"Great grandmother?" ulit ni Bai Xian sa tawag ni Matteo sa kanya.
Bai Zhen think of an idea and laughed awkwardly.
"Sister, d-don't mind him. He likes to call everyone with names." paliwanag ni blBai Zhen pero hindi siya pinaniwalaan ni Bai Xian at tiningnan ang hitsura niya mula ulo hanggang paa.
Doon na lang din napagtanto ni Bai Zhen na anyong babae pala siya ngayon kaya mabilis ulit siyang nag-isip ng paraan.
"Uhm... that...T-this child has a unique power that he can distinguished the true form and identity of a person who uses another faces. Yeah. That's right." kinakabahang paliwanag niya.
"Whos is this child?"
"Huh?" napamaang si Bai Zhen at walang maisagot.
"He seems familiar. Have we met before?" tanong ni Bai Xian kay Matteo.
Ngumiti si Matteo at sumulyap kay Bai Zhen sa nagtatanong na mga mata.
"Sister, you must have mistaken–"
"Ah! I rememeber you are the child I saw near the lake? Am I right?"
Ngumiti si Matteo at tumango samantalang nanlalaki naman ang mga mata ni Bai Zhen.
"Why are you here? Are your parents from here?"
Matagal bago sumagot si Matteo at sumulyap kay Bai Zhen. Wala namang ibang maisip na paraan si Bai Zhen kundi...
"He is my great grandson." mabilis na sagot ni Bai Zhen na kinalaki ng mga mata ni Bai Xian.
"Your what?"
"M-my g-great grandson." nakangiwing sabi ni Bai Zhen.
"How?"
"Well uh..." napakalot sa ulo si Bai Zhen samantalang dahan-dahan namang nagbago ang nakakunot na mukha ni Bai Xian at tiningnan ng masama ang kapatid.
"Bai Zhen!"
Naiilang na ngumiti si Bai Zhen.
"Is that the reason why you preferred to live in the mortal world? I thought you are behaving yourself and you just want to experience the life here but I didn't know you also..." maang na tiningnan ni Bai Xian si Matteo.
"That's why this child greeted me during our first meeting. Tell me, where is your wife now?"
Napakalot ulit sa ulo si Bai Zhen.
"Uh.. That... uhm you know I am already a great grandfather... so s-she already passed away and... and–"
"And why is he here?"
"H-he... uhm... hey kid why are you here?" tanong niya kay Matteo para manghingi ng tulong.
"My father is the brother of the emperor." sagot ni Matteo.
Nakahinga naman ng maluwag si Bai Zhen sa sagot ni Matteo. Saka nakangiwing hinarap ang kapatid.
Bai Xian hit his brother's arm.
"Why did you hide it from me? Bring him to our kingdom and ask forgiveness to mother and father. Men will always be men." inis na sabi ni Bai Xian habang tiningnan ng masama si Bai Zhen na nakahawak sa braso nito.
"Matteo! Mateo!" sabay silang tatlo na lumingon sa boses ni Yanna sa unahan.
"Sister, let's go!" mabilis na sabi ni Bai Zhen saka mabilis ding sinama ang kapatid na umalis sa lugar doon.
Saka naman dumating si Yanna nang mawala na sila.
"Why are you here? Did you see her? What's her name again?" tukoy ni Yanna sa maid kanina.
BINABASA MO ANG
Unopened Rose (DRAFT! DRAFT!)
FantasyShe traveled back to the time where her birthmarks were her scars. Nectars and Hagonoy plants were sacred. Roses and its petals are powerful. And pollen is her life.
