LIGHT slept alone in their bed that night. Torturing his mind, questioning himself when did he made her feel like that? Hindi niya matandaan kung paano at anong oras siya nakatulog. He just found himself curled up and hugging Vyel's pillow.

The table and the drafting table of Vyel's were now empty.

Tamad siyang tumayo at nilapitan ang lamesa niya para kunin ang maliit na kahon na kinuha ni Vyel. Pati ang mga gamit na binili niya noon para sa kanya ay naiwan.

He picked it up and open the box. Bumungad sa kanya ang singsing na suot ni Vyel noon. Sinara niya ulit 'yon at binulsa. There's nothing he can do now. He already knelt down. He was more than willing to beg yesterday.  But he only received such harsh words from her.

Light rubbed his nape and walked around the house, her smile, the way she kissed him, everything! Kahit saan siya pumunta naaalala niya ang mga 'yon. Hanggang sa dalhin siya ng mga paa niya sa sala. Pabagsak siya na umupo sa sofa, this was her favorite place because she loved how comfortable the sofa was.

"Damn, what am I doing?" Light asked himself.

Nagpunta siya sa kusina at marahas na bumuntong hininga. To think that she cooked her favorite to woo him, just so she can work far from him. He clicked his tongue and grab the bottle of wine he saw and open it. Sa mismong bote siya uminom.

His friends were living their life the way they wanted to. Jyrelle was busy with his family company, yet he still have time to get laid if he wanted to. Same as Laur. He was asking himself what does it feel to bed different women every damn night? Does bedding one woman not feels the same?

He gasped for air when he finished one bottle of wine. Sumandal siya sa kitchen counter habang nilalaro ang bote sa kamay niya.

Lust...

"Lust. All this time... Wala akong pinagkaiba sa kanila?" He laughed at himself. "Am I not capable to love someone? Ayon ba ang gusto niyang iparating sa akin?"

He scoffed.

Maghapon siya na nakakulong sa bahay niya. He only blinked when he wants too. He's staring at the ceiling all day. When night comes, he stood up, took a quick shower and change his clothes.

He didn't bother to brush his hair. Light picked up his keys, in his head, he was already planning on how he'll spend his night. He slid himself inside his car and drove towards Alistair's bar.

As usual, maaga pa lang ay buhay na buhay na ang bar nito. The guard nod his head when he saw him. Hindi siya madalas magpunta dito but Alistair's made sure na kilala sila ng mga empleyado nito. Causes of trouble. Ayon ang tingin sa kanila ni Alistair kapag nandito sila. Maliban na lang sa kanya.

"What the hell?" Alistair exclaimed when he saw him.

Tumigil ito sa ginagawa niya nang makita siya. He's busy mixing poisons, and in front of her was a woman, the lady dressed up pretty good. But not his type.

"I want to drink... That's why I'm here." He informed him.

"Wait up!" Alistair shake his head and continue what he was doing.

Nagpapasikat lang naman ito sa babae na nasa harapan nito. When he finished doing her drink and served it. Hindi na nagulat si Light nang huliin ni Alistair ang mga labi nito at mariin na hinalikan. He rolled his eyes and called his bartender attention just so he can have his drink.

"Give me a drink. A hard one." Aniya.

"Sir, kumain na po ba kayo?" He asked, making Lights brows furrowed.

Light glance at Alistair who just finished sucking the woman's lips, he wiped his lips to remove the lipstick stain and laughed at him.

"Sorry, bud! Yves orders. Walang laman ang tyan, walang alak." Alistair explained.

Ang tanging laman lang ng tiyan niya ay ang ininom niyang wine pagkagising niya.

"I already ate." He lied flawlessly.

Alistair looked at him suspiciously but still nod his head, allowing him to have a drink. May nilapag na pulutan sa harapan niya pero tinitigan niya lang 'yon. Wala siyang gana na kumain. Light only wants liquor so he'll be drop dead when he go home.

"What happened?" Alistair asked.

Light shook his head. "We broke up." He honestly answered.

What's the point of lying? Malalaman din naman ng mga ito, lalo na at may pagkatsismoso ang isa sa mga kaibigan nila. Light can trade his life that Castiel won't tell even one soul if he finds out how bad their break up was. However, Laur was a different person. With the connections he has. Sigurado na may alam na 'yon.

"Was it bad?" Alistair asked again and he nod his head. "Life goes on, bud!" He said, not knowing if he's trying to console him or maybe not.

"Yeah, whatever." Light answered.

Naglapag ng isang bote ng alak sa harapan niya ang bartender ni Alistair at isang shot glass. Devil's springs Vodka. Alistair surely trained his bartender too well.

"Don't do anything stupid, okay? Give me a break. Kakatapos lang manggulo kahapon ni Mikael at Esel. Those two..." Alistair gritted his teeth and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Akyat lang ako, I still have a lot of things to do." Paalam nito pagtapos ay binalingan ang bartender niya at binulungan.

Light was sure na bantay sarado siya ngayong gabi.

He started pouring the Devil's springs Vodka in his glass and drank it straight. Light didn't care if someone sat beside him, and talking to him, touching him sensually. He's not feeling it. Pero dahil sa sunod sunod na paginom niya, he can feel his body getting numb and hot at the same time. He feels better. Or maybe that was only his imagination.

Because he felt like laughing now.

Lumingon si Light sa babae na nasa tabi niya, she's wearing a very seductive dress, her breast were in full shown.

"Why are you here?" He managed to talk straight, somehow.

The woman let out a flirty laughed, pinadaan nito ang daliri sa leeg niya at malagkit ang tingin nito sa kanya. Light knew that look very well. That's how women looked at his friends when they're inviting them to bed. Does this woman likes it too?

Bahagya itong lumapit sa kanya at bumulong. "Just like you, I wanted to have fun too."

"What a coincidence..." Light uttered and smirked.

"Want to play with me?" The woman asked.

Light must be so drunk. Kusa na gumalaw ang kamay niya at pumalupot sa baywang ng babae, he slammed his lips against her and kiss her mercilessly. He can hear her groaning, gripping his shirt tightly, he pushed his tongue inside her mouth and explored her mouth. Hanggang sa maglaban ang mga dila nila. Nagsalubong ang kilay niya. There's something wrong with him.

He gently pushed the woman and gasped for air.

"What the fuck! I told you to stay still and just drink here!" Singhal sa kanya ni Alistair nang makita siya nito.

"Ang sabi mo, 'don't do anything stupid'." He corrected and chuckled.

Alistair sighed and shake his head. "Bud, this is stupid. This is not you."

"This is not me? Ano pala?" He asked and laughed.

Hindi siya pinansin ni Alistair at tinawag ang mga bouncer nito para ipakarga siya. The woman was about to protest but Alistair shushed her off. Mas lalo lang siyang nahilo nang makapasok sa sasakyan ni Alistair. Smells like liquor.

Light closed his eyes and let Alistair fixed his seatbelt. After that, he called Castiel and told him to wait in the lobby. He rested the whole drive and only open his eyes when he heard Castiel's voice. Asking Alistair what the hell happened to him.

"Buti na lang wala ang kapatid mo, gago ka!" Stress na sabi ni Castiel.

Yeah, it was a good thing that Xyria wasn't here. She's going to blame Vyel again for sure. Ayaw niya 'yon.

Light can hear them throwing profanities as they held him and drag him towards the elevator. Hanggang sa makarating sila sa loob ng penthouse ni Castiel, sa kwarto nila ni Xyria. Castiel was the one who took care of him. Wiped his body and change his clothes.

He wanted to wiped his body on his own but he can't even lift his fingers. Naiisip na niya ang walang katapusan na panunumbat ni Castiel sa pagaalaga sa kanya.

Pero wala siyang narinig mula rito pagkamulat ng mga mata niya kinabukasan.

Instead of his teasing remarks, Castiel prepared a breakfast for him before leaving for work. There's also an Advil beside it.

"I need to work too..." Nasapo niya ang noo nang sumakit 'yon.

He was about to force himself to eat. Nasapo niya ang bibig nang maramdaman na masusuka siya at mabilis na tumakbo sa banyo. Mabilis siyang nag toothbrush pagkatapos.

Nawalan siya ng gana kumain dahil doon. He didn't even bother to drink the Advil. Nasapo niya ang tiyan niya nang kumirot 'yon. His brows twitched. Light doesn't know how did he reached their room. Agad niyang kinuha ang cellphone niya at tinawagan si Jyrelle.

[Hey, you okay?] Agad na tanong nito nang sagutin ang tawag niya.

"Help," paos na sagot niya habang iniinda ang sakit ng tiyan niya.

[Wait for me.] Jyrelle answered before ending the call.

Habol niya ang hininga at humiga sa kama habang sapo ang tiyan niya. It was hard to breathe, mas lalo lang na sumasakit ang tyan niya. He gritted his teeth as he patiently waited for Jyrelle to come.

#

Light woke up feeling groggy. Nagsalubong ang kilay niya nang marinig ang galit na boses ni Yves. And because of that, he closed his eyes again.

"Ang sabi ko walang iinom kung walang laman ang tyan niyo! Bakit mo pinainom?" Asar na tanong nito.

"Hindi ko naman alam!" Alistair answered, defending himself.

"Tanga." Yves spat.

"Tanga ka pala e," Kade teased Alistair.

"He's fine now. At least," he heard Caleb's voice. "Anyway, his parents will be here any time, nakakaistorbo kayo sa pasyente. Lumayas na kayo."

Light stays immobile and waited for them to leave.

"You can open your eyes now, bud." He heard Caleb's voice. Wala talaga siyang takas sa isang 'to. "Kumusta?"

"Hindi na ako bata. Bakit ikaw ang nandito?" Biro niya.

Caleb shrugged, "you'll get through it." He answered instead.

"Paano mo nakaya?" He asked.

"I don't know. One day I'm devastated, and the next day, weeks and months, I'm fine. I have a dream to reach. I don't want to used her as an excuse para hindi ko 'yon makuha." Caleb answered. "You want to be a well known architect, right? Then do that. Without her this time. Do it for yourself." He added.

Caleb left him dumfounded. Seconds later, his parents came in together with his siblings. His father and Xyria booked a flight to see him. Grex took care of him so their parents and Xyria can go home and rest.

"Wala ka bang pasok?" He patted his sister's head.

"It's okay, mahal naman ako ng mga prof ko." Pabiro na sagot nito sa kanya. "Kuya, don't make us worried again. We know how much she means to you... Pero mas importante ka sa amin, don't you ever do something like this again."

Umangat ang sulok ng labi ni Light. "Tell me, sino ang kasama ni Ate pumunta sa Batangas?"

Umiwas ng tingin si Grex sa kanya at ngumuso.

"Grex?" He called.

"Si Ate Bridj, tsaka ako..."

"Who slapped her?" Light asked again.

"Si Ate Bridj, tapos si Ate. Ako, hindi... I like her, but what she did was wrong." His sister honestly answered.

Sa ilang araw na nasa hospital siya, hindi pumalya si Yves sa pagpapadala ng pagkain. Nakabantay din ito sa kanya, hindi umaalis hanggat may laman pa ang lunch box na dala nito. He's bored to death. He can't touch his phone and play because of his dextrose. Wala rin ang kapatid niya dahil may kailangan itong bilhin na materyales para sa project na pinapagawa rito. At mamaya pa ang dating ng mama nila.

"Hey,"

Napalingon siya sa may pintuan nang marinig ang boses na matagal na niyang hindi naririnig. Vyrlle was standing there. May dala itong mga prutas.

"How are you?" She asked and smiled sweetly at him.

Ilang beses siyang kumurap dahil baka namamalikmata lang siya. Lumapit ito sa kanya at basta na lang siya nito niyakap ng mahigpit.

"What happened? You're so gloomy. You're supposed to shine bright, Luca."

Light didn't know why but after a days of feeling nothing but emptiness, he finally laughed. A genuine one. His face lit up as Vyrlle hugged him.

"Right..." He answered when he sobered up.

☕