I rest my back against the soft bed in Crescent's private jet. Sa wakas ay makakauwi na kami pabalik ng Maynila.

"Joey, can I ask you something?" napahawak ako sa leeg ko.

Pangalawang beses na nahawakan ang leeg ko at muntikan ko na iyong ikamatay.

"Ano yun, George?"

"What if someone dies because of you, what would you do? Maghihiganti ka ba?"

Nahinto siya sa paglalaro ng iPad at tinignan ako.

"I won't, George. You know how I hate revenges. It's just not my thing," bumalik siya sa pagkukulay.

"You're so kind," I closed my eyes.

Joey is always so kind and nice as ever. Ayaw niya nang may nasasaktan at sinasaktan. Bumangon ako at pinuntahan si Crescent sa kanyang kwarto. I hope Cole's not in here. I knocked the door and saw Cole open the door for me, and he's chewing a lollipop.

Great, Cole's here!

"Andiyan ba si Crescent?"

He opens the door wide for me to see Crescent na busy sa pagtatype sa kanyang laptop.

"I don't know what he's doing but I think you're allowed to come in, George."

Pumasok ako at kumatok upang mapansin niya ako. Finally, I got his attention.

"Can we talk for a moment?"

Minatahan niya si Cole na lumabas muna ng kwarto. Cole sighed before leaving the room. He closed the door and Crescent closed his laptop.

"What is it, little kitten?"

"Busy ka ba? You look like you're doing something important."

"I have time for you. Come here," he taps the space beside him.

"Crescent, I-"

"Little kitten," tumayo siya at nilapitan ako. He cupped my face down to my neck. "Who did this to you?"

Napayuko ako. How can I tell him when I don't even know the guy who tried to unalive me?

"Paano mo nalaman na may humawak sa leeg ko?"

"Damn," he sighed in frustration and tousled his hair. "I knew it! I know every part of your body, little kitten. Nothing gets passed my eye when it comes to your body."

Napalunok ako at namula ng sobra dahil sa hiya. Bwiset na assassin ito!

"S-Shut up, assassin!"

"Then who did this to you?"

"That's the problem. I don't know who it was," naupo ako sa kama at tumabi siya sa akin upang makinig. "He's a tall guy, but not taller than you. He was wearing a black hoodie, black cap, and a mask. And-"

Natigil ako. I don't want to mention the dagger 'cause maybe he is one of Crescent's colleagues. Pareho silang may crescent moon na simbolo sa gamit.

"And what?"

"At moreno."

"Don't worry 'cause I've done something about the cctv in that hospital. That's what I've been busy for a while ago."

Kinuha niya ang kanyang laptop at ipinakita iyon sa akin. He was messaging the hospital's security upang makakuha ng footage sa cctv's nila.

"Crescent, you... you don't have to do this," I pursed my lips.

Why is he doing this to me? Why is he so nice to me? He is making things hard for me. But...

"Anything for you, little kitten."

I remember what Joey told me before.

"You need to leave Crescent, George. He's dangerous, really dangerous."

He is... he really is dangerous. Dangerous for me. Dangerous for my heart. Dangerous to love. Pero hindi ko maiwasan. Hindi ko siya matanggihan. Hindi ko siya kayang iwan. I want to hug him. I want to kiss him. I want to cuddle with him. I want to feel him inside me.

I want all of Crescent.

I was mesmerized by how he looked so devilishly handsome in front of me. He seems so cool and hot. I wonder if he also has feelings for me. And the only feeling that I want from him is love.

"What's wrong?" he lifts my chin gently when he realized that I was staring at his lips. "Do you want to kiss me, little kitten?"

Or falling in love with him is all part of his scheme?

Hindi ako sumagot. I found myself wrapping my arms around his neck and deeply kiss him as I closed my eyes. Nagulat siya sa ginawa ko but he returned back my kisses.

"I don't care if you fall for someone else," naiiyak kong sambit nang huminto ako sa paghalik. "I just... I just..."

"I'm not going to fall for other woman. I only have my eyes for you, Georgia, since the day we've met," ngumiti siya sa akin hawak-hawak ang aking pisngi.

"W-What are you talking about?" tumutulo pa rin ang luha ko.

"I liked you ever since that day. It was two years ago..." he wipes my tears using his bare hands. "When you helped me removed the bullet and stitched my wound."

And he left a note on the ref.

"I told you I'll come back for you."

"To kill me..."

"Maybe," he smirks. "Before."

Mas hinigpitan ko pa lalo ang pagyakap sa kanyang abs. He hugged me back, wrapping his arms around my arms.

"I love you."

Sinabi ko yun nang hindi sinasadya. Sana hindi niya narinig! Nakakahiya kapag hindi niya ako sinagot pabalik.

"I thought you hate me."

"Before..." isinubsob ko ang aking mukha sa kanyang dibdib. "I hate you."

"I love you too, little kitten. Always."

****

Nang makauwi kami ng Maynila, wala masyadong nagbago. But Cole and Joey's mom and dad are so cute together. Sabay silang namasyal nang makabalik kami. Tita Charlot will be assigned in America again, while Tito Venancio, Joey's dad, is going to be back in Davao.

"Hindi ba kayo pupunta ng airport? Babalik na si tita Charlot sa America," sambit ko habang kumakain kaming tatlo sa office ni Cole.

"No way!" sabay pa talaga ang pagsagot.

"Why do you hate them so much anyway?"

Nagtinginan sila bago nagsalita si Joey. I know Cole doesn't want to talk about it.

"The same reason, George. It's always the same reason," mahinang sagot ni Joey.

Muli kaming bumalik sa pagkain. The reason. The only reason that these two doesn't want to be with their parents is...

"Hmph, time na ng shift ko. I should go," mabilis na isinuot ni Joey ang kanyang labcoat at iniwan ang tray sa mesa.

"Joey, hindi mo pa nagagalaw ang cake mo!" sigaw ko pero hindi niya ako pinansin.

"Sayo na."

At mabilis siyang lumabas ng office. Malapit na talaga matapos ang lunch break niya. Joey has schedules to follow, while surgeons like me and Cole don't. Pumapasok lang kami sa eksena kapag may emergency.

"She's a hardworker."

I saw how Cole slowly smiles. "That's what I love about her, George."

That's right. The reason why they hate them because they are the reason why they stop liking each other. But that is not my story to tell.

"Too bad for you, Cole. I love Joey more than you love her," ngisi ko.

Ayoko magpatalo no.

Pagkatapos naming kumain ay dumiretso na ako sa office ko. I keep tapping my fountain pen while looking at my patient's documents.

Mr. De Guzman has good vitals but his body is getting weaker every day. Ms. Labajo is not waking up, and Ms. Perez is doing great at her walking therapy.

I put the clipboard down and sighed. Romeo and Raul Torres' death has nothing to do with me, but unfortunately, I got the blame. Who the hell killed them? And what's their deal?

Crescent said that his victim was Mr. Raul Torres. I helped him live so he unalived the poor man. What's going on? I need to know information about their family.

Nakatulog ako sa opisina at nagising pasado alas sais ng gabi. I received 100 missed calls from Crescent kaya natataranta ko siyang tinawagan ulit.

"He-"

"Where the fuck are you? Why aren't you answering my calls?" galit niyang bungad.

"Nakatulog ako, pasensya!" inis ko rin. "Bababa na ako pagkatapos kong magligpit."

Agad ko siyang pinatayan ng tawag. Nagligpit ako ng clipboards at papeles sa mesa. Sobrang tahimik ng hospital ngayon, parang walang pasyente na nagdaraan sa hallway.

Hallway.

Hinubad ko ang puting labcoat at isinabit iyon sa closet ko. Nagbihis ako spaghetti strap at gray hoodie. I do this kapag uuwi na ako sa condo. Kumunot ang noo ko matapos makalabas ng opisina.

No one is in the hallway!

Is it that late already? Am I dreaming?

"George!" boses ni Joey. She approached me. "Uuwi ka na?"

"Um, oo. Asan ang mga pasyente? Bakit ang tahimik ng hallway?" I asked and roamed my eyes.

"Ah, may event kasi sa 13th floor ngayon kaya andun ang mga pasyente."

"What did you say?"

"There's an exclusive event sa 13th floor. I was going to invite you but you said na uuwi ka na."

Lumapit ako sa kanya at pinandilatan siya ng mga mata.

"J-Joey, there's no 13th floor in this hospital!"

She accidentally dropped her clipboard when she realized it. Tumakbo kami upang hanapin ang mga pasyente.

"What's going on?"

"That's why he feels odd. That doctor."

"What doctor?"

Nahinto kami sa 14th floor pero walang tao.

"May pumuntang doktor dito kanina, hindi ko kilala pero inutusan niya ang mga pasyente sa floor natin na lumabas dahil may event sa 13th floor. Damn! Pagagalitan tayo kapag may nangyaring masama sa kanila!"

A doctor? Nalilito na ako sa dapat na gawin. Hindi pa rin namin nahahanap ang mga pasyente pero nang mahinto kami sa 23rd floor, andun ang mga pasyente, kumakain, nagkukwentuhan, at nagtatawanan. Walang event but this room is huge.

"Andito lang pala kayo," nakahinga ng maluwag si Joey at nilapitan sila. "Sino po ang naghatid sa inyo rito, mga lolo at lola?"

"Ah, yung doktor kanina. Asan na ba yun?"

"Can you describe him for me, ma'am?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Matangkad, may itsura, moreno saka magulo ang buhok niya, hija."

Tumibok ng mabilis ang puso ko. Pagkasabing-pagkasabi ni lola nun, agad na sumabog ang kwarto kung nasaan kami ni Joey. Natumba ako sa sahig dahil sa sobrang sakit ng ulo ko. Blood is all over the floor at papunta iyon sa ulohan ko. I saw Joey lying on the floor with blood on her head and hands.

"J-Joey," I called with one eye close.

I reached for her hand pero bigla siyang dinukot ng isang lalaki na nakahoodie. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang makita siya ulit. Why is he taking Joey away from me?

"Is that her?"

"She's a doctor, right? Siya lang ang nakalab coat dito."

"Let's go. Take Sicillian to the car."

Tumakbo iyong dalawang lalaki palabas ng hospital. Pinilit kong tumayo pero nawalan agad ako ng lakas. Yung usok at apoy, unti-unti nang kumakalat sa loob ng kwarto na ito. I looked around to see who is still alive pero walang tumatayo. Sana sugatan lang sila gaya ko at hindi pa patay.

I crawled on the side to open the window. Tatalon ako to get help. This room is sound proof but I hope someone hears the loud explosion.

"J-Joey... Joey they took Joey."

"Georgia!"

I heard his deep voice approaching me in the fire. Kinarga niya ako at tinakpan ng basang tuwalya ang aking ilong at bibig.

"T-They took her. They... took Joey," patuloy kong bulong.

I lost consciousness because of the fire smoke. Tanging sirena lang ng ambulansya at firefighters ang narinig ko.

Nagising ako nang marinig ang boses ni Cole. He was sitting next to me in my bed at mukhang dinala nila ako sa condo ko.

"C-Cole, what happened?"

"George, mabuti naman at nagising ka na. Asan si Joey? B-Bakit hindi mo siya kasama sa kwartong yun?" he asked.

Cole's eyes was filled with worried and he looks frustrated. Bumangon ako kaagad nang maalala si Joey.

"They took her. They took Joey. It should have been me! It should have been me!" tumakbo ako palabas ng kwarto but I tripped when my legs lost strength.

"Georgia, you need to rest!"

Sinampal-sampal ko ang aking mga paa habang nag-iiiyak sa sobrang inis.

"Ako dapat yun! Ako dapat ang nasa sitwasyon ni Joey. Ako dapat ang kinuha. Ako lang dapat yung napasabugan! Ako dapat, ako dapat!" natigil ako sa pagsuntok-suntok at humagulhol sa sobrang inis.

Kinuha nila si Joey, ang nag-iisang kaibigan na meron ako. Joey is innocent and kind, pero nadamay siya dahil sa akin. Narinig ng dalawa kong tenga ang sinabi ng isa sa kanila. They're supposed to kidnap me and not Joey!

"Who took Joey?!" hinawakan ako ni Cole sa magkabilang balikat.

"Hindi ko alam, hindi ko alam putangina! But it should have been me, Cole. I'm so so sorry," iyak ko.

If something happens to her, I won't forgive myself. And I will kill every single one of them! I'll wipe them out of my sight!

Niyakap ako ni Cole ng mahigpit. Iyak ako nang iyak. I will find you, Joey. I'm going to save you!

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