his home when I saw his amused stare on me.

Sinundan ko siya sa kusina at agad na bumungad sa akin ang mesa na tila may piyesta yata dahil sa dami ng pagkain.

I sighed and sat. Ang sarap kumain dahil karamihan ay paborito ko ngunit alam ko namang hindi ako makakakain ng maayos dahil hindi kasama ang dalawa.

"Let's eat." Aniya at ngumiti.

Awkward naman akong nagsimulang kumain dahil nakatingin pa rin siya. Argh, did he already forget basic ethics? Staring is rude, duh!

I rolled my eyes and just continued eating habang siya ay pangiti-ngiti lang habang pinagmamasdan ako, tila hindi umiyak kanina. Ang bilis namang mag-shift ng mood niya ah.

I'm in the middle of eating nang may lumapit na tauhan niya sa amin at may inabot na envelope sa kanya. Tahimik akong nagmasid at agad kong napansin ang pagkunot ng noo niya dahil sa nakitang laman ng envelope.

I wonder what it is.

"Tapos na ako, thank you for the meal." Sambit ko pagkatapos kumain but he still looked engrossed with what he saw, which just made me more curious.

"Uh, I should go home already." Dagdag ko at nang sabihin ko 'yon ay saka lang siya napatingin.

"Mind if I ask you something?" He asked.

Tumango ako. "Go ahead."

"Do you know this man?" Aniya at ipinakita sa akin ang isang larawan kung saan nakangiti ang nasa late 50s na lalaki.

My eyes widened when I recognized the face.

Siya 'yon. Ang kasama ng attorney pumunta noon sa kulungan! Ang nagbigay sa akin ng panyo at sa pagkakaalala ko rin ay nagtatrabaho siya sa pamilya namin. I'm not sure though pero alam ko na hindi lang kami sa kulungan nagkita noon, I've already met him somewhere, and it didn't help that he resembles someone.

"I know him. Nakausap ko siya bago ako mawala."

Siya rin ang binigyan ko ng note noon.

Tumango siya. "He's your father's most trusted guard, Klio."

Huh? Kumunot ang noo ko.

"So you mean, it's possible that my father sent him to check on me?"

Hindi siya sumagot at sa halip ay may pinakita pang isang litrato sa akin na mas lalong nagpasidhi sa kaguluhan ng isip ko.

"I think you need to see this, too." Aniya.

My hands trembled when I realized who's in the next photo.

Now I know, kaya pala... kaya pala may kamukha siya.

I know I shouldn't judge someone immediately ngunit hindi ko maiwasang masaktan. I feel betrayed kasi bakit...

I closed my eyes.

That man... is Denver's father.

Si Denver, sino ba talaga siya? Ano ba talaga ang pakay niya sa akin?

Suddenly, I feel like I don't know him at all. Pakiramdam ko ay napaglaruan ako.