"You're like illegals, trespassers." I stare blankly at him. "Seriously? You don't know?"

"I won't ask if I knew."

Laya sighs and says, "Ablution, the same thing those guests did. Remember? The bathing? The purification? The cleansing? Ring a bell? The process done to you when you came in the island?"

He pauses and waits, but all I can say is, "I told you, we lost our memory."

He turns towards me. "I really want to know where the five of you came from."

"You are there, right? When we slayed the bakasi?"

"Yes, I know." He reaches for his forehead and massages it. Then, he adds, "See, being in that beach is not the proper way to enter the island."

I did not respond. How am I going to explain to him that I am from the future? That there is such a thing as technology there. Here, everything is ancient.

"Fine, if you don't trust me. I will tell you where I was in the Mainland before coming here."

He came from the Mainland? So, migration is possible here? Is that why there are no kids and babies around Hiraya?

"I am from the outskirts of the Mainland. Our family are farmers. Our lands are mainly agricultural and--"

A sound of gong resonates, interrupting Laya. We both turn our attention back to the Rajah. The last of the white robed people has finished the introduction. Now, the Rajah is massaging his head. Once the last mainlander is out of sight, he stands, straightens his back and heaves a deep sigh. That gong must have signaled the end of the presentation.

"At last, it's done," Laya whispers beside me.

"What?" I ask, not sure of the context.

"That's what Rajah Sinagtala is saying," Laya says while pointing at the Rajah.

"You can read lips?"

"One of my many talents," he answers and winks at me.

"What else did he say?"

"I'll return to my room before the welcoming feast."

Then, we watch the Rajah leaves Bagwis and Isagani behind.

"Let's follow him," Laya suggests.

"What? Why?"

"After seeing all those women, I'm sure going back quietly to his room is the last thing he will do. Not our Rajah."

"Are you crazy?!"

"Probably," he says and pulls me with him.

So, we follow the Rajah throughout the inner area. Sometimes we hide behind the bushes, sometimes on the corner of the rooms, but most of the time we depend on the vegetation on the garden.

"Strange. This is not the way to his room," Laya comments, stopping suddenly. "We just passed his room."

"Why are you so interested anyway?" I ask. It's hard to keep up with Laya and I'm getting annoyed at this stalking, especially when the last time I did this is with Renz and Cielo.

"Who would not be interested? He's got himself a woman and he's hiding it from Bagwis."

"Don't tell me Bagwis asked you to—"

Laya looks guiltily at me. "It would be catastrophic if he got a woman before his marriage."

"Why would it be? Surely, he knows how not to impregnate a woman? He's old already." I believe he's almost a decade older than us. Instead, Laya knits his brows at me. Am I digging my own hole? And pulling the others with me. "I mean, how are you even certain he's going to see a woman?" I retract.

Laya observes my reaction and I hope to all the almighty beings above that this will not be fatal to us. "How can I not tell from his pace? If he's tired, he won't look as excited as that. And can't you see that? He's smiling!"

I let out a sigh of relief when he ignores my first question. "What's wrong with him smi—"

"Alone!" He cuts in. "He's smiling and that is the Rajah. The only time he smiles like that is when he's trying to charm a woman!"

My attention goes back to the Rajah. He really is smiling like an idiot. We are about to follow him when suddenly he stops. In front of him is Jade. They stare at each other. Jadeis with Migo and his hand is around Jade's waist, supporting her. If it's inside the palace, she had no problem walking around alone, but outside, she needs Migo's help—him or a crutch. But Migo likes to be her crutch so he spoils her.

Then Rajah Sinagtala approaches the two of them. Both Migo and Jade side-step to let him pass through. Only, Rajah Sinagtala stops in front of Jade. We walk closer towards them. Jade is trying not to meet the Rajah's eyes and the Rajah keeps on staring at her. Jade flushes and Migo becomes angry. What kind of woman would not blush under that gaze? It's too obvious. If Migo is not there, I swear he could have eaten Jade whole in that exact same place.

In the awkward situation, Migo speaks up. The Rajah laughs good-naturedly, says something inaudible and reaches up to Jade. But Jade pulls back and Migo places his arms around her protectively. Then I watch him lash out at the Rajah and Jade tries to stop him.

"Wow! Your friend's so brave," Laya says. "I won't do that if I'm in his place." He comes even closer towards the three and I follow him.

Laya is right. The Rajah is looking murderously at him. This time, Jade tries to pull Migo away and thankfully, Migo allowed her. Then Jade did the most unspeakable thing of all. She looks back at the Rajah and bows her head at him as if there's something she needs to apologize for.

It's a full minute after the scene when finally, Laya states. "Jade really took the Rajah's interest. How far do you think the Rajah had come with her?"

"I don't know," I answer honestly. I know Jade adores him as if he is a superstar, but I never heard about him returning those affections, especially when Jade hid from him the last time.

"Damn, this complicates things."

I turn towards Laya, apologetic for not realizing this sooner and warning Jade. "We are supposed to be your guests. Jade should have stayed away from him from the very start."

"I think your friend's doing her best to stay away, based on that scene," Laya responds. "It's our Rajah, if he has that look on his face, I don't think she can escape him anymore. Our Rajah is good with women. I'm sure you have already noticed that part."

"A lovely island, good-natured villagers, fun feasts, productive work for the villagers, safety, convenience and a to-die-for Rajah. What else can you hope for? This place is a paradise." I say, half mocking the system in the island.

"Paradise? It would be a shame if this place does not remind you of one," Laya grins, temporarily forgetting the mess that Jade is in.

"What do you mean?"

"This island is created to be one, developed based on the idea of a Paradise. If anything, the leader should be good-looking at least. You should have seen the previous leader. She's ethereal. Not even the Mainland women come close to her beauty."

"What happened to her?" I ask.

Laya shifts his attention from me. He's always been patient with answering my questions, but this time, he's not willing to give me an answer. Instead, he walks away and I know the exploring is done.