Dangerous Addiction (BxB, 2022 COMPLETED)

Special Chapter I

SPECIAL CHAPTER I

THE THING ABOUT Remus Gaviola is that… he’s a little demon. The child ended up looking like Keith because he’s the one who paid extra attention to the child and there’s this saying that whoever takes care of the child since they’re born, they’ll take after them— and it’s Keith. It doesn’t matter whose blood nor genes run through their veins, they’ll always take after the person whom they spend most time with.

It must be true too, since Keith would throw everything for the sake of his son. Ilang beses siyang nag-absent sa trabaho para lang maalagaan ang anak nilang dalawa ni Leon. Siya ang pinakaunang nakakaalam kung may sakit ba ito at kung hindi naman mabigat ang iiwanan niyang gawain, uunanin na muna niya ang anak. It’s seldom that he couldn’t attend to his son’s needs and it’s only during those times that he had to be out of town.

But that’s just about it. Sa unang tingin, si Leon ang kamukha pero kung tititigan nang maayos si Remus, mas kamukha ito ni Keith. At pisikal na itsura lang naman ang nakuha ng bata sa kanya dahil kahit paano niya pagbali-baliktarin ang mundo… Remus is still a mini Leon and it showed right after he turned three.

Sobrang clingy ng bata sa kanya at dumating sa puntong ngumangawa ito kapag hindi siya nakakapagpaalam bago umalis. Ayaw niya kasing ginigising ang anak dahil mahimbing ang tulog nito. He competes with Leon in terms of his attention and there are times that he’d throw tantrums if Keith’s out for too long. Madalas, hindi makapag-focus si Keith sa trabaho dahil sa anak niya pero hindi niya matiis.

“Listen! He’s bawling his eyes out and he’s been calling you! Ilang beses na ‘tong nangyari!” natatarantang sumbong ni Leon habang nagbi-video call silang dalawa. “This kid— geez! Akala ko hihikain dahil iba iyong paghinga niya kakaiyak dahil wala ka na naman daw!”

Lihim na bumuntong hininga si Keith habang pinagmamasdan ang asawa na aluin ang anak nila sa screen pero napangiti rin siya dahil ang cute panoorin ng mag-ama niya.. Leon carried Remus and he patted him gently but the child kept on sobbing like crazy and from there, Keith saw the unusual breathing that Remus does. Totoo iyong sinabi ni Leon na para nga itong naghahabol ng hininga sa ginagawa at parang mauubusan ng hangin kaiiyak.

Unfortunately for him, he won’t be there to comfort Remus and baby Leon. Mayroon siyang trip ngayon sa Manila at kailangan niyang manatili rito ng tatlong araw para sa convention. Isa siya sa mga speaker at malaking eskwelahan din ang nag-imbita sa kanya. And though he’s not a big figure in the industry, it’s an honor he can’t miss. But still, that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t long for his family.

Ilang oras pa lang mula nang nakarating siya rito pero miss na miss na niya sina Leon at Remus.

“Remus, calm down. Nagpaalam si Dada sa ‘yo at sabi niya, pag-uwi niya bibilhan ka niya ng bagong toy,” Leon spoke to Remus and sighed. “Ilang araw ka ba kasi riyan, Keith?”

Mahinang tumawa si Keith. “Three days. Kararating ko lang din kaninang alas tres. Baka akala ni Remus uuwi rin ako ngayon kaya ganyan siya.”

“Right. Aawayin kita Keith ‘pag hindi mo pala nabanggit dito na tatlong araw ka riyan.” Madramang sinapo ni Leon ang ulo bago binalikan si Remus na noon ay ipinilig ang ulo para humalik sa pisngi ng asawa. “Are you alright? Calm ka na ba? Uuwi rin daw si Dada after three days.”

Suminghot si Remus bago inayos ang pagkakatayo sa mga hita ni Leon para harapin siya. He heard Leon muttering several ‘ow’ and ‘ouch’ but their child didn’t seem to mind and it made him chuckle. Muntik pang batukan ni Leon si Remus kung hindi lang nito napigilan ang sarili’t naalalang baka masaktan ang anak.

Remus was still sobbing but he seemed to calm down at last. Noong hanapin nito ang pigura niya’t makita sa skrin, muling tumulo ang mga luha nito na ikinatawa ni Leon dahil kalmado na raw pero biglang umiyak na naman dahil nakita si Keith sa skrin ng laptop.