Reyna Hustisya: Righteous Outlaw (Dauntless Series #1)

Chapter 4: The Blamer or The Blamed

We were indulged in the perfection and stillness offered by the moment. Silence has never been this comfortable and alluring. It was all that blastered in the place not until a... click. Wait, what?

It was all peaceful not until the clicking of a phone camera was heard.

"Wow, just look at this view," followed by a man's voice.

Kumawala ako sa pagkakayakap kay Kael at hinarap ang kakapasok lang na tao. He was standing on the door at the end of this railing, the one where I entered earlier. Dalawa kasi ang pinto papasok dito sa rooftop. Yung isa ay nasa likod kung saan pumasok si Mikael.

"What are you doing? Don't you know that taking pictures of people without their consent can lead you to the court?" seryosong tanong ko sakanya.

"Don't worry, Miss Thalia, I know the law," he redressed, preceding a wink that told me he wasn't even a bit scared of my statement.

I scoffed. Mukhang siya pa yung palaban?

"Are you a paparazzi?" I asked although mukha namang hindi.

If he was, he wouldn't let himself get caught.

A loud laugh emerged from him due to my question. Medyo matagal pa bago siya nakabawi sa kakatawa, as if I just told a hilarious joke. What's so funny? This guy must be so sad that even shallow things made him laugh like that. Pinahid niya muna ang kaunting luha sa kanyang mga mata gawa ng sobrang tawa bago sinagot ang aking tanong.

"I earn more than the cost of your pictures on newspapers and magazines, Miss."

I rolled my eyes at the bumptiousness of his answer. Well, he was clad in a suit and looked better than a paparazzi so perhaps that's true. He must be a son of a businessman with that face and decency he naturally carried, except the attitude he was showing me. Tho, I don't care about his job. What I care the most was to have his goddamn phone and delete that photo he just took a while ago.

Mikael didn't seem bothered on the other hand. Prente pa rin siyang nakatayo doon at ang tingin ay nanatili sa kahanginan habang nagsisimula na akong mainis sa nilalang na nasa harapan ko. Won't he say something to this guy? It was the right moment to show off his cold and scary aura to make him back off.

I really don't understand people. Binalingan ko siya para sabihin sanang 'I need your help, hello?' nang sa wakas ay nagsalita na rin ito.

"You finally made your way to me, Hunter. I was just waiting," Mikael spoke those words, not in a very cold manner that I was expecting, but in a playful one before freeing that smirk.

"I was also just waiting for you to come to me. Pero mapride ka talagang tao, Kael. Pambihira," sagot naman ng lalake sakanya habang suot pa rin ang maliwanag niyang ngiti.

Pinoproseso ko pa ang pagpapalitan nila ng mga salita. Did Mikael just call this guy in that name? That name of a person I last saw when I was still in elementary?

"Hunter? As in Hunter Lopez?" I blurted out.

What the hell, that's why he seemed very very familiar.

"The one and only," sagot niya sa akin habang hindi pa rin mawala wala ang ngiti niya na ngayon ay mas lumapad pa. "Long time no see to the both of you," dagdag nito.

I didn't think for a second before running up to him, smiling, and went for a hug. Compared to the rest of the guys, mas matagal kong hindi nakita si Hunter.

I was only in 6th grade that time when he left with his family para pumuntang Italy. He continued his study and they stayed there for good. Ngayon, graduate na ata siya since magkabatch lang naman sila ni Nicholo.