Team Alpha

Chapter 37

'Red Scouts'

XIN

"I'm sorry." It was the first thing she said after stepping into the field. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ako napalunok habang nakatingin ako sa kanya. Ngumiti lang ako at tumingin sa team. I looked over Milo and Hoshi who was having a hard time choosing on who to cheer for, but they ended up cheering for me.

Tumingin rin si Miu sa kanila at ngumiti.

"Family fights a family, huh?" Tanong ko at inayos ang pagkakasuot ng gloves ko. My open-finger gloves made a come back on my hands. Agad na tumingin sa akin si Miu at parang naguluhan pa sa sinabi ko. "F-Family?" Nauutal niyang tanong habang nakatingin sa akin. Tumango lang ako at ngumiti sa kanya.

"You, Me, Lorrise, Keya, Xy and Team Alpha. We're family. You can include Shu if you want." Pasimple kong sabi at tumingin sa paligid. Nakita kong napapikit si Miu at humigpit ang hawak niya kung ano mang hawak niya. Umangat nalang ang gilid ng labi ko. "Bingo." Tipid kong sambit dahilan para makita kong naguluhan ang iba lalo na ang team dahil sa sinabi ko.

Tumingin lang sa akin si Miu at nakita kong nanginginig ang labi niya.

"Let me guess, you were forced to come here." I said, starting to interrogate her before the face-off. It was obvious that she didn't came here on her own will. For all those years that I've known Miu, she never accepted a fight against me. She wasn't a fighter. She was a healer.

She takes care of me when I'm wounded after a battle. And she never fights. Seeing her in front of me, shaking and eyes watery because she's about to cry. She was forced to come here. And whoever forced her, holds her.

Napapikit nalang ako at tiningnan ang mukha ni Miu. How can I hit such a pretty face? Napabuga nalang ako ng hangin at bahagyang tumingala at tsaka na ako tumingin kay Miu.

"Don't lose." Kumunot agad ang noo niya sa sinabi ko. The moment I said those words, nagliyab na ang mga kamay ko at narinig kong naghiyawan ang mga studyante ng UHT.

"Xin!" Rinig kong tawag ng team dahilan para tumingin ako sa kanya. Hoshi and others were looking at me and at my fiery hands. Napailing nalang ako at tsaka ko tiningnan si Jun na nakatingin lang sa akin. I just gave him and the team a nod.

"I just want to confirm something." Sabi ko sa kanila at kahit maingay ang paligid at narinig parin nila ang sinabi ko. Hoshi and the others just clenched their jaw at tumango nalang. Binalik ko na ang tingin ko kay Miu at nakita kong nakatingin siya sa kamay kong nagliliyab. "I-I'm sorry." She said again.

Naglakad nalang ako palapit sa kanya at tinapunan siya ng fireball. She immediately blocked the fireball at dun ko na nakuha ang pagkakataon na nagmadaling tumakbo palapit sa kanya. I dashed across the field, grabbed her shirt at tiningnan agad ang mga mata niya.

Her eyes were dilated, with a mix of green and grey. Agad akong lumayo sa kanya at bumalik sa pwesto ko. Nangingig pa ang mga kamay ko habang nakatingin ako kay Miu. The fireball was just an excuse so that I could see her eyes.

Her eyes that confirmed my thoughts that she was spellbound.

"She's spellbound." Mahina kong sambit at hinayaan nang si Wolfie ang magsabi sa team. They all looked at Miu after knowing what's going on. "Xin.." Tiningnan ko lang si Miu na nakatayo doon at nakatingin sa akin. Ngumiti lang ako sa kanya.

"No matter what you do, Miu. You can fire light balls at me, bruise me, pound on me, break my bones. Just.. don't make me bleed. That's all I'm asking." Sabi ko at tiningnan ako ni Miu na parang iiyak na. Kinuyom ko nalang ang kamay ko. Saglit ko nalang inalis ang tingin ko sa kanya. Nakakaawa siya.