A Man's Cold World

Four

Four

He was just peacefully eating his food— a, when he says food, it comes with a bowl talaga— in the elevator going down from his penthouse in this building when it suddenly opened and then boom, somebody took his bowl while his right arm which holding the spoon on the air going to his mouth, it disappeared in a blink of an eye!

A woman, which is having a discussion with someone just took casually and pour the poor food on the man she's having a fight with!

What the heck??!

He came back here in his house after spending days from his condo unit. Doon siya naglalagi kapag may hindi inaasahang mga pangyayari kagaya na lang noong nalasing si Sabina.

This penthouse is his haven. Or much more to say — kanlungan niya.

Taguan niya.

"Wala na bang nangyayaring maganda sa buhay ko ngayon?"

Since he took the 'job' which concerns Sabina, his life became this chaotic. "Ahh! Life!" he said nonchalantly as he got out from elevator saka nakapamaywang na nakatingin sa dalawang nag aaway.

"parang buhay no?"

Napakunot noo siya ng lumingon sa likuran and there he saw Jonas. Bumwelata siya para sana takasan ang gago dahil alam na naman niya kung ano ang sadya nito but the moron grab his collar from his nape kaya naman hindi na siya naka palag pa dahil namataan na din niya ang mga ibang myembro ng gang.

Seeing the whole gang means the people whom he met yesterday and eat with had already told about what happened yesterday.

Mga tsismoso nga naman o! Mga gago!

"Okay" Roderick said in sing-song voice habang si Jake ay pumapalakpak.

"Now, tell us the truth and nothing but the truth" Jake said.

"We are not in court" walang emosyong saad ni Kurt saka sumalampak sa sahig para maka takas sana sa pananakal ng gagong Jonas pero sumunod padin ito sa galaw niya.

And the others? They formed a circle! Pinalibutan siya habang naka squat!

And to think that they're here in the hallway of the building!

"f**k! What do you want to know?"

"What is your relationship to miss devil-eye?" Goldwyn said.

"Devil eye?" kunot noo niyang saad

The group nodded and said 'yeah' in unison.

"She's the Legendary devil-eye. Oh you don't know?" anang Roderick.

Umiling si Kurt. s**t. Like I have a lot of things to catch up.

"You don't have to know—he sighed helplessly —I will ask you guys for help when the time comes that I couldn't handle it anymore. For now, give me space a little bit. This isn't a love story.

I have reasons– a lot of reasons to not tell you in detail" he said and casually stood up saka pinagpag ang puwetan

Roderick sighed as he understood what Kurt said. Ikiniling niya ang ulo sa mga kasamahan at naunawaan naman ng mga ito kaya hinayaan na lang nila ang lalaki.

Nakapamulsa si Kurt na lumabas sa building at dumretso sa parking lot. When he entered his mustang, he took his phone and texted Jonas.

'911'

After a few minutes Jonas came and entered Kurt's car.

"What?"

"Bro, I'm not sure what is happening but look at this" sabay abot sa envelope

Nanlalaki ang mga matang naka titig sa papel si Jonas "Oh damn. Are you saying —?"

"Yeah" Kurt said and sighed. "And the problem is that — napalunok siya sa sariling laway—I have

Feelings for her. That is the truth. But hell, I don't know what to do" ayaw sana niyang may makaalam sa nararamdaman niya pero what is the use of hiding his feelings?

'Diba wala?

Mataman na tinitigan ni Jonas ang kaibigan saka tumingin sa harapan na para bang doon makikita ang sagot sa mga katanungan nilang dalawa ngayon.

"Just go with the flow. Or else, just tell her the truth —"

"—then dig my grave now and just shoot me there after López finds out"

"Why?"

"Are you crazy or what? When López gives the work, it must be purely work and not mixed up with emotions!"

"oh heck. That is so true"

The two sighed in unison.

"Then why not just tell him the truth that you're in love —"

"—I am not in that position yet. I said I have feelings, not in love"

"Pareho lang naman 'yon a? Kapag nagkaroon ka na ng feelings sa isang tao, it will definitely develop into love"

"What if it's the other way around?"

"what do you mean?" kunot noong tanong ni Jonas.

"What if it is just lust?" Kurt said. Because he's Not so sure about the feelings he have too

"Lust? There's no feelings like lust Simon."

"Why not?" nakakunot noong tanong naman niya sa kasama

"Lust is just felt by the one there" nguso nito sa pagka lalaki ni Kurt "not here" he added sabay turo sa dibdib ni Kurt.

"What a mess" Kurt said nonchalantly.

"Indeed" Jonas said casually.

Kurt went to the lake park, habang naglalakad ay nakatuon ang pansin aa dinaraanan kaya hindi niya nakita ang papalapit na tao patungo sa direksyon niya.

Saka pa lang siya natauhan ng nagka banggaan na sila! "Opps!" aniya saka sinalo ang naka bangga only to be startled and boom! binitawan niya agad!

He's to stunned for what happened to his heart! It was— beating so fast that he couldn't speak nor think!

Sabina on the other hand screamed so loud because she felt so painful from her back "Aww! s**t!" aniya sabay sapo sa likuran.

Natauhan naman bigla si Kurt "Sorry! Are you okay?"

"Mag aaray ba ako at ganito itsura ko kapag okay ako? Tingin mo?!" naka irap na saad ng babae.

Napakagat labi naman ang binata sabay buhat sa dalaga at patakbing dinala sa kotse niya saka dahan dahan na pinaupo sa tabi ng driver's seat.

"s**t. Wait a minute I'll take you to the hospital —"

"You're a doctor isn't it?" Sabina cut him off.

"Yeah. But not specialized with fractures"

"Oh okay. Hindi naman ako nabalian ng buto siguro, just send me home-"

"—f**k no!"

"Hilot lang 'to. Dali na! Send me home"

Imbes na sundin ang utos ng dalaga, pinalipad niya ang sasakyan!

"Damn youu Gazmen!" sigaw ng dalaga saka kumapit ng mahigit sa upuan.

After a few minutes later, karga karga na siya ng lalaki habang patakbong pumasok sa isang malaking hospital.

"emergency! Need help here!" lumingon ito sa kanya "Wait a minute okay? "

Nakatanga lang ang dalaga sa lalaking halos mapitid na ang ugat sa leeg dahil sa lakas ng pagsigaw. Tila ba siya ay mamamatay na kung makapanigaw!

She blink three times when he shouted at the poor nurse!

"Quickly!" he shouted na nagpa iktad sa nurse.

What the hell is his problem?!

Pero hindi talaga siya makapag salita sa laki ng gulat niya sa lalaking ito haggang sa dinala siya sa isang kwarto, naka nganga pa din siya!

"Miss?"

Saka pa lang siya natauhan ng may tumapik sa pisngi niya. "O-oh. I'm sorry. I'm fine" aniya saka tumayo at lumabas sa kwarto.

Namataan niya ang lalaki na hawak hawak ang batok at palakad lakad, nang lumingon sa pwesto niya, patakbo itong lumapit and he is like hesitating to hold her while he is asking if she's okay.

"Are you okay?"

Tumango lang siya" No problem. I need to go home " aniya saka naglakad.

" Are you sure you're okay? Don't you need x-ray or something? "

It's like Sabina is feeling a bit more paranoid. Bakit ba ito ganito maka react? Seriously? What is he trying to show? What is he trying to tell her?

" Look here Mr. Gazmen. You threw me like I have an severe illness that can affect your life and yet you are here acting like you are very worried about me? The hell!" gigil na saad niya

Kurt blink two times, he was cornered! Then he bite his lower lip and blow a soft air" I was just startled when I saw you. That's all"

Ah? "Ah gano'n?"

Kurt nodded then he clicked his tongue "Saka huwag mong gawing issue lahat okay? At least dinala kita dito —"

"O di salamat!" saad ni Sabina habang tila lumobo ang ulo niya sa narinig!

The nerve of this man! Ikinuyom niya ang mga palad saka matiim na tinitigan ang lalaki.

"Walang anuman. We're just the same human being. We're sharing this earth. So, helping you is not a problem"

Lalong nag init ang batok ni Sabina sa narinig!

"Sharing thesame space together, that doesn't mean we share thesame lifestyle Mr. Gazmen, remember that" aniya na puno ng hinanakit ang boses.

Kung mapapansin man iyon ng lalaki, wala na siya doon. Kailangan niyang bawasan ang laman ng puso niya ngayon kung hindi, paniguradong sasabog siya bukas makalawa

Para naman kasing ipinamukha sa kanya na pareho lang silang mag isip, pareho ng laman ng puso na walang paki alam sa iniisip ng iba.

Well, hindi siya ganoon! Ay hindi pala. Sa lalaking ito lang siya nakaka ramdam ng ganitong pagka insulto!

"I'll always remember that —"

"—then, I hope that this will be our last meeting together. Bye"

Kurt is just watching her walking on the hallway of the hospital.

The jerk of me just got out. Aniya sa isipan.

"Tanga na ako, wala nang itatanga pa, sagad na sagad na kaya huwag ako, okay?" aniya sa sarili. Gusto niyang ipagsigawan din ang mga katagang iyon kanina sa harapan ng lalaki pero napag isip isip niyang hindi nito maintindihan ang sinasabi niya sa laman ng puso niya.

Siya nga din e, hindi niya maintindihan ang sarili, ang lalaki pa kaya?

Kurt is driving while thinking of what was just happened a while ago. Kung bakit naman kasi wala siyang maisip na matino kanina.

Pinahinaan niya ang pagpatakbo ng sasakyan niya ng biglang umuga ang bandang likuran ng sasakyan.

"What the— s**t!" aniya. "Maghintay ka lang"

Mayabang versus mas mayabang na matapang. Pinaurong niya ang sasakyan niya saka niya binilisan ang takbo, boom! Wasak ang likuran ng kotse na bumangga sa sasakyan niya.

E nagkataon na lumang sasakyan ang dala niya—oo, iying mustang niya, luma na. Kailangan na iting mapalitan, sa pagkaka alam niya —tapos bago ang sa bumangga sa kanya, e di nagkaroon ng lakas ng loob na bumwelta sa nang harass sa kotse niya.

Ano ito, sinuwerte? Aba! Hindi pwede iyon sa isang Kurt Simon Gazmen!

Lintik lang ang walang ganti kapag siya ang tinatarantado. This is him nga naman, pero bakit sa isang Sabina, siya'y tumitiklop na paramg papel?

Pinaurong niya ulit ang sasakyan niya saka niya nilampasan ang binangga pagkatapos ay pinaurong ng mabilisan ang kotse saka niya binangga ang harapan nito after that, pinaharurot na niya ang sasakyan.

But of course, he made sure that there was no CCTV left and right, back and forth! But there was one problem he knew he will have — the dash cam.

But for now, the most important thing is that, he was be able to let out his frustrations.

Meanwhile, Shaina and Athena having their coffee break in a café near their work. They were just talking about Sabina when the door suddenly opened and she barge in.

Sabay pa silang lumingon sa direksyon nito na naglalakad patungo sa mesa nila.

"Oh what happened to you?" saad ni Shaina na nakataas kilay.

"did someone hit you? No, whom did you get fight with?"

Sabay pa ang dalawang inilihis ang magkabilaang sleeve ng kanya - kanyang long sleeve shirt.

"Don't tell us you loose, there's no way you can get beat up by someone"

Pasalampak na umupo ang dalaga sabay taas ng kamas sa ere at umorder

"one mug of beer please"

Shaina and Athena tilted their head to the waitress and back to Sabina "Girl, hindi ito bar. Café ito!" sabay na saad ng dalawa.

Tumingin si Sabina sa babaeng nakatayo saka kumunot noo "You look so familiar. Like I saw you somewhere" aniya.

The waitress just smiled lopsidedly saka yumukod at lumayas sa harapan nila kapagkuwan ay bumalik na may dalaang tasa "Here. It's from the house. Drink it slowly and enjoy. It will help you clear your mind" anito saka ngumiti at umalis.

Walang imik na uminom si Sabina saka tumingin sa dalawang kaibigan na nakatunganga lang sa kanya "what?" takang tanong niya.

"Nothing" sabay na saad ng dalawa saka uminom sa kanya kanyang tasa ng kape.

"You know I have license to kill right?" walang emosyong saad niya habang nakahalukipkip na nakamata sa kanyang tasa na umuusok pa

"So?" anang Athena

"and?" it was Shaina

"I want to kill him. Seryoso ako" aniya.

"Patayin mo na lang sa halik besh" anang Shaina na naka ngisi.

"Kung kaya mo" saad naman ni Athena na may konting ngisi sa mga labi. Unlike Shaina, she doesn't want to provoke this little brat by her side, she will become beast for sure.

Napasabunot na lang siya sa sariling buhok. This is not me!!