His Revenge

HR II - Chapter 27: Crossroads

Kishou's POV

First date namin ni Red.

Kaya naman todo handa at ayos ako ng sarili ko. Makailang beses pa akong nagsuklay at nagsalamin para ma-check kung okay na ba ang hitsura ko.

Pero maya-maya pa ay nag-ring ang phone ko.

I sighed before I picked it up. "Yes, Janus. Alam ko po kung ano ang nangyari kay Aliyah. And it's horribly disgusting. Don't remind me of that."

Janus chuckled. "I see. Well, mukhang hanggang kay Aliyah na lang ang mga taong kilala mo na papatayin ng Rose Killer-"

"What? May papatayin pa siyang iba?" gulat kong tanong.

"Yep. But don't worry, hindi mo sila kailangan na problemahin. Gaya ng sinabi ko, nakatadhana na ang kamatayan nila. As of now eh gusto ko lang ipaalam sa 'yo na napakalapit na ng panganib sa 'yo, Kishou. Don't believe in everything that you see. Nasa paligid lang ang panganib. Be careful," sabi niya.

"Kung alam mo naman pala kung sino-sino ang puno't dulo ng lahat ng pangyayari na 'to eh bakit hindi ka magsumbong sa pulis?" tanong ko.

"Everyone has a reason for doing the things they think is right and just."

"Will you stop talking figuratively?! Kilala na kita, Janus," sabi ko.

"Really?" he asked with mild interest.

"You're Sei," I said.

Janus laughed so hard that it took him almost a minute to recover.

"You've got a really wide imagination, Kishou," he said, catching his breath. "Hindi na ako magtataka kung bakit madali mong napaasa si Red dati. Magaling ka mag-isip. But, seriously? You really suspect that I'm Sei? Nung una si Red ang pinaghinalaan mong killer. Ngayon naman tinawag mo akong Sei. Kishou naman… tsk. I am Janus," sabi niya.

Humigpit ang hawak ko sa phone ko. "Fine. Whatever. Malalaman ko rin kung sino ka."

"I'm sorry by the way for being insensitive in choosing this name. Alam ko na masakit at traumatic ang pinagdaanan mo kay Janus. Pareho kayong biktima ni Red. Kaya naman tinutulungan ko kayo pareho…"

"Tinutulungan mo si Red? Paano? Sa pagpatay? Then you're definitely Sei," sabi ko.

"I am not Sei. And for your info, you can help a person in so many different ways. Sabihin na lang natin na pareho ko kayong pino-proteksyonan ni Red," sagot ni Janus.

"Fine. And… I have another question…"

"Hmm?"

"Kami ba ni Red ang puntirya ng Rose Killer?" tanong ko.

I heard Janus sigh. For the first time ever he sounded like an exhausted person. And when he spoke, his tone was just like a concerned friend, far from his usual witty and clever manner of speaking.

"I'm trying to protect you, Kishou. Don't ask questions. Just be happy that I'm protecting you. Now, hurry up and get dressed. May date pa kayong dalawa ni Red."

Hindi ko napigilan na hindi mapangiti…

"And your red shirt looks really horrible underneath that coat. Change it…"

Napatitig ako sa sarili ko.

What the hell?

•••

"Where do you want to go?" tanong ko kay Red habang naglalakad kami sa isang amusement park.

"Anywhere. Ikaw ang bahala," sabi niya.