Third Person's Point of View

Yumi's hands gradually turned to fists as the memories are rushing back to her mind. Bigla siya nawalan ng gana sa pagligo. At tinapos na lamang ito kaagad. Ganoon din si Dion nang maramdaman niya ulit ang pamilyar na mga emosyon. Maging ang mga alaalang tila pansamantalang naglaho.

On the other hand, Aresa was busy sharpening her weapons.

Habang abala sa kaniyang ginagawa, nakaalerto pa rin siya. Hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin niya pinagkakatiwalaan ang mga taong nakapaligid sa kaniya.

Despite witnessing the good in them, she still makes precautions.

Mahirap na. Magaan naman ang pakiramdam niya kasama sila sa mga araw na nagdaan.

There's that woman with spiky black hair and stormy blue eyes who is respected by the majority. She seems to be the one who leads the class.

Dumiretso ang tingin niya sa kusina. Doon niya nakilala kung sino ang tumatawa. Alam na niya kung ano ang kakayahan ng babaeng 'yon dahil nakasama niya ito sa misyon.

Her abilities were associated with love. And her beauty is almost the same level as Ace's.

Napatingin siya sa lalaking kasama ni Erin sa kusina.

A man with mocha-brown eyes and a messy shoulder-length black hair who always wears a jumpsuit and a black t-shirt under it.

He seem take the role of chef. Kasi siya ang naghahanda sa agahan, tanghalian, at hapunan ng grupo. Rinig din niyang siya ang nagpapatakbo ng armory sa academy. And most of the defenses are actually invented by him.

Napangiwi siya nang makita niya ang lalaking hawak-hawak ang salamin.

He was busy with his beauty products. Napagulong na lamang ang kaniyang mata. What's more to enhance when he's already beautiful? From that spiky black hair with golden highlight, pair of pink eyes, heart-shaped lips, to his pointed nose.

There's also that one guy who is apparently her best friend's twin.

At sa apat pang wala sa cabin sa mga oras na 'yon. There's that guy who she heard can actually strangle his enemy by a single attack through his summoned plant vines. Next, there's that woman with brown hair and a sea-green pair of eyes.

Everyone said that she inherited her father's gentleness. Based on Aresa's observation, she is literally shy and always takes care of others before herself. This woman has control over the essential substance of life.

Lastly, her father's rival's two offspring.

No matter how good they are in the naked eye doesn't mean they couldn't slit her throat behind her back.

It's not her being judgmental, but being alert all the time. Looking out for her and her friend's safety. For they have been new in the realm they aren't familiar with.

Isa pa, hindi pa niya lubusang kilala ang mga ito. But who knows, she would eventually trust them or become her enemies.

"Looking good there, Aresa."

Ang payapang kaniyang tinatamasa bigla na lamang naglaho nang marinig na naman niya ang boses na 'yon. Hindi na siya nag-atubili pang lumingon. Sa halip ay nagpatuloy siya sa kaniyang ginagawa.

Nagpakawala siya ng malalim na buntonghininga nang sumulpot ito sa kaniyang harapan. Nakahawak ito ng isang tasa, habang nakahawak ang isa pa niyang kamay sa kinakain niyang sandwich.

Bigla siyang nagutom.

"Would you like some?" Inabot nito ang sandwich sa kaniya.

She looked at him suspiciously. Kahit na ayaw niya, inaabot pa rin ng lalaki. Dahil na rin siguro sa ugali nito. But still, inabot niya ang sandwich para sana kunin. Pero mabilis na sinubo nito nang buo. Tinawanan siya ng lalaki.

Habang siya naman ay pinipigilan ang sariling ibato ang mga sandatang katatapos lang niyang talasin.

She gritted her teeth. And throw him her deadliest gaze while aggressively sharpening her remaining dagger. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw him gulp in fear. And awkwardly scratch the back of his head. It was then followed by his forceful smile.

"Bakit kaya ang ganda mo sa t'wing nagagalit ka?" ang tanong nito sa kaniya. She acted like she was nauseous from hearing those words from him. "Kaso lang minus sa ganda sa pagiging bayolente mo," ang dagdag nito.

She smiled with the intent to kill in her eyes.

"And you're fucking gross, motherfucker." She bad-mouthed him. "So airy you could suffocate everything around you."

Tumawa ito ng malakas. Pero hindi na niya hinintay pa itong makatapos nang tadyakan niya ito sa tuhod. He groaned in pain. Tumayo siya't kinuha ang isa pang dagger at hinawakan ito nang mahigpit.

Seilo was looking at the daggers in fear. And crawl backwards trying to get away from her.

When he regained himself from the pain, he used the speed to escape from her as far away as possible. But Aresa could follow all his movements with her eyes. She knows she can only follow him with her eyes, not by speed.

Hindi siya nagdadalawang isip na ibato ang isa pa niyang dagger. But Seilo only avoided it by backflipping. Nasalo ito ni Chry nang saktong kakababa lang nito sa hagdan. Chry only looked at her and click her tongue in annoyance.

Hindi na lamang niya ito pinansin at hinabol si Seilo sa second floor.

"Get back here, you fucking bastard!" she shouted.

The other boys laugh, some were whistling to tease them both. Ace was yelling in fear. Hindi niya mawari kung ano ang dahilan kung bakit inaasar siya ng gagong 'yon. Kapag mahuhuli niya ito, talagang makakatanggap ito ng malakas na suntok mula sa kaniya.

Isang suntok na hihimatayin ito.

"Oh Seilo . . ." he called him in a frightening way, "come out, come out wherever you are!"

"Is this how you love me?"

She snorted.

"Stop with your gross remarks, motherfucker."

Umalingawngaw ang malakas nitong tawa. Habang siya naman ay inaalerto ang sarili. The last time they played hide and seek, Seilo outsmarted her by stealing her weapons without her noticing it. And fortunately he is the son of Hermes and bestowed with the ability of speed, Aresa find it difficult to capture Seilo.

She only destroyed the things around her along her way of trying to capture him.

"Refrain from destroying the house, Aresa!" Chry called her out. "The last time you two quarrel, Faistus was having a hard time repairing the damages!"

Aresa rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue.

"Poor Faistus . . ." she heard Ace commented with full of sympathy towards the living house.

She glared, causing Faistus to make a frightened groan.

She once again clicked her tongue. And stood on guard, waiting for Seilo's next move. Tinalasan niya ang kaniyang pandinig. As the whoosh sound passed her as fast as lightning strike, she was about to throw her dagger at Seilo when her world started to spin.

She fell on her knees.

Rinig din niya ang pagbagsak ng katawan ni Seilo sa sahig. Maging ang pagbagsak ng magkasunod na dalawang plato sa kusina. At ang sunod-sunod na pagdaing ng mga tao sa loob ng cabin.

Hindi na kaya ni Aresa na pakiramdaman ang paligid dahil sa alaalang pansamantala niyang nakalimutan. Nagtagis ang kaniyang bagang nang umusbong na naman ang matinding galit sa kaniyang katawan.

A memory when Seilo and her were having fun back at Nero City.

But that memory went into a wrong turn when they both ended up insulting each other. When Seilo called her mom a scum officer.

She couldn't bear what words Seilo uttered against her favorite person.

On the other hand, Seilo clenched his fist as the memory kept on repeating in his mind. A memory when Aresa mentioned how Hermes neglected them and left his mother like some kind of bitch.

A word which Seilo couldn't take. After Aresa did that, he avenged, the same way of how Aresa insulted his mother.

The seemingly fun banter ended up hurting each other. Crossing that boundary which no one allowed to.

The same situation between Fuego and Erin.

But with totally different roots of emotions.

What appeared on their mind was someone manipulating their feelings, and trying to fix things in force. Out of respect to what they feel, she should leave it be and let them redeem themselves on their own terms.

Their eyes glowed in pink, but eventually faded within a couple of seconds.