Game Of Life: Volume 3

5. The kid they called dumb

|| 3RD POV ||

Ilang segundong nagkaroon ng katahimikan. Parehong hindi inaasahan ng dalawang lalaki ang sinabi ng kaharap nila. For them, Kid is just a kid, and he is stupid.

As if it's a natural response for them to laugh, thinking that he's just joking. Hindi kumibo si Kid, nanatiling nakahawak ang kamay sa balikat ni Nate.

"Lakas talaga manggago nito eh," ani Nate. "Eh kung bigyan na kaya kita-"

Akmang lilingunin niya pa lang ulit si Kid nang biglang magbago ang paningin niya. Ang deretso niyang tingin ay biglang bumaliktad sa isang iglap. His world literally went upside down. A shoulder throw.

Walang kahirap-hirap siyang naiangat ni Kid at napabaliktad. The terror on Fred's eyes as it widened, seeing his friend get easily beaten up by a kid, a kid they're laughing at a while ago.

They forgot that Kid. . . is not just an ordinary kid— after all, there's a reason why he's a player here.

Bumagsak kaagad si Nate sa lupa, nawalan ng malay.

Hindi nakalagaw sa pwesto niya si Fred, nag-iisip-isip. 'Kamay lang ang ginamit ni Kid. Paano kung ang paa niya pa?'

"K-K-Kid-" Kusa siyang napaatras, tumaas ang dalawa niyang kamay at pilit na ngumiti. "N-Nakikipagbiruan lang kami h-huy, 'wag kang ganiyan."

Sa unang pagkakataon, ngayon lang niya nakita si Kid na seryoso. Ganito ang ekspresyon, at hindi tumatawa. That's when he remembered something. Actually, this is not the first time.

Kid was already. . . like this, since they had first met him.

May tinatago siya sa tingin niya, na hindi lang nila pinapansin dahil mas nananaig ang pagkamasiyahin niya. The reason why they managed to tame Kid outside, is because his sister was there.

Hindi ngayon maipinta ang mukha niya.

Kung wala ang ate niya ngayon. . . paano nila mapapahinto si Kid?

Napalunok nang malalim si Fred. "K-Kalma ka muna ha." Nanatiling nakataas ang dalawa niyang kamay. "W-Wait natin si Jin ha?"

Pilit na ngumiti si Fred, pero nang makita niya ang ekspresyon na meron si Kid, tuluyang nawala ang pag-asa sa mga mata niya.

He knew at that moment, he fucked up. He let his thoughts win, and just like that, he ran.

He ran without looking back, without trying to fight. Because he knew, he can't win against that kid they called dumb. 

Mabigat ang paghinga niya habang tumatakbo, hindi siya lumilingon.

Ang nasa isip niya lang, kailangan niyang mahanap si Jin.

"J-JIN!" he shouted like a coward.

'This is not what I signed up for' he thought.

As his eyes roam around the crowd, someone caught his attention. Nagkaroon ulit ng buhay ang mga mata niya, nagkaroon siya ng pag-asa.

"JIN!" he called out. Mabilis na napatingin sa kaniya ang lalaking tinawag niya, mas lalong lumiwanag ang ekspresyon niya.

Pero nang makita ni Fred ang ekspresyon na meron si Jin, alam niyang hindi sa kaniya ito nakatingin— bagkus sa nasa likod niya. At that moment, he knew what's about to happen.

"Oh fuck," huling aniya bago makaramdam ng sadyang pagtisod sa paa niya. Malakas ang pwersa kaya unang bumagsak ang ulo niya.

Si Jin na ilang metro ang layo, hindi makapaniwala sa nakikita. Maraming tanong ang pumasok sa isipan niya.

'What happened?'

'Where's Nate?'

And. . . 'What is Kid doing?'

He knew— he thought, that he has Kid at the palm of his hands. So, what's happening right now?

"Jin," malalim ang boses ni Kid nang magsalita siya. Hindi tulad ng nakasanayan niya. It's not cheery as usual, he didn't even said his usual greeting. Ilang talampakan ang layo nila sa isa't isa.

Jin understood what's happening in this instant. Naaptras siya. Masyado siyang kampante na hindi siya susuwayin ni Kid. Nakalimutan niyang. . .

Napupuno ang kahit sino. Masamang magalit ang mabait.

"Kid. . ." Pinili ni Jin na maging kalmado. Hanggang sa hindi niya napansin, nasa tapat na niya si Kid.

"Jin, 'yong chess piece," marahang sambit ni Kid. There's no threat on his voice, his face show no anger. He just said it casually, soft.

Hindi nagsalita si Jin, hindi siya pumalag. Kusa lang pumasok ang kamay niya sa bulsa para ilabas ang chess piece. He looks like a robot, frozen on his place, just following what he have heard.

He handed the chess piece with no trouble. Jin listened and became obedient to someone he's mocking a while ago, to someone who's years younger than him, to the kid he called dumb.

Hindi siya lumaban, hindi rin siya umangal. Sa puntong 'yon, ang naisip niya lang ay ayaw niyang inisin lalo si Kid ngayon. Dahil alam na alam niya sa sarili niya kung gaano nagkikimkim ng galit sa kaniya si Kid.

He was too scared to try his patience. He was too scared to know what Kid can do, if he snap. 

He never felt this feeling before, he had never experienced this kind of fear.

Because Kid was jolly and kind, he forgot what he can do. It wasn't just because Kid was a master of taekwondo— it runs through his blood. 

Granger. Kid is a foreigner.

Way before his parents died, his father was a well known wrestler who travels the world. He met Kid's mother here in the Philippines where they started a family together. 

Kid isn't strong because he did taekwondo. . . he was already strong before he joined.

Kaswal na kinuha ni Kid ang chess piece at hindi nagsalita. Dinaanan niya lang si Jin. Sumunod ang mga mata ni Jin sa kaniya at hindi pa rin gumagalaw sa pwesto niya. When he can't see Kid at the corner of his eyes anymore, he had the courage to talk.

"Alam mong. . . hindi ko 'to palalagpasin kapag nakalabas na tayo 'di ba?" aniya. Hindi niya nakikita ang ekspresyon ni Kid. Naramdaman niya lang 'tong huminto sa paglalakad dahilan ng pagsitaasan ng mga balahibo niya sa katawan.

"Oo. . . " maikling sagot ni Kid. Nagpatuloy ulit siya sa paglalakad bago may pahabol na sinabi.

"Alam mo rin na hindi kita masasaktan dito sa laro. . . pero kapag nakalabas tayo, baka mapatay kita."

It was a rare occurrence for Kid to say those words. He isn't like that, Jin thought. But he's also aware that he still doesn't fully know Kid. He doesn't know what he's capable of, specially when it comes to the ones he love.

Again, masamang magalit ang mabait.

Ang just like that, their path changed. Hindi na sumagot pa si Jin, bagkus ay nilingon niya na lang si Kid at sinundan ito ng tingin.

"Tignan natin. . ." bulong niya. "Kung sino sa 'tin ang magiging talunan paglabas."

He just watched Kid walk towards the entrance of the city, on his way to go back at the station. Kid felt numb, at the same time, hurt. Hindi mawala sa isip niya na ang pagtalikod niya kina Jin ay pwedeng magpahamak sa ate niya.

Pero desidido siya na ayusin ang lahat pagtapos ng laro. Ngayon, kailangan niya munang itama ang nagawa niya. Humigpit ang pagkakahawak niya sa chess piece.

"Sandali lang. . . babalik na 'ko," he said, full of determination as he ride the train.

At the same time, on an unknown station, a train stopped. Lumabas dito ang nag-iisang player, na may isang hayop na nakaupo sa balikat niya. Lumabas ang lalaking may itim ang buhok, may subo-subong lollipop. Ang guinea pig na nasa balikat niya ay hindi siya kinikibo at magkakrus ang braso.

Umangat ang tingin niya sa estasyon na kakaiba.

"Is this the next district?"

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