VYRLLE got home early to spend her remaining time with her daughter. Pero pagdating niya sa bahay ni Light, sarado ito at wala ang dalawa. Her mind went blank in an instant. Thinking that something happened to her two precious treasures.

She was tempted to call a police, and file a missing report. Ilang oras siyang nakaupo sa labas ng bahay ni Light, crying and overthinking. Until a cab stop in front of her house and saw Light carrying the sleeping Vystrelle.

Mas lalo siyang naiyak dahil doon. She's been so emotional these past few days, maybe because her period was near. Light carrying her life melted her insides.

"Kalmado ka na ba?" Mahinahon na tanong sa kanya ni Light habang tinutulungan pa rin siya na punasan ang magkabilang pisngi niya.

Vyrlle slowly nodded her head and helped him with the shopping bags. Sobrang dami. She was planning to buy her daughter winter clothes, pero hindi ganito karami. This man spent his money like he didn't work hard for it, for years.

"Sorry, hindi na talaga mauulit," he softly said again.

His voice reminded her of the past. Ginagawa na naman siya nitong bata. But she actually... missed it.

"Malikot ba siya?" She asked when she finally calm herself.

Umiling si Light at naglakad papunta sa bahay niya. Vyrlle did not ask him, instead, sumunod lang siya at pinagbuksan ito ng pintuan.

"Hindi naman siya mahirap alagaan, unlike sa mga bata sa amin." He answered.

Nakuha agad niya ang sinasabi nito. Kapag tumatawag ang sister in law niya sa kanya, palagi nitong sinasabi ang kalikutan ng mga anak ng mga kaibigan nila ng kapatid niya. And how Light loves to kidnapped them and bought them a lot of toys.

"Pagod ka na ba?" Light asked.

She wanted to answer his question honestly. She's beat. Tired from work. Pagod sa pag aalala para sa anak. But when her eyes caught Light's gaze, kusang bumuka ang bibig niya para sumagot.

"No, not really. Why? Wanna talk?" Magkasunod na tanong niya rito.

Bahagya na umangat ang sulok ng labi nito at tumango. Inilapag muna ni Light ang anak niya sa crib at mahina na tinapik ang hita nito para masiguro na tulog talaga ito.

"Ano ang pag uusapan natin?" Vyrlle asked.

Napalunok siya ng mariin na tumingin sa kanya si Light. She can't avoid his gaze, feels like his eyes were pulling her.

"About us? About my intention to you. I don't care about our past, I don't care about our age gap, I don't care if you have a daughter now. There's nothing holding me back now, sunshine."

Napatanga siya rito. His voice was calm but it was screaming danger. Not for her life but for her heart and her sanity.

"I just want to be clear, I came here because I have feelings for you. I came here to chase you, because honestly, hindi ko alam kung tatagal pa ako sa kakatago nitong nararamdaman ko para sayo. I am done wishing that you'll be mine, when I am miles away from you. In those years, that I unintentionally or maybe intentionality hurt you, I promise. Babawi ako."

He didn't even blink while he's saying those words. Samantalang siya, pakiramdam niya ay sasabog na ang puso niya!

Light was staring at her softly, his eyes begging her to let him do whatever he wanted to.

Bumaba ang tingin niya sa sahig. She was overwhelmed. Hindi niya alam ang isasagot niya rito, maybe when she confessed her feelings to him, ganito rin ang naramdaman ni Light.

That night, after eating dinner together, Light didn't say anything nor forced her to answer his confessions. Humalik lang ito sa noo niya bago lumipat sa bahay nito.

She was still in cloud nine but when morning came.

Sa palagay niya ay hindi na siya makakababa. Ang akala niya ay puro laro at kalokohan na lang ang laman ng utak ni Light, but Vyrlle was surprised when a box filled with arranged flowers greeted her in the morning. Nasa labas 'yon mismo ng pintuan niya and there's also a note sticked into it.

'Have a good day, sunshine!'
  - Architect Light Perez

The house next to her was close. Napangiti siya nang makita na may maliit na manika sa tabi ng kahon at may note rin na nakadikit.

'To our little sunshine'

Feels like hindi lang siya ang nililigawan nito. And honestly speaking, Vyrlle was filled with happiness. Her inner child too.

She picked up the box and the toy for her daughter and went back inside the house. Vystrelle was playing with her new found friend — the human size teddy bear Light bought, nilapitan niya ang anak at umupo sa tabi nito, showing her the new doll.

"A gift from Tito Light, Luca," she baby talked and her daughter immediately grab the doll she's holding. Mahina siyang natawa dahil doon. "Mukhang dalawa tayo na tinamaan sa lalaki na 'yon." Vyrlle uttered.

Vystrelle just looked at her and smiled. At her age, she's still not talking, her Doctor already told her that it was natural, she just needs to keep on talking, para mapick up 'yon ng anak niya.

"Luca, can you say mommy?" Vyrlle asked. "Come on, Luca. Say mommy!" She talked very slowly para masundan ito ng anak niya.

"Da..." Her daughter mumbled.

Kumunot ang noo niya sa anak. She talked pero hindi 'yon ang gusto niyang marinig. Her first word was 'Da' and not even 'Ma'?

"Who's Da?" She asked carefully.

Her little Luca turned her head to the human sized teddy bear, atsaka niya ito itinuro.

Nagparte ang mga labi niya. Oh God!

"Binili ka lang ng laruan, Luca, bakit Da na agad ang tawag mo?" Natatawa niyang pinisil ang ilong nito.

Vyrlle did her usual routine. Cook breakfast for her and her little Luca, prepared herself for work, bihisan ang anak niya at ihanda ang bag nito. Her little Luca kept on looking for the doll kaya sinama nila 'yon paalis sa bahay.

When they reach her office, sinalubong siya ng secretary slash friend niya at mabilis na kinuha si Luca sa kanya.

"Morning!" She greeted. "I already fixed your schedule for today, meeting with the finance department after signing some papers, and in the afternoon, we're going to hospital for your little Luca's monthly check up!" Her secretary cited.

Vyrlle was paranoid when it comes to her daughter, that's why she has a monthly check up, lalo na at may sakit ang biological mother nito habang nasa sinapupunan pa nito si Vystrelle.

"Oh, your twin also arrived a few minutes ago, she said she wanted to have dinner with you two." Dania informed her.

Pigil niya ang sarili na umirap, those couple! Nag migrate nga ang  mga ito sa San Diego pero ni anino ng mga ito ay hindi niya nakita! They always do video calls, but most of the time, pinapatay niya dahil naiirita siya sa lambingan ng mga ito.

"Oh, was she with someone?" Sarkastiko na tanong niya.

Dania nodded her head, "he's tall and wearing thick glasses and he's pretty..." 

"Pretty my ass!" Vyrlle uttered.

MAAGA SIYANG nagising dahil may trabaho na ipinasa sa kanya si Xyria. Of course, he was thankful. Lalo na at sa San Diego ang trabaho na binigay nito sa kanya.

Good thing, madali lang para sa kanya ang mag mag asikaso ng mga papeles para magtagal siya sa isang bansa. He already took care of it and now, he's wandering around again at the Mall, to buy some of his stuff's.

"Kuya?" Napalingon siya nang marinig ang pamilyar na boses.

Ang una na nahagilap ng mga mata niya ay ang lalaki na dati niyang kinaiinisan. Rayos' man. He simply nod his head and looked down to see Rayos.

"Hey, it's nice to see you here." Light smiled at her.

Kumalas ito sa akbay ng lalaki at lumapit sa kanya para mayakap siya nito. It was natural for them, they're family after all, but her man wasn't look pleased. Agad niyang pinakawalan si Rayos at ginulo ang buhok nito.

"How's your study? Doing good?" He asked.

Mayabang na ngumisi sa kanya si Rayos. She even flexed her arm, "sus, basic!"

Natawa na lang siya sa kakulitan nito.

"Bakit ka pala nandito?" Rayos asked.

"Ah, work and..."

"My twin?" Nakangisi na tanong ni Rayos.

Marahan siyang tumango at nagiwas ng tingin.

"We're going to have dinner together later, want to join us?" Aya nito sa kanya.

He sighed heavily and shake his head. Kahit gusto niya, hindi pwede. May mga drafts siya na ipapakita sa kliyente niya but those are not enough for him. He needs to work and pursue Vyrlle again after.

"Need to work, maybe after this one." He answered.

Rayos pouted her lips. Pero hindi naman ito nagpumilit. He didn't bring his laptop with him, he needed to buy one and install everything that he needed for his job.

He pulled out his phone and ordered dinner for him. Nagpadagdag din siya para may pulutan siya. Light usually does his work with a beer on his side. His father kind of influenced him.

Tamad siya na umupo sa sahig at kinuha ang sketch pad niya. He let his hand freely draw, until he created a new design for his new project. Ilang oras din siya na hindi gumagalaw sa upuan niya, not until someone knocked on his door.

Light checked his phone first if there's a message from the delivery but there was none. 

He sighed and messed his hair before getting up.

"Yes?" He asked when he opened the door.

Light was relieved that he's wearing a sando shirt and a simple sweat short. It was Vyrlle who knocked on his house door. Holding a Tupperware. He was sure that it contained food for him. Pigil niya ang mapangisi, very mommy na talaga ito.

"Dinner for you. Ang sabi ni Rayos mukhang ma b-busy ka raw," she said with her sweet tone voice.

He placed his tongue inside his cheek and let her in first.

"Ah, yes," he uttered awkwardly.

Mabuti na lang at wala pa siyang nailalapag na beer sa coffee table.

"Naistorbo ba kita?"

"No, not at all." Mabilis na sagot niya rito.

Nilapag ni Vyrlle ang Tupperware na dala nito sa coffee table, at sinenyasan siya nito na umupo at agad naman niya 'yon na ginawa. He's like a human puppy, sumusunod sa kung ano ang iuutos sa kanya ni Vyrlle.

She walks in his house like it was hers. Light was about to stand when she saw her opening his refrigerator but he's too late for him to stop her. Pinasadya talaga niya kay Jyrelle na punuin ng beer ang refrigerator. Incase of emergency. And for him, emergency ang trabaho niya.

"Such a healthy lifestyle you have, Architect Light Perez." Vyrlle sarcastically said as she looked at his refrigerator flatly.

"Well, if some people need coffee to function and do their work properly... I, on the other hand, need a beer." Dahilan niya rito.

Vyrlle shrugged her shoulders and let him slide. Nakahinga siya ng maluwag dahil doon. He open the Tupperware and saw the usual Filipino meal. Adobo at kanin.

"May kasama ba yung bata sa kabilang bahay? Bakit hindi mo sinama?" Light asked as he started to dig his food.

Kumunot ang noo niya ng magbukas ng dalawang beer si Vyrlle at inabot sa kanya ang isa.

"Ah, my twin kidnapped my daughter. Magisa lang ako sa bahay." Vyrlle answered and drank her beer straight.

"When did you start drinking?" He asked again.

"When we turned 21? Dad and Kuya allowed us to drink, basta mga pinsan lang namin ang kasama." She answered, honestly.

Napansin niya ang pagod sa maamong mukha nito.

"You look beat, sunshine,"

"I'm tired. Medyo nagtagal din kami sa hospital. For Luca's monthly check up."

Bahagya lang siyang tumango at mabilis na inubos ang pagkain na dala nito para sa kanya. Light let her drink, she's already an adult, alam na nito kung hanggang saan lang ang abot nito pagdating sa alak.

"Can I stay here?" She asked when he stood up to clean the Tupperware.

Natigilan siya sa tanong nito. Lumipat si Vyrlle sa mahabang sofa at doon humiga, looks like she just drank a beer, para magpaantok.

"Sure, sa kwarto ka na lang." He answered.

Hindi rin naman niya 'yon gagamitin. He'll probably stay up all night to finish his draft. He thought Vyrlle already stood up and went to his room, but after washing her Tupperware, he saw her peacefully sleeping on the sofa.

Light shake his head. Pumasok siya sa kwarto niya para kumuha ng unan at duvet, tsaka siya bumalik sa sala. He slowly slid the pillow in between her head and the sofa, pagkatapos ay kinumutan ito. Binuksan niya rin ang air-conditioned sa sala.

"Sweet dreams, my sunshine," he whispered and softly pressed his lips against her cheek.

☕

hi, ang sabi ko back to daily update na tayo kaso nilagnat ang ferson hshs (: