Vrixian: The Missing Piece

Chapter 4: A Familiar Stranger

The meeting with Vrix Gallano lingered in Christian’s mind long after it ended. Hindi niya matanggal sa isip niya yung encounter nila, na parang may malaking nangyari kahit hindi niya matukoy kung ano talaga. The way Vrix looked at him, the way he spoke as if they shared a past—everything felt off-kilter.

Pag-uwi ni Christian, he was lost in thought, replaying the encounter over and over in his mind. Napansin ni Perlas ang katahimikan ni Christian habang kumakain sila ng dinner. Hindi na niya ito tinanong, pero alam niyang may malalim na iniisip ang kaibigan niya. Sinubukan niyang magbato ng ilang biro para pasayahin ang mood, pero kahit ang usual antics ni Perlas ay hindi sapat para alisin ang bigat na bumabalot sa dibdib ni Christian.

Meanwhile, across town, Vrix sat in a private room at an upscale bar, nursing a glass of whiskey. The dim lighting cast a warm glow over the rich wooden furnishings, but it did little to soothe the turmoil brewing within him. Katabi niya si Ben, ang long-time friend at confidant niya, na relaxed na umiinom din ng sarili niyang inumin.

"So, what's eating you, Vrix?" tanong ni Ben, breaking the comfortable silence. "You’ve been staring at that glass like it owes you money."

Vrix let out a heavy sigh, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. "I finally found him, Ben," he said, his voice low and contemplative.

Ben raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Him? As in… the guy you’ve been searching for all these years?"

Tumango si Vrix, his gaze distant. "Yes. Christian Martinez. He’s the one."

A grin spread across Ben’s face, pero agad ding naglaho nang makita niyang seryoso ang mukha ni Vrix. "That’s great news, man. But… something’s bothering you. Spill it."

Vrix took a deep breath, trying to steady the emotions churning inside him. "He doesn’t remember me, Ben. When I looked into his eyes, there was nothing. No recognition, no spark of familiarity—just a blank slate."

Ben leaned back in his seat, his expression thoughtful. "That’s rough. Pero considering what you’ve told me about his accident, it’s not entirely surprising. Amnesia can do that to a person."

"I know," Vrix muttered, running a hand through his hair. "But it’s frustrating. I’ve spent years trying to find him, and now that I have… it’s like I’m a stranger to him."

Ben remained silent for a moment, letting Vrix’s words hang in the air. Then he leaned forward, his tone turning serious. "Listen, Vrix. I know this isn’t what you hoped for, but you’ve got to give him time. You’re dealing with a guy who lost everything in that accident, including his memories. You can’t expect him to remember you just like that."

"But what if he never remembers?" Vrix’s voice was tinged with desperation. "What if he never knows what we had?"

"Then you create something new," Ben said firmly. "You’re not the same person you were back then, and neither is he. Take this as an opportunity to build something fresh. Get to know him again, and let him get to know you."

Vrix stared at his drink, Ben’s words sinking in. It wasn’t what he wanted to hear, but deep down, he knew his friend was right. He couldn’t force Christian to remember, but he could still try to reconnect with him in the present.

"Thanks, Ben," Vrix finally said, his voice quiet. "I needed to hear that."

"Anytime, Vrix," Ben replied, his easygoing smile returning. "Just don’t forget to live in the moment. You’re too hung up on the past. It’s time to look forward, man."

Vrix chuckled softly, appreciating Ben’s straightforward wisdom. "You’re right. I’ve been so focused on finding him that I haven’t thought about what comes next."

"Exactly," Ben said, raising his glass in a toast. "Here’s to new beginnings, and to figuring things out one step at a time."

Vrix clinked his glass against Ben’s, feeling a small weight lift off his shoulders. He took a sip of his whiskey, letting the warmth spread through him. Maybe Ben was right—maybe this was an opportunity to start over, to see where this new chapter with Christian would lead.

The next day, Christian found himself at his workstation, trying to focus on his online selling session. Pero kahit anong pilit niyang mag-concentrate, the thoughts of Vrix kept creeping back into his mind. There was something about their meeting that felt unresolved, like a loose thread he couldn’t quite grasp.

He sighed in frustration, forcing a smile as he interacted with his customers. Nakaupo si Perlas sa tabi niya, nakangiti habang nag-scroll sa phone niya. Napansin ni Perlas ang pagkabahala sa mukha ni Christian at di niya napigilang magtanong.

"Sid, ano bang nangyari sa’yo?" she teased, her eyes twinkling. "Mukha kang zombie diyan. Iba ‘to ah, usually hyper ka pag nagla-live."

Christian shook his head, trying to shake off the thoughts. "Wala, Perlas. Just a lot on my mind."

"Hmm, let me guess," Perlas said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "It’s that CEO guy, isn’t it? The one na kinatatakutan mo but at the same time, you’re curious about?"

Christian couldn’t help but laugh. "Tama na nga, Perlas. You’re making it sound more dramatic than it is."

"But it is dramatic!" Perlas insisted, sitting up straight. "Kaya nga curious ako. What’s the deal with him? Is he as scary as you imagined?"

Christian hesitated, unsure of how to explain the encounter. "He’s… different. Parang kilala niya ako, but I can’t remember him at all."

Perlas frowned, tilting her head. "Weird. Do you think you’ve met before?"

"I’m not sure," Christian admitted. "Pero ang weird lang. Parang may something na di ko matukoy."

Perlas was quiet for a moment, her usual playful demeanor replaced with a thoughtful expression. "Sid, kung ako sa’yo, just go with the flow. Maybe you’ll figure it out eventually. Or maybe it’s just one of those things na di mo na kailangan i-overthink. Either way, you’ll be fine."

Christian smiled at her, grateful for her presence. "Thanks, Perlas. Hindi ko alam anong gagawin ko kung wala ka."

"Eh syempre!" Perlas said, her grin returning. "I’m your number one fan, remember? Saka, kung anong mangyari, nandito lang ako. You’ll figure this out, Sid."

Christian rolled his eyes playfully. "Ang kapal mo naman. Kaya nga nasstress ako eh, ikaw dahilan."

Perlas gasped in mock offense, "Ako pa talaga?! Hay nako, pag di mo sinabi yung totoong reason na yan, bahala ka diyan!"

As Christian returned to his work, trying not to laugh at Perlas' antics, he couldn’t help but think about her words. Maybe he was overthinking things. But at the same time, he couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling that there was something more to his connection with Vrix—something important that he just couldn’t remember.

And as the days passed, that feeling only grew stronger, pulling Christian deeper into a mystery that would soon begin to unravel.