n. a sadness that you'll never be able to know how history will turn out.

* * *

"Blanco-moreno," I heard Julian remarks with a sigh.

I look at him for a second, finding him standing just behind me along with the rest of the seven muskeeters.

Like the rest, Julian has his arms crossed across his chest, eyes focused onto where General Emilio Aguinaldo sits opposite to the Spaniard sent by Governor-General Fernando Primo de Rivera, his nephew and aide-de-camp Lt. Col. Miguel Primo de Rivera, with a lot other generals of Aguinaldo gathered close to them as they discuss matters for some peace treaty. After all the insurgencies and deaths to be sacrificed, they are negotiating.

I sigh heavily. Perhaps it had been better if they've negotiated first, then fight if it doesn't work. How true Dr. Rizal's words that the only way this will be quenched is through the power of the pen.

"Hmm? Blanco-moreno din naman karamihan sa mga Pilipino, ha? Dahil sa kanila," Colonel Enriquez says, standing next to me. He didn't even inclined his head to look back at Julian, keeping his eyes on the same direction as the others, and even striking the same pose of having his arms crossed across his chest. "Anong kamangha-mangha? Anong kakaiba?"

"Yung ilong," Juan laughs a little. "Masyadong matuwid. Matangos."

"At medyo malapit sa maputi ang kutis niya," Gabriel adds.

"Parang Blanco-moreno-blanco," agrees Felix.

Lesyo shakes his head. "Hindi. Blanco-blanco-moreno."

"Matangkad din kasi," Totoy interjects, crackling a dry chuckle. He slaps a hand onto Colonel Enriquez's shoulder. "M-Ma..." He bites his tongue to keep himself from laughing much louder. "Matangkad nga kasi."

Colonel Enriquez frowns and closes his eyes. He removes Totoy's hand by his shoulder and answers, "Blanco-blanco-moreno na matangkad."

Isidro leans his lips close to my ear and whispers, "Kung ako sa iyo, lalayo na ako kay Enteng. Baka mamaya ay isang nag-aalburotong bulkan iyan kapag nagalit."

I turn slightly to him with a small smile. "Mukha nga."

He straightens up after a light chuckle and I return back to where the two leaders are.

However, my eyes shift away a second from them, meeting then Goyo's eyes who've been standing just two feet away from where Aguinaldo is seated. And somehow, he doesn't look amuse.

# # #

I didn't understand much of the treaty that happened, and the things that abide it. Good thing that I can go check it back home once my presence here is no longer needed. I can even look it up once then what originally happened, when I've been too busy listening to the side comments of the seven musketeers of Pitpitan regarding on how Lieutenant Colonel Miguel Primo de Rivera looks. (And how they seem to tease Colonel Enriquez in his difference of height if he'll be standing next to the Lieutenant Colonel.)

After the treaty, a signing and shaking of hands, the rest of the soldiers scatter. We leave the site of the signing, in Pablo Tecson's house, and once outside, decided to wait for Goyo. The latter, along with the rest of the leaders closest to Aguinaldo had been gathered for some immediate meeting. Whatever they are talking about is one that is off-limits from us who weren't even of interest for the General.

"Ibig ba sabihin talaga nito ay wala ng digmaan?" I ask Isidro personally. The others had been talking about how the pact will affect them all starting now that it is in effect.

Isidro nods. "Sa ngayon. Tigil-putukan. Malay natin sa ibang parte ng bansa. May iba na hindi kinikilala si Heneral Aguinaldo bilang ang pinaka-pinuno ng lahat ng ito simula noong namatay si Supremo. Pero, hindi ibig-sabihin nito ay tapos na ang laban." He looks at me. "Nasa iyo pa ang mangga na binigay ko sa iyo?"

I take the mango that he had given me a few weeks already, always nestling on the pocket of my skirt since it hadn't been huge or heavy at all. It had been petite and light, and surprisingly, yet to rot despite how long it had been already. "Gaya nung sabi ko sa iyo dati... di pa rin ito nabubulok. Talaga bang ligtas pa ito kainin kahit hindi naman siya mukhang bulok?"

He nods again with a smile. "Wala ka dapat ipag-alala, (Y/N)."

I nod in return, gulping in hard a little before I return the mango back to my skirt. "Kapag umalis ako dito, ma-sasave naman yung progress ko, ano?"

"Sabihin na natin na walang nagtangkang burahin ito, oo," he explains.

"Pendejo."

I freeze, hearing the voice of the only person who calls me that. Even Isidro stops right away and turns his eyes to Goyo who is drawing closer to us. I notice the rest of the generals leaving Pablo's house. It looks like their meeting is already finish, and whatever it is about, seems stressful, based on how the other generals appear to be. Just as how Goyo's shoulders, also, slack a little. "Goyo," I call back, watching him.

His eyes are sharp as he looks at me for a second and then to Isidro and the rest. The rest of the musketeers notice him as well. The first one to call him had been Julian.

"Goyong," Julian remarks before hugging his younger brother for a second. Upon pulling away, he asks, "A-Ano? Anong pinag-usapan niyo kanina nila Heneral?"

We all look at him, waiting for what he is about to say. He sighs heavily and after a minute, he answers, "Isinasama ako ni Heneral sa Hong Kong."

# # #

Apparently, one of the conditions of the pact is for Lieutenant Colonel Miguel Primo de Rivera to come with Aguinaldo to Hong Kong as hostage. And not only the two of them will be part of the exile, but every capable leader who've fought under the banner of the Philippine Revolution—or anyone that Aguinaldo wishes to bring along with him to Hong Kong. Wherein they'll be exiled there for who knows how long, with a payment of eight hundred thousand Mexican dollars in three installments.

All for the sake of a peace treaty that both sides seem to agree on. Unless, for now, we all know that that's what the two sides wanted. But we know, also, that it will not be like that. There's still the usual hidden agenda from both parties.

That afternoon, coincidentally, when I've decided to take a walk, I find where Goyo is. He is throwing rocks to the river, trying to make them skip in order to reach the other side. Pushing every one of them to skip in order to make it across. However, despite all the rocks skipping, none of it make it the other side.

I don't know if he realized my presence already, but he doesn't show any sign of surprise when I ask him, "Kailan mo balak bumalik sa may sa inyo?"

"Ibig mo bang sabihin, sa Bulakan mismo?" he asks as he searches for another stone to skip across the river.

It takes me a moment before I answer, "Oo. Kakailanganin mo mag-ayos ng mga gamit din, di ba?"

"At magpaalam kala nanay," he adds. "Alam ko na baka hindi pa nila ako payagan. Ang dahilan kung bakit nandito ako kasama si kuya ay iyon lang ang paraan para payagan nila ako sumama sa himagsikan." He throws another stone. It skips thrice above the water before falling like the rest. "Sumama na rin si Juan, bilang dagdag 'pangpalubag-loob' nila nanay na walang mangyayaring masama. Tapos, ngayon, ako lang ang isinasama ni Heneral..." He laughs a little before picking another stone and looks at me. "Baka hindi na ako palabasin ng bahay."

"Mas lalo mo kailangan umuwi ng mas maaga kung ganoon. Dalawang linggo na lamang bago kayo umalis."

He throws the rock again, trying to make it skip across another time. Fail. "Hindi ko alam. Wala naman silang magagawa. May siguradong pasaporte na para sa akin. At kung hindi ako magpapakita sa araw ng pag-alis, baka mas lalong magkaroon pa ng digmaan. Maiintindihan din naman nila."

"Siguro. Pero, di mo rin naman sila maiiwasang hindi mag-alala sa iyo. Anak ka nila."

Goyo straightens up, stopping on his desperate trial to make the stone skip across the river. Looking at the other side of the river, watching the sun setting, he tells me, "Nabalitaan ko kay Isidro na aalis ka din. Kailan mo balak umalis?"

"Kahit kailan ko gusto," I answer, shrugging a little. Somehow, I am glad that I manage to reply normally, since it surprised me that Isidro told him that I am to leave at any moment. I don't know, probably for good? But for now, at how this game currently stands, I think that I can leave, at least.

He suddenly turns quiet and after a minute, picks up another rock and throws it. The rock skips once, twice, and then thrice, and, finally, reaches the other side of the river. "Kakailanganin din natin talaga bumalik sa atin. Sa mga taong naiwan natin. Kahit nagbago na tayo. Kahit kailangan natin harapin ang hinaharap."

I didn't say anything at that, on how much he is starting to talk in riddles that I can't comprehend.

Goyo looks at me and draws closer. He stops just next to me and says, "Magkikita pa tayo, ano?"

I shrug, pouting a little. "Depende na. Bahala na."

He smirks and draws a little bit much closer. "Hindi pa tayo tapos, Pendejo," he murmurs with a light chuckle before he walks away.

I watch his fleeing figure, remembering his words.

Kahit kailangan natin harapin ang hinaharap.

I sigh and take the mango from my skirts pocket.

Kakailanganin din natin talaga bumalik sa atin.

* * *

A/N: Follow me on twitter @23meraki for more updates. ;)

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