Vanna pursed her lips when Klein hastily moved towards her direction and snatched the flowers from her hand. Nagulat silang lahat. Clyde had the most violent reaction among them. Tumalim ang titig nito at napakuyom ang palad.

"Huwag namang ganyan," sambit ni Clyde pero sa halip na sumagot ay bigla itong binigwasan ni Klein. Napaatras pa ito. Pumutok ang labi nitong nasuntok. Sobrang bilis ng pangyayari. Ni hindi man lang siya nakakilos nang gumanti si Clyde ng suntok. Natapon sa sahig ang hawak ni Klein na paper bag. Tuluyan nang nagsuntukan ang dalawa. Her mom screamed, "Stop!" kasabay ng pag-alingawngaw ng putok ng baril.

Her dad was holding his pistol as he looked at the two men. Natigil ang dalawa. Napatingin siya kay Klein na nakahawak sa labi nitong pumutok na rin. Kasabay niyon ay ang pagpasok ng security team ng bahay nila.

"Get these two bastards out of my house!" her father ordered angrily. Mabilis na binitbit ng mga guards nila ang dalawang binata. She was so shocked.

"Vanna Lei."

Napakislot siya nang hawakan ng ina ang braso niya. She was awakened from her daydream. Ang wild ng naging imagination niya. Haha! Natawa siya sa isip sa itinakbo ng imahinasyon niya.

Nasa harapan na pala niya si Cloud at iniaabot ang paper bag. She smiled as she put the flowers down on the center table.

"What's this?" she asked suppressing a smile. Kita kasi sa mukha ng binata ang matinding selos.

"Paborito mo, swee---" his jaw clenched as he stopped.

"Paborito mo," ulit nito.

"Thanks. You really know what I want," she said smiling to lessen his emanating anger.

"Food," tipid nitong tugon. Natawa siya ng mahina. She wanted to tiptoe and kiss him hard but she knew her parents are watching. Baka magwala ang daddy niya at maglabas ng baril.

"What's funny?" Cloud asked. Sa wakas ay ngumiti rin ito. Sasagot sana siya nang marinig ang pagtikhim ng daddy niya.

"Sorry for bursting your private bubble," her mother said chuckling when they looked at them. Nakaupo na ang mga magulang niya sa long couch habang nasa single couch naman si Clyde na hindi maipinta ang mukha. Nakapatong na sa centertable ang hawak nito kaninang basket ng prutas.

Niyakag siya ng ama na umupo sa tabi ng ina at sinenyasan si Klein na umupo sa katapat na single couch ni Clyde.

Pare-pareho silang natahimik at nagpakiramdaman. Isa-isang tiningnan ng ama niya ang dalawa na para bang sinisipat hanggang sa pumasok ang ilang security team ng ama. Napakunot siya nang tanggalin ng mga ito ang lahat ng nasa center table.

Vander came in next with few men holding large suitcases. Nagbigay-galang ang kapatid sa mga magulang bago inutusan ang mga lalaki na ilapag ang suitcases sa center table. He sat beside her. She smiled inwardly when the suitcases were opened. Tumambad kasi sa mga mata nila ang iba't-ibang klase ng baril.

"You know gentlemen, I own a gun manufacturing company," sambit ng ama. He glanced at Klein Rich and then stared at Clyde. Tahimik lang din itong nakinig sa ama niya. She just knew her father is up to something.

"Akala ko ba-?" bulong ng ina niya sa ama.

"I'm sorry, wifilicious. I wasn't able to let go of the company," bulong naman ng ama niya rito. Nailing na lang siya. Ang alam kasi ng mommy niya ay matagal nang ibinenta ng ama ang gun manufacturing business. Silang magkakapatid lang ang nakakaalam na ipinamahala nito kay Vander ang negosyo.

"Ikaw talaga," tugon lang ng mommy niya at siniko ang ama. Her dad looked at the two men again.

"I want my son-in-law to be good in gun shooting, so are you up for a little competition?" her dad asked with a cunning smile.

Klein Rich only nodded. Alam niyang confident ang binata. She looked at Clyde staring at the guns. Some of it are still newly invented by their company at hindi pa inilalabas. An idea popped her mind when she remembered Clyde telling her that he owns a gun manufacturing business, too.

She shrugged the thought off. She's becoming suspicious of the man. Well, who wouldn't be? Ang tagal nitong nawala. Now he's back like they two were close lovers before.

"Let's get this over and done with," her father stated as he got up. Binigyan nito ng tig-isang pistol ang dalawa.

Magkakasunod silang nagtungo sa likod bahay. Her dad's shooting range was already fixed at their backyard. May anim na nakahilerang target sheet.

Hindi na siya nagulat nang pati siya ay abutan ng pistol. Her dad and Vander also held their own pistols. Ang ikinagulat lang niya ay nang abutan pati ang mommy niya. She never expected she knew how to fire a gun.

Nagkatinginan sila ni Klein nang magbigay na ng signal ang daddy niya. She also glanced at Clyde. Nakatitig pala ito sa kanya. She couldn't fathom what he was thinking. Their lawn became noisy when they all started firing. Matapos nilang iputok ang lahat ng bala ng baril saka pinindot ng daddy nya ang button para makita nila ang natamaan sa target sheet. Her dad and Vander both hit all over the bull's eye. Her mom had three stray shot outside the center.

Hindi siya nagsalita nang ipakita ang kanya. Sinadya niyang hindi tamaan ang gitna. Her shots were all over the sheet. When they look at Clyde's sheet, there is only one hole at the middle of the inner circle. Lahat ng bala nito ay sa iisang butas lang tumama. Napatikhim pa ang daddy niya. Seryoso lang din naman ang mukha nito.

They turned to Klein Rich. He showed his target sheet. None of it hit any of the circles. Sa labas lahat ang tama ng baril.

"Ninenerbyos ka ba baka matalo ka?" tanong pa ng mommy niya. Natawa siya ng mahina sa tanong ina. Natahimik lang siya nang tinapunan siya ni Klein ng masamang tingin.

Her dad didn't react. Nag-isip lang ito ng malalim bago sinabing ulitin nila ang shooting.

She only improved a little of her shooting even Cloud. Her dad and brother had the same result and so with her mom. Clyde still had one hole on the sheet.

That made her silent the entire time. There is something in her father's actions. Iyon ang gusto niyang malaman. Kahit noong nagyaya ng dinner ang mga magulang niya ay nanatili siyang tahimik. Her dad didn't let her talk to any of the man. Sila ang kumakausap sa mga ito.

Nang umalis ang dalawa, saka siya kinausap ng mga magulang.

"Something is uncanny about Dexter Clyde," her father stated. Tumango rin ang ina niya.

"Ang alam ko may gun manufacturing business din siya. There must be something that he wants from this family," her father added.

Her mom chuckled at his father's statement.

"Ano ka ba? Gusto nga niya si Vanna Lei. She is what he wants from this family," her mom chuckled again. Natawa rin ang daddy niya pero siya ay nag-isip ng malalim. Hindi naman siya dapat magtaka kung gano'n kagaling si Clyde bumaril parang kapareho lang nito ng ranggo ni Cloud kung tutuusin so they may be equally good. However, for her father to doubt his intention. There must be something.

Nadatnan niyang nagri-ring ang cellphone niya sa loob ng kuwarto pagpasok.

"Did he comeback?" Cloud's voice welcomed her ear as she took the call.

"Si Clyde? Hindi," tugon niya rito. Her forehead creased.

"Sigurado ka?" balik-tanong nito. She inhaled deeply. She doesn't like that he seemed not to trust her word. Pero pinili niyang hindi na lang magsalita.

"Do you think I didn't notice you glancing at him before we had the target shooting?" muli nitong saad. Pati ba pagsulyap niya binigyan nito ng ibang pakahulugan?

"Is that the reason why you're bullets didn't even hit a bull's eye?" she teased to divert the irritation building up inside her.

"Sinadya ko 'yon. Pinagtawanan mo pa ako," inis naman nitong saad. Hindi na lamang siya nagsalita. Natawa lang naman kasi siya sa reaksyon ng mommy niya kanina. Alam naman niyang kaya nila parehong tamaan ang target na katulad nang kay Clyde. They just chose not to, it's a protocol.

"Why aren't you talking much? Sigurado ka bang hindi mo siya kasama ngayon?" tanong ulit nito.

"I am sure, okay? Nandito na ako sa kuwarto kung gusto mo pumunta ka pa rito," she said almost irritated. She heard Cloud inhaling deeply.

"Are you sure you want me to come over?" he asked challenging.

"If you could breach my dad's security team," she answered smirking even if he can't see her facial expression.

"Okay," Cloud muttered. It was just a matter of three seconds before the line went dead.

Nagkibit-balikat na lamang siya. He may only be kidding. He knew that their house is fully monitored and the cctv's are being watched 24/7.

Pumasok na lamang siya sa banyo at nag-shower bago nagbihis ng pantulog.

Muntik na siyang mapatalon nang makita si Cloud na nakangising nakahiga sa kama niya nang lumabas siya mula sa bathroom.

"Paano ka nakapasok dito?" kunot-noo niyang tanong.

"I've been going in and out of your house the past days, do you think I won't be able break inside discretely?" mayabang nitong tanong.

"Para mo na ring in-underestimate ang sarili mo bilang International Force," he added with a smirk.

"If dad catches you here, you are dead," she warned. Tumawa naman ito ng mahina. She have never seen a man better than her dad in everything. Well, who knows?

"Hindi 'yan. Halika na rito, gawin natin 'yong magiging apo niya," he said confidently. Napangiti siya. She knew how Cloud respects her and her parents. Kaya alam niyang nagbibiro lang ito.

She joined him in bed. Umunan siya sa braso nito at yumakap. Just like what Cloud always do, he hummed and caressed her hair until she fell asleep.

Naalimpungatan siya nang halikan siya nito sa labi bago nagpaalam na aalis na. She only nodded before falling into sleep again.

*****

"May nakapasok raw sa bahay natin kagabi," anunsyo ng ama niya nang tawagin siya nito sa personal space nito sa third floor ng bahay nila matapos ang agahan. Nakaupo silang pareho sa semi-circle na couch na nakaharap sa gray na pader.

Napalunok siya. Was Cloud caught in the CCTV? Akala pa naman niya may tatalo na sa ama niya.

His dad uttered a command before the blank wall turned on like a computer screen. She readied herself for her dad's tirade against Cloud but instead of talking further, a CCTV footage flashed on the wall.

Napakunot-noo siya nang makitang hindi si Cloud ang nahagip ng CCTV sa hallway ng second floor kundi si Clyde.

"What is he doing inside our house?" she asked obliviously.

"I told you. There is something about this guy. I want you to investigate about this," her dad commanded. Napatango siya.