A.N.D.

Chapter 5

"Tangina," ang unang salitang lumabas sa bibig ko. But Jayvee just look at me intently.

Ikinalma ko muna ang sarili ko bago ako magtanong ng kung ano ano kay Edwardo. I am in the Infinity HQ. The Infinity for fuck's sake.

Inilibot ko ang aking mga mata at napansin kong hindi man lang tinatapunan ng tingin si Jayvee ng mga gang members niya. And then I remember that only a few knows the identity of UNO. Pero ano namang pakulo, set-up or whatever nila dito kung hindi nila alam kung sino si UNO?

Their HQ is just like any other HQs. Dark. Gangsters all over the place, training, playing cards, drinking, and there are some who just plainly stand there looking like statues.

I was about to open my mouth, ready to bombard Jayvee with my questions when he held his hand up, signaling me to stop whatever I will say. I obliged.

"Stay still. They may not be looking at you but believe me, they're already devising a plan to kill you." he whispers.

That's when I noticed the bloodlust. I have described the HQ as dark. But what makes it dark is the bloodlust of the gangsters inside it. Ready to attack me anytime. But I'm wondering, bakit hindi pa nila magawang atakihin ako? Is it because I'm with UNO? But no, they don't know UNO. Or maybe they do know Jayvee but not as UNO?

And a girl confirmed what I was suspecting when she walked up to us and greet Jayvee, "Eins," she calls.

Eins?

I laughed. But quickly hide it as a cough.

"She's Pain." at literal na nanlaki yung dalawang mata ko sa sinabi nung babae.

"What the actual fuck?!" I hissed.

"You are Pain Princess and you're in our HQ. Mind if you tell us what you're doing here?" mataray na tanong niya sa akin.

I am trying to recognize the girl. Trying to recall if I have already met her before somewhere. Sharp pa naman ang memory ko pero putcha! Wala akong maalala na nakita or nagkakilala na kami before. So how the fuck did she know me as Pain?!

At talagang tumaas yung kilay ko abot langit nang marinig kong tumawa si Edwardo. He's just right here beside me, standing, no plans on helping his beautiful and gorgeous girlfriend.

The hell I care, Jayvee!

Tumingin ako don sa babae at nakita kong naiinip na siya sa kahihintay ng sagot ko.

I leaned closer at her, whispering in her ear, "What is it to you, aspirant?" Naramdaman ko na lang na nanigas siya sa kinatatayuan niya kaya naman lumayo na ako sa kanya.

"H-how dare you?!" sigaw niya sa nanggigigil na boses.

Binigyan ko siya ng isang napakagandang ngiti.

Lalong lumawak yung ngiti ko nang makita kong dumako na yung kanang kamay niya sa may bewang niya. Ready to pull out whatever weapon she has.

Ngunit nawala lahat ng excitement na nararamdaman ko nang may biglang magsalita.

"Another 3 months for you, aspirant P16."

"Well damn." inis na bulong ko.

Aspirant. Literally. The girl is an aspiring gangster, a wannabe. Aspirants are not hard to distinguish. One will skip this aspirant thingy if that certain person is very extraordinary. Chandler skipped being one. Of course, one of the key points is he's a former gangster. But he is just simply extraordinary. Hindi naman niya makaka-one on one si UNO kung hindi siya magaling. After their duel, although Chandler lost, he already has a high chair waiting for him in The Infinity.

And I already knew that the girl is an aspirant the moment she opened her mouth.

"I'm sorry, CL." nakatungong sabi ng babae.

Yes, the person na dumating is none other than my epal kuya, Chandler Louis Ravena - CL.

And he's with Khaylie, who is shooting daggers at me.

Tinaasan ko lang siya ng kilay, with matching ngiting pang-asar.

"Eins, we will talk later." matigas na pagkasabi ni Khaylie.

I glance at Jayvee and I saw him frown before he nods. I laugh internally. He's probably pissed right now because the way Khaylie talked to him. It's like he is just Khaylie's freaking subordinate where in fact, he's the boss.

Gumawa ng isang tunog si Chandler sa pamamagitan ng pagsipol. At makikita mong lahat ng gangsters sa HQ ay nagfocus sa kanilang dalawa. Is that some kind of signal?

Amazing.

Tumingin na lang rin ako sa kanilang dalawa.

"Kung may hindi pa nakakaalam ng pagbabalik ni Evil Princess, maaari nang lumabas ng headquarters." walang emosyong pag-aanunsyo ni Chandler.

Makalipas ang limang segundo at walang lumabas, Khaylie speaks, "And we just found out the reason of her comeback."

Right. Yan din ang tanong ko sa sarili ko. Why the fuck did she come back?

Pero bigla bigla na lang napuno ng takot at pag-aalala ang puso ko habang nag-uunahan naman ang mga luha ko sa pagpatak nang marinig ko ang mga sumunod na salitang lumabas sa bibig ni Khaylie.

"UNO. She wants UNO, dead."