Lorch Crown

Chapter 7

INIS NA SINARA ni Lorch ang laptop niya saka tumingin sa labas ng binata ng silid niya.

It has been two days since the incident but Saskia has never shown up yet. Pinuntahan niya ang HR department para kausapin ito pero on sick leave ang dalaga.

It has taken him a massive amount of restraint to go to her place to check on her but it seems like he couldn't anymore. Mahirap man aminin pero nag-aalala siya.

Sighing, he stood up and grabbed a black bonnet to wear before heading out of his house, ignoring the call from his friends as he do so.

Lorch straddle his motorbike and drove off as light rain pours. Hindi na siya nag-abala pang maghelmet. Bawal iyon at pagnakita siya ng ina niya talagang pingot sa tenga ang abutin niya.

Pagkarating niya sa apartment ng dalaga ay medyo basa ang damit niya pero inignora niya iyon at nagdoorbell. He knows where she lives and well, almost everything about her.

Ilang minuto rin ang hinintay niya at nakadalawang pindot din siya ng doorbell bago bumukas ang pintuan at sumalubong sa kanya ang mukha ng dalaga na hindi maipinta.

"What are you doing here?" Agad na sita nito at mukhang wala balak na imbitahan siya sa loob.

"Visiting a sick employee." Lorch shrugged, looking at her hair that is a mess, and inwardly trying to block the memories that flashed in his mind as he looked at it.

"Do you do it with your other employees?"

"No." Binaling niya sa mata nito ang atensyon. "I do it with my parents and brothers— sometimes with my friends that are closest to me."

"I'm not one of them—"

"Come on," Lorch intercepted. "Can't you give me another chance? I'm more than just a man that could snap at women trying to trap me into marriage or financial obligations."

"But the violent side of you is not something I would like to face someday when you're upset about something or with something I said or do," anito na may hilaw na ngiti.

"You think I can hurt you physically?"

"Well, if you could raise your hand to a woman claiming she's pregnant, of course."

"That is overboard bad judgment." Lorch shook his head while his jaw hardened from feeling that pin of hurt.

Kaya niya itong saktan. Oo. Pero malayong maging pisikal iyon. Kahit anong galit niya siguro sa magulang nito ay hindi niya makukuhang saktan ito. Lagot din siya sa mga kapatid niya oras na sinaktan niya ito kahit dulo ng daliri nito.

"Come on, I'm sorry. I have a tendency of being violent— yes, but I don't hit just anybody. I'm not a mad person."

"Lorch, sinabi ko na, siguro ngayon hindi mo nakikita ang sarili na nanakit pero kalaunan—"

"No—"

"Lorch don't push it." Nahilot nito ang sintido na siyang nagpaalala sa kanya.

"Are you okay?" he asked, unable to conceal his worry.

He reached for her face and cupped it. Tapos marahan niyang hinilot ang sintido nito. And he was glad, Saskia didn't push him nor did she strode away from him.

"Sumasakit ulo ko sa tigas ng ulo mo." Reklamo nito.

Bahagya siyang natawa. "My apologies, my mom gets that a lot too."

Umungol lang ito saka binaba ang kamay niya bago tumalikod at hinayaang bukas ang pintuan. It gives him an indication that he can enter her place.

"Ano pa ba ang kailangan mo? You see—" Saskia glance back at him while she heads towards the long sofa. "I'm sick and got no energy to make something decent for you other than water and some chips or biscuits," anito at naupo.