"I'll just hope na sana hindi ko masampal itong hayop na 'to"

Huminga ako ng malalim to suppress my urges to slap him.

"Ugali lang niya yan, Lunaria. Intindihin mo."

Tapos na-realize ko na, dalawang beses na niya akong nakitang mapahiya ngayong araw. Dumilim paningin ko, napamura ako sa kaloob-looban ko.

"Don't worry, duchess. Hindi ko ipagsasabi, pero 'di ako sigurado if I can keep it..."

He's enjoying doing this, halos isang araw ko palang nakakasama itong Arxis na 'to pero enjoy na enjoy na niyang pag-tripan ako.

I just sighed deeply.

"How am I going to uphold my pride as a noble now?"

"Masaya ka na nyan?"

"Don't frown so much, duchess, at sigurado rin akong alam mo ang sagot mo dyan."

"Ang sarap mong tanggalan ng labi. Anyway, bakit ka nagpaiwan dito? What do you want?"

Tinanong ko kung ano nga bang ginagawa niya dito, parang kanina lang nagmamadali siyang umalis tapos ngayon nandito na naman siya. I seriously would've preferred it kung umalis na lang siya eh.

"Aw, kung magsalita ka parang ayaw mo kong makasama, ah."

He's acting like a pitiful guy, pero kahit sino masasabing nang-aasar lang siya.

"Truth is, ayaw talaga kitang makasama."

Hindi ko iyon sinabi ng malakas, pero iyon yung gustong gusto ko talaga isagot sa tanong niya.

"So anong dahilan mo ku-"

Naputol yung sinasabi ko dahil sumingit si Arxis, nararamdaman ko nang lumabas yung mga ugat ko sa ulo sa mga pinaggagagawa ng lalaking ito.

"I'll show you around the house. Be grateful, the great ARXIS will be attending you."

He declared all high and mighty, talagang nilakasan talaga niya yung boses niya nung binabanggit na niya yung pangalan niya. Walang problema na sinagot niya yung tanong ko syempre, but when he cut me off while I was speaking at yung way ng pagsalita niya, it's getting under my skin.

Napa-face palm ako, then I just nodded. Halatang naiinis siya pag-okay ko, but I preferred it that way. 

"Sundan mo ko, just so you know, I'm the best tour guide of this house."

"Why? Kasi alam mo lahat ng passages para takasan mga responsibilidad mo?"

Here's some sass for you, Arxis.

"Yep, paano mo nalaman?"

"Wait. Totoo?! Tsaka bakit napaka-straightforward ng oo mo?!"

"Huh? May problema ba dun?"

Kitang kita ko sa mga mata niya na 'di talaga niya alam kung bakit o ano yung ikina-gulat ko sa statement niya.

"Hindi ba marunong mahiya 'to?!"

Sinubukan kong kalimutan agad yung nangyari,  kahit na disrespectful, walang hiya at nakaka-bwisit si Arxis, isa pa rin siyang noble na may dugo ng De Lune, a duchy. Those might have been my hallucinations because of the earlier events.

"You were going to show me around the house, right? Let's go now."

I did my best to maintain a dignified posture, I humiliated myself earlier twice already sa harap niya at ayaw ko nang maulit iyon.

"Okay then, this will be one hell of a trip. Follow me."

Patakbo siyang lumabas ng pintuan, parang nagmamadali siya pero that didn't seem to be the case.

"Hindi ba talaga marunong rumespeto iyon? Wala pa yatang balak hintayin ako, what kind of tour is this?"

Even though he's so infuriating, I still walked out of the room like a dignified lady would have. I looked around for him, pero hindi ko siya makita.

"Best tour guide, my ass."

Tumalikod ako para pumasok ulit sa kwarto, to my surprise, may humawak bigla sa braso para pigilan ako sa gagawin ko.

"And I was wondering where you were."

I checked behind my back to see it was, and it was Arxis.

"Ilang segundo pa lang yung nakakalipas at naiwanan mo na ako."

"I can't follow you if you're that fast."

"Oh, yeah. Tao ka nga pala."

I can't help but feel offended, it's as if he's implying that humans are slow. It was true though.

"Just because he's a vampire himself, tsk."

"Maglakad ka lang."

"Okay, okay."

He then assumed a laidback posture then walked, just as i said. Ngayon, I can follow him. 

"Huh, you're now all dignified and stuff."

I can feel my veins in my face pop once again.

"I am always dignified."

"Didn't seem that way to me."

"Oh goddess, please forgive this sinner for I might be commit a sin in the future."

Pinipigilan ko ang sarili kong hampasin itong hayop na ito, because I need to maintain my honorable image. Kahit nasira ito sa mata niya kanina.

"Moreover, bakit pala gothic ang style ng interior niyo?"

I asked him about the particular style the house was in, it was just me being curious.

"Vampires particularly like a dark atmosphere, I mean, mas malakas kami in dark areas without the sun."

Nakakatuwa na seryoso niyang sinagot yung tanong ko, then I threw him another one.

"Why are vampires only strong when the sun isn't present?"

"Ha? Bakit 'di mo alam yung sagot sa tanong na yan, it's basic knowledge."

He cynically said, pangatlong beses nang lumabas yung ugat ko sa mukha dahil sa hayop na 'to. 

And there is a reason why I don't know much about them, walang libro tungkol sa mga bampira sa bahay (which is weird but I really didn't mind) pero wala naman akong pakealam sa race nila dati which is why I never cared why we didn't have any.

"Wala kaming libro tungkol sa mga bampira..."

"Ay, ganun. I'll lend you 'The Origin of Humans & Vampires' then, nakakatamad magkwento eh."

I thought that it was weird that he didn't ask why we didn't have any books about vampires, I didn't push that topic any further at tumungo na lang. 

After that series of events, madaming ipinakitang lugar sa mansion nila si Arxis, ilang beses niya akong inasar. Ipinakita pa niya yung mga secret routes niya palabas ng bahay nila, muntikan ko na siyang batukan, luckily, i endured the urge to do that.

The finally destination we went to was the living room at nagpahinga, ako lang yung nangailangan ng seryosong pahinga, it's so obvious na hindi pa exercise para kay Arxis yung tour na yun, nevertheless, umupo pa rin siya, it was on a separate sofa.

Habang nakaupo ako, I saw Welt slowly walking from the corridor papunta sa direksyon namin. Iba na yung suot niya ngayon, it was still a black t-shirt at dark sweatpants. This time, bakat yung abs niya sa suot niya and I forced myself to stop drooling. 

"Huwag kang maglaway, Lunaria. Ilang beses mo nang pinahiya sarili mo ngayong araw."

Nung na realize ko na nagsuka nga pala ako sa lap ni Welt, I felt very, very embarrassed na natatakot. 

"I'll be answering your questions again."

Tumabi siya kay Arxis, it was written in his face na ayaw na niyang tumabi sa akin kasi feeling niya magsusuka ulit ako sa kanya. 

"Yup, my image is more than destroyed now."

I decided na mas magandang magtanong na lang ako, since he's expecting me to just do that anyway, but first, I'll apologize. 

"I apologize for what I did a while ago."

"HAHA! His reaction that time was hilarious!"

"Hindi ikaw ang kausap ko, so I'd appreciate it if you just shut up,"

Here are some more sass para sa 'yo.

"It's alright, naiintindihan ko naman. You were very scared, weren't you?"

"I'd be honest, the answer to that is yes. With that being said, I'd ask my questions now."

I cleared my throat, at hinanda sa isipan ko yung mga balak kong itanong kay Welt. Ang dami nila sa isip ko.

"Is it safe for me to go back home now? Sigurado naman akong alam mo kung anong mangyayari kapag nabalitaan ang Empire na nawawala ang duchess of house Lumiere. I'm an important figure, my sister will surely go over-the-top to look for me. Which is why importanteng makauwi ako."

"i think so, I doubt that they will pursue you in your house further since narealize na nilang walang kwenta ang pag kidnap nila sa 'yo dun, I'll prepare a carriage for you later to go back at your estate."

I can tell by looking at his eyes na hindi siya nagsisinungaling, it's an ability of mine. Pinagpatuloy ko pa ang pag tatanong.

"Bakit nila ako hinuhunt?"

"...Hindi ko pa yan masasagot."

Napasimangot ako, iyon yung pinaka importanteng masagot pero it was the one that was kept a secret. Dahil hindi ako pushy, I didn't pursue the topic further.

"Argh! Sumasakit ulo ko sa pagiging seryoso niyo!"

Sumigaw si Arxis, it seems that he is feeling uncomfortable, and is being disrespectful. Nakakainis, biglang nag wash away sa utak ko yung mga gusto kong itanong dahil sa letseng 'to.

"Arxis."

"Ano?!"

"I'll let Claire know about your un-sightful behavior today."

Halos mawalan ng dugo sa mukha si Arxis nung narinig niya yung threats ni Welt, it appears that he is scared of this 'Claire' person. 

"...Sorry.."

I chuckled because of the way he responded, he deserved it. 

"Hoy! Hindi yon nakakata-!"

"Arxis."

"Sorry..."

Hindi ko lang talaga pinapakita, pero I'm laughing loudly internally. Ngayon ko lang nakilala si Arxis, but i knew na deserve niya talaga yun. I bet he's an obnoxious, annoying guy kahit sa ibang tao.

"I'll be preparing the carriage for you now, increase the security in your estate pagkatapos mong makauwi."

Tumayo na si Welt, then left. Bigla na lang siyang umalis despite the fact na marami pa akong gustong itanong. Parang kanina lang. 

"Bakit feeling ko na marami siyang ayaw ipaalam sa akin?"

Medyo nainis ako sa thought na yun, but it's not like I had a choice, I can't force him or anything.

I felt gloomy, ang dami kong hindi alam at kailangan alamin.

TO BE CONTINUED