Chapter 17: THE JEFE

As we entered this room, filled with a blue light, there’s a circular couch. A man wearing a silk black long sleeved, tacked in his jeans. I can’t recognize his face kasi nakatalikod siya sa amin.

“I didn’t expect someone’s gonna survive this game,” he spoke

“We won the game, you should free us by now!” I told him.

A moment of silence again after that he turned to us, he was eating a lollipop and then a sudden flashback hit me.

“I am Hyntall Atticus Ressero. The first heir. Kliosate’s half-brother,” he introduced and offer his hand. I just smiled at him and shake his hand but he was about to kiss my hand but Klio interrupted.

“Know your limitations, Hyntall,” Klio said seriously. Hyntall let go of my hand and looked at Klio and he laughed.

“Coming from you, huh? Really?” He smirked

“I am not like you,” he added. I looked at both of them curiosly. The rest are just chilling.

“I don’t need your opinion, Hyntall,” Klio muttered but before the tension in here increased someone interrupted us. It was this guy whose hair is braided and eating a lollipop.

“Hi, don’t mind them. They’re just like stray dogs barking on each other in the streets,” he said at natawa yung dalawa na chill-chill lang habang itong dalawa mukhang nagkakainitan na. Lumapit siya kayna Klio at Hyntall and inakbayan niya ito pareho, kinuha niya ang kinakain na lollipop and kissed them in cheeks. I saw Klio and Hyntall’s face being disgusted at natawa ako sa kalokohan nito. He then again licked the lollipop.

“You want?” He offered me his lollipop. I can’t, with this man.

“Just kidding.” He laughed.

“Lade, you’re disgusting!” Ruishan interrupted with a disgusted face.

“Hoy, kung kailan matanda ka na do’n ka pa nandiri? Samantalang noong mga bata pa tayo ang hilig mong maglaro sa tae nang mga kabayo. “

“Tanga! It was Klio and Hyntall.” Then three of them laughed, probably not Klio and Hyntall.

“Ikaw rin, bobo! Lollipop ko lang ‘to. Baka nga kung kani-kaninong lollipop dinidilaan mo,” natatawang saad nito. Wait, parang may ibang meaning na ‘yon ah? It’s just me? Ang dirty ng utak ko.

“¡Mierda! Shut up!” sabi nito tsaka tumawa ulit.

“Words!” another man spoke, I don’t know who it was. Maybe their brother again?

“You guys are hilarious! By the way, who are you?” I asked him.

“Leyra, he is Lade,” Klio introduced but he interrupted.

“I’m Ladegeuh Atticus Kasuier, you can call me Lade or simply Lad. The most handsome—”

“LIAR!” Everyone disagreed.

“Don’t listen to them. It’s pure facts.”

“Lade, enough with your illusions!” Riushan spoke and throw him a book.

“You bunch of shits!” he exclaimed sarcastically and get the lollipop from his mouth.

“Fine! I’m Ladegeuh Atticus Kasuier, Kliosate’s cousin. The fourth heir,” he said

END OF FLASHBACK

“LADE?” wika ko, because I was really shocked on what’s happening.

“You? You’re alive?” he asked, look like he was also in shocked. I guess he recognized me now.

“What? Do you expect me to be dead?” I asked him kasi nagtaka rin ako sa sinabi niya. Di niya sinagot ang tanong he just turned to Krio.

“This game should only have one winner,” he said

“Don’t tell me you’re the one behind all of this?” I asked

“I am,” wika nito.

“So you’re the jefe, everyone is talking?”

“Yes, I am the jefe.”

“Why are you doing this?” tanong ko sa kanya

“You’re killing people for this stupid game?!” sigaw ko sa kanya.

“I’m not forcing them to join, they’re the one who puts themselves in this game so better know the consequences.” Sabi niya

“Why?” tanong ko ulit sa kanya.

“For fun!” He laughed at licked the lollipop.

“THIS ISN’T FUNNY!” I shouted.

“Well for me it is. Funny to see what this elite people are willing to risk just for the price.”

“That price is useless when they’re all dead!” I muttered.

“For them it is. But for you and this guy—” Lumapit siya kay Krio and they both looked at each other seriously kulang na lang magsapakan sila. Anyway, magka height lang sila, “Is not. So Lucky!” he added

“What’s the price?” Nagulat ako nang biglang nagsalita si Krio.

“Where the clover is the queen!” Lade answered.

“I expected a woman would win this game. Where the lucky is the queen,” he said.

“What do you mean?” I asked him again kasi naguguluhan na talaga ako.

“Don’t you get it? This game is a roller coaster of life and death because the price is an Atticus. That lucky one, I will make her a queen. This is me looking for a wife. But then I didn’t expect that two will survive and funny because a wife I’m looking for is my supposed to be cousin in law and the other one is a guy. So, I must do something about it right?” he said and turned his eyes to Krio

“You’re not supposed to be here,” he added pertaining to Krio.

“LADE, STOP PLAYING WITH US!” I shouted again lumapit siya sa’kin at akmang hahawakan ang mukha ko.

“Don’t touch her!” Krio grabbed his hands and they looked at each other again intensely so I interrupted them, narinig ko na rin na tumunog ang relo na binigay sa’kin ni Krio.

“This isn’t the right way of finding a wife. You don’t force love. You need to feel and experience the love you deserved. You know you deserve better. Please stop this! Just let us go,” I said to him at medyo nag iba ang awra ng mukha niya

“Klio doesn’t want to see you like this, if he’s still alive,” I said and they both turned to me.

“And, do you think Klio want to see you hanging with someone?” He looked at Krio again.

“You’d better know whose you’re hanging with,” he said to me.

“He’s my doctor, Lade,” I explained.

“Please, you should stop this! Klio doesn’t want you to be like this!” I added.

“A piece of sh*t!” he whispered.

“What?” tanong ko sa kanya

“FORGET HIM!” he shouted.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said at umupo sa couch while still licking that lollipop. Yeah, Ladegeuh is a fond of sweets since then especially lollipop. You can recognize him not only with his braided hair but also with that one.

“You know what Lade, because of what you’re doing right now, parang wala ka na rin pinagkaiba from those murderers who killed your cousin,” giit ko sa kanya.

“I didn’t expect you to be this brave, Leyra. I’m proud of you,” he said calmly and smiled at me.

“Don’t worry I will not make you my wife. I respect Kliosate a lot and his supposed to be wife,” saad nito at tumayo ulit siya at may binigay sa akin na small box, looks like a ring box.

“Keep that. You can leave now,” he added and Krio interrupted us, he grabbed my hands

“Leyra, let’s go!” Krio said while looking at Lade. Tinanggal ko ang pagkakahawak niya sa’kin

“Wait, Lade I am actually here to see one of you, have you already give justice to him?” I asked him at tinalikuran niya ako.

“Lade, please I need answers.” Pagmamakaawa ko sa kanya and he turned to me.

“Just forget him, Leyra. Everything about him,” giit nito

“Forg—” and I heard na tumunog na ‘yong relo ko. Then I forgot everything again.

“Leyra!” narinig kong tawag ng katabi ko. I looked at them.

“Who are you?” I asked them and I saw this man’s confused face na kaharap ko.

“It’s okay, I’m Krio, your doctor. We need to go now!” wika nito sa akin at hinila na niya ako papalabas ng pinto at bago pa man kami makalabas, someone spoke, yung lalaking kaharap ko kanina.

“Leyra!” we stopped for awhile and then I turned to him

“Don’t worry I’m not a killer, they’re all alive,” he said at medyo nagtaka ako sa sinabi niya. He turned to Krio.

“Take care of her!” bilin nito.

“Come on, Leyra.” At lumabas na kami.