AQR1: A Peerless Genius from Two Cities [COMPLETED]

27: Midnight Visitor

Nahihiwagaan na talaga si Franco sa pagbabago bago ng mood ni Emy. Parang last week lang iritado ito ng ilang araw. Pagkatapos ay bumalik na ulit siya sa dati.

Tapos ngayon ay nakakunot noo na naman ito. Pero sa kanya lang. Kapag sila Feng at Franco ang kausap nito ay ang bait niya. Pagdating sa kanya ay nakabusangot ito.

Napailing na lang siya sa sarili niya. He could really never understand girls.

After na magdinner ay pumasok na siya sa kwarto niya.

Lia just brought her tea and cookies like the usual dahil hindi niya alam kung kelan maiisipan ng dalaga ang magpuyat.

After that ay dinismiss na niya ang tatlo. Ni hindi na nga rin siya nagpatulong sa pagpapalit.

The reason why she is irritated is because she can't find a way of ridding the Fifth Prince. He infiltrated her Purple Boutique and now, he is eavesdropping about her plans.

He already knew a lot about her and she's unsure how to take it. Her plans will be flawless without that Prince.

Ang kaso, she needs the Purple Boutique. Isa ito sa mga considered as chess piece niya and she can't just simply let it go like that.

Nasa ganoon siyang pag-iisip ng biglang bumukas ang bintana ng kwarto niya. Kasabay noon ay ang paghangin ng malakas.

She shivered when the coldness reached her body.

Kanina niya pa nahubad ang pang-ibabaw niya at nakaundergarments na lang siya ngayon kaya naman the cold immediately bit her skin.

She walked towards the window and closed it. Impossible wind! It opened the window by itself. She latched the lock properly and then turned her back against it when suddenly, a hand grabbed her waist and covered her mouth.

She struggled pero lalo lang humigpit ang pagkakayakap sa kanya ng kung sinomang iyon.

"Shhh... Stop struggling. It's me."

Emy looked on her right only to be face to face with the Fifth Prince na iniisip lang niya kanina.

Sinamaan niya ito ng tingin. But he just chuckled.

Saka lang siya nito pinakawalan.

"You!" Emy hissed towards him. "How dare you enter my room?"

"I am a prince. I can do whatever I want."

"This not the palace wherein you can go in whenever you want. So, your highness, you better leave now while I am still being kind to you."

The Prince shamelessly walked towards the table and grabbed a cookies. He took a bite and looked towards Emy. Doon niya lang narealize ang suot nito. Even with the bright glow of the lamp, he could still make out the pearl white skin of her shoulder, arms and legs.

Agad siyang nag-iwas ng paningin. He took off his cloak and throw it towarda her.

"It is too early for you to seduce me."

The cloak fell on Emy's face and it covered her when her jaw dropped as the Prince said his words, uncaringly.

Who's seducing who?

Napababa ng tingin niya sa sarili niya at naalala niyang bigla na nakaundergarments na nga lang pala siya.

She had no choice but to cover herself using the cloak of the Prince. His perfume filled in her nostrils as soon as she put it on.

"I've come in peace, Miss Hans."

"I'll be damned if that is really the case."

"You should be dead by now if that is not the case."

Natahimik si Emy. Oo na, may point na siya. And that irritates her more.

"Ease up, Miss Hans. I really want to discuss something to you. But you should calm down first."

Emy snorted. That is not possible to happen hanggang naririto sa kwarto niya si Sebastian.

Napatingin naman sa mesa si Sebastian and saw Emy's chessboard. Then an idea appeared on his mind.

"Let's play chess..."

***

Emy is obviously calm now.

She put her irritation in concentrating with the game between her and the Fifth Prince. And it made the latter secretly smiled.

Their play time is longer than the game between Emy and Diana. She could tell that the Fifth Prince is indeed intelligent.

In fact, she's in a tight spot now. She tapped her finger on the table as she looked around her pieces while looking for her possible next move.

"I wonder how you can escape this." The Fifth Prince said with a sneer.

Emy ignored him. Her eyebrows are almost touching.

"There's always a way out. Is that what you are thinking, right now?"

Nag-angat ng paningin niya si Emy para tingnan si Sebastian. His sneer is still plastered on his face.

"Kaso kulang yun. They said, 'There's always a way out. You just have to be quick witted.' The moment you lost your King, you have already lost your opportunity to win."

"If there's no opportunity then I have to open one myself."

Napailing si Sebastian.

"I've noticed it, you know. From the initiation day and now, you are keeping your King at the corner all throughout the game, I wonder why is that so?"

Nanahimik lang si Emy. She has no obligation to tell him that.

When Sebastian noticed na wala siyang balak sabihin, he spoke again.

"Let's just say that this very situation on this chessboard is happening here in Grey City. Your pieces as you and your people, and my pieces as Diana and Vio, and their people. Do you think they will wait for you to dig your own way out before attacking again?"

Hindi na niya hinintay ang sagot niya. He did it for her.

"No, they won't hesitate." Kasabay noon ay ang sunod sunod na pagpapatumba ni Sebastian sa mga chess pieces niya. With just one move, he closed every possible escape of Emy's pieces and checkmated her King.

"So what are you trying to say?"

"Don't just stagnate pieces that will be valuable for your future needs."

"But what if, in this situation right now, I have already lost those people."

"Then just take another of them. If you lost your King in the old game, then take a new King in the new set of game."

Napanganga si Emy sa sinabi ni Sebastian. He made it sound so easy. As if she can really replace Marco now or even in another lifetime.

Huminga ng malalim si Emy.

"If you think you will have a hard time looking for a replacement, then I volunteer myself. I volunteer to be your replacement King."

She was amazed by his straightforwardness for a moment. And then slowly, she started shaking her head.

She stood and walked towards the window. She unlatched the lock and opened it widely.

"Thank you for the offer, your highness. The night is already darker. I am afraid you already have to leave."

Tumayo naman si Sebastian. Hindi naman niya inaasahan na aayon agad agad ang babae.

He walked also towards the window and stopped in front of her. He reached her face using his right hand and touched her soft cheeks.

"Think about it."

Yun lang at tumalon na siya palabas ng bintana.

Emy was about to close the window when the Fifth Prince stopped it.

Bumalik na ang sneer nito sabay sabi sa kanya ng, "My cloak..."

Ngali ngali namang hinubad ni Emy ang cloak niya at saka inabot dito.

***