"EAT THESE oranges or I will kiss you," said Serim who was just inches apart from kissing Allen. "You choose."
The way he talked those words, in every breath he take, he looked sexy. Allen, who was panicking that time, automatically grabbed the oranges and put it on his mouth. "How about this? Sana okay ka na, ha."
Serim tapped his head and smiled with adoration in his face. "You seem good at eating, though," he said. As usual, there is a malice in those words. "But hindi mo kailangang mag-panic, Allen. I will not even kiss you even if you did not eat the oranges that I peeled for you. I'm sorry if I have brought your hopes high."
"Asa ka naman, sinong nagsabi na umaasa na hahalikan mo 'ko?" Allen denied while avoiding gazes. "Gusto ko lang naman na iwasan ka kaya kinuha ko 'yong orange. Ewan ko sa 'yo."
"But your red face is saying the opposite." Mas lalo pang napaiwas si Allen sa tinuran ng kasama. He touched his hot rosy cheeks without Serim seeing it. "You looks cute when you panic."
"This one that you calls cute can kill you in one shot. Bang!" Allen even struck a pose with an imaginary gun. As he pull the trigger of the imaginary gun, he even gave a wink. "Kaya be careful on messing with me."
Instead of being afraid, Serim just struck a smirk and an annoyed face as he pat Allen's head. "Try more..."
"Anong try more?" inis na wika ni Allen sa parang hindi naniniwalang si Serim. "Totoo kaya. Pasalamat ka wala akong dalang baril, kung hindi, patay ka na sana ngayon."
"You sound like an unhealthy person. Tiyan naman ang natamaan sa 'yo, hindi ang ulo, bakit parang natamaan pati ang utak mo," Serim replied in disbelief. He even placed his palm on Allen's forehead to check the latter's temperature. "You are not that hot, though, it's better for you to just rest and collect your thoughts."
"Gago 'to, hindi ka ba naniniwala sa 'kin?" Serim looked afar as if not entertaining Allen's question. "Bahala ka sa buhay mo. Basta I know for myself that I am a part of a gang. I kill for profit. Ewan na lang kung hindi ka pa maniwala."
"You know, Allen, if that's for threatening me, stop it because it does not even make me flinch," he replied upon smirking. He was as if not in belief that Allen is like that; as if he is not a son of a mafia lord or he just do not want that thought to cover him. "It's okay to imagine things but it's unhealthy if you do that as your hobby."
"Aba, hindi ka ba talaga naniniwala? Anyway, what am I doing? Bakit ko ba pinipilit paniwalain ang isang tao na ayaw naman maniwala? Kung ayaw mo, e 'di h'wag." Allen even rolled his eyes and intertwined his arms. Well, everybody thought he has given up the thought of making Serim believe him but he's not. "If only I can grab my gun and throw a bullet to your head, I already did just for you to believe."
"If I say that I am also a part of the largest killing mafia gang in the world, would you believe me?" Serim replied upon locking his gaze to Allen who was stopped for a second. "Of course, hindi, 'di ba? Stop that idea, Allen, if you can't believe what I said, then I will not believe what you said as well."
"You even used reversed psychology to me, huh? I'm even a part of—" He stopped talking as he diverted his gaze to the opening door. "Oh, Cera and Alvin, buti nandito na kayo."
"Yeah," Cera plainly replied. "Serim told me that he has errands to do. Kaya kaagad kaming pumunta dito."
Serim smiled to Cera as he continued on patting Allen's head. Hindi naman naiinis si Allen kapag ginagawa ito ni Serim and it has became a hobby. "I'm sorry I have some errand, Allen. Next time, we'll talk about your fairytale," Serim replied to Allen who was just rolling his eyes. "Take care of this kid, parang bata mag-isip, e."
"Tangina mo. Layas na nga, shoo," Allen scowled at Serim who was mocking him at the door. He placed his gaze to Cera. "Naibigay mo na ba 'yong pera kay nanay?"
Cera looked at him with naughty smiles while she was arranging Allen's head. "You can even curse at him. Serim already has a soft spot in your heart. Nagmumurahan na, sa sunod nito, magmamahalan na 'to."
Allen looked at him with furrowed brows. "Ano bang pinagsasasabi mo?"
"We, humans, have the tendency to curse with those we are comfortable with. 'Yan lang naman ang point ko sa argument natin," she said. Allen just knotted his brows upon feeling confused of what she said. "But about the money, rest assure na nasa kamay na ng nanay mo."
"What did she said? Hinanap niya ba ako?"
"As usual, oo." Cera heaved a deep sigh. "She looks worried. Kasalanan mo 'to, e."
"Bakit ako na naman?"
"Siyempre, ikaw ang at fault dito. Ba't ka ba kasi nagpabaril sa cugine ng kabilang kampo? Para ka namang ano. Capo ka na kasi, leader ka na ng troupe. Ba't mas pinili mong maging button man that time?" Cera replied and gave Allen a head spank. "By the way, I told your nanay na nag-out of town ka. Nasa exploration kumbaga. Don't worry, apat na araw lang rin naman, makakalabas ka na."
Allen breathed heavily and sighed. "Apat na araw ko ring papasanin 'yong gagong 'yon..."
Cera looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Ano ulit? Hindi ko narinig."
Allen looked at her and flashed an awkward smile. "Wala naman akong sinasabi. Baka kung sino-sino na ang naririnig mo, Cera, ha?"
---
"PAKAWALAN NINYO na ako!" the man who was tied with a rope and is pasted on the chair tried to plea. "Wala kayong mahithit sa 'kin, kahit ano..."
"You can just tell us directly where the hell is your camp and we'll make you our own made man," Mingi replied while sitting on the chair in front of the hatched cugine of the other camp. "Once you tell us where your camp is, we'll assure it with our eyes and once what you told us is true, you'll get our trust..."
"What if I don't?" the cugine replied wile giving off a mocking face. "I swore to my gang and I will always be loyal to them until my last breath. Kaya kahit ano pang gawin mo, wala kang makukuha sa 'kin."
"What if you don't?" the one from the three councilman who were sitting on the chair from afar talked. It is the boss, Cloud. Sitting beside him is Merck, the underboss. While the one who was sitting beside the underboss is Diluc, the consigliere of the gang. The three of them compromises the illegality of the gang. "You'll get your heads taken off from your body. Bale makakauwi ka naman, but only your head."
"Whatever bribe you tell me, hinding-hindi ko ipagpapalit ang loyalty ko sa gang namin..."
"But what does your gang have given to you? Tell me, I'll make it twice the quantity," Cloud bribed. "I can even make it thrice once you broke your oath to your gang. Just tell me and I'll take note of that."
"What they gave me will never be equivalent to what you are able to give. They treated me as a family which will never happen to me if the gang I joined is yours." Cloud just gave a mimicking smile and smirk. "At saka, walang kasiguruhan kung kapag umamin ako dito. You might just execute me after kapag wala na akong pakinabang. It's better to play safe than take risk."
"Play safe? We are not even playing and this scene? It is not even safe," Cloud replied and walked through the caught cugine. He grabbed his hair and pulled it to make it look at him. "Do you know who you are fighting with?"
The who who is tied on the chair spat out. The spittle he gave landed on the boss' expensive denim jacket. "Hindi kita kilala and I will never have interest in knowing you. The only thing I know is that you're a trash."
Binitawan ni Cloud ang buhok ng lalaki at tumingin sa taong nakaupo sa upuan na nakaharap sa lalaking dinuraan siya. "Mingi, consider this mock execution done," he said and looked fiercely at the cugine that they caught. "This one is useless. We'll just get another during the next operation, okay?"
"Noted, boss," he replied and nodded. "What will we do to this one?"
"Try to shakedown this jerk first. Kapag wala talagang nangyari, whack him out," the boss replied. "After that, execute the spring cleaning. I don't want the ANG blood of this guy to surround this place."
"Aye, boss," he replied and bowed down as the member of council went out of the execution room. He looked at the cugine and smiled insanely. "Narinig mo naman ata 'yong sinabi ng boss namin?"
"I've got two ears, siyempre narinig ko. Hindi ako bungol," ani ng lalaki na nakatali pa rin sa upuan. "Sabi ko naman, 'di ba, wala kayong mahihithit sa 'kin."
"Oh, so you're already giving yourself up?" Mingi replied with furrowed eyebrows. This Mingi is the different Mingi from what Mingi he shows to Yunho. The one that he only shows to Yunho is his good side. While the one he is right now is his dangerous side. "Ayaw mo na talaga?"
"Naglalaro ba tayo para sabihin kong ayaw ko na—ugh..." He stopped as he groaned from deep pain. One of the soldier who was holding him just punched him on his gut. "Okay, I am already giving up. Just kill me now."
Mingi placed a mischievous smile. "I'm giving you this one last chance to change your mind. To tell us where your hidden camp is or give up on your life and be killed."
"Bakit ninyo ba ako kinukulit na sabihin sa inyo kung saan nakatago ang hidden camp namin? First of all, hidden nga, ba't ninyo hahanapin?" Despite of the situation, he really can tell a sarcasm, still. "Secondly, ayaw ko. Third, ayaw ko pa rin. What are you waiting for? Kill me now."