ISANG araw na ang lumipas at hindi pa rin sila nag-uusap ni Ana. Hindi niya rin ito nakita simula no'ng mag-away sila. He didn't have the guts to see her. Hinayaan niya lang muna si Wish na magbantay kay Ana.

Speaking of Wish, he wasn't able to say anything except the word 'sorry'. Hindi rin malinaw sa kaniya kung para saan ang sorry na iyon. He was sorry for what? Sorry for being selfish? Sorry for being guilty? Sorry because he couldn't let go of his past love? Sorry because he couldn't give Ana's feelings back?

"Masiyado ka atang napuruhan," bati niya kay Midnight na nasa salas ng palasyo. Puno ng galos ang braso pati na ang mukha nito. Nakaupo ito sa sofa at umiinom ng tsaa.

Hindi niya ito nagawang puntahan kahapon dahil abala siyang intindihin ang emosyon niya.

"And you look like a corpse," sagot naman nito sa kaniya.

"What?" gulat na gulat niyang sagod at kaagad na hinawakan ang iniingatang mukha.

Hindi kasi siya nakatulog nang maayos. Mabigat palagi ang pakiramdam niya at hindi niya alam kung paano pagagaanin ito. Nagpaulit-ulit din sa isip niya ang mga sinabi ni Wish no'ng nakaraan.

It was stressing him out. Paano kung maapektuhan ang kaguwapuhan niya? Paano kung pumangit siya?

Kaagad siyang napailing. That would be the end of him.

"What the hell happened to you?" Kumunot ang noo nito.

"I'm stressed out and I need my handsome rest right now," aniya sabay hawak sa kaniyang noo. Umupo siya sa sofa na kaharap ng inuupuan ni Midnight.

"Then sleep, elegant moron."

"Paano ako makakatulog, eh, hindi nga ako makatulog?" he said while emphasizing every word.

"That's not my problem," Midnight said and took a sip on his tea.

Napangiwi naman siya. Why did he even ask him in the first place? Sumandal siya sa sofa. "Hindi mo man lang ako aalukin ng tsaa? Stress na 'yong kaibigan mo, oh?"

Sinamaan naman kaagad siya nito ng tingin. "I don't care."

Tinitigan naman niya ito at nagkunyaring naiiyak sa sinabi ng kaibigan. Hinawakan niya ang kaniyang dibdib na animo'y nasasaktan.

Inirapan siya ni Midnight at binaba ang tsaa. "Spill it."

Palihim naman siyang napangiti. "Akala ko ba wala kang paki?"

"Don't make me repeat myself." Midnight hissed, starting to lose his patience.

Napatawa na lang siya nang mahina. Midnight would always be Midnight. He was still the same friend he knew back when they were kids. Walang pasensya at madaling mainis. He pretends not to care, but he was always concerned for the people dear to him. Pinabayaan na sana nito ang Raeon kung wala itong pakialam.

Bigla niya tuloy naalala no'ng una niyang tinawag si Midnight na Uno. He like the sound of it and it suited Midnight. A brave name for a tough man. Uno means first, and Midnight was the first ruler who built their kingdom again at a young age.

Naalala niya pa kung paano kumunot ang noo nito at binatukan siya. Bakit daw kung anu-ano ang pinapangalan niya. At dahil isa siyang maimpluwensyang tao, 'di nagtagal ay buong Raeon na ang tumawag kay Midnight sa pangalang Uno.

"Uno, do you think I'm selfish?" Wala sa plano niyang magsalita kay Midnight tungkol dito pero sa tingin niya ay kailangan niya ng opinyon mula sa kaibigan. He never once opened up to him before, so he was unsure if Midnight could help him. Nevertheless, he knew he would listen.

Tiningnan naman siya nito mula ulo hanggang paa, umaktong nagulat. "You just realize?"

Napangiwi naman siya. Nakakabuwisit din 'to minsan. Kung kailan seryoso siya, 'yong kaibigan naman niya ang nang-aasar.

He heaved a deep sigh and fixed his gaze on the vintage ceiling. "I can't seem to forget Mica no matter what I do."

"Did you even try?"

Natigilan naman siya. Ilang saglit bago niya nilingon si Midnight. "Well, I just can't forget--"

"Of course. You choose not to forget her, after all." Hindi siya nito pinatapos.

"Pero!" He groaned and brushed his hair in frustration. He couldn't find the right words to say.

"But what?"

Napayuko siya. "Hindi siya madaling kalimutan."

Natahimik naman silang dalawa. Hindi nagsalita si Midnight at nagpatuloy lang sa pag-inom ng tsaa.

"How about you?"

"Hmm?"

"Paano kung nangyari sa 'yo 'to? Paano kung namatay 'yong una mong minahal mo tapos binigyan ka ng panibago, anong gagawin mo?" he desperately asked.

He wanted answers so bad. He couldn't make up his mind. It was covered with mist, stopping him from making a decision. Hindi niya maintindihan kung ano ba ang sinasabi ng isip niya. Kahit na ang puso niya ay 'di niya rin maunawaan.

Sinulyapan muna siya ni Midnight bago muling ilagay ang tea cup sa maliit na lamesa na nasa pagitan nilang dalawa.

"I will love her. And I'll choose to forget my former love. I don't want to be unfair and besides," Midnight paused and looked at him. "Forgetting doesn't mean I'll completely forget her existence. I will keep her as a part of me and moved on. And give all of my love to the person who is with me in the present."

Sa pangalawang pagkakataon, natigilan siya. Forget her and moved on, huh? Would he able to do that? That sounded like a dream he never wanted to conquer. Iisipin pa lang niya, sumasakit na agad ang puso niya.

Bumuntonghininga siya. "It's easy for you to say."

"Then you shouldn't have asked for my opinion, you dumb, selfish, elegant moron," Midnight said and glared at him. Kulang na lang yata hampasin siya nito ng tea cup sa dilim ng tingin nito sa kaniya.

Hindi naman siya sumagot.

"Look, Fenrys. I know Micaela is everything to you, but you've already moved on from your parents' death, why don't you do the same for Mica?"

"I can't. Ayoko," sagot niya.

"Stubborn moron," bulong ni Midnight na rinig naman niya. He crossed his arms and looked at Fenrys. "Honestly, I don't understand the concept of having a second mate. Are they something like a replacement? And the severed bond with the former mate, they don't even help you heal even though you have a new one. It seems like you have to do it yourself. What a torture." Midnight shook his head. "But whatever it is, a mate is a mate. It is with them, you will share your future. Stop thinking about the past and think about Ana."

"I'm trying--"

"You're not. 'Cause if you really are, you shouldn't be here asking stupid questions to me. Alam mo na ang sagot d'yan," kalmado lang ang boses nito pero ramdam niya ang sinseridad. "Think, Fenrys. What if something happens and you're unable to do anything because of your dumb, indecisive ass? Will you be able to accept another loss?"

Napakurap siya. May kumirot sa loob-loob niya nang maisip ang sinabi ni Midnight. Biglang bumilis ang tibok ng kaniyang puso na para bang hindi ito mapakali.

Bago pa siya makapagsalita ay dumating si Rauis.

"Oh, am I disturbing you two?"

"Nah, not really."

Ngumiti naman ito sa kanila. The usual smile he'd always worn. Umupo ito katabi.

"Hindi ka ba nagsusuklay?" tanong niya dahil palagi na lang gulo-gulo ang buhok nito.

"Ah." Napahawak naman ito sa buhok. "I sometimes forget."

Bahagya siyang nagulat. Hindi niya inaasahan na makakalimutin din ito. At sa lahat ba naman ng makakalimutan ay ang pagsusuklay pa. Kung sabagay puro lang naman Blaitheria ang iniisip ni Rauis.

"Anyway, how's your wounds?" tanong nito kay Midnight.

Oo nga pala. Hindi niya pa natatanong kay Midnight ang tungkol sa mga nakalaban nila. Mukhang napuruhan sila nang sobra.

"They're fine. We somehow manage to get away or more like they chose to get away," sagot nito.

Umarko naman ang kilay niya. "And why is that?"

"They're too fast, we can't keep up with their speed. And their claws are really a pain," Midnight said.

It looked like their enemy was way more dangerous than he expected. Ito ang unang pagkakataon na nakalaban nila ang mga Ailune at kung titingnan niya si Midnight na napuno ng mga galos, halatang malalakas sila.

"But wait, what do you mean by they chose to get away?" he asked.

"That's what I want know. It looks like hindi si Wish ang habol nila. If it's him, they could just finish us off and chase him, but no. Those Ailunes were just playing with us. They weren't even serious while fighting us."

What? Hindi pa seryoso 'yon?

Naparuhan nga nang sobra si Midnight tapos hindi pa seryoso ang kalaban nila? Just how strong were they?

Naalarma siya sa sinabi ni Midnight pero kaagad ding nagsalubong ang kilay niya nang mapansing kalmado lang ang kaibigan niya.

Midnight looked unbothered at all.

"Memory alteration."

"Huh?" sabay na napatingin sina Fenrys at Midnight kay Rauis nang magsalita ito.

"I checked Thela's memory again and it's still the same. My hunch is that Wish's brother might have a memory alteration ability."

Hindi naman nasabi ni Wish ang abilidad ng kapatid nito sa kanila. Ayaw rin naman nilang pilitin itong magsalita dahil parang may kinakatakutan ito. Wish indeed loosen up to them, but still, they couldn't just ask him about anything  and come off as insensitive.

Nilingon niya si Rauis na nasa tabi lang niya. "Didn't you say there's a ring inside the box that was stolen?"

Tumango naman ito.

Itinaas niya ang kamay niya at pinakita ang kaniyang singsing. "I think it's related with the ring that I have. The Rings of Amaranth."

Sabay naman na napa, "Huh?" ang dalawa. Halatang wala ring alam ang dalawa tungkol sa pinagsasabi niya.

Bukod sa pag-iisip kung anong gagawin niya sa nararamdaman, 'di rin mawala sa kaniyang isipan ang kuwento ni Wish. Kahapon niya lang ito napagtanto. Ewan niya ba pero may kutob siya na kasali ang mga singsing sa kung ano mang pinaplano ng kalaban nila.

Ang pagbungkal sa puntod ni Mica na dahilan ng malaking butas, ang pagkawala ng iniregalo ni Matilda na may singsing sa loob ayon kay Rauis at ang pagiging abnormal din ng kaniyang singsing. Imposibleng nagkataon lang ang lahat.

Tiningnan niya ang dalawa na naghihintay lang din sa sasabihin niya.

"Pero bago 'yon, can you serve me a tea, please?" biro niya dahilan para paulanan siya ng matatalim na tingin ni Midnight.

"Ito naman joke lang, eh."

Ikinwento niya ang nalaman niya tungkol sa singsing. Nagsimula siya sa kuwento ni Wish sa kaniya. Sinabi niya rin kung saan niya nakuha ang singsing niya dahil paniguradong magtatanong si Rauis. Pinaliwanag din niya sa kanila ang kakaibang nangyari sa kaniyang singsing pero 'di rin naman niya naipaliwanag nang maayos dahil siya rin mismo ay 'di alam kung bakit nagkakaganito ang kaniyang singsing.

Pagkatapos niyang magpaliwanag ay may napagdesisyunan sila.

"I'm going to head out for a bit," paalam ni Rauis sa kanila.

Sumunod naman si Midnight pero bago ito maglakad palayo, nilingon muna siya nito. "Give her a chance, Fenrys."

Muli siyang napaisip sa sinabi nito kanina.

Will I be able to accept another loss?

Malungkot siyang napangiti.

Of course . . . he wouldn't.