Midas' Touch [COMPLETED]

Chapter 10

"Bato, bato pik!" Ibinagsak ni Kalonice ang kamaong nakakuyom habang naka-gunting naman ang kay Midas.

Midas flashed a bored, poker face. Kalonice smirked. "I won't show mercy to you."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever. Hit me a hard as you could. Don't cry later once I got my turn to hit you." Irap ni Midas at ipinagdikit ang mga palad.

Umayos ng upo si Kalonice at hinanda ang kaniyang palad. She hit Midas hand as hard as she could just like what he wanted. Ni hindi man lang nag-iba ang ekspresyon ng mukha ni Midas. It's obvious that Kalonice hit him 'hard' dahil bumwelo pa ito, pero wala naman siyang naramdamang sakit.

"Ouch. It hurts." Bagot niyang sabi na sinimangutan lang ni Kalonice.

"Masakit, 'di ba?"

"Sa sobrang sakit wala akong maramdaman. It really hurts," labas sa ilong niyang sabi na inismiran na lamang ni Kalonice.

"Tss. Game na ulit. Isa pa." At naglaro ulit sila. Isang bagsak at si Midas na ang nagwagi.

Kalonice prepared herself. Alam niyang gaganti si Midas at mas malakas ang magiging palo nito sa kaniyang kamay dahil lalaki ito at malakas ang pwersa. She's turning pale. Napalunok siya.

"I will show no mercy," seryosong sabi ni Midas at itinaas na ang kamay. Napapikit si Kalonice. Hinintay niya ang pagdating ng palad ni Midas.

Midas sighed at ibinaba ang kamay. Kinuha niya ang mga kamay ni Kalonice at inilagay sa lamesa. Napamulat ng wala sa oras si Kalonice na nagtataka.

"I don't hit and hurt girls. Let's not play this anymore. Look at your hand, it's already red," he said and pointed the reddish color of Kalonice's hand because of Midas' previous hits.

It made Kalonice breathless at natitigan siya.

Nangingiti siyang tumingin sa binata. "Oh, I understand now. What a real man you are, Midas."

Midas furrowed his eyebrows at her. "What?"

Kalonice smiled wider. "You let yourself get hurt when you got so many chances to fight back. You went easy on me while we're playing while I didn't. I hit you hard, and in return, you hesitated to hit my hand because you know I will be hurt for your revenge. I appreciate that concern side of you. But it must have been really painful to be hurt one sidedly while all you ever did is protect and think about the feelings of something precious to you. You're a man. I'm impressed. You do."

Umawang ang bibig ni Midas dahil sa kaniyang mga sinabi. Napangiti na naman nang wala sa oras si Gwynedd at uminom sa champagne nito. Malakas na nahampas ni Jarrah ang lamesa na siyang nagpagulat sa kanila.

"Pinaparinggan mo ba ako?"

Kalonice look at her in surprise and cluelessly asked, "Uhhm, what?"

"You were simply attacking me. What's your problem!?" Dahil sa lakas ng boses niya ay nakuha nila ang atensyon ng iba. Napakurap na lamang si Kalonice.

"I don't get it. I am playing with Midas and spoke for the truth. Why do you feel so attacked when you are not even mentioned? Okay ka lang ba?" Pag-aalala ni Kalonice. Mahina namang natawa si Gwynedd.

"You're paranoid, Lisieux. Don't just butt into other's matters. Hanggang sa amin lang ang usapan and you are not belong in it," malamig na sabi ni Midas bago inirapan si Jarrah na hindi nakaimik. Matamis lang siyang nginitian ni Kalonice na siyang nagpagigil lalo sa kaniya.

"And Draft #93 is sold to Mr. Zarovski!"

Nangingiti na lamang si Kalonice habang pinapanood ang mga businessmen and women na mag-bid para sa kaniyang mga gawa. Nasa kaniyang mga bisig na si Contessa habang pinapadede ito. Namumungay na ang mga mata at halatang pagod sa kakalaro. Gising na gising pa din naman ang quintuple at maganang kumakain. Jarrah is staring at Midas, and Midas won't look at her because he doesn't care about her.