Space Between Us

Chapter 57 (Shrines)

Xyrill

Ouch.

I woke up when I felt a sudden pain in my heart. Another day has passed and we're still stuck to wherever we are right now. Nanghihina parin ang katawan ko pero nakaka-lakad na ako.

Iginala ko ang aking mata hanggang matigil iyon sa babae na kamukhang-kamukha ko. Nakatingin siya sa tablet at seryoso ang mukha.

Mukhang naapektuhan din talaga siya nung lason na nainom ko. Mapapansin kasi ang pagka-putla ng labi niya.

Up until now I still find it weird when I look at her. Seeing someone who looks like you is weird, and knowing that she's me from future makes it much weirder.

"Xyrill?" I called her. Agad naman siyang lumingon sa akin. "Gising ka na pala" Sabi niya tsaka siya ngumiti sa akin.

Nag lakad ako papalapit sa kaniya. "Anong tinitignan mo diyan?" Tanong ko. Iniharap naman niya sa akin ang tablet na hawak niya.

Binasa ko ang naka-sulat, at habang binabasa nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "Si Clovis?! Why would he do that?" Tanong ko kay Xyrill.

Nabasa ko ang pag punta ni Clovis sa Aes Sidhe para hanapin ako. May mga civilian at royal army na nagka-sakitan.

"Emperor's order. Hindi siya titigil hangga't hindi ka niya mahanap" I can sense the disappointment in her voice.

Naupo ako sa tabi niya. "Are you upset about everything that happened?" Tanong ko sa kaniya. She made a heavy sigh.

"Sorry for dragging you with my problems. Sa akin na dapat natapos to" Sabay kaming natahimik sa sagot niya. Pero kung iisipin mo, mukhang ganoon din naman ang kalalabasan sa timeline ko. The Emperor is just finding ways to get rid of me, and this is the best time.

"The Emperor, I-I thought we have something" I gave her a surprised look. Her and Emperor? I don't know, I didn't feel anything for that guy.

She let out a small laugh when she look at my faced. Mukhang napansin niya ata ang weird kong mukha. "It's not what you think" She said again with a sad tone.

"At least the Reiko in my timeline is civil. We have constant conversation on different things, hindi man lagi pero nagu-usap pa rin kami" Well, that's definitely different from the Emperor in my timeline. Mabibilang mo lang sa daliri ang naging usapan namin. Hindi kasama dun ang away.

"So when someone tried to assassinate him..." She took a pause, I can feel that she's sad and disappointed.

"I just can't believe that his first suspect is me. He thought that I sent someone to kill him" She let out a heavy sigh after that.

"But that was just the start, nawala naman ang pag suspetsa niya sa akin. Pero alam mo yun..." Tumingin siya sa akin. "After that incident, we are not the same anymore" Pero bakit wala namang nangyari sa akin na ganoon? Alam kong may mga spies na naka-pasok sa Palace pero hindi naman nila sinubukan patayin ang Emperor.

"I-I thought at some point he thought of me as a friend, not as the Empress but as a friend. I thought in our simple conversation we made a connection. But he's really not that kind of guy" Napa-yuko na lang din ako sa sinabi niya.

I wouldn't lie. I also thought of building connection with him. But instead of building bridges, we only build walls. Now I feel more distant to him.

"And who do you think sent the assassin?" Tanong ko sa kaniya. "Aurelius. After all he was after the throne"

"And by observing the Emperor in this timeline. I don't think you can talk him down. Hindi siya madadaan sa usapan, kung ano ang utos niya, that's final. That guy is just full of hate or nothingness" Pakiramdam ko naawa siya kay Emperor Reiko, at least the Reiko in her own timeline.