Without Toppings

Chapter 37

Unrequited

Matigas na nakatayo si Cid, malalim ang paghinga, habang nakakuyom ang kanyang mga kamay — kamay na kanina lang ay lumapat sa panga ni Jester.

My body froze upon seeing his eyes blazing dark. Awang ang labi kong tinitigan siya. And now, I was trying to make sense of what he was showing right now.

Anger, jealousy, regret? Hindi ko na alam. Kasi tangina, Cid, napaka-unreasonable mo para maramdaman 'yan ngayon. Pagkatapos kitang makita na nakipaghalikan sa lalaking 'yon? May gana ka pang umakto ng ganito? Putangina lang.

The crowd gasped, forming a circle around us. Naririnig ko rin ang mga bulungan at pagmumura nila habang pinapanood ang eksena. Jester staggered back, touching his bruised jaw before looking up at Cid.

Shit, dumudugo 'yong gilid ng labi niya.

Akmang lalapitan ko si Jester pero biglang hinila ni Cid ang braso ko, kaya naudlot ang paglapit ko. I turned to him furiously.

"Tangina, Cid, ano ba?!" I yanked my hand away from him, but his grip only tightened around me.

"Yuno, fuck, please—" Hindi na niya natuloy ang sasabihin nang biglang dumapo ang kamao ni Jester sa mukha niya.

Cid stumbled back, caught off guard by the sudden punch. Pero bago pa siya tuluyang makabawi, sinugod na siya ni Jester, tinulak sa dibdib hanggang sa muntikan na siyang matumba.

"Ano, gago? Ikaw lang may karapatang manuntok?" Jester spat, wiping the blood from his lips.

Cid growled, his jaw tightening before he lunged at Jester, tackling him to the ground. The crowd erupted into shouts and gasps as the two of them started throwing punches at each other.

Rinig na rinig ko ang tunog ng suntukan nila, malalim na paghinga, at pabalik-balik na pagmumura habang papalit-palit nilang binabato ang kamao sa isa't isa.

Jester landed another hit on Cid's cheek, causing his head to snap to the side, but Cid retaliated with a strong punch to Jester's ribs, making him grunt in pain.

"Tama na, putangina!" sigaw ko at mabilis na lumapit para awatin sila, pero naitulak lamang nila ako.

Cid managed to pin Jester down, his fists gripping his shirt tightly. "You're always fuckin' in my way, Jester. What the fuck are you trying to plan now, huh? You always get in my way, lurking, waiting for me to fall. And then what? You'll take it? You'll steal it?! Do you even realize you can't compete with me?!" he growled, his voice raw with frustration.

Jester sneered despite the blood on his lip. "Putangina mo, ikaw pa ngayon ang nagmamalinis? You always had everything handed to you. Ang problema sa 'yo, hindi mo ginagamit 'yong utak mo! And now what? Blame me for your fuckin' stupidity, huh? At talagang dinamay mo pa si Yuno dito? Do you even realize how hurt he was? Ginawa mong rebound, gago ka!"

For a moment, Cid froze, his grip faltering. Jester took the chance to punch him off again, flipping their positions. Ngayon, si Jester na ang nasa ibabaw, mahigpit na nakahawak sa kwelyo ni Cid. Dumudugo na rin 'yong ilong ni Cid gawa ng mga suntok ni Jester.

Alam kong malalim na ang pinaghuhugutan ng galit nila. Hindi lang ito tungkol ngayong gabi. This fight was about something deeper, something that had been boiling between them for a long time.

Cid glared up at Jester, his breath ragged. "You think you can replace me, Jester? You think this means something? Fuck you. You don't know anything."

Jester let out a dry, bitter laugh. "I know enough, Taku. I know you never deserved him. Kaya ka lang naman kasi lumalapit sa kanya kasi nakikita mo si Constantine 'di ba? I know you've got him wrapped around your finger with your tricks, but fuck you — I won't let you play him like this. You're fucking disgusting."