31: modern Romeo and Juliet?
#DWTDwp

RYU

I woke up feeling refreshed after getting like an hour of sleep.

Or maybe three, as what my wristwatch says.

It was probably one of the best slumbers I had in my entire life. I have always been fond of petting gestures just like what my mom always do to me.

I rolled on the bed but was stopped when a damn foot hit my crotch.

Damn it.

I groaned in pain, feeling annoyed at this unpleasant moment. Nang tingnan ko ang paang iyon, it was Titless who was sleeping sideways. Her head is almost hanging on the side of the bed kaya nasa katawan ko ang paa niya.

Bakit ba kasi ang likot niyang matulog?!

Tinanggal ko ang paa niya at mahinang binuhat siya upang maayos na ipahiga. Her face contorted in her sleep as she started to make silent sobs. She crumpled on the sheets and tears sprung on the side of her cheeks.

Damn, she's having a bad dream.

Agad akong humiga sa tabi niya at niyakap siya, making a hushing sound to calm her. Mas siniksik niya sa akin ang sarili at unti-unting humina ang kanyang iyak.

So despite her devilish nature, titless is suffering with nightmares. I kissed her forehead and pulled her even closer to me at muling pumikit hanggang sa makatulog ako.

***

Pi

It would be great to stay like this. It was an oddly satisfying position. I was all curled up to rocket's side and his arms wrapped around my waist.

Great but it would have been better if it was Cooler.

Or Harry Styles.

But hey Rocket isn't a bad choice either. I stared at his face and I can really conclude this asshole is so pretty it hurts. I could really punch this pretty face right now. This is so not fair.

He has a pointy nose, the one you would envy about. High cheekbones, strong jawline, and even if it is closed, I can recall his dark piercing eyes. His lips was curved to perfection yet he's used to turning that curve into a smirk.

Pretty much to destroy the handsome boy streak.

But nonetheless I have never seen anyone who can wear a smirk like it was a jewelry. He owned that smirk! No one wore it better than him.

I was enjoying the sight of his face upclose when my phone vibrated right under the pillow. Agad ko iyong kinuha at sinagot.

"Yes?"

"Pi!" it was my brother John. Medyo nag-aalala ang boses nito.

I knew it. Something must have happened.

"Anong nangyari John?"

"Pi... Si Daddy..."

Hindi ko na hinintay na tapusin niya ang sasabihin. I immediately slipped off the bed and grabbed my things.

Good thing Rocket's crew was kind enough not to wake us up kahit na malamang ay kanina pa kami nakarating sa port. Nagbilin ako sa isa sa mga tao niya na aalis na at agad na tinawagan si Zero upang sunduin ako roon.

***

"I'm sure may kinalaman si Flavio dito!" bulalas ko at ilang beses na pinagsisipa ang lahat ng nakikita.

"Relax Pi, it's not good to point fingers," sabi ni Zero upang kahit paano ay kumalma ako.

But there's no way I will be calmed over this matter. Dad's health is deteriorating. Pustahan pa, may kinalaman si Flavio dito. Dad is as strong as a carabao plus masamang damo pa siya kaya alam kong mahaba-haba pa ang buhay niya but Flavio's involvement is something I cannot forgive.

Makikita niya ang hinahanap niya.

"Zero can I just shoot him right in his face?!"

Zero slowly nodded. “You can pero alam mong mas lalo lamang iyong pagpapalala sa nararamdaman ng Daddy mo Pi.”

Well he has a point. My father has made it a pledge to protect US till his last breath at hangga’t maari ay walang mangyaring masama sa amin.

Unfortunately, the term US includes Flavio the ugly. Meh, why did my dad trusted that man so much eh mukha pa lamang hindi na ito katiwatiwala?

It’s been three days mula nang makalabas si daddy sa ospital. I had to go back immediately that day. I was in the yacht with Rocket nang matanggap ko ang masamang balita na bigla na lamang nahimatay si Dad.

I am not letting this slide. Anong klaseng anak ako kung wala akong gagawin para hadlangan ang masamang binabalik ni Flavio?

“I have an idea! Can I slip cyanide on his drink?” Oh my oh my I am so brilliant.

Pero umiling si Zero. “Unfortunately no. Do not risk yourself. Cyanide has an after smell at malalamang pinatay siya.”

Huh no fun at all. Sabagay may point naman siya. Isa pa, poison is a lousy way to kill someone. It would be great to give him a long painful death. Iyong tipong babalatan ko muna siya mula ulo hanggang paa, tapos tutusukin ko ng tinidor ang isang mata niya. I’ll pound one of his balls until it totally break.

Then I will feed to to the crows, or stray dogs pero syempre hindi nila kakainin iyon. Huh even if I were a dog, hinding-hindi ako kakain ng crushed balls ni Flavio. Ever!

Tapos isa-isa kong puputulin ang mga daliri niya at pati ngipin niya, isa-isa kong bububutin. I will torture him to death until he beg for his life. Saka ko siya papatayin sa karumaldumal na paraan!

Zero cleared his throat. “You have that look in your face again. You look like you were thinking of murdering someone.”

I rolled my eyes. “You know I always do.”

“Do you want me to kill him?” tanong niya.

No, he’s right when he said Dad will be worried about Uncle Flavio’s sudden disappearance. Alam kong kaya siyang patayin ni Zero sa isang kisapmata lamang pero nababahala ako kung paano iyon makakaapekto kay daddy. It’s better to show him how much of a traitor Flavio is before I can totally finish him off.

“No. Not yet,” sagot ko. “Anyway, dadalhin ko muna 'tong tsaa sa silid ni Daddy.”

Nagpaalam na ako na aakyat sa silid ni Dad. Mula sa labas ay naririnig ko ang mahinang tawanan nila mula sa loob. Ah, he’s probably with that clown-face Flavio.

I pressed my ear on the half-opened door at nakinig sa usapan nila.

“Amigo, sinabi ko na sa iyo na huwag mo masyadong pinapagod ang sarili mo,” Flavio, the ugly said.

“You know I devoted my life to the business and to my children Amigo,” sagot ni Daddy. “I can only leave this world if I can assure their future. Isa pa ay alam kong hindi mo naman pababayaan ang mga anak ko. You treat them as your own.”

Ew, kami parang anak ni Flavio? Yuck sagad! Mukha pa lang malabo na. I’d rather be an orphan than to become a child of him.

“Syempre naman Amigo. Para ko na ring mga anak sina Pi at John."

I cringed at his words. Yuck.

"Amigo, matanda na ako. Kung sakaling may mangyari man sa akin--"

I pushed the door open bago pa man matapos ni Daddy ang kanyang sasabihin. "Hello! Hello Daddy!"

"Pi, nandito ka pala," sabi ni Uncle Flavio.

Obviously, nakakapagtaka ba 'yon eh bahay naman namin' to? Duh.

"Oh hello Uncle. Daddy, no one's dying so no one will talk about it, okay?" masiglang wika ko. Ah, mali. May mamamatay pala but definitely not Daddy.

Then I eyed a glare at Uncle Flavio.

“Anyway, Daddy I’m planning a family outing.”

Mababakas ang galak sa mukha ni Uncle Flavio. “Magandang ideya nga iyan Pi! May alam akong lugar na pwede nating punta--”

“Sorry Uncle, family outing eh. FAMILY. Exclusive,” sagot ko na nagpawala sa ngiti sa mukha niya.

“Pi,” saway ni daddy sa akin.

“What?” I asked, feigning innocence. “Gusto ko lang naman ng outing para sa ating tatlo ni John. No phone, no work, no extra person, just the three of us. Isn’t it sweet of me, right Uncle?”

He tried his best to hide the irritation in his face. “Sabagay, may punto rin naman si Pi Amigo--”

“See? Even Uncle Flavio agreed Daddy! So excuse us Uncle, can I talk with Dad?” sabi ko sa kanya. In simple words, pinapaalis ko siya. Tumango siya at nagpaalam na lamang kay Daddy.

Nang kami na lamang sa loob ay agad kong sinara ang pinto at umupo sa gilid ni daddy.

“Pi, hindi maganda ang inasal mo sa harap ng uncle mo.”

I smiled widely. “At least maganda ako.” eh si Flavio, hindi na nga gwapo, hindi pa maganda ang asal. Hinawakan ko nang mahigpit ang kamay ni Daddy. “I’m serious about the outing Dad. Tayong tatlo lamang ni John. Please?”

My father smiled at me sweetly. “Of course, namimiss ko na rin kayo ni John. Sa tingin ko rin ay kailangan ko ng bakasyon at pahinga. Masyado na akong naiistress sa negosyo. And everyday, there seems to be a problem. Damn that Vander Mafia.”

“What?!” bulalas ko. Paano naman nasali sa usapan ang Vander Mafia rito?

He sighed. “Sorry, alam kong hindi ko dapat sinasabi sa’yo ang mga problema sa negosyo. Flavio and I can handle this matter--”

“Sandali lang Dad, you mean nakikigulo sa atin ang Vander mafia?”

Tumango siya. “We’ve lost millions because of them. Hindi sila basta-basta Pi so we have to be vigilant and careful of whatever about them. It’s like we’re dealing with something so big--”

Nasapo ko ang noo. “Teka lamang Dad, paano nangyaring may kinalaman ang Vander Mafia rito?”

As far as I know, Vander mafia has lost a lot too because of us. Damn that Flavio, masyado niya yatang ginalingan kung kaya’t ganito ang nangyari. Great, now my father hated Vander mafia. Paano na lamang kung maging kami na ni Cooler, edi malamang tututol siya? What’s this some sort of modern Romeo and Juliet? No fucking way.

“They always mess with our shipments and transactions. Ilang tao na rin natin ang namatay dahil sa kanila. They also stole a lot of our loots pero mahirap na kalabanin sila.”

That fucker Flavio! He is so not going to get away with this! ‘yong sinabi kong pupulbusin ko ang isa sa mga bayag niya? I’ll take it back! Pupulbusin ko ang dalawang bayag niya! One for me, and one for Cooler!

“Lately ay nanghihina ako dahil sa mga nangyari,” sabi ni daddy. “I know I am not old pero madalas akong nagkakasakit.”

Parang gusto kong magwala ngayon at kalbuhin sa harap ni daddy si Flavio.

“Dad?”

He looked at me with a smile. There were dark circles under his eyes at medyo nangangayayat pa siya. Nakabukas ang aircon sa silid ngunit pinagpapawisan si Daddy. Like I said, masamang damo siya pero kung may mas masamang damo na gustong patayin siya, malamang ito ang kinahihinatnan.

“I’m serious about the trip dad, I’ll arrange our trip now. Also, huwag na huwag kang kakain at iinom ng kahit ano unless ako ang magdadala sa’yo ng pagkain okay?”

Nagtatakang napatingin siya sa akin ngunit mayamaya ay mahinang tumango siya. “Will you be my personal doctor?”

“Yup!”

He smiled. “My princess is really old enough. Mali ba ang napili mong pag-aralan? Dapat ba ay nagmedisina ka sa halip na maging CPA at abogado?”

I flipped my hair. “Do not underestimate me Dad. I am smart and flexible kaya kahit CPA ang lisensya ko, kaya pa rin kitang gamutin.” Lalo na at wala naman talaga siyang sakit. It’s just that someone’s messing with his health!

He squeezed my hand so tight. “Manang-mana ka talaga sa Mommy mo. Well, I am your patient so I will do whatever you want.”

“Good,” sagot ko at hinalikan siya sa noo. “Rest for now Dad, I have things to arrange. Remember, no food and drinks allowed unless galing sa akin. Got it?”

“Yes Doc,” sagot niya.

“Bye dad!” Paalam ko at lumabas ng silid niya, fishing my phone from my pocket and dialed Cooler’s number.

Flavio will pay for this, twice the mess he let us in!

#

ShinichiLaaaabs✒️