POSSESSIVE 21: Knight Velasquez

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5

NAGMAMADALI ang bawat hakbang ni Knight pababa sa hagdan dahil late na siya sa trabaho sa café ng humarang sa daraanan niya si Cloud.

"Ano 'yon?" Tanong niya rito ng hindi siya nito hinayaang makalampas dito.

"It's Midnight."

Kaagad siyang nilukob ng pag-aalala. "Anong nangyari sa kaniya?"

"He's in the kitchen."

Midnight in the kitchen means chaos.

"Why didn't you stop him?" Knight looked at Cloud flatly. "Do you want to die?"

"Of course not, my Lord." Anito saka bahagyang yumukod, "I'm not fresh anymore but I still love to have sex so... spare me."

Hinilot niya ang sentido. "Ano ba'ng ginagawa ni Night sa kusina?"

"He's preparing breakfast."

Tumaas ang dalawa niyang kilay. "Come again?"

"He's preparing breakfast." Ulit ni Cloud.

Dread consumed him as his eyes widens. "Oh, fuck! He's gonna burn down my house!" Kumaripas siya ng takbo patungo sa kusina pero ganun na lang ang pagkalma niya ng makitang walang apoy sa kusina niya— o kaya naman usok na indikasyon na may nasusunog.

The kitchen looks— normal.

Ilang ulit siyang napakurap-kurap na baka namamalikmata lang siya.

... but nothing— his kitchen is not burning.

So, he knows how to cook now, huh?

Nagtatakang napatitig siya sa kapatid. "What are you doing?"

"Cooking breakfast." Anito saka inilapag sa island counter ang niluto nitong agahan, "for you. Itapon mo na lang kung ayaw mo." Wika nito saka lumabas na nang kusina.

Napatitig siya sa ginawang agahan ng kapatid. It's a simple breakfast that they used to eat when they were little.

"It looks to me that he's reaching out to you, my Lord." Ani Cloud na kakapasok lang sa kusina. "Would you accept his reaching hand though?"

His face remained emotionless as he answered. "Father will take him away once we get too close and comfortable again. Hindi ko hahayaang mangyari 'yon, Cloud. I want Night to stay where I can see him— where I can monitor him, and if that means sacrificing a part of myself, then so be it."

Napailing si Cloud. "Hindi ko alam kung sino ang kakaawaan ko. Ikaw... o siya."

"Pitying me is useless."

Cloud sighed. "I know." Lumapit ito sa island counter saka kinuha ang pinggan na nilagyan ng agahan ni Midnight. "Itatapon ko na ba?"

Lumapit siya kay Cloud at tinikman ang nilutong itlog ni Midnight.

Nasapo ni Knight ang bibig ng malasahan niya ang itlog. "Fuck!" Iniluwa niya ang itlog sa lababo at nagmumog. "Fuck... wala na nga tayong itlog, hindi pa niya inayos ang pagluluto. Alam ba niya kung magkano ang itlog ngayon? And here I thought he knows how to cook already."

Cloud chuckled. "It's the thought and effort that counts, my Lord."

Napailing siya. "Kawawang mga itlog."

Lumabas siya ng kusina at naglakad palabas ng bahay. Nang makapasok siya sa salas ay nakita niyang naroon si Midnight at nanunood ng TV.

He wanted to just walk passed him... but found his hand reaching for Midnight's hair and messing it. "Thanks for the breakfast— but please, don't cook again."