Author's Note (Published under Cloak Pop Fiction)

Kabanata 32

A DAY had passed and Logan was ready to work in the café. Bumaba na ang kaniyang lagnat kagabi. Kahit may sinat pa, hindi na naman masakit ang buo niyang katawan.

Tinapos niya munang i-check ang mga essay ng kaniyang mga estudyante bago naghanda para sa trabaho niya mamaya. Pagpatak ng alas singko, lumabas na siya sa kaniyang kuwarto at nagtungo sa banyo para maligo.

Pagkatapos, nagpunta na siya sa kusina para magluto. May ingay na nagmumula sa kusina kaya binilisan niya ang paglalakad. Bahagya siyang napaigtad nang maabutan si Adamas na nakaupo sa upuan ng lamesa, hindi gumagalaw at nakakrus ang mga kamay. Nakalabas ang mga sinulid nito sa kamay kaya sinundan niya kung saan ito patungo. Muntik nang malaglag ang kaniyang panga nang makitang ito ang nagsasaing at nagpriprito ng itlog.

"Oh, you're awake," Adamas said and looked at him. Tinanggal nito ang veil. "Have a seat."

"Why are you cooking--ah no." He shook his head and rephrase what he was about to say. "Why are the threads playing chef?"

"You're sick, so I took charge in the kitchen." Taas-noo siya nitong tiningnan. His smile was full of pride as if what he did was something praiseworthy.

Pinanood niya ang mga sinulid na ihain ang niluto nitong itlog, kumuha ng kanin, plato at mga kutsara. Although he once dreamed to be served, he never wished to have threads as his servers.

"Lazy villain. Is this how you do your food?" tanong niya. Kinuha niya ang kutsara at tinidor para magsimula nang kumain.

"Who the hell are you calling lazy, human? What you see is not laziness but an act of using one's mind to make work easier." He hissed. Kumuha ito ng isang piraso ng itlog. "I have a power that will do something for me, so why the need to tire myself?"

"Tamad ka nga," bulong niya na lang at kumain na.

"By the way, why are you dressed? Are you going to work again?"

Tumango siya. "Magpapadala rin ako ng pera kasi 'di ko nagawa kahapon."

Pinaningkitan siya nito. "But you're still sick."

"I'm fine now. I can now move. Hindi na rin masakit ang ulo ko--"

"But you're still sick!" Binagsak nito ang mga kamay sa lamesa dahilan para mapaigtad siya. Gamit ang tinidor, dinuro siya nito. "Look at your face. You may be feeling good but your face is saying otherwise. You're still looking like someone who rose up from the dead!"

"Thanks for the insult, I guess," sarkastiko niyang sagot pagkatapos marinig ang huli nitong sinabi.

"You took my words wrong. I don't insult people. I only tell what's true," balik nito. "Don't go to work."

"Yeah, no. I'm going." Hindi niya ito tiningnan at tinuloy ang pagkain.

"Don't defy me, idiot."

"Papasok pa rin ako. Hindi puwedeng um-absent ako. Absent na nga ako sa school kahapon, tapos hindi pa ako papasok sa café. Sayang ang araw."

Adamas groaned as a protest. "You're seriously doing this for your damn family?"

"Don't say that. They have all the rights to be angry with me anyway. Kaya kailangan kong kumayod to make it up for them."

"No, they don't!" angal nito. Nagsalubong ang mga kilay nito habang nagpatuloy. "You are their son. Not a slave, not a source for money and not a regret glass they could just fill to satisfy their insufficiency and shortcomings."

Natahimik naman siya. Seconds later, he chuckled. "Regret glass? Ngayon ko lang 'yan narinig. Puwede hiramin para sa isusulat ko?"

"Yes, you can. But don't change the topic." Nanatiling nakakunot ang noo nitong nakatingnan sa kaniya. "Don't allow them to throw their failures at you, human. It's not your fault why all of you are struggling. Stop being a pushover."