Pain's Rule

XIV

Chapter 14

Status: Taken

“SIR Pain!” sinalubong siya ni Sonny nang makita niyang binuksan nito ang kabilang pintuan upang ilabas si Juvia.

“Sonny…” bigla namang hinarang ni Pain ang kamay niya nang tangkahin ni Sonny na ilabas si Juvia.

“I was able to see the people behind Prieto, you know that project that Rage is working with?” panimula nito.

“They don’t sound good news to me…” then he scoffs. “You know I always have this feeling that Rage would eventually encounter the worst persons in doing dirty jobs and why do I feel like that he’s already have?” napasimid pa ito.

“May balak po ba kayong gawin?” nag-aalanganing tanong naman ni Sonny pero para bang hindi maipinta ang ngiti ni Pain.

“I’ll think about that when I will be able to find more about this Prieto here…” he answered. “So, maybe you could?”

“Yes Sir!” agad na sagot naman ni Sonny nang maintindihan na niya ang sinasabi ni Pain sa kanya.

“Also,” niluwangan ni Pain ang pagkakabukas ng kanyang sasakyan at binuhad niya sa kanyang mga kamay si Juvia.

“Sir,” nag-aalalang sabi ni Sonny nang binuhat niya ito.

“She’s not that heavy because she’s thin…” aniya upang maibsan ang pag-aalala nito.

“Kung…may malalaman po ba ako sa Prieto, ano pong maari niyong gawin?” habang naglalakad naman sila ay hindi naiwasan ni Sonny ang magtanong.

“Maybe…if they are really bad guys then I can use it to crush Fiore…” determinadong saad nito at wala itong bahid ng pag-aalinlangan.

“Hindi pa rin po ba nagbabago ang isipan niyo?”

“Then only time that we will know peace is when that thing that every one of us are fighting for is gone…” maalumanay na saad naman ni Pain.

“…and I shall use anything I can,” bigla namang napasulyap ito kay Juvia na nakapikit na.

***

RAGE is about to go to his office when he saw Wrath at the lobby which is unusual. Wrath’s not the type who would visit their office occasionally but would rather attend board meetings and still have a lot of things to say as if he’s caught up with all the things that is happening within the company. Wrath is the type who does get what he wants without even trying so hard. Perhaps that is the thing that Rage hates about Wrath,

“Wrath!” bati nito sa kanya kaya naman napahinto rin ito. “Aalis ka na ba agad? What about some coffee?”

“Rage, we eat dinners at home when Dad calls us. I want to keep having coffee on my own and with other people.”

Napawi ang ngiti ni Rage sa prankang sagot nito.

Wrath is not the one who goes well with other people because he couldn’t contain much of his words but he could pull an act at the hospital which is quite amazing by the way.

“Okay, fine!” Rage decided to leave Wrath alone and headed straightly to his office.

“There is no normal person in our family,” he gasped upon having a sit on his swivel chair.

“Pain is a prankster, Wrath is snob and I am…crazy…” napakurap siya nang napalingon siya sa window glass.

“Crazy enough to watch people die…”

“But I have to do what I can in this project…for the last time, let me do it in the dirty way,” mariin siyang napapikit.

Rage has been aiming to be Mario’s successor all this year, the very reason he had to go beyond his limits to be recognized. His brothers might still in the lie low now but anxiety always attacks him—especially Pain.

And even if that day would come that Pain will have to be taken care so he may make all of his plans possible, he would do that because after all, he has no real brothers. It’s just him and his mom.

He always believes that he’s the rightful successor to all of what Fiore has become…

***

A LAVENDER scent and cool wind—that is what she felt, one of those dreams she always wants. Idagdag mo pa ang malambot at medyo makapal na foam ng higaan. Bahagyang malamig din ang kumot kaya ang sarap lalong yakapin at magpatuloy pa sa panaginip.

When everything she feels reaches her senses she then immediately opened her eyes.

Napabalikwas siya ng bangon.

Iyong lavender scent, ‘yung lamig na marahil galing sa aircon an gang malambot na kama at malamig na kumot—lama ay totoo!

“Oh!” napasigaw siya nang napalingon siya sa buong silid na kinaroroonan niya na mas malawak pa sa kanilang inuupahang bahay.

“Nasaan ako!?” napabalikwas na siya ng tayo at naglakad-lakad. Napatingin siya sa suot niyang nighties na kulang pula.

Sandali niyang inalala ang mga nangyari kagabi habang naglalakad sa harapan ng matatayog na kurtina nang bigla namang bumukas ang mga ito at nakita niya ang babasaging bintana.

Napaawang bibig siya nang makita niya ang buong tanawin sa labas.

There a green field not so far from here. There is a huge pool beneath and the whole surrounding is just astonishing.

Napalingon kaagad siya nang narinig niyang bumukas ang pintoan. Doon niya rin napagtanto na two-way pa pala ang pintuan at mas matayog pa iyon kaysa sa kisame nila.

“Good Morning, Miss Juvia,” may isang maid nan aka-formal attire ang bumungad sa kanya pagbukas ng pintoan.

“We’re here to prepare your bath and I brought some clothes for you.”

Napanganga na lang si Juvia nang may sumunod na ibang maids sa kanya na may tulak na ilang racks ng damit.

“Some clothes?” ulit pa nito habang hindi pa rin makapaniwala sa mga nakikitang damit sa harapan niya. May ilang maids ang dumiretso sa CR na hindi pa niya nakikita.

Mayroon din isang rack ng puro tsinelas para sa kanya na hindi niya na rin gustong isipin kung magkano ang bayad dahil masyadong sosyalin ang hitsura.

“Maari na po kayong maligo muna, Miss Juvia…”

Juvia was instructed to remove all of her clothes and wear a bathrobe when one maid led her to the bathroom.

The black glass doors heading to bathroom automatically opened when she stood in front. Her jaw dropped when she saw how wide the bathroom is. Mas malawak pa ang banyo kaysa sa bahay nila, ay mas malaki pa ang bath tub kaysa sa higaan nila.

The window to the tub is clear and you are free to see the beautiful scenery outside. May dalawang maid ang nagpupuno ng tubig sa bath tub. Napansin ni Juvia na mayroon din silang nilalagay na gatas doon kaya napalapit siya kaagad.

“Ano iyan?”

“Milk po, ma’am. Milk Bath is good for your skin…”

Napanganga siya nang makita niya ang mga gallon ng gatas na nilalagay sa tub.

“Huwag! Sayang! Ipanliligo ko lang ang gatas samantalang ang mahal?” nanghinayang siya dahilan upang magtinginan ang dalawag maid.

When everything is prepared for her bath, she finally had a time alone as she dips herself in the tub. She peacefully stared at the scenery outside. Nakaka-relax at parang nakakaalis ng stress. How she wished that this is how her normal days would be.

“Ang yaman naman pala talaga ni Sir Pain…” biglang bulong sa sarili habang pinaglalaruan ang mga bulaklak na lumulutang sa tubig. Medyo mainit pa ang tubig kaya lalong nakakapahinga ang katawan niyang laging pagod sa trabaho.

After enjoying a few minutes of nice bath, she was led to the dressing room where her clothes are waiting. Pumili nalang siya ng pinakasimple at sinuot ito. Akala niya’y tapos na ang pagligo at pagdamit ngunit kinailangan pa siyang ayusan ng maids. Akala din niya aayusan lang siya pero nakatanggap pa siya ng skin care treatment.

Ang fifteen minutes na tinatagal lang ng pagligo niya’t pagdamit sana ay inabot na ng halos dalawang oras.

Parang napagod pa siya nang matapos lahat-lahat ng ginagawa sa kanya.

She finally heads out of the room and walked down those glass stairs. Para siyang nakaramdam ng kaba tuwing aapak dahil parang mababasag ito.

“You’re awake!” napapitlag siya nang umalingawngaw ang boses na iyon.

Pagtingin niya sa harap ay nakita niya si Pain na nakasuot ng putting polo at itim na shorts.

“I prepared breakfast for you…” anito at napatiunang naglakad sa may kusina. Juvia followed him there only to see the long table of foods.

“Hindi ko alam kung ano ang gusto mo kaya nagpahanda nalang ako ng iba’t-ibang klase.

Para siyang nanlumo na nakatingin sa mga pagkain dahil iniisip niya kung saan ito mapupunta kapag hindi nila ito naubos. Dahil kung pagsa-samahin moa ng lahat ng pagkain na ito ay parang singdami ng kanilang kinakain sa ilang araw o isang linggo.

“Inuwi muna kita rito dahil hindi ko alam saan ang bahay niyo,” napaupo naman si Pain at inayos ang kanyang table napkin.

“You were drunk last night…”

Napatango-tango naman si Juvia at umupo rin. The party was something that never happened in her life. Doon niya na-realize na malayo pa siya sa reyalidad ng mundong ginagalawan niya.

Last night, she witnessed a lot of things and probably it was hard to take up all of it and so, she drank to her heart’s extent.

Tama, nalasing pala ako kagabi...

“Ahh!”

Nagulat naman si Pain nang biglang sumigaw si Juvia dahilan upang mahulog ang scrambled eggs na isusubo pa naman sana niya.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he freaked out.

“I-Ikaw…” napaturo si Juvia kay Pain nang maalala niya ang mga kaganapan kagabi.

“At ako…” turo niya pa sa sarili.

“We kissed,” parang wala lang naman kay Pain ang rebelasyong bumubulabog ngayon kay Juvia. “I kissed you, you kissed back. Congratulations, you’re taken by Pain Dela Viego…clap clap clap!”

“Ha?” napatayo pa ito.

“It’s my one and only rule…” he said when he was finally able to continue his meal.

“Hindi ka puwede magbiro sa mga bagay na ito!”

“Hindi naman ako nagbibiro. Tinototoo ko na nga. Look, I welcomed you in my home an did all the things that I can give you. I’m a good boyfriend, am I not?”

“Hindi iyon ang point ko,” lumapit na si Juvia sa kanya upang makausap nang masinsinan.

“For starters, I gave my girls a car. Or you can negotiate another one if you want…” kibit-balikat na sabi pa nito.

“And why is my girlfriend angry at me?” Pain craned his back to take a look at hyped Juvia beside him. “What does my babe want?”

“Hindi mo ako girlfriend,” pinagdiinan naman nito ni Juvia. “Hindi ka puwedeng mag-decide nang gano’n nalang! Isa pa, pagkatapos ng party kahapon, nangako ka na bayad na ako at lulubayan mo na ako.”

“You know I’m a man of my words. That was my intention!” he chuckled. “But you…kissed back,” then he stood up and faced Juvia. “You passed my only one rule…and again, I’m a man of my words…”

“Ano’ng rule?” bahagyang napaliyad si Juvia nang humakbang palapit si Pain sa kanya dahilan upang lalo silang magkalapit.

“Kiss back…and you’re mine…”

Parang nawindang si Juvia sa boses ni Pain na umalingawngaw sa kanyang isipan. For unknown reason, Pain’s voice seemed to have entered her mind literally, this time…

***