Something drops, and I look in its direction. Jade's sword is on the floor and she's reaching to take it back. "Sorry," she says.

She places the sword at the table and turns around to face Bagwis. "When?" she asks.

Something is amiss. I left my chair and stand up beside Jade, so I can see her expressions better. Because if it's only a brief visit, surely, she won't act like this? Besides, she should be more curious about the 'why'.

If the Rajah is with Isagani, shouldn't she be happy? Excited? Unless... I smile.

"Right now," Bagwis answers.

And that instant, I see all color drains from her face.

"Wait, what did you say?" Jade chokes on her own words.

I smirk. Damn, she's so transparent.

"Why are you getting pale?" I ask.

Migo copies me and stares at her, too. I'm certain he's noticing the difference with her when she heard the news.

"Shouldn't you be happy? You are to meet your idol," I add.

"I--" She's struggling to find the right words. Good thing that she's panicking like this. It can help her forget about what happened earlier with Renz. "I'm not prepared," she finally asks.

"Prepared for what? You'd like to put on some make-up?" Migo asks.

Jade's face lit up. "That's right! Cosmetics!"

"You really are planning to put it on?" Migo teases. "Forget it. It's not like something will change."

And I know that it's not the reason. I glare at Migo, but he just shrugs his shoulders. Without this make-up scapegoat, I could have caught her. But wait, there's no make-up here.

Suddenly, the door opens and I hear a squealing sound from Jade. Isagani and Rajah Sinagtala come in. I turn to look at Jade, to see her expression upon facing the Rajah this close, but she's nowhere to be seen.

"Only the two of you?" Isagani asks. "Where's that woman?" he asks, noting Jade's absence.

Migo's expression is caught between seriousness and laughter. Then I caught sight of Jade. She's hiding behind a desk and hidden by the curtains. I cover my mouth just in time to stop the laughter.

"Stomach cramps," I say, not meeting their eyes, in fear that I will burst out with laughter. "She's getting old, so she gets them from time to time."

"And when will she be back?" Isagani asks, not getting the humor in it.

"I don't know. It was a severe case of diarrhea."

"Diarrhea?" Isagani asks.

"I mean, cramps, stomach cramps," I correct myself. Probably, it's not such a common ailment to them?

"Then tell her that your next challenge will be at the sea. They are to slay a shark that's prowling the waters, making it difficult for the gatherers to get materials close to it."

"Oh, she knows," I answer. "I mean, she will definitely know," I correct myself again.

Isagani looks strangely at me. "What's wrong with you?"

He might have noticed the odd way I turn my face away from him, the way I purse my lips, and the way I pinch myself hard so that I can focus on the pain instead.

"Nothing. Just that I feel like I am going to have cramps as well," I answer.

Isagani raises his brows but then continues, "This time, it will be a bit different."

"I ask another hunter, by the name of Laki, to assist you." It's Rajah Sinagtala's turn to speak. "He volunteered so you won't get yourself in any untoward incidences."

I stop myself from smiling. So he doesn't want to get caught unaware like the last time with the crab-looking monster? Is this why he comes here himself to tell us about this Laki? To prevent Jade from requesting another favor?

"The second challenge will happen tomorrow at the shoreline. Bagwis can guide you where it is."

After a few more plans and information, Bagwis, Isagani, and Rajah Sinagtala leave the room. As soon as the door closes, Jade comes out of her hiding place.

"That's a very stressful situation," she comments. "Bye!" and nonchalantly left the room.

That's when Migo laughs.

I look at him and when it dies down I ask, "I can't believe you're laughing when they had just said what your next challenge is."

"I can't help it," he answers. "And besides, I will be with Jade."

"Hmm, you trust her with your life," I remark.

"He's been with me my entire life," Migo answers.

"You mean from when you were elementary school students? That is not your entire life."

"It is for me."

"Migo, you do know that it's dangerous to trust someone with your life? Especially Jade. You know how she is. You remember during that frat war?"

Migo remembers. He was walking that day with Jade when suddenly a group of men encircled them. It was not in the rules, not in their code to do it when an enemy frat member was with someone that is not a member, most especially if it's a woman. Besides, frat wars are usually resolved by both the frat leaders by fighting it out. The members, most often than not, were not involved in the fighting.

Yet, they did it anyway, with their baseball bats and lead pipes. When one of the men hits Migo, Jade was so angry that she cursed at the men at the top of her lungs. She even attacks the men who seemed confused at her sudden fit. That took the attention of passersby, that the men had no choice but to scramble away from them. From that moment on, as the war continued, he never walked around with Jade on his side.

"She's a comfort to you in this world, huh," I say. It's a statement, not a question.

"She's like that to you as well, I presume," he answers.

I smile. "As for my case, you all are a comfort to me. Imagine waking up here without a single familiar face. That would be terrible."

Migo nods, but in reality, before comfort, I'd die without them when that bakasi appears when we just woke up on the beach.