Chapter 8

Kursk

I sat on the empty seat beside Rhaego and gave them a glare. Tumigil lang naman silang lahat sa ginagawa nila pagkapasok ko sa condo unit ni Ivory.

"Stop staring, you morons," singhal ko at kumuha ng burger mula sa mesa. Nagtitimpi akong kumagat at ngumuya-nguya. "Anyways, why are we all here in Ivo's pad? Pinakamalaki naman ang pad ni Lynch. No offense, bro," baling ko kay Ivo na balewala lang na kumaway habang tutok na tutok sa PSP niya.

Tumawa si Lynch at napakamot ng ulo. Nasa gitna ito nina Ivo na parang walang pakialam sa mundo at Shamus na ngayo'y nakangangang nakatitig sa kisame.

"They trashed my place the other night," sabi nito habang nakangiwi. "I need to renovate the place as soon as possible. You know, women don't like disorder."

Humalakhak naman si Theos na kakagaling lang sa kusina at may nilapag itong napakalaking tupperware na may lamang hotdog. Isa-isa naman kaming kumuha at nagsikainan.

Naupo ito sa pang-isahang couch at nagpandekwatro.

"What do you know about women, Lynch?" ani Theos at humalakhak. "Last time I heard, your woman left you because you're too boring."

"I-Isang kasinungalingan!" sigaw ni Lynch na namumula sa hiya o galit? Probably the former. "Pinalayas ko siya! That slut is so boring!"

They all laughed except me. I just remembered a very crazy slut I met and I don't want to see her ever again.

Fuck. Naalala ko na naman noong araw na nakita kong hinalikan niya ang kapatid kong ikakasal na. That slut is seriously twisted. Ang desperada. Buti na lang at nahimasmasan ako nang maaga.

"Oy Kursk," baling ni Shamus na ngayon ay nakatitig na sa akin. "Kahit nakatitig ako sa kisame, alam kong hindi ka sumali sa pagtawa, gago. MIA ka lang ng limang taon woy. Wag kang others." Humalukipkip ito at ngumisi. "Meh problema ka, baby boy?"

I didn't react with his use of language and just nodded.

"Oh?" biglaang sabi ni Rhaego sa tabi ko at nag-pause sa panonood ng youtube videos.

"What the heck?! We're already in the good part!" reklamo ni Verdandi na kanina pa tahimik na nakikinood kay Rhaego. Nawala ang pagkabusangot ng mukha nito nang makitang seryoso na kaming lahat. "Wait, did I miss something?"

"Ssh! May problema raw si baby boy," nakangising ani Lynch na parang siyang-siya pa sa sinabi ko. "Mapapasabak ba tayo sa lavern?" pagbabakla-baklaan nito. He flipped his hair and accidentally hit Ivo in the face. The latter scrunched up his nose and sat on the floor, away from Lynch's overactiveness.

I sighed and recalled the call Dnipropetrovsk gave me early this morning.

"Romanov, I have a mission for you."

"Seriously, Boss. You promised me I'll have a year off. I have the fucking documents and everything!"

"I know, I know," he said and sighed. "But the others are busy right now. Medyo hectic na rito sa HQ at nandiyan sa Pilipinas ang mission kaya mas mabuting ikaw na lang."

I groaned in frustration.

"And so? Is this mission that important that it can't be delayed?!"

"Yes."

"What?! What kind of mission is this?!"

"Protection."

"Fuck! Just protection?! Sino naman 'to?! Presidente ng Pilipinas?! Anak ng Hari?!"

"That is classified information. What you have to do now is to protect her."

Natigilan ako at napahilamos sa mukha.

"A girl?!"

"Yes, specifically, a 25 year-old woman."

"What? What did she do that I have to protect her?!"

"As what I said, that's level S Classified information."

"Shit. So, I'll just protect her without knowing the reason?!"

"Yep."

"Oh great."

"Yes, great." He chuckled. "I'll send you her information later. For now, good luck."

Pinutol nito ang linya kaya napasinghal ako.

"Fuck."

My phone beeped. It must be the file from Dnipropetrovsk. Pagkabukas sa phone, napasimangot pa ako nang makita ang file name nito.

Ifshediesyourefired.docx

I unwillingly opened the document and was shocked to see that slut's face.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck! What did this slut do that I have to protect her?!"

I finished narrating my problem and sighed.

"I don't want to fucking see her again. She's a slut." Hinilot ko ang sintido ko nang sumakit iyon. "I don't know what to fucking do! They'll fire me! I don't want to get fired. I enjoy my job, well except for this part but I enjoy what I do!" himutok ko at naalala ulit ang pagmumukha ng babaeng 'yon. "Fuck! I hate her!"

"Whoa whoa, stop there," ani Lynch na gulat na gulat. "This woman, whoever she is, what did she exactly do to make you hate her this much? Ni ayaw mo siyang makita!" Napasinghap ito at naningkit ang mga mata. He suspiciously stared at me. "My past kayo? Seryosong relasyon?"

I leaned back on the chair like an exhausted mad man.

"Weh? Kelan pa?" ani Shamus at tumawa. "You just fuck girls, right? Tapos bubugbugin mo habang nag-wakawaka kayo. Umabot ka talaga sa seryosong relasyon?"

Nagtagis ang bagang ko.

"Of course not! She's a psychotic slut. She lets me fucking touch her but never fuck her. And then when she told me I'll cook for her, I decided to cook for her. After that, she chose what I should cook and when I told her if she's serious, she began screaming. The next thing I know, I saw her kissing my brother." I stared at the tupperware half empty with hotdogs and nonchalantly snatched the tupperware. I began eating like a starved beggar. "I don't fucking get her. Baliw siya," galit na sabi ko at marahas na nginuya ang hotdog.

"So you're jelly?" tanong ni Ivo habang focus na focus pa rin sa kanyang PSP. He glanced at me and grinned. "That's natural, baby boy," anito at tinuon ulit ang mga mata sa kung anumang nilalaro niya.

"I'm not jealous," I said as my lips twitched in annoyance. "Why would I be?"

"Exactly," sabad ni Rhaego na ngayon ay kumukuha na ng hotdog mula sa tupperware na hawak ko. "Listen," aniya at kumagat sa hotdog bago tinutok sa akin ito, animo nagtuturo. "Based on what you told us, it's all obviously based on your point of view. So what if there's this sort of misunderstanding," aniya at kinain na ang hotdog. He munched a few times and continued to talk. "Isa pa, may isang bagay na nakapagpapabagabag sa akin."

"How did you pronounce that?" manghang ani Verdandi at natawa. "Okay, kidding. Back to the topic."

"May isa lang na nakakapagpapabagabag sa akin," pagpapatuloy ni Rhaego. "How the fuck did you not bed this woman?! Pangit ba? Hindi ba sexy?"

"Of course not," wala sa sarili kong sabi. "She's hot and beautiful. Long blonde wavy hair, fair creamy skin, tall frame, long delectable legs. She looks like a model. She even has honey eyes, long lashes, pointy nose and plump lips. Her breasts are wonderful. So fucking big and soft. Her ass is fucking gorgeous too and that waist! Oh fuck, I'll kill to hold—"

Napanganga ako. What the fuck am I saying?!

I looked at their reactions and they were all staring at me in shock.

"Damn," Theos started off. There was this unreadable expression on his face as if he was confused. "A-Are you pertaining to the woman from your family's resort?! T-The amazon?" His fingers fidgeted and he looked at the others.

Hindi ko maintindihan ang tinginan nilang lahat nang magsimula silang magtitigan na parang mga baliw. Ngumuso sila sa isa't isa. Nagpapalit-palit sila ng tingin hanggang sa tumingin ulit silang lahat sa akin.

"Did you just fucking use telepathy?! If that's even possible
.. But what were you all thinking about?" I feigned a cough. "Don't get me wrong. The woman's gorgeous but I hate her crazy slutty personality. So, don't even think about—"

"Which brother of yours did she kiss?" tanong ni Verdandi kaya nabigla ako. Off topic na naman ba 'tong gagong 'to? Kahit naiirita sinagot ko na lang siya

"Si Humbert Alejandro Dela Vega, 'yong anak ni mama sa labas. He was married four months ago. That slut kissed him as if it was nothing. Ito namang kapatid ko, tumawa lang pagkatapos na para bang natural na 'yon. And take note, she came out of his room! Ano pa bang iisipin ko 'di ba?" My hands shook in anger and then I threw the empty tupperware across the room. "When I asked my brother about it, sabi niya lang na wala lang daw 'yon. Nasanay na raw siya! Ang desperada! Pati ikakasal na tao—I mean, fuck! Kung sino-sino lang palang lalaki nagpapaputa ang—! "

Pak!

Dahil sa lakas ng pagsapak, napasalampak ako sa sahig habang nanlaki ang aking mga mata. Nasapo ko ang panga kong tinamaan ng suntok ni Rhaego. Nagkasalubong ang aking kilay nang makitang nagbabaga na ang mga mata nitong nakatitig sa akin.

"R-Rhaego pare," ani Shamus at pumagitna sa amin. "Hindi niya naman alam."

I spat blood and glared at them. Lahat sila ay nakatayo na habang ako'y nasa sahig pa rin. Theos moved and tried to help me stand up but I slapped his hand away.

Tumitig ako kay Rhaego. Uminit ang ulo ko nang makitang gusto pa rin nitong sumugod sa akin.

"Ano bang putanginang problema mo?!" sigaw ko at mabilis na tumayo. Sumugod ako kay Rhaego pero humarang na rin si Theos kaya napasinghal na ako sa kanilang lahat. "Ano?! Kinakampihan niyo siya?! That motherfucker just punched me for no reason!"

"No reason?!" nagtiim-bagang ang gagong si Rhaego at akma na sanang susugod pero hinawakan nina Verdandi at Lynch ang kanyang magkabilang braso. "Fuck! Let go you bastards! I'll show this asshole how to respect a woman."

Napatigalgal ako at mapaklang tumawa.

"So this is what's this about?! You're siding with that slut?!"

"Fuck you! Call her that one more time and I'll show you hell, Romanov!" sigaw nito at nagpumiglas pero hinawakan pa rin ito ng dalawa. "Shit! Let me go, you idiots! This fucker has crossed the line! I'll fucking kill him!"

"Wow," I smirked. "You want to fuck her too?!"

Gulat na napatingin silang lahat sa akin, tila ba may sinabi akong kagimbal-gimbal na bagay.

"Tangina mo, Romanov!" Mabilis na nakawala si Rhaego at sumugod sa akin. Nakahanda na sana akong salagin ang sapak niya nang biglaang sumulpot sa harapan ko si Ivo kaya ang gago ang natamaan. "Fuck," pagmumura ni Rhaego nang matumba si Ivo habang sapo-sapo ang panga nito. Tinulungan niya itong tumayo pero bahagyang gumewang si Ivo kaya sinuportahan ni Rhaego ang bigat nito.

"Oh fuck," ani Ivo at tumawa. "That fucking hurt. Fuck! Tangina ka, Rhaego." Tumingin si Ivo sa akin at ngumisi. "Anyways, to start, who's the woman you have to protect?"

Kumunot ang noo ko.

"The crazy slut, Sianna Rini Velasco."

Rhaego's face darkened and threw Ivo at me like it was nothing. Nagtagis ang mga bagang ko nang tumama sa tiyan ko ang siko ni Ivo(who was busy cursing again) pero tila nawala ang lahat ng nasa isipan ko nang marinig ang sinabi ni Rhaego.

"Don't you dare call my sister a slut, you fucker!"