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"A pile of keys and a tingling sound of a bell?" 

TUMANGO si Jaffnah sa tanong na iyon ni Zefarino. "How about you? Anong mga alam mo tungkol sa pamilya ko?"

"First of all, I would like to extend my condolences. I know you're in a deep grief because of what happened and I don't exactly have the idea of how much the excruciating pain you've been dwelling on since hearing the news. But like what I've told you before, Art was the last person who was with your mother before her death."

"Ano bang ikinamatay ni mama? Ang sabi mo sa akin imposibleng si Art ang pumatay kay mama."

"Yeah, because I don't think..." Tila ba nagdadalawang-isip pa si Zefarino na sabihin ang lahat ng totoo kay Jaffnah.

"You don't think what, Zefarino?"

Ilang segundong naghihintay si Jaffnah at tila ba naiinis sa patubay-tubay ni Zefarino na sabihin sa kaniya ang totoo. "Zefarino, you promised me you're gonna tell me everything. Tell me now, it is much painful without knowing the truth. And it makes me insane."

"Your mother... was found dead on the bridge. Just like where your father's dead body was discovered."

Jaffnah's face turned pale. A snot was starting to build inside her nose and even her eyes are now welling tears.

"Don't try to hold it in, Lereve. You can cry. I am here. I am the only one here." Mahigpit na hinawakan ni Zefarino ang kamay ng dalaga at ramdam niya ang galit sa pagkapit din nito sa kaniya. 

"So... y-you're telling me, both my parents were thrown on the same bridge? What does it mean, Zefarino? Someone threw their body to that place? What a heartless soul that human being! Is that even something that humans do?"

Umiling si Zefarino. He's rubbing Jaffnah's hand using his thumb, slowly moving into soothing circles. 

"What on earth, Zefarino? Why would my parents have to experience death like this? Hindi naman sila masama! As far as I know we are a perfect family! Wala naman kaming tinatapakang tao."

Zefarino reached out his hand to caress Jaffnah's back. The lady is now in despair sobbing like she wasn't tired of it at all. "So it means, the dream that you were telling me might be what happened to my father?"

"I am not sure but probably, Lereve. You told me in my booksigning event that your dream might be an unconscious desire, nightmare of the past or a premonition of the future. What if that's what happened to your father back then? That the one the man threw on the bridge was your dad."

Napasinghap si Jaffnah. She couldn't believe her ears would hear something terrible like this. And the fact that someone did those things towards her parents, she couldn't blame to feel enraged. At isa pa, natatandaan niyang nabanggit ni Sir Pit noon na ang nagmamay-ari daw ng sasakyang may plate number na AMF 4699 ay ang ama niya. Kung gano'n posibleng, tama ang hinala ni Zefarino, her dream that night was about her father and its killer. But who was it? Who is that killer who did this to all her parents? Knowing that the same event happened to her father and mother, proves that it might be a single killer they were talking about.

"And you're telling me that Art, the one who almost did something terrible to me, wasn't the killer?"

"Yes, Lereve."

"Kung gano'n, sino? At nasaan ang mga bangkay ng mga magulang ko?"

"Pit already took care of them and buried them in a private cemetery where you can visit anytime you want."

Napapikit si Jaffnah. How could these men take care of everything for her even without her asking for it? All she did was draw a webtoon, but why is everyone around her so kind like she did something great in her life?

"How about the address of that bridge where they were found, where is it, Zefarino?"

"Why? Do you plan to go there?"

"Yes, I need to check just like what I did to the City of Dreams, we need to confirm that that bridge where my parents were found was the bridge in my dream."

Hindi nakapagsalita si Zefarino at sa paraan pa lang ng pagtitig niya sa dalaga ay halata na itong hindi kumbinsido. "Come on, I need to do this, Zefarino. I have the gut feeling that your dream I have entered has something to do with what happened to my parents. We may be near to the answers why I was there in your dream."

Zefarino exhaled and noticed that tears were now drying on Jaffnah's eyes. All he can see on her is the eagerness to help him unravel everything. He also felt the same, after he learned about the cases Pit had informed him—he hinted that there might be a connection between the two of them. No, in fact, the first time he saw her, he already knew it. 

He remembered the first night Jaffnah suddenly appeared in his dreams. It was vivid, how her eyes were full of weary while looking at him as he stabbed her on that fucking white car which he was afraid in reality. He asked Pit to find her with just a few descriptions but all he found was nothing so he tried to get out of the mansion and look for her without anyone knowing it despite his condition, and that morning he accidentally bumped into her. He found her. All of the sedatives are worth it.

"Then, I'll go with you."

"No way, Zefarino. Why would you come with me?!" Napatayo si Jaffnah. She remembered the conversation she had with Doctor Zufresiah.

"Well, something might happen again if you go alone."

"I can go with Sir Pit instead," Jaffnah stated in full spirits.

"No, remember what he did. He left you."

"Because he was locked inside the sleeping quarters. He didn't do it on purpose. He needs to buy time for you."

"I won't let you put your life in danger again. I made a mistake once, Lereve. You're not going out unless you're with me."

BUT THAT EVENING, Jaffnah called Sir Pit to ask further details about the incident. She seemed unstoppable. She was in her room, holding the telephone, secretly having a conversation with the editor.

"I also want to know where my parents were buried, Sir Pit. Please, I want to help. I want to see for myself where they were thrown."

"Hindi puwede, Jaffnah. Magagalit si Zefarino. Bilin niya sa akin ay huwag sabihin sa iyo kung saan iyon."

"Pero, Sir Pit, hindi mo ba gustong matapos na ito? Ilang buwan na lang ba ang natitira, matatapos na ang kontrata ko sa kaniya. Ni wala pa akong nagagawang maayos. Ni hindi ko pa matapos ang trabaho ko sa webtoon dahil sa nangyari kanina."

"Oh, yeah, I heard about that, pero huwag kang mag-alala dahil sinabi ko na kay Sir Mon. Medyo nainis lang siya nang kaunti kay Carizza kaya kino-consider niya kung itutuloy pa ba ang collaboration."

Muling ibinalik ni Jaffnah ang usapa kahit na pilit na ibinabaling ni Sir Pit sa iba. Hindi na yata mapipigilan pa si Jaffnah. "Pakiusap, Sir Pit, titingnan ko lang naman ang tulay na iyon kung iyon nga ang nasa panaginip ko. Kung gusto mo, samahan mo ako."

Napabuntong-hininga si Pit at pilit na iniisip kung susundin niya ba ang gusto ng dalaga.

"Sir Pit... pagbigyan mo na ako. Kapalit ng ginawa mong pang-iiwan sa akin noon sa City of Dreams, bumawi ka. Tulungan mo ako. Ginagawa ko naman ito para kay Zefarino. Ayokong sumama siya sa akin at lumabas din. Pareho naman nating alam kung anong posibleng mangyari."

Pit was defeated. Up until now, he's buried with guilt for what he did to Jaffnah. Hindi naman niya intensyon na iwan ito sa ere pero iyon lang ang natatangi niyang paraan para mas mabigyan ng oras si Jaffnah at si Art na magkasama habang abala rin siya sa pagsunod sa plano ni Zefarino. Pero hindi niya inaasahan na mabubuko siya ni Art at ikukulong sa sleeping quarters. Mabuti na nga lang at natawagan niya na si Zifevorioh para humingi ng tulong at may nagbukas ng sleeping quarter kaya nakasunod siya kaagad sa pagresponde kay Jaffnah.

"Fine. Mamayang alas dose ng madaling araw, magkita tayo sa labas ng gate."

Napangiti naman si Jaffnah. "Sige, Sir Pit. Maraming salamat."

Ibinaba na ni Jaffnah ang telepono. Napahawak siya sa kaniyang dibdib. Mabilis ang tibok ng kaniyang puso at para bang may apoy roon. "Tama, nangako akong gagawin ko ang lahat para sa kaniya. Kapag nakasiguro akong iyon nga ang tulay, ibig sabihin tama si Zefarino na tungkol kay papa ang napanaginipan ko. Mapapanatag na akong hindi si Zefarino ang lalaking hila-hila ng masamang tao na iyon."

That was her initial hunch after she woke up from that dream—that the dream was from Zefarino. Now, she has to be sure and no one can hinder her from waiting for midnight to come and go meet with the editor to check the bridge.

Jaffnah was about to head back to her bed when she was surprised to see Zefarino on the doorway of her room.

"Z-zefarino? A-anong ginagawa mo rito? Kanina ka pa d'yan?"

"Who are you talking to on the telephone?"

"H-ha? A-ano..." She doesn't want to lie. Jaffnah knows that Zefarino knows if she was lying. "Si Sir Pit."

"What did the two of you talk about?" nababanas na tanong ni Zefarino.

Jaffnah scratched her head as she walked towards the man. "I was apologizing because I might submit the webtoon late because of what happened earlier. Sabi ni Sir Pit ay nabanggit niya na raw kay Sir Mon at kino-consider nito na huwag nang ituloy ang collaboration mo kay Carizza."

"Why? You still wanted me to continue even after what happened?" tanong ni Zefarino na para bang pinipigilang mainis. Nakasandal siya sa gilid ng pintuan habang nakahalukipkip at pinagmamasdang maigi ang dalaga na ngayon ay nakapangtulog na rin.

"I mean, if you still want to and it is beneficial for you, why not?"

"Stop being pathetic, Lereve. After what she did to you, you expect me that I would still let her feet step inside our mansion?"

"O-our m-mansion?" nautal na tanong ni Jaffnah. Sandali pa siyang napalunok dahil sa tinuran ng lalaki. Pinagmasdan niya lang si Zefarino na pumasok sa kwarto niya at umupo sa kama.

"Our bed..." pagtukoy ni Zefarino sa kama ni Jaffnah at marahang hinaplos ang bedsheet nito.

"S-sandali, anong ginagawa mo rito? Dito ka ba matutulog?"

"Why not? You slept on my bed last time and I'm curious what's in your bed that triggers your insomnia."

Hindi na napigilan pa ni Jaffnah nang iangat na rin ni Zefarino ang mga paa niya at ipatong sa kama bago sumandal sa headboard habang hinahataw-hataw ang mga unan. Ngayon, hindi na alam ni Jaffnah ang mararamdaman dahil muli niyang naaalala ang nangyari sa kanila noong isang gabi. At isa pa, paano siya makakaalis mamayang madaling araw kung narito ang asungot na ito?

"Come here, beside me, Lereve." Zefarino patted the space beside him.

"What are you doing?" she asked with a shaky voice. She's panicking. "I won't go there beside you! Go back to your room!"

"Why? It is in my mansion. Isn't this my room also? Well, our room."

"What are you trying to say? Why are you being this way? Why do you keep telling everything that it is ours?"

Zefarino just shrugged and playfully smiled towards the lady. He also comfortably laid down on the bed which made Jaffnah's jaw drop. He even pulled the string of the lampshade on the side table. "Come on here, woman."

Those words sent a million shivers on her spine. "What the hell? Are you horny?!"

"W-what?!" Zefarino leaped on the bed, not expecting that something gross would come out from a lady in front of him. It wasn't the mere reason he came to the room, he just wanted to see if she's fine. He cleared his throat before answering. "W-what if I am? Are you gonna come over and let me embrace you?"

Jaffnah blinked like it was the only thing she could do. She couldn't even answer him. The next thing she knew she's on the bed beside the man. She's trying to stop her heart from beating while staring to Zefarino's face whose eyes are closed. His arms are around her while her hand is softly caressing his face. It was the man who saved her multiple times, and the man who always appears every time she's in need. Just like a moment ago, when she's crying under the rain, Zefarino was there listening to her agonies. And now that she needed comfort, the writer is still here in front of him, breathing fine like he trusted her wholeheartedly.

"Is the tea not that helpful?" tanong ni Zefarino sa baritono nitong boses bago iminulat ang mga mata.

"No, I am now sleepy, Zefarino."

"Then, why not sleep?"

"I am still looking at your face. It is not everyday that I get to see you this close."

Zefarino breathed out and caressed her arms. "I see. Should I keep my eyes closed so you can watch me without a hindrance?"

"No, it is fine," she whispered. "Thank you for always accompanying me to sleep, Zefarino. I appreciate it."

Zefarino tucked her hair beneath her ear. "From now on, let me sleep beside you, so I would know if you're having trouble sleeping, and I want to wake you up whenever you're having bad dreams."

Napangiti naman si Jaffnah at mahinang nahampas si Zefarino sa dibdib. "How can you do that if we're both in that dream?"

"Then, should we die together?" Zefarino chuckled, but those smiles vanished when he saw Jaffnah's worried eyes. It was because Jaffnah remembered that dream where she once believed it was Zefarino that had been killed and thrown to the bridge.

"I can't afford to lose someone again, Zefarino. Not myself, much more not you."

Jaffnah leaned closer to embrace Zefarino as if it was the place where she can rest her mind and soul. Even if she knew her heart was beating loudly and fast, she can't move away from the man because his scent is too comforting and that pushes her to a good sleep.

IT WAS MIDNIGHT when Jaffnah woke up like she had dreamt of an alarm clock banging her ears. Nakapagtataka nga iyon pero mukhang bukas ang diwa niya para sa gagawin niya. Sinulyapan niya ang lalaking natutulog sa tabi niya at dahan-dahang umali sa yakap nito. Good thing, hindi naman ito nagising.

Mabilis niyang kinuha ang coat niya at lumabas ng mansyon. Dala man ang kaba sa dibdib ay tumakbo siya palabas ng gate at nakita niya roon ang kotse ni Sir Pit.

"Jaffnah!" bati ni Sir Pit bago lumabas ng kotse at sinalubong ang dalaga. "Bilisan natin para makabalik ka kaagad bago magising si Zefarino."

"Okay po, Sir Pit."

Bubuksan niya na sana ang passenger's seat nang makita niyang may tao roon. Napakunot ang noo niya nang makita kung sino ito.

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