M I L L E R

"... I'll wait here." I told them that pero hindi na talaga ako mapakali sa kahihintay.

Ang sabi nila sa akin ay ten minutes or less. Pero kanina pa lumipas ang sampung minuto at wala pa rin sila rito. I even went to check the front of the host club at wala sila roon.

I called Kristoff, yet his phone is unattended. Something must have happened in the Red Mansion as well. It's impossible for them to keep me hanging like this... Pero ang maghintay ng walang ginagawa ay isa ring torture para sa akin.

Naghintay muna ako ng tatlo pang minuto. Umaasa ako na baka dumating na sila sa loob ng tatlong minuto na iyon. However, I still did not see any shadow of Kristoff nor Mateo.

"I'll just inform them that I went in first." Kinuha ko ulit ang cellphone ko at nag-send ng message kay Kristoff na papasok na ako. Hindi ako manggugulo, it's too dangerous, gusto ko lang makita kung ano ang nangyayari sa loob.

Kaliwa't kanan akong lumingon-lingon. Inali ko lang ang suot kong jacket at tinanggal ang unang dalawang botones ng polo ko. Inalis ko na rin ito sa pagkaka-insert sa pantalon ko. Tinupi ng lagpas siko ang sleeves at inistyle ang buhok ko. I have ur combed quite formally, kaya naman ginulo ko ito ng konti.

Now, I don't look like a college student. Mabuti na lang at hindi pa ako nagpalit ng pambaba. At naisip ko na nagsuot ng long sleeves at jacket dahil sa lakas ng aircon sa lab ni Axel. Mabuti na lang talaga at tinamad ako.

I have slippers instead of shoes. Nakauwi na kasi ako kaya inalis ko na ito. Sino bang nag-akala na pupunta ako ng Pink Fangs para hanapin si Axe?

Either way, my looks are fine. My face itself is enough. At saka wala naman silang dress code na sinusunod. Sa paghihintay ko dito sa labas, I at least learned something, that is even a man wearing a sando and jersey shorts can enter the place.

Mukhang walang pinipiling uri ng tao ang club na ito.

Nagsimula na akong maglakad ulit patungo sa entrance. Kanina pa umalis ang babaeng may kausap sa cellphone kanina. 'Yung dalawang lalaki na lang ang naiwan. Isa sa kanila ay tila nababagot na, habang ang bouncer ay panay lang sa pagkalikot ng cellphone niya.

Naalis lang ang mata ng bouncer sa cellphone niya nang lumapit ako sa entrance.

Tinitigan niya ako mula ulo hanggang paa. "First time?"

Tumango ako. "Yes. First time."

Hindi na muna siya sumagot at tinitigan lang ako ulit. I was about to get nervous by how long he's been staring at me when the other guys said, "Sige na, pre. Papasukin mo na."

Lumingon ako sa kanya at yumuko ng bahagya bilang pasasalamat. I didn't think na magkakilala sila.

Ngumiti sa akin ang lalaki sabay sabi ng, "First time mo? Mabubusog ka rito."

I really don't get what he said pero nginitian ko na lang din siya bago pumasok.

Walang pinagkaiba sa inaasahan kong itsura ng isang club and bar ang loob ng Pink Fangs. The colorful disco lights, dancing spotlights, wasted and noisy people with either drinks or a person in their hands. It's just really a disco club with stools and tables for drinking inside.

But I somewhat feel the heavy air. 'Yung tipong para bang may nakatingin sa akin. I wonder if someone from the enemy side recognizes me. But that's impossible. I don't think I met someone sa panig nila... Oh! I met that ex-lover. Ang ex-lover ni Axel.

Oo nga pala. Kailangan kong mag-ingat at baka nandito siya sa loob. He might be using a different appearance. How convenient! Hindi na ako makapaghintay na matutong magpalit ng anyo.

I was just standing and scanning the place when a girl approached me. May dala siyang tray ng drinks at sinabi na, "Good evening, sir! Free drinks."

She offered me the alcohol using her fancy voice. Soft and quiet, yet it hinted assertiveness. She's obviously inviting me.

"No, thanks. I'm waiting for a friend," tanggi ko. Hindi na rin naman siya nagpumilit at umalis din. But as she walked away, she just kept staring at me and eventually winked.

The 'waitresses' here are wearing revealing clothes. Instead of having a pair of decent black long sleeves and a pencil skirt. They have a tiny piece of bra-like cloth above them and jean shorts that already look like underwear.

Yup. This is indeed a brothel as well.

Sinuyod ko ulit ang paligid at napansin na malawak pa pala sa unahan itong lugar na ito. May iilan kasi na lumiliko sa tila corridor sa kaliwa. Sinundan ko lang sila, and just what I have assumed, this is indeed a corridor with several doors. May singage sa kana na nagsasabing VIP Area.

Oh. That sounds fancy... and suspicious.

"Excuse me, sir. What room number po?" tanong sa akin ng isang lalaki.

Unlike the girl earlier, he is dressed decently. Naka-polo siya at maayos ang mukha. Dumako sa may dibdib niya ang mata ko.

Manager. Ito ang nakasulat sa pin niya.

"Ah! Room number? Naku, nakalimutan kong tanungin ang kaibigan ko. Would you mind if I just text him?" pagsisinungaling ko.

"Sure, sir. Take your time po."

Of course, I don't know which room they are in. Nihindi pa nga ako sigurado kung nandito talaga si Axel. Iimbestigahan ko pa lang. At para magawa ko ito, kailangan kong mabuksan at masilip ang kada pinto ng VIP area nila.

"Excuse me," sabi ko sabay nagkunwari na tatawag. Lumayo ako sa kanya, at nagkunwari ulit na hindi naririnig ang kausap ko (kuno) sa cellphone dahil sa ingay.

Palayo ako nang palayo. Hanggang sa bumalik ako sa may entrance kung saan medyo mahina ang ingay ng music nila.

I stayed there for a little while. Mukhang nabagot sa paghihintay sa akin ang manager nila at nag-entertain na lang ng ibang costumer. As soon as he left his post, I quickly sneaked in the corridor.

May limang pinto lang ang nandito. Sa palagay ko ay big time ang mga customer nila dito sa loob. As someone who's been in the red light district for quite a while, alam ko na hindi biro ang presyo ng VIP treatment, especially sa mga brothel na kagaya nito.

Inabot ko ang doorknob ng unang pinto at bumuntong-hininga bago ito pihitin at buksan.

"AHH!" sigaw ng isang babae. I paused in a sec to stare at their faces, only to see an old man with a lady on top of him.

"Oh, sorry," sabi ko sabay mabilis na sinara ang pinto.

I opened the next door.

"What the f*ck!" This time, it's a guy in mid-30s with three women around him. One crawling flirtatiously towards him, the other is below him, and the third one is under him, gasping in pleasure.

"Sorry!"

What a night for him. Having a foursome with three skilled women.

The third time I opened a door ay naging handa na ako. Since alam ko na rin kung ano ang madalas na ginagawa ng mga tao sa VIP room ay mas naging mabilis ang pagbukas at pagsara ko sa pinto.

The third door is a man and women. Hindi na sila nakapag-react dahil nakatalikod mula sa pinto ang lalaki habang nasa sofa naman ang babae. Her sound is heavy as she pants in soft voice. Bumabayo naman ang lalaki kaya hindi ko na kailangan pang mag-usisa pa ng maigi para malaman kung ano ang ginagawa nila.

Habang papasok ako sa corridor ay mas kinakabahan ako. I know what's happening inside these rooms... What if Axel and that man is doing the same thing?

"Axel!" sigaw ko nang mabuksan ko ang ikaapat na pinto.

I saw a pair of people. Pareho silang lalaki. Ang isa ay nakaupo habang ang isa naman ay nakakandong sa kanya at nakatalikod mula sa pinto.

"Ahn!" ungol pa nito, sabay lingon nilang dalawa sa akin.

I paused when I saw that the guy was not Axel. "S-Sorry... Wrong room." Agad ko nang sinara ang pinto at natigilan. I felt my heart dropping with the thought of Axel being held by another guy.

It enrages me.

"What's wrong with yo—Ahn! Hng! Ah! Ah!" Rinig ko na ungol ng lalaki sa loob. I guess they just continued their business.

Nasa ika-limang pinto na ako. Kung wala si Axel sa apat na VIP rooms na nauna, malaki ang posibilidad na nandito siya.

With this thought, I breathe in deeply, and breathe out with all my might as if doing so could release the negative thoughts I have right now.

The moment I twisted the doorknob, a pair of eyes went towards me. May tao sa loob. Dalawang lalaki... at isang babae. They are obviously pleasuring themselves in threesome. Nasa akin ang atensyon ng dalawang lalaki na nasa magkabilang dulo ng babae. Habang ang babae naman ay nakahiga sa sofa. Both the mouth above and below is busy, no doubt she did not looked at me. Oh. She did not look at me because she couldn't look at me. With the guys ganging at her, and her the dazed expression on her face. She must have lost interest of her surroundings with only pleasure in mind.

"What's up, man! Wanna join in?" aya ng isa sa mga lalaki sa akin. He sure is carefree.

"N-No. Sorry, wrong room," sabi ko ulit at sinara na ang pinto.

"Yes, sir. How can I help you?"

"Aah! F*ck! Ginulat mo ako!" hiyaw ko nang makita sa tabi ko ang manager ng club.

"Oh. Sorry, sir. Mukha kasing may hinahanap ka. Hindi mo pa rin ba alam ang room number ng kaibigan mo?"

Sa palagay ko mukhang hindi naman niya ako pinag-sususpetsahan... o baka hindi rin. I guess I shouldn't let my guard down.

"Ah. Yes. Yes, pero mukhang nasa maling club ata ako. I'm not very familiar with the area kaya baka maling club ang napuntah—"

"Oh, you can check the back rooms, sir," suhestiyon niya.

"Back rooms?"

"Yes, sir. Hindi lang naman ito ang VIP namin. We have five more at the further part of the building.

"Ah... Is that so? Uhm, pwede mo ba akong dalhin doon? I don't think the guy is still sober enough to answer me clearly on the phone," pagsisinungaling ko ulit.

May limang rooms pa? What the heck.

"Follow me here, sir," saad niya.

Lumabas kami sa corridor at tumungo sa isang glass double door.

So, the place behind this glass door is actually another corridor. Akala ko kasi ay exit na ito kaya hindi ko na lang masyadong pinansin.

"The rooms there and here are basically the same in size and quality. Ang pinagkaiba lang is the location itself. There are clients who don't want to get randomly disturbed or discovered..." he emphasized, "by the people or certain people kaya nila pinipila nila ang area na ito. But, of course, the fee here is a little bit pricier than those five outside since the rooms here are more private and secret." He sure is working hard to attend to me.

Sa pagpapaliwanag pa lang niya, it will make more sense if Axel's kidnapper chooses a room from this area.

"Is it fine kung iisa-isahin ko ang rooms?" tanong ko sa kanya.

Ngumiti naman siya at tumango habang ang kanyang mga kamay ay nasa harapan. "Sure. As long as you don't make any noise. Take your time, sir."

Ngumiti na rin lang ako at humarap sa unang pinto ng corridor. It's a pink door with a golden plate number. 006.

Dahan-dahan kong pinihit ang doorknob. Hindi ko pa man nahila para mabuksan ang pinto ay sumingit ang manager at sinabi sa akin na, "Uh, do you want me to take the lead?"

"Uhm. Hindi na. Ayos lang naman ako... I-I mean, after all the rude thing I did earlier, you know, opening the doors and all. I guess, I'm fine," palusot ko ulit at mabilis na binuksan ang pinto.

This is unexpected. After those obscene and lecherous activities I have witnessed, this one has become somewhat, rare. May apat na lalaking nakaupo lang sa sofa. Magkaharap sila at may mga inuming nakakalasing sa lamesa. They all look rich with the fancy clothes they are wearing. Nag-iinuman lang naman sila.

"What's this, Henry?" tanong ng isa sa kanila.

"Oh, Mr..."

"Martinez," I lied again.

"Mr. Martinez here is looking for his friends' room. I apologized for the sudden intrusion," paliwanag ng manager. "Is your friend here, sir?"

"Wala. He's not here," sabi ko habang sinusuyod ng tingin ang bawat sulok ng silid.

We proceeded to the next room. Hindi pa man kami nakakalapit sa pinto ay may lumabas nang lalaki. He is wearing a black suit. He looks like a bodyguard rather than a young master coming from a rich family.

Noong una ay naisip ko na baka nasa loob ang amo niya kay dumako ang mata ko sa maliit na gap ng bukas na pinto. Yet, as if the heavens did it so I could see the person lying on the sofa inside ay mabilis akong humakbang para pigilan ang pagsara ng pinto.

"It's Axel!" hiyaw ko at sabay na humakbang.

I saw him look my way, pero bago pa man ako nakahakbang ng isang beses ay nakaramdam na ako ng malakas na paghampas sa likod ko.

"Oh. Congrats on finding your drunk friend, Mr. Martinez."

Ouch. I'm f*cked.