delcroix heirs' academy [ EDITING ]

delcroix heirs' academy ✔ chapter seventy five

kei kenjin shinzen.

We finally arrived. Almost safely. Naaano naman ako sa sarili ko kasi muntikan ko nang ibangga yung kotse ko sa garage out of curiosity kaso naalala kong may dalawang babae nga pala akong kasama.

Tsk. Sayang.

I went out the driver's side at pinagbuksan si Aly, kasi agad na nakalabas si Romaine at sinabi na she doesn't need help getting out kasi may paa at kamay naman daw siya.

Tsk. Kasi naman. Ngayon lang ako gentleman eh.

"Tara na A, wag ka nang umiyak. Hahuntingin ko yung author. Sino yun?" Sabi ko kay Aly, at inakbayan siya. She then pouted at medyo nag-isip, at naalala ko yung bata kong kapatid noon. Tsk.

"Si Charlie. Kasi naman! Pinatay niya yung guy na nagfoofootball! Crush ko yun eh!" Sabi ni Aly, and I ruffled her hair after sensing something.

"Nice try, A. Alam kong iba ang dahilan." Sabi ko, at iniwan sila na magkasama ni Romaine habang nauna naman ako up the front porch steps.

Sana naman walang gumalaw ng mga gamit ko.

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romaine severine beauregard.

We're in front of the long table and I'm frozen. Memories come flashing back to me. Nung dinner with Harvee's family. Naaalala ko siya. Pero inalis ko iyon sa utak ko. Patay na ang best friend ko. Wala na. Hindi naman maibabalik pa yun eh. Nacremate na kaya wala ring pag-asang buhay pa siya parang nung nangyari kay Raleign. 

Roast chicken and mashed potatoes ang nakaserve sa amin ngayon dahil sabi ng mum ni Shin na favourite daw ito ni Shin nung bata pa sila ni Aly and this is the first time in years na makakasama nila sa dinner ang anak nila. Nagulat naman ako na medyo hindi dahil knowing Shin, malamig talaga siya at kulang nalang bangkay na siya. Pero naalala kong hindi nga pala ito umuuwi sa bahay nila dahil may sarili daw siyang inuuwian na may kashare siya.

Nasa head ng table si Mr. Shinzen at nasa right naman niya si Mrs. Shinzen. Nasa left naman si Shin na siyang katabi ko ngayon and Aly is not yet here on the table. Pinatawag pa lang siya sa isa sa mga maids dahil may ginagawa daw sa taas. After all, siya ang puno at dulo ng dinner na ito. Hay.

"Don't be afraid of them. Ganyan lang talaga sila pero kapag nakaclose mo sila, akala mo ikaw yung anak at hindi ako. They really are annoying." Sabi ni Shin, kaya naman napatango nalang ako. Amdaming alam eh. 

"Hindi ako takot, may naiisip lang ako," sabi ko, and he just nodded without looking at me. Ganyan naman yan eh.

Lahat kami napatingin sa may stairs nang may marinig kaming nagtatawanan at nakita namin si Aly with Louise na best friend yata niya from what I'm seeing. Si Louise Miller, yung auditor ng Delcroix H&HC. 

"Hey tito! Hey tita!" Sabi ni Louise, at niyakap sila Mr and Mrs Shinzen. Napataas ang mga kilay ko, and Shin chuckled habang sinasabing he told me so.

"Hey little miss Miller! How's your day?" Tanong ni Mr Shinzen, at naupo naman si Aly and Louise sa tabi ni Mrs Shinzen.

"I'm fine, tito." Sabi niya, and then pinaghanda naman sika nung isa sa mga maids na nagbabantay sa amin.

I feel like masyadong grand ang lifestyle ng mga Shinzen to the point na kailangan pang may mga maids na nakabantay sa dining room habang kumakain like they are royalties. Parang wala nga lang kila Mr. Shinzen yung mga maids at parang hindi niya iniisip na baka may masabi siya at ipagkalat nung mga maids. 

"So, you're Romaine Beauregard, right?" Tanong sa akin ni Aly habang kumakain na kami, and I nodded.

"Indeed, I am. And I'm guessing that you are Alyssa Shinzen?" Sabi ko, and then she smiled at me as if feeling good that I knew her name.

"I thought you don't know my name," she said, at kinausap nanaman si Louise.

"Actually, Shin here tells me stories about you and of course, he mentioned your whole name," sabi ko, at nagnod naman siya.

"Paano mo napasalita sayo si Kei, Romaine?" Tanong naman ni Louise sa akin kaya napalean in din ang mag-asawang Shinzen.

"I don't know, really." Sabi ko, smiling slightly, and then I heard Shin chuckle beside me.

"Hindi daw alam, sinapak mo kaya ako nung  una tayong magkakilala. Galit ka sakin. Remember?" Tanong niya, at hinarap ko siya dahilan para magsmirk siya mischievously.

"Oh my goodness, Kenjin. You're laughing and smiling!" Sabi ni Mrs Shinzen, at nagulat naman ako sa kanila. Ganun ba kaemotionless si Shin sa kanila? "Romaine, stay by his side, okay?" 

"Err, he's my friend po so I think na hindi ko naman siya iiwanan. I hate being left, too," I said, and then tumango naman yung mag-asawa at nagtinginan. Nag-apir naman si Louise at Aly so I was weirded out.

Ang weird ng mga Shinzen.

"She's for keeps, Kei. Keep her," said Mr Shinzen, and both Louise and Aly squealed. With Mrs Shinzen?! Oh gods.

"D-Dad, it's not like that." Sabi ni Shin, at namumula naman siya.

"Tomato head," I muttered, at nilingon naman niya ako with a sloght pout kaya natawa ako. Nakakaumay!

"Sama neto. Pasabugin ko soccer balls mo, eh," sabi ni Shin, at napatigil naman ako.

"Don't you dare!" 

"Then don't call me tomato. I'm not fat and reddish." 

"But you're reddish."

"Am not. Mukha kang soccer ball." 

"Am not. Mukha kang granada."

"Granada?!" Tanong ni Mr and Mrs Shinzen, kaya naman nagkatinginan kami ni Shin with wide eyes.

"Nothing!" We both exclaimed, at tinignan kami ni Louse and Aly with malicious smiles.

"Yep, for keeps. You're always welcome here again, Romaine. And you can call me Tito Ryu and my wife Tita Alana." Sabi ni Mr Shinzen.

I just nodded.

I can't believe that Shin belongs to this kind of family. I... wish my parents were like that, too.

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