●●●●●Blade's POV●●●●●

“Blood?”

Kahit ilang beses kong tingnan ang pagpatak ng ulan, hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit mga patak ito ng dugo sa paningin ni Raven.

I’ve always loved the rain since I was a kid and my friends and I usually play under it when we were kids. That’s why hindi ko masyadong maintindihan kung bakit parang takot na takot si Raven nito.

“The rain... It looks like drops of blood.” Napatingin ako sa kanya.

She’s shaking at napaka-tense niya. Tinatakpan niya ang kanyang mga taenga and she’s keeping her eyes closed. Gusto kong sabihin sa kanya na lumayo kami sa entrance para hindi niya makita o maramdaman ang pagpatak ng ulan, ngunit nararamdaman ko na parang nawawalan na rin ng lakas ang kanyang mga paa dahil sa panginginig nito.

“Anong ibig mong sabihin?” hindi ko na maiwasang magtanong. Nakakamatay ang curiousity. Ang dami ko pang gustong malaman sa buong buhay ko kaya gusto ko na kahit isa man lang sa mga katanungan ko ay masagot. “Raisin, please, tell me. I wanna help you as much as I can kaya kung maaari, sabihin mo sa’kin.”

She opened her eyes. But she never looked at me. Nakatingin siya sa labas—sa pumapatak na ulan. That time, parang nawala ang lahat ng tao sa paligid and all I could hear was the time ticking inside my wrist watch.

Hinintay ko ang sagot ni Raven at sa tingin ko ay umabot pa ng dalawang minuto bago niya tinanggal ang kanyang mga kamay na nakatakip sa kanyang taenga at sinagot ang tanong ko.

“I never usually go out every time it rains. For other people and the children, the rain is just something that steers their pain away,” she said softly. Tiningnan ko ang kanyang mga mata. Wala itong ibang pinapakita kundi lungkot. “They love its smell, its sound, everything. Unfortunately for me, it smells like blood, it sounds like hell, every time I see it is just like looking at a massive blood field.”

Hindi ako nagsalita dahil hindi ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin ko. I really don’t know anything about her. Cold siya, introvert, at masasabi mong bastos kung magsalita sa kanyang mga katulong sa bahay. But no one really knows her pain. No one has a single clue of what she has been through. Malakas siya, physically and mentally. Pero ngayon, masasabi ko na hindi talaga siya malakas emotionally.

“It was just a normal Friday night with the person I cherished the most more than anyone else. It was just the two of us, but then suddenly... Someone j-just killed her!” Napahigpit ang hawak ng kanyang dalawang kamay na nakatukod sa bench. She gritted her teeth in anger. “I was so weak at wala akong nagawa para protektahan siya. She meant the world to me. Isa siyang napakabuting kaibigan who loved me for who I was even if I was born a killer. Then someone took her life away from me!”

Ramdam na ramdam ko ang galit niya. Alam na alam ko kung ano ang pakiramdam ng mamatayan ng kaibigan. Dalawang kaibigan namin nina Maura at Hades and namatay at gaya ng sinabi ni Raven, wala rin kaming nagawa para iligtas sila.

“Did you know who killed her?”

Umiling siya. “Hindi ko alam kung sino, even until now. But, Blade, there is one thing that I know,” Tumingin siya sa akin and her eyes turned to magenta again. She’s angry. “Nasa Blandon High siya. My memory was blur, however, I saw that person wearing Blandon High’s uniform.”

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko.

“Hindi lang ako sigurado if babae ba siya o lalaki—a student or a staff member since I only saw the school’s logo,” she stated, her anger still flowing. “I am pretty sure of what I saw, Blade. There was no mistaking it because every uniform of Blandon High has its logo.”

“Even if that’s true or kung isang estudyante ang taong ’yon that time, siguro isa na siyang master assassin o... mentor ngayon.” Bigla akong kinabahan. If totoo nga ang hinala niya, ibig sabihin may possibility na namumukhaan si Raven nung killer at siguro’y nagpaplano na ngayon na patayin siya.

“I know what you are thinking, Blade, I am very much aware of that,” Nagbuntong-hininga siya at bumalik sa normal na kulay ang kanyang mga mata. “As of now, I do not have any single clue kung sino, pero malalaman ko rin iyon. I will not stop until I find out that monster’s identity.”

Napatulala ako sa kanyang mga mata. Napaka-determinado niya at for sure hindi siya nagdadalawang-isip sa kanyang plano.

“Parehas lang pala tayo na nawalan rin ng kaibigan,” mahinahong sabi ko. Lumungkot ulit ang kanyang ekspresyon at dahan-dahang tumango. “I remember that time... Umuulan rin ang gabing iyon gaya ng sabi mo. Hindi ko lang maalala kung anong araw iyon, but I’m sure it was raining.”

Bahagya siyang nagulat sa sinabi ko. Pagkatapos ay tumingin ulit siya sa labas. Nanginginig pa rin ang kanyang mga kamay.

“We both suffered the worst, Blade, in such a young age.”

“I agree.”

“The rain absorbed my friend’s blood that night,” Napatingin siya sa kanyang nanginginig na mga kamay. “Her blood shrouded both of my hands and the next thing I knew, umuulan na ng dugo sa paligid ko. The relaxing rain I once loved, turned into a burning blood rain that I feared the most now.”

Hearing everything that Raven said to me on this day, wala akong ibang nagawa para sa kanya kundi yakapin siya. Naramdaman ko ang pagkagulat niya, pero hindi ko na lang iyon pinansin. Hopefully, this way can ease her pain.

“On that rainy night, my friends were killed, too...” Kumalas ako sa pagkayakap sa kanya at tiningnan siya deretso sa kanyang mga mata. “Nung gabing iyon, nawasak ang mundo namin nina Maura at Hades. The pain was so hard to bear na kayang-kaya kaming patayin.”

I smiled sadly at tumingin ulit sa malakas na ulan sa labas. Nung gabing namatay ang mga kaibigan namin, it was also raining heavily na halos hindi mo na makita kung ano ang nasa paligid mo. Wala ka na ring ibang marinig kundi ang ulan.

“Trust me, I know how you feel, Raven. Nakakamatay ang sakit. Nakakabaliw. Pero alam mo ba kung ano ang sinabi ng kaibigan namin bago siya mamatay?” Dahan-dahan siyang umiling sa tanong ko. “Please, keep on living for me. Mawala man ako sa mundong ito, kahit baliktarin man ng kahit sino ang mundo, mananatili pa rin ako sa puso ninyo. Forever.”

“B-Blade...” Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Raven. “Bakit familiar ang phrase na iyon?”

She leaned her back against the bench at biglang napa-isip.

“I think I have heard it somewhere before.”

“You think so?”

Tumango siya. Siguro ay napagod na siya kakaisip kaya nagbuntong-hininga na lang siya ulit at tumingin sa akin.

“Never mind, it does not matter. At least I know we both have friendship issues,” She closed her eyes at dahan-dahang minasahe ang nose bridge niya. “I apologize about what I said about your friend Rina.”

Napatawa ako sa kanyang sinabi. I can’t believe she forgot the name of our friend and it’s just so funny. Nakakalimut ng sakit at lungkot na nararamdaman.

Minulat niya ang kanyang mga mata at tinaasan ako ng kilay.

“Look, I am trying my best to apologize here and you are just going to laugh the shit out of me?”

“Raisin, her name is Rin. Not Rina.” Nagpipigil pa rin ako ng tawa habang sinasambit ko ang mga salitang iyon.

“Oh,” She looked kind of embarrased to what I said kaya bahagya siyang tumalikod sa akin. Hindi rin iyon nagtagal bago siya humarap ulit sa akin. She looks so cute. “This is humiliating... I-I apologize about what I said about your friend Rin, okay? I am pretty sure I have got it all right now.”

“Yeah. Matagal ka na naming pinatawad, Raisin, because I know deep inside na hindi ka talaga namin matitiis. Kaibigan ka namin, e.” Nagulat siya sa sinabi ko, pero napangiti na lang ako.

I guess she’s not good in apologizing about her previous mistakes but I’m also sure I can help her work it out. She just needs a little practice. But even so, it’s better to apologize even with just a single word than to apologize using a lot of flowery, sugar-coated words.

Moreover, maybe she’s still trying to move on and is still having trust issues, everything I said to her, however, was true. Kaibigan talaga ang turing namin sa kanya kahit na ang sobrang sungit niya.

“Friends, huh?” Narinig ko ang pagtawa niya ng mahina and trust me, napaka-sweet nun pakinggan.

Umuulan pa rin sa labas. Kahit na masarap na ang pag-uusap namin ni Raven at kahit na medjo komportable na siya ay nararamdaman ko pa rin ang takot niya.

I hope it’s always like this. I hope we’ll just be like this forever. I hope this will never change.

“Raven.”

Biglang may tumawag sa pangalan ni Raven. I could only see the person in my peripheral vision pero nakakaramdam ako ng ibang klaseng aura. Hindi ko pinahalata na nagulat ako at dahan-dahang nilingon ang taong nasa gilid naming dalawa ni Raven. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko nang makita ko kung sino ang taong iyon.

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“Ethan...” Kahit si Raven ay nagulat rin sa kanyang nakita.

Anong klaseng kakayahan ang meron itong si Ethan? Bakit napakalakas nito? Sobrang kakaiba ang kanyang aura!

I cursed in my mind. We tend to hide this from her brother kasi alam namin na hinding-hindi niya papayagan si Raven na lumabas kasama ang isang taong hindi niya lubusang kilala. Hindi pa ako nakikilala ng kapatid niya kaya for sure magagalit ito sa akin kahit na hindi malayo ang age gap namin sa isa’t isa.

Huminga ako ng malalim. I need to do something. Ako ang nag-invite kay Raven na lumabas ng bahay kaya kasalanan ko ito. Nilakasan ko ang loob ko at tumayo para sana kausapin si Ethan at magpaliwanag. Pero hindi ko nagawa iyon nang bigla ring tumayo si Raven at inunahan akong magsalita

“The question should be, what are you doing here, Ethan?”

Pumagitna siya sa aming dalawa ni Ethan. Raven knows na magagalit yung kapatid niya kapag makita niyang magkasama kaming dalawa dito sa mall.

“Don’t turn the tables here, Raven. Tinatanong kita kaya sagutin mo ako," Even if Raven’s in between us, Ethan can still see me because he’s taller than her. At kitang-kita ko kung paano niya ako tiningnan ng masama. “And who is that guy?”

“Why should I answer your question if you did not even answer mine? Napakarami kong tanong sa’yo, Ethan. I called and texted you but you did not answer!” Raven scoffed. “And now you’re going to demand na sagutin ko ang dalawang tanong mo? Your two questions are nothing compared to the hundred questions in my mind that I have been meaning to question you, Ethan! Can you not see that?”

“Sasagutin ko naman ang mga tanong mo, Raven. Pero sagutin mo muna ang tanong ko kung bakit ka narito at kung bakit kasama mo ang lalaking iyan?” Bakas sa boses ni Ethan ang galit at tinuro pa niya ako.

“Ethan, with all due respect—”

“Shut the hell up. Hindi pa kita kinakausap.” Mas lalo pang lumakas ang kanyang aura.

As the CEO of Asano Industries, he’s absolutely confident to wander around here and look for Raven alone. Hindi ako sigurado pero, parang pare-parehas lang sila ng lakas ni Reo-sensei and to think he’s younger.

“He has nothing to do with this.”

“Of course he has, Raven! Hindi ka makakarating dito if that guy didn’t influence you to come here.” Galit si Ethan kay Raven. Pero mas galit siya sa akin.

Hindi ko kaya itong nakikita ko ngayon. I have to speak up. I can’t just let Raven cover up for me and fight for her freedom alone.

“Ethan, gusto lang naman ni Raven na makalabas ng bahay for at least once in a while. It’s one of her goals in life at tinutulangan ko lang naman siya na ma-achieve yun.” determinadong sabi ko kaya napalingon silang dalawa sa akin. Even si Raven ay gulat na napatingin sa akin.

“Don’t call me with just my name, Miyahara. In case you forgot, you’re still talking to the CEO of Asano Industries. Learn how to speak properly to those who are higher than you.” Nagulat ako dahil hindi ko inexpect na kilala niya ako. How did he know my name?

“That is enough, Ethan,” Binalingan ulit ng tingin ni Raven ang kapatid niya. “Do not blame this on Blade. It was my own decision to come with him and it has nothing to do with you.”

“What?”

“You heard me right,” She stepped a little closer to Ethan and tilted her head to meet his eyes. “This has nothing to do with you.”

“Raven,” Napasabunot siya sa kanyang buhok. “Umuulan sa labas, can’t you see? Alam kong takot ka sa ulan and who knows what could happen to you! Sinabihan naman kita sa posibleng mangyari sa’yo, ’di ba? I’m just doing this for your—”

“If you really care about me, then you should have come home, right?” Napatingin ako kay Raven nang parang umiiyak na ang boses niya. Pati si Ethan ay nagulat rin. “I told you about what happened during our mission at Simon Reyes’ concert and I did not receive any replies from you. I called the company at ang palagi nilang sinasabi ay may lecheng business meeting ka!”

Gusto kong pakalmahin si Raven but I don’t think it’s a great idea dahil may bahid rin ng galit ang boses niya.

“Ginawa mo akong tanga kakahanap sa’yo and now you show up after almost a month without any word at mag-de-demand na sagutin ang mga tanong mo? What kind of a brother are you, Ethan? You are not like this before. You suddenly changed without knowing why...” Huminto siya para kumuha ng hininga at pakalmahin ang sarili. “You promised me that you would come back immediately when I need you. But it was all just a fake promise. Just because promises are meant to be broken does not mean you literally have to break every promises you make!”

And for the second time, narinig at nakita ko na naman si Raven na umiyak. It pains me, and I know it pains Ethan as well.

“R-Raven... I’m sorry. I promise I’ll explain to y—”

“There is that stupid promise you make again! ’Wag mo na nga akong gawing tanga, Ethan. Since we were kids ay palagi ka na lang gumagawa ng mga promises kaya, please, kahit ngayon man lang ay hayaan mo muna ako!”

Tinalikuran niya si Ethan at lumakad palapit sa akin.

“Raven...”

She stopped. But she never looked at her brother again. Not even at me. Instead, she just took my hand.

“I would rather suffer in this Ombrophobia than to be with you right now. I have enough of your fake promises already and I just can not stand being an idiot all the time. I have followed your wishes even if I hated you and my whole freedom to meet new people—to meet friends became the prize.”

She pulled me softly away from Ethan. Hindi ko na nagawa pang lingunin ang kapatid niya dahil mas na-occupied ako kay Raven. I held her hand tightly and she squeezed it back.

“Now it is your time to follow my wishes, big brother.”

Sa mga huling salitang sinabi niya, kasabay nang paghinto ng aking hininga ay ang pagkawala ng kanyang malay.