Matigas ang ekspresyon ng mukha ni Harika na nakatingin lang sa isang banda nang paulit-ulit na humihingi nang tawad sina Mary at Georgia sa loob ng hospital room. Kahit si Chelsea ay inaaming may kasalanan din sa nangyari.

Hindi niya magawang intindihin ang mga ito noong umagang iyon. In her unit, the two girls made fun of her. They brush aside her visual impairment and without her proper consent, they agitated her and interfered. Paano niya makukuhang patawarin ang mga ito? They nearly destroyed her eardrums and put her through a traumatic experience.

"Nurse, can you help them leave? Gusto ko nang magpahinga," Harika told the nurse who had just checked her vitals a minute ago. "Ayokong masira ang umaga ko. Wala na nga akong nakikita 'tapos maingay pa ang kapaligiran ko," she went on, expressing her annoyance at the noise they were making.

Chelsea hurriedly approached Harika for her final words before the nurse ushered them out. "I'm so sorry, Harika, ako talaga ang may kasalanan sa nangyari. I was to blame for bringing them along. Ang buong akala ko ay mas magiging masaya kung marami tayo. I'm so sorry...," she deeply apologized.

Tahimik lang si Harika. Sumulyap muli si Chelsea sa kanya bago tuluyang lisanin ang kuwarto.

Hindi pa rin niya malimutan ang nangyari kahapon. Ganoon pala talaga ang napapala ng isang tulad niyang may disabilidad. Nagagawa ng ibang tao na gamitin iyon upang manghamak at mawalan ng respeto. She was unaware that it was extremely painful. Pangmamaliit ang naagwanta niya, what if she was not blind? Natitiyak niyang iba ang magiging sitwasyon at mas kontrolado niya ang bawat pangyayari.

Sa pagkakataong iyon, mas lalong nanliit ang tingin ni Harika sa kanyang sarili dahil nakukuha na siyang pagsamantalahan ng mga tao dahil bulag siya. Sa mga oras na iyon, paulit-ulit na lang itong gumugulo sa isipan niya. Hindi niya mapigilang lumuha dahil dito.

As soon as she heard approaching knocks, Harika wiped the tears from her face. Pinakinggan niya ang mga yabag nang may pumasok at agad niyang naamoy ang halimuyak ng isang pabango na hindi pamilyar sa kanya. She could only picture a man in a suit giving off the scent, which was woody and masculine.

"Harika," said a slight deep voice, "Genesis here."

She was correct, it was from a man with whom she had previously seen before the accident. Kaya ang amoy, galaw at boses nito ay hindi pamilyar sa kanya. She was holding her breath when he walked in. She wasn't anticipating a visit from him.

Harika then responded with a timid "hi" in return.

Genesis approached her as he placed the flower arrangement he had brought to the adjacent table. "How are you feeling?"

Mas nailang si Harika nang marinig niyang muli ang boses nito nang mas malapit sa kanya. Bigla tuloy siyang na-conscious dito. Ano kaya ang hitsura ni Genesis? Paano kaya ito nakaharap sa kanya? Natitiyak niyang pinagmamasdan siya ngayon nito kung kaya't ganoon na lang ang kabang nadarama niya.

Nagbaba siya ng tingin dahil nahihiya siya rito. She laughed gullibly. "I'm fine and still blind. May nangyari lang kahapon kaya ako narito ngayon," aniya, pinagmumukhang maayos lang ang lagay niya kahit pa naging miserable siya kahapon bago mawalan ng malay.

Genesis gave her a careful look and noticed something. "Are you crying?" he inquired.

Nagulat si Harika, mabilis na umiling at tumugon, "Of course I'm not." She chuckled.

"I'm fairly certain you are."

Genesis already dabbed a tear on the side of her face with his thumb as soon as she lied about it. Nag-init lang ang mukha ni Harika nang dahil doon. Natatawa siya sa sarili niya.

Matapos ang maikling kumustahan at saling-usapan tungkol sa kani-kanilang pamilya ay natanong ni Harika kung bakit napadalaw ang bunsong tagapagmana ng mga Montecillo. Na-late man ito, ngunit gusto lang ni Genesis na kumpirmahin na maayos ang kalagayan niya.

"Would you like to join me for a stroll outside?" tanong nito.

Harika grinned and agreed, stating that she thought it was a good idea. Sa pakikipag-usap niya sa binatang tagapagmana, alam niyang gumagaan ang loob niya rito kahit papaano. Banayad lang ang boses nito, kaya't walang alinlangan siya kung makipag-usap dito saka sila lumabas ng kuwarto.

Genesis held Harika's arms tenderly and instructed her to take big steps cautiously as they made their way downstairs. Nakakalang siya sa malaking braso nito habang akay-akay siya nito. They did not use the elevator, as advised by the doctor, because it could cause Harika's vertigo. Dahil simula nang mawalan siya ng paningin, mas umigting ang pananakit ng kanyang ulo kasama na rito ang kaunting pagkahilo.

They both took a stroll through the hospital's garden. Nalanghap ni Harika ang marahang hanging dumampi sa kanyang balat at naririnig niya rin ang ilang huni ng ibon.

"Kumain ka na ba?" Genesis looked at her.

Harika was still holding onto his arm and continued to stare blankly into space. When she realized she had a soup when she first woke up, she nodded.

"Genesis, maganda ba ang lugar kung nasaan tayo ngayon?"

He smiled quizzically. "Y-yes. We're at the hospital's garden. Bakit, ayaw mo ba sa lugar na 'to?"

Umiling siya rito. "Hindi iyon ang ibig kong sabihin. I just couldn't believe I was walking in an area and only having a general idea of what it looks like. You know, visually impaired things... if you could only see what I see, you'd probably be hating your life right now," she said, laughing at her own statement.

Ngumisi ito sa sinabi niya. "Oh, sorry, my mistake." And then they both laughed.

Genesis took Harika to a seat next to the center fountain while they continued talking. Sa gitnang bahaging iyon ay nalilibutan din ng ilang puno.

They sat together. "Maiba ako, ano'ng mga pinagkakaabalahan mo nitong mga nakalipas na araw?" tanong ni Genesis na nakatitig lang sa kanya.

Napasinghap si Harika. "I never would have imagined I would spend more time sleeping and listening to a vinyl player. Nakalulungkot lang din minsan dahil hindi ko na magawa 'yong mga bagay na gusto kong gawin; like to attend major events, travel, and draw chandeliers. You know, the way I used to live; with our well-known name attached, updating my followers, influences, and brand in the midst of camera flashes... I used to be the lucky one; what a drastic change." May lungkot na mababanaag sa kanyang mukha habang inaalala niya kung ano'ng buhay ang mayroon siya noong nakikita pa niya ang mundo. She found it extremely difficult to adjust, as if she were now living in an abyss where all she could see was black. Nothing.

"Kumusta naman ang obserbasyon ng doctor sa 'yo? Maibabalik mo pa raw ba ang paningin mo?"

Tipid na ngumiti si Harika. "Yes. Dr. Yetter said there's a big chance. Iyon na lang ang pinanghahawakan ko sa ngayon. I could wait, but I'd be upset if I had to wait forever..."

Genesis assured Harika that she would soon be able to see the world once more as he neatly tucked her hair behind her ear. She must admit that she had a wonderful time spending her misty morning with him. Natumbasan din kasi niyon ang pagkainis niya kanina nang dumating ang dalawang babaeng naging sanhi kung bakit siya naroroon sa hospital ngayon. May pagkakataon ding nagiging tahimik silang dalawa. Nagpapakiramdaman.

"Uhm, Genesis, may I ask you a question?"

Lumingon si Genesis sa kanya nang kanina'y lumilinga ito sa paligid. "Yeah? What is it, though?"

She took a quick breath out. "Bago mangyari ang aksidente, were you in the audience when I gave my opening remarks?"

Genesis paused to consider the query Harika had asked. He was aware of his presence, but he was unable to recall the specifics of what transpired at those crucial times. Nagawa lang na magsalita nito nang kabigin ni Harika ang braso nito. "Yes... I was there. Hindi ko lang gaanong matandaan ang buong pangyayari dahil nagkagulo na ang mga tao," he explained. "At that precise moment, I was looking for you, but so many other people jumped onto the platform to get to you."

Hindi pa rin naging kumbinsido si Harika sa sinabi nito. "Nakita mo ba iyong lalaking sumangga ng chandelier na bumagsak sa akin? The man in wolf mask?"

Inalala ni Genesis kung ano ba talaga ang nangyari noong gabing iyon. He could hardly recall the man she was describing to him, so it was unclear to him whether the man was donning a wolf mask. Ang naaalala niya lang ay may isang mas matangkad na lalaki ang bumangga sa kanya sa gitna ng komosyon na nangyayari noon sa Great Hall.

The thought caused Genesis' temples to throb as he shook his head slowly. "Harika, I'm so sorry. I just couldn't think of anything to say to you. Basta nagkakagulo na ang mga bisita noong naganap ang aksidente, iyon lang ang natatandaan ko."

Malalim na lang na napasinghap si Harika. Genesis seemed telling the truth. Hindi naman siya nagsususpetsa, gusto niya lang malaman ang nangyari sa point of view ng ibang naroroon din bago naganap ang aksidente.

They remained there talking for nearly an hour. As their discussion continues... it's odd that they avoided mentioning the congressman.

✦❘༻༺❘✦

"Waki, kumusta na si Harika?" Melanie asked from another line.

Waki was driving back to the hospital where Harika was. Abot-abot pa rin ang pag-aalala niya rito nang mabalitaan ang nangyari.

"She's okay now, Mom. Pabalik na ako ng hospital upang dalhan siya ng mga prutas at gamit na kakailanganin niya."

Wala nang ibang aasahan pang umagapay kay Harika, kaya't nagkukusa na si Waki upang punan ang mga pangangailangan at kalinga nito sa ngayon. Kung mabalitaan man ng tiyahin nito ang tungkol sa nangyari, hindi pa rin natitiyak na magkakaroon ito ng pakialam dito. Since they didn't care what happened to Harika, the Sullivans didn't give a damn about her.

"Thank God she's okay now. Waki, anak, huwag mong pababayaan si Harika. Naaawa talaga ako sa kanya, imagine she had a mishap and is currently temporarily blind. Kaya't huwag mong hahayaang maramdaman niyang nag-iisa lang siya. She's lucky she had you... she had us," Melanie told his son.

Sumang-ayon si Waki sa kanyang ina. More than anyone, Harika needed him right now.

Nang makabalik si Waki sa kuwarto kung nasaan niya iniwan ito na nagpapahinga, naabutan niya ay wala. Luminga siya sa paligid at napansin ang bouquet ng mga bulaklak na nakapatong sa near table. His brows immediately knitted. Wala siyang naaalalang binigyan niya si Harika ng bulaklak, dahil in the first place, wala naman itong interes sa mga ito. Hindi niya maiwasang magtaka. Waki then arranged the items he had brought alongside the bouquet before running to the hospital's information desk. Tinanong niya sa mga nurse doon ang tungkol sa pasyenteng si Harika.

"The patient was most likely in the hospital garden, sir. Kapag gustong lumabas ng ilang pasyente sa kani-kanilang mga kuwarto upang maglakad-lakad, doon sila madalas magpunta," paliwanag ng isang nurse.

Waki reacted, "What? Nurse, visually impaired ang pasyenteng tinutukoy ko at imposibleng makapunta 'yon sa garden nitong hospital. Napakalabo naman yatang mangyari no'n."

Sa pag-iisip ni Waki nang kung anu-ano ay baka kung napaano na si Harika. He left her, kapabayaan ang nagawa niya kung may mangyaring masama rito. Nag-iba na naman ang kabog ng dibdib niya dahil sa pag-aalala rito.

Naririnig niya ang pagtitipa ng nurse mula sa kaharap nitong computer. "Sir, she had visitors earlier, tatlong babae..."

Kilala niya ang tatlong babae nang banggitin ito ng nurse. Iyong mga bisitang ikinukuwento ni Harika sa kanya na planong bisitahin ito sa unit nito.

"...at isang lalaki," pahabol ng nurse.

Kumunot ang noo niya. "She had a male visitor? Kailan pa ito?" dali-daling tanong ni Waki.

"An hour ago, sir," the nurse replied.

Nagmadaling bumalik si Waki sa loob ng kuwarto at sinuri ang bouquet na nakapatong sa table. It has a small card inside that says it came from Genesis. Mabilis siyang naglakad patungo sa garden na sinasabi ng nurse kanina. Perhaps Genesis led Harika on a walk.

Nang makarating siya sa garden ng hospital, kahit pa may iilan siyang nakitang pasyenteng naroroon ay una agad na nasipat ng kanyang mga mata si Harika na katabi ni Genesis at nakaupo ang mga ito sa garden bench.

Other than conversing while being so close to one another, they did nothing. For Waki, what he had seen was something he doesn't have to think about, but it still made him feel as though his heart had been pricked. Para bang may ibang naramdaman ang puso niya nang makita si Genesis katabi ng taong ipinararamdam niyang hindi ito nag-iisa.

Gusto niyang puntahan ang mga ito, subalit walang kooperasyon ang mga paa niya upang gawin iyon. Pinanonood niya lang ang dalawa mula sa malayo, then, as they both stood up, Harika laced her hand on Genesis' arm... where it reminded him of past event he had been once.