"Galing talaga!" Tumatawang bola sa akin ni Ricos nang muli ay matamaan ko ang target sa shooting game. Pumalakpak pa talaga na parang bilib na bilib.

Napailing na lang ako dahil ginaya rin siya ng ilang nanunuod sa amin.

"You're really showing off today, huh?"

"It's not showing off if I'm just naturally this good," I teased, lowering my bow slightly as I reset my stance. Lahat ng itinuro sa akin ni Lolo mula pa pagkabata ko ay dala-dala ko hanggang ngayon. Dito ako magaling. Sa ganito ako unang nakitaan ng potensyal kaya naman pinagbuti ko.

The field was quiet except for the occasional hum of arrows slicing through the air and the faint chatter from the crowd. Doon sa grupo na kinaroroonan ni Ridge. Hindi ko kilala kung sino ang mga isinama niya pero may dalawang bagong mukha. They were tall and broad-shouldered, kundi lang mukhang mga bata ay iisipin kong kasamahan ng mga sundalo na malimit mag-practice ng shooting sa kabilang bahagi ng sports club. I didn't know their names, didn't care to, but one of them had been staring at me since the moment I picked up my bow. Kaunti na lang ay sa kaniya ko na itatarak ito, eh. Ayaw ko kasi ng pinapanuod ako. Ayaw ko ng tinitignan ako lalo't wala namang dahilan.

I tried to ignore it, but his eyes burned into me, following my every movement like I was the only person on the field. Hindi ko ito nililingon kahit pa mukhang wala siyang balak na alisin ang tingin sa akin. He stood apart from the group, arms crossed over his chest, his posture casual but his gaze intense. It wasn't just watching—it was scrutinizing, like he was trying to peel back layers I wasn't offering. Sino ba ang tarantadong ito?

"Do you know that guy?" I asked Ricos under my breath as I adjusted my grip on the bowstring.

He glanced toward the group, then back at me with a smirk. "Which one? The tall one glaring like he wants to eat you alive?"

I shot him a look. "I wouldn't say glaring."

"Fine. Staring, then." Ngumisi si Ricos kahit mukhang nagtataka, may halo na ring panunukso dahil ito siguro ang unang pagkakataon na nagtanong ako sa kaniya ng tungkol sa lalaki. "No clue, honestly. Ngayon ko lang rin nakita ang dalawang kasama ni Ridge. Why? Is he making you nervous?"

"Nervous?" I scoffed, straightening my back. "Iritado kamo. Alam mong ayaw ko ng tinitignan ako ng walang dahilan."

"Huwag mo na lang pansinin," mahinang tumawa si Ricos at tinapik ang aking balikat. He stepped aside as I took my position again. "Baka nagagalingan lang sa'yo."

I drew the bowstring back, my fingers steady as I exhaled slowly. I could still feel his eyes on me, unyielding and unwavering, but I forced myself to focus. My gaze locked onto the bullseye, my muscles coiling with practiced precision.

Focus.

I released the arrow. It flew straight and true, hitting the bullseye with a satisfying thud.

Ricos let out a whistle. "Another one! You're unstoppable today."

I lowered my bow, ignoring the small wave of satisfaction that followed his praise. Hindi sinasadyang mapabaling ang tingin ko sa lalaking hanggang ngayon ay pinagmamasdan pa rin ako. He was still there, his gaze as sharp as ever, but now there was a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips, as though he was impressed—or entertained.

I shook off the thought, turning back to Ricos just as he raised his bow and took a shot. His arrow flew toward the target, hitting close to the bullseye but not quite dead center. Magaling naman si Ricos, hindi nga lang nalalapit sa galing ko. But then, hindi rin naman ako nalalapit sa talino niya.

"Close," I commented, smirking at him. "But not good enough."

He groaned dramatically, lowering his bow. "Show-off."

Ngumisi ako at pinanuod siyang sumubok pang muli. Ito ang hilig naming tatlo nina Ridge tuwing walang klase ay ihahatid kami dito ni Dad sa sports club, minsan ni Tito Aidan. Tapos ay uubusin na namin buong maghapon dito, magti-text na lang kapag magpapasundo na. I didn't have many friends, may mga nakakasama ako sa school pero classmates lang ang mag iyon, hindi ko masabing kaibigan talaga dahil para sa akin sina Ridge at Ricos ang mga kaibigan ko bukod pa sa pinsan.

"Sigurado ka na ba talagang gusto mong mag-train sa Pentagon Defense? Hindi ka lang nagpapasikat sa amin ni Ridge?"

Napakunot ang noo ko. Bakit naman ako magpapasikat sa kanila? Sino ba silang dalawa? "Ridge is doing it. Ikaw lang sa atin ang hindi."

"Ah. So, sa akin ka lang nagpapasikat?" Tumawa siya.

"Bakit naman ako magpapasikat sa'yo? Hindi ka nga maka-bullseye."

Itinawa lang iyong muli ni Ricos. "But in all seriousness, Harrie. Si Ridge, bata pa lang ay alam niyang isa talaga iyon sa napakarami niyang gustong gawin. He lived for it. Ikaw? Akala ko gusto mo na makaabot sa olympics. Gusto mo rin maging architect, sabi mo."

I opened my mouth to respond, but my attention shifted as Ridge crossed to the other side of the club, the tall guys he brought were trailing behind him. Nakatalikod na sa akin ang lalaking grabe kung makatitig kanina, siya ang nasa pinakahuli. They moved toward the shooting range, their movements sharp and precise, like they were trained soldiers—or close to it. Sino ba kasi ang mga iyon? Parang hindi ata sumali sa amin si Ridge mula pa kanina. May bago na siyang mga kaibigan? Nakakapagselos.

Ricos snapped his fingers in front of my face, bringing my attention back to him. "Earth to Harlow. I asked you a question."

"Ano?" Iritado ko siyang inirapan.

"What do you actually want to do?" he repeated, slinging an arm casually over his bow. "Play archery in the Olympics? Be an architect? Or serve at Pen Def?"

I shrugged again, a small smile tugging at my lips. "All of them."

Ricos raised an eyebrow, leaning on his bow dramatically. "All of them? Really? You're gonna be that person?"

"Why not?" I said, turning back to the target. "If I'm good at them, why shouldn't I? Kung kayang pagsabayin ng mga magulang ko ang propesyon nila at pagsisilbi sa Pen Def... bakit hindi ako? Kaya ko rin iyon, Ricos! Wala ka lang sigurong tiwala sa akin. Iniisip mong hindi ko kaya, 'noh?"

Ricos let out a low whistle, shaking his head. "Ambitious. I like it. But don't say I didn't warn you when you burn out. Hindi madaling pagsabay-sabayin ang mga 'yan, Harrie."

I smirked, raising my bow to aim at the target he had missed earlier. Instead of taking the direct shot, I positioned myself at an angle, letting the challenge push me.

"You think I'm going to burn out?" I teased, releasing the arrow.

The arrow sailed through the air and hit the target squarely, despite the sloppy, indirect angle.

I turned to him with a grin. "Does that look like burnout to you?"

Napailing na lang si Ricos, unti-unti nang sumusuko dahil hindi naman siya mananalo sa akin sa kahit anong usapin, kahit gaano pa siya katalino. Ako pa?

Sandali pa kaming naglaro ni Ricos doon. We traded jabs and showed off as we each tried to outdo the other. Pero tuwina ay hindi ko maiwasang mapabaling sa kabilang bahagi ng club, sa shooting range kung saan pumunta sina Ridge. The area was partitioned with sleek glass panels, providing enough separation to muffle the noise but still offering glimpses of movement through the opaque sections. Kaya kahit paano ay natatanaw ko sila mula sa kinatatayuan ko.

Every now and then, I caught the crack of gunfire faintly through the soundproofing. I didn't know why I kept glancing over—it wasn't like Ridge needed babysitting. Pero gusto kong ipalagay ang sarili ko na ang dahilan kung bakit natatawag ang pansin ko ng bahaging iyon ay dahil nag-aalala ako kau Ridge. Simply because hindi namin kilala ni Ricos ang mga kasama niya. Yes. Iyon lang 'yun.

"Thirsty yet?" Sabi ni Ricos nang makatapos ulit kami ng isang round.

I rolled my shoulders, nodding. "Yeah, let's grab something."

We made our way to the refreshment stalls, where I scanned the menu and decided on a citrus protein smoothie. Iyon ang madalas kong orderin, si Ricos naman ay makikigaya lang. Kahit naman ano ay ayos sa kaniya huwag lang soda. Sandali niya pang inaral ang menu sa naniningkit na mga mata, hindi ko alam kung bakit pa eh sa dalas namin dito sigurado akong kabisado niya na iyon.

"Iyon na rin ang sa akin," turo niya sa order ko makalipas ang ilang sandali. See? Pinatagal pa, eh.

Nang i-punch ng attendant ang mga order namin ay umakma si Ricos na kukuha ng wallet sa bulsa, pinigilan ko. I shoved his hand aside and tugged the black card tucked into the waistband pocket of my leggings. Kumikinang pa iyon at nagtatawag ng pansin.

"I was going to pay." He chuckled, hinayaan niya rin naman akong iabot iyon sa babae.

"And I'm paying," I replied with a smirk. "I can buy you a boat with this card if you want, so let me treat you to a smoothie."

Lalo siyang natawa pero alam niyang totoo ang sinasabi ko. That card just screams 'I-can-buy-your-life.' Kaya ko talaga, hindi ko nga lang gagawin dahil hindi ko naman pera ang naroon. I grinned, slipping the card back into my pocket after the transaction.

"Tito Rance gave me an extension from his line. For... all the purchases I don't want my parents to know about."

"Of course," Ricos said with a knowing nod. "Can't have Tita Lance seeing what you're spending on."

"Exactly," I agreed, taking a sip of my smoothie when it arrived. "Not that I'm hiding a couple of smoothies. Talagang itong card lang ang malimit kong dala sa kahit saan."

I glanced at Ricos, who sipped his drink with the kind of easy contentment that only someone with nothing to hide could muster. He didn't need a hidden buying power or a secret card. Mabait kasi si Ricos, at wala siyang kailangang ilihim sa kaniyang mga magulang. Tita Paris and Tito Aidan trusted him completely, and he had never given them a reason to question that trust.

Ako? I was different. I wasn't irresponsible, but I was undeniably... extravagant. I could admit that. Hindi sa kung anu-anong mga kaartehan na madalas pagsayangan ng oras ng mga babaeng kaedad ko, kundi sa sports. Specifically, archery and shooting. Two hobbies that, much to my mother's frustration, were undeniably expensive.

The truth was, I spared no expense when it came to them. I'd gone through countless bows, each one more customized than the last. I had carbon-fiber arrows that could've paid for someone's tuition, and I once had a case made just to transport them securely for a competition. Then there was the shooting gear—the high-end rifles, precision scopes, and protective equipment that cost more than most people's cars. Add to that the constant range fees, training sessions, and competitions, and it was no wonder my mom had started putting limits on me. Mas magastos pa raw kasi ako kaysa sa pinagsama-samang expenses ng tatlo ko pang mga kapatid. Eh, totoo naman. We weren't out of money—far from it—but she wanted me to learn the value of what I was spending. And I understood where she was coming from, even if I didn't like being told "no." For her, it was about teaching me restraint, about making sure I didn't grow up reckless just because I had access to what felt like an endless well of resources.

Doon na papasok si Tito Rance.

When he found out about my mom's little financial restrictions, he'd laughed and handed me an extension of his own black card.

"For emergencies," he'd said, though the twinkle in his eye suggested otherwise. "And by emergencies, I mean anything your heart desires that your mother won't approve of."

Kaya mahal na mahal ko iyon, eh. He was my lifeline! With his card, I could keep indulging in the passions that mattered most to me without constantly running into walls. It gave me the freedom to pursue archery and shooting the way I wanted to, without compromises or limits.

Pero syempre, hindi ko rin naman kinakalimutan ang lahat ng aral na nakukuha ko mula sa aking mga magulang. They worked hard to teach me about discipline, responsibility, and the value of what I had. I respected that. It was why, despite having the card and the freedom it offered, I kept track of everything I spent on it.

Yes, I had a spreadsheet.

I'd created it on a whim one day, the kind of impulsive organization I occasionally indulged in when I felt guilty about my spending habits. Every purchase I made with Tito Rance's card went into that spreadsheet—itemized, categorized, and color-coded. New bow? Listed under "Sports Equipment." Range fees? Filed neatly under "Practice Costs." Even small purchases, like smoothies or snacks at the club, went under "Miscellaneous."

I didn't tell anyone about the spreadsheet, not even Tito Rance. It wasn't for show—it was for me. A way to hold myself accountable and remind myself that, one day, I'd pay him back.

That was the plan, anyway. Once I started earning my own money, I'd settle the balance. Not that Tito Rance had ever asked for repayment—he'd probably laugh if I tried—but it was the principle of the thing. I didn't want to rely on anyone forever, even those who loved me unconditionally.

"Oh, andyan na pala sila Ridge." Inakbayan ako ni Ricos nang mapansin na naman ang paninitig sa akin ng isa sa mga kasama ni Ridge.

I almost rolled my eyes. It was becoming ridiculous, pinagmamasdan na naman ako ng isa sa dalawang matatangkad na mga lalaki. Hindi ko naman ito kilala. May atraso ba ako? Bakit parang kung titigan ako nito ay akala mo may nagawa ako sa kaniyang masama o mali?

I refused to meet his eyes, determined not to give him the satisfaction. Kung gusto niyang tumitig, fine. Wala naman akong magagawa dahil mga mata niya 'yan. Hindi ko na lang papansinin. Kay Ridge na lang ako bumaling, seryoso nitong tinitignan ang mga personal naming kagamitan ni Ricos na nakaligpit sa gilid. Ridge picked up one of my bows from the rack, his sharp eyes assessing it briefly before glancing at me.

"Borrow," was all he said.

Tumango na lamang ako at wala ng sinabi pa. Ridge wasn't one for small talk, unlike Ricos, who would've made a whole production out of it.

Ridge passed another bow—Ricos's, this time—to one of his companions. Narinig kong tinawag niya itong Gray. The tall, broad-shouldered man accepted it with a silent nod before heading toward the range. Then, Ridge handed my bow to the last guy. My stomach flipped as I realized it was the one with the intense blue eyes—the one who had been staring at me like I was his next target.

"Cyan," Ridge said simply, handing the bow over.

Of course, his name was Cyan. Something about it seemed fitting—sharp, bold, and a little too striking for its own good.

As the three of them took their positions at the range, Ricos nudged me toward the bench. Sinigurado niya munang komportable ako bago siya naupo sa tabi ko.

"Tignan nga natin kung magagaling ang mga ito,"

I settled beside him, keeping my smoothie close as we watched the three. Ridge was, as always, in his own world, completely focused on the target in front of him. Each arrow he released flew straight and true, his precision almost robotic. Sanay na akong mapanuod si Ridge, wala namang nagbabago sa galaw nito, mas tumatalas lang. Pinanuod ko ang ginagawa ng sumunod sa linya, 'yung tinawag nitong Gray. He seemed a bit looser, though no less skilled. Halatang hindi ito ang unang beses nitong laro. Marunong rin, hindi nga lang ganoon kapulido. But nonetheless, he was hitting his targets with little effort.

Tapos ang tinawag na nitong Cyan ang binalingan ko. Si boy titig.

Unlike Ridge and Gray, Cyan seemed... distracted. His form was solid, his technique impeccable, sure. But he kept glancing in my direction between shots as if he couldn't help himself. Ano? Ako ba ang target niya?

I ignored him as best as I could, sipping my smoothie and pretending not to notice. Pero syempre, hindi iyon pinalampas ni Ricos nang muli na namang mapansin.

"Did you see that?" he whispered, leaning closer to me. "That asshole can't stop looking at you."

"Paano mo naman nasabi na sa akin nakatingin? Malay mo, sa'yo. Magkatabi kaya tayo."

Hindi ako pinansin ni Ricos, nagpatuloy sa obserbasyon niya. "He's practically shooting arrows just to impress you."

Umangat ang sulok ng aking mga labi. "Negative. Hindi mangyayari kasi hindi ko naman siya pinapanuod. Anong malay ko sa mga tira niya? I'm not looking at him."

Ricos chuckled. "You don't have to. He's looking enough for the both of you."

"That's ridiculous, Ricos!"

"Ridiculously obvious," Ricos quipped, laughing as Cyan's next arrow hit dead center, his gaze flicking to me as if waiting for a reaction. "Magaling, ah."

I wrinkled my nose and whispered, "Pabida lang."

Cyan's performance hadn't impressed me. Which, for the record, it hadn't. At least that's what I told myself. Wala nga kasi akong pakialam. Ayaw ko kasi ng ganyan, tingin ng tingin.

After a few more rounds, Ricos and I stood up. Tapos na rin sila kaya lumapit na sila sa kinaroroonan namin. Cyan's presence seemed larger now that he was closer, his eyes never straying far from me. It was infuriating. Kaunti na lang ay tatanungin ko na talaga ito kung may problema ba. Hindi ko lang rin talaga gustong ipaalam na apektado ako sa mga paninitig na iyon. Hindi naman dapat pero nakakairita. Para bang may kung anong galit na biglang nabubuhay sa dibdib ko kahit wala naman itong ginagawa. Hindi ko rin maintindihan kung saan iyon nanggagaling.

"Who are these two?" Medyo masungit kong tanong kay Ridge nang makalapit sila sa amin.

Ridge raised an eyebrow at my tone na para bang dapat ay kilala ko na ang mga ito. Sino ba sila? But then, he still offered a subtle introduction. "They're Uncle Black's nephews. Gray and Cyan."

Tumaas lamang ang aking kilay.

Ridge then turned the tables on me, his bored expression unwavering as he added, "They were at the house during lunch last Sunday."

Oh. Well, that explained it. My bad, then. But how was I supposed to remember? I'd spent most of that lunch brooding after yet another fight with Mom. I hadn't even bothered to notice anyone else. Basta ang alam ko lang ay may mga bagong bisita noong araw na iyon, wala na lang talaga akong pakialam kung sino sila.

I didn't say anything, crossing my arms instead as I glanced at the two men. Yeah, they were Italians. Si Ricos naman, syempre, palaging mabait kaya pormal na nagpakilala sa mga ito.

"I wasn't there last Sunday," he explained with an easy smile. "I'm Ricos. Nice to meet you."

Gray accepted the handshake with a slight nod and a muttered greeting. Cyan followed, his grip firm but his eyes still on me, his lips tugging into a faint, knowing smirk. Akala siguro ng isang 'to ay katulad ako ni Ricos na magpapakilala rin. I don't do that.

"You guys are pretty good. Where'd you learn to shoot like that?" Si Ricos pa rin, nagbukas ng panibagong pag-uusapan.

"We used to play Balestre back in Italy," Cyan answered, his voice smooth and lightly accented. His words seemed deliberately directed at me, even though he was responding to Ricos. "It's a traditional crossbow sport. Similar, but not the same."

I arched an eyebrow, not bothering to look at him. Mas na 'yung isa pa ang pinagmasdan ko. Mukhang tahimik ang isang ito. Mukha rin walang pakialam sa mundo. Better.

"Balestre, huh? Sounds fancy." Masungit ko pa ring sabi.

"It is," Cyan said, his tone slightly amused, as if he found my dismissal entertaining.

Ridge, clearly done with this conversation, stepped away. Sinama pa nito si Ricos dahil mukhang may pag-uusapan silang labas naman ako kaya naiwan tuloy akong nakatayo sa tapat ng magkapatid. Hindi na nga lang ako nagreklamo dahil baka mag mukha pang masyadong big deal sa akin kahit hindi naman dapat. Gray wandered off toward the refreshment stalls, muttering something about getting more water. Kaya tuloy kaming dalawa na lang ang naiwan. Kairita naman.

I felt his gaze again, heavy and unrelenting. Reluctantly, I turned, catching his eyes. He wasn't smiling now, just watching me with an expression I couldn't quite place. It wasn't mocking or smug—it was curious. Intent. As if he were trying to read me.

Pabida.

Mas lumapit siya sa akin kasabay ng paglalahad ng kamay. "Cyan,"

I glanced down at his hand briefly but didn't take it. Instead, I turned my attention to the target where my bow—my bow—was still lodged with his perfect shot.

"I want my bow and arrows back," pagtataray ko pa rin sa kaniya. Hindi ko alam kung bakit pero naiinis talaga ako sa mukha niya. "Archer."

Cyan's lips curled into a smirk, the kind that made my stomach twist in irritation. "You're the archer. I'm an arbalist."

"Just go get them," I snapped, folding my arms tightly across my chest.

Tumaas ang kaniyang kilay sa asta ko pero mukhang hindi naman padadaig. He gave me a nod that was both respectful and teasing. "Yes, ma'am."

I watched as he walked toward the range, maingat at hindi nagmamadali ang kilos na tila ba nasa kaniya ang lahat ng oras sa mundo. He retrieved the arrows he had used, including the one lodged dead center in the target. My bow rested in his hand, and he examined it briefly, almost admiringly, before making his way back.

Kalmado at siguradong sigurado ang bawat galaw niya kaya lalong nakakairita. He carried himself like someone who knew he was good at what he did—and he was. But the smugness radiating off him made me want to shove him just for the sake of wiping that smirk off his face.

Huminto siya sa aking harapan, holding the bow out with both hands like he was presenting a gift. "Your bow,"

I snatched it from him, narrowing my eyes. "Don't touch my things again."

"Noted," mahina ngunit nakangisi niya pa ring sabi na para bang walang epekto ang pagsusungit ko. "But you might want to lighten up, archer. You're wasting all that energy glaring at me when you could be hitting bullseyes."

"Just stay out of my way," I shot back, turning on my heel and heading toward the bench to collect the rest of my things.

Ramdam na ramdam ko pa rin ang mga tingin niya sa aking likuran. Hindi ko na pinansin lalo pa't lumapit na rin naman sa akin si Ricos. "Dad just texted. He's waiting outside. You ready to go?"

I nodded, shoving the last of my equipment into my bag. "Yeah. Let's go."

Ricos picked up his things and grabbed half of mine as well before slinging it over his shoulder. "Ako na dito. You might be good at archery, but you still pack like you're moving out."

I rolled my eyes but let him carry the extra load.

"Alam ko kasing ipagbubuhat mo ako," I muttered begrudgingly, zipping up the last pocket of my bag.

Binalingan ko si Ridge upang magpaalam na. May sarili rin kasi silang sundo dahil medyo out of way ang sa kanila sa amin.

"We're heading out,"

Ridge barely glanced in our direction, giving us a curt nod.

"Tawagan mo na lang ako, Ridge... kung papayag." Si Ricos. Hindi ko alam kung tungkol saan iyon at wala na akong panahon na alamin pa. He turned to Gray, who had just returned from the refreshment stall. "Nice meeting you, man. You've got some serious skills out there."

Gray gave a small nod. "Thanks. You too."

"Goodbye," I told Gray, my tone flat but not unfriendly. He seemed tolerable enough—not smug, not overly familiar. Hindi katulad nung isa.

Deliberately, I ignored Cyan, who was standing just a few feet away. Nakatitig pa rin, syempre. I didn't look at him. Didn't even acknowledge his presence. Hindi ko siya gusto, eh. Ayaw ko sa kaniya. May iba pa bang paraan para sabihin iyon?

"You're brutal, Harlow." Bulong ni Ricos nang makalabas kami patukoy malamang sa hindi ko pamamansin kay Cyan.

I shrugged. Some people might have found his attention flattering. I found it infuriating. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang gusto niya at tingin siya ng tingin. But whatever it was he wanted, I wasn't about to make it easy for him.

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