The Second Lead's Retribution (Reincarnation #2)

Chapter 20

This is the last chapter! See you on Sunday for the Epilogue and Rush's Epilogue!

#TSLsRetribution20

WHEN MY FATHER died, I've always questioned why people come and go in our lives.

Bakit pa dadating kung pagdating ng araw aalis din naman? Why would fate let two people meet if one day it will just pull a trick and pull them apart?

But with the recent events I've experienced, I understood why. May mga taong dumadating at umaalis sa buhay natin kasi hindi talaga sila ang mga taong para sa atin. As simple as that.

"No, Mommy. You said my father died in a fire accident," naguguluhan kong tanong.

Her eyes swelled up in tears but they didn't fall. Inalis niya ang kamay niya sa pagkakahawak sa akin at ipinagsalikop 'yon sa kandungan niya.

"Yes, Lillee. He died in a fire accident." She nodded repeatedly. "But not in this world."

"What . . . "

"When I was your age, I was also a comic artist. I loved and treasured making comics so much. It was my source of happiness that time. 'Yon ang tanging takas ko mula sa buhay ko. My life before was sufficating, you know that, right?

"I make comics for a living. I sold my works to various newspapers or magazine just to earn some money. Isa 'yon sa dahilan kung bakit kinaya ko mag-aral at makapagtapos sa college.

"But when I met the father of your Kuya Uno and gave birth to him, I stopped. Mas nag-focus ako sa pagpapalaki sa kanya, lalo na no'ng dumating na ang Kuya Dos mo.

"But he left me. It was a struggle making ends meet kahit na katuwang ko siya pero mas lalo na noong ako na lang mag-isa. Dumating sa point na ako na lang ang hindi kakain, basta makakain lang ang mga kuya mo.

"Good thing, their father's mother was kind. She knew that her son is an asshole and she offered to take care of Uno and Dos while I work. It was an offer I couldn't resist. Lalo na at alam ko na doon, makakakain nang maayos ang mga kuya mo. Kapag sa akin, gugutumin pa sila hanggang gabi, hanggang makauwi ako tapos asin lang ang uulamin namin. Hindi ko kaya 'yon.

"I was working non-stop then at night, I would pick them up to go home. While I was walking home one night, I saw a famous newspaper station, looking for a comic artist. Kapag napili ang comics, magkakaroon ka ng twenty-thousand pesos. It was a large sum of money that time. Bukod pa roon ay ic-credit naman sa'yo ang gawa. Kaya naisip ko na baka sumikat ako at makilala as a comic artist. Baka 'yon na ang solusyon sa mga problema ko.

"But I was wrong. When my work got chosen, they didn't gave me the credit. I was a nobody. Wala akong background at mahirap lang ako. They gave the credit to a rising artist that time. Despite that awful situation, they did gave me the prize.

"I was devastated. I felt like my dreams were crushed once again. And to add more salt to the already stinging wound, my ex made me a co-maker to one of his debts. Tumakbo siya, nawala ng parang bula, at pera ko ang kinuha.

"His mother was ashamed. As much as she wanted to pay me, sapat lang ang pera na mayroon sila para sa araw-araw. Then, I started to think back if I was properly credited for my work. Sumikat at kumita ng malaki ang gawa ko pero ako nanatiling walang kwenta.

"Suddenly, while I was asleep, a man screamed. Pagtingin ko, isang lalaki na namimilipit ng sakit sa sahig ko. Noong nakita ko siya, nagulat pa ako dahil kamukha niya ang character na ginawa ko. Binalewala ko pero mas lalo akong nagulat dahil nagpakilala siya sa akin sa parehong pangalan at wala siyang alam sa mundo natin.