Chapter 19

I chewed on my food and avoided Roxie's gaze as she stared at me like I was a specimen under a microscope. Nakaupo siya sa harap ko, katabi si Halle, samantalang katabi ko naman si Eden. We were eating lunch at Goldman-Sachs' cafeteria, pero imbes na kumain, she kept looking at me, completely ignoring her food.

"What?" tanong ko.

Naningkit ang mga mata niya at ibinalik ang tingin sa cellphone, bago muling bumaling sa akin like she was comparing something on her screen to my face. "Hmmm."

Nagkatinginan kami ni Eden, parehong nagtataka sa ginagawa ni Roxie. Halle noticed it too, kaya umusog siya palapit kay Roxie at sumilip sa phone screen niya... only to look at me weird, the same way Roxie was looking at me.

"Ano ba kasi 'yan?" tanong ni Eden, halatang nainip na.

Iniharap ni Roxie sa amin ang cellphone niya. "Girl... this is you."

My mouth literally dropped. Maging si Eden napasiksik sa tabi ko, muntik pang mabulunan sa kinakain niya. What the hell?

On Roxie's phone was Never's Instagram account and his latest post, uploaded six minutes ago.

Six minutes ago, yet it already had over five hundred likes, and the comments were climbing fast.

Okay, hindi naman nakakapagtaka. Apparently, Never is internet famous. He had over thirty thousand followers, kahit hindi naman siya social media influencer or content creator or whatever.

But what's actually surprising...

was the photo he posted.

It was a close-up shot of me with my lips slightly parted, my breath caught mid-second... with his fingers inside my mouth. It was the one he took the first time we met when he forced me to kneel as he jammed his fingers inside my mouth. Naalala ko pa ang takot ko nung gabing iyon, but the picture didn't show any of that fear. Instead, it looked like I was enjoying it.

It wasn't as lewd as I imagined it would turn out when he took the picture.

My chin was slighlty up, as his veiny hand cradles my jaw. The lighting softened everything. Shadows kissed the corners of my mouth, making the moment feel intimate, almost reverent. There was no struggle, fear and hesitation captured despite me remembering that emotions that night. It looked like it was carefully captured and intentionally povocative.

Honestly, the aesthetic was nice. Pinterest-level, the kind of photo people save and romanticize without asking questions. The lighting made it look almost... art.

Pero what the hell?!

Alam kong hindi kita ang mukha ko, thank goodness, pero hindi ibig sabihin safe na ako. Some people might recognize my mouth!

Like Roxie.

Biglang nag-init ang mukha ko, and right when I was staring at it, the number of likes just went up as well as the comments, despite the picture being captionless. Oh well, it's instagram so people has no choice but to like, unless it's a facebook post. Malamang sad or angry ang reacts na naroon, mostly coming from his fangirls and whatevers.

My hand instantly scrolled on the appearing comments.

emee_farrah: Masakit pero aesthetic. Salamat, @BlackNever🥲✨

Kimpawforevs: Sana all niluluhuran. Char. 😭💀

Ninabanana: Okay lang ako. Promise. (hindi)

likejenny: Hindi naman masakit, parang kagat lang ng dinosaur rawr. 😭😭😭

bettina_roa: umuulan ba? ay luha ko pala 😭

nikolai.black: N, my man!🫡🫡

No_Longer_Dazai: soft launch? let's drink to that!🍻🍻🍻

thea_prinsesa: BlackNever really said: "art" ❤️

MaryGoRound: Masaya naman ako... bago ko nakita 'to🥲

BellaSwan: ah ganon pala. Sige, noted with thanks 😌

KrishTV: nag-scroll lang ako tapos nasaktan na naman 😭

Mauie.wowie: Lord, anak mo rin po ako. 😭

CarenwithaC_: teh nasa likod ang pila 😤😤😤😤😤

My eyes widened at bago ko pa matapon ang cellphone ni Roxie ay agad niyang binawi iyon sa akin.

"Uhm excuse me, hindi pa po 'to fully paid," pabirong sabi niya, at bigla na lamang silang nagtiliian ni Halle. "Ang landi!"

"Stop it, you two!" saway ko sa kanila. "That's not me."

"Anong that's not me, obvious kaya!" wika ni Halle.

I turned to Eden, baka sakaling kahit paano ay mapanatag ang loob ko. She looked at me with a frown and nodded slowly. "Don't worry, only those who know you well will recognize you."

Nawalan ako ng ganang kumain. Never Black really knew how to annoy the hell out of me. Nagpaalam ako sa kanila, in the midst of their teasing at agad na bumalik sa dorm. What the heck is Never doing? It's been three days since we last saw each other. Three days since that night when he sort of mumbled something about monogamy like it was some normal things to say. Hindi ko maalalang pumayag ako... but I don't remember saying no either.

And knowing Never, it's not like I ever have much of a choice.

We've been in touch these past days, too, pero mostly it was his usual antics na kayang sumira ng mood ko in seconds. He'd check on me kung kumain na ba ako, o kaya bigla na lang magtetext ng kung anu-anong wala namang silbi, just so random, pointless, and annoying messages.

And sometimes, his shameless and irritating attempt at asking me for phone sex and teasing me about it.

But hey, posting me on Instagram?

Definitely not on my bingo card.

Pagdating ko sa dorm, kinuha ko agad ang cellphone ko at binuksan ulit ang Instagram niya. I never checked his account before. I avoided his socials on purpose because that screamed bad idea, not to mention, we weren't even in that kind of relationship.

Ito ang unang beses na talagang tiningnan ko ang account niya, and man...

He is famous.

Like, legit famous.

His Instagram was painfully aesthetic. Dark tones, clean compositions, and a hint of mystery. Before he posted me, his previous post was of the Black Hounds chilling in a bar. Never was playing pool with Hendrix and Nikolai, while Matthias was on the side getting a tattoo. Only Kino and Dazai was smiling and looking at the camera.

His feed was nice, and if I don't know Never Black, I would have fallen trap with the image he was tryong to paint. Gaya halimbawa ng Black Hounds, they may look like normal goodlooking kids having fun but we know what they're capable of. The muted colors, sharp angles, expensive places his instagram shows gave nothing away of what Never Black is , as well as the Black Hounds.

His posts were mostly about the Black Hounds and the places they went to. I scrolled further and eventually found a picture of him with Reven. She was smiling ear to ear, holding a small cake like it was the happiest day of her life, while Never had her in a chokehold, looking way too comfortable doing it.

The caption says: "Happy birthday, wombmate."

I clicked on the comments.

Rozanovsimp: Kung hindi papalarin kay Never, kay Reven nalang! 🤪

nikolai.black: Happy birthday to my favorite cousin, @BlackReven! Fuck u @BlackNever!

No_Longer_Dazai: Happy, happy birthday, Reven! 🤍 I just want you to know today and every day how incredibly beautiful you are. The kind that shows in the way you smile when you're genuinely happy. I hope this year gives you everything you deserve: happiness that feels steady, love that feels safe, dreams that slowly but surely come true. I hope you learn to see yourself the way others see you with admiration, affection, and awe. And when you forget, I'll be right here to remind you. 🤍✨

No_Longer_Dazai: Never, hbd bro.

Prettysummer01: Never gonna give you up! Never gonna let you down!

Kino_Reeves: Never bro, itabi mo. ako na.

BelleMarina: Happy birthday! Naka-save na po. For research purposes.

I scrolled further, my eyes lingering on every post. Only a handful of pictures were of him, and even then, mostly candid shots, never full-face selfies. Not that he looked like someone who takes selfies anyway.

Still, hindi ko lubusang maisip na active si Never sa IG. I mean, he gained a huge number of followers with zero following. So maybe he really is into this stuff... or maybe he just has that main character syndrome. Ano siya, K-pop idol na may zero following?!

My eyes stopped on one particular photo of him holding a game controller. Black hoodie pulled tight over his head, the strings knotted neatly like he actually cared. He looked...

Harmless.

Like a kid lost in his favorite game, completely absorbed, cheeks slightly flushed.

But I knew better. That same person could be ruthless, unpredictable, and dangerous. The duality made my chest tighten.

Hindi ko pa lubusang mapagtanto kung ano itong pinasok ko. Maybe I'll just cross the bridge when I get there. Sa ngayon... hahayaan ko na lang muna. I'll just enjoy whatever I have with him, and admit to myself that I really do find him intriguing.

And that no matter how hard I try, I can't stay away.

For now.

Biglang nanlaki ang mata ko nang lumitaw ang pulang hugis puso.

Did ...did I just accidentally liked his post?! The hoodie solo pic of him that was posted a month ago?!

Sinalakay ako nang kaba at agad na inalis ang like but then my phone beeped a notifcation.

BlackNever wants to send you a message.

What the heck?!

Nanginginig ang kamay na binuksan ko ang message niya.

BlackNever: Stalking me?

Not_CoCo: Keep dreaming.

BlackNever: It's okay, Princess. Don't be shy.

Not_Coco: I.AM.NOT.

BlackNever: Okay. *The Rock Eyebrow Raised gif*

Not_Coco: why did you post my picture????????

BlackNever: Not stalking huh? HAHA

Not_Coco: Delete it.

BlackNever: Nah. *dog with tongue out gif*

Not_Coco: Delete it Never!

BlackNever: And the answer is no.

Not_Coco: You're being annoying!

BlackNever: And you're being a pain in the ass. No one will know its you. Plus I like it very much. Tears and drool? Let's add my cum next time.

Not_Coco: You're insufferable.

BlackNever: Thanks!

Not_Coco: It's not a compliment, asshole!

BlackNever: I'll take it.

Not_Coco: DELETE IT NEVER. OR ELSE...

BlackNever: NO.

BlackNever: Or else what?

Bago pa man ako makareply, my phone suddenly buzzed. Then came another one. Then another one.

What the fuck?

I checked the notifications at halos mabitawan ko ang cellphone nang makita ko yung notification.

BlackNever tagged you in a post.

I clicked the notification with shaking hands, and it led me to his post na kanina lamang ay walang caption. Now he's mentioned and tagged my username, along with a face savoring food emoji. What the heck?!

The other notification was that he started following me! More notifications came in that I had no choice but to silent my phone, and many unfamiliar usernames started following me too.

Not_Coco: WHAT DID YOU DO?

BlackNever: what?

Not_Coco: Hindi na 'to nakakatuwa, Never!

BlackNever: Then you should have thought of that before bossing me around with your capslock DELETE THAT. I respond well to threats, Princess.

Not_Coco: Ugh, Give me my peaceful life back.

I know shooting my shot with Never is futile. Tama siya, he responds well to threats, and I should've known what kind of reaction he was going for. Nakakapagod din makipagtalo sa kanya. Who knows what he'll do next?

Napamura na lang ako sa isip ko and I looked at his post again. Yung kanina lang na zero following niya, ngayon may following na. I don't know if I'm lucky or doomed now that I'm the only person Never Black is following. Ni hindi nga niya fina-follow ang kapatid niya. He wanted me to get ambushed by his fangirls, right?

The likes and comments doubled up the moment he tagged me.

itsmeMia: HE TAGGED HER?!🙈

Mira_Clara: Hoaaay ate hindi maggaganon 🙈🙈🙈

Lovejoyhope: MENTIONED NGANI?!🥲

Bellabell01: over naman sa mention😭

Hollanderstan: Teh, kami pa niyan. 😭😭😭

I was scared to scroll further because what if his die-hard fans are set on to kill me? Kidding— but that could happen, right?

I'm pretty sure they're stalking my profile, so before the worst could happen, I turned my account private. Ano bang nakain ni Never at ginawa niya 'yon? Getting involved with him is already a problem, and now he did this?!

My phone beeped and it was a text message from Never.

Never: Are you done sulking? If yes, come out.

He's at Goldman-Sachs? The Pilots and Black Hounds rivalry is legit, so hindi ko alam saan siya kumukuha ng lakas ng loob para pumunta rito. They're like deep-seated enemies, and if a Pilot caught him lurking around, what does he expect, he will be welcomed with snacks?! Malamang gulo ang ending.

But knowing Never Black, he's exactly the type who walks into the enemy's turf like it's a catwalk.

Coco: No. I have a class.

Never: No, you don't. For the rest of the day.

Coco: Mas marunong ka pa sa akin?

Never: Of course. I know your schedule. I even know your GPA, even your CGPA. I know your supposed to me subject teacher for your afternoon elective class and major can't make it today due to emergency. Come out, Princess. Don't make me climb up your terrace in this broad daylight.

What the hell? If he says he knew, I believe him. At kung magmamatigas pa ako, he'll surely climb up here just like he said he would. Rolling my eyes, wala na akong choice but to grab my bag and lumabas ng dorm.

I found him outside the university. He was leaning against his car, flipping his phone in his hand like it was a fidget toy. When he saw me, he slipped it back into his pocket.

He was wearing running shorts and shoes, habang nakapatong lang ang hoodie sa ulo niya. Mukha siyang galing sa gym or maybe kakajogging lang.

I walked lazily towards him. "Anong kailangan mo?"

"Get in."

"Paano pag ayaw ko?"

He stared at me for a solid minute, and said nothing.

Napanguso ako. "I'm too tired, can I just rain check?"

He glared at me. "Don't be stubborn, Princess."

"Saan ba kasi tayo pupunta?" tanong ko.

"My dorm."

Tiningnan ko siya nang masama. "Your dorm? As in the one in your school?"

Tumango siya. "Yup. You've been there before."

Napakagat ako sa pang-ibabang labi. He didn't have to remind me of that. It was the place where he brought me the first time we met. Ironic, he calls it a dorm when it looked more like a mansion meant for the Black Hounds. May nagpapa-party pa nga roon.

"Anong gagawin natin sa dorm mo? If you're thinking about sex, please... I'm not in the mood."

He smirked. "Hey, sex is a good idea."

"You're being an asshole today," komento niya.

"Ako pa talaga ang asshole? In case you forgot, you ruined my life by posting my picture!"

Okay, I was being overly dramatic... but still, valid ang nararamdaman ko. I bet may mga threats na ako ngayon sa inbox dahil sa pag-mention niya.

"You're upset over my IG post?" he asked but it sounded more like a statement than a question, like he already knew the answer and was enjoying it.

"Ano bang ine-expect mo, matutuwa ako?"

He pulled out his phone and took a picture of me.

WHat now?

I froze. "Never—"

He didn't even blink. He checked the photo, zoomed in, and stared at it like it was a masterpiece. Worse, he looked... satisfied. Like he just collected something he wasn't supposed to have.

"Ano ba, Never."

He tilted the screen toward me. "You're pretty upset over that picture na halos hindi ka nga makilala. So maybe you wanted one that clearly shows your face."

My blood ran cold. "You mentioned me! Stop that, and huwag na huwag mong ipopost 'yan!"

He smirked, eyes glinting. "You should know by now... I respond well to threats."

Matagal ko siyang tinitigan, trying to out-stare him, trying to win. But of course, I can't win against him. Matagal ko siyang tiningnan nang masama bago sumuko. "Please?" I asked with a sigh.

"Good." He smiled. "At least you're learning."

I narrowed my eyes. "You're insane."

"Mm." He looked pleased, like I just complimented him. "And you're still coming."

I crossed my arms. "And if I say no?"

Lumapit siya sa akin at muntikan na akong mapasigaw nang bigla na lang niya akong binuhat at pinatong sa balikat.

"Never, ibaba mo ako!" I tried to wriggle free, but he was so strong. Binuksan niya ang pinto ng sasakyan at padabog na ibinaba ako, parang sako ng patatas. He walked to the other side and agad na pumasok sa driver's seat.

I glared at him the entire time. "What happened to free will, huh?"

"What's that?"

I rolled my eyes. "If you keep doing this, Never, I swear next time tatamaan ka talaga."

"Oh, force. I'd love that," pang-aasar niya.

I really didn't have much say in things like this. "You know this is kidnapping."

I heard him chuckle a bit. "No, this isn't. But I will kidnap you one of these days so you'll know what it actually feels like."

"Why are you bothering me? Wala ka bang ibang gagawin? How about school? Siguro naman kahit pagmamay-ari ninyo ang school, babagsak ka pa rin kapag hindi ka pumapasok."

"I've done my errands and I don't have class today. The master's program is pretty flexible, and nope, I still get bad grades if I'm stupid. But I'm smart, so I don't really know what a bad grade is," sagot niya.

"If I know you, you probably threatened and coerced your professors into giving you a decent grade."

Muntik na akong mapasigaw nang may nagsalita mula sa likuran.

"You two, keep it down and stop flirting. Kita n'yo nang may natutulog dito."

Napamura ako at lumingon sa likuran. I didn't notice na may tao palang nakahiga sa backseat. Gaya ni Never, he was wearing running shorts and a black muscle shirt, tapos nakapatong sa mukha niya ang dala niyang hoodie jacket. He removed it and looked at me with a grumpy face.

It was Dazai.

Bumangon siya at kinusot ang mata. "Hello, Cohen."

"My name is Coco," sagot ko sa kanya. I noticed Never glance at me, but he didn't say anything. Of course, alam niyang ayaw kong tinatawag ako nang gano'n.

"Hello, Coco." Dazai yawned. "I'm tagging along to cockblock N."

"Uhm... okay?" nawe-weirduhan kong sagot.

"As if you can stop me from mauling her anytime," Never said with a smirk.

Ngumisi naman si Dazai. "Oh, a live show. I like that."

Ugh. What are the chances I'll die if I jump out of a moving car? Never is already too much, tapos sasabayan pa ng mga kaibigan niya. Hindi ba sila pwedeng maglaro nang wala ako?

"So, how's school, Coco?" tanong ni Dazai, mukhang wala nang balak matulog ulit.

"I'm probably failing, thanks to a certain someone," sagot ko, sabay irap kay Never. He looked at me with a smug expression on his face.

"You're welcome."

"Still not a compliment."

"Whatever it is, I'll still gladly take it," wika niya.

Dazai snapped from the back. "Hey, lovebirds, don't ignore me. So, Coco... anong sinabi ng kapatid mo sa relasyon ninyo ni Never?"

I made a face. "Wala kaming relasyon." When I glanced at Never, he was smirking, but he gave a slight nod.

"Okay, let me rephrase that," sabi ni Dazai. "Anong sinabi ng kapatid mo sa..." He paused as if he was thinking. "...whatever thing you have with Never?"

"I don't need his opinion," sagot ko. My brother would definitely flip, but who cares?

"Atta girl!" bulalas ni Dazai, which I replied to with a frown. Nang napatingin naman ako kay Never, he winked flirtatiously na sinagot ko rin ng pagtaas ng kilay. "I know he's definitely furious right now, especially since Never posted your photo."

"See? Anyone can recognize me! Delete it, Never!"

"No," he said firmly, as if it was final and irrevocable.

My phone beeped, and my stomach sank the moment I read the text message from Dior.

Dior: GET OFF THAT DAMN CAR.
Dior: NOW.

Shit.

I snapped my head up, instinctively scanning the road ahead as I try to find the right ways kung paano sabihin kay Never na kailangan kong bumaba.

Huminga ako nang malalim at bumaling kay Never, only to see him shifted his posture and his eyes flicked to the mirror, like a predator catching scent.

His lips curled into a slow grin. "Well, speaking of the devil." he murmured, almost amused. "Looks like your brother finally decided to play."

My chest tightened. "Kailangan kong bumaba. He's telling me to get off—"

Never's grin widened. "Let's see how long he can keep up."

"What?!"

He stepped on the gas.

"Whoah! Adventure, yay!" Tuwang-tuwang sabi ni Dazai na parang batang nakaluhod sa upuan at nakatingin sa sasakyan na sumusunod sa amin.

The car surged forward so fast my breath got punched out of me. Never drove like the devil himself, grin plastered on his face, like he'd been waiting for this exact moment.

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