LEO'S FRIENDS handled the commotion he made right after their graduation ceremony. Everyone was having and there's her boyfriend, punching someone. They're having a celebration outside and a family meeting inside their house.

Well, Leo's parents agreed to celebrate their special day together.

"Son, I am asking you! Bakit mo ginawa 'yon?" galit na tanong nito sa anak. His father was mad. This may be the first time he witnessed his son raising his fist to someone and it was full blown.

Maski siya ay nagulat dahil sa lakas ng pagkasuntok ni Leo sa lalaki.

Leo didn't answer his father. Nakayuko lang ito at salubong ang kilay na nakatingin sa kamay nito. The hand he used to punch Russel.

His mother was caressing Leo's back, it was her way to comfort her son. Habang ang Ate Pisces naman nito ay tahimik lang na nakatingin kay Leo. Analyzing her own brother.

"Why did you pull that kind of stunt right after the graduation? Paano kung bawiin nila 'yang mga nakuha mo ngayon?" His father continued.

Rayos bit her lower lip. She was actually thinking about it. Paano kung magreklamo ang lalaki na 'yon? Of course, she won't let that happen. If they need to use every connection they have, then she'll use them wisely and thoroughly.

"Leo!" His father yelled at him but Leo remained silent.

His silence made his father mad at him more. His mother sighed. Nilapitan nito ang asawa at ito naman ngayon ang kinakalma. Ate Pieces, on the other hand, mukha na itong problemado ngayon. Of all people, she knew her brother more.

Tahimik lang si Rayos sa tabi ng mga kapatid niya. Her brother's wife was outside and entertaining their visitors in their behalf.

Bahagya siyang siniko ni Vyrlle at pairap na tumingin sa Kuya nila. Umangat ang tingin niya sa kapatid nilang lalaki.

Jyrelle Vraxx Clemente was smirking as if he's proud of what Leo did.

"Stop smirking." Rayos hissed.

Lumingon sa kanya ang kapatid, "Sorry. Hindi ko mapigilan. I'm proud, baby."

Umingos siya sa kapatid.

He leaned in a little and whispered, "Ahh, mas gusto ko na siya ngayon."

Rayos let out a sarcastic laugh. Of course, he'll like him more. May ginawa ba naman ang boyfriend niya na ginagawa rin nito noon. Swinging his fist like there's no tomorrow, in comparison, Leo swung his and hit his target, in one swift move… his target almost lost his precious life.

"I'm guessing, Cay. Hindi na napigilan ni Leo." Vyrlle whispered, bahagya rin itong ngumiti sa kanya.

Nicha once said that they already warned that guy. Guess that warning was still not enough to scare him. What a brave guy… he must really like chasing death.

"What did you do to him?" mahina na tanong niya sa kambal. Takot na marinig ng kapatid nilang lalaki.

Vyrlle shrugged. "Nothing much. He pissed me off but my conscience—luckily—is still intact. I show him some mercy. Sana pala hindi na 'no?"

His father was still urging Leo to talk to him but still no response from him. Nag-uumpisa nang mag-alala si Rayos. It's like he's isolating himself to his own thoughts, hindi naririnig, rather… wala na itong pakialam sa kanila.

Hanggang sa mapagod ang tatay nito. Nagpaalam ang mga ito na lalabas muna para kumalma ang padre de pamilya ng mga ito.

Akmang lalapitan na niya si Leo nang pigilan siya ng mga kapatid niya. Jyrelle was gently holding her elbow, ganoon din ang kambal niya.

"What? I'll talk to him," aniya at sinubukan na makawala sa hawak ng mga ito.

"Sa labas muna kayo. I'll talk to him. Go." Their father said. Dismissing them. His voice was lowly dangerous.

The kind of voice that commands them to obey his order.

"Rayos," her brother called her name.

Tumingin muna si Rayos kay Leo, sunod ay sa Daddy nila. He has a soft smile plastered on his lips. Assuring her that he won't nag Leo. Because that's not what he needed right now.

It took her some time to realise that her boyfriend wasn't responding to them. That he was really isolating himself, in order to avoid any questions that could stir his emotions.

Years of having Leo by her side. Alam ni Rayos na anak na rin ang turing ng Daddy nila kay Leo.

"Trust me, princess…" Their father uttered.

Bahagya siyang tumango at tumingin sa Kuya nila. Saka lang niya napansin na wala na pala sa tabi niya ang kambal.

Palabas sa bahay, nakita niya si Vyrlle na kasama si Light. Rayos softly smiled. She can still remember how Vyrlle think twice to confess her feelings for him. Hindi na niya inistorbo ang mga ito at dumeretso na sa labas.

"Vraiose! Right?" Marco, one of Leo's friends, asked her.

"We saw his family… Si Leo?" nag-aalala na tanong ni Geo.

"He's talking to my father. Don't worry, he's fine. Kumain na ba kayo?" tanong niya sa mga ito.

She felt bad for taking so much of their time. Dapat ay kasama ng mga ito ang pamilya nila.

Lancell shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly and smiled. "We're done. Kanina pa kami nandito."

"About… that guy. Don't worry, we already settled it. Hindi na 'yon magpapakita sa inyo." Geo smiled at him.

Pinantayan ni Rayos ang ngiti nito. She didn't even bother to asked how's that girl. Sapat na sa kanya na mababawasan ang sakit sa mga ulo nila. If not, that guy must be ready to face Satan. She'll raise hell if he did something to her man again.

***

HE WAS questioning himself. After he did that, para talaga siyang ibon na nakawala sa hawla, para siyang hayop na nakawala sa kadena na nilagay sa leeg niya. But there's something wrong inside him.

Was it his conscience?

Or there's something else?

Which of the two? Maybe, there's more?

Nang makabalik siya sa katinuan, silang dalawa na lang ng Daddy ni Rayos ang nasa loob ng bahay. Leo was expecting the man of Clemente's household to nagged him, just like what his father did.

Leo was taken aback that he couldn't hide his shock when Brylle patted his shoulder.

He asked. "How are you feeling?"

"Horrible…" Leo answered. His voice almost faded.

"After punching that guy?" Brylle asked again.

Umiling si Leo. "After punching him? No, I feel satisfied."

"Why is that?" mahinahon na tanong nito sa kanya.

His voice was calm and soothing. Leo almost forgot that his profession required this man to talk like that. Nonetheless, he let himself drown and soothed by it.

"Almost a year… of pestering me, holding myself back because I have a reputation to uphold. Punching him was the best thing I've ever done." Leo answered honestly. He was playing with his own fingers. His eyes are not leaving Brylle's gaze.

"And now you're feeling… horrible. May I know the reason?"

Suminghap si Leo. "Because it wasn't me. It wasn't the Leo they knew. It wasn't the same Leo that Rayos likes. Hindi ho kasi 'yon ang nakilala niyo."

"So you're saying, you still care about your reputation. Hindi sa school niyo… Kung hindi sa amin, at sa anak ko?" Brylle asked.

He wanted to punch himself right now. Pagak siyang tumawa at marahan na tumango rito. He cares about it all the damn time.

Hindi siya sanay na may ibang kausap na lalaki si Rayos maliban sa pinsan at kaibigan ng kapatid nito. Seeing Rayos laughing and talking comfortably to other guys, doon na nag-umpisa si Leo na takutin ang sarili niya.

That if he let himself do something her family won't like. He'll be kicked out. The promised, sigurado na tutuparin 'yon ng mag-ama. And the possibility of welcoming another guy aside from him scares the shit out of him.

Brylle sighed after a moment of silence. "I know you're aware that I couldn't handle Jv and Ion's temper when it comes to doing stuff I don't really like. I can only feel their frustrations, and anger… and I also felt your anger towards that guy. What could be the reason? Violence is never part of the solution to a problem. What made you do it?"

Leo saw how curious Rayos father was. When Vyrlle and Nicha first told him not to mention that issue to their father, Leo agreed.

"You must be tired… It's okay, you can tell me next time—"

"No, Tito… I'll tell you now," aniya.

And so, Leo started to talk and feed Rayos' father the information he needed. Kung kailan nagsimula ang pasiring ni Russel, how he continually mocked him, threatening him that he'll seduce his Rayos.

But after some time, he never succeed. Rayos rejected him before. Madali na lang para kay Rayos na gawin ulit 'yon.

Sinabi rin ni Leo kung paano nito kinalat ang tsismis tungkol sa kanilang dalawa ni Vyrlle. Wala siyang pinalampas kahit konting detalye.

How that guy described their relationship as gruesome… puting malice in every action he made.

And as Leo told Brylle how that guy harassed his twins using his twisted words. His facial expression also changed. He was calm when they started and now his face was more dangerous than his own son.

It was Leo's sign to stop.

"Let's talk again once I am calm." Brylle said and left him.

☕