Tumigil ang sasakyan sa harap ng hotel na tinutuluyan ni Vanna. There are so many words she wants to say but she wasn't able to find the right introduction.

Saan ba siya mag-uumpisa? Magpasalamat dahil niligtas siya nito o humingi ng tawad sa mga nangyari noong nakaraan?

"Get dressed, come back in 5 minutes." Hindi ito tumingin sa direksyon niya. His indifference gave her goosebumps.

"C-Cloud," she stammered.

"Go," he ordered. His coldness scared her. Mabilis niyang binuksan ang pinto ng sasakyan at nagmadaling pumasok sa hotel.

Her suite was already tidied up when she returned. Wala na iyong babaeng iniwan niyang natutulog sa kama. Ang mga iniwan niyang kalat ay nasinop na rin.

Her small luggage is already packed. There are no evidences that the suite was used for doubtful activities. Perhaps it was Cloud who cleared the place.

She inhaled deeply as she cleaned herself up and changed clothes.

Cloud was no longer inside the car when she went back. Nalungkot siya dahil hindi niya nasabi ang dapat niyang sabihin. She should've taken the opportunity a while back. Ngayon hindi na niya sigurado kung sino ba talaga sa kanila ni Cloud ang duwag.

The driver took her straight to the airport where a private plane awaits. Mabigat ang hakbang niyang umakyat sa eroplano. The plane was empty. She was hoping Cloud will be there but there are no traces of human being inside.

She sat on a chair and fixed her seatbelt. Ipinikit na lamang niya ang mga mata.

She felt so tired. For the first time in her life, she doesn't know what to do and where she must belong.

She didn't know how long she was asleep. Nagising lang siya sa mahihinang tapik sa tagiliran niya.

When she opened her eyes, a flight attendant was standing beside a push cart with a tray of food.

"Ma'am, kumain daw po kayo," saad ng babae.

"Sino'ng nagsabi?" Kunot-noo niyang tanong.

Hindi ito nagsalita pero sumulyap sa kabilang side ng plane. She felt the rumbling of her heart as she looked at Cloud silently devouring his food. Akala niya mag-isa lang siya noong nag-take off ang plane.

The plane became silent when the flight attendant went away. She wanted to take the opportunity to talk to Cloud but he wasn't even glancing at her side. May halos dalawang metro lang ang layo ng kinauupuan nito. Alam niyang maririnig siya nito kung sakali dahil sobrang tahimik sa loob. The only sound was coming from the clanking of the utensils.

It took an hour before the attendant went back to gather their trash.

Nakita niyang umayos ang binata at mukhang matutulog na nang makuha niya ang lakas nang loob na magsalita.

"C-cloud," she uttered unsure. He didn't look at her but she was sure he heard her. Hindi niya tuloy naituloy ang balak sabihin.

She saw him putting his headset and reclined his chair. She pursed her lips as her heart sank. Pumikit na kasi ito.

*****

Hinabol niya si Cloud nang mauna na itong bumaba ng eroplano. They were already at their airport in the Philippines.

"Cloud, gusto ko lang mag-thank you sa pagligtas mo sa akin," sambit niya habang sumasabay sa paghakbang nito.

Cloud stopped and glanced at her.

"If you were caught there, you will be dragging the International Forces on the spotlight," malamig nitong saad. His facial expression is as cold as his voice.

"You are still under my jurisdiction," he stated. Napalunok siya ng tingnan siya nito sa mga mata ng diretso. His eyes were emotionless.

"If you want to go out on your own, submit a resignation first for formality," dagdag nito.

Nanikip ang dibdib niya. Naiwan siyang hindi malaman ang sasabihin nang muli itong maglakad. His coldness stings her heart.

Sinundan na lamang niya ito ng tingin.

Her heart beats faster when he stopped and looked back.

"I will be sending your dismissal papers at your doorstep tomorrow for insubordination," saad nito bago muling naglakad palayo.

She felt like her world crashed at his remark. Doon na siya parang natauhan. Hinabol niya ang binata. Papasakay na sana ito sa kotseng nag-aabang.

"I know I breached some ground rules, Cloud, but should I really be dismissed from the service?" She tried hard not to let her voice break.

She saw him inhaling deeply. Tumingin ito sa kanya. Her heart crumbled seeing apathy in his eyes.

"What were you doing there? Why did you break inside the FBI building?" sunod-sunod nitong tanong. Napalunok siya. Hindi niya sigurado kung sasagutin niya ang tanong. She is sure Cloud already know the reason why. Wala ito roon kung hindi nito alam ang ginagawa niya.

"Didn't I tell you not to deal with Strongman? You are putting the entire agency at stake!" madiin nitong saad.

Mas lalong bumigat ang loob niya sa narinig.

"Noong mga nakaraang araw hindi ko alam kung suspended ba ako o tanggal na sa serbisyo kaya hindi ako nagsabi." Pati ang sarili niya ay hindi sigurado kung saan ba patutungo ang mga pinagsasabi niya. She doesn't actually know how to defend herself.

"If you were suspended or dismissed, there should have been papers sent at your doorstep," walang emosyon nitong saad.

"Mother Uni Verse was so certain last time," wala sa loob niyang saad. She cannot seem to gather her thoughts. Wala naman kasing sinabi ang ginang na ire-relieve siya sa serbisyo.

Cloud's smirk added insult to her injury.

"If she spoke to you, that was her speaking as my mother not as the global head of IF," sarkastiko nitong saad. She wasn't able to react further. Hindi na rin kasi niya alam kung ano pa ang dapat niyang idepensa. She was wrong in all angle and she wasn't really thinking.

Pareho silang natahimik pagkatapos.

When she saw his impatience, she earned the courage to speak again.

"Sorry for what had happened the last time," mahina niyang sambit. She almost wept as she remembered what she did to him that night.

Tumitig sa kanya ang binata, matiim, nanunuot. She had to brush her arms using her palms to stop her goosebumps.

"There is nothing to apologize," he smirked. Pakiramdam niya ay nag-apoy ang pisngi niya.

"We act according to how we feel," sambit nito. She couldn't fathom the emotion behind his words. For a moment, she felt like he's no longer the Klein Rich she used to know.

"You don't have to apologize for being true to your feelings," saad nito bago tuluyang pumasok ng kotse. His words were heavy.

She was left staring at his car slowly fading in her eyes.

Nang mawala sa paningin niya ang kotse nito saka lang nag-sink in ang lahat ng sinabi nito. Hindi niya napigilan ang panunubig ng mga mata.

Though she knew how hurtful her actions were, she didn't mean to hurt his feelings. Nagalit lang din siya kaya niya nagawa iyon. She didn't deliberately hurt him, there's a difference.

Pero paano ba niya ipaliliwanag iyon? May makakaintindi ba sa kanya?