Game Over, Engineer

EP

HOSPITAL. WHITE LIGHTS. Alcohol. Detergent. White walls. . .

And Jack holding her hand.

She was in the hospital, and she could feel the needle inserted at the back of her hand.

Napatitig siya sa lalaki na nasa kanyang gilid. A smile painted across her lips as she lifted her hand to caress Jaxavion's hair. Nakaupo ito sa upuan habang nakayukyok sa kanyang tabi. His face is turned towards her, so she could clearly see his god-like features. Natakpan pa nang konti ang mata nito dahil sa buhok.

Using her index finger, she pushed the strands of his bangs to the side of his face, giving her a clearer view of her man. Pantay ang hininga nito at marahang nagtaas-baba ang mga balikat.

She took the time to stare at him as the memories before they brought her here flooded her mind like rain pouring and pouring and has no plan of stopping.

The computer room. The seawater reached her neck. The pain in her stomach. The killer.

They did it.

They were able to put the murderer behind bars.

That information kept on sinking inside her brain, and while it did, her parents' faces painted landscapes in her mind along with her memories with them. Something struck in her heart but in a good way. It felt like running and running until the time had finally come for her to rest.

And Jaxavion must have felt the same way, too.

The feeling of being free from a chain that has been tied to you for so long.

Jack slowly opened his eyes, clearing her mind. Natuon ang kanyang atensyon dito nang makitang gising na ito. Sumingkit pa saglit ang mga mata nito na para bang sinisigurado na gising na siya bago napaayos nang umupo.

Jack smiled at her before lifting her hand up and placing a kiss on it. "Hey." Tumayo ito at lumapit sa kanya. "How's my Jill, hmm?" He leaned towards her to kiss her forehead. Napangiti siya sa itinawag nito.

My Jill.

"I'm fine. How long was I asleep?"

"A day. Have you rested enough? There are desserts on the table because Alex decided to celebrate his birthday here. Gusto niya kasi kompleto tayo." Hinaplos nito ang kanyang buhok at tiningnan siya nang malamlam.

Wait. . . Alex's birthday?

And the thought that he decided to celebrate his birthday in the hospital filled her heart with so much warmth. Damn. Alex is really a softie, pero hindi iyon halata dahil sa pagiging malamig nito.

Muling natuon ang kanyang atensyon kay Jack, at doon lang tuluyang pumasok sa kanyang isip ang itsura nito kahapon na ikinasinghap niya.

Fuck. Jack was wounded! He was bloody! She freaking saw it with her own eyes!

But how come he doesn't have any wounds? Sugatan ito nang makita niya kahapon but now, his face is clean as hell. Well, except for the small bruise on his cheek that the devil created.

What the fuck happened? And what? Simulation deactivated? What does that even mean?

Pinaningkitan niya ito ng mga mata. She badly wants to kiss her man, but they need to talk and he has a lot to explain to her.

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Explain," saad niya sa seryosong boses. Ngumiti lang ang lalaki sa kanyang pananakot at pinisil ang kanyang pisngi.

"Other than me, hurting you, everything was a plan from the very start," he muttered in a low voice while staring at her, every word carrying the weight of deep thinking and relief—relief brought by the fact that his plan worked.