Virgin Villain (The Villain Series 2)

Kabanata 5

"PAPA, hurry!"

"Wait." Habol-habol ni Xibel ang hininga dahil kaninang umaga pa siya tumatakbo. Ngayo'y malapit nang magtanghali subalit hindi pa rin napapagod si Imris. Sa kanilang dalawa, siya ang hindi tao pero bakit siya pa ang parang mababawian na ng buhay sa sobrang hingal?

He shouldn't have agreed with this game.

"Can you slow down?" sita niya nang patalon-talon itong bumaba ng hagdan. Nasa ikalawang palapag sila ngayon na ilang beses na rin nilang nalibot sa kakatakbo. "Why do you have so much energy?"

Imris chuckled and pointed in his direction. "Papa can't run!"

"Curse you, chid." Hindi na niya napigilan ang sarili at piniling lumipad. Tagaktak na ang pawis sa kaniyang noo at namumutla na rin ang maputla na niyang mukha. Hindi na niya kaya pang tumakbo.

Nakita niya si Imris sa pinakahuling hagdan. Tumalon ito pero bago pa man makaapak ang mga paa sa marmol na sahig, sinilid niya ito sa kaniyang mga braso. "Got 'ya."

"Wah! Papa, you cheated!" reklamo nito nang makaupo sila sa sofa. Hindi niya pinansin ang pangungulit nito at isinandal ang ulo sa sandalan ng upuan. He never ran that long in his entire life. And because of that, he realized how idle he was.

What a shame as an immortal. Hindi man lang kayang talunin ang isang bata sa isang habulan na hindi gumagamit ng Coriar.

"Papa, let's play again!"

"No. You'll send me to my death." Tinulak niya ang mukha nito palayo nang subukan na naman nitong mamitis ng bulaklak sa kaniyang pisngi.

"What's that Papa?"

Sinulyapan niya ito. "What?"

Tinuro nito ang nasa ilalim ng kaniyang kaliwang mata.

"It's my bone." The left side of his face looked like a portion of the dead nature. There were no flesh but roots and stems of dead flowers, all rooted on his bones as if it was their life source.

Napanganga naman si Imris dahil sa kaniyang sagot. "I want that too, Papa. I want bones too!"

Ngumiwi naman siya at hinilamos ang kamay sa mukha nito. "No one will like you if you will have what I have, Imris."

"Bakit po?" She tilted her head.

"Because this face." Tinuro niya ang mukha. "Is a face of a monster. Never desire to have like mine or else everyone will leave you."

He knew for he experienced it first-hand. All the humans he blessed, cared for, and bestowed good fortune turned their back as he lost the beauty they admired from him. He was supposed to be ready to accept it if only he wasn't betrayed.

If only Celestialiana didn't push him away and be with the male lead of the story.

It was her fault that he lost everything. And he would never going to forgive her. He would forever loath her and her kind.

"Will you leave me too, Papa?"

Napabalik ang atensyon niya kay Imris nang magsalita ito. "What do you mean?"

"If Imris were to become a monster, will you leave me?"

His forehead creased. Hindi siya nakasagot. Ang maingay niyang isip ay biglang natahimik dahil sa tanong nito. Hindi niya inaasahang lalabas iyon sa bibig ng bata dahilan upang pagmasdan niya ang nagtatanong nitong mukha. Ang ilang hibla ng mahaba nitong buhok ay dumikit sa pisngi at noo nito dulot ng pawis sa katatakbo kanina.

He let out a chuckle while looking at her messed-up face. "What do you mean 'if'? You look like a monster now."

"Huh?!" Mabilis nitong hinawakan ang mukha. Kinurot nito ang kabilang pisngi, nagbabakasaling may makuhang bulaklak pero napadaing lang ito. Sinamaan siya nito ng tingin.