Devilish Count (COMPLETE)

04

Hala.

Shooked. Dumbfounded. Flabbergasted. Shocked. Surprised. Astounded. Startled. Ano pa ba? Iyon ang lahat ng nasa isip ko. I was just teasing him to lighten the mood. Pero his face wasn't even joking as he said he likes me. That fast? Wala ba munang violent reaction? O di kaya in denial stage? Tulad ng mga lalaki sa novels na hindi nila matanggap na ganito ganyan lang ang babaeng nagustuhan nila? Anong build ba ang lalaking 'to? Naka-acceptance stage agad.

"Come on, that's nothing surprising." Wika nito dahilan umusbong ang suspisyon sa dibdib ko. Kapag malaman kong jinojoke time lang ako nito ay walong sapak ang aabutin nito sa akin. Walo talaga para 'I like You', oh diba uniform? 

My heart was beating to it's faster pace. Kapag talaga joke lang iyon ay ipapalunok ko ang feelings ko sa kaniya. Hindi pa naman fully develop feelings pero feelings parin eh. He looked at me while he pursed a amusing chuckles. Sabi na nga ba. This guy! He is not serious at all. Napasimangot naman ako pero ito ay mukhang tuwang tuwa pa. I mean, why I didn't think that he didn't really like me? Ilang araw palang kami nagkakilala jusme ka naman Daphne.

Assumera era ito, Daphne.

"Kumain kana nga lang." Sabi ko pa.

The rest of the day was uneventful, his palace was quiet. I was thinking staying in his palace than on Ironov but I remembered that my cousin got kidnapped and I don't have the time to hang out with this Count. He agreed letting me go back alone, luckily he was busy and wasn't able to send me home.

I just sighed as I watched the limo drove out my sight. It was a great experience. I hope I can still go there, his house is nice--palace rather. I sighed again and went inside I found Jenna looking at Claud with her suspicious eyes. What's happening now? She didn't dare to step in and waited for them to give her a clue.

"Where's my cousin?" Jenna asked making her smiled. At least her cousin is very worried to her being. Eh, iyong pamilya niya nga hindi pa siya hinahanap. Nikinontact sa social media hindi nagawa. Buti nalang nandon si Kuya Juno, nag-explain at inimform na ang lahat. Hindi man lang kami binigyan ng search and rescue. Tsaka hindi ko pa rin nakikita ang Kuya ni Jenna si Kuya Jerinn. Even the twins, the sons of Kuya Jerinn and his wife Klareen. Claud's sister. I can't see them in the palace.

"Probably with Quin, love." The Claud answered making her rolled her eyes. Even though this man is very sweet as an fountain of sugar still she won't forgive this man hurting her cousin and making her forget them.

"She doesn't even know that guy!" Agad na reklamo nang pinsan niya at tinapik pa nito ang kamay ng Claud na iyan ng subukan nito hawakan ang pinsan niya. She smiled in sight. Ayan, hindi dapat marupok! Tama lang iyan. Tsaka Oo nga naman, hindi ko kilala ang taong iyon tapos pinasa lang ako nitong Claud na 'to sa tukmol na iyon.

"Hmm, but I knew him." My eyes twitched as Claud said that. Napa-sweet naman ng tukmol na 'to. Nang hindi ko na matiis ay agad kong nilapitan ang nag-aalalang pinsan ko. relief washed to her face as she saw me.

"Daph!" She exclaimed and hugged me fast. "Gosh, nag-alala ako. Saan ka ba pumunta?" Agad na tanong nito dahilan simangutan ko ito. Pwede naman tanongin muna ang puso ko. Hayop na gwapong lalaking iyon. Akala ko pag-asa na, paasa pala. Tsaka hindi pa naman siguro world record ang pagiging gusto sa isang tao ng 4 days. Ang bilis sa totoo lang.

"Pinasyal ako ni Quin sa bahay niya. His palace is nice." I said before grinning. I saw Claud frowned. Ano na naman?

"Did he tour you to the wall of ancestry?" Wall of ancestry? Napaisip tuloy ako sa sinabi nito. Ano bang wall iyan--tama! Iyong may mga magulang ni Quin at mga dating kalolo-lolohan niya. Iyon ba ang tinutukoy niya?

Don't tell me... may custom din d'on.

"Yeah he did." I said and blinked innocently. I heard Claud scoffed and cover his mouth as if he just uncover something like a secret of the century. Then later after, he was starting to chuckle then laugh then chuckle again as if he find things amusing.

"That cold guy. How can he..?" Claud muttered as he glanced at me from head to toe and nodded as if things are going valid and explainable. Di ko gets, ano bang iniisip ng tukmol na 'to.

"Do you even know that showing an Wall of Ancestry is a custom here?" Claud cryptically stated making me frowned upon him. Ano naman na custom 'yan.

"What does it mean...?"

"It means you'll picture will be hang there along with him. It's a declaration of love and loyalty for a lifetime." He smugly said making me shocked to the core. My brain just stopped functioning upon hearing it. When it did finally back, one question echoed my mind.

Say what?!

"TOTOO? As in." Paulit-ulit na tanong ni Jenna like 1 hour ago. Simula nang mabanggit iyon ni Claud ang tungkol sa wall of ancestry ay hindi na siya tinigilan ng pinsan niya. Mukhang nakalimutan yata si Claud. Kanina pa kasi si Claud buntot ng buntot sa pinsan ko habang pinsan ko naman panay kulit na ikwento ko ang tungkol sa pag punta ko sa palace ng tukmol na iyon.

Edi, sorry. Hindi niya naman alam na sacred custom pala ang mga pinagagawa nila Quin. Malay niya ba?! Eh ang sabi niya lang bored siya tapos sagot naman ng tukmol sa kaniya na mamasiyal sila sa Palace nito tapos ang alam ko maganda ang bahay niya kaya pumayag ako. Edi, sorry.

Wala ba sa bukabularyo sa lalaking iyon ang salitang reserve? Paano kung may magustuhan ito tapos hindi na pala si Girl ang unang babae nakatapak sa palasyo niya?! Kahit ako e, iniisip ko palang nagagalit na ako.

"It's nothing special okay? random lang iyon, tsaka for sure hindi big thing kay Quin ang mga custom-custom na iyan." Panloloko ko sa sarili. Ipagtanggol ko nalang ang sarili ko kasi aasa lang ako. Hoy, kinilig ako kasi akala ko sinadya ni Quin. But knowing that man, he won't make fuss nor care about the customs. Mukhang walang pake pa naman iyon. Magyeyelo ka nalang sa lamig ng lalaking iyon, ni-hindi nga iniimik ang yaya kapag kinakausap habang sa akin naman parang pwet ng manok, buka ng buka at daldal ng daldal.

I was lost in my thoughts as I didn't noticed that Quintin has already arrived and looking at me with a frown. Claud on the other hand, wants to steal his Jenna, announced Quin's arrival to draw some attention from Daphne.

"Why don't we ask the man itself?" Claud proudly said.

"As me about what..?" Quintin's baritone yet deep voice beamed to her ears as her heart again pace in fast rate. Oh my gosh. Ang gwapo shet. He look dazzling in his royalty attire.

Papakasalan. Luluhuran. Sasambahin. Magiging akin. Please! 

"My dear friend, did you apply the customs to her?" Claud shamelessly asked as she gasped hard but still waited to Quin's answer. Ano kasi siya e, ano, assumera. Mabuti na iyong klaro. Parang nafafall na pa naman siya sa tukmol na ito siyang walang ginawa kundi sundan siya.

The brute smiled as he looked at her with a smirk.

"Yeah, I did."