-chapter twelve-

THIRD PERSON

Isang malakas na buntong-hininga ang pinakawalan ni Eura. Nasa balkonahe sila ng isang gusali. Kairo already finished creating the alliance, but they're still out here. The alliance leader  has been sitting in the railing for hours now, staring at the array of streets down below.

"Kailan mo ba planong umalis, Kai?" bagot na tanong ni Eura. "Let's go to the next city now."

"Mm." tanging sagot lang nito sa kaniya.

Eura sighed again and glanced at the man sitting beside her. It was their new recruit, Gavin, who for some reason, also knew Finn. Mukhang problemado ito habang nakaupo. Seryoso ang mga malalayong mata niya.

"Oi," tinapik niya ang lalaki. "How do you know Finn?"

Gavin was taken aback by her question. Umangat ang isang kilay ni Eura. Oh, bakit naman gulat na gulat 'to? Sumulyap siya kay Kai na nakatingin sa banda nila. Kita mo 'to, ang hirap kausapin pero ang daling mamansin kapag sinabi ang pangalan ni Finn.

Eura huffed. Hindi man lang nila alam na sa kaniya na 'yon. She's her bestfriend-

"We're childhood bestfriends." mahinang sagot ni Gavin. "Magkatabi kami ng bahay."

Ah. Ito pala ang original na bestfriend, sa isip ni Eura. Mabuti na lang pala at hindi niya sinabi iyon ng malakas. Baka matawag pa siyang assumera.

"Kaya ba mukhang nagulat din si Finn nang makita ka niya?" tanong niya ulit.

Gavin weakly nodded. "I guess so. I mean, she never knew that I played games."

Oh? Eura raised a brow. He's keeping such a secret from his bestfriend? Hindi siya dapat tularan.

"So what are you going to do now?" sa halip na tanong niya.

Kairo persisted. "Why didn't you tell her?"

"Dahil hindi naman talaga ako naglalaro. I only play to keep an eye on her. Gano'n din ang gagawin ko dito." sagot niya sa tanong ko. "Babantayan ko lang siya."

Ngumisi si Eura. "What a good bestfriend you are, ha? 'Di ba, Kai?"

Hindi sumagot ang binata kaya nawala ang ngisi ni Eura. Inilipat niya ang naiinis na tingin sa lalaking nakaupo pa rin sa railings. His eyes were focused on the streets below.

"Hoy, Kairo! Ano ba kasi tinitingnan mo diyan at hindi mo na ako marini-"

Nagulat siya nang biglang nasa tabi niya na si Kairo at tinatapik si Gavin papasok. He was now chuckling to himself.

"Wala, wala. Tara na, bro. Inuman tayo, gusto mo?" he grinned. "I'm just so glad this Metropolis at least had beers or I would issue a complaint..."

Humina ang boses niya nang tuluyan silang makapasok. Eura sighed and leaned on the railings. Inilibot niya ang paningin sa buong Metropolis at hinahanap ang tiningnan ni Kairo. That man has been acting weird for a while now. He's weird, that's true, but not usually like this.

Bahagya siyang napasinghap nang makita ang tinititigan ni Kairo. Humalumbaba si Eura sa railings at napangiwi.

"Really, Kai?"

Down below, Finn was walking in the busy streets of Metropolis.

"Lim, do I really have to come?"

Napabaling si Finn sa kasama nila. It was the guy with the mole under his left eye. Ang lalaking mahaba ang buhok sa likuran. Blanko ang mukha nito habang sumusunod sa kanila. Kahit na walang emosyon ang mukha ay rinig ang pagkairita sa boses niya.

"Of course." hikab ng lalaking singkit ang mata na nakatabi ni Finn kanina. "You'll get bored in that diner."

"I'll get tired here."

"Tell me about it." sang-ayon ni Theo na hinahatak ni Sapphire. "Wala akong energy para maglakad-lakad ngayon."

"Duh, siyempre!" Sapphire rolled her eyes. "Kaya nga kailangan mo maglakad-lakad para manumbalik ang enerhiya mo. You need to be fit!"

"I don't want to."

"Hindi ko sinabing want, sabi ko need!" singhal ni Sapphire.

Finn faced them and the arguments stopped. Para silang maamong tuta na napatingin sa dalaga.

"You don't need-"

"I'm bored." ani Oliver, ang tinawag na Lim. "I can at least entertain myself by looking for the love of your life."

Umiling si Finn. "Childhood bestfriend."

"Isn't it just the same though?"

"Sandali, sandali-!" pigil ni Sapphire sa usapang hindi naman nage-exist. "Oliver Lim ba pangalan mo?"

Nakangising tumango ang lalaking singkit. "Jan Oliver Lim, to be exact. And he's my cousin who usually refers to me by my last name, Vince Caspian."

Napalipat-lipat ang tingin ni Sapphire sa dalawang lalaki. She mulled over Oliver's cheshire smile and Caspian's blank face.

"Hindi halata na magpinsan kayo."

"I'm from the good genes side." mayabang na sagot ni Oliver.

Nahagip ng tingin ni Finn ang leaderboard. The person named Oli currently sits at the top and she's pretty sure it's this guy. Jan Oliver Lim, one of the renowned streamer who often had conflicts with Maia Marcella. Naalala niyang ito nga pala ang ginagamit ang Oli na nickname sa mga laro. His face is rarely shown kaya hindi siya narecognize ni Finn noong una.

He sometimes play with his cousin, Vince Caspian, isa rin sa mga kilala at misteryosong streamer. He never shows his face in any stream at hindi rin siya palasalita. Isa ngang malaking tanong sa lahat kung bakit isa siya sa mga may maraming subscribers when he rarely talks. But maybe, his viewers or fans are always curious to hear his voice. Maganda nga naman kasi ito pakinggan.

"Mistake. Namali ka ng pagkaintindi. Ibig kong sabihin, bakit ang gwapo niya pero parang may saltik ka?"

They were all taken aback by Sapphire's sharp words. Wala bang kinatatakutan ang babaeng 'to?

Oli blinked once. Twice. "I'm just going to act like you didn't say that."

"Actor ka, boy?" inikot ni Sapphire ang mata. Then, she turned to Finn with a smile. "Tara, Finn. Hanapin natin si Gabi!"

"Gavin." pagtatama ni Finn.

"Why are you denying your love for him anyway?" giit ni Oli. "You wouldn't be desperately looking for him if it wasn't the case."

Umiling si Finn. Hindi naman kasi talaga dahil do'n. Kailangan niyang hanapin si Gavin para pilitin itong sumali sa alliance niya at para na rin magtanong. Gusto niyang malaman kung bakit hindi sinabi sa kaniya ng binata na naglalaro ito. Finn wouldn't judge him. Finn would be the last person to stop him because Gavin is a responsible person. Isa lang ang tanong na nagbabagabag sa kaniya.

Why did Gavin hide it from her? Is she not trusted enough for these things? And now... he's part of the dangers this world has to offer.

Finn can't let that happen.

"You're really weird." komento ni Oli.

"Mas weird ka. You were so adamant about working alone but here you are, joining this girl in her search." tugon ni Caspian sa tabi.

Oli grinned. "I told you I'm bored. Besides, I wanted to look around too. Better help when I can, right?"

Sinamaan ni Caspian ng tingin ang lalaki. "Did you really have to drag me here?"

Sinagot lang ito ni Oli ng kaniyang ngisi at kibit-balikat. Caspian frowned but followed still. Theo sighed. He really didn't want to join this expedition and he was ready to let them go, pero bigla na lang siyang hinatak ni Sapphire. Babawiin niya sana ang kamay kung hindi lang nakakamatay ang hawak ng babae. Sapphire's hands are like lead that denies a person's freedom.

"You said he was probably in Kairo's group, right?" tumango si Finn sa tanong ni Theo. "What if they travelled to the next city already?"

Natigilan si Finn sa paglalakad. Oo nga pala. Kairo is a person who likes to make things quick. Siguradong nakaalis na sila sa city na 'to pagkagawa ng alliance.

Ngumiwi ang nagtatagong si Eura sa likuran nila. So Finn was looking for Gavin. Kaya niyang ipagpakita ang dalawa pero dapat sumama si Finn sa kanila. Eura wants Finn to join her alliance and not the other way around. Pero baka kasama niya sa alliance ang mga taong 'to. Medyo naiinis pa naman siya sa itsura ng isang babae. Parang hindi niya 'to kayang pakisamahan.

Should Eura go ahead and tell Gavin's location in exchange for Finn to move into their alliance-

Lalabas na sana siya sa pinagtataguan nang isang kamay ang dumapo sa balikat niya. Lumingon si Eura upang makita ang seryosong mukha ni Kairo. Sumunod pala ito? Oh shit, this guy is really dangerous. She never noticed his presence.

"Don't." simpleng utos nito.

Kumunot ang noo ni Eura. "What?"

"Don't tell her."

"Why?" sumulyap siya sa likod nito. "Saan si Gavin? 'Di mo sinama?"

"I don't think it's the right time for the kitty to meet him." ngumisi si Kairo. "Let them be separated for a bit."

"They're worried about each other, Kai." kontra niya.

"Hm. They're an eyesore together." sumimangot ang lalaki. "Why did you have to let Gavin defend her again?"

Eura rolled her eyes. "Kasi siguro hindi naman pwede tayong dalawa dahil busy tayo sa palaka?"

"So?" umangat ang isang kilay ni Kairo. "She can defend herself."

"Finn? You know Marcella. Napakahirap na kalaban no'n." bumuntong-hininga si Eura. "Finn can't win against her. Kahit na naglalaro siya ng games, she still can't fight against Marcella. I bet only the Sparrow can spar with her."

Kairo hummed and didn't answer. Inilipat niya ang tingin kay Finn na panay ang tingin sa paligid

But Eura, you made a mistake, sa isip niya. Finn is the sparrow.

"Last corner and we stop." mahinang anunsiyo ni Finn.

Napaatras siya nang biglang lumitaw ang mukha ni Oliver sa harap niya. Nakataas ang kilay ng lalaki at titig na titig sa kaniya.

"Your voice is cute."

A hand grabbed the back of his shirt and took him away from her. Caspian scoffed.

"And you're creepy."

"Proud. Finn is just an adorable person!" mayabang na anunsiyo ni Sapphire. "Alam niyo bang aside from her sweet and soft voice, napakagaling niya ring makipaglaban! She even survived a Winged Beast that got her! Sila ni Theo ang isa sa mga may malalaking amount of kills, uh siguro, tapos ang gagaling nila at agad nilang naiwasan ang weapon ko. Finn also landed herself in the leaderboa-"

"Oh, right about that." putol ni Oli at tumingin kay Finn. "How come you were able to get the city flag in the Armory? I heard news that Marcella was guarding it."

Naningkit ang mata ni Caspian sa kaniya. "Is that the reason why-"

"Yes." putol ulit ni Oli. Sapphire muttered something abour respect under her breath. "One of the main reason why I joined this walk around town is to find out what happened in the Armory. Paano napasayo ang city flag na binabantayan ni Marcella? Did you win against her?"

Natigilan si Finn. Hindi dahil sa tanong ni Oliver. Hindi rin dahil sa pagrereklamo ni Sapphire na walang respeto ito. It wasn't even because of a monster dahil wala no'n dito.

Finn halted in her steps because of a certain pair that crossed their street. Maging ang mga ito ay napahinto. The man stopped and gave her a deep stare. Like always, parang nasa kaniya lang nakatuon ang mata nito. Meanwhile, the woman had a dark glare in her eyes.

"What a coincidence, Finn. Meeting you in here. The universe must really want us to be together."

Dahan-dahang lumapit sa kanila si Marcella. Oliver's ears perked up after hearing a familiar voice. Lumingon siya sa likuran at napangisi. It wasn't his usual playful smile. It was cold and humorless.

"Tama ka, Marcella." ani Oliver sa madilim na boses. "Siguro nga'y pinagkikita tayo ng tadhana para tapusin ang unfinished business natin sa isa't isa."

Marcella smirked. "Oh well, would you look at that. Two of my enemies in one street."

No one moved from their spot aside from the lady who kept on walking. Si Wes na nasa likod ay nanatiling nakatayo at nakatitig kay Finn.

Marcella tilted her head. "How lucky."

Sa isang iglap ay nakalabas na ang weapon ng bawat isa. Oliver had his weapon raised, ready to defend. Mabilis na kinuha ni Marcella ang dagger at sumugod kay Finn, na nanatiling nakatayo.

Marcella slashed her dagger with impatience. Ngunit ang sumunod na nangyari ay nagpagulat sa kanila. It was quick and can easily be missed. Dahil sa isang iglap ay nakulangan sila ng tao. Isang bagay lang ang nahagip ng mata nila.

Finn's cold smirk before she suddenly disappeared.

-chapter end-