"Hey!" Agad akong napaiwas ng tingin kay Rain nang dumating ang kaniyang mga kaibigan.

"Kamahalan," tawag ni Jack nang ako'y kaniyang napansin. Tumayo ako para sila'y harapin.

"Hey, good evening," bati ko sa kanila saka ngumit. Tumayo rin si Rain saka tumango sa kanila.

"Uminom tayo," anyaya ni Lex sa amin. Nginitian ko lamang sila habang palihim na tinitingnan si Rain.

Pasimple niyang hinawakan aking kamay at sinabing, "I will go for it."

Naunang umalis ang mga ito at saka pa siya muling humarap sa akin.
"Ako lang ang iinom at hindi ka kasali," giit niya at hawak aking kamay, lumakad na rin kami.

Tumambad sa amin ang mga bote ng alak sa mismong mesa ng sala. Pumuwesto na rin sila habang nakaupo naman ako sa tabi ni Rain, at agad nilang sinimulan ang pag-inom. Tahimik lang ako habang nakamasid sa kanila. Seryoso ang mga ito.

"Mom," tawag sa akin ni River na siyang nasa second floor ng bahay. "Can you go here?"

Nilingon ko siya. "Yes, I will be there." Muli siyang pumasok sa silid at binalingan ko si Rain. He gave me a short nod. I stood and excused myself to them.

"Go ahead, Kamahalan," sagot ni Jack sa akin. Tumuloy na rin ako kung saan naroon aking anak.

I found him lying on his father's bed. I leaned on and sat next to him.

"Are you going to sleep now?" Umangat siya ng tingin sa akin.

"No, Mom. I'm just missing you." Hinawi ko naman ang kaniyang braso.

"So could you tell me about you and your dad?"

"He loved me, and I love him too."

"Masaya akong marinig iyan mula sa'yo, River," giit ko at ngumiti sa kaniya.

He then held my hand and said, "Our master really loves you."

Gusto kong matawa sa sinabi ng aking anak. Sa mura niyang edad, ang dami na niyang alam.

"How can you say so?"

"Because he said it, Mom."

"Did he?"

"I know how you even love him too. And Mom, please love our master more and more." Yumuko ako saka siya hinalikan sa noo. Gusto kong umiyak hindi lang sa masaya aking anak, kundi dahil mahal din siya ng kaniyang ama.

"Please do more kindness and love, anak. I love you." Yumakap ako sa kaniya at patuloy na hinawi ang kaniyang braso maging ang kaniya ring ulo. Binigyan ko siya ng mga maliliit na halik sa pisngi maging sa noo. Hinintay ko siyang makatulog saka ako tuluyang bumaba.

As I walked down, I noticed Rain sitting alone. I leaned in and took a seat beside him.

"How is he?"

"He fell asleep." Tumango siya at muling tinungga ang bote ng alak na kaniyang hawak.

"And I badly need to go now."

"Ihahatid kita pauwi." My head turned to the table. Most of the bottles in it were empty. I am thinking something about him- maybe he's not in his mood or maybe he's in pain.

"Rain, no need. I will be fine." Akma akong tatayo nang mabilis niyang hawakan aking kamay bilang pagpigil sa akin.

"I can drive you home." I feel secure with his word. And maybe he didn't want me to be alone, going home in the middle of glominess with someone unknown driving me in a taxi.

Still holding my hand, he made a stand. He gets his suit, then we walk away. Tahimik kaming umalis at maging siya ay ayaw akong kausapin.

"How about River?" tanong ko habang tumatakbo ang sasakyan.

"They are there."

"Are you sure you are okay?" He thinks deeply and makes me worry about him.

"I'm not."

"Something wrong?"

"About you, yes."

"You can tell me anything now, Rain. I will listen."

"You can do both. Listen, then answer."

"Okay, just about anything." Inihinto niya ang sasakyan sa gilid ng madilim na lugar saka pinatay ang ilaw nito.

"Kailangan ba na dito tayo huminto?"

"Ayaw mo ba sa madilim?" Hindi ko siya sinagot at sandali pa lamang at siya'y suminghap. Amoy ko ang alak mula sa kaniyang hininga. My heart is throbbing so fast.

Kinakabahan ako sa kaniya.

"Let me ask you this thing again. Sinaktan ka ba minsan ni Gage?"

"Paano mo iyan naitanong?" bawing tanong ko at siya'y nilingon.

"Because you had a scar on your left thigh. How's that? Tell me." Uminit bigla ang magkabila kong pisngi. I was afraid to tell him something, a story. But I don't want to leave this night making him anxious to know.

"That scar is a short slit. Aksidente lamang ang nangyari . . . and," I gulp for a moment and continue, "and it was really my fault."

"That scar of yours was intentionally made by him because of his desire that you could even get into. He hurt you for the reason that you can't pay for his love back. Selfish."

"My scar, my teacher. And I learnt a lot from it."

"Ash, tell me. Do I ever hurt you?"

"Please, Rain . . . Please . . . don't say that."

"Did I make you feel bad? Do I fuck you hard?"

"Rain, please. I feel secure the way you are here with me. And . . . and don't ever think something distressing about yourself. I don't want to be a cause of your misery in life. I love you, Rain. I adore you."

Hinila niya ako at hinagkan ng mahigpit. Tuluyan ng bumagsak ang luha sa aking mga mata. His kisses are my best comfort. Alam kong safe ako sa kaniya. Rain, the man I thought was evil among Satan's family. His bad side makes me believe that Love is possible.

"I'm really sorry," he said as he parted from me.

"No, Rain. Don't say sorry. It's fine." He put his hand on my head, stroking my hair and hugging me gently.

"About the agreement, I renounce it." Mabilis kong inangat ang tingin sa kaniya. Hindi ako makapaniwala sa sinabi niyang iyon.

"Is that for real?"

"That agreement is just a game plan, and it will not take for so long."

"Thank you," masayang sambit ko. "Thank you, Rain."

"I won that game," kampanteng saad niya.

"How about me?" pabiro kong tanong sa kaniya na ikinabaling niya ulit sa akin.

"You're my best prize. First love."

"So can we go now?"

"Would you allow me to sleep again with you?"

"Rain, I already told you about that thing," I said in a soft, low voice. "We can sleep and enjoy the rest of our lives together. It's really up to you. You're my master."

"And Ash. What if babalikan kang muli ni Gage? Sasama ka pa rin ba sa kaniya?"

"Inaalala mo pa rin ba ang tungkol sa bagay na iyan?"

"Because he had great perseverance in doing the things that he wanted to. He appears to be able to be drastic in any form with anyone."

"Hindi na rin siya babalik pang muli, Rain."

"Paano mo nasiguro?"

"He is getting married to someone else."

"So it means wala na akong kahati pa sa iyo."

"I love you, Rain."

"Goddamn," reklamo niya at hinimas kaniyang noo.

"May problema ba?"

"The more you repeat yourself, the more I want to fuck you."

"Then fuck me, Rain." Inangat ko aking katawan saka humawak sa kaniyang pisngi. "Fuck me."

"Horny ka na masyado."

"Don't worry, sa iyo lang ako malandi at patuloy pa sa panglalandi."

"Nakakabaliw ba?" pangungutya pa niya sa akin.

"Dahil nakakabaliw ka, Rain. Sobrang nakakabaliw."