<vote and comment your favorite chess piece>

Small laughters crackled in the balcony. It was one cloudy day and the wind is blowing at their faces softly like feathers. Tila ang dalawang kailan lang nagkakilala ay nakapagpalagayan na ng loob.

Rouqe watched her as she tries to finish her masterpiece, helping her on the paint tubes from time to time. Prente itong nakasandal sa railings, kaharap ang babaeng nasa sa canvas ang buong atensyon. Kagat niya ang kanyang labi upang mapigilan ang panibagong ngiti tuwing may ikikwento ito. She kept on telling blind jokes that makes his stomach flatter.

Tinitigan niya ang maliit na pulang pintura na gumuhit sa kanyang pisngi nang sinubukan niyang hawiin ang buhok nitong hinangin sa kanyang maamong mukha.

"Morgan," Rouqe called her.

"Bakit?"

She got used of him calling her by her real name. He doesn't know. He's innocently addressing her. Paniguradong hindi niya alam ang katotohanan kaya't hinahayaan niya na lamang. Isa pa ay natutuwa siyang marinig ito. Ilang taon na rin ang nakalipas nang natawag siya sa kanyang totoong pangalan.

"You have a paint on your cheek."

Sinubukan niya itong tanggalin gamit ang gilid ng kanyang palad ngunit nadagdagan lang ito. "Sa kabila," Rouqe chuckled. Ginawa niya ang sinabi nito pero nang marinig na lumakas lamang ang halakhak ng kasama ay sumuko ito sa ginagawa.

"You know what? Hayaan na lang nating madungis ako," natatawa na ring saad niya. "Iabot mo na lang 'yong Magenta at 'wag mo na akong tawanan."

He reached the box of metallic tubes and looked for that specific color, only to find out it's already empty.

"Ubos na."

"How 'bout Fuchsia?"

"Wala na rin."

Morgan pouted a bit and felt quite sad. It seems like she's running out of paints. However, she really needs to finish her new piece as soon as possible. The other colors left are also about to hit the end of the tube.

"You need to buy new ones," Rouqe suggested like he heard her mind.

Morgan hesitated, "I need to schedule it." Pinaalalahanan ang sarili na isa siyang bulag.

"Why? Ba't 'di na ngayon? Samahan na kita."

"Totoo ba?"

"Yeah."

Her face lit up. "Sige, teka. Magpalit lang ako ng damit ta's maghilamos ng mukha. Sa tawa mo kanina parang naging canvas ata mukha ko ngayon."

Rouqe just grinned and held her arms to guide her to the Kitchen. Her dog Potty is just sniffing at their footsteps.

When they reached the area, his hand glides down to her dainty, soft ones and scrubbed the paint off her palms as water poured on the sink.

Morgan felt light and unfamiliar while she just stared at her own hands being enveloped by his rough, warm palms. She's not used to it, people doing her normal things. Kahit sa isip nila ay bulag siya, matagal siyang hindi nakadepende sa ganitong simpleng gawain. Pero hinayaan niya lang ito.

Morgan laughed a bit to ease the unfamiliar feeling as Rouqe dried her hands with a white towel, then later made it wet to use it on her cheeks.

"I feel like a child being taking care of," she hissed jokingly.

He slightly lifted her chin. She can clearly see him focused on her cheeks, gently removing the stains. Mukha itong seryoso sa ginagawa. Maingat ang kanyang kilos na pawang isa siyang babasagin.

Ngayon lamang ito nagkaroon ng tyansang matitigan ito ng mata sa mata at malapitan. His eyes were dark and deep whilst his hair in chestnut brown looks naturally messy like you want your hands run to it. Sharp jaws...nose...thin lips...perfectly shaped bushy brows. His eyelashes are perhaps longer that hers. Manly. She wondered how many women flock to his nest.

"You are a child," he mumbled.

When his eyes glance at hers, for a moment he stopped and stood steal. He end up staring at those mysterious, alluring grey eyes. He felt like they were staring back at him too and he can't help but be paralyzed by the idea of it. Until, his eyes dropped down to his fingers on the side of her lips. Images flashed in his mind.

Umiwas ito ng tingin at tila napaso. This is not good, he warned his self.

"Maayos na. Pwede ka na magbihis," aniya sa mababang tono.

Naging tahimik at mabilis ang byahe. While on their way, Rouqe kept on telling his self Jax's request. Jax's. He pulled a side glance at the person on his passengerseat.

The girl is off limits, Rouqe.

This is way too fast for him to get attached to a random blind woman whom he just met at a coffee shop which turned out to be his friend's girl. Baka marahil ay nanibago lang siya dahil iba ito, 'di tulad ng mga babaeng nagkukumahog mapunta sa kanyang kama. Pinaalalahanan niya ang sarili na lilipas din ang mga ito at makakalimutan ang kasama.

Nang makarating sila sa pinakamalapit na mall ay tinungo agad nila ang isang Art Shop. It's Sunday and lunch time. Madaming tao. Morgan held a pinch on Rouqe's sleeves as they made their way to the place. He made sure they got all the available color of the paint's brand she is using.

Hinarap niya ang katabi. "Ano pang kailangan mo, Morgan?" tanong nito. He was aware of the soft, concern tone he has been using when talking to her. "Do you need more canvases or brushes?" he inquired.

She just smiled and shook her head lightly, "Just the paints, Rouqe." Mabilis lang nila itong binayaran sa counter at inaya siyang dito na mananghalian.

Nang palabas na sila sa nasabing shop ay bahagyang nabungo si Morgan mula sa likod ng isang babaeng mabilis na maglakad. Rouqe was quick to held her from stumbling as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Matalim niyang tinignan ang likod ng nakabungo sa kasama na hindi man lamang humingi ng paumanhin.

Neon pink. She is wearing this one shade of pink that makes her stand out in this busy crowd; the boots, the pencil cut skirt, and the blazer. Even his short haired wig is in shouting neon pink.

Naramdaman ito ni Rouqe. Likod at aura pa lamang ay kilala niya na kung sino ito. Alam niya nang ang pagbungong iyon ay sadya. Nakompirma niya ito nang pagkatapos ng ilang hakbang ay lumingon ito sa kanila, binaba ang suot na itim na shades at ngumisi bago nagpatuloy sa pag-alis.

"Are you okay?"

"O-okay lang."

Dinala niya ito sa isang casual Chinese restaurant na mangilan-ngilan lamang ang mga customer. Rouqe made sure the area is cleared and out of that sudden encounter. Binigay niya muna ang order nilang dalawa bago ito nagpaalam na aalis lang saglit.

It was not hard for Rouqe to find that same woman. Sinundan niya itong nagtungo sa isang unauthorized room ng mga personnel ng mall. Hinawakan niya ang pistol niyang tahimik na nakatago sa ilalim ng suot nito. Pagkapasok niya sa kwarto ay agad nito itong binunot at itinutok sa planong aasintahin.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito, Dos?"

Matalim nitong saad sa mababang tono. The woman coined as Dos stopped from applying her pink lipstick in the mid-air. And glanced at him motionless at his reflection on the glass mirror she's facing.

"Ganyan mo na ba ako kamustahin ngayon..." She smacked her lips lightly. "...Zero?" she finished and faced him gracefully.

"Anong ginagawa mo dito?" Isang kasa ng baril.

"Bakit? Bawal na ba ako sa mall ngayon?" ngisi niya.

"Don't make me repeat my question for the third time, Dos."

"I have a mission here," sagot nito. "We all have missions, don't we? Right? Don't tense your self too much. I'm not here for you. I just bumped into you, guys, accidentally. Maybe it's destiny. Baka tayo talaga ang tinadhana, Zero," nagbigay ito ng isang nakakalokong ngisi bago humakbang palapit sakanya at hinawakan ang dulo ng kanyang baril para unti-unti itong ibaba. "There, there. Nasagot ko na. Ako naman ang magtatanong...

Kilala mo ba ang babaeng kasama mo?"

Bago siya makasagot ay pinigilan na siya nito nang inilapat niya ang kanyang hintuturo sa kanyang labi.

"Ssh," she interrupted. Her mouth was slightly open as she smacked her tongue on the roof of her mouth, creating a short, sharp sound. "Alam ko ang totoong sagot, so you don't really need to bother, Honey," she whispered.

Aaminin niyang hindi siya sigurado sa totoong punto ng babae. But, he knows her too well not to fall on her traps.

He grabbed her wrist off his face and eyed her. His emotionless glare directed at her can sent shivers to anyone's spine.

"Don't middle with my fucking businesses if you don't want to wear the color of your own blood next."

Dos was a bit startled by his sudden threat, but quickly masked it. She pulled her hand and laugh without the humor in her eyes. "Funny," she sneered. "I don't middle with other's business. Unless, it interfered my own damn business. Remember that, Z."

Nilagpasan niya ito. She went out the empty room leaving him alone. Hinayaan na ito ni Rouqe at hindi na sinundan. Agad siyang bumalik sa restaurant kung saan tahimik lang na naghihintay si Morgan. She smiled when she heard his voice came back. Ngumiti ito pabalik kahit hindi siya nakikita nito. Sakto rin ang pagdating ng mga inorder nila.

"Akala ko iniwan mo na ako dito, e."

"Ba't ko naman gagawin iyon?"

Rouqe was extra cautious the whole time they were eating. Of course, he should be. One of his kind is out there with them. At hindi lang ito basta kung sino. It was Dos.

The top Rooks of VERA never meet accidentally in one place.

Never.