The Hater 3: Hated to Love You (The Hater Trilogy #3) [SPG]

16 [Part 1] | Matter of Life and Death

“SHOW YOURSELF,” Allen uttered at someone behind the walls. He was talking to the guy with the black bonnet and thick jacket. “Are you there? Stop hiding, Serim’s already gone.”

The man showed himself to Allen who was raising an eyebrow. “Is he gone already?” tanong ng lalaki. The guy hiding behind the wall with so much garment surrounding him is Alvin. “So, nahanap mop ala talaga si Serim, iba talaga nagagawa ng pag-ibig. Guwapo ‘yong boyfriend mo kapag malayo.”

“Siyempre,” wika ni Allen habang nakangiti sa ilalim ng face mask. “Teka nga, bakit ba ayaw na ayaw mong magpakita kay Serim? Hindi naman ‘yon masamang tao. Are you afraid that he’ll recognize you?”

“Bakit naman ako matatakot na makilala niya ako, e, p’wede naman akong magpakita sa kaniya, since magkakilala naman kami?” Napatango na lang si Allen habang sila ay naglalakad na. “Ayaw ko lang makaabala sa abunjing moment ninyong dalawa. Para kayong lollipop na naiwang bukas, kaunti na lang, lalanggamin na, e.”

“Hmm,” tanging ani Allen habang napatango. Napahinto lang siya upang tignan ang damit na suot ni Alvin na nagtataka rink ng bakit siya napahinto. “Teka nga, bakit ba ganiyan ang suot mo ngayong gabi?”

Alvin bowed his head to see what’s wrong with what he’s wearing. “Bakit? Pangit ba?  Ayos naman, ah. Si Ate Cera moa ng pumili nito para sa ‘kin. Isusumbong kita kapag sinabi mong pangit.”

“Hindi, ayos naman, kahit papaano,” naturang ani Allen habang pinagmamasdan si Alvin na naglalakad lang nang diretso. “Kasi naman, sa suot mo, para kang stalker na ayaw mabuko.”

“Hindi ako stalker, sadyang ayaw ko lang talaga mabuko. You know how much our job should be a secret, right?”

Napatango na lang rin si Allen. “P’wede ba magtanong, Alvin?” Napatango na lang si Alvin sa sinabi ni Allen. “Do you, by any chance, follows Serim?”

Napaangat ng kilay si Alvin. “Ha? Si Serim?” tanong niya habang tinitignan ng masinsinan si Allen. “Bakit ko naman susundan ‘yong jowa mo? Alam mo, sa tingin mo pa lang, napapansin na kita. May stalker ba si Serim?”

“You got me there.”

“Tingin mo pa lang, e. Ang dali mo kasing basahin, Allen,” natatawang ani Alvin. “Pero kung totoo nga, hindi ako ‘yon. And I assure you that. Why would I follow him?”

“Napag-isipan ko ngang hindi ka ‘yon. Bakit mo naman gagawin ‘yon?” Natatawa silang naglakad na lang nang dire-diretso. Nawala ang tawa ni Allen nang mahagip ng kaniyang mata ang isang pamilyar na lalaki na naglalakad palapit sa kaniya. “Alvin, tingin sa kanan. Sa may fishball stall.”

Kaagad na tinugunan ni Alvin ang inuutos ni Allen. “Bakit?” nagtatakang ani niya bago tinignan si Allen na tutok sa pagtutusok ng fishball. He smiled as he grabbed a piece of stick as well and started on stabbing the food. “Kung gutom ka, Allen, magsalita ka lang. sakto gutom na nga rin ako.”

Allen, in the middle of stabbing fishballs, stopped. “Look at your left but try not to be as obvious as you can.” Immediately after, Alvin looked at his left cautiously with raised eyebrows upon seeing a man coolly walking with a guy and a girl on his back. “That guy is a member of PRG, for sure.”

Tinignan ni Alvin si Allen nang nakataas ang kilay. “Sure ka ba diyan? What if you’re wrong? Then, we might have assaulted someone who’s innocent.”

“I’m sure it’s him,” Allen uttered while seemingly hiding his identity. “I have already saw him on a lot of fight that our gang and his gang had. I’m sure it was him.”

“What should we do, then? Should we execute him?” Alvin was about to put out his gun when Allen stopped him on the process and shook his head as a sign of disagreement. “What?”

“We should not bother attempting on killing him especially on this crowded place. Ayaw kong may marami pang inosenteng taong madamay dito,” ani Allen at napasulyap muli sa lalaking naglakad lang lagpas sa kung nasaan sila. Patuloy lang rin ang bangayan ng babae at lalaki sa likod nila habang wala itong pakialam sa nangyayari. “Yes, their gang did us a lot of damage but I think we should place ourselves. Risking a lot of people’s lives just to execute him is just inhumane. Let’s find better time to do that, that time, we’ll not let him pass.”

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“LET’S GO!” masiglang ani Yunho habang hawak ang phone at nakasabit sa kaniyang batok ang strap ng isang maliit na bag sa likod niya habang nakatingin sa dalawa. “Bilis na kayong dalawa. Para kayong mga pagong na ang babagal. I’m excited.”

Napaawang ang kilay ni Maria habang nakatingin kay Yunho na nakasuot ng plain white sando sa loob ng black na unbuttoned polo. “Seryoso ka diyan, Yunho?” tanong ni Maria na tila kinukuwestiyon ang mga desisyon ng huli. Nagtaas ng kilay si Yunho. “I mean, dry season ngayon. Let alone the sunlight is extremely fatal, what more that black clothing can attract the heat. Concerned lang ako sa ‘yo.”

“You know, Maria, whatever I wear, I decide for it. I understand and appreciate your concerned towards me but I disregard it this time. I wouldn’t want to listen to someone whose fashion sense sucks. Let me remind you that I’m not questioning how you want to wear dress upon knowing that it is extremely hot outside, so do the same towards me.” It was as if things between Maria and Yunho are getting hotter than a summer day. Both them flashed fake smiles. “What do you think, hyung?”

“I think it’s cute and it totally suits you,” sagot ni Mingi habang tinitignan si Yunho simula sa baba hanggang sa taas. “It’s just that… isn’t that sando a bit revealing?”

“That’s why I wore a polo outside.” Yunho has just gotten back his usual playful self. When that thing happened, he realized that Mingi was actually caring for him. “But I’ll unwear the polo once things start getting hot.”

Interrupting, Maria talked. “What about me, oppa? How do you find my outfit?”

Mingi smiled. “It’s fine.” The disappointment on Maria’s face is conspicuous. He glared at Yunho who was stopping himself from laughing upon hearing Mingi’s bland response to Maria who was overly expecting. “Let’s go, shall we?”

The plan was actually between Maria and Mingi only. Upon hearing the plan, Yunho asked to come around which Maria first disagreed. Mingi talked with Maria about that agenda then eventually, both of them agreed. After a few minutes of driving, they eventually have come to the place, an amusement park. It was Maria’s suggestion to go to the amusement park, which on a not-so-regular basis, Yunho agreed.

“Stay here, you two. I’ll get our passes.”

Nang makaalis si Mingi ay kaagad na napasinghal ang dalawa bago magkatinginan. “Bakit ba kasi natin kailangang magkunwaring gusto natin ang isa’t-isa, e, hindi naman natin talaga gusto ang isa’t-isa?”

Yunho rolled his eyes. “Are you kulang sa tulog or just dumb? Kaya nga tinawag na pagkukunwari kasi hindi totoo. Tanga ka ba?”

“Anyway, I won’t be sad that you came with us,” Maria uttered before smiling insanely. “You just came with us to become the third wheel, though.”

“Hmm,” tanging ani Yunho bago ngumiti na tila may binabalak na masama. “Hindi mo sure kung sino sa ‘ting dalawa ang third wheel, though.”

Kaagad na tinignan ni Maria si Yunho na tila hindi makapaniwala sa tinuran nito. “Anong sabi mo? Teka, Yunho!”

“Bahala ka sa buhay mo,” ani Yunho bago nagsimulang maglakad gamit ang mahahaba niyang biyas. Kaagad rin itong sinunod ni Maria na halos tumakbo na sa layo kaagad ng narrating ni Yunho. “Wait for me, Mingi-hyung! I’ll come with you.”

Nakaharap sila sa harap ng higanteng ferris wheel na naisipan nilang pinakaunang sakyan. Tumingin si Yunho kay Maria na lumunok lang habang tumitingin sa kung gaano kataas ang reach ng ride. “Takot ba, Maria?” mapang-asar na tanong ni Yunho kay Maria na nilingon lang siya. “Maaga pa naman para sumuko ka.”

“Hindi ako susuko,” aniya at yumakap sa braso ni Mingi. “Gagawin ko ‘to para kay Mingi-oppa, and besides, nandiyan naman siya para protektahan ako. As long as he’s with me, I’m in comfort. Poprotektahan mo naman ako, ‘di ba?”

Mingi nodded in agreement. Yunho just rolled his eyes, as if disgusted of what the two are doing. He is even thinking why the hell did he insist of coming with them when he already know that the two will be like that.

“Ah!” patuloy at malakas na sigaw ni Maria habang nakakapit sa braso ni Mingi. It was as if she’s seizing the moment because of how she holds Mingi’s hands. For Yunho, it was a bit overboard but he has nothing to say with it. He was just a young master, and that is a matter of fact. “I’m scared.”

The whole ride was completed by Maria’s screams and growls. There was an aftermath for Maria who had headache and migraine after what happened. “Are you still fine?” Maria showed an ‘okay’ gesture with her hand. Nadako ang tingin ni Mingi kay Yunho na unti-unting hinuhubad ang polo sa harap ng maraming tao. Yunho was a chick-magnet type of a guy, kaya hindi na nakapagtatakang maraming nag-aabang sa kaniya sa kahit na anong ginagawa niya. “Young master, what are you doing?”

“Hindi mo ba nakikita? Kitam namang naghuhubad, e. Tatanungin pa, obvious naman.”

“I guess you shouldn’t remove your polo. You’re just becoming an attraction that may lead us into danger. You are a famous personality in our place, after all.”

“Kung may mangyaring masama, e, ‘di pigilan mo. Hindi ba trabaho mo naman ‘yon?” Mingi just heaved a deep sigh, maintaining his patience towards Yunho, na nagiging pilosopo na. “At saka, how is it different that they can saw me in this slightly revealing dress and you already saw me naked and nude many times already. You are all just strangers, ‘di ba? Ang kaibahan lang ay, bodyguard kita.”

“Oh, I guess I can’t stop you from doing that so,” Mingi uttered with visible restless eyes upon looking at what Yunho is wearing. It might not be obvious but he really is not just concerned about them gaining a lot of attention and ending up being in danger but also is conservative of how people will see Yunho. “Let’s go the next ride.”