STYGIAN | completed

11

ASTRIA

We are now walking at their hallway habang pinipigilan kong kabahan. Aegan may notice my nervousness so I just acted like nothing happened.

Inilibot ko na lang ang paningin ko sa paligid. Napakalaki talaga ng bahay nila Aegan at punum-puno ito ng ilaw kahit saan. Their hallway have so many paintings at ang ilan pa rito ay tunay. Their floors are carpeted and vases could be found from everywhere. It really looks like a family's house who has a casino and hotels business.

Malaki rin naman ang bahay namin. But not as big as this one. My family owns five branches of supermarkets kaya ganoon. But Aegan's house is just really big. This was really a mansion.

"What the? Antanga-tanga mo naman?! Pick that up!"

That was Aegan's grandfather, Agandro Salazar. Mukhang may katulong nanaman silang napagalitan niya. I would not be shocked kung makikita kong sinesante niya na iyang katulong na iyan.

Sir Agandro is really a terror one. Kahit ako natatakot sa kanya, pero medyo mabait pa siya sa akin kaysa sa ibang tao. It may have been because I'm Aegan's best friend. He is already 100 years old kagaya ng sinabi ko kanina, pero ang lakas lakas niya pa, if you can see him, you may have mistaken him as a 60 to 70 year old man.

Everyone is afraid of him. Even Aegan. Tanda ko pa nga nung bata pa lamang kami, Aegan would always sneak out of their house dahil natatakot daw siya sa lolo niya. He said his lolo have big guns. Pero hanggang doon na lang ang kuwento niya.

"AEGAN!" His lolo shouted sending shivers to our spine.

"Y-yes po, lolo?"

Sir Agandro's eyes are squinting dahil sa sobrang galit kaya halos hindi na namin makita ang mga mata niya. May lahi kase silang japanese kaya singkit ang mga mata ng pamilya nila.

"Pagsabihan mo nga itong mga katulong! Wala nang nagawang tama!" He told Aegan angrily before marching towards the door. Before he went out, he looked at me with those piercing eyes of his pero hindi ko alam kung bakit natakot ako nang dahil doon. That was rarest of the times wherein our eyes met each other kase lagi kong iniiwasan ang mga mata niya. But those times, natatakot talaga ako.

Sir Agandro's demeanor really speaks authority because of being the previous mayor of this city. Aside from their businesses, kilala rin siya dahil naging pulitiko siya.

"I'll help you na po," Aegan said to their maids, while picking up the big shards of plates that has been thrown on the floor.

"Ay naku 'wag na. Baka masampiga uli ako ni Sir Agandro," Halatang nahihiya ang katulong dahil sa nagawa niya.

"Hindi po, it's okay po."

"Talaga namang napakabait mong bata at nagmana ka sa iyong ina."

"Hehe," tanging sagot ni Aegan.

Nag-iba ang ekspresiyon niya sa pagbanggit pa lang ng nanay niya. Marahil ay dahil masakit pa rin para sa kanya ang pagkamatay nito. I've seen him in his worst state because of his mother.

"Tara, Aegan?" tawag ko sa kaniya para maidivert ko ang isipan niya sa ibang bagay.

"Ha? Saan?" he asked me innocently, his eyes squinting a bit.

"Akong bahala."