LSS: CLOSE

Chapter 9

Jace woke up early the next day to talk to Regina. He wanted to more details so he would know how to at least protect her. After that, he asked his friends if he could help him investigate about what happened. Buti nalang ay walang ganap ang kanilang lider kaya pumayag itong samahan siya. They were sitting at the exact place where Regina and her friend dined in. Dahil inaantay nalang nila ang go-signal ng owner para makita ang CCTV. Since malapit na kaibigan nila ang may-ari ay pinagbigyan sila nitong makita ang footage. They just have to disguise upang makaiwas sa mga tao at sa mga matang maaring nagbabantay sa kanila. Maya-maya pa ay pinapasok na sila nito sa isang kwarto.

"Here's the footage that happened at around 10:15 am." Sabi sa kanila ng controller. Makikitang pumasok ang magkaibigan at masayang nagkukwentuhan ang mga ito habang papunta sa kanilang lamesahan at umupo. The first twenty-minutes of the footage seemed to be normal. Nothing strange happened. Not until their orders arrived. His forehead creased as he watched the waitress put something under the table. Which Regina couldn't see due to the tables' design and style.

Jace's eyes narrowed and let out a deep breath. Sa isang anggulo naman ng camera ay nakita nilang parehong nagtungo sa banyo ang dalawang babae ngunit magkaibang oras. Then Regina was seen with someone wearing a black hoodie and a black mask leaving the place. An hour later, Jazy was seen looking for her friend. Inalala ng binata ang naging usapan nila.

"Have you seen his face?"

"No. But it just feels strange. I was able to hold his wrist before I totally passed out and I felt something. I think he wears a bracelet with a moon-shape on it, and his wrists are kinda thin. It doesn't seem like a man's wrist."

"What made you say it's strange?"

"Because he has this sweet scent. I actually felt like I had smelled it before. I just don't know where."

Jace narrowed his eyes and gave a smirk. "It is weird how there were just two people who entered the bathroom door. And they were all of the same gender."

"Have you noticed those loopholes?" asked the lider.

"Yeah. At least we got this footage as evidence just in case."

Nagpasalamat ang mga ito at ngiting tagumpay silang lumabas at sumakay ng kotse. Pansin naman ng kasama na maaliwalasbbvhnhbgfvvgfc ang mukha ng binata. Kung kanina'y kunot-noo ito at malalim ang iniisip, ngayon naman ay parang nabunutan ito ng tinik sa dibdib. 'I knew it.' Jace thought.

Alam n'yang planado ang mga nangyari. Napangiti ito sa isiping malilinis ang pangalan ng dalaga at pwede na itong makabalik sa trabaho. But his smile slowly faded when his friend tapped his shoulders.

"I think someone has fallen in love." Kantyaw na sabi nito sa kanya. 'Fallen in love?'

Alam n'yang hindi na n'ya maitatanggi ito. Sa tagal nilang magkakasama sa grupo ay alam na nila ang ugali ng isa't isa. He looked at him, smiling and started laughing as if saying he wasn't. But he's in denial whenever someone notices it. "I just feel bad for her."

Hindi nalang muling kumibo ang kasama kahit batid nitong ayaw lang aminin ng binata na nahuhulog na ang loob nito sa dalaga, or baka naman nahulog na talaga. While heading back to their villa, he closed his to escape time.

Alas-kwatro ng madaling araw palang ay tumunog na ang telepono ng dalaga kaya't nagising ito.

"Who would call at this time?" Regina said in her mind as she slowly opened her eyes and checked her phone. May takot itong nararamdaman. The call was from an unregistered number. She didn't pick up the call at first, but it rang again for the second-time. Dito ay sinagot na n'ya ito. She didn't speak until she heard the person on the other line. .