Kronack Crown

Chapter 4

"DO BURDEN yourself my friend and tell me what happened moments ago?" Auri asked after closing the door behind her.

Nasa silid na sila na ibinigay sa kanya at hindi iyon silid ni Auri. Sabi nito ay mismong yung Kronack ang nagsabi na bigyan siya ng sarili niyang silid.

"I don't know," Kalisz replied with a shrug.

"What?" Nakataas ang kilay na tanong sa kanya ng kaibigan.

Hindi na pinansin ni Kalisz kung gaano kagara ang magiging silid niya. Yung utak niya ay si Kronack pa din ang laman at ang nangyari sa baba. Kahit anong gawin niyang pag-iling ay hindi niya maiwaglit sa isipan niya ang binata. Mahihilo na lang siya sa kakailing mukhang tumatak na ang lalaki sa isipan niya.

Fudging great!

"Look, I don't know Au... The man was handsome and my..." Kalisz trailed, looking for words.

"I was b-blown away?" she continued in an asking tone.

Not certain if she chose the right word to explain herself, Kalisz groaned, annoyed at herself.

Malakas na tumawa si Auri. Napahawak pa ito sa tiyan nito bago ito kumalma at natatawang nagsalita.

"Wait lang..." anito habang nakataas ang isang kamay. "S-sorry."

Pinunasan nito ang gilid ng mata nito dahil sa luha na nanggilid dahil sa sobrang pagtawa, nang mahimasmasan ito ay umupo ito sa tabi niya.

"So... You were blown away by kuya Kron's handsomeness?" Auri asked, biting her lower lip to suppress her grin.

"Yeah... Something like that," Kalisz admitted with a shrug.

"Baka na love at first sight ka na kay kuya Kronack?" Taas-baba ang isang kilay na tanong nito habang naglalaro ang isang pilyang ngiti sa labi.

"Huh?" Umarko ang isang kilay ni Kalisz at napahilig palayo kay Auri. She is shocked.

Love at first sight? Does it exist?

"Look, I know you know what I mean. Siguro first time mo lang makaramdam ng kung ano man ang nararamdaman mo ngayon, and maybe you're confused. You don't know what's to make of that foreign feeling," Auri explained.

"Alam ko, it's just, I don't believe in love at first sight existence. Baka sobra lang talaga ako nagwapuhan sa kanya kaya ganoon ang naging reaksyon ko. Rare species... you know?" Rason niya sa kaibigan.

"Rare species?" Namamangha nitong saad at muling tumawa. "Rare species na pala si kuya Kron." Umiling ito habang nakangiti. "So do you want to tell him that?" she teased.

"What?! Of course not! That's ten times more embarrassing than what happened downstairs," Kalisz replied, horrified.

Auri chuckled. "I'm just kidding. I know you wouldn't do that. You almost stayed muted the whole time. I wonder how was your travel with Lust."

"It was comfortable."

"Yeah, yeah..." Auri scoffed. "Eerie and quiet. I know what's comfortable means to you. That's equivalent to silence with the chirping sounds of the birds." Umikot ang mata nito.

"They are strangers..." Bulong ni Kalisz.

"I know and understand that, but I hope you don't lock yourself in this room to avoid them. They are good people," Auri explained.

Auri knew that she didn't talk to strangers. When they first met, she didn't speak to her at all. It was always Auri who kept the conversation going, never tiring of her one-word answers, shrugs, or nods. Everything changed when Auri got into a physical fight to defend her from two women who publicly mocked her.