Please Read

[for good luck, clear skin and passing future exams haha]

This is another conclusion to my wonderful journey in writing under science fiction. I don't know how to express my gratitude to everyone reading my works. What makes me teary is that you didn't just read as is, you delve into every words, values, issues and lessons in life that I didn't clearly state in each chapters. RFYL/RAFAYC readers are so smart and awesome! You read between the lines and reflect on it. ❤

RUN DUOLOGY is my favorite book I've written so far. I invested my emotions in this, including my rants and concerns in life. Capital is the place I fear that might exist in the future. I don't want one day, the world will be self-centered, discriminator, slaves, imprisoned in the society's beauty standards, etc.

This is an achievement for me and play a huge part for me to achieve this. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

And here's to clear some things, RFYL/RAFAYC is not inspired from Hunger Games/Divergent series. Maybe some scenes might be similar but I wasn't thinking about those two while writing this. I was thinking of Shingeki No Kyojin hehe (Attack on Titan) hence the Capital was divided into wards (instead of walls) plus the real Royal Family's real identity was hidden (though that's really the case. Sa likod ng mga mga taong sa tingin natin ay masama, mas may masama pa pala sa kanila na siyang pinakalider charot). But just like HG/Divergent, this is a story about bravery and survival. ❤

Thank you again! More books to come for us! This is the last installment of my RUN Duology but this will not be the last Sci-Fi book that I will be writing. I know you're expecting another book for RUN but again, this will be the last. I want to write more pero sabi ni Catriona, everything is good but in moderation hahahaha.

You may not like the story/ending but this is how I want to end this (you keep telling me my stories don't have happy ending, why is thaaaat? Happy naman ah?) Maybe it's a little vague, nasanay lang ako sa sa mga nababasa kong classics, vague din mga ending kekekekekekeke :3

Thank you! Maraming Salamat. Daghang salamat!

Sincerely,
Tammii Gomez/ShinichiLaaaabs

***

END

"Kitten, gising."

I felt someone inserted strands of my hair on my ear and I swear that's very irritating.

"Pentagon, lumabas ka sa kwarto ko," pagbabanta ko habang nakapikit at hinigpitan ang pagkakayakap sa unan.

"Hala, ang kapal. Bahay po namin 'to at kwarto 'to ni Twin Bro. Hindi pa nga kayo kasal, feeling mo conjugal property n'yo na 'to? No way!"

Agad na napabuka ang mga mata ko sa realisasyon. I wasn't in my room! Bumangon ako at niyakap ang kumot sa katawan ngunit tinampal ni Pentagon ang noo ko. "Ano ba?" I shrieked.

He made a face at napaatras ng kaunti ang mukha. "Bad breath!"

Alam ba niyang maglaro na sa lasing wag lang sa taong sapilitang ginising?!! "Pusangina mo Pentagon, ang aga-aga!"

"Alas nuebe na," he replied and pulled the blanket from me. "Tsaka feeling mo nakahubad ka sa ilalim ng kumot ah, hindi ka papatusin ni Twin Bro."

Sinamaan ko na lamang siya ng tingin at napahikab. Who says I'm naked? I slept beside Triangle but nothing happened. As if naman pagsasamantalahan niya ako, baka ako pa ang manamantala sa kanya. Nasa bahay kami ng mga Grande, sa elite ward.

Why am I here by the way?

"Bangon na para makapaghanda ka, just in case nakalimutan mo, mamayang ala-una na ang oath-taking ni Jean-Claude," paalala niya at tinapon ang kumot sa mukha ko bago umalis doon. Naiwan akong ilang beses na minura si Pentagon sa isipan.

Right, it's Jean-Claude's oath-taking ceremony. Anarchy has been lifted. Anim na buwan. Anim na buwan na ang nakalilipas nang mangyari iyon. It was a near-death experience for me. Akala ko ay ibu-butcher na ako sa harap ng maraming tao na puro kalalakihan but then a miracle happened. Triangle appealed them through conveying his ideals and emotion.

Hindi ko malilimutan ang araw na iyon. People repented their mistakes and asked forgiveness. It was a bad memory for me but at the end of the day, goodness prevail. People started seeing the capacities that each one of us has. P:RUM 2.0 was banned and the people responsible for it was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Hindi lamang si Doctor Aaron ang nakulong kundi maging si Doctor Luther. Kailangan niyang pagbayaran ng ilang taon ang pagiging kasabwat niya. His business wasn't tear down. It will still be in operation kapag natapos na niya ang kanyang sentensya but this time, everyone has the freewill to decide if one wants cosmetic surgery.

Nakakulong na rin si Moran at pinagbayaran ang patung-patong na charges sa kanya including illegal business and underground operations hence his unexplainable wealth. Sa huli ay nabawi ng mga Grande ang pinakamataas na posisyon-- and this time, Jean-Claude was recognized as Grande. He worked hard for it and now, he will be the one responsible to manage the whole Capital.

That all happened in a span of six months. It was tough but I have my mom and the others who ran with me. Papa was with us on those times but he said he also has to run for Tussah. The twins were surprised to know na buhay ang ama nila although Pentagon seems like he already has a clue. They forgave him for being a coward and just let him continue the remaining miles he need to finish running kasama si Papa para sa Tussah. My mom also supported me in any way possible.

Running was tiring it but it doesn't mean we will stop. What I learned is that if you're tired running, don't quit. Rest but never quit. Running never stops but I will not run alone, we will run together. We will run hand in hand.

Things were better compared to the past. The Grandes intention to lead the Capital is genuine ngunit may mga tao pa ring ayaw sa kanila, pero sabi ni Jean-Claude normal lamang iyon. We cannot please everybody. And he didn't want to please them. He just want to be himself. He just wants what's best for the Capital, for everyone. That's all that matters to him; not everyone's favor.

Naghanda na ako para sa oath-taking ceremony mamayang hapon. I can't help but look back at all the memories, good or bad that happened to me. The good ones were worth keeping, the bad ones will be our proof of survival. Pagdating namin sa Capital Circle kung saan gaganapin ang oath-taking ay agad kong hinanap si Triangle. I haven't seen him almost all day! Nang ginising ako ni Pentagon kanina ay wala na siya. He's probably somewhere preparing for his 'cousin's' oath-taking ceremony. Nakakahiya naman sa kanya, parang mas excited pa siya kaysa sa akin. Hello? Kapatid ako. Kapatid.

But what can I do? Triangle is the most affectionate person on the Capital (Pentagon keeps on telling me that before ngunit ngayon lang ako naniwala.) he will make sure everything will be perfect for him.

"Sunny!"

Napalingon ako sa pinanggalingan ng boses. Sina Suri, syempre kasama ang boyfriend niyang si Jeff. As usual nasa gilid lang din sina Iris, Margo at Drix. I smiled as I walked my way towards them. I was with them on my journey. They were with me and we both ran. We all deserve a better life as a reward for running.

"Nasa'n si Coco?" tanong ni Drix.

I shrugged my shoulder. "Hinahanap ko rin sila-- oh, there he is."

Napatingin kaming lahat sa kararating lang na si Coco. He was in a white barong, and skinny head. Nakapulupot pa sa braso niya ang braso ng babaeng nakasuot ng pormal na damit, which I recognized was AndE. Kasama rin niya sina KL, Megan at Nikon.

Dalawang buwan ng nagpapa-cute kay Megan si KL but sinisimangutan lamang siya nito. I don't know what's the score between them but lately palagi silang magkasama. My question about Nikon being a friend or an enemy has been answered. He's an enemy's friend but he can be your friend. Nang araw na iyon ay siya ang nagdala kina Triangle sa Research Lab and informed them about what happened to us. He's loyal to Doctor Aaron pero sa huli ay ginamit niya ang kanyang utak at puso. As of Stella, she went back to 3rd Ward at binalikan ang buhay na iniwan niya.

"Bro mukha kang kababangon lang sa kabaong!" natatawang komento ni Jeff at nagtawanan silang dalawa ni Drix. Maging sina Iris at Margo ay natawa na rin samantalang halos hindi na maipinta ang mukha ni Coco sa inis. Napangiti ako nang malawak habang nakamasid sa kanila.

In few month times we will be graduating from the Academy and we will take another path of our lives-- finding careers and become a better citizens.

"Reunion ng 3 idiots!" sabi ng kararating na si Pentagon. He held my shoulders and smiled at the others. "Sorry but I have to steal kitten. Magsisimula na ang seremonya at kailangan ang family members."

Matapos magpaalam sa kanila ay hinila na ako ni Pentagon sa waiting room kung saan naroon si Jean-Claude at Trench. Jean-Claude was busy reading over some papers at halatang kinakabahan siya. Nakatayo lamang ako at pinanuod siya habang binabasa niya ang kanyang hinandang speech.

"Pusangina!" Napasigaw ako nang tinulak ako ni Gon sa direksyon ni Jean-Claude bago ito tumatakbong lumayo. Remind me to break his other arm later! Kung naging malamya lang ako, malamang nadapa na ako sa harap niya! And unluckily, nasagi ko pa siya! He sighed heavily and put down the paper to look at me.

Jean-Claude really has a cold stare, gaya ni Trench at puto, inaamin kong hanggang ngayon ay naiilang at kinakabahan pa rin ako sa tingin niyang iyon.

I gulped few times and raised my fist. "F-f-fighting!"

I saw him sighed again bago ako hinila at niyakap. Hindi ko maiwasang mapangiti. My brother may be cold but now, I will never doubt his love for me. He may not say a lot but I know he cares for me, for everyone. He's a Grande and they hold power over the Capital pero sabi nga, great power comes great responsibility. Leading the Capital is a challenge, but Jean-Claude is committed to that.

Bigla siyang tinawag ng isa sa mga staff kaya naiwan ako roon. I turned to Trench who was at the side, looking at me. Ilang beses na akong nagpasalamat sa kanya noong gabing tinulungan niya kami ni Megan which end up as the three of us being captives.

Lumapit ako sa kanya at ngumiti. "Congratulations!" bati ko sa kanya. After we will graduate, he will be helping Jean-Claude.

He smiled sweetly and nodded. Bilang lamang ang mga pagkakataong ngingiti siya but when he smiles, it's worth to be treasured.

"Thank you, I guess I'm not really for romance but for service," sabi niya.

It's clear to me that he likes me, he even said so. Feeling ko tuloy ang ganda-ganda ko kahit pusaginang hindi naman. And Pentagon never failed to tell me I'm not that pretty to deserve TT cousins! Puto, ang plastic! Sa harap ni Doctor Luther sabi niya maganda ako tapos kapag sa harap ko halos isampal na sa akin ang katotohanang hindi ako maganda!

Biglang bumukas ang pinto at pumasok muli si Pentagon kasama si Tatsulok. "Finally!" bulalas niya. "Nandito na tayong lahat, the ceremony's about to start."

As if on cue, the other door leading towards the stage opened at sumingaw ang ulo ng staff. "The affirmation is about to start so all the Grandes need to be here," wika nito at tinuro ang lugar kung saan sila uupo.

Trench nodded and stood immediately to follow the staff at gayundin si Pentagon. Sinundan ko sila ng tingin at bigla na lamang yumakap sa likuran ko si Tatsulok.

"You woke up late kaya hindi na kita ginising," sabi niya at isiniksik sa leeg ko ang kanyang mukha.

I rolled my eyes. "Your twin woke me up annoyingly." He laughed at mas hinigpitan pa ang pagkakayakap sa akin. "Tatsulok tawag na kayo doon."

"Hmm?"

"Magsisimula na ang ceremony for Jean-Claude's oath and Grande Family affirmation. Sumunod ka na roon," sagot ko sa kanya.

Bumitaw siya mula sa pagkakayakap sa akin at hinawakan ang kamay ko. He held me as he walked towards the door. "Tara."

"Teka," pigil ko at binawi ang kamay. "Grande family lang, hindi naman sinabing Gallego."

He smiled and pulled me closer. "You'll become part of the Grande family anyway."

Puto, ene be! Tetselek nemen eh!

I bite the insides of my cheeks but to no avail dahil napangiti pa rin ako. Yumakap ako sa baiwang niya at sabay kaming pumasok sa sa pinto patungo sa entablado kung saan gaganapin ang seremonya.

#

END OF RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN
END OF RUN DUOLOGY
TO GOD BE THE GLORY