CHAPTER 1

HINAHAPLOS NI BLAZE ang nananakit na panga dahil sa upper cut na natanggap niya mula kay Happy—Happy Aravena Quinn—nang hindi niya napigilan ang sarili kanina na yakapin ito sa pag-aakalang si Cassie ang babae. He really thought his Cassie was back, but he was so wrong. Sapat na ang upper cut na ibinigay nito sa kanya para magising siya sa katotohanang hindi si Cassie ang babae.

Even though his heart was thumping like crazy, he had to accept the fact that she was not Cassie.

That, and Shun's intel.

"Sigurado ka ba?" tanong niya sa kaibigan na nasa kabilang linya. "Hindi naman sa pinagdududahan kita, pero parang ganoon na nga."

"Yes," sabi ni Shun habang naririnig niya sa background ang pagtitipa nito sa keyboard ng laptop. "She hasn't left Pennsylvania, well, it's actually her first time here in the Philippines. She was in a coma for fifteen years—"

"Wait, what?!" Namilog ang mga mata niya. "W-what happened?" Umaasa na naman ang puso niyang mabilis ang tibok.

"She was sick," sabi ni Shun. "Do you want me to send you the long paper trail as a proof that she was in coma? Her medical records and all that hospital stuff?"

"Send it to my email," mabilis niyang sagot.

"Fine. And by the way, she has no boyfriend since birth, no lover, no fling or love interest. Naka-focus siya sa pagiging jewelry designer sa sarili niyang jewelry store. And I pulled her school records, and damn, this woman is smart."

Oddly, he felt proud. "How smart?"

"She can speak four languages, excluding English." Sumipol si Shun. "Spanish, French, Italian and Russian. But she doesn't know our language."

Bumuga siya ng marahas na hininga. "So, she's not Cas—" Hindi niya maituloy-tuloy ang sasabihin. Tumikhim siya. "Can you dig deeper?"

"You sure?"

He tsked. Mangongotong na naman itong singkit na 'to. "How much?"

"It'll cost you an arm and a leg."

He tsked again. "How much does my arm and my leg cost to you, you fucker?"

"Two million for the arm and three mil for the leg," sagot ni Shun na bakas ang ngisi sa boses.

Napatingala si Blaze sa madilim na kalangitan at bumuga ng marahas na hininga bago sumagot. "Alam mo ikaw, kung hindi ko lang alam na marami kang tinutulungan, iisipin kong balak mong lampasan ang kayamanan ni Montero at ni Velasquez."

Tumawa si Shun. "May feeding program ako next week. Sumama ka, para naman makain mo ang share sa five million na ibabayad mo sa akin."

"Gago." Napailing siya. "Wala akong pera ngayon. I'm dead, remember?"

Shun tsked. "O, eh, bakit pa tayo nag-uusap wala ka naman palang pambayad? Good-bye—"

"Puwedeng utang?" nakangiwing tanong niya.

"Twenty percent per month?" mabilis na sabi ni Shun.

Napalatak siya. "Ang gulang mo talagang singkit ka. Ang laki niyan, ah!"

"Twenty percent per month or no deal—"

"Fine!" He snapped. "Basta maghanap ka lang ng impormasyon tungkol kay Happy Quinn. I don't care if it's about her weird name, just give me something new and useful." He blew a loud breath. "Something that can make me sane again."

Shun tsked. "What do you mean by something that can make you sane again? Matagal ka nang baliw. May pa-sane-sane ka pang nalalaman diyan—"

Inis na pinatayan niya ng tawag si Shun, saka ibinulsa ang cell phone. Mula sa pagkakaupo sa hood ng sasakyan, tinitigan niya si Lucky na kausap ang babaeng nagpakilalang kapatid nito.

Si Happy Aravena Quinn.

Nag-volunteer siyang ipagmaneho si Lucky para hindi mawala sa paningin niya si Happy. Ayaw niyang mawala ito sa paningin niya kahit pa nga nasasaktan na siya.

Now it made sense why Lucky resembled Cassie. Because if Happy was Cassie—Ipinilig niya ang ulo. She's not Cassie.

Cassie is dead. His heart clenched in pain. She's dead. She's dead. She's dead, paulit-ulit niya sa isip. She's dead. She's dead. She's dead! Get that into that thick skull of yours, Blaze!

Cassie is dead!

Shun just confirmed it! Fuck that I-know-it-all friend of his. Bakit ba kailangan agad nitong malaman na hindi si Cassie si Happy? Siguro nagkamali lang ito? Siguro mali ang database nito?

Napailing uli si Blaze. He should stop this, hoping that this Happy was Cassie. He was just torturing himself... making himself hoped.

Happy was a different person. She was not his Cassie.

There were studies that said people had four to five look-alikes in this world. Siguro isa na roon sina Cassie at Happy? Siguro nga magkamukha lang ang mga ito. Siguro nga hindi talaga si Happy si Cassie.

Wala sa sariling nakapa niya ang dibdib kung nasaan ang puso niya. "Fuck..."

Kanina pa niya pilit na binabale-wala ang nararamdaman doon. Ang malakas na pagkabog niyon kasabay ng parang may pumipilipit sa sobrang sakit kapag pinagmamasdan niya si Happy.

This was torture. Seeing Cassie's face. It was making his heart clenched in so much pain. Hoping and wanting someone he could never have!

"Fuck!" Blaze gripped his chest where his heart was located. He gripped his chest tighter.

He wanted to carve out his heart! To be numb! To be heartless!

He was exhausted. This was exhausting him. This had to stop! He had to stop.

Tumiim ang titig niya sa kapatid ni Lucky at hindi inalis ang tingin dito—hindi niya maalis ang tingin dito. Her back, her hair, her body... everything screamed Cassie.

Lalong tumiim ang titig niya kay Happy at tamang-tama namang lumingon ito sa gawi niya at nagtama ang mga mata nila.

Naririnig ng tainga niya ang malakas na tibok ng puso niya.

"Fuck..." mahina niyang sambit nang matagal itong nagbawi ng tingin. "Fuck... what is she doing to me?"

Napahilamos si Blaze sa sariling mukha, saka pilit na nag-iwas ng tingin pero pilit pa rin siyang dinadala ng paningin kay Happy. Natatagpuan na lang niya ang sarili na nakatitig nang matiim sa babae.

Earlier... she smells different. Good different.

Ang bango nito.

Blaze sighed. She doesn't smell like my Cassie.

He blew out a loud breath before staring at Happy's back again.

The pain... the longing... he couldn't bury it in his heart! Fuck it!

Natigilan siya nang mapansing naglalakad na palabas ng café sina Lucky at Happy. Naging sunod-sunuran ang mga mata niya sa bawat galaw ni Happy. Hindi niya maialis ang tingin dito, lalo na nang tumigil ito sa harap niya at ngumiti.

And when she spoke to him with a smile on her lips, all he could do was nod silently like an imbecile.

What's happening to me?!

He felt like something struck his heart.

Fuck this feeling! This is only for my Cassie! Nagtagis ang mga bagang niya. He had to stop this, damn it!

My fast-beating heart is only for Cassie! I only belong to Cassie!

HAPPY WAS LEANING on the hospital wall, just outside Lucky's fiancé's room while holding a book on how to speak Tagalog fluently. Madali siyang matuto kaya nasisiguro niyang kaya na niyang mag-Tagalog sa susunod na mga linggo.

Happy wanted to be with her sister, that was why she was here. But it looked like her sister wanted to spend her time with her fiancé who seemed like a good man. Nakausap niya ito kanina at nasisiguro niyang mabuting tao ang mapapangasawa ng nakababata niyang kapatid na ikinasiya niya.

She was happy for Lucky.

"Ano'ng ginagawa mo rito sa labas?"

Happy stilled when she heard that baritone voice. She never thought that a voice could be this deep and baritone. He sounded so sexy.

She looked up and when she saw Mr. Wounded Animal. Her cheeks reddened when she remembered what happened earlier... when she demonstrated to Lucky how to flirt.

Why does he had to be in front of me earlier? I didn't mean to look at him.

It just happened.

"Ano'ng ginagawa mo rito sa labas—"

"I don't understand you." Ipinakita niya rito ang librong binabasa. "But I'm learning fast. For now, English please."

Irritation flickered in his eyes and face as he looked at her intently. "Ang ganda mo."

She blinked, her eyes widening a second later. "Wait, I know that!"

The corner of his lips tugged up. "Really? Alam mo ang ibig sabihin ng maganda ka?"

Happy hurriedly scanned her book, flipping the pages until she found the exact words.

Maganda ka means I'm beautiful.

She immediately closed the book and looked at Mr. Wounded Animal. "It's not here," she said, lying.

"Oh?" He had this amused emotion on his face. "That's odd. Maganda ka is always in those kinds of books. It's always an example."

Umiling siya. "It's not here. I'm sure."

Tumaas ang sulok ng mga labi nito. "Why is that..." He tsked. "Too bad. Though if I don't know better, I would say you're lying."

Yes, she was lying. "Maybe not all books have the same example? Different author and publisher, I guess?"

She knew that he knew that she was lying. Damn!

"Okay. If you say so. Ang ganda mo pero sinungaling ka," he said again in Tagalog while looking intently and... pissed?

Her eyebrow furrowed while reading Mr. Wounded Animal's face. "Are you mad? You look mad." She stared at him for a couple of seconds. "Yes... you're pissed."

"Oo, gusto kasi kitang halikan sa hindi ko malamang kadahilanan. Hindi ka naman siya."

Bumuga ng marahas na hininga si Happy. Gusto niyang maintindihan ang kaharap pero wala talaga siyang ideya kung ano ang sinasabi nito. Kaunti lang. Like halikan and gusto, she knew it meant kiss and like.

"Speak English please."

His eyes held hers. "Were you flirting at me a while ago?" he asked straight to the point.

Yes. I'm pretty sure his name is Blaze and not "Wounded Animal." Blazing, like the fire. Because he looked so hot.

Yes. He was very hot. Less the tattoos. He looks dirty actually. A hot and dirty doctor. Why did it sound so sexy? Oh, Jesus! Kailan pa siya nagkagusto sa lalaking may tattoo? She hated it. Dirty looking.

"Well?"

She blinked enumerable times before answering with the most nonchalant voice she could master. "No. Why would I flirt with you?"

"I don't know... maybe because you were looking at me while having a sexy look?"

He looks really... annoyed.

"My sister just wanted to see a demonstration," kalmado niyang paliwanag. "You're not my type, sorry, but not really."

Nagdilim ang mukha ng kausap. "A demonstration... hmm... I miss someone." He leaned in a little to level their faces. "Want to see a demonstration on how much I miss this someone?"

"No—"

"Say yes so I can kiss you."

Umawang ang mga labi ni Happy sa gulat. "W-what?"

"Say yes so I can kiss you," he repeated.

"Why would I say yes?" nagtataka niyang tanong. "I don't even know you."

Bumaba ang tingin nito sa mga labi niya. "You have very kissable lips."

"Thanks, but they're not for you."

Mr. Wounded Animal frowned after staring intently at her for a couple of seconds. The way he looked at her, it was the same as earlier, so intense and he looked as if he was going to eat her alive.

"Your cheeks are red." Inilapat nito ang kamay sa noo niya na para bang pinapakiramdaman kung mainit siya. "Wala ka namang lagnat." Then his hand moved down to her face, cupping her cheeks and making her heart throbbed. "Your face is hot though." Then his hand caressed down to her neck making her breathe hitched and her lips parted. "Not hot here." He looked deep into his eyes. "Your body temperature is not even. As a doctor, I'd say, have your body check. But I'm off duty so, I'd say... you're blushing."

Nagtagis ang mga bagang niya. She didn't like being touch by this man and she didn't like his conclusion at all!

"I'm not a doctor but I can put you in the hospital if you keep touching me."

"I hate badass women," he whispered to himself, annoyed, before sliding his hand inside the pocket of his doctor's robe and walked away.

Napakurap si Happy at natigilan. What was with him and the demonstration so he could kiss her? Was he joking? Bluffing?

They just met for fucking out loud! Were all Filipino men like him? Straightforward and an a-hole? Hope not. Lucky's fiancé looked like a decent man, unlike his twin who was brazen.

Happy looked down and scanned the book she was holding when she remembered something... to know the meaning of Blaze's words earlier.

"And ganda mo pero sinungaling ka," sabi ni Blaze kanina at ang ibig sabihin niyon ay...

Umawang ang mga labi niya sa gulat at iritasyon nang malaman ang ibig sabihin ng salitang sinabi nito. "I'm beautiful but a liar?" Tumalim ang mga mata niya. "Oh, that's it, Mr. Wounded Animal, you will have a piece of my mind if I see you again..." She stilled when she realized something. "Well, I was lying earlier, damn it."

"Gusto kitang halikan sa hindi ko malamang kadahilanan," Blaze said this too earlier. Yes, she memorized it so she could check her book to know what it meant.

And it meant... I like to kiss you for no reason? She was not sure.

Awtomatikong napahawak si Happy sa bahagya niyang nakaawang na mga labi. Well, she did have kissable sexy lips. It was normal that Blaze liked it. He was a male and he looked like he was going to eat her. Alive.

Alive?

Her lips parted when some inappropriate thoughts entered her mind about being eaten alive. She did know a thing or two about being eaten alive. She had seen it in videos and read it in magazines.

Bumuga ng marahas na hininga si Happy at pilit na ibinalik ang atensiyon sa librong binabasa. Kailangan na niyang matutong mag-Tagalog. And for some reason, Blaze was part of the reason why she wanted to learn the language.

Good thing I'm a fast learner.

CECELIB | C.C.