Shin's Beautiful Addiction : Lyle Hope Bautista

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1 : SISTERS

"Hope," umangat ang ulo ko para balingan ang tumawag, bago siya maupo sa tabi ko, ilang segundo niya muna akong tinitigan. "Why are you still up at this hour?"

"Miss Shin.."

She sighs and says, "I told you to just call me Mom, Hope." Hinaplos niya ang buhok ko, nakikita ko ang pag-aalala sa kanya. "You can't sleep again?" Palipat lipat ang tingin ko sa dalawang mata niya.

Miss Shin is the person I'm always grateful to have. I feel so alone in this vast world, and if it weren't for Miss Shin, I might have ended my life a long time ago.

"It's okay, Hope. You can talk to me," I lowered my head.

"Nightmare," I mumble.

Hindi na bago sakin ang masasamang panaginip, sa katunayan ito panga ang dahilan ng araw araw kong pag gising dis oras ng gabi. I sometimes can't sleep because I'm afraid they might show up again.

"Hope," I felt her embrace my body until she hugged me tightly. "Why do your nightmares keep showing up so frequently? It's really worrying me." Miss Shin is always like this, too caring and concerned about me.

"Is it because you're not very social with others?"

She loosened her embrace to looked at me. "What do you mean, Miss Shin?"

"Have you.. considered socializing with others?"

Socializing?

"Miss Shin.." I attempted to speak, but no words came out. She seemed to notice, which is why she chose to smile gently at me.

"Engaging people can provide a positive distraction from negative thoughts and help improve your overall well-being." Mabagal niyang usal, tila ipinapaintindi bawat letra.

Nag iwas ako sandali bago ulit ito balingan.
"Miss Shin, I.. don't want to engage with anyone because I was too afraid," she bit her lip and nodding slowly.

"I understand, but Hope, you can't always stay like this. You're also a human who needs to live with one, right?" I tried to respond, but I didn't know what to say because what she said was true. "Hope, it might be worth giving it a try and seeing if it helps ease some of the anxiety associated to your nightmares."

Naibaba ko ang paningin. "But Miss Shin, I'm.. too afraid."

"It's alright, dear. I'm here." Mahigpit niya akong niyakap, napapikit ako nang maramdaman ang paghaplos niya. "And you mentioned you're curious about my daughters, don't you think it's time to satisfy your curiosity?" My lips parted, are we.. going back to that country?

I took a deep sigh and tightly shut my eyes. "Yes, Miss Shin." I heard her humming a lullaby, napa ngiti naman ako bago idantay ang sarili sa kanya. Ilang sandali lang ramdam ko na ang pagbigat ng talukap ko.

Nang umaga ding 'yon nagdesisyon si Miss Shin na umuwi ng pinas. Ginamit namin ang private plane ng mga Shin, hindi ko na namalayan dahil buong oras akong naka titig lang sa labas ng airplane.

Nang lumapag ang sinasakyan namin ay kada ang hawak ko sa kamay ni Miss Shin, 'di ako maka sabay sa kanya sa paglalakad dahil mas ninais kong magtago sa likod niya.

"Hope, it's okay, they won't hurt you." Ngumiti sakin si Miss Shin habang humihigpit ang hawak, maraming tao sa binabaan naming airport.

"Miss Shin, t-they are looking."

Kagat kagat ko ang labing inilibot ang tingin, kada may dadaan sa gilid ay napapalingon o tumitingin samin, halos sakupin ako ng takot at 'di mapigilang pangamba.