VYRLLE STAYED in his hospital room for an hour, Light can't play his favorite game, which was ML. So, Vyrlle installed another game on her phone, a 2 player game. Para lang hindi sila mainip, there's still some awkwardness around them. Probably because she's been avoiding him or should she say, she's treating him differently.

Malamang ay hindi ito sanay ngayon na nasa iisang lugar lang silang dalawa. Vyrlle can't even calm her heart. It's beating too fast and she's afraid that Light might hear it.

"Your turn," she uttered after tapping the screen of her phone to roll the dice.

She installed snake and ladders, wala naman siyang ibang alam na laro.

Tahimik lang nitong dinutdot ang screen ng cellphone niya. "I wonder, bakit ayaw mo akong tawagin na Kuya? I heard you calling Castiel 'Kuya'."

Her lips thinned.

"Jealous?" She teased.

"Not really." He answered. "Nagtataka lang ako, sino ba ang tarantado na 'yon para pagselosin ko?" He whispered but Vyrlle still heard him.

Bahagya siyang napanguso. Para niyang narinig ang kapatid nila kapag nagmumura. Ang lutong nila magmura.

"Do you want me to call you... like how I call them?" She carefully asked, without looking at him.

Alam ni Vyrlle sa sarili na kapag tumingin siya sa mga mata nito. There's a possibility that Light will know more about her feelings.

She heard him sighed as she watch the snake bit his character, tapos ay bumalik 'yon sa dulo.

"No. Ayos lang sa akin na huwag na..." He answered.

"Then, that's good. I don't like it."

"At least give me a reason?" He asked.

Napaatras siya nang yumuko ito at inilapit ang mukha sa mukha niya. Agad na nagwala ang puso niya dahil doon. Even her breathing became uneven. Halata sa mukha nito na kulang pa rin ito sa pahinga but she can't still deny the fact that he's handsome. Mukha itong bampira sa sobrang putla nito.

"I just..." Umiwas siya ng tingin kay Light. Hindi niya matagalan ang titig nito sa kanya. "Hindi talaga kita makita bilang nakakatanda na kapatid ko." She voiced out.

Para siyang nabunutan ng tinik dahil doon.

"I remembered, you say you hate me."

Agad niyang ibinalik ang tingin kay Light. She's still young, college pa ito noon, bakit tanda pa rin nito? Umangat ang kilay ni Vyrlle nang makita ang emosyon sa mukha nito.

She knew right there and then that he's just toying her. Pero bumigay pa rin siya sa nagpapaawa na mukha nito. Vyrlle sighed softly.

"Bata pa ako noon." Dahilan niya.

Gusto niya mairita nang maalala na naman 'yon. May nasabi siya na hindi na niya mababawi ngayon. And that's because she was hurt and confused. He prepared a meal for her, it was his family's comfort food. Alam niya dahil ayon ang palaging hinahanda ng mommy nila sa tuwing dadalaw ang mga ito sa bahay nila.

Vyrlle remembered that she asked him if he has a girlfriend, he answered no, and then a woman appeared, he asked her to eat with them... Napuno siya noon.

"Oh! Tinawag mo nga pala akong Kuya noon!" He exclaimed. Parang natutuwa pa ito.

Inirapan niya ito. Someone was there. She needs to address him like that. Kahit labag sa kalooban niya.

"And I clearly told you. I don't want you to be my brother." Naiinis na sagot niya.

Light made a face and playfully clenched his fist against his chest. Acting.

"Broken pa ako, Vyrlle. Tapos sinasaktan mo ako? How heartless!" Biro nito.

Vyrlle only smile at him. She wanted to say that if there's someone whom she can consider heartless. It was him. It was Light.

"Matanda ka na, kaya mo na 'yan." She nonchalantly answered.

Kahit na alam niya sa sarili na hindi 'yon ganoon kadali. If there's a wound na mahirap at matagal maghilom, that would be heartbreak.

Vyrlle hopes that he will find his happiness, yung totoo na. Ayos lang sa kanya kung hindi siya ang magiging dahilan noon.

NANG MAKALABAS siya sa hospital, Light continue to work like nothing happened. There's no Vyel now. There's no future for him and her. It still pains him. Pero kagaya ng sabi ni Caleb, he still have a dream to fulfill.

Pinaikot niya ang lapis sa mga daliri niya habang nagpapahinga siya sa opisina ng mga engineer sa site. Castiel was in charge of this one and he's just here to observe and ask Castiel what was new in behalf of his sister.

"Ano 'yan?"

Bumalik sa katinuan si Light nang marinig si Castiel. Nasa likod niya ito at nakasilip sa hawak niyang sketch pad.

"Ano sa tingin mo?" Sarkastiko na sagot niya rito.

Castiel snorted and acted like he was going to throw a punch to him. "Ayos mo kausap, tado!"

Ngumisi lang siya rito at tahimik na tinuloy ang ginagawa niya. Malinaw pa sa utak niya ang mga bahay na nakita niya noong pumunta sila kina Vyel para mamanhikan. The pictures were still in his phone. But he wanted to change it now.

15 two storey houses, a small kitchen for his dear friend, an arcade room for him and a mini bar for Alistair where they can hangout.

Ang kailangan na lang niya ay lugar na hindi madaling mahahagilap ng mga magulang nila. They love their parents and all, but there were times that they also need to breathe and have a safe place to hide from them.

"Castiel, sa Pearl Village ako uuwi." He blurted out.

Castiel snapped his head towards him. "Gago? Sabi mo ayaw mo na umuwi doon?!"

"May gagawin ako." He shortly replied.

He'll look for a vacant lot inside their village. Tsaka na lang niya pro-problemahin kung paano yun itatago sa mga mata ng mga tao sa village nila, maski na rin sa mga magulang at kapatid niya. He controls everything that were related to real estate, pero hindi ibig sabihin noon ay wala na totally na alam ang kapatid niya.

"Kanino 'yan?" Tanong ulit ni Castiel at itinuro ang sketch pad niya.

"Sa atin," he simply answered and stood up.

He can't wait to look around the Pearl Village. Nalibot na niya ang buong Pearl Village noon. There's some space there na hindi na pinagalaw ng Mama nila, the abandoned barracks of construction workers. It was sentimental for his mother, but maybe, kung wala talaga siyang makita na bakanteng lote, makikiusap siya sa nanay niya.

Without telling her the reason of course.

Iniwan niya na si Castiel at dumeretso sa apartment ni Kyst para hiramin ang drone nito. And of course, he wanted to check him too. His wife passed away. Compared to him. Kyst was more broken.

"Hey man!" He greeted with a smile plastered on his lips.

Kyst nod at him and open the door to let him in. "You look good as new." He commented.

"Thanks?" Light scoffed. "I want to say, ikaw rin, pero masyadong maitim ang ilalim ng mga mata mo. Adik ka ba?" Biro niya rito.

Umiling si Kyst sa kanya at pinakita ang gitnang daliri nito. "Water with poison?"

"No thanks! I'm here because I want to borrow your drone." Aniya habang nililibot ng paningin niya ang apartment nito.

"Wait here," Kyst said and went to his room.

Sa utak niya, iniisip na niya kung gaano kalawak ang lupa na kakailanganin niya. He'll design a two storey house for one person only. Sakto lang para may matulugan sila. An open space bedroom. Small kitchen, dahil sigurado siya na hindi naman 'yon magagamit.

Light kept himself busy with other things, para lang hindi niya maisip si Vyel. Para makalimutan niya na iba ang pinili nito.

Kinuha niya ang cellphone at binuksan 'yon. Light's lips thinned when he saw his lock screen wallpaper. It was Vyel, nakatalikod ito sa camera at busy na nagdidikit ng manila paper sa pader. He put his password and change his wallpaper into a new one.

Nang magpunta siya sa gallery halos mapamura siya dahil punong puno 'yon ng mga memories nila ni Vyel. Light wanted to burst out but he's not in his house. Humigpit ang hawak niya sa phone. They look so happy. Sadly, they didn't stay that way.

"Here," inabot ni Kyst sa kanya ang drone nito. "Magkikita kami mamaya sa bar ni Alistair, hindi ka pupunta?" He asked.

Umiling lang siya. Wala na siyang dahilan para humindi sa mga ito. Wala naman na siyang dapat na intindihin.

"Pass. May importante akong gagawin." He declined.

Kyst just shrugged his shoulder. Sanay na siguro sa pagtanggi niya.

He just don't feel it. Kissing and touching every part of a woman he doesn't even like.

"Salamat! Una na ako," paalam niya rito.

Nang makauwi siya sa Pearl Village, paikot ikot lang siya sa buong village at naghahanap ng bakante na lote, pero hindi 'yon pwede para sa plano niya. Bumalik si Light sa bahay niya at sinet  up ang drone na hiniram niya kay Kyst at pinalipad 'yon. He smiled like a kid when he saw it flying.

Wala pang isang minuto nung pinalipad niya ito, napangisi na si Light. There's a vacant space just behind his house. Agad niya 'yon na pinuntahan at nakita ang pader na hanggang baywang lang niya, nagsisilbing tanda na hindi na sa kanila ang lupa sa kabila.

"This is good," he grinned.

Xyria was right. Having a good position in their company will give him a lot of connection. Hindi na siya mahihirapan na hagilapin ang mayari sa gusto niyang lupa, dahil nakilala na niya 'yon. The owner was planning to build a villa for his family, pero hindi natuloy dahil nag migrate ang mga ito sa ibang bansa at doon nagpagawa ng bahay. Of course, his Uncle Khairus was his Architect.

Light immediately contact the owner and asked him if it's possible to buy a piece of his land. Hindi siya nahirapan na makiusap dito, nang pumayag ito, agad niyang tinawid ang bakod at magisa niyang tinignan ang lupa. He can't measure it alone, kaya hinayaan na lang muna niya.

Tamad na umupo si Light sa tapat ng bahay niya nang matapos siya. He created a telegram group chat for them.

Light: Hello there, I need a huge sum of money.

As expected, they're all asking why.

Walang choice si Light kung hindi ang puntahan ang mga ito sa bar ni Alistair kahit ayaw niya. The last time na pumunta siya doon, sa hospital ang bagsak niya.

He drove as fast and careful as he can. Light can't help this excitement he's feeling. Noon pa niya balak na itayo 'to. But there's Vyel whom he needs to consider. Agad niyang nakita ang mga ito nang makapasok siya sa bar. May mga nakalingkis na babae kay Esel at Mikael. Killian was also present, pero himala na wala itong babae sa tabi.

"What's up? Naghihirap ka ba?" Mikael asked when he saw him.

"Nope, can we get a VIP room? Yung tayo lang?" He asked.

Bahagya na tumango si Jyrelle at sinenyasan si Alistair na nasa counter at may kahalikan na babae. They all stood up and went upstairs, napabuntong hininga si Light. The room upstairs were actually a room, literal na kwarto para gumawa ng kababalaghan.

"So?" Jyrelle asked and crossed his arms against his chest.

Inilapag niya ang sketch pad at ipinaalam ang balak niya sa mga ito. The reason why he needs a huge amount of money, hindi naman niya kaya na ishoulder lahat ang gastos. Magtataka ang kapatid at mga magulang niya kapag nagumpisa na naman siyang magtrabaho na parang may hinahabol.

"I already asked the land owner, ako na ang bahala doon. I'll ask for money kung sakali na magkulang"

"It will be just behind your house? Paano natin itatago 'yan?" Nakataas ang kilay na tanong ni Ranger.

Bahagya na nagtaas ng kamay si Castiel. "Y'all have me?" Mayabang itong ngumisi sa kanila.

"May pakinabang ka rin pala?" Kade teased him.

"Duh?" Castiel rolled his eyes.

"Ano? G?" Light asked. "This small village will be our safe haven, we don't have to go here to meet. I plan to build a mini bar for Alistair, we can drink and get wasted here."

"I like it," Dylan commented.

"Same here," Caleb shrugged.

Napangisi siya nang tumango ang ibang kasama nila. 14 lang sila na nandito dahil busy si Ryker sa trabaho nito L.A.

"Wala ka bang itatawag sa mini village?" Biglang tanong ni Laur.

Kumunot ang noo ni Light. Isa isa niyang tinignan ang mga kaibigan niya at naalala ang huling sinabi sa kanya ni Vyel. Parang sinabi na rin nito na hindi para sa kanya ang pagmamahal.

A small village for his circle of friends. Where people shared the same attitude and belief, that the word love, for them, was no longer existing. Lust. Was all they can feel.

A sly smile appeared on his lips.

"We'll call it Lust community."

☕