A/N: Hi! MIA ako, I know. Hahaha! I'll change the contents of Viper2 from CH10 to the current, as well as may madadagdag na chapters doon. Maglalagay na lang ako ng Author's Note sa mga chapter na nabago para may heads up din. And the title for Viper 2 will be changed from Mon Bonheur to Other Universe. Oo na, ako na pabago-bago ng isip. Sorry na. Hahahaha! I'll start the change asap, maybe today. Thank you!____________________________
Lloyd Vincent
Kyle called them once more and relocated the place to meet. No way I'm meeting them at their house so we settled at a nearby cafe. We arrived there earlier than expected at sa sobrang anxious ko, nainom ko pa ang kapeng na binili ko lang para maging props. Lalo tuloy bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. Should've bought hot chocolate.
Nagulat pa ako sa bigat ng kamay ni Kyle nang akbayan ako nito at tapikin ang nanginginig na tuhod ko. "It's going to be alright, relax."
"Shut up." Ang gago talaga. Last night lang umiinom kami sa apartment ni Cyann and now I'm seeing my supposed parents? What the fuck is he thinking?
"They're here."
Fuck.
I immediately regretted sitting beside the hallway with us facing the entrance of the store dahil sa pinto pa lang, nakita ko na ang middle-aged na couple na nakatitig sa gawi namin. Both of them are wearing older faces; distraught but anticipating.
Naunang sumalubong sa'kin ang babae, who wore this plain collared beige dress that looked like what reporters would wear. Kasunod nito ang lalaki suot ang light blue button down at cream pants. Pretty prim and proper if you tell me.
Lumapit ang babae sa'kin at titig na titig sa mga mata ko. "Ikaw na ba? A-ang bunso ko?"
Hindi ko alam, papel lang ang nakita ko. The supposed connection of being the mother was absent. Luksong dugo was bullshit. But I didn't expect what would happen next.
The older woman threw herself at me, with her arms wide open for me, as she bawled her eyes out on my shirt. I instinctively held both of her arms for extra support dahil bumuwal ito sa harap ko. Pinabayaan ko muna ang babae na ilabas kung ano man ang nararamdaman nito but I don't know how to comfort her. Buti na lang hindi ko na kailangan humingi ng tulong dahil pati si Kyle, inalalayan ang babae hanggang maupo ito sa silya sa tapat namin. At kahit na kumalma na ito, hindi pa rin niya binitawan ang braso ko.
"I won't go away." I quietly said.
She reached out to cup my face pero umatras ako ng konti. That was more awkward. Sanay ako na ako ang pinakabata pero I don't think I was treated like one. This is a first.
"I'm sorry, I'm not keen on intimacy."
"It's okay we don't need to rush." Ibinaba niya ang kamay at itinago sa likod nito pero hindi pa rin naputol ang tingin niya sa'kin.
"D'yan ka na umupo, dito na si dad." utos sa'kin ni Kyle.
Nang maupo kami ng ayos, doon ko napansin na pati ang matandang lalaki ay nangingilid rin ang mga luha at pinupunasan ito gamit ang panyong hawak.
"Don't you remember anything about us?" The woman's face was hopeful and I hate to break it to her pero umiling lang ako sa kanya.
I wish I could.
"That's understandable." Rinig ko ang sakit at panghihinayang sa boses niya even though it was mixed with care and thought but honestly, I don't feel anything. Is this normal?
As an initiative, I offered my hand to her. "I'm Vincent."
"I'm Aileen." Lumingon siya sa matandang lalaki na nasa harap ko at ipinakilala rin ito sa'kin. "And this is Albert, your father."
