Kept From Sight, Hidden.

Chapter 9

The Rival's Attack

We went immediately to the hospital. I saw Takashi lying on his bed peacefully. Nilapitan agad siya ng lolo niya at hinawakan ang mga kamay.

"Where's Clira now?" the doctor asked her daughter. Umayos naman ang pakiramdam ng kanyang anak.

"She escaped but she's wearing a black hoodie and black mask but I know siya iyon because of her grey hair." seryosong sabi niya. She looked at Takashi dearly.

Tumingin naman siya akin and she explained to me na alam niyang peke ang anak ng Cliffins ngayon at nagpakilala siya sa akin.

"We can't arrest her dahil wala tayong ebidensya." the doctor said while looking of Mr. Abo dahil gusto ni Mr. Abo na parusahan ito dahil sa ginawa ni Clira sa kanyang apo.

"What if ilahad natin ang sekreto niya?" napatingin kami kay Vouune, ang anak ng doktora. I looked at Mr. Abo napaisip naman siya. I don't know what to do pero napatango ako kay Vounne.

"What if no one believe us?" I suggested.

"No, the people will believe us sa oras na ipakita ka namin sa lahat. Trust me, pinagplanohan namin ito ni Takashi." Vounne said at hinawakan ako sa balikat. "Please, have a confident. Alam kong alam mo na ang rason kung bakit kayo nawala noon." napatingin ako sa kanya.

"I can't remember." diretso kong sabi sa kanya at napanganga siya sa kanyang nalaman.

"What?" You lose your memories?" hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya. "Na aksidente ba kayo pero wala akong narinig na ganyang balita sa pamilya niyo? Bakit hindi mo maalala?"

Why I can't remember? My brother never told me about accidents or any harmful actions. "I don't know. Hindi ko talaga maalala." sagot ko sa kanya, napahawak siya sa kanyang ulo.

Vouune and the doctor went home habang nanatili kaming nagbabantay kay Takashi dito. Mr. Abo never leave Takashi in his side pero halata ang pagod sa mukha. I suggested that he need to rest but the old man replied to me that he will stay to guard his grandson.

"Magpapahangin po muna ako." yumuko ako para umalis, tumango naman si Mr. Abo. I saw the dark sky and headed to the rooftop may ilaw naman kaya kitang-kita. I saw the whole city up here, the lights were dancing and looks like the city is alive in the night.

I forgot my eyeglass, the wind blew my short grey hair. I wished I can see my family now without conflicts. Ilang minuto rin ang tinagal ko until I decided to go back inside dahil lalong lumalamig, napayakap ako sa sarili ko.

Habang papalit ako sa pintuan ng may napansin akong pigura, tatakbo sana ako ng bilang sumirado ang pintuan kaya nataranta ako.

"Help! Help!" I shouted. I wished someone heard my voice. Tumingin ako sa taong nakatago sa itim niyang damit. I knew they are more than 2 dahil sa iba't ibang boses nila. Halata ang takot sa mukha ko.

"Cliffins." a familiar voice said, kinuha niya ang kanyang itim na maskara.

"Clira." She laughed habang nilalaro ang isang patalim. Lumapit naman ang dalawa niyang kasamahan.

"Kyouske Latte Evergreen F. Cliffins. The real heir, the real daughter of Cliffins." sigaw niya na parang baliw. "Get her." utos niya, they grabbed me at tinali ang kamay at paa ko.

Tumapat ang mukha niya sa mukha ko. I saw her how she removed the contact lense. I can't believe her. I can't believe their wickedness.

"Bakit si Takashi dinamay mo pa?" I asked her at sinantabi ang kaba while her people were on guard to her side. "Hindi pa ba sapat na binaril niyo ang lolo ko sa lolo mo?" sabi ko at nabigla naman siya sa sinabi ko, halatang naguguluhan.

"What are you talking about?! My grandfather was the real victim! He stole my grandfather works! Your grandfather shot himself." sabi niya at halata ang galit sa mukha.

No! Mr. Abo Rogue can't lie to me! Maybe, her grandfather told her the reverse story that's why they believe my grandfather was the enemy and the victim was her grandfather. I can't let her win. I believe Takashi's grandfather.

"No, your grandfather is lying. Why don't you ask him about the real story? My grandfather will never fight with a dirty trick hindi kagaya sa lolo mo na dinamay pa kayo at lalo ka na." sigaw ko sa kanya pero bigla niyang sinugatan ang mukha ko. I can feel the hot liquid dropped to my cheeks at ang matinding hapdi. I closed my eyes.

"Shut up! Since we were kids I always envy your beauty pero hindi mo ako pinansin dahil abala ka sa libro. You're a snob and cold as ice. I tried to be friendly para maging kaibigan kita at doon mo ako nakilala dahil nagpumilit ako. My family knew about our friendship kaya pinaghiwalay nila ako sa 'yo. They never like it and told me about the history of our grandfather. At first I never believe pero kalaunan naniwala na ako dahil bigla akong nakaramdam ng inggit sayo. I don't know why and then you find another friend si Takashi iyon kaya lalo akong naiingit sayo."

I can't believe what she have just said to me right now, biglang lumuha ang mga mata ko habang nakatingin sa kanya. Totoo bang kaibigan ko siya dati? Bakit hindi siya binanggit ni Takashi at bakit wala siya sa mga lawaran kasama namin?

"Takashi didn't mentioned your name." sabi ko.

"I hate Takashi and he hates me also. The feeling is mutual." She laughed like a psycho.

"I can't remember anything." bumuhos ang matinding luha ko dahil wala akong natatandaan sa sinabi niya. "I can't remember you." she lifted my chin and I looked at her. Nakikita ko ang sarili ko sa kanya like I was looking in the mirror but her black eyes is full of hatred and annoyance.

"My mother was the one who erased your memories and she injected you a drug para mawala ang memorya mo. She's a doctor and then I replaced you immediately. Luckily, hindi naman iyon napansin dahil at the same time nawawala ka." she said it confidently.

That's why I can't remember at all. Naisip ko bigla si Kuya, so he knows at all hindi nawala ang memorya niya but he lied to me. Pero bakit napunta kami sa mansion kami lang ni kuya or....

"Bakit biglang nawala ang pamilya ko? Bakit hindi nila makilala si Mr. Abo Rogue?" tanong ko at napaisip siya habang nilalaro ang patalim.

"I don't know why your family can't recognized Mr. Rogue. Also, I don't know your family's sudden absence. I don't know why bigla kang nawala at ang kuya mo. Maybe, your family is trying to escape." she smirked at hinawa niya leeg ko dahan dahan. I screamed.

"Shit, tape her." one of them tape me. I cried for being pathetic but she chuckled like she's enjoying a show.

"Sssh, don't cry. Masaya naman sila habang wala ka." she said playfully, hindi ako naniwala sa sinabi niya. There must be a reason kung bakit nawala bigla ang pamilya namin at bakit napunta kami ni kuya sa mansion na kami lang.

There must be a story behind it but I don't know kung makikita ko pa sila pagkatapos nito. My fate is in her hands now, she smiled wickedly to me and laughed. She laughed like there's no tomorrow.

And then, she stabbed me happily. I saw bloods in her hands, my body felt numb. Is this the end of my life? I smiled bitterly. The last I heard was her psychotic laughed until my eyes went blank.