"What are your plans? You won't settle down? Or you're still looking for someone?" Dinungaw ni Archer si Dash upang matignan ito.

"How about Maureen, do you have a boyfriend?" Astrid lightly nudged my arm as she asked.

Napalingon ako sa kanya at tipid na napangiti. I shook my head. "Wala," I answered and my shoulders jumped when Archer spoke in a bit excited voice.

"Ayon naman pala! Bakit hindi na lang kayong dalawa!"

Napatingin ako sa gawi niya kaya't nahuli ko rin ang paglapad ng ngiti ni Astrid. "Yeah. Kayo na lang, Dasher." She seconded.

Attorney shifted on his seat while looking at me. "Ano bang hanap mo, Maureen?" Tanong niya na para bang nagbebenta lang sa palengke.

Bahagya pa akong napalunok sa inaasta niya. I didn't know he has this side of him.

"Whatever it is, surely Dasher can pass. Am I right? Just tell us what are the qualifications."

I bit my lower lips as I felt my cheeks burning.

"You know--" Attorney's words were interrupted when Mirae spoke.

"Archer, Astrid, that's enough." Mariing utos ni Mirae na nakapagpatungo sa akin. Tila hindi niya nagustuhan ang ipinipilit nang dalawa.

I eyes returned to the food. Wala akong lakas ng loob na lingunin ang ekspresyon ni Dasher. He might see how affected I am because of my reddening cheeks.

Ipinilig ko ang aking ulo upang alisin sa isipan ang nangyari sa yate noong nakaraang araw.

Even until now I can still vividly remember it. At sa tuwing maaalala ko iyon ay agad na nagiinit ang aking mga pisngi. Lalo na kapag naaalala ko kung ano ang isinagot ni Dasher matapos ang pagsaway ni Mirae sa dalawa.

"Let's see," he said that causes a deafening silence in the long table.

Those two words are enough to send my insides in chaos.

I let my feet drowned in the fine sand while wiggling my toes. My hands were resting at the end of the sun lounger where I am seating.

A glass pitcher containing a pink colored juice and salad in a bowl with different fruits are placed atop the sun lounger in front of me. Two tall glasses and two saucers who both has a dessert spoon were empty beside it. Habang naroon din ang aking phone na ngayon ay itim lamang ang makikita.

My eyes were fixed at Dasher who's walking back and forth near the shore, still with his standard walker as his support.

The sun's missing already even it's just three hours passed twelve in the afternoon. Marahang umihip ang hangin dahilan para bahagyang tumaas ang maliliit na balahibo sa aking batok.

"Dasher!" I called and waited for him to turn his gaze on my direction.

I wore my slippers as I rose. Pinasadahan ko ng isang hagod ng kamay ang pangibaba na aking suot bago inihakbang ang mga paa patungo sa direksyon ni Dasher.

Magulo ang buhok niya dahil na rin sa ihip ng hangin habang sinasalubong ang aking mga mata.

"Aren't you tired? You're walking for an hour already. Let your feet rest," sambit ko nang makalapit at sumabay sa kanyang paglalakad.

"Give me a few minutes more, Mauree."

I licked my lower lip as I pursed my lips, trying to suppress a smile when I heard how he called me.

Laking pasalamat ko nang ibalik niya sa daan ang kanyang tingin.

Bahagya akong yumuko upang hindi niya mahalata ang aking ekspresyon.

"Gumawa ako ng fruit salad. You wanna try it?" Tanong ko matapos makabawi.

He glanced at me, now with a bit smirk in his face. "Really?"

I bobbed my head for a nod with my lips pressed.

Agad siyang bumaling ng direksyon sa paglalakad. He's now facing the direction where the sun loungers are in. "Alright. Let's go back then. I wanna taste your salad."

I placed my hands behind as I walked beside Dasher.

"Your cooking skills are getting better the past few days, huh?" Puna niya sabay sulyap sa akin na may ngiti sa mga labi.

A wide smile slowly formed in my lips. Hindi na napigilan pa ang ngiti na pinipigilang kumawala.

"Nasasanay na siguro?" I tilted my head to the side where he's standing. "Though, I haven't tried cooking steak again. How about later for dinner?"

"Why are you so soft spoken?" He asked all of a sudden. Kaya naman buong katawan ko ang napaharap sa kanya.

I eyed him with a bit of frown in my forehead while my eyes were full of questions. "Huh?"

"For six weeks that we're living in a same roof, I can count how many times your voice raised than your usual."

Napapansin niya 'yon? Hindi lang siguro ako sanay na laging nagtataas ng boses?

"You'll just raise your voice when I'm being stubborn." Nangingiting baling niya sa akin. "Napipikon ba kita?"

I shook my head but I immediately stopped. I looked at him as our eyes met. Ilang beses akong napakurap matapos matantong, nakakapikon nga siya noong mga oras na iyon.

He cackled. "Sorry, hindi na kita pipikunin," he playfully assured while still chuckling. Kaya't hindi ko alam kung seryoso ba siya sa sinabi niya o nagbibiro pa rin.

Nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad patungo sa mga sun lounger at ganoon din ang ginawa niya.

"Anyway, I want medium rare for the steak. Let me watch you as you cook."

I nodded as we finally arrived at the resting area. Dasher sat at where I am seating earlier. Habang ako, bago umupo ay agad kong inangat ang pitcher upang salinan ng laman ang dalawang baso.

I grabbed both of the glass in my hands as I handed one on Dash.

"How do I want my steaks done?" Tanong niya matapos tanggapin ang juice na ibinigay ko.

Why is he asking me? "Medium rare," I answered, frowning a bit.

Tumango siya, ngayon ay may supil na ngisi na naman sa mga labi. "Just making sure that you heard it right. Baka well done na naman ang rinig mo."

Lumaglag ang aking panga at naalala ang walang kwentang palusot noong mga oras na iyon.

"Well done talaga sabi mo." Muli ko pang ipinilit upang pagtakpan ang sarili.

"If you say so," he lifted his shoulders for a shrug.

Kinuha ko ang platito at sinimulan iyong lagyan ng fruit salad, iniiwasang humaba ang usapan tungkol sa steak.

Agad ko iyong inabot kay Dasher nang akmang magsasalita pa siya. "Taste it."

Kinuha ko ang isa pang saucer at nilagyan din iyon para sa akin. Matapos ay iginilid ko ang aking phone na nasa tabi ng pitcher, takot na mabasa iyon at wala ng gamitin. Malayo pa naman ang mall dito, hindi agad ako makabibili ng pamalit kung sakaling hindi na gagana.

I watched him sipped in his glass before tasting the salad.

"Is it good?" I asked and let him see my thumbs up, encouraging him to give a thumbs up too.

But my eyes enlarged when he started coughing na parang nabulunan or what sa salad ko. Unti-unting kumunot ang aking noo. I don't know if he's just acting or there's really something wrong with my fruit salad.

"A-anong lasa?" I asked before glancing at the saucer resting at my lap with salad on it before turning to Dasher again, still frowning.

"I was ambushed for I don't know how many times already but I didn't die."

I tilted my head while staring at him, mariing iniisip kung bakit napasok sa usapan iyon. Lalong kumunot ang aking noo nang makita ang mapaglarong ngisi sa kanyang mga labi.

"Hindi ko naman alam na diabetes pala ang papatay sa'kin," natatawang sambit niya na nakapagpalaglag ng aking panga.

I blinked before turning to my salad as I held the dessert spoon. Agad kong tinikman iyon.

I languidly chew the fruits. Matamang inaalam ang lasa noon. Nang hindi ako nakuntento ay muli akong tumikim para masigurado na tama ang aking nalalasahan.

Kunot ang noong sinalubong ko ang kanyang mga mata nang matantong tama lang ang lasa noon. Hindi matabang at hindi rin sobrang tamis.

"I was just kidding," depensa niya nang makita ang mapangakusang titig mula sa akin. He still can't stop himself from chuckling. "You panicked!" He concluded, tila iyon ang dahilan kung bakit hindi siya matigil sa kakatawa niya. 

Akmang sasagutin ko siya nang marinig namin ang boses ni Donna.

"Nandito lang pala kayo," dungaw nito mula sa pader ng villa.

Ridge is behind her as they walked towards us.

"We're looking for the both of you! We thought you killed each other already! Lalo na at tumatawag kami sa villa ay walang sumasagot," sambit ni Ridge.

Though I know he's kidding about us killing each other. Dahil agad na sumilay ang mapaglarong ngisi sa kanyang mga labi habang umupo sa tabi ni Dasher.

I shifted on my seat. Bahagya akong umusad palapit sa pitcher at sa bowl ng fruit salad para bigyan ng upuan si Donna.

My brow raised a bit when I saw Ridge alternately looking at me and Dasher. "What's with you two?" Tila nahihiwagaan sa kaninang nasaksihan.

"What's wrong?" Dasher in a casual yet manly voice asked.

"Wala pang dalawang araw kaming nawala, tapos ganito aabutan namin ngayon?" Nahihiwagaang sambit ni Ridge at napailing na lamang ako.

Dasher's smirked as he started eating my fruit salad. "How's Manila?"

"What do you think?" Eksehaderong sambit ni Ridge. "Naging Amsterdam na? Of course, its still Manila, dude!" Halakhak nito sabay tapik sa balikat ni Dasher.

I nibbled my lower lip as I felt a smile peeking at my lips when I saw how Dasher's smile faded, because of Ridge's answer. Agad na sumama ang tingin nito sa huli at pabirong sinuntok sa balikat si Ridge.

Even Donna can't help but chuckle at Dasher's reaction.

I poked Donna as I pointed the salad on the bowl. "Do you want?"

She glanced at me with amusement in her eyes. "Ikaw gumawa?"

I nodded while my lips were pressed. Kasabay noon ang pag-iingay ng aking phone.

Agad akong napalingon sa aking cellphone at dali-daling dinampot iyon nang makita ang pangalan ni Ate sa caller.

I bit my lower lips as I cancelled the call. But it immediately started ringing again with the same caller.

I cleared my throat as I looked at Dasher's direction. Nahuli kong nasa akin rin ang mga mata niya.

"I'll just answer this call," paalam ko at hindi na hinintay ang sagot nila.

I immediately excused myself from the crowd as I forced my feet to step towards the entrance of the villa.

"A-Ate," I stammered.

I chew my lower lip as I readied myself from whatever she'll say. Noong nakaraang araw pa siya tumatawag sa akin na pilit kong hindi sinasagot. But maybe I can't escape her.

I'm bound to talk and listen to whatever she'll say.

"Where the hell are you?" I heard her familiar cold voice. She sounds like Mirae when I first met her when I applied as Dasher's nurse.

"In Palawan. Hindi ba nasabi sa'yo ni dad--"

"If you can fool our parents, ibahin mo ako. You won't suddenly go in Palawan, alone. And if ever you really do, you won't stay in there for so long," marahang sambit niya ngunit may diin ang bawat salita upang iparating sa akin na hindi siya natutuwa sa kung anumang ginagawa ko. Tila nauubusan na ng pasensya sa akin. Well, she's impatient, most of the time.

I can make dad believe everything I say. But when it comes to my sister, I can't. She's questioning everything and she won't trust anyone.

"I'm in Palawan." Pinatatag ko ang aking boses upang kumbinsihin siyang nasa Palawan nga ako.

"Bullshit!"

Napapitlag ako sa malutong na mura niya at hindi napigilan ang sarili na hindi mapangiwi.

"Why can't I track your location?" She shouted. Sa tingin ko ay naputol ng tuluyan ang pisi niya.

I paused for awhile, carefully thinking what should I say to calm her.

I licked my lower lip as I pressed it unto each other. "Why are you asking?"

She let out as sarcastic audible breath. "To make sure you're not betraying our family."

Bumuka ang bibig ko at muntik ng mapasinghap. I cleared my throat before heaving a sigh as a sign of defeat. Sinigurado ko na narinig niya ang buntong hininga ko. "Alright, you know what happened to the famous doctor." I started weaving my lies.

"Dr. Alterio? Universe of Cosmos?"

"Hmm. Dad secretly asked me go and confirm if he really died already." Though, I'm telling the truth in this part.

"At bakit ikaw ang uutusan ni Daddy?" I can perceived her raising her brow at what I say.

"Because Cosmos know who are you. He's worried that you might fail." Pinigilan ko ang sarili na mapangisi nang matahimik siya. And I know what made her mummed.

I feel sorry for mentioning her weakness, that dad's thinking she'll fail, but I don't have a choice. Sigurado akong tatanungin niya si dad tungkol sa iniutos sa akin kung hindi ko iyon sasabihin.

"I'm now inside one of Cosmos' headquarters. And I learned something..." I trailed off, thinking if I should continue or not.

"Dr. Alterio might not be the Universe of Cosmos," pikit matang sambit ko.

I have no idea if Dasher's really the Universe or not but I know Dad and Ate's not sure too. But after telling her that, alam kong maguguluhan siya, lalo na at sinabi kong napasok ko ang isa sa mga headquarters ng Cosmos. She'll question if who they killed is really the boss of Cosmos.

That way, if ever she'll learned that Dasher's really alive, she won't panicked and try to kill him again, at least for the mean time.

Agad kong pinutol ang tawag matapos kong sabihin iyon dahil alam kong susunod sunurin niya ako ng tanong para makumpirma ang aking sinabi.

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