I'm Here Again

Chapter 33

I thought that the reason why I became the female lead was because I -- rather, the owner of the previous body -- am related to the female lead.

That was what the memories seemed to be for me, despite being incomplete. And yet.. Rhyn knew the real deal: I'm not just any relative. I'm her twin.

Oh Hiraya, you made my second, er, third? Or is this counted as fourth? Ah, doesn't matter. You made this life undoubtedly a bit complicated.. But hey, it still works out at the end!

"P-Paanong.. Paano mo.." Izarina who is not familiar with his 'ability' stared at Rhyn in disbelief.

"Well, I'm a doctor. Sure, magkapatid kayo, pero based on my expertise, mukhang parehas kayo ng edad, and that can only happen if your mom gave birth within months apart, or at the same day with different faces."

Beside me, I heard Dean muttered under his breath. "Damn. What a hell of doctor, figuring that out by just mere observation of how old they look like."

Rhyn met my eyes and continued. "Hindi lang 'yun. Ang pinaka-nakasakit talaga sa'yo..." My throat felt dry as now,  I do not know what he knows about Aiceria's past. "Ay ang malaman na alam pala ni Izarina ang tunay mong pagkatao, pero pinili niyang ilihim ito dahil sa mga magulang niyo."

"Holy shıt," Dean cussed softly. "How the hell did you know that?"

Rhyn's jaw tightened. "That.. was just a hunch." 

So that's how it works, huh? I will gain some memories that he won't know yet, and he would know those that I haven't gain yet.

"Grabe namang hunch 'yan, Rhyn, h-haha.." Jace looked nervously between us and the doctor. He seemed to took a notice on how Izarina is feeling unease. "San mo napulot 'yun? H-Hindi naman siguro ganun, right Miss Karvajal?"

Izarina looked down as Dean just let out a deep sigh.

"Hindi mo ba napapansin Jace?" Rhyn asked him.

"Ang ano?"

"Ang reaksyon ni Aice sa kanila. Sa nagsabing 'best friend' niya siya. Do you remember our Aice's reaction?"

Abriel is now frowning, as if trying to remember what it was. "Parang.. hindi masaya? Hindi excited?" He turned to us. "I mean, for someone who didn't see their best friend for a long time, I don't think I remember seeing Pa-es smile. O kaya'y sabik man lang at tuwang-tuwa na makita siya."

Even Mielle had that curious expression. "Now that you say that.. oo nga ano? Tanging si Izarina lang ang umiyak.. tapos parang awkward pa si ateng nang i-hug siya.. I mean, of course given that she's no--"

"Yes." Rhyn cut Mielle off from talking further more. She almost said that it was natural for me (Aice) to have that reaction since I am not the real Aiceria. "Based on that, the way the story goes, our Aice's indifference," he listed, "and what she was just telling us before they got here. Remember that?"

Oh, they do remember. Their faces seemed shocked as they exchanged glances between Izarina and I.

"No way.." Mielle's jaw dropped.

"Totoo ba?" Jace asked us, still couldn't believe that Rhyn is telling the truth. Now that he mentioned it, the memories unlocked.

"I was told it was for her own good. For hers and mine." Izarina admitted quietly before sobbing. "S-Sabi sa'kin nila Mommy na para daw.. h-hindi ako o si Ay-se mapatay ni tito Jacinto.. kailangan ko daw ilihim ang nalalaman ko. Sabi nila.. pinahintulutan daw ako ni tito na malaman ko ang katotohanan.. p-pero hindi ko pwedeng ipaalam n-na ang b-best friend ko.." Fresh tears came running down her face, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. "A-Ay twin sister ko pala."