The crown made out of all my brothers' sins is a heavy burden on my head.

"Sinong magmamahal sa'yo? You're a fucking monster! You killed them!"

I killed those paranormal investigators to protect myself.

To protect Evarius and Everick.

Gusto kong ipaliwanag kung bakit ko nagawa ang maraming bagay. Kung bakit naabutan niya akong may dugong nagmantsa sa mga kamay at damit ko. I wanted to explain a lot of things to a lot of people, but it's an exhausting task when you need to repeat it over and over again. Yet, no one seems to be listening. For starters, instead of asking if any of the blood on me was mine, she immediately assumed that it was all from a stranger.

Of course, why would a villain be injured? We don't have the right to feel any pain.

"YOU'RE EVIL! YOU DON'T EVEN DESERVE ANYONE!"

Nakatulala lang ako habang nakikinig sa kanyang pagwawala. Hindi na bago sa'kin ang mga ganitong senaryo. Alam ko na ang kasunod. Inaasahan ko na ang galit sa mga mata niya, ang pagtalikod niya, at ang paglalakad niya papalayo. I know I should keep an eye on her, just to make sure that she doesn't call the authorities on us. But then again, what can they do?

Nothing.

No mortal stands a chance against immortals like us.

'Why do I even fucking try to live a normal life anyway?' I mentally asked myself before getting up from the bed and opening the window.

Ilang sandali pa, lumipad papasok ng silid ang dalawang uwak. In a flurry of crow feathers, my brothers stood before me with questionable gazes.

"You look awful, baby brother. Well, you always do, but you look MORE awful right now! Kaya akala nila mas matanda ka sa'kin, eh! HAHAHA!"

Typical and insensitive Joker. Minsan talaga hinihiling kong aksidente niyang masabit ang pantalon niya sa ginagawang rocket papuntang buwan. Balita ko on-going pa ang race to the moon ngayon. Baka sakaling matauhan kung ipadala sa outer space ang gagong ito, tutal naman isinusuka na siya ng earth.

While Everick healed the wounds on my forearms, I noticed the frown etched on the womanizer's mouth.

"Iniwan ka na naman?"

Hindi ako kumibo.

Kalaunan, napabuntong-hininga si Knight at sinuklay ang buhok gamit ang kanyang kamay.

"Evil..."

"I don't wanna hear it, Everick." Pagbabanta ko rito. We both know the blind can't lead the blind, and when it comes to human relationships, he wasn't the best in thay department either.

I bet none of us are.

"Paglaanan na lang natin ng oras ang paghahanap sa taong gumawa nito sa'tin."

"Brother, but it's been years... don't you think it's time to just quit and enjoy life?"

"What life? I see nothing. Nagsasayang lang tayo ng oras sa mga walang kwentang bagay tulad ng pilit na pagkukumbinsi sa mga sarili natin na tao pa tayo. But don't you get it, Everick? We lost our humanity a long time ago. We aren't even capable of..."

"Of?"

Of loving someone.

Of being loved in return.

Of being anything but a bad person in someone's eyes.

'Bullshit with that.'

Kaya hindi ko alam sa sarili ko kung bakit hanggang ngayon ay sinusubukan ko pa ring unawain ang mga tao. Sinusubukan ko pa ring mamuhay nang normal, kahit na alam kong imposible. Akala ba nina Joker at Everick ay ginusto kong magkaroon ng trust issues? Na gusto kong maging masama sa paningin nila?

At this point, everyone sees me as an evil entity taking the form of a man who walks the earth without anything to lose.

And maybe that's all that I am. Maybe I am just plain evil like that. Huminga ako nang malalim at naglalakad papalapit sa bintana para panoorin ang mga taong naglalakad sa labas. Noong mga sandaling iyon, doon ko naramdaman ang paglayo ng loob ko sa mga nilalang na ito.

"Beware of humans."

It was a warning, not only to my siblings but also to myself.

.
.
.

"...isusumbong kita kay Nap! Saan mo ba ako dadalhin, ha?! Pangit mo!"

Napairap na lang ako nang patuloy pa rin sa pagdaldal si Blondie kahit na nasa kalagitnaan kami ng kagubatan.

"Kanina mo pa hinihilig ang ulo mo sa dibdib ko," paalala ko sa kanya. "Kung napapangitan ka sa'kin, sana hindi mo ako pasimpleng inaamoy, mortal."

From her sleepy and drunken state, she glared at me, all the while still resting her head against my chest while I carried her like a bride. The redness never left her cheeks.

'A very clumsy bride. Tsk! Sino bang magkakamali sa isang 'to?'

When we finally reached the entrance of my underground haven, I kicked the latch open and disabled the traps I set up at the front door. Delikado na't maraming mga taong may ginagawang milagro sa gubat.

"Close your eyes, woman."

"Huh? Why would I do that?"

Lalong tumalim ang tingin sa'kin ni Chayse na para bang gusto na niyang basagin ang laws of motion para lang masapak ako nang hanggang infinity. Cheeky scientist. Lasing ba talaga siya o naglalasingan lang para makuha ang atensyon ko? Tsk.

"Marami kang makikitang bangkay na naka-display malapit sa pinto. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Hindi ko na lang pinansin na lalo lang humigpit ang yakap niya sa leeg ko nang bumaba na ako sa hagdang hinulma sa lupa. Dumilim ang paligid at kapansin-pansing hindi na nagiging kumportable si Chayse. Nang makarating kami sa entry way na maghahatid sa amin sa main chamber, agad kong tinakpan ang mata niya gamit ang isang kamay.

Hindi siguro niya inaasahang kakayanin ko siyang buhatin gamit ang isang braso, carrying her like a toddler, thanks to the inhuman strength we inherited from the curse. I adjusted my hold on Chayse before pressing the passcode to unlock the steel doors. Nang bumukas ang mga ito, tumambad sa akin ang pamilyar na espasyong naging tahanan ko sa Eastwood nitong nakaraang taon.

Dumiretso ako ng sala at marahang hiniga ang dalaga sa sopa.

'Tulog na naman,' naaaliw kong isip at tiningnan ang kanyang kabuuan.

I sighed, feeling the humidity of the night catching up to me as I started unbuttoning my long-sleeved shirt. I traced the outline of the black collar on my neck, the stupid trackers they made us wear.

Nang maramdaman kong may nakamasid sa'kin, nabaling ang atensyon ko kay Chayse na nagmulat ng mga mata. Tahimik akong pinapanood, her gaze a bit distracting with her half-lidded eyes.

"Staring at other people while undressing is a bit rude, Bondie."

Pero doon ko napansing hindi siya nakatingin sa katawan ko, kung hindi sa markang nasa gitna ng dibdib ko.

"Is that...?"

I looked away, contemplating on whether to just ignore her or answer her question. Namayani ang tensyon sa pagitan naming dalawa sa loob ng sala, napapalibutan ng mga kagamitang nagmula pa noong lumang panahon. Mga muwebles na galing pa ng 1800's, Egyptian tablets, papyrus scrolls, compass roses, at larawang iginuhit pa nina Van Gogh. Unlike Joker's cabin or Knight's treehouse, I decided to furnish my underground bunker with antiquity---reminding me of how many years I've rotted on this damn life, and how I died over and over and over again in my head.

Suffering from the curse.

Chayse waited for my answer.

I sighed again, frustrated.

"The mark of our curse," I turned to her, taking off my shirt. Umupo siya sa sopa at tinitigan ang tattoo ng korona sa sentro ng dibdib ko, halos katapat na mismo ng puso. "Evarius has a teardrop tattoo representing his role as a masochistic Joker intwined with both tragedy and comedy, Everick has a sword tattoo on his wrist representing him as the sadistic Knight who ironically saves people with his healing abilities, while I have this..."

"Because you're the bossy King?"

I shook my head, taking a seat next to her. "Because carry the burden of us three. The crown is a symbol of both power and a never-ending responsibility."

Hindi alam ni Evil kung bakit niya ito sinasabi sa dalaga. Bilang lang sa mga daliri niya sa kamay ang mga taong nakakita ng tattoo na ito, and most of them were the women he tried to have a relationship with several generations ago. But Evil quickly realized that he can't indulge himself in such feeble emotions.

Not when all the hearts he broke are a collateral damage of his curse.

'What can I say? I'm evil.'

"Evillois," marahang pagtawag ni Chayse. "Can I take a closer look?"

Sa totoo lang inaasahan ni Evil ang pang-aasar at makarinig ng anumang negatibong kumento mula rito. Pero hindi niya inaasahang makakita ng pag-unawa sa mga mata niya.

The Neverwood was taken aback, not used to being this vulnerable in front a human. Not when he already closed himself off a long time ago.

Pero hindi niya alam kung bakit hinayaan na niyang makalapit sa kanya si Chayse Dayanghirang.

Hindi niya alam kung bakit hinayaan na niyang haplusin ng dalaga ang tattoo sa kanyang katawan.

Chayse's eyes remained on the black ink, tracing the intricate design of it. She looked completely sober right now, if not a bit tipsy from the alchohol.

"They say that the people who applaud a king during his coronation will be the same ones who will applaud his beheading..."

"Because humans just love a show," Evil finished. "It doesn't matter if it's a good or a bad one. Why do you think they were so hell-bent on burning witches back in the days? Itanggi man nila ang ganitong kalikasan, pero sa totoo lang ang lahat ng tao ay may nakatagong kasamaan. A small part of them will always find joy in seeing other's downfall, regardless of what price they have to pay. In the case of the Elite Killing Tournament, people pay money to see a killing spree. Para lang mga nanonood ng sabong, hindi iniisip na buhay ng kapwa nila tao ang nakasalalay sa bawat laban. Disgusting pigs."

Chayse nodded, seemingly understanding where he's coming from.

Napansin ni Evil na hindi pa rin nito inaalis ang kanyang kamay sa tattoo.

Heat radiated from that one spot where their skins touched.

"And the worst part is, those people were forced to be killers in order to survive the cruel life they've been given," Chayse said after a while. "Some still retain their humanity, even after being wronged. While some just... lose themselves to the darkness altogether."

Pinagmasdan ko ang dalaga, tila malalim ang iniisip nito. Alam kong inaalala na naman niya ang nangyari kanina sa botanical garden, at kahit pa siguro ilang oras o araw ang lumipas, para sa mga katulad ni Chayse habambuhay na itong nakatatak sa isipan nila.

I can't really blame her. Seeing enough deaths will eventually numb you, but seeing it for the first time will always be stuck in your head.

Like a tattoo permanently inked on skin.

"Maraming tao ang nawawala sa kadiliman, Blondie. Hindi ka na dapat nagugulat. All of us are broken in some way, inaasahan mo bang magiging katulad ka nila?"

"Ako?" Kumunot ang noo ng dalaga.

Evil didn't notice their faces were getting closer with each passing second, like a magnetic force pulling them towards one another.

"Ikaw," pag-uulit ko. "You're just a ray of sunshine, aren't you? You seem to never see the bad side of anyone. That's stupid, by the way. Just sitting this close and touching my skin... is a foolish move."

As Chayse tried to scoot away, laying her back against the sofa, it gave me the opportunity to crawl on top of her. With my arms supporting my weight and her hand still on my bare chest, we stared at each other for what felt like an eternity.

Nakasimangot pa rin siya.

"I'm not a ray of sunshine. I just chose to be good. Palagi naman tayong may choice para piliing maging mabuti, hindi ba? Sa kabila ng pagiging unfair ng mundo at ng ibang tao, we always have a choice on which side we'll stand on."

Mahina akong natawa. "The world isn't black and white, Blondie. Hindi ganoon kadali."

"Sinasabi mo lang 'yan dahil pinili mong maging ganyan."

"Maging ano?"

"Maging spoiled brat slash hari ng pag-ta-tantrums! Kapag bunso ba, by default mga spoiled kayo? Siguradong paborito ka ng nanay ninyo dati, nako!"

"At paano mo naman nasabi? 'Di mo kilala ang nanay namin," pang-aasar ko.

"You look like you've always been the favorite."

"Am I your favorite?"

"I... Foul! Next question, please."

I smirked at her response. That's when I noticed the flush in her cheeks only intensified. Surely, this couldn't be because of the alcohol? Cute.

Ah, fuck. I hate cute things.

Siguro sinapian lang ako ng kapatid ko dahil namalayan ko na lang na ipinagpatuloy ko ang pang-aasar sa kanya. Inching closer, Chayse held her breath and remained still under me. Hindi na siya makatingin sa'kin, pero patuloy pa rin ang pamumula ng kanyang mga pisngi. Nang akmang tatanggalin na niya ang kanyang kamay sa dibdib ko, I gently grabbed her wrist and guided it back against my skin.

Allowing her fingers more exploration.

"You just proved my point, my chaotic queen," I whispered huskily against her ear. "I don't know what you're made of, but I'm pretty sure sunshine is a main ingredient... and probably tons of clumsiness... and of course, that clever little mouth of yours."

"E-Evil... hoy, teka. Umm aren't you getting too close? Amoy alak pa ako... nakaka-turn off, tapos sinukahan pa kita kanina! Time first! Baka pwedeng mag-toothbrush muna?"

I laughed. And I don't recall the last time I heard that sound from my lips.

Napatitig sa'kin ang dalaga, tila ba nagulat sa bigla kong pagtawa. Soon, a soft smile graced the blonde's lips as reached to cup my cheeks. Soft fingers caressing the sides of my face, holding me in place.

I stared into her eyes.

My very damnation is staring at me with such an expression that can make all kings declare a war against nations.

Fuck.

"You're too pretty for your own sake, Blondie. You're a walking hazard."

I leaned in, just in time as I captured Chayse's lips with mine in a kiss that will probably haunt me for centuries to come.

---

You take your baggage and walk away
from things that tainted your past;
Never looking back, with every stride,
to live knowing any day can be the last.

---Chayse Dayanghirang