The Demon General's Young Wife

The General-demon's Wife: Shu

Pag-akyat na pag-akyat pa lamang ni Kai sa rooftop ng building na napag-usapan nila ni Shu ay nakita na niya ito.

Nakatayo si Shu sa gilid at nakatuntong sa concrete barricade ng rooftop. Nakatanaw ito sa malawak na siyudad.

Umisang hithit naman siya ng sigarilyong nakaipit sa dalawang daliri bago iyun itinapon sa sahig kasabay ng pagtapak niya doon.

Naglakad na siya papalapit kay Shu matapos iyun. Noon na siya naulinigan nito.

Shu gazed at her over her shoulder before she looked back at the cityscapes.

Tumuntong naman si Kai sa barricade upang tabihan siya. They both have their hands on their leather pants' pockets.

"So, why did you ask me to come here?" Kapagkuwa'y tanong ni Kai at tumingin din sa direksyon ng kanyang mga mata.

Bumuntong hininga naman muna siya bago ngumiti ng tipid.

"You have also received the order to eliminate me, right?"

"Ehemm..." Tanging tugon lamang naman nito.

"Why you didn't do it?" Pagkuway a'niya. Bumuntong hininga naman muna ito bago siya nilingon.

"Madame Hera wants you dead the moment you failed your mission in Istanbul. I was the one who received that order. But I couldn't do it. We've been somehow become fond of each other. I treated you as my friend."

Ngumiti siya ng bahagya sa sinabi nito. Of course, she knew about it.

Mukha lamang itong manhid, makasarili at walang pakialam sa iba pero ito na ang naging sandigan niya simula pa man noong trainee siya at noong sa wakas ay makapasok narin sa camp.

"But Madame Hera will kill you, too, since you betrayed her." Kapagkuwa'y a'niya.

Nagkibit balikat lamang ito. "She's now hitting rock-bottom. I don't think she can still redeem herself back where it used to be."

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Lito niyang saad dahilan para ngumisi ito, "So, you still didn't know what happened?" Ngingisi-ngisi pa nitong wika.

"Why? What happened?"

"Why don't you ask your mafia husband?"

"My husband?"

"Yup! Your husband."
Napangiwi lamang siya't napataas ng kilay kaya nagpakawala muli ito ng pagngisi at kalauna'y nagdesisyon naring magsabi.

"Did you know that Madame Hera and your husband are old acquaintances? Hera belonged to the Nocturnal Bandits but she betrayed her own group and parted ways with them. On the other hand, your husband is a member of the other group which is the Barbarians. They're originally enemies. When Hera found out that you're related to the heir of the Montenegros, which is no other than your husband, she's more than eager to kill you."

"B-but then--"

"But then your husband is much more quick and barbaric. You can imagine what happened next." Kapagkuwa'y makahulugan nitong saad bago siya kinindatan.

Natigilan siya nu'n saglit ngunit kalauna'y nagpakawala ng sarkastikong pag-ngisi, "Huh, so he knew about it since the beginning..." Hindi niya pa makapaniwalang bulalas at tumawa muli ng marahan.

"Shu, you're free now. You can finally live a carefree and peaceful life." Maya-maya'y sambit pa ni Kai bago siya tinapik-tapik sa balikat.

"Then-- how about you? What are you gonna do now?"

"Well umm, I've got unemployed but thanks to Luccia, I'll work for the Montenegros from now on."

"Montenegros? Luccia?"

"Yes. Basically, it's not yet a goodbye for us." Pilya pa nitong saad kaya napangiti na siya.

"Yeah, right! That's better..." Tatawa-tawa niya pang tugon.

"So, I'll go ahead. Got some appointments today..." Kapagkuwa'y paalam na nito bago nagtaas ng palad.

"Yeah, high-five! Will see you around!" Tugon na lamang niya bago sila ngumiti sa isa't isa.

Nang makaalis na si Kai ay humarap na muli siya sa siyudad.

Bumuntong hininga siya ng malalim.

"You're indeed a General, Han. You're always quick and watchful. Nahirapan pa ako sa paglilihim sa'yo alam mo na pala ang totoo. I'm such a fool to think that I'm protecting you and Elly, yun pala, ikaw parin ang pomo-protecta sa akin, sa amin, sa anu mang oras. Now I understand why, there's always something or someone getting me out of the assassins' hands. Thank you for always putting me before anything else-- my general-demon. Can't wait to live a peaceful and happy life with you and Elly, and with our own child from now on." Saad niya pa sa sarili bago ngumiti ng may galak at ningning sa mga mata.

Noon na niya dinukot ang kutsilyo na nakasukbit sa kanyang likuran at ginamit iyun upang makuha ang isang bagay sa kanyang batok.

Napangiwi siya dahil sa pagkakasugat niya sa sarili ngunit napangiti din siya't magaan ang buntong hiningang pinagmasdan ang microchip na kinuha niya mula sa ilalim ng kanyang tattoo sa batok.

Ihinarap niya pa ito sa araw at pinagmasdan, "now I am really free! It's done! It's finished! From now on-- it will be me before my family, my family before me."  A'niya pa bago itinapon sa hangin iyung microchip at tumalikod na upang tuluyang lisanin ang rooftop.

As she made her way out, she let out a light sigh, and a sweet smile was drawn on her lips.

                                                                          ❤the end❤