Hyazinth: Game Over

XI - Wisdom

We both stayed silent. Alam kong may kamukha siya na kilala ko ngunit hindi inaasahan na si Amanda iyon. She wasn't that secretive, and everyone even knows her family background, but knowing that she has a sister surprises me.

"I've been living in States, I just moved here to transfer to the Phantom Academy, and if you're going to ask why I didn't go there when I was younger, it is because of that bitchy Amanda. She doesn't want to go to the same school as me."

I awkwardly scratched my chin and looked away. Kahit ako hindi ko gugustuhin na magkaroon ng dalawang magkapatid na maarte sa iisang eskwelahan.

"But why are you accusing Raynald?" I asked. Bigla na lamang niya akong inirapan dahilan upang pigilan ko ang aking sarili na manakit ng bata.

"Kuya Chris and bitchy Amanda went to his apartment to hang out." She knows her sister is no longer alive, but she still calls her bitchy.

"And when I went there... I heard Kuya Chris was shouting, he said 'Anong ginawa mo kay Amanda? Bakit mo s'ya pinatay?!' He was angry and furious. But I lost it when I heard a loud thud, something like a person na tumama sa pader. I run away after that."

And now I'm confused. Shan said it was Raynald who killed Amanda and Chris, while Raynald said it was Hyazinth.

My mind is officially fucked up.

Wait a minute. "Is that why you are bothered when Thalia and the others were talking about your sister? Because you knew that she didn't run away with Chris."

She awkwardly smiled and looked away, "I was the one who started that rumor..." she even pouted while avoiding my eyes.

Tangina, Amanda, ang malas mo sa kapatid.

"I mean, I'm concerned about our parents. If nalaman nila that my sister dead, they will be sad, but if they know that she runs away with a guy, they will not be sad. And mom will think that she could still sabunot bitchy Amanda's hair."

She's unbelievably stupid. But it must have been hard for her to keep that secret for a long time. She keeps calling Amanda bitchy, but whenever she utters her name, her eyes tell me how sad she is.

"I want to find my sister's body." She stated.

"She wasn't killed by Raynald."

"He killed them,"

"He is not the killer. Other person killed them—"

She suddenly gave me a disgusted look and once again rolled her eyes, "Did he said that? Then, please explain to me... Why the hell is he the only one alive?"

Hindi ako nakapagsalita. I backfired from the argument, hindi ko alam kung ano ang isasagot ko sa tanong ni Shan. I've been thinking a lot of things lately, but her question failed to appear inside my head.

Are they messing with me?

I should start from the beginning again. Hindi ko dapat isipin kung ano ang nangyayari ngayon, dapat kong masagot ang mga tanong ko sa sarili ko noong mga nakaraang araw upang masagot ang mga tanong ko ngayon.

"Shan, remember the day we first met?"

"It was actually night." She said.

I rolled my eyes, "May nangyari bang unusual bago 'yon?"

"Well, I told you I lost my A.I."

"Other than that, stupid."

"It was the day after I witness Amanda's death." She answered.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko habang nakatingin sa kanya, I've been thinking about this lately— bakit kasali si Shan sa laro kahit na hindi naman s'ya parte ng Danima noon? And now I can answer that question.

Shan is playing instead of Amanda. Her sister insisted on playing the game, and now it was passed down to her. She was Amanda's replacement for the game, and maybe that same goes for Maerie. Maaaring ang mga players na tumanggi na muling makilahok ay pinapalitan ng malapit sa buhay nila.

I explained to Shan my speculation about the game feature. She even said it actually makes sense.

"Isn't Maerie your block mate?" I asked.

"Sa isang subject lang."

"Ilang taon na s'ya sa Phantom—"

"Really? You're going to ask a transfer student with that question?" She asked. Nakakapikon na s'ya, kaunti na lang talaga ay papatulan ko siya.

I can't ask Darren and Richard about Maerie. I know that she is one of their students, and they might get suspicious of me. Ayokong sabihan nila ako na nag-sosolo na naman, and I don't want to ruin their happiness.

"I saw your face earlier... You're not enjoying the game like your friends." Napalingon ako kay Shan dahil sa sinabi niya. Am I too obvious? "Most of them are actually watching you."

"What?"

"Your fiancé, Sir Darren, Sir Richard, your brothers, and the silent dude, they were watching your languid expression." She explained. Alam kong may nanonood sa kilos ko kanina ngunit hindi ko alam na marami sila, "Oh, I was actually watching you too and even the woman who opened the topic about my sister," Even Maddie was watching me?

"Well, I just can't enjoy the game..."

She suddenly shrugged, "It is because you know something about the game that they don't." it was just like Zeus' mother said to me. And it's true, and I know this game is fucked up. But Danima was the same parehas magulo ang dalawang laro pero hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi ko magawang mahing masaya sa bagong larong ito.

I'm threatened about this game.

"But don't you think you're selfish?" She asked. How can I be selfish? I'm not doing anything wrong.

She smirked at me and snapped her fingers, "You are not considering their feelings. I'm not naïve. I eventually noticed the reason why they are enjoying Astral Legends."

"Well, tell me."

"They are missing the bond you've all built-in Danima. The excitement, fear, adventure, and especially friendship." She stated.

Ngayon ko lang yata maranasan na matahimik dahil walang maisagot sa iisang tao. I am speechless. She might be right. I failed to consider their feelings even though I'm the one who studied people's feelings and emotions.

"You know what..."

"Hmm?"

"If you failed to notice it, then you are still the same Scarlett, the same Amethyst, the same solo player from five years ago."

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