Kairo's POV

I was planning to go home after to check up on Luna but Dad sent me a message saying that they're in the hospital. Nagtaka pa ako dahil bakit naman sila naroon?

Kaagad akong sumakay sa sasakyan ko at saka pa lang nag-iba ang kutob ko. I hope this is not some bad news to be stressed about. Sana mali ang iniisip ko, kasi kung tama ako, grabe na ang sakit na maghahalo sa puso ko.

After I arrive at the hospital, kaagad akong pumunta sa front desk at hinanap ang pangalan ni Dad pero wala. Right, hindi ko pala naitanong kung sino ang hahanapin.

"How about Kianna Elaine Miranza?" I tried.

Nagtagal nang halos dalawang minuto bago masabi sa akin ang room na dapat kong puntahan. I ran as fast as I could towards the elevator and pressed the floor number kung nasaan sila.

Pagkabukas ko ng pinto, bumungad sa akin ang mga iyak nila. I saw Mom, Dad, Hiara and Jordyn. They're all crying so hard but had the chance na tignan ang pagdating ko.

Dumiretso ako kay Mommy, she's sitting on the hospital bed. I gave her a warm hug before I asked what happened.

"Ka..Kai," she tried her best to call me.

"What is it, Mom?" I ask. "What's happening?"

Niyakap niya ako nang mahigpit at umiyak sa balikat ko. Nahahawa na rin ako sa kalungkutan na mayroon siya at nararadaman ko na rin ang pag-init ng mga mata ko.

"W-We lost the baby, Kai," she cried. "I had a miscarriage."

Tila nabingi ako, walang marinig na iba kung hindi ang sinabi ni Mommy. Parang nanghina ulit ang tuhod ko pati na ang buong katawan ko.

It's like my whole world fell apart when I heard what she told me. Hindi ako makagalaw, hindi ko alam kung ano gagawin ko. Mas masakit pa mawalan ng kapatid kaysa sa heartbreak, tangina!

"What?" I asked as my tears started to fall down. "What do you mean? Why? Why, Mom?"

It's like my words triggered everyone around me. Lahat sila ay mas nag-iyakan but I had my attention on Mom only.

"Too much stress," Mom answered. "Over-fatigue. I wasn't able to fully take care of your sibling. I'm sorry." I hugged her tight. It's not her fault, why is she saying sorry? Nanatili lang akong nakayakap sa kanya, dahil walang ginawang masama si Mommy sa kanyang buhay para maranasan ang ganitong sakit.

She already went through a lot. Simula college ay lagi siyang nasasaktan, even her relationship with Dad Elliot she experienced so much pain. She even lost him and now she lost our sibling. Damn this life! Sana ako na lang ang naka-experience ng ganitong sakit eh.

'Wag lang si Mommy.

Kumawala ako sa yakap ni Mommy nang pumasok ang doctor, she checked my Moms vital signs before giving her a side smile.

"I'm really sorry, Mrs. Miranza. I could've saved your son, but when you two arrived his heartbeat was already weak. Until... it stopped." the doctor said at nagtaka naman kaming lahat. "Son?" tanong ni Dad Ashler.

"Oh yes, your baby was supposed to be a boy. I looked at the ultrasound earlier and it showed signs of forming a baby boy." the doctor explained at mas lalo naman kaming nalungkot. I've been wanting a little brother.

"Thank you, Doc." Mom said and she just tapped her shoulder.

"Anyways, I came here to tell you that you can have your operation today to take the fetus out." She informed Mom at tumango naman siya. Tututol sana ako pero gusto 'yan ni Mommy eh.

"Hale, can you call the cemetery to ready Elliot's tombstone. Doon ko na lang ililibing si Baby Ian." she said and Dad nodded. "Ian?" tanong ko naman kay Mommy and she smiled.

"Sadly, baby Adrian Harvey Miranza didn't make it to see the world. But at least he'll be up there watching and protecting us." she told us.

After a few minutes of preparation ay inoperahan na si Mommy. Naiwan naman ako sa hospital room kasama si Daddy. Bumaba kasi si Jordyn at Hiara para bumili ng pagkain.

Napalingon naman ako sa kanya. Should I confront him? I deserve to know the truth! "Dad." tawag ko sa kanya at nilingon niya naman ako habang ang kanyang expression ay blanko lang.

"I heard you two talking, Dad." paninimula ko at mukhang nakuha niya naman kung ano ang pinaguusapan ko. But instead of telling me umiwas siya ng tingin at umaktong hindi alam ang pinaguusapan ko.

"What do you mean, anak?" he gulped and met up with my gaze. Oh, Dad. You can't play dumb. I scoffed before standing up, "Alam kong inutusan mo si Tito Theo na patayin si Tita Lux." nanigas naman siya dahil mukhang tama nga siya ng inakala na alam ko na ang lahat.

"See? Tama ako. Pero Dad, bakit mo kailangan 'yon gawin?" I gritted my teeth and he averted his gaze from me.

"Ginawa ko 'yon para sa'tin anak—"

"But that doesn't mean that you're going to order someone to kill Luna's Mom!" I shouted and I received a punch from him. I tasted blood from my lower lip.

"Don't you dare raise your voice at me, Kairo! Ako ang nagpalaki sa'yo dahil wala kang ama." he told me at tumaas ang aking kilay out of disbelief.

"Are you serious, Dad? Aren't you the one who willingly told my Mom na magiging ama kita?" diin ko sa salitang Mom. Agad ko naman siya inirapan, "Ano ba gusto mo? Magpasalamat ako sa'yo dahil nagkaroon ako ng tatay? Salamat ah." sarkastikong tugon ko and he was clearly pissed and was about to punch me again when I spoke.

"Punch me again and I'll tell my Mom that you were involved too. I'm sure if she hears about that you'll end up having a divorce with her." I told him kaya umatras siya sa'kin.

"Kairo, hindi ko alam kung bakit kailangan mo pang sumawsaw sa ginagawa namin." he told me and I chuckled sarcastically. "Matanda na ko, Dad. Panganay niyo 'ko. I deserve to know everything, kasi responsibilidad kong protektahan si Mommy pati si Hiara. Okay lang kung ako ang maka-alam tungkol dito. Pero kapag nalaman 'yon ni Hiara and Mom... masasaktan sila." sagot ko sa kanya.

We were silent not until we heard something fell on the ground, pagkatingin namin sa pintuan ay nakatingin sa amin si Jordyn na gulat ang expression. Agad naman namuo ang luha sa ilalim ng kanyang mata bago tumakbo paalis ng kwarto. Sinundan naman siya ni Hiara.

Susunod din sana ako pero itinuon ko muna ang tingin ko kay Dad. "I won't tell Mom. Unless si Hiara ang magsabi. Fix what you started, Dad." huling sinabi ko bago hanapin ang dalawa.

Lumabas ako ng ospital at nakita ko na nakaluhod si Hiara sa harap ni Jordyn habang siya naman ay nakatalikod, humahagulgol pa rin. "'Wag mo kong iwan please, ikaw lang mayroon ako." Hiara told Jordyn. It hurts seeing my sister like this. Kung dati binantaan ko si Jordyn na 'wag saktan kapatid ko... ngayon gusto ko na maghiwalay sila.

Para na rin kay Mommy dahil it would hurt for her to still have connections with Theo. Alam kong hindi kami involve dito pero madadamay talaga kami dahil magulang namin 'yon eh. Medyo mainit pa rin ang ulo ko dahil kay Dad pero nilapitan ko sila at itinayo si Hiara.

Tiningnan naman ako ni Jordyn ng kanyang malungkot na mata. As much as I want to hug her right now, galit din ako sa kanya dahil sa ginawa ng tatay niya. "Pakawalan mo na si Jordyn, Hiara." I said in a monotone pero ayaw pa rin bumitiw ni Hiara.

"Ayaw ko kuya! Mahal ko siya. I don't see any problem continuing our relationship." she said and I was pissed. Ang tigas talaga ng ulo ni Hiara!

"She's my fucking ex, Hiara!" I shouted without thinking. Kasi alam kong 'yan lang ang tanging rason para maghiwalay sila. Hindi naman naniwala si Hiara at nilingon si Jordyn. "Totoo ba?" she asked her at tumango ito.

"Oo... we were.. p-past lovers." her voice broke.

At tuluyang umiyak naman na si Hiara bago ko tiningnan si Jordyn at sinenyasan siya na umalis na. Hinila ko naman si Hiara pabalik sa loob ng ospital pero nung papasok na kami sa kwarto ni Mommy ay hinila niya ang aking damit.

"Take me home... Kuya." she said and I nodded before we walked back down to the parking lot. I actually thought that she was mad at me. Kasi naghiwalay sila ni Jordyn at ang dahilan no'n ay sinabi na naming ang totoo na dati kaming magkarelasyon.

"I'm sorry if I raised my voice earlier," I told her and she just gave me a soft smile. I hate seeing her sad, kasi as her Kuya, I have to give her the happiness that she deserves.

"It's fine kuya, baka hindi talaga ako meant for her. Maybe God has other plans for the both of us." she said and after a few seconds ay bigla naman siyang natawa. "How ironic that we both got hurt by Jordyn Clemente. We were supposed to be happy."

I sighed as I rested my right arm on the gear shift. Nang makarating kami sa bahay ay tinext ko si Dad na nauna na kami sa bahay ni Hiara dahil gusto niya muna magpahinga.

Pagkabukas namin ng pinto ay nandoon si Luna na hinihintay kami, she was already in her pajamas and her hair was in a messy bun eating some chips. Lumingon siya sa akin at sinalubong kaming dalawa ni Hiara. Imbis na umiwas si Hiara sa kanya ay niyakap niya si Luna.

Takang tiningnan ako ni Luna at nagkibit balikat lang ako, "Ate... Jordyn broke up with me." she told her and her mouth flew open. Niyakap naman ni Luna si Hiara ng mahigpit. Gusto ko sanang sabihin muna kay Luna ang mga nalaman ko pero hindi ko magawa dahil mukhang okay siya ngayon at katatapos lang umiyak.

They pulled apart at dinala ni Luna si Hiara sa couch para umupo, sumandal naman ito sa kanya and she was stroking Hiara's hair para tumahan na ito. "Shh, tahan na, Hiara. May iba pang tao dyaan, matuto tayong maghintay, okay?" She comforted our sister.

"Tas Ate alam mo ba na ex ni Jordyn si Kuya Kairo?" tanong niya pa dito at bahagyang natawa pa siya kay Hiara. Oh no. Don't tell me sasabihin niya rin na ex din siya ni Jordyn?

"Welcome to the club, Hiara." she said as she lightly patted Hiara's back. Tumingin naman siya kay Luna ng puno ng pagtataka. "Anong club?"

"Me and Kairo are both exes of Jordyn. Kaya welcome to the club." pag-explain niya at hindi makapaniwalang umiling si Hiara.

"Never have I thought that we all have a small world," that's the only thing she said bago kami iwan ni Luna sa sala dahil magpapahinga na daw siya.

We were both silent hanggang sa mapagdesisyonan ko na sabihin sa kanya ang mga nangyari, "Tito Theo tried to... k-kill your Mom." I told her at bigla siyang napa-atras. She stood up and turned away to gather her thoughts, wandering a short distance before returning back to me.

"Why? How?" tanging tanong niya sa akin at nakita kong unti unti ulit namumuo ang mga luha sa kanyang mata.

I gulped, "Para hindi madamay ang pamilya namin; para din daw sa kapakanan nating mga anak nila. Ayaw daw ni Tito Theo na masaktan muli si Mommy." I answered her and she slowly nodded. "Tito Theo said she saw your Mom already dead in her unit even before he tried to kill her with a knife. It was all circumstantial though. Walang sapat na ebidensya na si totoo nga ang sinasabi niya." dagdag ko as her tears slowly fell down on the side of her cheek.

How I wish I could help you, Luna.

Nakatulog si Luna habang umiiyak sa couch kaya ang ginawa ko ay dinala siya sa kanyang kwarto para makatulog.

Dad also texted me na tapos na yung operation ni Mommy at bukas daw agad ililibing si baby Adrian. I typed my reply before I also got ready for bed.

I had a very exhausting day.

Humiga ako sa kama ko pero hindi ako makatulog, something is bugging me. Kumusta na kaya si Jordyn?

Naka-ilang posisyon ako sa kama hanggang sa tumayo ako para kunin ang aking susi at lumabas. I drove off to her dahil alam ko na sa lahat ay siya ang pinaka apektado, kasi siya ang anak ni Tito Theo na nagtangkang pumatay.

When I arrived at her dorm ay kumatok ako sa pintuan. When she opened the door, she was shocked to see me. Her eyes widened as her grip on the bag that she was holding tightened. Pumasok naman ako sa loob ng dorm niya at isinara ang pinto, tuluyang nalaglag ang hawak niyang gamit and the next thing I knew... she was already crying.

Bigla naman nanginig ang kanyang kamay habang siya ay umiiyak, "Hold me, Kai... please." hindi ako nagdalawang isip na yakapin siya. She buried her face on my chest as she cried and I was there trying to calm her.

Today is the shittiest day in my life; because I witnessed all of the important girls in my life cry.

First Luna, then my Mom, Hiara, and my first and greatest love.

After she recovered tiningnan ko ang dorm niya, she was packing? "Where are you going?" I asked and she wiped the tears off her face before facing me.

"I'm going back to live with my Mom. Sa probinsya ko na itutuloy ang pagaaral ko." she smiled bitterly. Wala naman akong nasabi pero hinawakan ko kamay niya at tinaasan niya naman ako ng kilay.

"If I ask you to stay, will you?" I asked and she looked at me with questioning eyes. "Give me one good reason to stay." she told me at napaisip naman ako.

"You're still... important to me." I told her and she bit her lip before looking away. "That's still not good enough—"

I kissed her. A long one.

After the kiss we both looked at each other, lumayo naman na siya sa'kin. "Go home, Kai. It's late." she said and with that I left her.

But at least I gave her a kiss goodbye.

The next morning we woke up early para mailibing agad ang si baby Ian. Buo kaming pamilya na naririto, hindi na namin inimbita ang iba naming relatives kasi gusto naming kami kami lang ang makaalam. Mabilis kasi kumalat ang balita kapag ipinaalam ito sa iba naming kadugo.

Mom bid her goodbyes before we went back home. Nauna na sila doon sa bahay dahil may dinaanan pa akong papeles na kailangan basahin at paguwi ko ay nagulat ako ng may cake na hawak si Mommy at si Dad naman ay may hawak na bagong laptop.

"Happy belated birthday, Kai." sabi ni Mommy bago itapat sa aking ang cake. Natouch naman ako sa kanila dahil naisipan pa nila gawin 'to kahit maraming ganap sa buhay namin ngayon. "Make a wish, 'nak." Dad told me and I closed my eyes.

I still wish her to be happy. And for my family to overcome our problems.

I blew the candle before giving all of them a hug.

At least I still have my family, and that's the only thing that matters right now.