Shades of Kagan

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Klaude Grimaldi's Point of View

It's always Kagan calm, Kagan collected. Napahilamos na lang ako sa aking mukha ng tahimik tiningnan ang kotseng papasok sa gate sa bahay ni Reus. I am already inside my room, yet I was startled from the sound of the car going inside the gate. Napatingin ako sa orasan at doon nalaman na alas onse na pala ng gabi. It's a rare time that Kagan come here early this time. Dahil madalas itong inuumaga na sa tuwing umuuwi.

Kagan is a mysterious man. Even though we share the same blood and he's my older twin brother, I'm still not convinced he's a Grimaldi. I don't know because until now, no one knows where he came from or what life he lived before meeting us. It's been four years, and being with someone is hard if you don't know anything about them. He won't let us in, and this frustrates me as hell. It's hard to figure him out even though we've lived under the same roof for four years already. Even my parents already gave up knowing his past, and even my cousin Reus. My mother kept telling me it was all right as long as Kagan was with us now.

Maybe I was the only one curious about Kagan, but I didn't care. I still want to know him. Lalo na at pa iba-iba ang pinapakita niyang ugali sa amin. That's when we realized that Kagan has a dual personality. Until now, we don't know how his other self is being triggered. He'll reappear from nowhere and act like I wasn't his brother. I've met his other self numerous times already. He was so outgoing and always put me in trouble. We don't even know where he got his disorder. Now, we have to live with our doctor cousin who can take care of us. Are we cursed? I have a weak heart growing up, and Kagan has a dissociative identity disorder. I wonder how our parents are reacting to this. Mas lalo kaya silang nahihirapan sa lagay naming dalawa ni Kagan?

Growing up, my family wasn't entirely happy. They spent most of the time looking for my lost brother. Now we have him, I thought that it would be the end of our suffering. Pero doon ako nagkakamali. Even though Kagan was here, he seemed so far away from us.

Naagaw lang ang atensiyon ko ng biglang nag vibrate ang aking phone na nakalagay sa kama. Naglakad ako papunta doon at kinuha ang aking phone. The notification came from Avian Burn, I will always address her as ticking bomb. It's only a matter of time when she will explode. Humiga ako sa kama at binuksan at tiningnan ang text message na galing sa kanya.

Kagan's girl: He said yes. He will come with us this Saturday.

"Great! Looking forward to that vacation." I texted her back before putting my phone on the nightstand. That vacation that Nadia and her boyfriend Dan arranged. Kinapa ko ang sarili ko kung mayroon pa akong nararamdaman para kay Nadia. I was genuinely happy for her. I almost cried myself out when she rejected me when I confessed my feelings. Nadia has always been with me since day one. Lalo na at sa iisang subdivision lang kami nakatira na dalawa. We grew up being together, so I guess I mistook my affection for her as love. After all, she was just a little sister to me. I'm awkward when Nadia and Dan are around. Siguro ay masasanay din ako sa kanilang dalawa. It's ironic that since we were freshmen, I was with Nadia most of the time despite having different courses. And now, she's with her boyfriend all the time.

I looked at my phone again when I received another notification from her.

Kagan's girl: You owe me one.

I saved her name as Kagan's girl in my contact list. A little smile formed in my lips. Avian thought our first encounter was when I saved her in the bread shop. But actually, I saw her before that. Before I knew that she even existed in real life. And I know that Kagan also recognized her, but he's pretending not to, even my mother, when she saw Avian at Kagan's studio.

This is getting interesting.

Avian Burn might be the one I need to know about my brother Kagan. They won't understand the reason why I'm so committed to knowing Kagan's past. If they can just shrug their shoulders, acting cool and shit, then I'm different. Hindi ako titigil hanggang hindi ko malalaman. Because Kagan is my twin brother, I deserve to know.