••••Raven’s POV•••••

Huwag kang mag-alala. Malalaman mo rin kung sino ang tinutukoy ko. Besides, I want you to know one thing.

What Jugg Fuentes has said to me stucked inside my mind. No matter what angle I look at it, he does not make any sense at all! Who is really the person that he wanted me to ask to? I figured out that perhaps he was just making a fool out of me. But, what is this feeling? Why do I feel like what he said was true?

Never forget that you have a name to prove, Raven Saldoviana.

Especially that last statement. Why would he say that? He said the exact same thing that the man said in my dream. How could he say such a same thing? Could it be a coincidence? Am I imagining things again?

Jugg Fuentes... a name belonged to a motherfucking jerkass. Could he be a mind-reader? I have not seen his skills in fighting, yet. Although, could it be possible? It could be. My eyes have supernatural powers. Some skills of it are yet to be unraveled. So, there is quite a huge probability that Jugg Fuentes can read minds, too, like I do.

I must be crazy! That jerkass is ruining my sanity. Moreover, it could also be possible that he was just doing that to drive me crazy.

“Raven... Hanggang kailan mo ba planong tititigan ang pagkain mo?” Napatingin ako kay Maura nang marinig ko ang sinabi niya. “You’ve been like that for an hour. Tapos na lang akong kumain, wala pa ring nagbago sa’yo.”

I looked at my food. I left it untouched for an hour? Kahit hindi ko man tikman, paniguradong malamig na ang pagkain ko. I got so occupied by what happened kaya hindi ko namalayan na kumakain pala kami.

“Raven, malapit na tayong ma-late.” Even if she tried to hide it, I knew she was worried.

Her voice may be calm and looked like her usual self. However, her eyes were telling me that she was goddamn worried about me acting so weird.

Napayuko ako at mahinang tinulak palayo sa akin ang pagkain. Even without looking at her, I could feel how confused she was by my sudden action.

“I think I will skip school today.”

“What?” She abruptly stood up as a surprised expression painted all over her face. “Raven, you never skip school. Ano na naman bang nangyayari sa’yo? May hindi ka na naman ba sinabi sa’kin?”

I raised my head up to see the worried look on her face now. Her body was trembling and sweat started to seep at the side of her face. Seeing her like that, I felt guilty. I never wanted to lie.

I hate lies, I usually say that to Ethan and yet, here I am, making one—hiding secrets and shouldering all my problems.

“Ayos lang ako, Maura. It is just that... I feel sick today,” I lied.

“You feel sick? May lagnat ka ba? I’ll skip school, too. Bibili ako ng gam—”

“No need to worry, Maura. You do not have to skip school for me. I am sure a little rest will do.” I stood up and smiled at her. Her eyes widened in surprise. “Trust me, okay?”

We stared at each other for a minute before she looked away and sighed. Her hands were still trembling, so, I walked towards her and held it.

“Maura, listen to me, there is no need for you to worry. As long as I am with you, Blade, Hades, and Reo, I will be fine,” I said.

I squeezed her hand as she started to cry. She bit her lower lip to hold back her tears, but it just will not listen.

“A-Ayaw ko lang mawala ka sa amin, Raven,” I was quite surprised when she suddenly hugged me tightly. It was so warm and I knew I let her worried again. Guess I must really be a burden. “k-kaya kahit ano, sabihin mo sa amin kung may problema ka. I-I just don’t want you to end up like her!”

Normally, I would scold anyone who ruins my uniform. But Maura hugging me, crying on my shoulder, and making my collar wet, I did not mind it one bit.

“You mean your friend, right? Do not worry,” I pat her head softly just to see the pain she was feeling inside. “hinding-hindi ako magiging kagaya niya. I will not go and leave you all alone. I promise.”

It was my first time making a promise to someone. I hated promises. However, when I did make a promise, it felt so genuine inside of me and I just thought the my team I consider my friends were all worth it.

She pulled away and wiped her tears using the back of her hand.

“Fine, try kong hindi mag-worry. Pero, Raven, ano ang sasabihin ko kay Reo-sensei? We’re supposed to interrogate Benedict again today,” she said.

Napa-facepalm ako. Nakalimutan ko na naman ang interrogation at ang Book of Apocalypse. Simula nang dumating si Jugg Fuentes sa buhay ko, nagbago na ang takbo ng utak ko. Hindi na ako masyadong nakaka-concentrate sa mga bagay-bagay.

“Just tell him na masama talaga pakiramdam ko and I can always manage to catch up. I am sure maiintindihan niya ako,” I said. “Ikaw na rin bahalang mag-explain kay Blade at Hades, especially Blade because you know how that jerk worries.”

Imagining what his reactions would be like made me laugh inside of me. After all, Blade was a total jerk.

“Okay,” She nodded. “aalis na ako. Ako na lang ang bahala. I’ll just fill you in kung ano ang mangyayari.”

“Thank you,” I said and nodded.

“Get better soon.” Niyakap niya muna ako bago niya kinuha ang bag na nasa lamesa.

I walked her to the door and when she got out of the house, she was lucky that there was a vacant taxi at nakasakay kaagad siya. She even waved goodbye at me inside the taxi.

When the car disappeared in my eye, I closed and locked the door. I came back to the kitchen to place the food that Maura prepared for me in the fridge. Then, I climbed upstairs and went inside my room.

Pagpasok ko, bumalik kaagad sa isipan ko ang mga nangyari. These past few days have been kookie and I do not know what to do with it.

“Damn. This is insane.” Hindi naman talaga ako ganito mag-isip dati.

The truth is, I was not feeling sick. I just acted like I was just to make an excuse to stay at home. Somehow, may nagsabi sa loob ko na may dapat akong malaman.

Because that is why I’m here for. Just so you know, magsisimula ka ring magtanong tungkol sa sarili mo.

Just then, I suddenly remembered what Jugg Fuentes said anew. Every time I hear his voice and imagine his face in my head, nakakairita talaga para sa akin ang existence niya.

The world has already a lot of irrelevant people. Bakit pa siya dumagdag?

I started walking back and forth inside my room as my heart started to pound so fast.

“Magtanong tungkol sa sarili ko?” I stopped when I repeated that part.

Isa lang ang taong pumasok sa isipan ko na tanging makakasagot ng tanong na iyon. However, alam ko na hinding-hindi magsasabi ng totoo si Ethan.

Ever since our last encounter, he never contacted me again. No messages, no calls, not even a single sign that might remind of him.

“I am perplexed.” Still with my uniform on, humiga ako sa kama at napatulala na lang sa ceiling. “I used to be confident of myself. But right now, I feel like I am such a fake.”

Para akong isang baliw na kinakausap ang sarili. Kinuha ko ang cellphone ko sa bulsa ko at tinitigan ang number ni Ethan. I was so confused whether I would call or text him and risk another time asking, or just leave myself hanging.

Wala akong ibang lead, tanging si Ehan lang. Pero for sure, wala akong makukuhang matinong sagot.

Nagsimula nang sumakit ang ulo ko kaya dahan-dahan kong sinara ang mga mata ko. While I was closing my eyes, in the back of my mind, I hoped that when I wake up, babalik na ako sa normal at magbabago na ang daloy ng isipan ko.

-----

“Mommy, Daddy, why do we have to stay here in the States? I was contented living in Misawa. We did not have to move in here,” I said as I scanned our new house here in the U.S.

Our new house was not much, unlike our previous house. It was way bigger and better than this new house.

“Don’t block the door, Raven. We still have to unpack,” Ethan said with a smile as he moved me away from the door.

“I will not unpack my things. I will go back to Misawa. Our lives are much better there. Are you so blind to not see that?” Because of what I said, Mom and Dad diverted their attentions to me. “Why do we have to move in, anyway?”

“Raven, listen,” Mom came closer and crouched down to level with me. “unpack now and I’ll help you prepare your room. How’s that?”

“You never answered my question, Mom.” I looked at her seriously but she just looked away.

“Raven, makinig ka sa mommy mo. ‘Wag na matigas ang ulo,” Dad said that made my brow raised at him.

“Dad, you know I can not understand Tagalog, yet. What are you saying?” I glared at Ethan when he laughed.

“Dad, I still need to teach her Tagalog,” he said and burst into laughter again. “Anyway, don’t worry, Raven. Everything will be normal soon.”

“Ethan, stop teasing your sister.” Mom’s voice and eyes looking at Ethan were calm. I could not really fathom how she even did that. She then turned to face me again and smiled. “Raven, don’t mind your brother. He just loves teasing you. Just remember that we’re doing all of this for you, okay? Because you’re our precious daughter.”

“No, I am not. You just adopted me and took me under your wing,” I said. “Stop claiming me as your real daughter because I’m only your daughter in the paper.”

I started to feel so infuriated that I looked daggers at all of them. Mom and Dad flinched and when Ethan finally read the change of atmosphere, he stopped unpacking and also blanched when he saw me.

“Seriously, all of you think that everything is just a game and everything will be normal for me because I’m the so-called precious daughter of the Asano family but you are all wrong!” I could not help not to raise my voice at them. “How can I be normal when we’re now living in the mountains with no neighbors and you can barely even see people?!” I hated them all.

It is true that I treated Mom and Dad as my biological parents. But I still hate them all.

“When I grow up, I will go to Blandon High and I will become a better assassin than you, Ethan Asano.” I pointed at Ethan who was still surprised. “Mark my words.”

I left them dumbfounded downstairs. However, the horrified look on my parents never left my memory. I have never seen them having that kind of expression before and it was so unusual.

I went inside my new room and slammed the door behind me. I scanned my eyes around the room and I could not help not to punch the wall so hard. We did not have to move from our old home. I liked it better in Misawa.

Just then, I heard muffled voices downstairs. I was sure it was just Ethan and my parents. But I figured out I did not have much to do in my room since I did not unpack my things. So, I slowly went out of my room and went downstairs again. I stopped when I reached half of the stairs when I finally heard what they were talking about.

“Raven must not go back to Misawa. It’s very dangerous for her,” I heard Mom said. Why would it be dangerous for me, anyway?

“I agree. Kapag babalik siya, panigurado’y mahahanap siya nila.” I cursed in my mind when Dad started speaking in Tagalog again.

“What should we do, Mom, Dad?” It was Ethan.

“Dapat mo siyang protektahan, Ethan. Huwag na huwag mo siyang pababayaan at huwag na huwag mo siyang hahayaan na makabalik ng Japan, lalong-lalo na sa Tokyo,” Mom said and even if I was not able to comprehend it, I knew she was not fooling around.

“Paano ang dream niya na makapag-aral sa Blandon High?” Ethan asked. “You know how much she’s seeking for revenge.”

“Pagbibigyan natin siya since hindi rin naman natin siya mapipigilan. Pero dapat hindi natin siya hahayaan na tuloyang mabulag sa galit. We’ll hide all her personal informations and we’ll not let anyone else know about it other than us.” Like everyone else, Dad was also serious. “Dapat natin siyang protektahan dahil ‘yon ang bilin sa’tin.”

“I understand.”

“Ethan, listen to us. Promise us that that you will keep her safe always. Promise us that, Son.”

That was the last thing I remember from my parents before their unfortunate accident.

I immediately woke up, panting. Sobrang bilis ng tibok ng puso ko at ang hiling ko bago pa man ako makatulog ay hindi natupad. I was still bothered by my thoughts and I was still pretty stressed out.

I checked the time and it said 12:00 p.m. I slept for four hours. Not just that,

I had a dream again and it was long.

Noon, hindi ko pa naintindihan ang mga sinasabi ng mga magulang ko. Pero ngayon, naiintindihan ko na at hinding-hindi na ito lumabas sa isipan ko.

My parents never answered me kung bakit kami lumipat ng tirahan sa U.S. However, when they died a few days after we moved in, they said nothing to me but,

“Steal and tori.”

Bakit ba ayaw nina Mommy at Daddy na bumalik ako sa Japan? At anong ibig sabihin ng ‘bilin’ that Dad mentioned?

I stood up and walked towards the mirror. Tiningnan ko ng mabuti ang sarili ko habang nakasuot pa rin ng uniform ng Blandon High.

“Is revenge the only thing I am looking for?” tanong ko sa sarili ko na kahit kailan ay hindi ko kayang sagutin.

Nakita ko ang cellphone ko sa bedside table. Nanlaki bigla ang mga mata ko nang may maisip akong paraan.

I quickly picked up my phone and looked for a staff from our company or anyone that Ethan knows that might help me. Nang makahanap na ako, tinawagan ko ito kaagad.

“Hello?” The person on the other line spoke.

“It is me.”

“M-Ma’am R-Raven?! P-Pasensya na p-po! H-Hindi ko n-napan—”

“What are you doing right now?” I cut the person off. “Are you busy?”

“P-Po? H-Hin—”

“I need you to do something for me,” I said.

I could not fathom what I was feeling when I said those words. Para akong na-e-excite, at the same time ay kinakabahan din.

“A-Ano po, Ma’am?” I could not help not to smirk hearing that question. Maybe I was just looking forward for the trip.

“I need a jet.”

•••••Third Person’s POV•••••

The cold, refreshing air slapped his face as he was sitting on top of a tree. Meron siyang malalim na iniisip hanggang sa naramdaman niya ang pagbago ng ihip ng hangin.

A smirked plastered on the person’s flawless face na para bang kinakausap niya ang hangin at binigyan ng isang mabuting balita.

“I see,” sabi niya, hindi pa rin nawala ang ngiti sa mukha. “So, the bird of death has finally decided to pay the land of the rising sun a visit.”

Eventually, kinuyom niya ang kanyang mga kamao at bigla na lang nagbago ang kanyang ekspresyon. Ang mga dahon, maski ang puno kung saan siya nakaupo ay bigla na lang namatay. Even the animals that were passing by and searching for food.

“This is bad.”