Her Eternity

[Chapter 40: Aphrodite's Rose]

*Zackyro's Point of View

Halos hindi ako makagalaw sa kinatatayuan ko habang patuloy namin pinapanuod yung taong nakasuot ng cloak. Everything was so fast, that I couldn't catch up with that person's moves.

All I did was to stand still, as if I felt my feet frozen on the ground. Fuck.

Sinusundan lang namin kung paano siya gumalaw, kung paano duguan at wala nang malay na bumubulagta lahat ng kinakalaban niya.

Margauxe and Mrs. Kan were almost in awe, to the point they didn't know what to do as they witness what's happening. Sinamaan ko naman sila ng tingin nang makita sila, hanggang sa magtama ang mga mata namin.

I was about to go and make my way towards them, until that person in a cloak landed right in front of their eyes that made them to take a few steps backward.

Halos hindi ko naman agad mapigilan na mapaismid nang makitang kulang nalang ay magtago si Margauxe sa likod ng nanay niya nang mangyari 'yon.

Is she even a real part of the Onyx? I mentally rolled my eyes.

"Wait, Zace. Look!"

Bumalik naman ako sa wisyo nang bigla akong tawagin nila Axe.

Kunot-noo ko namang sinundan kung saan sila nakaturo at halos manlaki naman ang mga mata ko nang makitang may hawak-hawak na combat knife yung taong nakasuot ng cloak at balak atang saksakin sina Margauxe at Mrs. Kan.

Both Hue and I were about to approach them, but we're both stunned as they suddenly have a 3 on 1 battle.

Nagkatinginan naman kaming apat dahil doon.

"Ladies' fight!"Axe suddenly blurted out and acted like he's cheering something.

"It can't be, right?"Instead of reacting to Axe's actions, Hue suddenly went towards me and mentioned something we all know about.

Tumingin naman ako sa kaniya.

"One way to find out."I shrugged and get my gaze back at the scenario.

"Zace, take a look, again."Rye pointed out towards where they are.

Sinundan ko naman kung ano ang tinuturo niya at halos matulala ako nang makita 'yon.

"It's the same rose that Crimson and the others had given you."Rose.

I immediately went finding where my rose is and didn't hesitate to pick it up in front of the backgate. Slowly as I approached back, I was almost lost for words.

"Damn..."I had nothing to say but to cursed as I exchanged looks between the embroidered rose cloak and the rose that I'm holding.

"AH!"

Nawala naman ang atensyon ko doon sa rose na hawak-hawak ko at muling binalik sa harapan, kung saan patuloy parin sila naglalabang tatlo.

There, I saw Margauxe getting up from lying on the ground, while Mrs. Kan is continuously attacking that person.

But then all of a sudden they all stopped the moment the person in a hooded cloak caught them off guard by pointing two combat knives on their chest.

Both Margauxe and Mrs. Kan glared towards that person in front of them as if they're having a conversation away from here, and unknowingly left the place without giving us a single glance after what happened.

"That's it?"Axe frowned, sounded like he's diasppointed.

Despite everything that happened in front of us, I still didn't manage to move as I stared towards that person.

"Zace."Hue immediately called me out.

We altogether look at that person, until a breezy gust wind suddenly roamed through the whole place.

The wind also made the hood of the cloak to be swiftly removed off from that person's head that made me chuckled under beneath my breath. It's just like the last time.

Then there, finally, we saw the person behind that cloak.

"No way. Is that?"Axe suddenly couldn't helped but exchange looks between me and that person in front of us.

Napansin ko naman sa gilid ng mata ko na nagkatinginan sina Rye at Hue nang mapagtantuan na rin nila sa wakas kung sino ang taong 'yon kahit nakatalikod siya.

I suddenly found myself walking towards that person, while still holding the rose in a glass.

Halos hindi ko naman napigilan na sandaling mapahawak sa bandang dibdib ko nang makaramdam na naman ako ng malakas na pagtibok ng puso ko, habang patuloy ako sa paglalakad. Damn!

Until I finally reached where that person is, I immediately couldn't help but to smirk as I called out that person's name.

"Aphrodite."

It was that kind of slow motion where she turn around to face me, as her hair flows with the wind and grin the moment our eyes met.

"Zack."

Hearing her called out my name makes my heart go beats faster, even before whenever she's here beside me.

Nawala naman ang pagngiti niya ng nakakaloko at napalitan ng isang matamis na ngiti.

Muntikan ko namang mabitawan yung hawak-hawak kong rose nang mangyari 'yon, kasabay ng walang pasintabi kong paglapit sa kaniya at binigyan siya ng isang halik na matagal ko nang inaasam.

"Damn, Aphrodite."I whispered the moment we parted our lips. I unknowingly caressed her cheeks that made her slightly giggled.

"Yes, Zack. I'm back."

I close my eyes and felt the warmth of her hands rushed through my skin, the moment she finally said the words that I've been anticipating for the past few months.

The unknown pain that I felt when she left, the longing for her existence, and the missing tears whenever I have a nightmare, all paid off.

"My brothers gave you this rose, not just because you love them, but to gave you a sign that I'm already coming back."

I almost furrowed my forehead the moment she reached out for the rose, right after she said that to me.

"You love roses, yet, you're still clueless."Tumawa naman siya ng mahina nang makita niya yung naging reaksyon ko sa sinabi niya.

"Zack."

She suddenly held out my hand and genuinely smiled at me, right after she called out my name.

Mas lalo namang kumunot ang noo ko nang tumawa pa siya ng mahina, habang hinihintay ko yung sunod niyang sasabihin.

But before speaking up, she unknowingly caressed the glass case where the rose is being hold.

She also took a quick glimpse of the cloak that she's wearing, where it's being embroidered by the same rose from the glass, before eventually gazing back at me.

"I'm Aphrodite, so that makes the rose symbolizes me."

I was quite stunned for what she said, but it made me to suddenly reminisced the moments where her brothers gave me this rose back in Greece.

Especially the moments where Sky, even the twins—Azure and Brick said something regarding about the rose. For eternity. Rose.

"Aphrodite..."Ngumiti naman siya nang tawagin ko ang pangalan niya.

Damn, of course!

* * *