Shipwrecked Hearts

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Tinaasan ko lamang ng kilay si Maximo dahil sa kan'yang tanong. Was he seriously asking me that? "No. I'm not. I don't have any kind of disorder." Hindi ko alam kung mao-offend ba ako pero natawa ako nang mag-sink in ang kan'yang tanong sa aking utak. I just can't seem to care anymore whether I'm a murderer or not because of all the things happening to me. It feels like I've greatly changed because of my encounter with him.

Ngumisi si Maximo bilang sagot, "okay, you said so. Let's go back to the auction hall."

I nodded in response, we walked side by side. I would steal glances at him while we head to the basement where the event is being held. Papasok na sana kami nang biglang bumukas ang pinto, bumungad ang isang babaeng puti ang maikling buhok. Nakakunot ang kan'yang noo. "Yomi, can you not do this here? Please?" A guy from behind followed.

"Anong can you not do this here na pinagsasabi mo, Liham? Ang sabi ko gusto ko ng buko! Bakit hindi mo ba ako maintindihan?"

"Yomi, we're not allowed to come out of the room. Okay?" Pagpapaliwanag ng lalaki. I can feel the frustration in his voice.

"Oh, Alexander!" Biglang lumiwanag ang mukha ni Yomi nang makita si Maximo. I possessively put my hand around his arm. He's mine! Nakita ko naman ang palihim na pagngisi ni Maximo dahil sa aking ginawa.

"Hi, Yomiere." Ngumiti si Maximo na tila inaasar ako. "Where are you two going? The event is about to resume."

"Maghahanap ako ng buko pero ayaw ni Liham." Lumabi si Yomi, "may alam ka bang pwedeng pagkuhan?"

Tumawa nang marahan si Maximo, "please, Yomiere, the coconut can wait. No one's allowed to go out. Remember?"

Nagkibit-balikat na lang si Yomi at saka pumasok. Tumingin si Liham kay Maximo at ngumiti, "thanks for convincing her to go back inside."

"Pleasure." Aniya.

We all went inside the hall and the door was guarded by Maximo's men. We continued from where we ended. Nang matapos na ang event ay ramdam ko ang pagkapagod. Hindi lamang dahil doon, kung 'di dahil na rin sa bakbakang naganap kanina. I, myself, cannot believe as well that I've done it—99 people dead, because of me. Was I actually enjoying the killing? What's happening to my humanity?

~~~

"We're going back to Anarchist Harbor now." Maximo said when all of the guests were gone. Tila kumislap naman ang aking mga mata, ngunit seryoso ang kan'yang mukha habang naglalakad kami sa pasilyo. "If we stay any longer, we should expect an army sent by Mikhael. We're completely outnumbered. Twenty men of ours is dead. There's no communication to request for backup as Anarchist Harbor deflects all sorts of signal like receptions."

"I'm sorry." Tumigil ako sa paglalakad.

Lumingon siya sa akin, "why are you apologizing?"

I bit my lower lip. Tila nagiging mahina na naman ang puso kong pilit kong pinapatigas, that's when the gravely crimes I've committed started to resonate. "For everything. For papa."

"Ano ka ba," Maximo walked back, he put his hands on my back and pulled me towards his lean body. His hand then went to my head, making me rest it on his toned chest. "There's nothing to be sorry of. You're no longer Akira Kara, remember? You're now my queen, Kira Renaissance. It is my duty to protect you." That's when my tears went down, finally.

Somehow, his encouraging words eradicated some of the doubts that were eating me. I just wanted us to stay like this for a few more minutes. So I closed my eyes, letting his warmth give comfort to me as my tears fell to my cheeks. Maximo just patted my back, saying words of encouragement that I've always wanted to hear. "Stop crying, okay?"

I nodded. He faced me and put his thumbs on both my cheeks, wiping my tears away.

"Sorry to interrupt, Maximo and Kira, but the car is ready outside." Meliodas said behind us. Maximo nodded, lumabas na kami sa hotel at sumakay sa sasakyan. We travelled towards the port of Algaya.

When we were finally there, I saw another ship of Maximo, "it's Gulliver's Grave." Maximo stated as he pointed the ship. Somehow, he reminded me of Marco who constantly fed me with information I needed. "You'll see soon why it is called like that." He smirked.

We went on board while some of the men drove the cars used towards the warehouses. Nang makasakay na ang lahat ay nagsalita si Maximo. "All hands hoay!" He shouted. Lahat naman ay tumigil sa kanilang ginagawa. "Thanks to Kira, we got 2 trillion worth of money! The expected was only about 100 billion. Let's give her the pirate clap!"

Pumalakpak sila ng deretsong tatlong beses, deretsong dalawa, at isang beses. Pagkatapos ay nilabas nila ang kanilang mga armas. "Yo ho ho!" They yelled.

Napangiti naman ako dahil sa ginawa nila. What a weird pirate clap.

"Let's sail back to Anarchist Harbor!" Maximo shouted, saktong iyon ay umandar ang barko. I looked at the vast ocean, it was so calm that somehow, it mirrored the night sky and the stars. It actually felt like we were on a flying ship. Biglang isinuot sa akin ni Maximo ang kan'yang fur sweater. "It's cold out here."

"Paano ka?" Tanong ko.

"I'm used to the cold. Don't worry." He answered.

Lumingon ako sa port, we were a little far already, somehow, all the memories came rushing in again—starting from Marco and Pearl's betrayal. Where are they now?

"Meliodas. I'll sink the ship."