Shades of Kagan

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Avian Burn's Point of View

What is he doing there?

I watched how he brought the bow to the string, making a pleasant sound. I stay still as if I am watching an opera. In reality, I was in a buffet restaurant trying to eat this ebi tempura in peace. Pero hindi ko na natuon ang sarili ko sa mga pagkain na nasa harapan ko. My attention was focused on the man playing the violin.

He was gliding the bow across the violin, and just like that, I held my breath, waiting for another sound that he would make. His fingers carefully move in the string, like caressing a day-old baby.

My breath froze.

He transitioned to the second note. The sound he's making seems like he is meeting with an old lover. The sound coming from the violin is sad. And then bitter, followed by anger, as it turned to disgust. He's playing with the emotions of the listener. He was playing with me. I saw how his eyebrows creased when he was playing. He felt every note, just like how his notes moved me.

He was in control.

"That Grimaldi can play?" Hindi ko namalayan na nakaupo na pala sa tabi ko si Pru. Mayroon itong steak sa kanyang plato. Pero hindi ko siya tiningnan at patuloy lang na nakatitig kay Kalix.

"Klaude's twin brother."

"How did you know it wasn't Klaude?" Now, it's time to turn to Pru, who's now looking at the man playing the violin.

"Of course. I almost grew up with Klaude. I can recognize Klaude easily. He gives a vibe as if summer is a person. While his twin brother gives the vibes of rainy days." I saw how she cringed when that image of Kagan crossed her mind.

"Maybe because his twin brother just resurfaced recently." She added. Ilang beses na sinabi sa akin ito ni Klaude. Even Nadia. And now, Pru, who seemed like she knew something about the Grimaldis.

"You like Klaude, don't you?" Bigla siyang nataranta sa naging tanong ko kaya agad niyang inabot ang baso na may laman na tubig.

"Ganon na ba ako kahalata?" Tumango ako. Pru Stanislaski is easy to read. Makikita agad sa mata niya kung nahihiya ba siya o natutuwa.

"Don't tell Klaude, please! I first saw Klaude when I was eight at my Uncle's office in the hospital. I know he's older than me but it doesn't matter. Alam kong pinanganak itong may mahinang puso kaya naging personal doctor niya ang Tito ko. Tito Marco had a atherosclerosis when he was a child but thank God that his operation was a success. That's when he decided to become a doctor, too. Kaya naman napalapit din agad ang loob niya kay Klaude dahil nakikita niya ang sarili niya sa kanya." I digested everything Pru had said. Sinimulan na niyang kainin ang steak na nasa plato niya.

"We move in the same circle. That's why it wasn't difficult to see each other from time to time. Dati ay akala ko ay nagiisa lang siyang anak. Pero hindi ko inaasahan na may kambal pala ito. I heard my parents talked about it. Everyone is relieved that he came back. Ang problema lang ay hindi nila alam kung saan ito nagmula. I mean how can someone survived for seventeen years? Kahit ako ay hindi ko rin maimagine. Ang narinig ko lang ay wala itong sinasabi kung anong nangyari sa kanya sa mga nagdaang taong na hindi niya kasama ang kanyang pamilya." Natuptop ko ang aking bibig dahil sa aking nalaman. I just didn't expect the worse. Is this what Klaude talked about when he told me he want to know his brother?

"I'm sorry, are you confused? Let me make things clear for you. I just heard about this, so I'm not a credible source. I heard that the moment the twins were born, they lost the other. The nurse in charge at that time was held accountable even though she didn't know what had happened. The other twin just, poof, vanished into thin air. Seventeen years later, he was seen at a police station who didn't even know his name. That's the gossip circulating in our circle. Middle-aged ladies who got nothing to do gossip about other people's misfortunes. Pero dahil alam ko ito ay hindi ibig sabihin nakikichismis na rin ako. It's just that it concerns the Grimaldi, my future family, so I have to know their story." Pru's eyes just turned into a heart shape when she started imagining Klaude. My attention wasn't on her but on the image of Kagan inside my head. Realizing that he, too, is living such a difficult life. My curiosity toward Kagan just grew like wildfire. Even if firefighter can't even extinguish the fire inside me. I want to know Kagan. I wanted to know the reason behind his other self.