Oculus of Time

The Prince of the Underworld

Cal's POV

I stared at the young boy staring back at me.

"You look familiar." puna niya.

"You do too." sagot ko.

And then, we just continued staring at each other.

He doesn't really recognize me, huh?

I sighed and leaned on the back of my chair.

Nasa loob ako ngayon ng palasyo ni Hades, kung saan nakatira ako dati. Sa harap ko, nakaupo ang isang batang lalaki. He gently held his chin while squinting his eyes, obviously trying to study me.

"You're from the Underworld too, aren't you?" tanong niya.

I threw my head back and closed my eyes. "Mmm."

I need to find her...

"You look a bit like me." aniya.

"Mmm."

Where is she...

"And I look a bit like you."

Still, with my eyes closed, I mumbled, "Mmm."

"Why are you here again?"

Binuksan ko ang aking mga mata. Nakatingala pa rin ako sa kisame nang magsalita ako. "I don't know..." Dahan-dahan kong ibinaba ang aking ulo. "You tell me."

"You just appeared in my room."

It's our room, idiot.

I sighed, again. "You know Artemia?"

I saw how his expression darkened. He gripped the edges of his armrests. "What do you need from her?"

Napatitig lang ako sa inasta niya. "I need to see her."

"I won't let you." he growled. "I don't trust you."

Mabagal kong ibinukas-sara ang aking mga mata. "She's my wife." sabi ko, habang tinatapunan siya ng tamad na tingin.

Halatang ikinagulat niya ang sinabi ko. "W-What?"

"Yeah."

"How?"

"We got married in the Underworld."

"What?!"

"Yeah."

"That's not possible." Marahan siyang natawa. "You're lying." 

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. "I'm not."

He chuckled, again. "Yeah well, she deserves someone who actually likes her."

I leaned forward and pressed my elbows on my thighs. "You like her?" Umangat ang aking kilay nang maitanong ito sa kanya.

Nakita ko kung paano dagliang nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata, tila kinabahan. "I-I do." He shifted on his chair uncomfortably.

"Yeah?" Nanghahamon ang aking tinig. "Well, that's not enough."

Nag-abot ang kanyang kilay. "What do you mean?"

I smirked. "I love her. You don't."

He stared at me for a while, then he scoffed. "What's the difference, anyway?" 

"Hmm..." Humilig ulit ako sa sandalan at idinekwatro ang aking paa. "You get to kiss her when you love her."

I looked at myself who was taken aback. Nanlalaki ang kanyang mga matang nakatuon sa'kin. Nagsimula na ring mamula ang magkabila niyang pisngi.