Paper Stars (Self-Published)

Kabanata 12

KABANATA 12

"Arianne, baby girl, what are you doing down here? You still have a fever. You should have been resting in your bed by now."

"Just a little bit, Louise. Please? Papa's coming home tonight."

"I know, baby girl," the old lady gently caressed the little girl's soft locks, "But your papa is going to worry more when he sees that you're still up when he knows you're sick. That is the reason why he is coming home after all."

"I understand, Louise. I do... It's just that..." The little girl sadly eyed the mansion's door as she held her tiny hands tightly together to keep herself warm, "I want to be the first person who will greet him 'okaerinasai' when he opens the door."

Ramdam ko ang bigat ng aking pakiramdam. Gusto ko sanang magmulat ng mata ngunit tila mabibigat ang mga talukap nito at ayaw akong pagbigyan. Hindi ko rin maikilos nang maayos ang aking mga kamay na tila may pumipigil sa kanilang kumilos.

"You should have noticed something was wrong before proceeding with your lessons," I heard someone hissed from somewhere.

"I'm sorry, Yuujin. She was smiling all the time... I really thought she was fine until she collapsed right before we were about to finish our lessons," narinig kong sagot naman ng isa pang boses.

Biglang pumasok sa isipan ko iyong mga huling pangyayari bago ako nawalan ng malay. I remembered how our wooden swords banged against one another as we tried to make a hit. I remembered him changing his stance and taking a deep breath before lunging towards me. He was about to hit me with his final blow nang biglang nagdilim ang kapaligiran at naramdaman ko na ang malamig na mat.

Nakarinig ako nang biglaang pagkalampog ng mga bagay.

"Ikaw rin ba ang responsable sa pamamaga ng kanyang mga daliri? Iyan ba ang resulta ng lessons niyo?"

He saw them?

"H-hindi, Yuujin. I'd never hit her fingers. As a fellow martial artist, alam ko kung gaano kahalaga ang mga daliri natin."

"Ibig sabihin si Kyo ang may gawa noon?"

Kahit hinang-hina ang katawan ko, I willed myself to get up. I can't have Gene interfering with my business with his cousins!

Medyo umiikot pa ang paligid nang makaupo na ako sa kama. The first thing I noticed was the white walls. Kumunot ang noo ko nang mapansin ang nakabendahe kong mga daliri. Mas lalo itong kumunot nang makita ang tubong nakatusok sa likod ng aking kamay.

"Aya!"

Mabilis akong dinaluhan ni Gene at ikinulong ang aking mukha sa kanyang mga palad.

"You had me so worried! Bakit hindi mo sinabi kaagad na masama pala ang pakiramdam mo? Sana pinagpahinga na lang kita."

Pansin ko ang itim na bilog sa paligid ng kanyang mga mata. He's been worried just as I expected. Saglit kong sinulyapan iyong kausap nito kanina. I saw Kira standing by the door. Magkadikit ang dalawa nitong kamay habang nakatingin sa akin with his usual smile.

"Yokatta! You had me so worried there, Ayana," sabi pa nito pero hindi naman umaabot sa mga mata ang ngiti.

"Why didn't you tell me that Kyo did this to you?"

Kaagad na nailipat kay Gene ang aking atensyon nang marahan nitong hinawakan ang isa kong kamay. Mabilis ko iyong binawi mula sa kanya at itinago sa aking likuran.