The Escape

Chapter 59: Bad News!

Napansin ni Kei na nawawala si Naomi, kaya agad nya itong hinanap sa gubat dahil sigurado syang doon ito nagpunta.

"Where the hell is she!?" Nabalot ng matinding pag-aalala si Kei.

**

Nakatayo sa gitna ng gubat si Naomi. May taong nagpapadala sa kanya ng sulat araw-araw. Ginugulo nito ang bakasyon nila at walang tigil sa pagpapadala ng death threaths. Pero hindi na nya ito sinabi pa si Demons. She will solve this problem on her own.

Maya-maya lang ay may nagpakitang anino sa harapan ni Naomi. Hanggang sa nakita nya ang buong itsura ng taong yun. How can she ever forget the person who nearly killed her life?

"Sai Dalmari.." Bigkas ni Naomi sa pangalan ng babae. Ngunit ngumisi lang ito.

"I didn't expect you to come here." Sabi ni Sai.

"I wanna end it here. Stay out of our lives, or I'll end yours." Nakatingin ng masama si Naomi kay Sai. May hawak na syang katana. Naomi with a weapon and scarlet eyes is totally scary. Pero nakangisi lang ang babaeng nasa harapan nya na tila ba hindi nakararamdam ng takot.

"Why are you all here? Vacation?" Tanong ni Sai at tumawa ng malakas. Pero nawala rin ang kasiyahan sa itsura nya at napalitan ito ng mapait na ekspresyon. "You're a killer Akusawa! You can't have fun! You can't smile! You can't laugh! You can't have friends!" Naramdaman ni Naomi ang matinding galit at sakit na nararamdaman ni Sai. But she must now show mercy on her enemy.

"What's your purpose of meeting me up here so late?" Tanong ni Naomi. Hindi pa rin nya inaalis ang tingin kay Sai. Sinusuri nya ang bawat kilos nito.

"Remember our last fight? I didn't kill you because you're an Akusawa. And we are the Dalmari clan. We are under your power but you set us free. Yes, we owe you a lot, so I can't kill you or I'll become a traitor of my own blood. I'm just here to send a message... personally." Sabi ni Sai. Naomi put back her sword to it's sheath. Tiningnan nya ng mabuti si Sai. "I guess she's telling the truth."

"What is it? Where does it come from?" Tanong ni Naomi. They are far from each other for about 10 meters, tila ba takot sa presensya ng isa't isa.

"Before that, I have something to ask you." Sabi ni Sai. Nakakuyom ang mga kamay nito, pero bagkus ay mukha pa ring inosente ang mukha nya.

"Fine. Just hurry. The others might know I'm missing." Sabi ni Naomi.

"No one's gonna fine us here." Sabi ni Sai. She paused for a moment then speak. "You escaped from.. your home right? You escaped because you don't want to be like your family.. and I tried it too." Tumigil muna sa pagsasalita si Sai. "But what does it mean to escape Akusawa? What does it mean to escape from something you want to be forgotten for the rest of your life?"

Naomi sighed. "To escape is to.. get away from something or somebody. If you escape, you are free. But I'm not completely free, that means I can't completely escape everything from my past. But I found some friends. I found where I belong, and that I would be forever thankful." Naomi smiled, na syang ikinagulat ni Sai. It was real. It was friendly. And none of her enemies treat her that way.

"I see." Sabi ni Sai. Pero mukhang hindi sya naging kontento sa sinabi ni Naomi. Maya-maya lang ay may nagpakitang babae. Si Sanae.

"Really? What a touching thing to say for a killer like you... like us." Sabi ni Sanae. Naomi quickly grabbed her sword.

"Why are you here!?" Tanong ni Naomi.

"Am I not allowed to come to this island? As far as I know WE own this place." Sabi ni Sanae. Naomi gritted her teeth. "What does she want now?"

"Sai, I guess you haven't told her yet. Then allow me to say it to her." Seryosong sabi ni Sanae. "Grandpa's disease is getting worse and he gets weaker. He wants you back as the successor of our clan." Sabi ni Sanae na ikinagulat naman ni Naomi.

"Grandpa!? H-How could that be!?"

"You hear me? You need to come back home. And I want you to leave that gang of yours." Diretsong sabi ni Sanae na mas lalong ikinagulat ni Naomi.

**

[December 25 (5am)]

Handa na ang lahat para umalis. Hinihintay nalang nila ang sasakyan nilang barko pabalik.

"So it ends here huh? We will be with our families so maybe we'll see each other after New Years." Sabi ni Miki.

"How about the pics Aira?" Tanong ni Izaya.

"Don't worry, I got it. Actually, mukhang mga 1000+ pics na ang nakuha ko." Sabi ni Aira.

Dumating naman ang sasakyan nilang barko at sumakay kaagad. Pansin nila ang pagiging tahimik ni Naomi. Nagtataka rin sila kung bakit bigla itong nawala kagabi at bumalik ng may sugat sa braso. Pero hindi na sila nagtanong pa dahil mukhang ayaw din naman nyang sabihin.

**

Before they go home, nagkita muna sila sa base. Nagtataka pa rin ang lahat sa mga kinikilos ni Naomi. Pakiramdam nila'y may importante itong sasabihin na ayaw nilang marinig. But she stood sternly in front of them and looked so serious.

"Naomi, what's wrong?" Nag-aalalang tanong ni Aira.

"I'm... retiring as the leader of the Demons." Sabi ni Naomi na ikinagulat naman ng lahat, maging si Kei. May nangyari kagabi na hindi nya nalalaman. "I'm puting Shiro as the new Demon King. I believe that he will be the perfect and loyal leader. This will be the last time.. you'll see me as the Scarlet Queen." Sabi ni Naomi. Tinanggal nya ang tattoo na nasa batok. It was fake.

"What are you talking about!?"

"This is so sudden Naomi! Anong nangyari!?"

"Masaya naman tayong lahat sa bakasyon diba!?"

They were all silenced when Naomi spoke. "Whatever my reason is, you don't have to know--"

"We have the right to know because you are our leader! Paano namin maiintindihan!?" Tanong ni Aira. Maging sya ay gustong pigilan si Naomi. But they know her, hindi na nila kaya pang baguhin ang desisyon nito.

"I'm sorry. I hope you understand me. This will be our farewell. But I.. enjoyed being with you guys. It's just sad that it would end right away." Sabi ni Naomi. Nilampasan nya ang Demons at naglakad papunta sa pintuan. Sinubukan syang hilain nina Anne, Aira, King, at Izaya pero pinigilan sila ni Kei.

"Alam mo ba ang dahilan Kei!? Sabihin mo sa'min!" Sigaw ni Dale.

"You can't just quit Demons without telling us the reason why!" Sigaw din ni Clark.

"Are you just going to throw us like we're nothing!?" Sigaw ni Miki.

"SILENCE!" Sigaw ni Shiro. "Respect her decision." Sabi ni Shiro kaya huminahon ang lahat. Pero hindi pa rin nila hahayaang magquit si Naomi. But then.. huli na ang lahat nang sinabi nya ang masakit na salitang binitawan nya.

"Sayonara." At nawala na sa paningin nilang lahat si Naomi.