Missing Melody (COMPLETED)

Missing 13: Plans

SINJI'S POV

Nagising ako dahil sa isang pamilyar na sigaw. It was one of those rare moments where I could hear the sheer irritation in his voice—isang boses na madalas ay kalmado at malamig lang, pero ngayon ay bakas ang matinding galit.

"Will you please go away?"

Kumunot ang noo ko. I checked the time, but the urge to see the commotion won over my sleepiness. I sluggishly climbed out of bed, grabbed my silk robe, and wrapped it around myself before stepping out.

Paglabas ko sa hallway, ang agad na bumungad sa akin ay si Kuya Luther. He was topless, sporting nothing but his low-waist pants, looking every bit the commander even with his messy bedhair. Sumandal ako sa pinto at humalukipkip, secretly enjoying the view of my brother losing his cool over my best friend.

It's been a week since Saviel came with us after that mission. It turned out to be a total bust anyway; the scroll we were looking for wasn't in the palace where we found her. Wrong intel, wrong place, but somehow, we ended up with a very persistent hitchhiker.

"Pagbigyan mo na kasi ako!" Saviel pleaded, her voice echoing through the corridor.

Kuya Luther pinched the bridge of his nose, a gesture of pure frustration. "How many times do I have to tell you that HuPoFEL is not an ordinary organization? I don't give a damn if you are Sinji's best friend."

"Wala kang magagawa dahil si Sinji mismo ang umampon sa akin!" she retorted, not backing down. "At isa pa, maliit na bagay lang naman ang hinihingi ko, ah!"

Isang palihim na ngisi ang gumuhit sa labi ko. Behind me, I heard doors opening. Lumabas na rin sa kani-kanilang kwarto sina Gun, Thunder, Dezrail, Cassius, at Senri. This place is a high-security safehouse; only HuPoFEL members are allowed inside. Well, except for Saviel, whose face is thick enough to ignore my brother's death stares.

Ever since Saviel found out about my brother's underground business, she's been like a shadow. Hindi niya tinantanan si Kuya. She wants to be one of us—to be trained, to be lethal, to be part of the chaos.

Kuya Luther brushed his hair back, heaving a deep sigh as he looked down at Saviel with a stony, serious face. "Give me a hundred reasons why I need to consider your request as part of my team?"

Habang hinihintay ang sagot ni Sav, naramdaman ko ang paglapit nina Gun at Thud sa pwesto ko.

"Ang aga-aga, bakit nagsisigawan ang dalawang 'yan?" Gun muttered, rubbing his eyes while leaning against the wall beside me.

"Ewan. Makulit talaga ang babaeng 'yan," I whispered back. "Hayaan niyo na, mukhang nag-eenjoy naman ang kapatid ko."

Napabuga na lang ng hangin ang dalawa. "Nag-eenjoy? Eh, halos gilitan na niya sa leeg si Saviel sa sobrang pagkainis. I think Boss's patience is running thin."

Since the day Saviel met Kuya, she's made it her life's mission to annoy him. Hindi ko alam kung anong trip ng best friend ko, pero honestly? Bagay sila. Fire and ice.

"Isang rason lang ang meron ako," Saviel started, her voice confident. "Napaka-swapang mo naman ata at kailangan mo pa talaga ng isandaang rason? Baka abutin tayo ng taon kapag inisa-isa ko ang dahilan kung bakit gusto kong pumasok sa organisasyon niyo."

Napahawak ako sa bibig ko para pigilan ang tawa. Kahit kailan talaga, ang lakas ng hirit ng babaeng ito. The boys beside me were just shaking their heads, looking like magazine models posing against the wall—all brooding and handsome—but my eyes naturally drifted to Senri.

Ang harot mo, Sinji! I scolded myself. Pero seriously, ano bang nakain ni Saviel at pinipeste niya ang kapatid kong bato?

"Then tell me," Kuya challenged.