A little warning: this chapter will contain a hella lot of Tagalog.

BUT! This time, I decided to NOT be a lazy butt and convenience yall with translations already provided! Yay! :D

Happy reading!

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She stood behind Katipunan; arms crossed and a pout across her face.

"Kinalimutan nyo na 'ko?"
("You guys forgot about me already?")

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"WAHHHHHH! KINALIMUTAN NYO 'KO!" She yelled. She was on her stomach and thrashing around on the floor.
("WAHHHHHH! YOU GUYS FORGOT ABOUT ME!")

Philippines and Gregorio were standing above her, panicking.

"Kuya, what're we gonna do?! If Nanay hears her crying and screaming..." The thought made Philippines shiver in fright, and sniffle.

Unfortunately for Gregorio, he's been in these type of situations enough times before to know where this is going.

"No, Pip, not you, too-"

"WAHHHHHH! KUYA, AYOKO I-SAPAKIN AKO NI NANAY! AYOKO YUNG TSINELAS! WAHHHHHH!" Philippines too, fell to his stomach and started thrashing around on the floor.
("WAHHHHHH! BIG BROTHER, I DON'T WANT MOM TO SPANK ME! I DON'T WANT THE SLIPPER!")

Gregorio knelt down in front of both of them and tried to calm them down.

"Sorry na, wag na kayong umiyak, please. Maririnig tayo ni Nanay." He rubbed and patted their heads in an attempt to at least hush them a little bit. But when that didn't seem to work, he resorted to desperate measures.
("I'm sorry, please don't cry, guys. Mom will hear us.")

Bargaining and getting even.

"Sapakin mo din ako para patas tayo, dali-"
("Hit me so we can be even, quick-")

SLAM!

The door slammed open, and in came a very angry Perla; slipper clutched tightly in her left hand, with a very dark aura surrounding her.

Gregorio gulped loud and hard.

"Gregorio del Pilar... anong ginawa mo ngayon...?"
("Gregorio del Pilar... What did you do now...?")

Perlas' voice was calm and monotone, yet it still scared Gregorio more than her usual ear-drum shattering yells. It also doesn't help when his mother called him by his full name.

But Gregorio saw this coming. So with a deep breath, he closed his eyes tight and braced for impact.

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WHACK!

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"Nanay, luto na po yung kanin!"
("Mom, the rice is cooked!")

"Ah, very good, anak!" Perla smiled as she praised her youngest child and daughter, Maharlika. "Ngayon, tawagin mo yung Tatay at mga kuya mo. Dinner's ready."
("Ah, very good, my child!")
("Now, call your dad and older brothers. Dinner's ready.")

"Opo, Nanay." She said with a smile and ran off out the door to the fields where her dad and brothers were tending the crops and called out to them.
("Yes, Mom.")

"Tatay! Kuya Greg! Kuya Phil! Dinner's ready! Sabi ni Nanay na kumain na tayo, dali!"
("Dad! Big brother Greg! Big brother Phil! Dinner's ready! Mom said "Let's eat!", quick!")

Out in the fields, Katipunan heard her call out to them and chuckled. "O, narinig nyo yung kapatid nyo. Tara, kumain na tayo bago magalit sa'tin yung Nanay nyo." He told his sons.
("Oh, you heard your sibling. Come, let's eat before your mom gets mad at us.")

Gregorio put down his tools and strectched his arms out in the air. "You don't have to tell me twice." He turned to Philippines. "Tara, Pip, bilisan natin!" He ran off ahead. "Last one there is a stinky pig!"
("Come, Pip, let's hurry up!")

"Hoy, kuya, teka lang!" Philippines called out, before running off himself. "Slow down!"
("Hey, big brother, wait!")

"Hoy, mag ingat kayong dalawa!" Katipunan yelled before running off to catch up with them.
("Hey, careful, you two!")

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When she saw her brothers run past her, Maharlika tried to run up to them, but tripped and fell on the bare, rocky, and dirty ground.

"Maharlika!"

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Maharlika jumped a bit as she yelped and hissed in pain from the alcohol being rubbed on her wound.

Katipunan clicked his tounge as he shook his head in disapproval; his eyebrows furrowed. "Bakit ka kasi nag takbo?"
("Why did you even run in the first place?")

"Eh, paano? Tumatakbo yung mga kuya nya. Ayan, dumapa siya tuloy." Perla said with a sigh of disappointment and shot glares at Gregorio and Philippines, who could do nothing more than hang their heads low in shame.
("Eh, how? Her big brothers were running. There, she tripped as a result.")

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Perla and her kids were happily eating lunch together at the dinner table, whe the door suddenly slammed opened, startling them.

Katipunan entered the house grunting. He looked like he was struggling to carry a medium-sized box, and it caught the attention of his wife and kids.

"O, tatay, ano po yan?" Gregorio asked, his mouth still full.
("Oh, dad, what's that?")

"Gregorio, what did I say about talking with you mouth full?"

Katipunan put down the box with a sigh of relief. He then turned to his family and smiled.

"This, my dear family, is a karaoke machine." Katipunan announced with a grin across his face.

Perla laughed as her children cheered. She loved the fact that her children inherited their father's love of music, as it was his love of music that made her fall for him in the first place.

"O sige, sige. Mahal, sumama ka saamin at kumain ka muna bago mo i-set up yung karaoke."
("Oh alright, alright. Love, join us and eat first before you set up the karaoke.")

Katipunan nodded and joined his family at the dining table for lunch.

Perla looked at her kids and told them, "No one starts singing until you finish your food."

The kids stopped eating for a bit and glanced at each other, before they started gobbling their food quickly.

"H-Hoy, teka muna, the karaoke isn't even set up yet!" She glanced at her husband for help. "Mahal, do some-"

But he too, was gobbling his food quickly.

"O, sige, mabulabog kayo sa pagkain nyo, para lang sa karaoke na yan."
("Ok, choke on your food just for that karaoke.")

Suddenly, Katipunan started coughing violently on his food.

Perla rolled her eyes before helping him out. "Sinabi ko na, eh. Ba't ang kulit-kulit nyo, hah?"
("I told you so. Why are you guys so stubborn, huh?")

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Perla sighed sadly. "It's still not enough..."

They were in the middle of the seasonal drought, and a particularly rough one, at that. The crops weren't growing well like they'd usually do, resulting in low profits. And it wasn't enough for even just their basic needs.

Katipunan and Perla were discussing possible solutions, but little did they know that their three children were eavesdropping on them, and have been for a while, now.

Philippines looked at his older brother. "Kuya, anong pwede tayong gawin para makatulong kay Nanay at Tatay?"
("Big brother, what can we do to help Mom and Dad?")

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But little did anyone know that Maharlika booked a trip to Manila to live and work for a while. A big decision she knew would benefit her family financially...

...but also hurt them emotionally.

Maharlika took a deep breath, and stepped in front of her brothers and within their parents view.

"Hoy, Maharlika, ano-"
("Hey, Maharlika, what-")

"I'm going to Manila to find a job- any job- and send you some money by the end of each month."

Gregorio and Philippines' jaws dropped.

Her parents stopped talking and looked at her in surprise.

Perla looked like she had tears forming in her eyes.

"Anak... hindi mong kailangan mag tumira at trabaho sa Maynila. Hahanapin kami ng tatay mo ang solution." Perlas' voice began to break. "Pakiusap, wag ka umalis. Wag ka umalis... sa tabi namin."
("My child... you don't need to live and work in Manila. Your father and I will find a solution.")
("Please, don't leave. Don't leave... our side.")

Despite knowing this would happen after she told them, she still gave a small smile an attempt to ease the emotional pain. But deep in her heart, she knew it was useless.

"Anak, batang-bata ka pan para mag-"
("My child, you're still to young to even-")

"I already have my things packed." Maharlika interrupted.

Before her family could object, she walked to her room. But she felt a hand grab her wrist.

"Ba't 'di mo sinabi saamin ni Phil, hah?!"
("Why didn't you tell me and Phil, huh?!")

Maharlika looked back and saw her big brother Greg with his eyebrows furrowed and trying so hard to hold back tears; and Philippines standing right behind him with the same expression.

"Bitawan mo 'ko."
("Let me go.")

Though it hurt her, she struggled and forced herself out of his grip and went to get her things in her room; leaving Greg standing there; dumbfounded and tears streaming down his cheeks.

"My baby girl..."

When she exits her bedroom with her things, she looked at her family's red and puffy faces, and forced out a smile.

"I should only be gone for a year; once we have enough money to get ourselves back on our feet again."

As she walked out the front door with her things and quiet tears streaming down her cheeks, she heard her family call out her name.

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"MAHARLIKA!"

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"MAHARLIKA!"

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word count : 1491 words.

Coming up ---> 'chapter 14 : The Unwelcomed and the Unexpected'

Well, there you go. A little background info on Maharlika and why we haven't heard from her early in in this fanfic... by invading her innermost memories 😈

... Or probably a lame excuse to add her kinda late into the story and quickly finding a way to squeeze her in the story without seeming too rash-

*cough* *cough*

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Don't worry; I have a mask on 😷

IN OTHER NEWS,,,

I know, I know... should provide translations like these more often, huh?

Also, in case some of you may be wondering, no. I haven't forgotten the point and plot of this story. Just trust me when I say, we're getting there. That whole science project with Singapore? It's coming. Just give it... two more chapters...?

Let the plot flow and build up. Trust me, the info im shoving into your brains these past chapters are NOT USELESS. In fact, after the science project chapter, more info will come to light.

... and I'll shove it into your brains- //slapped

All my chapters prior to the science project chapter has a pURPOSE-

Ahem.

ALSO!

I... didn't mean to dramatize that last memory THAT much...

... Or was it not dramatized enough?

Anyway, Im highkey proud of my transitions👌🏼

Anyway, as always, stay safe and healthy!

And ayye, thank you! -3-