Falling for the Masterpiece

Chapter 26: Last Resort

IVAN

Noong nasa Batangas pa rin kami, 5 am na nakatulog si Yuki. Nakaunan pa siya sa palad ko. Pinipilit kong patagin ang mga kilay niya. I wonder how much he has suffered in life at kahit sa pagtulog, mukha siyang maraming iniisip.

When he used my left palm as his pillow,  and when I cuffed his cheeks with my right, tila nawala ang kunot sa kanyang noo at mas lalong pumanatag ang paghinga niya.

"Good night, Yuki," bulong ko. As I was about to pull away, I felt my phone vibrate. I slowly stood up away from the bed and answered the phone outside my room.

"Kuya?"

"Open the door; we need to talk." It was Kuya Gabriel.

Iyong antok na inipon ko buong magdamag ay tila ninakaw ng boses ng kuya ko. Pinagbuksan ko siya ng pinto. Mukha siyang kalmado pero hindi nakatakas sa akin that he was heaving. I know that he is angry. He is just trying his best to compose himself, dahil kapatid niya ako at ayaw na ayaw niyang naglalabas ng emosyon sa harapan ko.

He still looks posh as usual. Brushed up ang itim niyang buhok. Nakasalamin na parihaba na bagay na bagay sa chinito niyang mga mata at makapal niyang kilay. He is in his brown trench coat at nakabota pa siya na halatang dumiretso siya rito mula sa isa sa mga meeting nila sa Jeju Island.

Gusto kong matuwa na nandito siya but at the back of my head, kinakabahan ako sa sasabihin niya kapag nalaman niyang nandito si—

"Yukihero Azukawa is in your room, correct?"

My throat suddenly became dry. Gusto kong maubo pero ayaw gumalaw ng lalamunan ko.

Anong isasagot ko?

"Yes, kuya." Mabilis akong napayuko.

"Haven't we talked about this?" Mahinahon ang boses niya. Ngunit randam ko ang talim sa tanong niyang iyon.

"Hindi ko na po pakakasalan si Emerald."

I saw his hands clench. I was just staring at them habang nanginginig ang mga kamao niya.

"Might as well talk inside, Ivan?"

He let himself in. Naupo siya sa sofa sa main living room namin.

"The So Corporation will be transferred to the Hans later this year," sabi niya. He was staring at me like I'm his... last resort.

I bowed down my head to avoid his darting eyes.

"Tatay will be kicked out of his position dahil sa mga mapagsamantalang tao. Alam mo iyan, Ivan."

Napahawak ako sa mga tuhod ko. Ibinaon ko sa mga palad ko ang mga kuko ko.

"Do you remember what we talked about before I allowed you to enter Eastampton?"

I nod.

"May kasunduan tayo, Ivan. That you will prove to the world that you can take over the entire So Corporation in my stead."

"Yes, Kuya, I remember that. The board is composed only of people who worked their way from the bottom to the top," I said.

My tatay is one of them, ganoon din ang ibang matatandang miyembro ng board nila. There is that rule that their successor should work their ass from the bottom of the corporation all the way to the top to prove themselves, without anyone finding out.

"That's the reason why I had to keep my identity a secret before," dagdag ko.

"Listen, Ivan. Kung hindi lang nagkasakit si tatay ng matagal, dapat ako naman talaga ang nasa posisyon mo. But someone had to take over, which forced me to unvail myself and run the company, thus disqualifying me from that post on the board someday."