André

I was in the middle of a game when my phone exploded with missed calls and text messages from Alphonse - Grandpapa's butler.

Hindi ko ito pinansin ng halos isang oras. Tinapos ko pa ang isang game bago ko binuksan ang phone ko.

And the first thing I saw were the words, "Naghihingalo na ang lolo mo, Sir André. Dito kami sa ospital."

My eyes twitched for a second as I read the text again. No, it can't be.

Standing from my seat, I didn't bother changing my clothes and marched my way out of the penthouse. Hindi ko alam na umuulan pala sa labas, so I got drenched under the rain while driving my motorbike.

It only took me a few minutes before reaching the hospital where grandpapa was taken in.

Pinagtitinginan ako ng mga tao nang pumasok ako sa loob ng ospital. My whole body was being dragged by the weight of my soaked white robe and sneakers.

"Sir, okay lang po kayo?" A staff asked me once I reached inside the emergency room.

"I need to see my grandfather!" I roared, scanning the room.

"Okay po, sir. Huminahon po muna kayo. Dalhin ko po kayo sa nurses' station."

I followed the staff as we headed our way inside. My mind was too hazy that I couldn't think straight.

"Ano po ang pangalan ng lolo niyo, sir?" Another nurse asked me the moment we reached the station.

"Aurelius Laurent," I answered in monotone.

"Alam niyo po ba kung anong ward? Ano po ang nangyari sa kanya-"

"He's dead! They're telling me he's dead for fuck's sake!" I burst out, unable to control the emotions building up inside me.

"Uh, sorry po, sir. Wait lang po," the nurse took the phone and called someone.

I just stood there, getting impatient by the minute. When I couldn't get an answer from them, I walked away, trying to find my way inside.

"Sir, teka lang po..." the staff tried to stop me, but I ignored him.

I found the elevator and pressed the next floor. Looking at the signage, it read, "Pediatric Ward." I went back inside the elevator and went to the next floor. "Medical-Surgical Ward."

He's probably here. I stepped out of the elevator and walked through the hallway.

Not long after, a familiar face came rushing towards my direction. It was a guy in a white long coat. "André!"

"Where is grandpapa, Jale?" I asked.

He heaved a sigh before turning to me. "They're just waiting for his last breath now."

"The fuck?" I blurted out. "Where is he?"

"Come with me." Jale led the way through the hallways until we reached a room.

I saw Alphonse sitting on the corner, hands folded over his chest as he looked at me. "Sir André," the butler greeted me in a low voice.

"Where is he?" I mumbled.

Jale pointed his finger on the room next to us, so I rushed inside, only to see my grandpapa all stiff on the bed. His short, muffled breaths sounded like whimpers of an animal being beaten to death.

I turned to Jale, who was standing near the door. "Where the fuck is everyone? Why aren't you doing anything? Save my grandfather for fuck's sake! Jale! Aren't you a doctor?"

"André, we're not allowed to do anything," Jale simply answered.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I moved closer to him, gripping him by the collar of his lab coat. "If he dies, I'll sue everyone in this damn hospital!"

"André, you don't understand..." Jale muttered.

"Yes, I don't fucking understand why you are standing here when you could be doing something to help my grandfather!" I growled, my vision getting cloudy by the minute.

"Sir, desisyon po ng pasyente na hindi siya i-CPR," a nurse suddenly appeared behind Jale.

I glared at her. "What do you fucking mean?"

"André, your grandfather signed a DNR or Do Not Resuscitate Order in his Living Will," Jale suddenly mentioned.

I let out an incredulous chuckle. "A what?"

"Your grandfather had end-stage colon cancer. He signed the DNR form a year ago according to his medical practitioner. It's his legal right to refuse CPR," Jale's words were loud, but everything escaped from my ears.

I couldn't accept this kind of absurd explanation. Who in their right mind would decline to be resuscitated?

"I know it may be hard to believe, but that's what's happening now. And even if we want to help, it will be unethical to go against the patient's will."

"No! Why would I believe that? I'm sure someone pressured him to sign that damn paper," I exclaimed, shaking my head.

"André, it's time to let go," Jale tried to calm me down, but I pushed him away.

"Don't tell me what to do," I muttered, marching my way towards the nurses' station. "Can anyone come and save my grandfather? Babayaran ko kahit magkano!"

"Ano'ng room po?"

"DNR ang patient dun."

"Sir, sorry po, pero hindi po kami pwedeng-"

"Fuck you all! Wala kayong kwenta! Mga healthcare workers ba talaga kayo? Mas mabuti pang mag-resign nalang kayong lahat habang hindi ko pa napapasara ang ospital na to!"

"André!" Jale rushed towards me, pulling me by the arm. "Stop lashing out on the nurses!"

"What? Sinasabi ko lang naman ang totoo! Na wala kayong kwenta lahat kayo! Lalo ka na! Akala ko ba kaibigan kita?"

"André, let me drive you home!"

"No! I'm going to save my grandpapa whether you like it or not!" I went back to his room, but this time, it was dead silent. His breaths could no longer be heard... only my approaching footsteps filled the room.

"Papi?" I mumbled, moving closer to his death bed. He stayed still, his face shrunken and lips dried up, all the oxygen in his lungs sucked by the reality that was life.

"Time of death... 5:22 pm..." Jale suddenly announced.

"No! Papi, wake up! You said you won't leave me until I get married," I trembled as I spoke.

Still, he didn't respond. Normally, he would laugh at me and force me to find a wife for the nth time. I always hated how he would force me to get married, so he could finally go in peace.

He was part of the reason why I always played around and never settled with someone.

But, now that he was gone, I didn't know if I could even find a reason to marry...

I didn't know how I managed to get out of grandpapa's death room. The next thing I knew, I was standing on the edge of a building, both arms spread out and ready to fly and go back down.

I never understood death and how it chooses its next target.

When my youngest brother died, I never fully accepted it. For years, I just pretended that he was studying abroad and that someday, we could still meet again.

I guess it was the same for my other brothers... why we all decided to separate ways and live our own lives away from each other... to have that sense of hope that someday, we would all be together again with our youngest brother.

I held my head up, closing my eyes and feeling the trickles of raindrops on my face. They were cold as fuck.

Just then, I couldn't feel anything on my face anymore. My eyes sprang up, seeing a green umbrella over my head.

Turning around, I saw a woman looking at me with the most troubled eyes I'd ever seen. "Charles..."

"Kung magpapakamatay ka, huwag dito sa hotel!" she reprimanded over the sound of the thunder above us. I couldn't tell if she was worried or mad at me.

I frowned at her. "You think I'm crazy? Hindi ako magpapakamatay."

"Eh ano'ng ginagawa mo ulit dito sa rooftop ngayong gabi at malakas pa ang ulan, ha? Tsaka, pwede ba, kung magtatago ka, galingan mo naman magtago. Ang dali mo kayang hanapin."

A small smile found its way on my lips. "So, hinanap mo ako?"

"Eh kasi narinig kong sabi ni Fina-"

"You're the only one who dared to find me, Charles," I told her, holding her gaze.

"Pumasok na nga tayo sa loob. Ang lakas ng ulan. Magkakasakit ka," she nagged, pulling my hand until we reached inside. "Oh, eto tuwalya! Galing pa to sa laundry room. Wala akong nadalang damit. Hindi ko naman alam na naliligo ka sa ulan."

I took the towel she gave and dried myself up as we sat down the emergency stairs.

"Tanggalin mo na muna kaya yang jacket mo," she ordered, so I did. She stopped for a while, staring at the scars on my wrists, but she looked away after a while as she hung my jacket on the railing of stairs.

As soon as she sat next to me on the staircase, I leaned my head on her shoulder, feeling her warmth.

"Andres, anong ginagawa mo? Darating na si Olivia..."

"Thank you for finding me, Charles," I mumbled, closing my eyes. "I needed you the most right now."

"Narinig ko ang nangyari sa lolo mo... sorry..." her voice faltered.

"He said he didn't want to be resuscitated kaya hinayaan nilang mawalan siya ng hininga... until his last fucking breath. Isn't it funny?" I forced out a chuckle, but only tears made their way out of my goddamn eyes.

"André..." I felt the warmth from her hand rubbing my back over my soaked shirt. It was the only thing I needed right now.

Yes, she is the love that I had been longing for all my life... the love that I had always been questioning if it's real or not... the love that I wanted to show off to my grandfather, so he could finally go in peace...