The Bestfriends

22

Red:

I noticed something when I saw Blake's expression. Parang may hindi magandang nangyari sakaniya. I wanted to ask him what's wrong, kung may problema ba siya, or if something happened..

Pero bago ko pa siya maapproach, dumating na ang Boss along with the other Admins.

"Yuriko Nishida, the head of the Black Demon Mafia... is dead."

Nanlaki ang mata ko dahil sa balitang nalaman namin. I looked at Blake and his face was so glum. Tumayo siya at tumakbo paalis.

"Blake." I called for him. Tatayo na sana ako para sundan siya pero hinawakan ni Cristoff ang kamay ko.

"Let go of my hand, Cris." I demanded him habang seryosong nakatingin sakaniya.

Kumunot ang noo niya na parang naguguluhan. What's so confusing? "I can't let you go after him." Hindi ko siya masyadong marinig dahil nagiging maingay na ang mga tao dito.

"What the hell, Cris? We just heard the news about his mom.. And he's our friend, for fuck's sake!" There was inexplicable anger inside me na hindi ko maintindihan.

I felt so sorry for Blake. Gusto ko siyang icomfort. Anyone would be devastated if you heard news that your parent's dead. And what's worse, they never even settled their dispute. Hindi man lang sila nagkaayos or nagkita ulit. So this must've hurt Blake in more ways.

"That woman is also the reason why we were in life and death situations before. Red, nag-iisip ka ba? We all almost died several times dahil sakaniya."

"I get that you're angry with her and Blake, too, but right now Blake needs someone by his side. What would you do if it was also my mom who died?" He was taken aback dahil sa sinabi ko. I couldn't explain it pero parang may alam siyang hindi ko alam. But that's not important right now.

"That's different, Red." Yan lang ang nasabi niya. He paused for a moment na parang inaaral ang mukha ko.

Tatayo na sana ako nang magsalita ulit ang Boss. The entire room went silent again. He was saying something about Blake's mom not being a natural death, but a murder. And how it could turn into another all-out war kapag nalaman ng side nila na nasa side namin ang gumawa non sakaniya.

Until Daniella stood up and spoke.

"I'm sorry for interrupting." Nasakaniya ang atensyon ng lahat ngayon. "But we have some information regarding that case."

"Go ahead. Tell us what you know." Naupo si Boss at naghintay sa sasabihin ni Daniella.

"Hindi po member ng WCA ang pumatay kay Yuriko Nishida. The person who killed her was also the same person who tried to kill one of our members, Jan Jestony. And that person is in the interrogation room right now."