"I'll take you home," Ken told her after. "Stop crying."

Ano ba ang gusto nitong mangyari? Ano ba ang dapat niyang gawin? Magtatalon sa tuwa? If given a different take on the situation, she probably would be jumping for joy right now. He asked her to marry him. That's a leap!

Too bad he doesn't love her. If only he asked it out of love, then things would have been different. She might cry all the same, but for completely different reasons.

She wiped her tears and forced a smile. He just gave her a nod and went out of the room, motioning her to follow. She did follow him. She followed him outside the motel and into his car that was parked a few blocks away.

"Pabababain mo ba ako ulit?" kaswal niyang tanong nang makaupo siya sa passenger's seat.

"I'd love to, but no. Not this time," he told her.

"About what you said earlier—"

"That's an ultimatum."

She sighed. So it's all or nothing. Bakit nga ba niya hahangarin na mapatawad siya nito kung ang kapalit naman ay ang kalayaan nya? Guilt is an unbearable burden. It weighs her down. Once it's gone, the depressing feeling will go away. She'll be able to breathe freely again. But would her freedom be a reasonable price for it?

--

Napamaang ang buong pamilya ni Ken nang sabihin niya kinabukasan ang napag-usapan nila ni Ahn.

"Are you out of your mind?!" singhal ng daddy niya sa kanya.

Hindi na nakapagpigil si Iya. Hanson was about to strike him pero nauna na rito ang kapatid niya. Sinugod siya ni Iya. She punch-slapped him a few times before breaking down.

"You asshole! Have you no heart? What about Aubrey?!"

She was lashing out so Hans had to hold her. Sumubsob ito sa asawa at saka umiyak nang umiyak.

"Kendrick, can we talk please?" pakiusap ng mommy niya.

Tinanguan niya ang ina at sinundan ito papunta sa backyard. Nang lingunin niya ang tatlo sa loob ay nakita niyang masamang-masama ang tingin ni Hanson sa kanya. His dad looked baffled. Si Iya naman ay iyak pa rin nang iyak.

Sinarado ng momy niya ang pintuan pagkalabas nila. She sat on the shaded part of the bench, na nasa ilalim ng puno sa likod-bahay nila. She patted the space next to her, motioning him to sit there.

"Kendrick, what were you thinking?" mahinahon nitong tanong nang maupo siya.

"Why is everyone flipping out? Akala ko ba ito ang gusto nyong lahat na mangyari?" inis niyang tanong.

He hated what he saw in her face. Pity.

"Ken, you just got back. Did you expect everyone to believe na magkakaayos agad kayo ni Ahn pagbalik mo?"

"We did patch things up, ma," he told her.

But his mother is not easily fooled. Parang may alam itong iba kahit hindi niya sinasabi. Though she didn't argue with him on that one.

"But why the rush? She's still in college, Ken. Alam mong hindi papayag ang ninong mo."

"That's why I'll marry her right after graduation," he reasoned out.

"Masyado pa ring mabilis. There's not enough time to prepare for the wedding. Kahit pagpapa-schedule sa simbahan, matagal."

He gave his mom a tight smile. "Sino ba'ng may sabing sa simbahan kami magpapakasal?"

--

Aubrey didn't take that news well. Paano nga naman nito matatanggap ang balita? Hindi naman ito manhid para hindi masaktan. Ilang oras din ang nakalipas bago ito sumagot sa tawag ni Iya.

"Aubs, nasa'n ka?"

"I'm in Bo-ra-cay!" sagot nito. "You ssshould've come with me, Iyaaaaa. You'll loooove it here!"

She sounded slurred... and intoxicated.

"Aubrey, are you drinking?"

Tumawa lang ito. "Of coursse. What elssse would I be doing here?"

Iya looked worrily at Hans. His lips are pressed into a thin line, kunot ang noo nito at naghihintay na matapos ang tawag.

"May kasama ka ba? Can I have their number?" she asked, trying to remain calm. Aubrey's not exactly reckless, but she can be impulsive at times. Tulad na lang nitong trip to Boracay. Nang malaman nitong ikakasal na si Ken—because he so blatantly announced it on his Facebook account—bigla na lang itong nagpunta sa Boracay.

Tumawa ng malakas si Aubrey. "Wala! But I'll have ssooome company soon!"

Before the call ended, narinig niyang may mga foreigners na kumausap kay Aubrey. This is bad!

"Well, where is she?" asked Hans.

"Boracay." She grimaced. "She's drunk."

Napapalatak ito.

"Sana lang walang mangyaring masama sa kanya, Iya, or I swear to God, I'll make your brother pay," banta nito.

Hindi niya masisi si Hans. Only child din si Aubrey kagaya nito. It's probably one of the many reasons why they're very close. Kapatid na ang turing ni Hans kay Aubrey and if something happens to her, hindi rin niya mapapatawad si Ken. Pero ayaw naman niyang saktan ito ni Hans. Sana nga lamang ay hindi na umabot doon.

"Wait, nasa Boracay din ata si Mikey." I hope so...

Tinawagan niya ang kaibigan na noon ay nasa company outing. Mikey's team just closed a huge business transaction and his boss flew the whole team to Boracay to celebrate.

After a few rings ay sumagot naman ito.

"Mikey!"

"Iya! I was about to call you," bungad nito. "I heard about Ken."

"Yes, we were all surprised. But that's not why I called you. Nasa Boracay ka pa ba?"

"Yeah. We're just packing up. Paalis na kami in an hour."

"Mikey, can you stay for a while, please? Emergency lang."

"Iya, bukas lang ang rest day namin tapos balik na naman kami sa trabaho the next," he told her, his voice strained.

"Please? I'll owe you a lot."

She heard him sigh. "Alright. What's your emergency?"

"It's Aubrey."

"Ken's girlfriend? What's with her?"

"She's in Boracay," sagot niya.

"With Ken?"

"No."

"I don't understand."

"Mikey, Ken's not engaged to Aubrey. Aubrey flew there by herself. I need you to find her and bring her back safely. Please."

"Do you know where she is? I mean, exactly."

"No. But I think she's somewhere na maraming European foreigners. Find her, Mikey. Please. And keep her safe."

Bumuntong-hininga ulit ito. "Alright. I'll see what I can do."

When the call ended, she sent him Aubrey's contact number. They didn't properly meet during the wedding dahil palaging si Ken ang hanap-hanap ni Aubrey. She had no chance to socialize. Palagi itong nakabuntot kay Ken, paranoid that Ahn might take him away that night. It was painful to watch.

Ahn wasn't exactly hiding during the reception. But she was looking glum, depressed and vulnerable. She knew that was enough magnet to pull Ken towards her. But her brother didn't make any move. He just stared.

"Mikey's there," she told Hans.

He frowned. "Mikey?"

"My friend. Don't worry, he'll take care of her."

--

Toby didn't take the news well. Ahn had never seen her dad so... sad. It broke her heart. It would have been easier to see him angry, but not this. Pakiramdam niya'y binigyan na naman niya ng panibagong alalahanin ang ama.

"Why?" he asked, his voice quivering.

When she told them that she said yes to Ken's proposal, animo'y sinabi niya ritong bibitayin na siya kinabukasan.

"Dad, I love him." But he doesn't love me back.

Pinilit nyang ngumiti.

Hinawakan nito ang kamay niya nang mahigpit.

"Anak, don't you think it's too early for that? He just got back from Canada. Wala pa syang isang buwan dito tapos ikakasal na kayo? Ni hindi man lang muna naging kayo."

"He loves me, dad." Liar. "He told me that he didn't stop thinking about me while he's in Canada. And when he got back, we just... clicked. Sabi niya, we could just pick up where we left off."

She hated lying to her father but it would be better to assure him that things are alright between her and Ken. Para hindi na ito mag-alala. Malaki na naman sya. She can take care of herself.

"Marry me and then, after three years, I'll let you go. We'll be even," she remembered him say.

"So gusto mo lang talagang gumanti?" Nakakababa ng tingin sa sarili. She was so disgusted with the idea of sleeping with him. But the idea of marrying him for revenge was undeniably harder. Pero alin ba ang less evil sa dalawang pamimilian niya? Yung una, na nakabababoy ng pagkatao o yung pangalawa, na nanakaw ng kalayaan nya sa loob ng tatlong taon?

"Ilang daang sorry ba ang kailangan kong sabihin para mapatawad mo 'ko?" she asked, still trying to worm her way out of the mess.

Ken smirked. "Even if you say sorry every day, for the rest of your life, I'll never forgive you. Unless you do this for me."

Her dad cupped her face. Malungkot na malungkot ang mga mata nito.

"Will that make you happy, anak?" tanong nito sa kanya.

She wanted to say no. She wanted to cry in his arms. She wanted to tell him how bad things really are. Pero mas kakayanin niya ang masaktan kesa makitang nasasaktan ang ama.

So she simply smiled and gave him a nod.

"Yes, dad, it will."

He exhaled sharply. She knew it would be so hard for him to just give her to anyone, even to Ken. Lalo na at sobrang kumplikado ng sitwasyon nilang lahat. Isang maling galaw lang, ang dami na ng maaapektuhan.

What was Ken thinking?