The Senses

Chapter 24

Xavier

We quietly sipped our drinks in the nearby cafe where students from our school usually hangs out. Iced coffee for me, chocolate frappe for Serene, Matcha frappe for Seine ,and cookies and cream shake for Zero. Oh, and coffee for Set.

"So what calamity has brought us the displeasure of meeting you?" Seine asked as she started the conversation.

I nudged her a bit with my elbow. "Huwag ka ngang ganyan."

"Xavier, if I may remind you. He is an agent of the organization who is trying to kill us!" she hissed.

"Why don't we hear him out for the meantime?" Zero suggested.

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Bakit po kayo narito?"

Set cleared his throat. "I wanted to say thank you personally for... you know... letting Kate go."

Seine's eyes turned to slits. Hindi ko naman siya masisisi. Kung magpasalamat kaya sa iyo ang isang taong galing sa grupo na sinusubukan kang patayin. Maniniwala ka ba?

"Gusto ko rin sanang hingin ang tulong niyo."

I mean no exaggeration but when he said those words, all of us actually sputtered on our drinks. We looked at him incredulously. Seriously?! He had the guts to ask that?!

"Let me get this straight," sabi ni Zero. "Gusto mong humingi ng tulong sa mga batang naulila dahil sa kagagawan niyo?"

"After all that your organization did to us, you want us to help?!" Serene said as she tried not to choke on her own words. "Your goddamn group killed our parents!"

Parang nanliit si Set sa upuan niya. Bakit naman ba kasi naisipan niya na humingi ng tulong sa amin? Sa amin na nawalan ng magulang dahil sa kagagawan nila.

"You helped Mr. Villanueva," he murmured.

"He was a special case! May anak siya! May anak siya na ayaw naming mawalan ng magulang dahil hindi namin gusto na maranasan niya ang naranasan namin!" masakit na salita ni Seine.

"Ano po ba talaga ang gusto niya?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Gusto ko lang naman na-"

Naudlot na yung sasabihin ni Set dahil biglang may sumampal sa mukha niya. Nabigla kaming lahat dahil wala sa amin ang gumawa nang pagsampal. It was Kate.

"Nandito ka pala, Set!"

Woah, wait a minute. Hindi alam ni Kate na gusto kaming kausapin ni Set? Well, I did entertain the idea of this may be a trap and someone is going to kidnap us. That's why we chose the cafe near the school.

"Why didn't you tell me? Kapag nalaman niya ang ginagawa mo ay siguradong mamamatay ka!" madiin na sabi ni Kate.

Niya? Sinong niya? I looked at Seine for translation but she gave me the gesture that implies she doesn't know.

"Kate, gusto ko lang humiling ng tulong-"

"Nababaliw ka na ba?!" pag-udlot niya kay Set. "Humihingi ka ng tulong sa mga taong ninakawan natin ng pamilya?!"

Oh, so contrary to my previous impression of her. It looks like Kate is more sensitive than she lets on. Well, not that it really matters when she attempts to kill us.

"Umalis na tayo. For all I know, baka nandito lang sa tabi-tabi ang spy na nilagay niya."

She suddenly touched her mouth as if she was surprised. Kate then glared at Seine.

"Did you control me again?"

"I didn't do anything. It's just you and your loud mouth. Huwag kang mag-alala. Alam naman namin na may spy kayo," sabi ni Serene habang iniinom yung frappe niya.