Hyazinth: Game Over

XXIX - Hyazinth

The hues of white welcomed me, and soft light embraces me. And if heaven genuinely exists, then this will be it. The pastel blue and white mixes in the cumulus clouds as they make an arch for the forsaken once. Everything was clean, and not a single stain was tainted.

Where could I be?

"Perfect, isn't it?" Someone asked.

Even without looking behind, I know whose voice it was. I shut my eyes and wanted another word from that person to confirm that it was really him. Isang malamig na kamay ang naramdaman kong humaplos sa 'king mukha dahilan upang dahan-dahan kong buksan ang mga mata ko.

Kusang pumatak ang mga luha ko nang masilayan ko si Darren sa 'king harapan habang ang malamlam niyang mga mata ay nakatutok sa 'kin. He was alive.

"How are you?" he asked.

"I'm fine, thank you,"

His soft laugh suddenly woke me up. If I were not head over heels from Hunter, I would probably fall for that. He's the only person who can answer all the questions inside my head. Tila naintindihan niya ang nais sabihin ng mga nangungusap kong mga mata.

"You probably can't remember the real reason why Danima was created," he stated. Ginawi niya ako sa isang pwesto kung saan ang mga ulap ay naging lamesa at silya. Umupo kami ro'n habang tahimik pa rin akong naghihintay sa mga sasabihin niya.

"What do you mean, Darren?"

He smiled, "When we were first year, you were the first person who straightforwardly said that I was so stupid, yet my ideas are wonderful. My parents have never been proud of me because they can easily create the things I was inventing. It was sickening,"

Umiwas siya nang tingin at sumilay sa himpapawid. Isang malamig na halakhak ang kumawala sa kaniya.

"You look so tough, inside and out, but upon knowing who you are... you were also the stupid type; you always get Clover's potchi treats secretly, you can't swallow a little medicine – knowing those little details about became my downfall because it was too late for me to realize that I was already drowning,"

"I –"

"Danima means unsaid words. It was the meaning you told me. Other than the school completion, the other purpose of Danima was for you to tell Hunter the truth about you being Amethyst." Darren suddenly looked down and somehow covered his eyes, "It was Hunter since the beginning... up to the end. Alam ko naman 'yon pero hindi ko pa rin alam kung bakit sinasalo ko pa rin lahat ng sakit,"

"I'm sorry..."

He suddenly pulled and tightly embraces me, "It was my choice. It was my choice to be your shield," Nang pinakawalan n'ya ako'y saglit niyang nilapat ang labi niya sa 'king noo, "But this will be the end, Scarlett," he smiled.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't take all the pain I've caused," I whispered.

"Siraulo,"

Nabalot kami ng katahimikan, parehas kaming sumisilay sa himpapawid nang muli siyang magsalita, "21 days," he whispered. I quizzically looked at him and saw his genuine smile, "You were inside the game for 21 days,"

"What?" Anong pinagsasabi ng gagong 'to?

"The Zodiacs and some lucky players are supposed to Alpha Test the Danima for 30 days. Ilalabas ko naman kayo pero hindi ko alam kung bakit hinack ng siraulo kong kapatid ang laro ko. Shan was actually not part of the game kaya sobrang nag-takha ako nang makita ko s'ya. And little did I know, my sister was actually ruining the game. They know who to target, and it was you,"

Tahimik lamang akong nakikinig sa kanya ngunit hindi ko ma-imagine 'yong 21 days na sinasabi niya. Balik ulit akong college? So, sayang ang aral ko rito? At isa pa, tangina, 21 days lamang kaming nag-landian ni Hunter?

"College... back to college..." I whispered. Bigla na lamang tumawa si Darren nang malakas habang nakatingin sa 'kin. Sinamaan ko s'ya nang tingin dahilan upang tumahimik siya.

"Timeskip, sobrang talino ko 'no?"

"As if,"

Pero at least ngayon, medyo malinaw na sa 'kin ang mga nangyayari. It was so stupid of me to think that I was able to get out of the game. But knowing who Darren is, was just one of the mechanics of the games. Astral Legends was only a part of the whole Danima, and we are not really in the real world because we are still inside Danima.

The first half of Danima was just the opening, in which the game was being introduced.

"It was you who told me to erase all the data of the real, though I was giving you some hints. Pero inuna mo ang landi," Darren teased, making me glare at him, "Kidding aside. You might be still wondering why my sister want you dead,"

"Hmm?"

"You are supposed to be the final boss for the 30th day, but again my sister ruined the fun,"

I laughed at him. Dahil mukha siyang naluge sa ginawa ng kapatid n'ya. And knowing how he explains his sister only means that Crystal was different from the Crystal inside Danima. She wasn't fragile; instead, she was his naughty sister who only knows to mock him.

"Do you want to know who Hyazinth is?"

My eyes remained looking at him. He genuinely smiled at me and, once again, planted a soft kiss on my forehead.

"You are Hyazinth, the bloody Zircon, and my only weakness,"

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