ONE week had passed and Imris was ready to be discharged. Nasa loob na sila ngayon ng sasakyan ni Jasia at pauwi na. Si Imris ay katabi niyang nakaupo sa backseat at abala na namang kalikutin ang bulaklak niya sa mukha.

"Stop." Winaksi niya ang kamay nito.

"But I want to pick some."

"No."

Sumimangot naman ito at tumahimik sa kaniyang tabi.

A pair of eyes made him look at the rearview mirror only to find Jasia looking at him. Nang magtama ang kanilang paningin ay sabay silang napaiwas.

What was that? There was a tiny jolt inside his heart that he couldn't comprehend whether he should be glad or mad about it. Every moving day with her just got confusing for Xibel.

He shrugged his confusing feeling and looked out the window. The loud beating inside his chest failed him to calm down. He needed to distract himself. He didn't want Jasia to invade his mind again. Lately, after she mentioned about his disappearing curse, somewhat a reverse phenomena had happen to him–she couldn't run gone inside his head.

Mariin siyang napapikit at piniga ang kaniyang utak sa puwede niyang isipin basta huwag lang ang babae. Inisip niya ang mga araw na nasa loob siya ng ospital hanggang sa maalala niya ang manunulat.

Pagkatapos ng araw na iyon, hindi na bumalik si Isabella sa ospital o kahit sumilip man lang para dumalaw.

Was she able to write?

He hoped so. At least one chapter would be enough to make the story moved a little closer to the end. He wanted the story to end. He wanted this torn feeling of his to, if his author is generous enough, come to a resolution.

But if she did have written something, he would be notified by the setting. The House Spot would activate to play the newly produced scene, however, not even a single notice he received.

Was it because he was in the real dimension that House Spot didn't activate?

Napabukas ang kaniyang mga mata. "System, check if there's a new chapter for my story."

[Response System: There have been no updates. No chapter have been published.]

She didn't write anything?

"Woman." He stared at the back of the driver seat. This was a better view; he didn't need to meet her gaze, but he was still looking at her direction.

"Yeah?"

"How's Isabella? I haven't seen her for a while." It was ironic how he wished not for her to bug him, and yet, here he was, looking for her.

"Ah, si Isabella . . ." The sound of her voice dropped as the speed of the car lessened. "She's back to her old self. She doesn't want to get out of her room again kahit pa sabihin kong nandoon ka."

"I don't understand. What do you mean by her old self?"

Bumuntonghininga ito. "Ever since Isabella and her boyfriend broke up, ayaw na niyang lumabas sa kuwarto at makipaghalubilo sa mga tao. I don't think I have the right to share the details to you but let's just say that her ex-boyfriend was a jerk. A very disgusting one."

"In what way?" Napaupo siya nang tuwid, interesado sa pinag-uusapan.

""He's a manipulator. He likes to make Isabella feel guilty para sundin nito ang gusto. I tried to warn her with that man no'ng una kong makita kasi iba na pakiramdam ko, e. And the fact that she was still a minor, pero she doesn't want to listen to me. At ayon nga, that guy cheated on her after--" Jasia paused and shook her head. "There was more to say but I don't want to tell you without Isabella's permission."

"No. You don't have to continue. That is enough for me to tell he was a horrible person." He clenched his fist. So his author was cheated too. The world was too terrible for the two cousin to fall around boys who couldn't vow for loyalty.

"She experienced a lot of things after that." Muli itong bumuntonghininga ngunit sa pagkakataing ito ay may balot ng kalungkutan. "You know, Isabella loves to wear dresses before. Yellow is her favorite color. She smiles a lot and goes out a lot. She is always cheerful about writing and her life pero you can't see that in her now."

His lips parted as her words ran down his mind. Surprised was an understatement. From the moment he saw her, all he could think that his author was a lonely woman who found comfort in the color of darkness. He never saw any color from her that made her thought they were the same. She was too different that even knowing what she was before, he couldn't envision the person Jasia was pertaining to.

How horrible did she experience to turn out like this?

Right then, the memories of his Author Dump when the story was still starting flashed on his mind.

Isabella sounded cheerful, sure on how to turn the story. The updates were still frequent too.

"I'll make you the best guy', huh?" he uttered as she remembered the first dump he received from her.

"Woman, when did it happen? When did she become like this?"

"Four years ago. When she was still sixteen," she replied. "Nakakalungkot ngang isipin na lumaki siya na malapit sa akin, magkasama kami sa isang bubong. Even though we're five years apart, we're close kasi sa amin siya lumaki. But I still wasn't able to protect her from that man."

Xibel's mouth remained close. Umusog siya nang paunti sa kanang bahagi upang sulyapan ang mukha ni Jasia, at tama nga siya, nagmukha na itong pinasan ang buong mundo.

But come to think of it, she was also not acting her usual self.

Ever since that day in the hospital, she seemed to be spacing out more often. Panay rin ang pagtingin nito sa batok ni Imris.

"How about you, woman?"

"What about me?"

"How are you? I can tell you're not also the way you were."

Her shoulder tensed up. Napahigpit ang hawak nito sa manubela. "Y-yeah. I'm fine."

"Are you--"

"We're here." Jasia abruptly pushed the brake, making him and Imris almost swam forward.

He glared at her while supporting the child's forehead. "Can you be careful? Imris just got out of the hospital."

"Sorry." Her voice in a small tone motioned her embarrassment.

Lumabas na sila at pumasok ng bahay. Kaagad na sumalubong sa pintuan sina Arator at Xyphyr. Yumuko ito bilang paggalang sa kanila.

"My lord," ani ng dalawa.

"Uncle Arator!" Tumakbo naman kaagad kay Arator si Imris na mabilis ding kinarga ni Arator.

"Mabuti naman at ika'y magaling na, binibini. Pinag-alala mo si boss lord," natatawang sabi nito.

Napailing lang siya. Si Imris naman ay ginantihan din ito ng isang tawa bago napunta ang tingin kay Xyphyer na nakatitig din sa bata.

"Hello!" bati ni Imris.

"Hello," sagot din nito at ginaya ang pagkaaway. He then touched Imris forehead with his forefinger. "I thought you are going to die, litte miss. I'm glad to see you alive."

"Stop mentioning about death. Imris wasn't dying in the first place." He frowned.

"But, my lord," Xyphyer looked at him, eyes like that of a puppy, he added, "the little miss was barely breathing. I can tell when someone is about to die for I have--"

"Hush. Don't say some gruesome things in front of a child."

"But I'm a child too, my lord." He pouted.

"Then you are forbidden to utter such horrifying skills of yours for your sake."

Nakarinig naman siya ng isang mahinang tawa sa kaniyang gilid kaya napasulyap siya kay Jasia. Ilang metro ang layo nito sa kaniya.

"What's funny? And why are you too far? You look like someone who got kicked out from the house."

"I can get closer?" Namilog ang mga mata nito. She immediately closed a step between them. "How about this? Is this okay? Or is this too near?"

Bahagya naman siyang natawa. The panic in her face just made her look lost that Xibel couldn't help but be fascinated.

"That is fine."

Maglalakad na sana siya papunta sa kaniyang kuwarto ngunit napatigil siya sa titig ni Xyphyr.

"What?"

"My lord . . ." Napaturo ito sa kaniyang mukha. Pagkatapos ay inalog si Arator. "Did you see that? The lord just laughed!"

"I can't see it, but I did hear it!" Arator beamed.

Now, he was the one surprised. His blood filled his cheeks, making him cover his face with the back of his hand. He just realized what he did.

"Whoa! The lord can smile!" namamangha pang dagdag ni Xyphyr.

"Oo naman. Palagi nga 'yang nakangiti dati no'ng siya pa ay--"

"Enough!" He glared at Arator. "Say the word and I'll kill you."

"I don't want to die twice." Ngumiti ito na parang aso. "Subalit, my lord, mas maganda ka siguro kapag nakangiti ka. Sana'y puwede kong makita–"

"Just shut up!" he shouted at ran passed them. His follower really knew how to get on his nerve.

Nagtungo siya papunta sa kaniyang kuwarto. Kahit na naririnig niya ang paghalakhak ni Arator at mga sinasabi nila ay hindi siya lumingon at nagdire-diretso lang. Pabagsak niyang sinara ang pinto nang makapasok.

He sat the end of the sofa while covering his forehead. Why didn't it slip through his mind that that there were other people looking? Masiyado ba siyang naging komportable o nasanay lang siyang panay na ang pagngiti niya kalaunan.

"System, are you not going to give me a warning?"

[Response System: There is no threat that will lead to Character Disintegration.]

"There is no threat?" His eyes grew large in disbelief. "But I've been smiling lately. Isn't that an obvious threat?"

[Response System: There is no threat that will lead to character disintegration. Any thoughts, actions, and feelings didn't pose any threat to your character. You are perfectly aware that you are still Gregory August Xibel Thelonius.]

"But I am acting way out of character!"

[Response System: You're overthinking.]

Sinamaan naman niya ito ng tingin.

How could the system put his confused feelings like this? Though it was the truth. It was no denying what the system said was true. He didn't feel any surge of pain in his head, meaning that he was perfectly okay. All that he had been acting now must not have been removed by the author even after making him the villain of the story.

Although those traits were never shown, it wasn't discarded. It was still a part of him.

"So annoying," he mumbled. This annoying thought was oozing his body to sleep.

He might as well rest.

Handa na siyang humiga sa kama nang biglang sumulpot si Stone. Yumukod ito bilang paggalang.

"My lord, I have returned." Tinaas nito ang mukha at may bahid ng pagkabahala ang mga mata nito.

Napatayo siya. "What did you find out?"

"I have found the woman's identity after following her out of the coast just like you ordered, my lord." Napalunok ito bago muling yumuko.

"Say it."

"Her name is May. I saw her reporting to Miss Jasia. It seems that the miss has ordered May to observe the coast."