DEADLY HABITS • THE PLAYBOY ERA

💀 deadly iii 💀

Naunang lumabas ng pinto si Mule, kasunod niya sina Mythes, Myles at Manley. Hindi nalalayo ang hitsura ni Mule sa mga anak niya, parang magkakaedad lang sila. Binuksan nina Mythes at Myles ang gate. Mayaman sila pero wala silang guard. Hindi rin naman nila alam ang dahilan kung bakit ayaw ni Mule mag-hire ng mga guards or maids.

"Maybe may trust issues siya," ani Myles habang itinutulak ang kaliwang bahagi ng gate. Parehong topic din kasi ang pinag-uusapan nilang dalawa ni Mythes.

"Okay na 'to, gago. Mahirap kaya magtiwala," sambit ni Mythes na ngayon ay naitulak na rin naman ang kanang bahagi ng gate.

Samantala si Mule at Manley ay kasasakay lang sa kotse. Nasa driver's seat si Mule at ang daddy's boy na si Manley ay nasa passenger's seat. Teritoryo n'ya 'yon, sa tuwing lalarga sila sa mga lakad nila na madalas namang included ang papa nilang feeling and looking bagets, lagi siyang doon umuupo at handang makipagpatayan kapag inagawan siya ng mga kapatid.

"Man, ayos lang ba 'tong suot ko?" tanong ni Mule sa katabi na nag-aayos ng buhok at nananalamin sa cellphone na hawak nito.

"Lagi naman, Pa." He gazed on his dad's face who is busy watching the way out of their gate. "I mean, you always look hot in white. Be it Tees, sando, polo or what," Manley said, watching his dad rolling the windows down as they finally drove the car outside.

"Kabigin n'yo na, si Mal na lang mag-lock n'yan!" hiyaw niyang sambit kina Mythes at Myles, niyayang sumakay na sa kotse.

Pagkasara ng dalawa sa gate nila ay apura na itong tumakbo patungo sa kotseng kalalabas lang mula sa gate.

"Ako po ba, Pa?" Manley asked, pertaining to his outfit.

"Ayos na ayos, manang-mana ka sa 'kin, e!" puri ni Mule sa anak. Well, sino ba namang hindi popogi tingnan sa floral polo na nag-co-complement sa rust orange dye hair nitong si Manley. "Ikaw ang pinakakamukha ko sa inyong apat," dugtong pa ni Mule na siya namang dating no'ng dalawa.

"Eww," nandidiring ani Mythes nang madatnan ang dalawa, naiinis at laging nagseselos sa sweetness ng Papa niya at ni Manley. "The fuck is that! Pa, we're quadruplets!" We can sense the jealousy within his statement.

"Like you mean, double identical twins." Si Myles sa kaliwang banda na katatapos lamang kabigin nang malakas ang backseat door.

"YEAH!" galit at mabilis na usal ni Mythes. "Puta, anong double twins?" Kasunod niyon ay malalakas na tawa nang ma-realize na nakakatawa pala ang sinabi ni Myles.

"Gagu!" sabi niya pa't binira sa braso ang katabi.

"Nasa'n na si Mal?" tanong ni Mule nang lingonin ang dalawa sa backseat. Binati niya rin ang mga ito nang makuha niya ang atensyon: "Nice outfit."

Medyo gumaan ang pakiramdam ni Mythes sa huling nabanggit ng ama, si Myles naman, wala namang problema sa kanya kung purihin o hindi. Hindi big deal 'yon sa kanya.

"Ewan ko ba ro'n sa anak mong 'yon baka nagme-make-up pa!" sambit ni Mythes na napalingon sa kanan niya, sa window ng car ay inaaninag kung paparating na ba si Malyk.

His usual denim outfit complements his overall appearance plus his blood red dye hair and tan skin, denim jacket with no any shirt inside so his broad chest is exposed as he used to be with his blue faded ripped jeans which got some points. Not to mention his cool metal accessories like metal bracelets, metal earrings and fake piercings on his lower lip. Those metal chain and cross necklaces with his rings with sharp and pointed edges are all his own style.

"Daig pa babae sa kabagalan at kaartehan!" panibagong insulto na naman sa kapatid na hanggang ngayon ay wala pa rin.

"Tanga, maalaga lang 'yon sa katawan, ikaw kasi pabaya." Si Manley, sumabat pagkatapos asikasuhin ang buhok at nilingon si Mythes sa backseat na katabi si Myles.

Hindi maiwasang ma-impress ni Manley sa kasimplehan ng outfit ng sinundan niya nang mapatingin siya rito. Myles usual stripes polo shirt with minimal colors says it all, his black jeans and white shoes defines his preferences in fashion. No not his deep voice or his dull blue dyed hair were the most attractive thing you can see on him but his cold yet serious poker face which made him looked more mature, even mature than his handsome father.

"Ah, pinagtatanggol palibhasa kasi idol niya sa skin care si Mal," Mythes argued, seems to be getting on Manley's nerves but kind of a reverse because he's the one who's getting pissed off now.

"Pa, narinig mo 'yon? Mal lang tawag niya kay kuya Malyk!" sumbong ni Manley na bumaling ng tingin kay Mule. "Bastos, hano?"

"Yuck. Sipsip." Ipinagdiinan ni Mythes ang huling salitang binanggit.

And then Myles thought that maybe it's now his signal to stop the two so he did, "Guys, kagugulo n'yo, tumahi--"

"GUSTO N'YO PAGBABARILIN KO MGA BUNGANGA N'YO?" Mule angrily shouted, almost screamed his lungs out.

And on the perfect timing, speaking of which, and the one they've been waiting for some good minutes— Malyk finally showed up his presence.

"Let's go!" He exclaimed but then he stopped, holding the backseat door and standing outside as he scan the face of every dude inside the car. "Eh? What's with the silence?"

Hindi niya na pinansin pa kasi lumalabas yung air-con kaya naman pumasok na siya agad, kinabig ang pinto.

"Tagal mo kasi! Para kang babae gumayak!" reklamo ni Mythes na itinulak lang ni Malyk.

"Pwet mo parang babae," asar ni Malyk. "Dumasog ka nga ro'n!"

"Nakausog na nga!" sagot ni Mythes.

"Dasog pa, ang sikip!" Hindi magawang maitulak ng patpating panganay ang sumunod sa kanya, sa laki ba naman ng katawan ni Mythes at sa patpatin niyang katawan ay imposible talaga iyon. Poor, Malyk.

"Ah, mahina. Puro kasi nood at online games, ayaw mag-workout," pang-aasar ni Mythes na pinapahirapan maupo si Malyk.

"Babaero," saad ni Malyk dahilan para mapaiktad si Mythes at mapausog sa kinauupuan. Si Myles tuloy ay halos magitgit na sa kabilang dulo, good for Malyk kasi nakakaupo na siya nang maayos ngayon. Iyon lang pala ang dapat sabihin, e!

"You said, what?" Mythes looked at Malyk with fire on eyes.

"Pokpok," mahinang pakli ni Malyk at umiwas ng tingin, ibinaling sa bintana, "Kalalaking tao, pokpok."

Para mabawasan ang tensyon, nakaisip si Myles nang paraan para hindi tuluyang sumiklab na naman sa galit ang Papa nila. Alam niyang kanina pa ito nakikinig sa iringan ng dalawa at malapit nang sumabog sa galit.

"Pa, napakinggan mo na ba 'yong bagong song ko? Kaka-release lang." It's a lie, last last month pa 'yon na-release.

"Hindi pa," sagot ni Mule na tagumpay na nakuha ni Myles ang atensyon.

"You should," Myles replied, eyes shining when he saw his dad remained calm. "Wait iple-play ko, maganda 'tong soundtrip habang nagda-drive ka."

Then the music starts playing.

Myles threw his gaze on two hardheaded boys next to him, just by a stare and it says "shut up and don't fight or else we're dead". Mythes and Malyk get it easily so they stopped.

Not Manley, playing his rusty orange hair by his index finger as he enjoy the music like it is a perfect background music for that web novel he's reading in the middle of their travel. No one knows what kind of story or genre is that—only him who knows but it seems like he's having fun so Myles didn't bother to questioned Manley anymore. Besides, he's not into reading. Only music matters to him.