A/N: 2 chapters left! Yey! Nakahanda na ang 2 chapters dahil nauna ko silang isulat 😹 pero need ko pang baguhin at dagdagan ulit. Hindi pa siya completely done kaya tiis muna sa paghihintay.

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Chapter 48: Alive

"DOC, how's my husband?" bungad ko agad ng makalabas sa operating room ang doctor na nag-opera kay Agon.

"Thankfully the bullet didn't hit a vital spot. He will recover fast," aniya at dinugtong pa ang doctor, pero hindi ko na maintindihan iyon dahil laman na ng isip ko si Agon.

Pagkatapos no'n ay binisita ko sa iisang room sina Nick at Ardeen. Unang tapak ko pa lang sa loob ng kwarto ay nagtatawanan na sila.

"That's a good idea!" Nick laughed.

"Hey, babe!" Ardeen greeted me when he saw me.

Nick has a cast on his hand, and Ardeen was sitting like a prince while his right foot and left arm have casts. They are both covered with bandages, full of bruises, cuts on the lips, and black eyes. They look like a pitiful, handsome prince sitting on their own royal bed—completely useless.

I put the fruits on the table and peeled it for them. Salitan ko silang binigyan at sarap na sarap ang mga gago sa ginagawa ko.

"You know what, Nick? If I had known getting injured was like this and getting this kind of treatment, I would have taken a hundred of bullets and bruises." Ardeen smirked.

My forehead knotted.

Nick laughed. "Next time, we know what to do. If Agon will be jealous and bury us alive, at least we will die happily." He opened his mouth and waited for me to feed him an another slice of apple.

Mas lalong lumukot ang noo ko at sinamaan sila ng tingin pero tumawa lang silang dalawa. Agad kong tinusok ang dalawang slice ng apple at sinubo sa bibig niyang may sugat.

"Aw! Pwedeng isa lang, babe?" Sinapo niya ang bibig na may sugat. "Hindi ka ba naawa sa 'kin?" paawang aniya.

Wow! Para akong alalay rito, ha? Nagmagandang loob na nga ako. Napaikot ang mata ko. Mukhang nagkamali akong gawan ng maganda ang dalawang 'to, ah?

Wala akong nagawa kundi kunin ang isang slice at bigla na lang pinasok sa bibig ni Ardeen ang isa ng hindi pa siya handa.

"H-hey!" He coughed. "Ang sakit sa lalamunan!" reklamo niya at napahawak sa leeg nito.

"You're bullying us, babe." Nick acted as if he was crying.

I moved my head sideways. "Idiots," ani ko pero natatawa na lang sa kanilang dalawa.

I spend almost thirty minutes feeding them. Every time they make a bite, they say a lot of drama. Hindi ko alam kung pati ba utak nila ay napuruhan din.

Parang gusto kong pagsisipain ang mga kamay nilang bali-bali bigla. Kung hindi lang talaga sila pasyente ngayon, baka pinagbabaril ko na silang dalawa.

Kinuha ko ang tissue para punasan ang bibig nilang dalawa. Napabuntong-hininga silang dalawa at ngiti-ngiting napatitig sa 'kin.

"If ever I can move, I will buy you a ring and propose to you right away. Hay!" Nick sighed dramatically.

"That Del Vecho is surely a lucky man," Ardeen jokingly showed me a sad face.

Napasapo ako sa mukha sa kalokohan nilang dalawa. "If ever my husband hears this, you will surely run with your casts on." Napailing ako.

A gentle knock interrupted our conversation. Niluwa ng pinto si Raji na walang galos at maayos na maayos ang pagkakasuklay sa buhok.

"Am I interrupting something?" tanong agad niya.

"Raji." Napatayo ako. "Are you okay? Wala ka bang tama?"

He smiled. "I'm okay. Step aside, Jeyk. They will put Agon here. Knowing him, ayaw niyang iniiba siya ng kwarto kesa sa mga kaibigan niya."

Napatango ako at ilang minuto lang ay nagsipasukan ang mga nurses at doctor habang maayos na nilalagay si Agon sa gilid.

He's sleeping.

Kagaya nina Nick and Ardeen ay may mga bandages siya sa kamay at noo. Ang kaibahan lang ay wala siyang cast, hindi kagaya ng dalawang 'to na mukhang baldado.

"He just needs rest. Sooner or later he will wake up," Raji said. Napaupo siya sa gilid at initsahan siya ng mansanas ni Ardeen. "Thanks."

"Si Levin? Is he safe?" biglang tanong ko ng maalala ang kapatid ni Agon.

Raji nodded. "Kajix there, I trust him. Hindi niya ipapahamak si Levin."

Bigla akong nabunutan ng tinik sa dibdib. Thank God! He's safe. I hope Kajix and Jaki will get along.

We talked for about an hour until we noticed Agon moved. Lumapit agad kami ni Raji kay Agon habang ang dalawa ay nakaupo lang sa kani-kanilang mga kama.

I reached his hand when he moved it, assuring him that I'm here on his side.

Agon groaned when he finally opened his eye. "Ang ingay niyo," agad na reklamo niya habang nangungot ang noo.

Raji smirked. "Congratulations, you're alive," pabirong bungad niya.

My husband chuckled. "Fuck you."

"What a greeting. Tss."

Pinilit niyang maupo. "Hey, mahiga ka lang muna. Kagigisng mo lang, baka mapaano ang tama mo."

"I'm okay, wife. Don't worry."

"Aw! Nakakainggit!" Nick commented while his palms were on his cheeks.

"Sheyt! I hope I can have a girl like that. Maalaga, sweet, malakas. All in one, but if our Agon will be gone too soon, we can—" Ardeen purposely cut his words.

Agon shot them a deadly glare when he finally sat on his bed, leaning his back on the pillow. "Finish that sentence, and you will not be able to walk and use that hand forever."

Ardeen gulped. "Or I will just hunt for a perfect girl for me. Right! Jeyk is off limits," biglang liko ng sasabihin niya.

"Yes. Tama, correct, tumpak! As for the meantime, we need to heal our broken bones and hearts," Nick agreed while nodding.

I chuckled. "Stop scaring them, hon. Kawawa naman ang mga baldado."

"They should be. You're mine, only mine. A del Vecho doesn't share," he proudly said.

Raji laughed. "You two, stop teasing the patient. You know how jealous he could be."

Lumukot ang mukha ni Agon dahil pinagtutulungan siya ng tatlo niyang kaibigan.

"I think I need to break those legs and arms for you to suffer more," naiinis na sambit ni Agon.

Another set of laughter erupted and filled the room—well, mostly are painful groans for what they felt in their body while laughing hard.

These men were a set of fools, reckless, and a mixture of serious and playful personalities that I have ever had.

Their bond is unbreakable. They treated one another like a brother—an unspoken understanding that only they will know. A strong connection that was molded by deadly fires in life and deep scars. Agon's lucky to have friends like this.

"What are you thinking? You're smiling," Agon commented.

I give him a smile while looking at his friends, who are busy with their businesses. "I'm just thinking how lucky you are to have them."

Inabot niya ang dalawang kamay ko at hinalikan iyon. "I'm thankful every single damn day. At noong dumating ka, mas lalo akong nagpasalamat na binigay ka ng tadhana sa 'kin. I'm nothing without you."

I blushed instantly. "You always say the most smoothest line here. You're trying to seduce me, aren't you?" I joke and hide what I felt.

Tangina! Kinikilig ako!

"If ever I stop seducing you, then probably I'm dead."

Napailing ako, napapangiti. "You're really impossible."

Inabot niya ang baba ko. He looked at me with so much love and possessiveness. "Always remember that you are mine, my baby."

"I'm forever yours."

Aabutin na niya sana at hahalikan ako ng biglang sumigaw sina Ardeen at Nick.

"Oh God! Please stop them from doing that thing in this hospital!" Nick shouted, his palm was like praying.

"My virgin eyes! Have mercy on the injured!" Ardeen overreacted.