The Revolution (Phase I): Dawn of the Endgame

[8]

THE MEETING ENDED without anything achieved. Yuri just came back from that disgusting place, already going to his usual doing. Aside from taking classes and protesting in front of the Students' Union Building, he's got a job to do. A part-time job, sustaining the financials that he needed. He came from a low class of farmers in the northern part of the country. But because he's so dedicated with his academic, he was able to pass the UMCAT.

When he reached the cafe—near the vicinity of the university, immediately, he went to the comfort room to wear his uniform. Dahil sa pagpupulong na naganap kanina, apektado ang oras niya. Sayang oras, he thought.

There were loud knocks that banged the door. "Bilisan mo! Late ka na nga lang babagal-bagal ka pa!" Then there it was. The voice of his manager shouting at his ass.

He calmed his voice. "Yes, ma'am."

When he got out, he went face-to-face with her. She's terribly small, about only at his chest. Both of her hands were on her hips, looking up at him with these mad ugly eyes. Yuri looked down at her, while her eyes went looking up and down at him. There's a threat in her eyes. "Sabi nila matalino ka," his manager started, "bakit simpleng pagsunod sa oras hindi mo magawa."

He didn't say anything, looking around, glancing at her. Nang wala nang masabi ang babae, umalis na ito sa kanyang harapan. Yuri shrugged his shoulders just went with his job.

He'll be stationed at the lobby for this day. And when he went out to the lobby for his start, he saw one young man sitting at a table, with a mug of coffee on it. His hair was a thick black, oval face, turned-up nose, and the eyes dark and sullen, yet seemingly powerful and confident. Yuri knew what happened to him, and immediately went.

"Yo, Councilor Magnus."

The young man raised his head to him. "Yuri."

"Are you good, my friend?" he asked.

"When am I not?" Magnus replied. Yuri tried to look for any hint of pain in his voice or face but found nothing, one thing that amazed him. He knew Magnus was dealing with something—his friend just died, but the way he said it and acted towards it doesn't reveal his dealings.

Yuri met the poor girl once before. She's sociable, sweet, and adorable being. They didn't talk that much at the time, but he knew for sure that her life was wasted. I couldn't such life would be wasted, Yuri thought.

"I saw the messages about the meeting at the house," Magnus added, changing the topic. "Something you wanted to tell me?"

Yuri snorted. "Bro, gago ka ba? Parang 'di ka naman nasanay. Of course, walang nangyari. Pinaramdam lang ni Torres na siya ang batas sa kapatiran," he said. "Ikaw kasi, putanginamo. Ayaw mong palitan 'yung gunggong na 'yon. Imagine kung ikaw naging Chairman ng buong frat." He paused, "tsaka sa totoo lang marami rin namang may ayaw sa kanya. Habang tumatagal na nasa trono 'yon, mas lumalala ang tingin ng buong kapatiran sa kanya. Mas lumalala ang buong frat, actually."

Magnus only touched the handle of his mug.

"You're a great man, dude. Isipin mo 'yung mga bagay na mangyayari kapag natanggal 'yung hunghang na 'yon sa trono. Pow! Pow! Pow!" Yuri said, matching the onomatopoeia with jabs.

Magnus only stared at him. Then Yuri saw how his eyes went deep into the coffee. He sensed his thoughts to be somewhere, and he didn't interrupt it, remaining silent. He knew, for sure, that even if he decided to talk, Yuri's words would just walk past Magnus' ears.

He has known him for almost two years now. In their conversations, he has seen this face a thousand times already. This face of someone taking their mind to another dimension, wandering that dimension, finding the dots, knowing what dots to attach, forming a whole big puzzle that only his mind could know, unless these pictures were told to another person. But Yuri knew Magnus. He doesn't speak his mind. Well, perhaps, to Yuri.