"W-WHAT?" Hindi siya makapaniwalang tiningnan ang lalaki, ngunit ang gulat na iyon ay agad ding napalitan ng maliit na tawa. "Nevar, it seems you have forgotten. It was your fault why we broke up."

"I know. That's why I am asking for a chance."

"We're already over. Matagal na rin akong naka-move on sa 'yo." She put her attention to the playground in front of her, a sign of dismissing their conversation. "And isa pa, I already have a family. A daughter and a husband."

"Don't you have any feelings left for me?"

"The answer is already obvious. Like I said, I already moved on." If there was something left, that would be the regret of falling in love with him. He was the worst days of her life.

"I hope you can still change your mind. We're perfect together, you know."

"What? Do you hear what you are saying?" Tuluyan na siyang nainis at sinamaan ng tingin ang lalaki. "I already have a family. Respect me and get lost."

"Okay, okay. You don't need to glare that eyes on me." Tinaas nito ang dalawang kamay bilang pagsuko at tumayo.

Hindi niya inalis ang tingin dito hangga't sa tuluyang maglakad ito palayo. The nerve of that man to show up as if he didn't break her heart before. Five years had passed but he was still acting as a jerk.

"Mama, who's that?"

Napalingon siya sa pinto ng classroom nang makita si Imris. Mukhang nakita nito ang lalaki.

Tumayo naman siya sa pagkakaupo at nilapitan ito. "Did you see his face?"

Tumango naman ito.

"Good. If you see that man again, don't talk to him nor listen to whatever he'll say, okay?" Hinawakan niya ang magkabila nitong braso. She might as well warn Imris about that guy because the moment he showed up, her instinct was telling her he might do something later.

"Is he a bad guy?"

"Yes. Don't talk to him. If ever he will show up to you, tell me, okay?"

"Okay." Tumango naman ito.

She pinched her cheek and smiled at her. "Good girl. Let's go home?"

"Let's go!" Hinawakan nito ang kaniyang kamay at sabay silang nagtungo sa kaniyang kotse.

Wala siyang praktis ngayong hapon kaya plano niyang manatili muna sa bahay ni Xibel mamaya. Gusto niya rin itong kausapin sa kaniyang final performance dahil gusto niyang nandoon ito ulit.

She would find a way for Xibel not to be suffocated by people during her performance.

"Mama, look!" May tinuro si Imris sa bintana kaya hininaan naman niya ang kaniyang pagmamaneho.

Tiningnan niya ang tinuro nito at isa itong boutique. Sa glass wall ng boutique ay may kulay itim na coat at tuxedo ang nakapaskil. Ang bawat dulo nito ay napapalibutan ng mga iba't ibang guhit na kulay ginto.

Tinigil niya ang kotse.

Kaagad niyang naisip ang mga mata ni Xibel. Ang kaliwa nitong mata na kulay ginto ngunit hindi gaanong napapansin dulot ng mga ugat na nakapalibot doon. It was the eye of fortune the book said. But now it had turned into the eye of the curse, only fitting to scare any living creature.

"Papa will like it!"

"Do you think so?" sagot niya habang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa damit.

"Hmm-hmm!"

Sinulyapan niya si Imris bago binalik ang tingin sa damit. Ilang beses pa siyang nag-isip bago napagpasyahang lumabas sa kotse at magtungo sa boutique.

NAKARINIG ng ingay si Xibel mula sa labas dahilan para magising siya. He looked at the clock hanging on his wall, and it was almost five in the afternoon. Apat na oras din siyang tulog.

Lumabas siya sa kaniyang kuwarto upang tingnan kung saan nanggagaling ang ingay. Dumungaw siya sa railing at naabutan si Imris at Elia na naghahabulan. Napansin niya rin ang isang babae na nakapatong ang isang paa sa sofa. Nakasuot ito ng pointe shoes at abalang mag-ensayo.

It was Jasia. Nakapuyod ang buhok nito gamit ang pink na ribbon.

Bumaba siya sa hagdan. "Kanina ka pa ba rito?"

Nilingon naman siya ni Jasia. Binaba nito ang paa at inayos ang pagkakatayo. "Yeah. Kanina pa kami ni Imris nakadating."

"Don't you have any rehearsal?" Umupo siya sa kabilang sofa.

Tumabi naman si Imris sa kaniya nang mapansin siya. "Hi, Papa!"

Bago pa siya makasagot at muli itong tumalon pababa at tumakbo nang dumating si Elia.

"Be careful!" sita niya rito. Kung tumakbo parang wala nang kinabukasan. Hula niya kanina pa ito naglalaro dahil naliligo na sa pawis ang mukha nito.

"Wala na. Final rehearsal iyong kahapon. Wala rin kaming rehearsal doon sa isa ko pang performance. Next week pa ulit." May pinulot na itim na bag si Jasia at nilapag sa lamesa na pinapagitnaan nila. "Nga pala, Xibel. This is for you."

His forehead creased. Inabot niya ito upang tingnan ang laman. Napakurap siya nang isa itong damit.

"Imris actually saw it on the way home earlier, so we bought it," nahihiya nitong sabi at 'di makatingin nang diretso sa kaniya.

Siya rin ay hindi maiangat ang tingin at napako sa damit. How was he supposed to react? He never received something like this in his life nor did he envision a situation where he would receive a gift from someone.

"You like the color black, right?"

"Well, I do not hate it." Napalunok siya. A tickle came knocking around his chest yet he chose to ignore it. He couldn't seem to think nor talk straight. "T-thank you."

"No worries. Imris actually picked that. You should thank her instead." Napakamot ito sa batok. Before he could think of anything to say, Jasia talked again leaving him thankful because he was utterly lost for words.

Idagdag pa ang panginginit ng kaniyang pisngi dahilan para mapahawak siya rito.

"Would you like to try it on?"

Sinulyapan niya si Jasia at pansin niya rin ang pamumula ng mukha nito. He immediately looked away when he recognized this feeling. Celestialiana used to look like that when they were together.

"All right. I'll try it on." Tumayo na siya at nagtungo pabalik sa kaniyang kuwarto.

Hinubad niya ang kaniyang sutana.

Pinagmasdan niya muna saglit ang damit na binigay nito. Makapal ang itim nitong tela. Ang gintong mga sinulid ay inihabi nang buong ingat upang makabuo ng iba't ibang porma; ito'y parang mga alon na inihalo sa mga bulaklak.

Sinuot na niya ito. Hinarap niya ang sarili sa salamin habang nagbubutones. Imbes na magpokus siya sa damit, natigilan siya dahil sa kaniyang katawan.

Even if he had seen it many times, he couldn't still get used to it.

He cursed his body twice. First when Celestialiana asked him and second, when he was violated. The parts that those women touched had lost its flesh, revealing his bones. And if it could speak, it had spit out the growing roots within it, creeping like a black spider web to the remaining flesh he had.

He was a hideous monster. A terribly looking one.

Sinara na niya ang butones at inayos na ang damit. Malambot ang tela kaya komportable siyang gumalaw. May kaluwagan subalit tama lang ito sa gusto niya.

Lumabas na siya.

Habang pababa siya sa hagdan ay nakatingin na pala si Jasia at Imris sa kaniya. Nakaupo ang dalawa sa sofa at titig na titig sa kaniya.

"Stop staring." Iniwas niya ang tingin at binilisan ang pagbaba. Hindi siya sanay sa atensyong binibigay ng dalawa. And he knew even if he could wear a different color, none of it could make him look different.

He would still be the hideous monster Xibel.

"Papa, you're so pretty!" Napatigil siya sa paglalakad nang biglang tumakbo si Imris papalapit sa kaniya at niyakap ang kaniyang baywang. "You're even prettier. Right, Mama?"

Still looking at him, Jasia smiled. "Yeah. It looks good on you, Xibel."

Napunta ang tingin niya kay Jasia matapos nitong bitiwan ang mga kataga. He tried to read her expression if there was any hint of facade. He paid attention to the voices from his head, but it just went less loud. Less violent. It meant that the owner of those were at peace at the moment.

Jasia was in stillness.

"Mayroon bang mali sa mukha ko?" Napahawak si Jasia sa pisngi.

Nagtaka naman siya. "What do you mean?"

"Kanina ka pa kasi nakatingin."

"W-what?" Mabilis pa sa oras na iniwas niya ang tingin. He was caught off guard by their compliments that he had forgotten he was staring at her. Time felt like a short pause, but it had already turned into minutes. And even if he would try to deny it, his loud beating heart was enough proof of his guilt. He was indeed staring at her for long.

"Nga pala, Xibel. Pumunta ka bukas, ah?" saad nito, patukoy sa final performance.

"Yes, Papa. You should come," sagot ni Imris at bahagya pang hinila ang kaniyang sleeve.

"I don't know. I don't think I can." He sighed.

"If you're worried about the people, I already have an idea para malayo ka sa kanila." Jasia suddenly pointed her finger up. "Do you remember the railing above the theater?"

Tumango siya.

"Ni-request ko na kay president pati na rin kay Monsieur Charlotte na I'll save that place for you and Imris. You can watch the performance above without getting interrupted by the people and the media," paliwanag nito.

Hindi naman kaagad siya sumagot. What she proposed sounded okay, but . . .

"Why are you trying to make a way?" Nalilito siya kung bakit gumagawa ito ng paraan para makapanood lang siya. She could be fine without him. There was no gain of him coming or not on the performance either. Dadagdag lang siya sa gawain nito.

"Because I want you to be there. You and Imris." She put both of her hands on her back as she let out a small smile. "I just think it would be nice to see you both there. After all, you two are now my family."

Xibel tilted his head when he felt a little push inside his chest. "A family, huh? More like a disguised family."

Napatawa naman si Jasia. "You can say that. So? Payag ka ba?"

He glanced at her which he immediately shifted to the pink ribbon on her hair. The last time he remembered, he didn't want to get involved with a woman. He didn't want anything to do with them because he would just end up feeling worse. And miserable.

But this time, at this moment, he couldn't feel any of it. He could blame Arator for telling him nothing would go wrong, but silly him, he had already proven it the moment he watched the rehearsal.

He wanted to see the final performance too.

"Papa, please come." Pinagsaklop ni Imris dalawang kamay.

He smiled at his daughter. "All right. If that's what you want."