Twenty years ago: Brazil...
Nilapitan ni Von ang anim na taong gulang na pamangkin na nakaupo sa gilid ng swimming pool habang nakasawsaw ang paa sa tubig.
Naka-school uniform pa ito.
Nagtanggal siya ng tsinelas at ginaya ang pamangkin.
Inilublob din niya ang paa at inakbayan ang bata.
"Why are you still here? Bakit hindi ka pa pumapasok sa loob? Yaya prepared your favorite snack."
Sinilip niya ang mukha ng pamangkin. Mukhang malungkot ito.
"Tito?"
"Yes?"
"Can't we buy another mommy and daddy?"
"What?" aniya sa pamangkin at hindi napigilang matawa. "Seryoso ka ba? We can't just buy you parents."
"Eh, kasi po, 'yong ibang kids sa school namin? Kapag may events, they have their mommy, daddy, or both everytime po, eh. Eh, ako. I only have you, Tito Von..." matamlay na sagot nito.
"Why, you don't want to be with Tito Von, anymore?"
"I do po, of course. But won't it be nice if I have my Mommy and Daddy, too?"
"Are you jealous of the other kids?"
Umiling ang bata. "Nope. I understand po that my mom and dad are gone and they're not coming back. But sometimes, I wished that I could have a new mom and dad I could be with now po..."
Matagal na niyang alam na darating sila sa ganoong sandali ng pamangkin. Na maghahanap ito ng pagkalinga mula sa mga magulang.
"Do you miss your mommy and daddy?"
Tumango ito. "When I grow up, I'll catch the bad person who killed them, Tito Von," sagot nito.
Ginulo niya ang buhok ng bata. "You're too young to be thinking about that."
"But I'll grow bigger soon. Like really, really big!" anito't itinaas ang kamay sa taas ng ulo nito.
"Talaga? Eh, ayaw mo ngang kumain nang marami, eh. Paano ka lalaki n'yan? Tingnan mo nga ang arm mo, o, ang liit-liit," aniya't itinaas ang kaliwang braso ng pamangkin.
"Because I have to be sexy when Klio see me again, Tito Von," bulong nito.
Nagtakip pa ito ng bibig at bumungisngis.
Natawa siya sa pamangkin. "Ang bata-bata mo pa nga, eh."
"Tito, I'm a big girl now."
"You cannot even carry your school backpack."
"Don't tell Klio," bulong nito sa kanya.
"I won't," natatawang sagot niya.
"When am I gonna go back to the Philippines, Tito Von?"
"Sa summer break mo."
"When is that?"
"Next month."
"How many days more?"
"Twenty-five."
"That's so long, still..."
"Patience, Teyl, patience..." aniya sa pamangkin at tinapik-tapik ang ulo nito.
"I cannot wait to see Klio again!" anito't bumungisngis ulit.
Natawa silang dalawa.
Hinayaan na niya ang pamangkin at mukhang lumayo na ang isip nito sa mga magulang.
Still, he knows that one of these days, Teyl will be more conscious and aware of what happened to her parents and she may even become serious with what she said about going after her parents' killer.
Matalino ang pamangkin niya.
One day, she'll take things into her own hands.
BINABASA MO ANG
CUS #5: Into You
Misterio / SuspensoThe downfall of the Chronos Union led Phinex to fall under the hands of Detective Lauder of the Luxirr Investigation Bureau. To save her ass, she bit the deal to use her skills in Psychopath hunting to catch one of the Bureau's persons of interest...
