SHE'S READING the reviewer she made one last time before getting some rest when she received a message from Grex. Agad siyang tumayo at binitawan ang papel na hawak niya. Vyrlle licked up her cardigan, lumabas siya sa kwarto nilang dalawa ni Rayos not minding that she's now wearing her sleepwear.

From: Grex

Ate, pwede ka ba pumunta sa park malapit sa amin? Wala sina Mama, si Kuya

"Where are you going?" Habol sa kanya ng kambal niya.

Tapos na silang dalawa na mag dinner dahil hindi uuwi ang parents nila ngayon. Maski ang Kuya nila.

"I have to go, babalik din ako agad!" She yelled just so Rayos can hear her.

Nanginginig ang mga kamay niya habang palabas siya ng bahay nila. Vyrlle called their family driver and asked him na ihatid siya nito sa park malapit sa bahay nina Light. Hindi niya maintindihan ang sarili. What happened? Did he drank again or poison himself?

When they reached the park. Agad siyang bumaba sa sasakyan at tinakbo ang pagitan nilang dalawa ni Grex. Tahimik itong nakaupo sa swing, and she looks so peaceful, ibang iba sa text na pinadala nito sa kanya.

"Grex! What the hell happened?!" Vyrlle asked, panicking.

Tumayo si Grex at matamis na ngumiti sa kanya nang makita siya nito.

"Relax, Ate. Nothing happened, I ahm..." Hindi natuloy ang sasabihin nito. May tinuro si Grex sa likod niya kaya dahan dahan siyang lumingon.

Her eyes widened as her heart skipped a beat everytime he steps forward - walking towards them, holding a cake and wearing his bright smile on his lips. By the way he looks, aakalain mo na hindi ito galing sa matinding break up.

"Happy legality, little miss." He greeted her.

Marahas siyang bumuntong hininga at bahagyang tumingala para hindi mahulog ang namuo na luha sa mga mata niya. She thought something happened to him again. She thought he's in a critical condition this time!

"You..." Sinamaan niya ito ng tingin. "Was this your idea?" Tanong niya kay Light.

"To surprise you? Yes." Walang pag-aalinlangan na sagot nito sa kanya.

"You're okay?" She asked as her breathing slowly become even.

Light brows furrowed and checked himself. "Yes? Kulang lang sa pahinga but, yes, I'm fine." He answered.

Tumawa si Grex sa tabi niya at naglalambing na ipinalupot ang mga braso sa baywang niya. "I'm sorry, Ate. Hindi ko kasi alam paano ka mapapapunta dito."

"Bwisit..." She uttered under her breath. Bumaling siya kay Light at pinagmasdan ang hawak na cake nito. Wala siyang balak na ngumiti dahil sa pagpapakaba ng dalawa sa kanya but seeing her cake... And remembering his graduation gift to her. "Sun... Thank you!" Vyrlle sincerely said.

Kinuha niya ang cellphone niya at mabilis 'yon na kinuhanan ng picture. Medyo litaw pa ang kamay ni Light at ang suot nitong damit but who cares?

"Wow, mapupunta na ba ako sa IG mo?" Light asked and laughed a little.

She placed her tongue on her cheek. His account got deleted and it seems to her na wala pa ito sa wisyo noong dinalaw niya ito sa hospital, she called him Luca, the only highlights she has now in her account was Luca. And that one highlights of her was all about him.

"Matagal ka na po na nasa IG account ko." She answered and shake her head.

Manhid.

"Really? Ang nakita ko lang noon ay 'yung Leo. Coffee date pa nga," he chuckled coldly.

"You're stalking me." Vyrlle smirked.

Umiwas ito ng tingin sa kanya. Gotcha!

"Leo is just my friend. Mananatili siyang kaibigan ko." And maybe, he will be her brother in law.

"May kaibigan ba na laman ka ng IG account niya?" He asked, annoyed.

Pinagkrus niya ang mga braso sa tapat ng dibdib niya at mariin na tinitigan si Light. What was his problem now?

"So?"

"Wala lang," sagot nito at inabot sa kanya ang cake niya.

"Hay nako, Kuya!" Grex laughed and playfully punched her brother stomach.

Nakalimutan niya na kasama nga pala nila si Grex. Naguusap lang silang dalawa na magkapatid habang si Vyrlle ay hindi maalis ang tingin sa cake na binigay ni Light. Kung pwede lang na hindi ito kainin at idisplay na lang sa bahay nila.

"Ah, it's getting late. Ang sabi ko kay Rayos babalik din agad ako. You should rest." Aniya kay Light.

Light just nod his head, kinuha ulit nito ang cake sa kamay niya. "Hatid ka namin sa sasakyan niyo." He said.

Mahigpit na hinawakan ni Vyrlle ang laylayan ng cardigan na suot niya habang naglalakad. They're both silence. Pero ang puso niya hindi kayang manahimik. Light open the car door for her and placed his hand above her head as she slid herself inside the car, pagkatapos ay inabot sa kanya ang cake.

He smiled at her and closed the door. Pagtapos ay umikot papunta sa driver seat at kinausap ang driver nila.

"Dahan dahan po sa pag d-drive." Bilin nito bago tumabi at hinayaan ang sasakyan nila na makaalis.

Vyrlle immediately picked up her phone, she took a picture of the cake in her lap and post it in her IG, pagkatapos ay na myday ang picture na hawak ni Light ang cake at inilagay 'yon sa highlights.

"A cake from my Luca..." She uttered.

Kinabukasan, ganado siya sa exam nila. Nauna siyang natapos sa mga ka block mates niya.

"Inspired magsagot, sana all." Parinig sa kanya ni Jillian.

Nasa Cafeteria sila ngayon at nilibri niya ito ng Lunch dahil hindi raw ito makakapunta mamaya sa dinner party para sa kanilang dalawa ni Rayos. Vyrlle didn't bother to asked her what was her reason, mapipikon lang siya sa kaibigan nila. She's going to watch her all time favorite anime, lalo na at tapos na ang exam nila, all they need to do was to pass some requirements and they're done for this semester.

After they finished their lunch, sinundo na sila ng kapatid nila. Gusto sumabay ni Rayos sa boyfriend nito but Leo has another plan. Kaya nagkusa na siya na hilain ang kambal niya palayo. Paano makakabili ng regalo ang baliw nitong boyfriend kung kasama nito ang may birthday?

"How's your day?" Tanong sa kanila ng Kuya nila.

"Sakit sa ulo." Rayos dryly answered and closed her eyes. Nakita niya na pasimple na tumingin sa kanya ang Kuya nila.

"It's fine. I think I will ace our exams." Confident na sagot niya. She did everything to absorb all of their lessons.

"Well done, my babies." Nakangiti na sagot ng kapatid nila.

Nang makarating sila sa bahay nila, agad silang pinaligo ng mommy nila. She even hired some people para may magayos sa kanila ni Rayos. They're not having a grand party, but their mother still made sure they will look a debutant.

Rayos was wearing a lavander color dress and she's wearing a skin tone color dress.

"You look gorgeous," Vyrlle complimented her twin.

Rayos smiled, "you too."

Bumaba na sila at sumabay ulit sa kapatid nila papunta sa hotel kung saan gaganapin ang simple dinner celebration nila. Sila sila lang na pamilya ang nandoon and some of their brother's friend. They had a mini program, even though they asked their parents not to. Wala silang 18 roses, but their father and brother insisted na dapat sumayaw sila. Kaya nakigaya na rin ang mga kaibigan ng kapatid nila.

Her knees turned jelly when Light offered his hand and gently placed his hand on her waist. Ingat na ingat ito sa kanya. Probably because her brother was watching them intently and it was making him nervous. Hindi niya alam kung saan nanggagaling ang takot nito sa kapatid nila ni Rayos.

"Relax, my brother won't kill you." Natatawa na bulong niya rito.

"How sure are you? Kung nakakamatay lang talaga ang tingin, kanina pa ako nakahandusay sa harapan mo." He whispered back. "You're now an adult... What's your plan? And your boyfriend, nagkamali ba 'yon ng nilapitan?" Sarkastiko na tanong niya at pasimple na tumingin kay Rayos at Leo na tahimik na naguusap.

Mahina siyang natawa. Kaunti na lang talaga ay iisipin na ni Vyrlle na nagseselos ito kay Leo.

"He's not my boyfriend." Tumatawa na sagot niya rito.

Bahagyang namilog ang mga mata ni Light at tumingin sa kanya. "All this time..."

"You thought he's my boyfriend? No, kay Rayos 'yan." She chuckled.

Light cleared his throat. "Then, sino yung 'L' na sinasabi mo? Yung nasa highlights mo na?"

Bahahya na umawang ang labi ni Vyrlle. Goodness, wala nga ito sa tamang wisyo noong dinalaw niya ito sa hospital. Dahan dahan siyang tumango. Luca was another name for Light.

"Luca... What a lucky man." He whispered.

AFTER THE Dinner party, bumalik din kinabukasan si Light sa Chicago para sa trabaho niya. Hindi sa kanya nakapangalan ang project na 'yon but he wanted to be hands on for that was going to be his first job, overseas.

"Hi bud, how's our mini village?" He asked Castiel.

Kay Castiel niya muna iniwan ang responsibilidad sa mini village nila. Hindi niya ito nasilip dahil sinulit niya ang araw sa pagpapahinga. Castiel flipped his camera and showed him their mini village.

Gawa na ang pundasyon ng mga bahay. And the place was also secluded. Nakagat niya ang pangibaba na labi. Hindi na siya makapaghintay na matapos ito.

"Can you hire more workers? Para matapos agad. We can pay them double." Aniya.

"Mayaman! Pero sige, medyo nakakahalata na rin kasi ang kapatid mo bakit panay ang alis ko sa site." Castiel hissed.

Nailing na lang siya sa kaibigan niya. Every now and then, nag a-update sa kanya si Castiel tungkol sa mini village nila. As of him, he started working and proving that he's a competent Architect just like his father and sister. Kasundo niya ang mga katrabaho niya. Pati na rin ang mga construction workers.

May mga araw na nasa bahay lang siya at may mga araw na lumalabas siya para iexplore ang Chicago. Before, kapag napunta siya sa mall, he'll bought everything that Vyel's like. But now that they're not together anymore, pasalubong para sa mga kapatid, mommy at kaibigan niya ang binili niya.

Light steps halted when he saw a pillow. A Sun throw pillow.

"Vyrlle will like this one for sure," bulong niya sa sarili at agad na binili 'yon.

Hanggang sa hindi na niya nalamayan na araw na pala ng birthday niya. Vyrlle greeted him first, as usual. Sunod ay tumawag ang mga magulang niya sa kanya dahil hindi siya nakauwi. He's busy. That was his reason.

"Hi, happy birthday to you." Nakangiti na bati ni Vyrlle sa video na sinend nito sa telegram.

He saved the video of her and kept it. Months after he turned 25. Castiel informed me him that their small and safe haven was finally finished. Hindi pa 'yon nakikita ng iba nilang kaibigan.

Light immediately packed his things, kasama na ang pinamili niyang pasalubong para sa pamilya niya and booked a flight to Philippines. Wala siyang sinabihan na kahit isa maliban kay Castiel na susundo sa kanya.

"Bud!" Castiel yelled and waved his hand. May dala pa itong placard at nakasulat doon ang pangalan niya.

"Parang tanga, tangina." Light scoffed. "Kumpleto na ba ang mga gamit sa loob?" He asked.

"Wala ka talagang bilib sa akin no? Tapos na." Mayabang na sagot nito sa kanya.

Light just shrugged his shoulder and chat his other friends to gather behind his house. Dumeretso muna sila ni Castiel sa grocery para mamili ng iba't ibang klase ng alak. Hindi uso sa kanila ang blessings na galing sa pari. They have a different way to bless their mini village.

"Kailangan ka pa umuwi?" Tanong sa kanya ni Jyrelle. "What's that?" He asked again.

Mapait siyang ngumiti at binuksan ang maliit na kahon na hawak niya. It was the engagement ring Vyel once owned. Kinuha niya 'yon sa kuwarto niya kanina.

Castiel already distributed their key card to enter their small village, si Castiel mismo ang nag demo sa kanila kung saan nakatago ang swiping machine at kung paano 'yon lilitaw. His lips parted when the walls started to split into two, revealing their small village.

"Welcome to Lust community..." He uttered and entered the small village.

"Anong balak mo sa singsing na 'yan?" Laur curiously asked.

He shrugged his shoulder and open his arcade room. May claw machine siya na pinabili kay Castiel. He knew how to open it and placed the small box there.

"This village was created because of her... She told me that I was only lusting over her. Once we found a woman, who can make us feel that emotion, siguraduhin niyo na sila na talaga bago niyo sila ipasok dito. I don't want us to share the same faith. Make sure that they love you, imperfections and all."

And as for me... If there's a woman who'll make my heart feel loved again. I will crush this claw machine and throw that ring.

☕