AURORA/DULCINEA(METROPOLIS HEIRS IV: ZAI DEL FUEGO)

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: GHOST OF YOU

"Yel, nakita mo ba yung libro ni Tom Clancy, yung Red October?" tanong nya kay Rielle habang hinahanap ang naturang libro sa shelf na kinalalagyan nito.

"naku Ate, hiniram po nung isang estudyante the other day, hindi pa po naibabalik." sagot nito. "hinihintay ko nga na ibalik na nya, eh. pero hindi pa po sya pumupunta dito since then."

"ganun ba? well, you know what to do if hindi pa rin naibabalik ang libro, Yel." aniya sa dalaga. "ikaw na ang bahala."

"yes po, Ate." anito.

maraming beses nang may mga libro dito sa library na hinihiram ngunit hindi na naisasauli. kaya naman may sistema sila na pinagawa sa isang IT company para ma-trace at maisauli ang hiniram na libro, dahil talagang nadi-disappoint sya kapag nakita na lang nyang binebenta na pala online ang libro na kanyang pag-aari.

tinuloy nya ang pagsipat sa mga missing na libro sa shelves ng mga ito, nang may marinig syang matinis ngunit cute na boses.

"Bongiourno, Tita Dulce!"

ang masiglang bati ni Via sa kanya, flashing her adorable smile. The little girl looked refreshingly good in her pink romper dress, ballet flats and wide brim hat adorned with a huge sunflower on top. she looked like a living doll in an all pink ensemble.

Her heart is filled with delight upon seeing this lovable tiny human again, visiting her library. Dulcinea can't help herself but carry the child in her arms and kiss her rosy cheeks.

"I'm so glad you came to visit again, little darling." aniya sa paslit. "want to read another book again, Via? we have new arrivals you can choose from, baby girl. want to take a look?"

"really po? I can read everything here, Tita?" tanong nito. She nodded. the little girl squealed in happiness and clap her cutesy little hands. "then, do you have another puzzle books po? I want to assemble one, like the one I did here before."

Dulcinea smiled warmly and softly caress the child's cheeks.

"ofcourse you can, baby. halika, I'll show them to you."

ibinaba nya ang paslit at hinawakan ang isang kamay nito papunta sa children's section ng library. Dulcinea is happy to see Via looking around, up and down the tall shelves filled with hundreds of books.

"your library is huge, Tita. and there's lots of books, you're like Belle from beauty and the beast." the child said, giggling. pati sya, napahagikhik na rin sa ka-cutean ng batang ito. "this is just like my Abuelo's library in the Manor. but the books there are too old and heavy, I can't read them. there are no books for kids, unlike here po. I like it here po, Tita!"

Dulcinea nearly cried at what little Via just said. The child looks up to her with that unfiltered honesty and fondness in her innocent gray eyes, she have to stop herself from tearing up. a lot of people say that if you want to look at the world differently, look at it in the eyes of a child. and they're right. the pure innocence in children's eyes are enough to block all the negativity this world will ever brought to anyone.

but she can't help but took notice when the child mentioned the residence she lives in. kaya ng paupoin nya ito sa kiddy chair at naglagay ng mga samu't-saring mga libro sa mesa, she sat across her as Via began to open the books one by one.

"you said that your Abuelo has a library in the Manor, baby girl. so, you live in a house like that, Via?"

she asked the kid. If this child lives in a luxurious residence like that, then her family must be really wealthy. dito sa Metropolis, iilang pamilya o mga angkan lang ang may ganung uri ng pamamahay--- Mansions, Villas, Casa, Palaces and Manors. they are the Tancincos, Villazerans, Dela Croix, Aragons, Altagracias, Xenakis and Del---