Forgotten Child

Fiftieth Chapter

I slammed my palms as I barged in the room. Ni hindi man lang nag-flinch ang dalawa at binigyan lang ako ng weird look.

"You okay, babe?"

" 'Sup Beanie Girl?"

Tinignan ko sila Blaze at Bryce.

"Paano at bakit alam ni Aidan noon ang about sa Underground World?"

Natigilan sila sa tanong ko. Ito ang isa sa mga sinabi sa'kin ni Aliyah noon na ngayon ko lang ulit naalala. Tumingin sila sa isa't isa bago bumaling ulit sa'kin.

Si Bryce ang unang nagsalita. "It was my fault."

Salubong ang kilay ko. "Anong ibig mong sabihin?"

"Back then, there was a time when I had to do something technical for the Underground. And kuya Blaze was assisting me but we didn't really accomplish anything. Napansin ni Aidan that there was something wrong with me, and so he asked me."

Sumingit si Blaze. "At first ayaw sabihin ni Bryce kung ano ito, pero as you know Aidan, once he sets his mind into something, he would do anything to get it. And so, since he knew me due to Bryce, he called and pestered me about it. Sabi niya na gusto niyang tulungan ang kapatid ko dahil siya daw ang nahihirapan para dito."

Ngumisi si Bryce as he reminisced. "Your late lover was really stubborn, you know? Hindi nga namin sinabi, but he hacked my laptop to see what I was working on. Nagalit kami ni kuya, syempre, but it was replaced immediately by shock as Aidan already completed what we were trying to do. Na kahit hindi niya daw na-gets, he just did what he thought I was trying to do."

"That was the start, babe. After nun, naging libangan na para kay Aidan ang tumulong if ever there was any techy stuff na kailangang gawin for both Underground and even na din para sa'kin for my company. He said to treat him as a helping hand."

Napa-iling si Blaze.

"That idiot," Bryce muttered softly. "I guess because of that, he got the idea of creating a real-life game where you look for the Lost Ace, which all started when he passed away."

Pumikit ako at huminga ng malalim.

"And no one bothered to tell me this?" tanong ko.

"Hindi naman sa ganun, babe. Nakalimutan lang."

Inirapan ko si Blaze.

"Kuya is right, sweetheart. It wasn't really a secret, per se."

Humalukipkip ako.

"Ugh. Fine. Anyway, I came here to tell you two something."

Bigla silang naging seryoso.

"Kieran gonna get some beatin'?" Panguna agad ni Bryce wala pa man din akong sinasabi.

"A —"

Pinatunog na ni Blaze ang kanyang mga kamay at nag-stretch. "About damn time!"

I gulped. "A-Are you gonna be easy on him?"

Parehas silang ngumiti and I felt chills all over my body.

"Never." They both said sabay parehas na nagtungo paalis ng study room.

Blaze is already on his phone, calling someone.

"Casteñeda." He chuckled darkly. "You ready to get our blessings?"

Nag-unat si Bryce at dun ko lang nahanap ang boses ko.

"Leave him breathing at least! Pakakasalan pa niya ako!"