Chapter Nine: The Truth

WHENA felt the hours like a month. The disguisting feeling is still not leaving her entire body. Her surrounding is mess, that's the reason why that feeling is still in here

Dahan-dahan syang gumalaw upang pumunta sa pintuan ng basement. She want to rest her body and mind earlier kaya hindi sya gumalaw kanina kung gugustuhin nya. Her mind is fully fulled at what happened again

But now is the time. She didn't know if that disguisting freak is going to wake up in the third time. When Whena remember what happened again earlier, her face disorted

Just remembering his name, make her vomit. Dalawang beses. In the second time that he fucked a girl in front of her, take an hour. Then he slept again. He cummed two times in those hour in his second round

"Freak. Freak. Disguisting. Disguisting." Paulit-ulit nyang bulong habang binubuksan ang pinto. Sa bawat pagakyat nya ng hagdan, she felt dirty for some reason

Now, because of that freak, she will feel something serious trauma at what happened at the basement. She's feeling tired right now

Sa labas ay rinig padin ang ingay na nang-gagaling sa bodiga. Maingat nya hinawakan ang door knob ng pintuan bago binuksan

The people inside turn to shocked when the door opened. Fear. Whena clearly know that Justine did something in this people

May 10 taong nakatali. May mga duck tape ang mga bunga-nga nito. Some of the face are familiar on her and some are not

Iniisa-isa nyang tinanggal ang tali sa mga ito. Kasama nadin ang duck tape. "Go to the nearest police station." Make that freak pay

They all thanked her. Sinabi din ng mga ito na sumama nya sya sa kanila pero may kailangan syang hanapin sa building na ito

She also want to help the girls in the basements that have drugs on their body, kaya binilin nya din sa mga ito na pagkatapos pumunta sa pulis, sabihin sa mga ito na may mga natira pa sa basement, na sabay-sabay naman kinatungo ng mga ito

She also asked them if a good looking man they saw but they none. She roamed again in the parking lot, hoping she will find Mr. Zero, but again her hope dissapointed her

"Mr. Zero.." She whispered. She's crying without a tears. With another day, hindi na naman nya makikita ang lalaki

It's not her every day life if the guy is missing. Yes, lagi itong makulit ngunit she always satisfied at his accompany. He always making her laugh, and feel the different emotion

She's literally lonely in their province. Hindi nya alam kung bakit ngunit walang nagkukusang kumaibigan sa kanya, dahil daw sa iba't ibang rason ng mga ito

So she didn't expect na makakakilala sya ng isang kaibigan at makakahalubilo dito sa bago nyang matitirhan. She growed closer at him. Sanay na siguro ang dalaga sa pangungulit ng lalaki

Kinapa nya ang katawan at hindi nya inaasahan na hindi mahanap ang kanyang cellphone. That freak. He said he didn't touch her but he did. A disguisting pervert freak is not really trustworthy

Bagsak balikat syang bumalik sa 2nd floor. After so many happened in her adventure, she discovered a disguisting freak, he's stalking at her, but she still didn't found Mr. Zero, her mission is failed

Lumiko sya sa corrido ng makita na... bukas ang ilaw ng apartment ni Mr. Zero. The light on his door are on! His here! In his apartment

She door bell quickly. "Mr. Zero!" Kumatok pa sya ng ilang beses. But nobody opened the door. Walang nagbukas ng buong ngiti na may pangaasar sa mukha nito

Kahit bumalik na naman ang kuryosidad nya, na ang resulta nito kanina ay nakakadiri at nakakasukang pangyayari, ay tinuloy nya ang pagbukas ng pinto

Again, the lights of the apartment is on. But he didn't open the door. "Mr. Zero?" Binuksan nya ulit ang mga pintong kaninang gabi nya binuksan, ngunit hindi nya nakita ang lalaki

Now for the last door, Mr. Zero room. Every room that she opened, the lights are on. She knocked before slowly opening the door

She wanted to cry. In anger? Sadness? Dissapointment? Or... happiness? Maybe the longing?

"Mr.. Zero.." Sabi nya pagkalipas ng ilang oras nyang pagtitig sa likuran nito

"Ms. Oas." Her tears is over flowing. She keep sobbing in relief. His here. Nothing happened at him

".. S-Sakit sa ulo.. ang binigay mo sakin." Nasabi nya sa gitna ng kanyang pagiyak. Ngiting aso lang ang binalik sa kanya ng lalaki

She really missed his smile. Hindi sya man lang sya napikon sa ngiti nito na palagi nakakaasar sa kanya

"Don't cry, Ms. Oas. Haha, I'm really sorry." He said while trying to wipe her face. But she's still not done at her crying time

"I.. don't w-want to." She stubbornly answered. Mr. Zero patted her head

"Shhh.." Whena knows what he's doing. Ganito ang lalaki kung paano magalo ng isang babaeng umiiyak. It's feels familiar but als not

"Saan kaba kasi galing." She glared at him. He pondered in a minute before he answered

"Vacation." He shrugged. Agad ko syang piningot. I always did this to him if naiinis ako sa kanya. He just laugh. "I really miss you, Ms. Oas."

She tsked. "You and you're sweet words, huh." Taas kilay nya dito at binitawan ang pingot na tenga. He just grin then slight touched his own ears

I just apologetic look at his ear. Poor ears that turning red. But she have some power para magalit dahil pinagalala sya nito ng matagal

It's one month. No communication but he said that he's in the vacation? Well, Whena is the matured one at the two of them but her brain is still childish

"You didn't miss me? You're still crying pa nga pero ayaw mo sabihin." Mr. Zero pouted. What a fool

"Of course." She hmphed

He laugh. "Say it, Ms. Oas. Say it, please." The word please coming from his mouth

"I... I also, m-missed you.." She stuttered. Her face is flush like the blood on her body

He heared the guy giggled. "Now you said it." Ngayon alam na nya kung ano ang pagkakaiba ng ngiti nito at sa... Napatinggin sya sa picture frame na nakalagay sa table katabi ng kama

"Malicious." Bulong nya

"Hm?"

"You're smile. It brings malicious kesa sa dati mong ngiti." She said while looking at the picture frame. Napatinggin din naman ang lalaki dito

"Oh. Did you not remember?"

Whena confusedly asked. "What?"

Mr. Zero casually eyes become cold but he tiddied up his mood, smiling at Whena while softly said. "Hen-hen."

Nostalgic rush through Whena's body. That why she grew more closer at this guy every time they hang out! Kaya pala magaan ang loob nya na hindi nya pa nararanasan sa ibang tao

And that's why she felt familiar at this picture frame. Because the half of this picture is at... her. In her house, at province

She's at a loss. "Oh ghud." Now, she's really a fool. He laughed because of her face

"Now, Now. I tried to kept calling you're parents para malaman kung kamusta kana, but it's still invalid. I still remember our first met, it's also in the Amusement Park sa probinsya. That's also the reason why I toured you in our Amusement Park here. I want you to experience and tell you kung gaano kaluma at kuripot ang Amusement Park sa province." She laughed. Kahit bata pa sila noon, napagdidiskitahan talaga nila kung gaano kaluma ang mga gamit at sasakyan noon

"So you knew from the start but you still acted like a stupid?" She frowned. He shook his head

"No. I laid so many evidence at you. I'm a picky eater. I have allergies at furs. Nagkwento ako ng kunti ng past ko. And last, the necklace." Nailabas ng dalaga ang kwintas. Kinuha nito and stared at it. "I planned to gift this to you, but hindi mo padin pala ako naalala."

"Oh gosh. Bakit hindi mo kasi sinabi?!" Sya pa talaga ang may malakas na loob na magalit dito. Sinuot nito ang magandang kwintas sa kanya. Pumwesto pa ito sa kanyang likuran bago ikabit. Then her tone become gentle but also stuttering. "I-I hurted you.. again." She's on the edge to cry again

"Don't cry, Hen-Hen. This is the reason why tito's not like me. Even you're the oldest, you are the cry baby one. Kaya napapagalitan ako na ako ang dahilan kung bakit kita napapaiyak eh." He joked. She giggled. Her dad is not really liked him

At first he didn't trust him. Naligaw kasi ito sa Amusement Park. Sinabi nito na iniwan sya ng mga magulang nya sa gitna ng Amusement Park. Of course she pitied him, she let him join their tour around the Amusement Park

At nang magga-gabi na, they decide to take a picture for a remembrance. Isa lang ang picture dahil nga may kaya lang sila, kaya napagdedisyunan nilang dalawa na, hatian ang picture. That's the silly reason why the picture is ripped apart

Hanggang sa lumaki na sya, nakalimutan nalang nya ang lalaki. Isang lumang litrato nalang para sa kanya ito dahil kailangan nyang paangatin ang pamumuhay ng kanilang pamilya

But now Whena remember something. It's their promise. It's exactly his promised

"Hindi kita kakalimutan, Hen-Hen. Ibabaon ko sa ala-ala ko ang mga oras na ito. Aalalahanin ko na ikaw ang nagbigay sakin ng pakiramdm na ito. Tandaan mo Hen-Hen, susuklian kita sa muli nating pagkikita."

"You finally remember." She heared a gentle and soothing voice. Kita nya ang kislap ng saya sa mata nito habang nakangiti

"Ano naman isusukli mo?" Mataray nyang tanong kahit kabadong-kabado na sya. She almost heared her own heartbeat. Whena is nervous and excited

Mr. Zero, Zer, smiled while hiding a dark intention on his eyes. "Me. That's how thankful I am. How I treasured, Hen-Hen. I will be with you, until death us apart."