Chapter Three

Walking behind him with my head down, though despite the unsettling butterflies in my stomach and the nonstop beating of my heart— I was sure because of fear… I still couldn't believe how did I manage to agree with him, again.

Sa normal na pagkakataon ay babantaan niya pa ako para lang pumayag akong sumama sa kaniya pero iyong kanina? Hindi na ako magtataka kung bakit nagawa niyang ngumisi na para bang amused na amused siya sa akin. Pumayag ako na sumama sa kaniya, ng walang pilitan, ng walang bantaang nagaganap.

Fraye, were you even in your right mind?!

I surely wasn't.

Ang pinakahuling gusto kong mangyari sa gabing ito ay ang makita niya ako pero ano pa bang inaasahan ko?

Every time an occasion like this occurred, it was either I would accidentally bump into him or he would always— always find me as if he was really looking for me. I would always find him at the end of the occasion or he would be my company all throughout the evening. That became a habit, one of the things I hated in every Min's party, his birthday the most.

Mahigpit na pinagsalikop ko ang mga kamay ko sa likod ko habang nakatitig sa malapad niyang likod, sobrang bagal niyang malakad na para bang tamad na tamad siya. Lahat naman talaga ng bagay ay tila kinatatamaran niya, I was surprised he still had time for this kind of occasions.

To console my upset heart and twirling gut, when arrived at a table full with good looking people, all dressed very nicely suited the occasion and were all laughing as if they were the only people in the hall, it was hard not to stretch my lips for a big smile when my eyes found the boxy smile of that one particular person as his deep-hooded eyes also found mine.

He was actually one of my favourite persons in this world.

"Kuya Taehyung!" I happily called him, almost jumping in my ground and too eager to finally get near him.

Mabilis na lumingon sa akin si Kuya Yoongi, ang mga tamad niyang malapusang mata ay matalim na tumitig sa akin na para bang hindi na naman niya nagugustuhan ang ginagawa ko kaya mabilis kong itinikom ang bibig ko at yumuko.

Fingers pinching fingers, my upper teeth curling over my lower lip, my heart felt like choking me again, I wanted to vomit. I could feel how silence instantly filled the atmosphere at the table, how they all became silent because of our arrival and how they all threw their attention towards us. Gone was the laughter and comfortable conversation as I felt my whole existence being roasted with stares.

One thing I hated about in this world, yes I liked the attention I was getting from my roses but in reality, I was a scaredy cat when it came to every people's eyes directed towards me. I wanted to tag along and be with a circle of people, I really wanted to, but I had really pampered a soft spot within me… I just liked company and not eyes.

Not eyes…

"Stop scaring the little girl, Yoo. Why do you hate her so much anyway?" Nakarinig ako ng boses na tila idinuduyan ako kasabay ng tunog ng upuan bago ko maramdamang may maiinit at malalambot na mga kamay na marahang humawak sa mga kamay ko.

Slowly raising my head, instantly caving into that familiar softness and comfort, I saw Ate Mira's sweet smile as if telling me that everything was fine and that she got me.

Her pair of big bright eyes now shaded with dark shadows maybe looked so cold and cruel but it still sheltered my fear, like how it always did. She had sharp features, and just like me, people also often thought she wasn't really kind, taking in how her physical appearance and all being screamed of braveness and stay-away-from-me vibe.

She was covered in an elegant apple red night gown, framing her beautiful body just like how her long brown curly hair framed her smooth beautiful face, white shoulders and arms out and chests so firm with the way her gown perfectly cupped them.

Lumunok ako saka mas lumapit pa sa kaniya, dahil alam ko, hindi ako magagawang saktan ni Kuya Yoongi kapag nasa paligid si Ate Mira.

Kuya Yoongi had always been so abnormally strange every time the nice and beautiful lady was around, it was like he couldn't do bad things just because the angel-like lady was watching. And I wouldn't mind used it as my leverage against the savage man, for even until he was very soft for the lady.

Kung puwede ko nga lang hilingin na manatili si Ate Mira malapit sa akin para tuluyan nang matigil si Kuya Yoongi sa mga ginagawa niya ay hihilingin ko talaga. I would ask my parents to ask her to stay with me if possible.

Plus, I was just a single child, I had always wanted to have a sibling. A sister.

"Maybe because he sees so much of you from the little girl, Miranda…" ani Kuya Jimin sa pabirong tono at nang mahanap siya ng mga mata ko ay una kong nakita ang nawawala niyang mga mata dahil sa pagkakangiti.

He looked so handsome with his blonde hair neatly brushed up, showing his smooth forehead, it reminded me of my girl classmates having his pictures as their phone's wallpaper. He was a famous model so they knew him. A pair of silver diamonds was shining in his earlobes, adding up to his manly appearance.

In the sea of formal suits and tuxedo, he managed to blend in even with his simple and casual white long sleeves oversized polo, sleeves too long for his arms and its ends tucked inside his black tight jeans.

He was too casual, casually handsome.

Moving my eyes beside him, sat silent and very sophisticated was his very gorgeous girlfriend in her super mint sweetheart-top dress, the deep hole on top of her dress that showed the roundness and firmness of her breasts was something every girl here would be the root of envy aside from the handsome guy beside her. Her long jet-black hair that ended with pale blonde hanging freely over her back as she did nothing but to put on her infamous resting bitch face, she was still very beautiful in spite of.

I could still remember the first time I had met her, she wasn't very talkative and very approachable but nevertheless, her silence was very comfortable. She didn't have sharp features like Ate Mira but with her poker face, anyone wouldn't even dare approach her for a conversation.

Bagay na bagay talaga sila ni Kuya Jimin. Noon pa lang ay humahanga na ako sa relasyon nilang dalawa, even my roses knew them. Hindi public ang relasyon nila sa social media, they just barely posted pictures of them together though both were socially active. Mas madalas talaga silang makitang magkasama at sobrang sweet in actual, no cameras and no filters.

I was a fan of their relationship.

Mahinang natawa si Ate Mira sa sinabi ni Kuya Jimin pero hindi na sumagot, pinisil na lang niya ang mga kamay kong hawak niya saka ako marahang hinila patungo kay Kuya Taehyung na nakangiti pa rin.

Somehow, seeing again the cheerful boxy smile of the sweet guy made my nerves calm.

He even stood up to pull the chair beside him for me, his stance looked so gorgeous and very princely in his pair of black silky suit and black slacks, tieless but with a black bowtie around his collar. His bright red hair, that I didn't think would seriously look good on anyone, was parted in half revealing his smooth forehead and giving emphasis of his deep hooded chinky eyes and very dark thick eyebrows.

Noon pa man ay talagang guwapong-guwapo na ako kay Kuya Taehyung. Pare-pareho naman silang magpipinsan, si Kuya Jin na siyang pinakamatanda sa kanila ang talagang pansin ang kaguwapuhan. Si Kuya Namjoon ang may pinakamalakas ang dating samantalang si Kuya Taehyung naman, para sa akin ang hindi nakakasawang titigan.

They were all very easy to go along with and very funny, but the younger one was way too close to me ever since. Siguro dahil siya ang pinakabata sa kanila bukod sa talaga namang nasasabayan niya ang takbo ng utak ko.

As I was properly seated, Kuya Taehyung went back to his seat as my eyes once again landed on that savage man who still stood and was looking— watching me intently with his beet red lips hardly pressed together.

Nang magtama ang mga mata namin ay nagpakawala siya ng malalim na buntong-hininga, bumuka ang bibig at mula sa loob ng bibig niya ay itinulak ng dila niya ang pisngi niya saka nag-iwas ng tingin.

My heart painfully beat at that. Palagi iyong nangyayari at alam kong walang ibang ibig sabihin iyon kung hindi takot. The cold man had planted a seed of fear on the veins of my heart, and he was the trigger.

"You still have things to do? You can leave us Yoo, and entertain your other visitors. We'll be fine," ani Ate Mira sa malambing na boses habang nakangiti kay Kuya Yoongi. She also remained standing beside the cold guy, very willing to wait for him or for whatever he planned to do through the night.

There was no doubt why people kept on pushing them both together, they really looked good together and blended each other very well.

Ngayong magkatabi sila ay talaga namang nag-uumapaw ang chemistry nila. Mahihiya ang ibang babaeng may gusto kay Kuya Yoongi sa hitsura na ni Ate Mira kasama ito. I didn't even think that there would any other girl who would suit him, only Ate Mira.

"Of course, he won't want to leave you here with us, Miranda. Why don't you join him, meet people on the other side of his world." Kuya Jimin chuckled that also made everyone in the table mimic him, except for Ate Hannan and well, me.

I failed to find the humour in it.

Napansin ko ring may kulang sa table nila, wala iyong dalawang parehong malakas tumawa. Kuya Jin and Kuya Hoseok always raced with who had the most loudest laugh every time they would laugh at a joke thrown by any of them.

Hindi naman nila ako madalas nakakasama, masuwerte nang sa tuwing may okasyon sa Min mansion ay madalas akong kaladkarin ni Kuya Yoongi sa table nila, at kung minsang dinadala ako ni Kuya Yoongi noon sa The Min's resto-bar sa tuwing sinusundo niya ako sa school.

They had a very funny and well, extraordinary circle. Mag-iisang taon na rin simula nang huli ko silang nakita na magkakasama ng ganito.

"Shut up, brute. You're making Mira uncomfortable," masungit na sabi ni Ate Hannan para sawayin si Kuya Jimin pero natatawang umiling lang ang huli, halatang natutuwa sa ginagawa.

"Uh, I… I a-actually don't mind, well, I mean, w-why not?" Ate Mira turned to Kuya Yoongi, a sweet smile was pasted on her red tinted lips.

"No, no, you better stay here. I'll just greet Julie's parents and then come back here." Bumaling muli sa akin si Kuya Yoongi na bahagyang nakapagpatalon sa akin sa kina-uupuan ko.

I moved a bit, scooting closer to Kuya Taehyung who seemed to be very oblivious of the effect that the cold man was sending my insides. Yumuko ako at pinaglaruan na lang ang mga daliri ko sa ibabaw ng kandungan ko, pinapanalanging sana ay magtagal siya sa pagbati sa mga magulang ko.

I was sure my parents were with his parents, that was how it had always been for them. Nasa iisang table parati, kung minsan ay naroon ako dahil kay Daddy na madalas naman din akong ibigay kay Kuya Yoongi.

I would be very delighted to stay here with his friends without him. Gusto ko rin namang maka-usap ang mga ito nang hindi ako nababahala sa mga matatalim niyang titig dahil palagi siyang nakabantay sa bawat kilos ko. I also wished Ate Mira could drag him somewhere away from this table and occupy his attention until the occasion ended.

"I think you should bring Mira with you, Yoongi. Jimin's right, it's your birthday so give this to yourself." Kuya Namjoon calmly said from across me as he raised his arm to check for the time on the black watch on his lightly tan wrist. "The night's passing so soon, have fun with your girl and we'll be fine here."

Gasping internally, it was hard to stop myself from standing up and giving Kuya Namjoon a big hug for what he said. Hindi pa nakatulong na talaga namang natulala na ako sa kaniya habang normal siyang nagsasalita dahil sa paglitaw ng malalim niyang biloy sa kaliwang pisngi.

I had always admired Kuya Namjoon, aside from he was just unconsciously making me feel very happy, ever since I met him, I had always admired him because I heard, he was very smart. They said it was like he had some advanced high-tech chip installed in his brain for it to operate crazily in a very smart way.

At such a young age, nabigyan na rin niya ng karangalan ang buong Kim Empire dahil sa mga nagawa na niya para rito. Sa kanilang magpipinsan, siya pa lang ang nabigyan ng prebilihiyong humawak ng mga deals with their direct investors from outside the country, the biggest at that. He was actually known as the young prodigy of Kim Empire, the future intelligence of the entire empire.

All of his time was being lent to his studies and Kim Empire. Such a witty and responsible man. While both Kuya Jin and Kuya Taehyung still needed to graduate to be able to land on a good position in any Kim Empire's company.

With a loud sigh, Kuya Yoongi managed to snatch my eyes from the smart guy. I silently uttered a thanks when he nonchalantly slid his hands inside the pockets of his slacks and turned his back on us, leaving silently.

It made me utter a deep sigh.

"I know you like him, Mira. You're too soft for him, please, don't give into him easily. I don't want to kick Kuya Yoongi out of this circle too, remember that."

Bago tuluyan sumunod si Ate Mira kay Kuya Yoongi ay nagsalita si Ate Hannan sa mahinang boses, tila wala nang choice kung hindi ang hayaan na lang ang kung anong dapat na mangyari. She didn't even look pleased even when Kuya Jimin suddenly planted a kiss on her cheek.

"They'll be fine, east. You worry too much for something that isn't supposed to be worrying."

"Seryoso ako. Oras na masaktan si Mira, isasama ko sa Kuya Yoongi sa listahan ng mga taong kinamumuhian k—"

"Hannan, both Kuya Hoseok and Kuya Jin had made mistakes but they've repented already. It was years ago—"

"You expect me to forgive them then?" Pinutol ni Ate Hannan ang sinasabi ni Kuya Namjoon sa sarkastikong tono. Masama ang tingin niya kay Kuya Namjoon, kahit si Kuya Jimin na nasa tabi niya ay kunot-noong nakatitig din kay Kuya Namjoon.

Tikom ang bibig ko habang pinapanood ang biglaang pag-iinit ng usapan sa mesa namin. Hindi ko alam kung anong pinag-uusapan nila at pakiramdam ko ay wala dapat ako rito.

Kuya Taehyung who sat silent beside me also had his lips sealed while watching his friend. Siya ang sunod sa aking pinakabata sa mesa bukod kay Ate Hannan kaya naintindihan kong hindi niya rin gustong makisabat.

"That's not what I meant, you should also move on—"

"Did you even treat my sister as a friend?"

Sinakop ng nakakabinging katahimikan ang mesa pagkatapos noon. Chatters of people around the hall, the music served by the orchestra and some other noises didn't manage to break the silence that killed the atmosphere.

I really wanted to stand up and escape the table, but I was afraid Ate Hannan would burst at me, seeing how her face was filled with disgust and anger. Gustuhin ko rin mang intindihin ang pinag-uusapan nila ay hindi ko magawa dahil masyadong limitado ang mga sinasabi nila. Though I knew both Kuya Hoseok and Kuya Jin, I didn't know why they all seemed very mad about such topic that involved the two.

"O-Of course, Hannan, I did and I still do…" Kuya Namjoon's breaking and sad voice broke the silence.

"Well, you know what, it doesn't seem like it." Mabilis na tumayo si Ate Hannan, ang pag-urong pa-atras ng upuan niya ay lumikha ng nakakarinding ingay bago siya pagalit na umalis.

Eksasperadong tumayo rin si Kuya Jimin habang nagpapakawala ng malalim na buntong-hininga. He stared at Kuya Namjoon in disappointment. "We all know that her sister is her weak spot, Kuya. We all know how she always takes it whenever her sister is being mentioned. Let's understand that she still can't move on, she loves Milan so much that it's hard for her."

"Naiintindihan ko iyon, Jimin, pero kaibigan ko rin naman iyong dalawa. I was just trying to look at both sides—"

"I'm sorry, but please, please Kuya. Let's not just trigger her emotions, it's not so good seeing her upset." He then followed his girlfriend.

Sighing deeply, I let my lungs retrieve air since I had been deprived of it since the atmosphere heated up. Noon pa lang ay alam ko nang hindi maganda kung gagalitin si Ate Hannan, hitsura pa lang nito ay hindi mo na talaga gugustuhin pang galitin.

No one would even want to get on her bad side.

"Don't worry, Fraye, they're really like that. They're kind of complicated to understand but they're fine. You wanna drink?" Nilingon ako ni Kuya Taehyung, muli na namang pinamamahayan ang mga labi niya ng matamis niyang ngiti.

It was enough to somehow enlighten the intense atmosphere.

Si Kuya Namjoon ay mabilis na in-excuse ang sarili kaya naiwan kaming dalawa. Hindi pa man ako nakakasagot kay Kuya Taehyung ay hinarang na niya ang waiter na dumaan para humingi ng isang baso ng wine mula sa dala nitong tray.

With a charming smile, he handed it to me. "Try it, I'm sure, you drink wine…"

"Of course, Kuya. Just not beers, Kuya Yoongi won't let me," sagot ko nang tinanggap ko ang baso ng wine saka bahagyang sumimsim para ipakita sa kaniyang umiinom ako.

"I want to just stay here but if you like to dance or walk around, just tell me, I can give you a stride. Isa pa, mukhang wala nang balak bumalik dito iyong iba, Kuya Yoongi will be occupied with Mira so what do you think?"

Isa sa mga nagustuhan ko kay Kuya Taehyung ay parati niyang iniisip kung saan ako magiging komportable, kung sana ay katulad siya si Kuya Yoongi, paniguradong magkakasundo kami.

"Let me just take all this…" I raised my glass of wine. "And then you can drag me to the dance floor." Binuntutan ko iyon ng tawa na ikinatawa niya rin.

True to my words, after I had my empty glass put down on the table, Kuya Taehyung didn't waste a chance to lend his hand for me that I gladly took. I was even aware of the attention immediately drawn to us when we both stood up, hand in hand and smiling with each other.

They weren't aware that what we both felt for each other was purely brotherly and sisterly, that I had been hoping a brother like Kuya Taehyung.

Nagtungo kami sa lugar kung nasaan ang iba mga nagsasayaw at nakihalubilo roon. We solemnly danced with them, swaying with the flowing music coming from the orchestra until Kuya Taehyung grinned largely at me representing how his mind was thinking of something playful.

I knew him very well, I knew when he was being mischievous.

"No…" I said in between soft laughters as I shook my head, my hands that were on his shoulder went snaking around his neck.

"Did you know that I'm a good dancer?" His natural deep voice became even more deeper when he slowly neared his face to my ear to whisper me. Agad na nanuot sa ilong ko ang amoy niya, he smelled like chocolate as always.

"I'm seeing it now," sagot ko, sumasabay sa mabagal na sway na ginagawa niya.

"Uh-huh, but that's not what I meant. I can dance waltz, pretty good."

Bago ko pa man mahulaan ang gagawin niya ay naramdaman ko na ang pagdulas ng mga braso kong nasa leeg niya at ang mabilis na paghawak niya sa mga kamay ko. With my eyes widening at what I thought he was about to do, my voice got stuck up in my throat when he suddenly pulled me.

"Oh my God—!"

Hindi lang ang paningin ko ang umikot kung hindi maging ang buo kong pagkatao nang bigla niya rin akong iikot at ikulong sa mga bisig niya saka siya nag-bend forward kaya napahiga ako. A faint scream escaped my throat, my whole being got stunned and shook with what he did. Ni hindi bagay sa malamyos na tugtugin ang ginawa niya.

It was the ending step of a waltz dance.

"You should learn how to dance waltz, Fraye. It'll require you when attending a business-centered occasion someday."

"Itayo… i-itayo mo na a-ako." Mahina kong tinapik ang likod niya kung saan ako nakakapit saka sinubukang itayo ang sarili ko.

Sinunod naman niya ang sinabi ko. He carefully brought me back into my feet again while still grinning widely, as if he was very proud of what he just did to me when I could already feel every pair of eyes on us. Ang mga taong nagsasayaw ay natigil at natuon na ang atensyon sa amin kaya bahagya akong naasiwa. Yumuko ako saka ngumuso dahil sa kahihiyang biglang bumuhos sa akin, hinawakan ko ang kamay ni Kuya Taehyung.

"Let's go back t-to our… our table…" I lowly told him, lamely pulling his hand so he would agree.

"Okay, okay. Let's try the buffet then…"

"Kuya!"

He just laughed at me, obviously loving my embarrassment.

Well, at least, it was Kuya Taehyung who was with me and not Kuya Yoongi. I could afford a secondhand embarrassment with the sweet charming guy than a nightmare with the savage man.