Nasilaw si Ken ng flourescent lights sa loob ng kwarto pagkagising niya. Pero nang maka-adjust na ang mata niya, isang tagpong 'di niya hahayaang matuloy ang sumalubong sa kanya. Lily and Sage were standing in front of her bed with their faces only a few inches apart.

She quickly tried to sit up but she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen and it made her groan. Napatingin sa kanya ang dalawa at mabilis na humakbang palayo si Sage kay Lily.

"Thank God, you're awake!" Lily excitedly said as she ran to Ken's side. "How are you feeling?"

"Really sore. Ga'no katagal ba ako natulog?" Ken asked, still a bit groggy. Memories of Lily's kidnapping started returning to Ken kaya naman tuluyang nagising ang kanyang diwa. "Wait, who rescued you? Were you hurt? Where are we? Kilala mo na ba 'yong mga kumuha sa'yo?" sunod-sunod na tanong niya.

"Ow." Ken winced in pain when she tried to twist her body to look around the room.

"Easy ka lang." Lumapit na rin sa kanya si Sage, ito pa nag-adjust ng hospital bed para makaupo nang maayos si Ken.

"Bakit nandito ka rin?" tanong niya kay Sage habang naniningkit ang mga mata. "Kayo na ba ni Lily?"

"Nag-alala rin ako sa 'yo, bawal ba?" Nginitian siya ni Sage. "At ano naman kung kami na ni Lily? Nagsabi ka namang 'di ka na hahadlang 'di ba?" Lumaki ang ngiti ni Sage, halatang nang-aasar. 

Napatikom na lang ng bibig si Ken, sinabi niya naman kasi talaga 'yon. Pero ba't may mabigat siyang nararamdaman sa dibdib niya?

Lily clicked her tongue. "Kakagising lang ni Ken, huwag mo nga siyang asarin," sabi nito kay Sage na may kasamang mahinang paghampas sa braso ng binata. She the turned to Ken. "Walang kami, no need to be too stressed. He was just trying to remove an eyelash near my eye."

Relief washed over Ken when she heard Lily's words. "Gaano ba 'ko katagal tulog? And please fill me in. Sino ba 'yong mga humarang sa'tin?"

"Well, you've been out for about eighteen hours."

Nanlaki ang mata ni Ken, ang tagal niya palang nawalan ng malay.

"You also underwent surgery. Tinanggal na ang bala sa katawan mo kaya 'wag kang makulit," paalala ni Lily. "About the culprit of my kidnapping." She shifted her eyes towards Sage who looked a bit pale as he bit his lip. "It was Claire."

"Claire? 'Yong ex niya?" naguguluhang tanong ni Ken, sabay turo kay Sage. Lily nodded.

"Kasalanan mo!" Ken exclaimed as she tried to reach for Sage who was standing beside her bed, pero bago pa maabot ng kamay niya si Sage, nakaramdam na naman siya ng sakit sa may puson. Ken yelped in pain at kusang lumapit si Sage sa kanya.

"I promise to let you hit me to your heart's content. Pero please, magpagaling ka muna," Sage said, looking directly into Ken's eyes as he caught her wrists when she tried to hit him again.

Marahas namang hinila ni Ken ang mga kamay niya mula sa pagkakahawak ni Sage. Hiningal siya sa kaunting paglabang ginawa niya. She was definitely angry but there was another feeling that washed over her when she felt Sage's hands on her wrists. The way his eyes stared into hers, and the undeniable concern and urgency in his voice made her heart race. She hated how such simple gestures affected her.

"I don't want to see you," Ken coldly told him. "Leave."

* * *

Sage headed for the door without another word. He stayed with Lily while Ken underwent surgery. He was up all night, waiting for Ken to regain consciousness. 'Di man lang siya umuwi para palitan ang damit niyang may mga bahid pa ng dugo. Lumundag ang puso niya nang makitang gising na si Ken. He had experienced a level of relief that he had never felt before. 

Pero alam niyang malaki ang kasalanan niya sa magkaibigan at kailangan niya nang umpisahan ang pagbawi. He had no right to deny Ken's request. Kahit gaano niya pa kagustong manatili sa tabi nito.

Just as he stepped out the door, he bumped into a lady who seemed to be in her sixties. She was about to enter Ken's room and was dressed elegantly in a floral full skirt and an off-white cashmere top. Her eyeglasses fell off when she collided with Sage.

Buti na lang, nasalo niya ang salamin at ibinalik iyon sa matandang babae. "Sorry, po."

Isinuot naman ng babae ang salamin. "Thank you, hijo." She was about to enter the room when she did a double take. "Wait, you look familiar. You were auctioned a few weeks ago at Minerva's alumni homecoming, right?"

"Uhm, yes, ako po 'yon," nahihiyang sagot ni Sage. He then recognized the woman. Ito 'yong nakakita sa kanila ni Ken na magkayakap.

"I see. Kakalabas mo lang mula sa kuwarto ni Selene—sandali, ikaw ba 'yong nagligtas sa kanya?"

"Well, ako po 'yong nagdala sa kanya sa ospital pero sa tingin ko nasa mga medical professionals ang credit sa pagliligtas sa kanya—"

The lady suddenly pulled him in for a hug. "I can't thank you enough for saving my Selene." Her voice cracked and tears started falling from her eyes when she let go of Sage. Inabutan ito ni Sage ng panyo.

"Salamat, hijo. You must be friends with Selene. I'm Catherine, her grandmother," sabi ng babae habang inilalahad ang kanang kamay nito.

"Sage po," he replied, accepting the handshake with a smile. "Kagigising lang po niya at nasa loob din si Lily. Una na po ako, nice meeting you po."

"Nice meeting you too, Sage." She smiled warmly at him before entering the room. Meeting Ken's grandmother and knowing that she somewhat liked him lightened his mood.

* * *

"Weren't you a bit harsh to Sage?" Lily spoke up when Sage left.

"Hindi ba naging harsh sa 'yo 'yong ex niyang baliw? I wasn't even harsh enough," Ken said.

"Hindi niya kasalanan 'yon, Ken and you know that."

"He's not completely without fault, Lily. Kung 'di ka naman niya nililigawan, 'di ka aanhin ni Claire. 'Di ka mapapahamak!"

"It's not like he can control that girl. 'Di rin naman ako nasaktan and more importantly, siya ang nagligtas sa 'yo. Lagi mo siyang sinusungitan pero alam mo bang 'di pa 'yon umuuwi simula kahapon? Sinamahan niya akong magbantay sa 'yo."

"Hiningi ko bang iligtas niya 'ko? Na bantayan niya 'ko? At siguradong sinamahan ka lang no'n para mapormahan ka niya. Bakit mo ba 'yon pinagtatanggol? Do you like him already?"

"No, I'm just being fair and you're being stubborn, Kendra. You're so concerned if I like him, maybe you're the one who likes him."

Against her raging heart, Ken opened her mouth to deny Lily's accusation but she was interrupted by a familiar voice. "I think you'd look good with Sage, Selene."

Napatingin sina Ken at Lily sa may pintuan. "Grandma?" Ken's eyes widened when she saw the unexpected visitor. "Anong ginagawa mo dito?"

"Can't I visit my injured granddaughter?" The old lady walked towards Ken then enclosed her in a tight embrace. "Tatlong taon mo na akong iniiwasan, Selene. I missed you, dear."

"I missed you too, Grandma," Ken replied, leaning her head against her grandmother's chest. "Sorry po kung iniwasan kita, ayaw ko lang namang mag-away kayo ng nanay ko."

"Hija, your parents have been blinded with anger but I never blamed you for what happened." She smiled sadly. "You've matured a lot. It must have been difficult to live independently during the last three years."

"Sa umpisa, mahirap. But Lily and some friends have been a great help," Ken assured her grandmother.

Nabaling naman ang tingin ng matanda kay Lily. "Selene is lucky to have you, Lily. Thank you for telling me about what happened to her."

"I'm actually the lucky one, Grandma Cath. Lagi akong tinutulungan ng apo n'yo," Lily replied with a smile.

"Anyway, let me settle the hospital bills. It's the least I can do for my granddaughter."

Lily bit her lip. "Actually, okay na po 'yon. Sage paid for all the hospital expenses."

"What?" Kumunot ang noo ni Ken.

Catherine grinned. "So Sage must be one of the good friends who had been a great help."

Inubo naman si Ken sa sinabi ng lola niya. "Hindi po kami friends."

"So why was he here? I had the pleasure of meeting the dashing young man a while ago."

"Ang malas n'yo naman po pala, Grandma. Sa dami ng pwedeng masalubong, 'yon pa," Ken said with her signature eye roll. "As for why he was here, I don't really know. Baka kinakain na ng konsensya niya sa mga pinaggagawa niya."

"You are being mean, dear. Napakagalang naman ni Sage no'ng nasalubong ko siya. At 'di rin nagkulang sa face value ah. He seems like a much better match for you than the guys you used to date three years ago."

"Tch. I have no interest in dating that person, Grandma. And I'm sure he feels the same about me."

"Alright, hindi na ako makikialam sa love life mo. You'll end up with who you're supposed to be with," the old lady said with a suspiciously sweet smile.