NIKKO
"Say it, Kuya Nikko. Tell me what happened," seryosong sabi ni Mika na para bang hindi siya titigil hanggang hindi niya alam kung ano ang nangyari.
I have to make up a good excuse now. Hindi ko pwedeng sabihin sa kanya ang totoo. She doesn't need to know, she doesn't need to be involved.
"Well, we went to a bar..." panimula ko. "Right?"
Tumingin ako sa dalawa ko pang kapatid, I was waiting for them to back me up, to follow my lead. Mukhang nag-a-alangan pa sila dahil totoo ang sinasabi ko. We all went to a bar, but they have to trust me on the flow of this story. Of course, I wouldn't tell Mika a thing. Or at least, the truth.
"Yup! We went for drinks. Kaya lang, nagkagulo. There's this drunk group of guys and things got messy. Nagkapikunan," pagpapatuloy ng kambal ko. "Nauna silang manggulo. We just fought back."
"You should have told me! I could have called our security, or the police!" inis naman niyang sabi. Napakagat na lang ako sa labi ko, not wanting to say shit. Ayaw ko nang humaba pa ang paliwanag.
But police? Why would we want that? We can't trust them.
"Call me! Text me! I will help!" she continued.
Nagkatinginan na lang kami nina Shaun at Kuya Johan sa sinabi niya. She's the youngest but she becomes a mother figure every time she scolds us.
"Mika... calm down," marahang saway ni Shaun sa kanya. He was gentle with his words, obviously not wanting to add more lies. "Next time, we'll call. We promise. And we're sorry for making you worry."
She sighed before nodding. Good, that's settled. Mabuti na lang at mukhang naniwala na si Mika sa amin. We do not like lying to her, we do not like keeping things from her. Pero magulo ang pinili naming mundo nina Kuya Johan at Shaun, hindi siya dapat masama ro'n.
"Please be more careful next time. Kapag naulit 'to, ako na mismo ang bubugbog sa inyo," sabi niya pa at napatawa na lang kami. We understand that she just cares for us, that she's scared to lose us like what happened to our mother.
But we are much much more scared to lose her.
"Did you tell Dad? That you were worried and waiting for us?" tanong ni Kuya Johan kay Mika at umiling siya.
"Not yet. Ayokong mag-alala si Daddy lalo pa't malayo siya sa atin ngayon," sabi niya pa. "Should we inform him about what happened?"
Nasa Hong Kong si Daddy ngayon para sa business meeting. Sa totoo lang, kanina pa niya alam ang tungkol dito—ang totoong nangyari sa amin.
Alam niya rin ang plano namin para kay Mika. He was against it at first. Syempre, Gio's still a guy after all. But we have no choice, we just have to trust him on this.
Isa pa, they will be monitored at all times.
"Don't worry about it. I got it," sabi naman ni Kuya Johan. "You better rest. It's two in the morning already, go to your room. May review class ka pa bukas."
Mika has her own private teacher because she is homeschooled. She already has her high school diploma, she's just reviewing for her upcoming college entrance exams for some prestige universities.
"Fine," tango niya. "I'll go upstairs. Good night."
Lumapit siya sa amin at yumakap. Hinalikan naman namin siya sa noo dahil ito na ang nakasanayan naming gawin noon pa.
"Good night, Mika."
Ngumiti siya at umakyat na papunta sa kwarto. Nang isara niya ang pinto, kinausap agad kami ni Shaun.
"I feel bad for lying to her," mahinang ni Shaun.
"We're doing this for her," sagot ko. I'm trying to convince myself, and to convince my brothers that we are doing the right thing.
"This is to protect her. We'll tell her everything when the time is right. But we have to make sure that she's safe first," sabi pa ni Kuya Johan.
"Paano kung magalit siya? Paano kung hindi niya tayo maintindihan?" tanong naman ni Shaun. Kung kailan planado na ang lahat, tsaka pa siya nag-da-dalawang isip.
" Let's hope she would," sagot ko at napaisip na rin. "Why don't we execute the plan now? The earlier, the better."
"You're right, bago pa nila tayo maunahan. They're already here, I'm sure they'll start to look for her," sabi pa ni Shaun na parang natauhan na. "We should do it now," sang-ayon niya pa.
"Okay, let's do it," pagpayag ni Kuya Johan. "Let's execute the plan."
"But Gio's not here," kunot-noong sabi ni Shaun nang maunawaan na wala ang tao na kailangan naming para sa plano.
"Let's give it a shot. This is actually a good idea since Mika is asleep. At least, we can just carry her and put her in the car then we'll drive her all the way to the place," paliwanag ni Kuya Johan.
"What if she suddenly wakes up?" tanong pa ni Shaun, raising all the valid concerns that we should cover.
"Mika is a heavy sleeper, remember?" paalala ko sa kanya. "So, it's possible that Kuya Johan's suggestion might work."
"I should call Gio," sabi naman ni Kuya Johan at inilabas na ang phone niya para i-dial ang number ni Gio.
"Hello, Gio?"
"Kuya Johan, put it on loudspeaker so we can hear him," utos ko.
"You're on loudspeaker, Gio. Naririnig ka ng kambal," sabi pa ni Kuya Johan nang sagutin ni Gio ang tawag.
"HI GIO! GOOD MORNING!" sigaw namin ni Shaun sa tapat ni Kuya Johan.
Buti na lang, sanay siya sa mga kalokohan namin ni Shaun kaya hindi na lang niya kami pinansin.
"What now!? Ang aga-aga! Hindi ba makakapaghintay 'yan mamaya?" iritadong balik niya sa amin.
"Gio, we're doing the plan," kalmadong sabi ni Kuya Johan. "Now," he added with more authority in his voice.
Saglit na natahimik si Gio sa kabilang linya. Pagkalipas ng ilang minuto, napasigaw siya at napamura.
"SHIT! A-ANO?! NGAYON NA? BAKIT NAMAN BIGLAAN?!"
I know this is all so sudden but the plan will not work without him.
He can't back out now.
BINABASA MO ANG
Love For Ransom
RomanceGio enjoys his freedom at best. Until his three friends Johan, Nikko and Shaun asked him for an important favor--to keep their youngest and only sister, Mika, safe. As the youngest Martinez sibling, Mika grew up sheltered after getting her heart bro...
