"Videoke tayo... May videoke po kayo dito tita?" tanong ni Jane.

"Ay... Meron sandali lang... Severo, Giovanni, tulungan nyo nga ako para mailabas natin dito," sabi ni Ella.

"Sige po... Sandali lang, Red ha... Sevy, tara," sabi ni Gio.

Tumango naman si Red at tumayo si Sevy saka sumunod sila kay Ella.

"Sandali lang, Red ha..." Karl mocking Gio kaya napatingin sila sakanya.

"Akala mo naman mawawala si Red," biro ni Karl.

"Ay suplada, suplada mo ngayon sis," pabirong sabi ni Red.

"Namiss ka lang nyan ate," wika ni Jane kaya inirapan naman sya ni Karl. "Namiss mo lang si ate Red eh pasimple ka pa," banat ni Jane sa kuya nya.

"Oo nga," sabat naman ni Red at umupo sa tabi ni Karl saka tinusok tusok ito sa tagiliran. "Yiee... Miss mo lang ako eh," dagdag pa nya.

"Oo na... Swimming tayo mhie, may dala ka nang bikini dyan diba may dala din ako," imbita ni Karl.

"Anong mhie? Sino yon ha? Nasan na yung love. Diba sabi mo love tawagan natin," tanong ni Red.

"Wow, parang hindi ka lang umayaw eh 'no, savi mo kaya di mo ako friend," wika ni Karl at umirap.

"Aba! Edi change of hearts..." wika ni Red.

"Dali na... Ligo na tayo... Aray ko bakla ka masakit," daig ni Karl dahil pilit sya hinihila ni Red paupo.

"Nasan na yung love? Tuckshell ka," biro ni Red.

"Lasing ka ba o talagang adik ka lang, swimming na ako," sabi ni Karl.

Binitiwan sya ni Red at umusog kay Jane saka nagtago sa likod nito.

"Hala ka kuya, nagtampo," sabi ni Jane.

Napatampal si Karl at nilapitan si Red at napabuntong hininga.

"Halika na dali na..." wika ni Karl at kinukuha ang kamay ni Red na iniiwas ng dalaga. "Sige na love lika na," wika ni Karl at napangiti si Red at lumabas sa pagkakatago.

"Ayoko may sugat ako," sabi ni Red.

"Bakit sa baha ba tayo mag-swimming? Di ka magkaka-leptospirosis," biro ni Karl.

"Gaga... Tahi to hindi kati kati," sagot ni Red.

"Ay oo nga pala..." tumabi sya kay Red at hinawakan ang kamay nito at isinandal ni Karl ang ulo nya sa balikat ng dalaga.

"Dalawa pala tattoo mo..." wika ni Karl habang hinahaplos ang mga scars sa wrist ni Red na may tattong rosas.

"Dalawa? Naduduling ka ba? Isa lang yan," biro ni Red.

"Ahh... Have you heard about the Medusa tattoo? I heard that it has a deep meaning," sabi ni Karl.

"Ah, yes there is," sagot ni Red na halos ibulong nya nalang.

"Bakit parang nababagabag ka, may problema ba?" tanong ni Karl.

"Wala naman... May lasagna dun ikukuha kita," sabi ni Red.

Agad tumayo si Red at napaupo naman sa sakit nang pasimpleng pitikin ni Karl ang sugat nya.

"Ayos ka lang? Masakit ba? Patingin," sabi ni Karl.

Bahagyang inalsa ni Karl ang damit ni Red para tingnan ang sugat at ang tattoo na nakita nya nung nakaraan kung totoo ba pero agad naman itong naibaba ni Red; she excuses herself and went upstairs.

Agad nyang nilock ang pinto at hinabol ang hininga kaya kinuha nya yung inhaler at umupo sa kama.

...

Bumalik naman sa pagkakaupo si Karl sa tabi ng kapatid.

"Nakita mo yun?" tanong ni Karl.

"Yeah... May Medusa... Bat naman sya may ganun hindi biro ang meaning nun," sagot ni Jane.

"Yun ang aalamin ko...," sabi ni Karl.

"Ah basta ang sure ko lang is masarap yung lasagna ni ate Red kaya kumuha ka na baka maubusan ka," biro ni Jane.

 -----------------------------------

Lumipas ang mga oras, nag-umpisa silang mag-Videoke at dumating na rin si Blue.

"Oh sino naman gustong kumanta?" tanong ni Ella.

"Ay, ako ako..." sabi ni Blue.

"Ayan na ang laman ng videoke," sabi ni Ella.

"Nasaan na ba yung kontesera, eto na ang pinakahihintay ko simula nang umuwi sya, mag-duet uli," sabi ni Blue.

Bumaba si Red dala ang kanyang inhaler at umupo sa sofa.

"Tala! Duet tayo... Suki, suki..." sabi ni Blue.

"Duet eh sa 'Kiss Me' lang naman part ko dyan," sabi ni Red.

"Please sige na..." pakiusap ni Blue.

Binigyan nya si Red ng puppy eyes at naka pout ang labi.

"Oo na, baka mamaya mawalan ka pa ng mata sa pagpapacute mo na yan," sabi ni Red.

"Yey... Suki suki po," sabi ni Blue.

"Piste ka, dapat gayang gaya sa original ha," sabi ni Red.

"Ako pa ba, ikaw kaya mo ba," sabi ni Blue.

"I don't know, malalaman lang yan, dalian mo na," sabi ni Red.

Kinuha ni Blue ang mic at she clears her throat at nag-umpisa ang kanta.

"Joushiki wo haruka ni koete tsunoru omoi
Totsuzenhen'i-teki ni boppatsu shita bara-iro no koi
Mohaya bouryoku-teki tomo ieru hodo no jun'ai
Sudeni Shouwa-shi ni kizamu ikioi no ju teemu"~Blue

"Go, Tala!" Pag che-cheer ni Blue sa kapatid

"Kiss me naguru yo ni kuchibiru ni chi ga nijimu hodo
Hold me abara ga oto wo tatete oreru hodo"~Red

"Suki suki daisuki
Suki suki daisuki
Suki suki daisuki
Aishiteru tte iwanakya korosu!"~Blue

"Ang cute diba" tuwang tuwang tanong ni Scale sakanila.

"Yung pagkakakanta oo yung meaning hindi," wika ni Giovanni at napailing.

"Nichijou wo daha shite gutai-ka suru erosu
Hon'nou de kasaneru jouji mugen jigoku
Anchi-nihirizumu no chokkan ninshiki wa
Senzai-teki youji-sei bouryoku heki wo yuuhatsu"~Blue

"Kiss me naguru yo ni kuchibiru ni chi ga nijimu hodo
Hold me abara ga oto wo tatete oreru hodo"~Red

Matapos kumanta ni Red umupo ulit sya nag hihintay ng part nya.

"Suki suki daisuki
Suki suki daisuki"~Blue

Tiningnan ni Red si Karl while mouthing the lyrics "Suki suki daisuki" kaya napakurap kurap naman si Karl

"Maybe I should run..." bulong ni Karl kay Jane kaya natawa naman si Jane habang patuloy na kumakanta si Blue

"Suki suki daisuki
Aishiteru tte iwanakya korosu!"~Blue

"Kiss me naguru yo ni kuchibiru ni chi ga nijimu hodo
Hold me abara ga oto wo tatete oreru hodo"~Red

"Suki suki daisuki
Suki suki daisuki
Suki suki daisuki
Suki suki daisuki
Suki suki daisuki
Suki suki daisuki
Suki suki daisuki
Suki suki daisuki"~Blue

"Suki suki daisuki
Suki suki daisuki
Suki suki daisuki
Suki suki daisuki
Suki suki daisuki
Suki suki daisuki
Suki suki daisuki"~Red

Red sang the last part while looking at Karl with her blue doe eyes.

They both clapped as Karl just stared at Red and swallowed, making the girl laugh.

"Yey! Who's next... Oh, Ate Scale, sing a song," Jane suggested.

"Oh, I still need to buy something..." Scale mentioned.

"You're so unfair, Ate, come on..." Jane teased.

"I'll go with you, Scale, let's go... You sing first... She's a great singer, a born contestant," Karl said.

Quickly, Karl pulled Scale out and they looked for a nearby store.

"Scale, how many years have you been with Red?" Karl inquired.

"It's been a long time... I don't count," Scale replied.

"How many tattoos does she have?" Karl asked.

"One, on her wrist," Scale answered.

"You're kidding, there are two, I saw the Medusa on her stomach," Karl pointed out.

"You already knew, why did you ask?" Scale countered.

"Just making sure... Isn't the meaning of that a survivor of sexual assault?" Karl mentioned.

"You better be careful, if someone hears you, masasakal ka ni Red," Scale warned.

"Tell me what happened," Karl asked.

"It seems like I'm not the only one she squeezes, even I am," Scale replied.

"Come on... Don't worry, I won't tell that you spilled the beans, go ahead," Karl assured.

He looked at Karl and rolled his eyes before walking ahead.

"Hey! Wait... Come on, we're friends, it's just between us, promise," Karl insisted.

Karl kept teasing as they walked, annoying Scale until she stopped. "Okay, fine, let's go," she said, which made Karl happy.

"On September 17, 2018... 2 days before their birthday, we came here to the Philippines to celebrate their birthday. That evening, Yezh picked her up from the house... She was made to wear a sexy dress, I forgot what kind exactly, but she looked sexy and it wasn't her usual style," Scale shared.

"Did you go with her?" Karl asked, and Scale just shook her head.

"She didn't take us with her because it was Yezh's order..." Scale explained.

"He's been manipulative from the start," Karl remarked.

"Yes, and she's being used as a punching bag, while your Riri is fragile and blind... Wala silang Yakee... hanap tayo," Scale suggested as they walked to find a store.

"If you didn't go with her... Did she tell you about it?" Karl inquired.

"Yes... For two days, she was silent, lost in thought. Then on her birthday, Aunt Ella talked to her and she told her what happened, then she said not to tell her sister," Scale revealed.

"Was Blue there or did he just not notice Red?" Karl asked.

"Until now, she still doesn't know... During those times, we weren't living in the mansion yet, we were in Red's condo, she used to be brought home by Gio," Scale shared.

"Gio? Why was he involved?" Karl wondered.

"Gio saw her while he was buying coffee or pizza, he saw her... Walking, drenched in rain... You know, like a zombie walk," Scale explained.

"Like this?" Karl imitated the zombie walk, even placing his hand on his head, which made Scale laugh.

"Baliw... So when Gio approached her, he said that blood was dripping from her legs and arms, she was hugging herself, and her eyes were tearing up," Scale shared.

"Maybe she was pregnant and had a miscarriage," Karl speculated.

"No, fresh pa yung pechay nya..." Scale commented.

"Ay, sana all fresh..." they exchanged glances. "So, what did she tell you?" Karl changed the topic, but Scale just looked at him and sighed.

...

"Love, hindi ako sanay sa dress na 'to, masyadong maikli," Red expressed her discomfort.

"Tumahimik ka. Smile and be a loving girlfriend, give me a reason to be proud of you," Yezh insisted.

They entered a bar owned by Yezh; EZ Martin bar.

While Yezh was socializing with his friends and Red was starting to feel uncomfortable, so she politely excused herself to Yezh that she was going home.

"You're leaving? It's a waste of the party, come on, have a drink," one of Yezh's friends offered.

"I don't drink, it's not allowed for me," Red defended herself, but they continued to pressure her, so she gave in because of the pressure; it was her first time drinking alcohol, so she winced.

She had already consumed three glasses, unable to refuse as she was being hurt by Yezh's insistence. She couldn't tell if she was feeling dizzy because of the alcohol or for other reasons, the last thing she remembered was waking up in a room naked.

She heard footsteps in the distance and five men entered, including Yezh, despite her pleading for his help, he just laughed at her until she ended up tying herself up.

She couldn't explain the pain she felt, whether it was physical or emotional.

She was left alone in a room at the bar... The bed was wet with sweat, tears, and blood; despite the difficulty and the pain in her body, she chose to stand up and walk home.

She struggled to walk on the side of the road, barefoot, when suddenly the rain poured down.

"Red?"

She turned to the man in front of her and burst into tears.

"Gio..."

Gio hugged her and helped her get into the car.

...

Nakabalik na si Scale at si Karl sa bahay habang ini-explain ni Scale ang laro na gagawin nila. Hindi maalis ni Karl ang tingin kay Red habang iniisip ang mga sinabi ni Scale sa kanya.

"Ready na ba kayo? With a twist ha, may pintoora bubble gum ako dito, dalawa lang color nito, blue and red... So never have I ever diba may card yun na may nakasulat na never saka I have now ang twist kapag I have ang sagot mo kakain ka ng pintoora... Kung sino ang pinakamakapal na kulay na bibig, talo sila and haharap sa secret consequence game?" sabi ni Scale.

Tumango naman sila at nag-agree sa rules ng laro.

"Oh by team... Since siyam tayo may isang magtatanong tapos tig tatlo yung team and yung isa magbibilang, ako magbibigay ng consequences," sabi ni Scale.

"Ako magtatanong saka magbibigay ng team... Sa team A... Si Red, Karl, Blue, and team B si Jane, Venus, and Severo," sabi ni Ella.

"Yes! Magbibilang ako," sabi ni Gio.

"Tuwang tuwa ayaw sa consequence," biro ni Severo.

"Game na... Red yung sa team A ha Blue yung sa team B ok... Never have I ever... Kissed a girl," sabi ni Ella.

"Unang una talaga oh... Hoy Red kumain ka din, counted yung past," biro ni Blue.

"Eto nga kakain na," sagot ni Red.

Lahat sila may kulay na ang bibig liban kay Jane at Scale.

"Masyado naman kayong mapagmahal sa kapwa nyo," biro ni Scale.

"Eto next... Never have I ever kissed a boy," sabi ni Ella.

"Ayan Ri, kumain ka lima," sabi ni Scale.

"Mahal mo pa ba buhay mo? Nasa tabi lang kita oh," biro ni Red.

Nagtawanan sila at nagpatuloy sa laro.

—♡—