Vynz opened the door of Astrid's room at iginiya ako papasok. It was Astrid's fourth day in the hospital and she just woke up yesterday because she got shot three times on her back. But she's now stable, good thing that her doctor is Dasher. I don't know what happened dahil hindi ko pa siya nakakausap. I never got a chance to visit her yesterday because of Stonesteel. I talked to some of their clients or should I say former clients? But whatever, lalo lang nila 'kong ginalit dahil sa ginawa nila kay Astrid.

Naabutan namin si Astrid na nakahiga sa kama at sa tabi niya ay si Hoax. Looks like he's feeding her.

"Mirae," Astrid called as she tried to sat on the bed. Agad naman siyang pinigilan ni Hoax.

"Your wound," Hoax said at muling ihiniga si Astrid. I saw Astrid glanced at my direction and my brow automatically rose up because of what Hoax did.

Astrid saw my raised brow kaya't muli niyang sinubukang umupo at hindi nagpapigil kay Hoax.

"I want to talk to her," I muttered while staring at Hoax na ngayon ay nakatingin na rin sa akin. Mukhang walang balak umalis si Hoax so I continued. "Alone."

"Hoax." Vynz called his brother para ayain itong lumabas.

"Kuya!" Hoax replied na parang hindi makapaniwala. What the hell? Bakit ba ayaw niyang lumabas? Anong akala niya, na sasaktan ko si Astrid?

"Sige na, Hoax." It was Astrid. I saw Hoax hesitated. Sa huli ay lumabas pa rin siya kasama ang kapatid.

"You okay?" I asked nang kami na lang ang maiwan sa loob.

She smiled as she nodded her head. "Yes."

"Talk to me." I muttered in a serious tone and her smile fades away.

"Let me explain, Mirae." She said. I can see fear on her eyes.

"Talk to me as a friend and not the Universe." She lowered her head. I don't know why sa aming lima ay kami ni Astrid and malayo sa isa't isa. I can still remember, we're inseparable back then. But I don't know what happened. Isang araw bigla nablang siyang naging malayo sa akin. I can feel it, even though we're laughing and bonding with each other ay ramdan ko ang takot niya sa akin.

"I should be mad at you because you didn't even invited me on your wedding."

She looked at me at namilog ang kanyang mga mata. "What?"

"We're friends, right?" I asked at nakita ko at pamumuo ng mga luha sa gilid ng mga mata niya.

She bit her lower lip. "I'm sorry, Mirae." Naguunahang tumulo ang mga luha niya at hindi ko na napigilang yakapin siya. I carefully hugged her dahil baka matamaan ang mga sugat niya at masaktan siya. Ilang minuto siyang umiiyak habang nakayakap ako sa kanya while she keeps on saying sorry.

"Shh, Astrid."

Bumitaw siya sa yakap at nagsimulang magsalita. "S-sorry, Mirae I didn't tell you. I was scared. I know we all want the top spot for the Cosmos, lalo na ikaw and they're our enemy b-but pinakasalan ko siya. I love him and I was selfish, Mirae t-that's why natakot akong sabihin sa'yo, sa inyo."

"Calm down, alright?" Hindi siya makapagsalita ng maayos dahil sa paghikbi niya.

"Si Dash lang ang pinagsabihan ko pero nalaman ni Creed. I-I don't know how but maybe he investigated dahil sabi niya ay may napapansin daw siyang kakaiba sa akin."

"But you said he's your ex?" I asked as she gave me a small smile.

Lumungkot ang kanyang mga mata. I knew it so I hugged her.

"It's okay, you'll be okay." I heard the door opened kaya napalayo ako kay Astrid. I turned as I saw Hoax and Vynz entered.

"We're not yet done," I informed.

Lumapit si Hoax kay Astrid at bumaling sa akin ng makita ang mga mata ni Astrid. "What did you do?" How dare him! I shot my brow up on him.

"Don't raised your voice on her, Hoax." I almost smirk when Vynz warned Hoax.

"I'm okay, H-Hoax. We just talked." Astrid muttered.

"Sabi ko hindi pa kami tapos magusap."

"Then talk," Hoax sarcastically said.

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes on Hoax then turned to Astrid. "Mauna na kami ni Vynz. We'll catch up when you get better," I muttered and about to turned my back on them when I heard Astrid called my name.

"Sorry." She apologized. I nodded and smiled.

Nang makalabas kami ni Vynz ay hinarap ko siya.

"Are you alright?" He asked. I nodded and smiled at him.

"Now, let's go to your penthouse. I promised to cook for you. What do you want?" I don't know why I was smiling widely.

"Anything you want to cook." He replied.

"Alright, let's buy ingredients first."

We arrived at the mall and immediately went to the store where we can buy ingredients. I'll cook him Korean barbecue and chop suey. I like to cook those and I don't know if magugustuhan niya 'yon or what. But I don't care naman if hindi niya like.

He's pushing the cart beside me habang ako naman ang naglalagay ng mga ingredients na kailangan.

"Anong lulutuin mo?" He asked when he saw na majority ng ingredients ay vegetables.

"Korean barbecue and chop suey. You know those?" I looked at him over my shoulder.

"I know Korean barbecue but what is chop suey?" Seriously, hindi niya alam 'yon?

I started explaining to him what chop suey looks and tastes like. But he didn't answer. Kaya naman pala hindi na nakasagot ay wala na siya sa tabi ko. I looked at my back and saw him talking with a girl who's obviously flirting with him. The girl giggled while Devaughne was giving her a cold stare. I walked near them because I thought of something silly.

"Why hindi mo na sinasagot mga calls ko?" She muttered in a flirt voice. In the inside I am mocking her.

"I'm busy." Si Vynz ay nakatalikod sa akin kaya hindi niya nakita na papalapit ako.

"Then ngayon na lang, let's go out on a date? I miss you na." Well, Devaughne has a good taste, she's pretty but I'm much more prettier.
She's pouting and gosh! Hindi bagay.

"Babe, who is she?" I asked and stared innocently at Vynz while I'm clinging on his arm. Nakita ko ang gulat sa mga mata nila. The girl raised her brow up on me while Vynz smirked.

"Just someone I know." Vynz replied, seemed not interested.

"Oh?" I eyed the woman in my front from her head to toe and when our eyes met again, I gave her a mocking smile. But I make sure na hindi nakita 'yon ni Vynz.

"You-" She angrily said while pointing her index finger on me but I immediately shut her up.

"Tara na, babe." I muttered and slowly pulled his arm.

He nodded his head shortly. "We'll go ahead."

Napangiti ako nang makita ko ang pagngiwi ng babae nang talikuran siya ni Vynz.

We paid for the ingredients then we went out of the store. Vynz said he'd buy something that's why we're walking towards another store.

"Babe, huh?" He muttered mockingly.

I frowned "Stop that! I just want to annoy your woman."

"She's not my woman." He declared.

"Who is she then?" I asked and he shrugged off his shoulders.

"Don't know."

"She said you're not answering her calls so you know her." Sa dami ng babae niya ay nakakalimutan niya na ang iba.

"I don't know if she's Aliyah, Andrea, or Alicia." Nahihiwagaan akong napabaling kay Vynz at sarkastikong napatawa. Poor girls, nagpapaloko sa mga lalaking katulad ni Vynz. Our situation would be different 'cause I'll fool him instead and not the otherwise.

"You have a lot of gi- ouch!" I didn't have a chance to finish my sentence because someone bumped me from behind kaya napatigil ako at pati na rin si Vynz. I turned at my back and readied my bitchy attitude when I saw a little girl crying while her palms are covering her face.

"H-help me, someone's trying to- Mommy." I was shocked nang tanggalin niya ang mga kamay sa mukha and she is too. I saw Crizzy, my baby.

Yumuko ako at hinawakan ang magkabilang balikat niya. "Crizzy! What are you doing here, sinong kasama mo?" Panay ang hikbi niya kaya't hindi siya makapagsalita. Vynz was just eyeing us.

"S-si Tita Sela po, I got lost and some bad guys were running after me, they want to get me, Mommy. Lets help Tita Sela kinuha siya ng mga bad guy." I hugged her and caressed her back.

"Calm down, you're now safe. I'll call your dad."

"Mirae, any food that can calm her down? I'll buy her." Vynz asked.

"Thank you, just an ice cream or chocolate." Iginiya kami ni Vynz at pinaupo. Inilapag niya sa tabi ko ang mga ingredients na binili namin bago siya umalis.

I picked up my phone and started dialing Creed's number.

"Creed." I called when he answered my call.

"Mirae, mamaya na. I'm looking for Crizzy."

"She's with me, Hanapin mo si Cer- Sela, sabi ni Crizzy ay may kumuha sa kanya."

"She's with me, can I talk to my baby?" He asked worriedly.

"Yes, here. I'll give her my phone." Good thing that she calmed down. I gave her my phone at hinayaan silang magusap.

Ilang minuto lang ay bumalik si Vynz na may dalang ice cream sa magkabilang kamay at isang paperbag.

"Mommy, Daddy said he wants to talk to you." Crizzy muttered at ibinagay sa akin ang phone. I saw Vynz gave Crizzy the ice cream on one of his hand at ang paperbag. "Thank you po," Crizzy said to Vynz.

"Nasaan kayo, Mirae?" Creed asked over the phone.

"We're sitting on the benches near the exit."

"Alright, we'll go there." When the call ended ay inabot sa akin ni Vynz ang isa pang ice cream na hawak niya.

My brow automatically rose up. "Seriously?" Hindi makapaniwalang tumingin sa kanya.

"Faster, matutunaw or... you want me to feed you?" He playfully smirked. I saw Crizzy staring kaya kinuha ko na iyon kay Vynz at baka kung anong eskandalo pa ang gawin niya sa harap ng bata.

I licked the it as I saw Creed and Cerys approaching. Bakas sa mukha ni Cerys na kagagaling lang sa iyak at malamig naman ang mata ni Creed. Vynz stood beside me at walang imik even though I know he wants to ask about Crizzy. I slightly shrugged my shoulders off and licked my ice cream.

"Tita! Daddy!" Cerys hugged Crizzy nang makalapit sila.

"You okay? I'm sorry, I'm sorry m-muntik ka ng mapahamak." Cerys cried while saying her apologies.

"I'm okay na po, Tita. Don't cry na. It's not your fault." Crizzy whispered while wiping Cerys' tears. Such a sweet girl.

She turned to Creed at itinaas ang mga kamay para magpabuhat habang hawak pa rin ang ice cream sa isang kamay at sa isa naman ay ang paperbag na puno ng chocolates.

"What happened, Baby, are you okay?" Creed asked while carrying Crizzy.

"I'm playing arcade games and then may biglang humila samin ni Tita na mga guy. Kinagat ko siya Daddy kaya nabitawan niya ako. Sabi ni Tita tumakbo na raw ako. Good thing I accidentally bumped with Mommy Mirae." Crizzy muttered and licked her ice cream. "And Mommy's friend gave me this." Ipinakita niya ang mga hawak niya kay Creed at lumingon kay Vynz. "What's your name po? I forgot to ask."

"I'm Vynz, little girl." Vynz gave her a smile.

"Can I call you Tito Vynz po? You seems close to Mommy Mirae 'cause awhile ago I heard you asked Mommy if gusto niya na pakainin mo siya ng ice cream." Napatigil ako sa pagkain dahil sa sinabi ni Crizzy. I heard Vynz cleared his throat. Creed's just staring and showed a mocking face on me.

Vynz nodded and gave Crizzy a smile. "Yes, you can call me Tito Vynz."

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