Chapter Text
Malalim ang buntong-hiningang pinakawalan ni Don Lucas, bagay na bumasag sa katahimikang kanina pang nakapalibot sa siyam na tao sa hapag. Katahimikan, bukod sa pagtama ng mabibigat na kubyertos sa kapwa ring mabibigat na plato.
“Silv,” panimula ni Lucas. “Hindi ba talaga darating si Stell? Anong oras na.”
“Lolo, huwag n’yo na po kasing hanapin yung wala,” sagot ni Angela, ang apong pinakamalapit sa kabisera. Her seat would have been Stell’s pero dahil wala ang paboritong apo ng Don, she took the chance to seat beside the Q Group chairman. On her right was her twin sister Charice, and in front of her was her uncle Silv and his family. Her face was as angelic as her name, but her raised brow was saying otherwise.
“Paano kong hindi hahanapin eh kanina pa akong naalibadbaran sa nakikita ko,” anito, kasabay ng mabilisang pagtapon ng tingin sa direksyon ng kapatid ni Stell.
“Dad,” sagot sana ni Silv kung hindi lang mabilis na sumegunda si Charice.
“Lolo’s right.” Nakangisi pa ang dalaga nang magsalita. Her red lips accentuated the curve of her mouth more, and her lashes fluttered nicely despite the meaningful look she had towards the family seated opposite her. “We’re supposed to celebrate Tita’s birthday but this party’s no fun. Nakakawalang gana.”
“Parang hindi naman. Nakatatlong kuha ka na nga ng rice. Kala mo ‘di ko nabibilang?” ganti ni Josh, nilalaro na lang ang piraso ng fillet sa sariling plato. Tila siya ang tunay na nawawalan ng gana kahit maikli pa lang ang takbo ng usapan. Kung hindi niya pa naramdaman ang marahang pagpisil ni Ken sa hita niya, baka hindi na siya nakapagpigil pa.
Suminghal si Lucas. “You know full well I didn’t want your other son in here, Silv.” Lucas was talking to his quiet son as if Josh wasn’t there to hear everything.
“Ayos ah. All this time akala ko invisible ako. It turns out kailangan lang palang maging absent ni Stell para makita n’yo ako. I exist pala?” Sarkastikong pa siyang tumawa. His mom, seated in between him and his dad tried to calm him down, but Lucas was not done yet.
“I could have ignored you if it’s only you. Pero nagsama ka pa ng—” sunod na sinulyapan ng Don ang katabi ni Josh bago muling nagbuntong-hinga. “Where are your morals!”
“Yeah right. Kapag si Stell ang nagdala ng boyfriend okay lang. Kapag ako ang may boyfriend you’ll ask about my morals?”
“At sumasagot ka pa!”
“It’s not surprising naman, Lolo,” muling sabat ni Angela. “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, they say.”
“Hoy Angela, hindi ko gusto ang tabas ng dila mo ah. Kung putulin ko na kaya?” banta ni Josh pagkabitaw ng kutsara para damputin ang dinner knife.
“Bakit, totoo naman di ba? Your morals are as questionable as your parents’. Your dad's a cheater and your mom's a mistress.”
“Angela!” Sigaw ni Josh.
“What? My sister’s right,” Charice added. “You lot should be ashamed of yourself yet you’re all here? Today of all days! When we’re celebrating Tita Mia’s birthday. Tita Mia who committed suicide after learning about Tito Silv’s affair.”
“Enough, you two!” Josh shouted, jumping from his seat.
“Josh, stop it! Maupo ka nga,” pigil sa kanya ni Silv.
“No dad! Sila ang dapat mong patigilin. Harap-harapan kayong dini-disrespect ni Mommy at wala kayong gagawin? You and mom have been married for more than two decades now and they’re still calling her your mistress!”
“Tito Silv marrying your mom doesn’t make her any less of the homewrecker that she is though,” Charice went on. “And you? Bastardo ka pa rin. Quitales ka lang sa birth certificate. But you will never have a place in this family.”
“Cha?!” awat kunwari ni Angela sa nakababata, ngunit halata sa umbok sa pisngi ang pagpipigil ng tawa. “You don’t need to remind him that. I’m sure he knows. Right, Joshie?”
Josh didn’t answer, but the way he was gritting his teeth was obvious behind his closed mouth; the rise and fall of his chest were giveaways of his anger. He gave each person at the long table a quick look, except for Ken, before storming out of the dining hall.
“Josh!” pasigaw na habol ni Arren, tumayo na rin sa kinauupuan, ngunit pinigilan ito ng asawa para humakbang.
“Ako na po,” prisinta ni Ken, makailang beses pang tinapik ang balikat ng ginang hanggang sa muli itong umupo, bago sumunod sa nobyo.
“Josh!” Ken called as soon as he saw his partner outside the house, already reaching for the door handle of his sleek black car. “Love, are you okay?”
Dahan-dahang pumihit si Josh paharap kay Ken. “I'm not. And I hate this.”
Ken heaved a deep breath. “Sorry. Siguro kung hindi ako sumama sa’yo—”
“No,” Josh cut him off as soon as he started. “Hindi mo kasalanang homophobic ang lolo ko. O na wala siya ni katiting na amor sa’kin dahil bastardo ako. Bakit, ginusto ko bang maging anak sa labas? Nung sperm pa lang ba ‘ko sinabi ko ba kay Dad na iputok niya ‘ko sa loob? O noong fetus ba ‘ko binulungan ko ba si Mommy na wag na wag niya ‘kong ipapalaglag? When that’s the best option for her because I’m a child outside marriage?”
“Love, calm down. Don’t say that.”
“Totoo naman eh. It’s just not fair. They will not treat me right. They will never acknowledge me. Kahit Quitales ako. Kahit gaano ako kagaling, kahit ako ang apong may pinakamaraming napatunayan, at kahit gaano ako ka-deserving sa lahat ng bagay na meron ako, it’s nothing. I’m nothing. Hindi ako kayang respetohin ng mga pinsan ko, hindi ako kayang ipagtanggol ng mga magulang ko. At si Lolo? Si Stell lang ang magaling sa paningin niya.”
“Speaking of your brother. Where is he?”
Josh shook his head. “The last I heard from Soph, he’s missing.”
Sejun couldn’t help but roll his eyes when, for the nth time, his call didn’t push through. Nasuntok na niya ang manibela ng minamanehong kotse, nasabunutan sa inis ang sarili, dahilan para masira ang maganda niyang half-ponytail.
“Damn you, Stell. Nasaan ka na naman ba?”
Stellvester Quitales, President and CEO of Nineteen Malls, had gone missing two nights prior, yet his trusted assistant knew better than report to the police. Hindi basta nawawala si Stell, nagliliwaliw lang ito. At hindi niya alam kung saan.
Napakahusay!
“Call Justin,” Sejun commanded the AI assistant in his phone, and he immediately heard rings from the other line. Naubos lang at lahat ang ring ngunit hindi rin sumagot si Justin.
“Bullshit!”
The shareholder’s meeting is seven days away and Sejun didn’t have any idea whether his stupid boss would show up or not. Goddamnit. Was he trying to sabotage himself?
Walang masyadong sasakyan sa paligid, but being the good citizen that he is, he started slowing down when the traffic lights turned yellow. He was the opposite of Stell who liked the thrill of beating the red light; crossing during red lights even, especially when the traffic wasn’t heavy and there’s an officer that would run after him for his violation. Pag hindi nahuli, edi ayos. Kapag nahabol siya he’d “reward” the officer for “winning their race.” So far, wala pang hindi nasilaw sa kapal ng blue bills na dinudukot nito sa halos pumutok nang pitaka.
“Stupid Stell,” Sejun commented under his breath.
Speak of the devil… was that his boss? The one crossing the street with a petite woman, dressed in a stupid statement shirt and ugly bucket hat (Sejun’s standards), a pair of tattered sneakers in his feet, and a counterfeit Jansport hanging on his right shoulder?
That was too much to unpack but Sejun knew his childhood friend like the back of his hand so he couldn’t be wrong.
He glanced at the digital timer beside the lights. 10 more seconds. 9… 8…
Stell and the woman he was with were walking towards a… cheap motel? Oh wait, no, just the equally cheap coffee shop near it. Scarbucks, really? Since 2010. How was that shop not sued yet?
The lights finally went green, and Sejun stomped on the gas, cursing another when the parking space beside a black 4x4 he thought was empty was actually occupied by a bike. A bike! Gitnang-gitna pa!
He guessed the motel had parking spaces but he didn’t have time for that, so he decided to just pull up. But of course, the hotel guard had to walk towards him and tell him off.
“Boss, bawal po mag-park dyan. Hazard po kayo,” anito pagkababang-pagkababa niya ng bintana.
“I know. Kita mo, naka-signal na ‘ko di ba?”
“Bawal dito, sir. Sa loob na lang kayo mag-park.”
“Kuya, sandali lang ako—”kakaladkarin ko lang si Stell palabas “—bibili lang akong kape. Mabilis lang ‘yon di ba?”
“Pero bawal nga po dyan, sir.”
“Kuya, hindi naman ako magpupumilit mag-park dito kung hindi nakaharang yung bike do’n oh. Puwede bang paki-urong na lang ‘yan ng konti para makapag-park ako? Gitnang-gitna eh.”
Lumingon lang sandali ang guard sa bisikleta, pero wala namang ginawa. “Pasok na lang kayo sa ilalim, sir. Maraming space sa loob.”
“Goodness gracious.” He ran his fingers through his hair in unbelief, further ruining his ‘do. May bayad ba ang parking sa hotel? At may komisyon ang guardiya? Sampalin niya na lang kaya ito ng pera nang tumigil? Sure, that’s something Stell would do, but he’s not one to adapt the other’s misbehavior. Pero parang malapit na.
Late bloomer kasi si Stell, ngayon nagrerebelde kung kailan trenta na, Sejun needed to remind himself constantly. Hindi sa kinukunsinti niya si Stell, sadyang iniintindi niya lang ito.
Susukuan na sana ni Sejun ang pakikipagdebate nang lumabas sa shop ang may-ari ng bike. The teenager quickly pedaled his way out of the parking space, and Sejun shrugged his shoulders with a smug triumphant smile. Nakaparada rin nang maayos sa wakas!
In fairness, maganda ang interior ng Scarbucks. Mabango sa loob, amoy coffee beans. Hindi lang kalakihan ang lugar, at wala pa sa sampu ang mesa. And yet he couldn’t find his headache of an employer.
“May I take your order sir?” nakangiting bungad ng babae sa counter. Ang liit lang kasi talaga sa loob, ilang hakbang lang mula sa entrance ay counter na agad.
“Uh…” Nagpasalin-salin ang mga mata ni Sejun sa menu at sa paligid, hinahanap pa rin si Stell. Saan ba nagsuot ang lalaking iyon? “One Americano please.”
“For what size po?”
“Uh… tall.”
“Sir regular, medium—”
“I’ll get the regular size then.”
“Hot or iced po?”
“Hot.”
“For here po ba, sir?”
“No, to go.”
“99 lang sir.”
Sejun deftly pulled a bill from his wallet. Malay niya kung magkano ang nahugot niya. Halos humaba na ang leeg niya sa kakalingon ngunit ni anino ng hinahanap ay di niya makita. Maski ang babaeng kasama nitong pumasok sa loob ay hindi niya na rin mahagilap. Okay, not that he really minded the woman earlier to remember her face. Or her dress. Err, his mind insisted the woman was actually wearing square pants.
“Sir, baka may smaller—”
“Keep the change. Anyway, miss, di ba may pumasok dito kaninang matangkad na lalaki? Naka-white shirt and bucket hat. May kasamang payat na babae. Nasaan na sila?”
“Sir?” Tila nagulat ang babae sa biglaang pagtatanong niya.
“I’m looking for someone. Para kasing kaibigan ko yung pumasok kanina. Just making sure.”
“One frappucino for Prince, ready at the bar!”
“Oh, sakto! Nag-CR lang ako ayan na agad order ko. May extra whipped cream to ha?”
Isang payat na babae ang naglabas ng order at isang lalaki ang lumapit sa claiming area para kunin ang kahahanda lang na inumin. Isang lalaking naka-white shirt at bucket hat. Mabuti at nahagip siya ng mga mata ni Sejun.
“Stell!” tawag ni Sejun. Pero hindi siya pinansin nito.
“Sige, Cha, bukas na lang ulit,” nakangiting anito pagdampot ng order. Lumingon ito sa babae sa counter at nakangiting kumaway para magpaalam, ngunit hindi siya tinapunan ng katiting na pansin kahit halos magkaharap na sila.
“Bye, Prince!” paalam ng babaeng tinawag ni Stell(?) na Cha.
“Sir, name n’yo na lang po? Sir?”
“Ha?” Naibalik ni Sejun ang tingin sa kausap. “Uh, never mind.”
“Sir?”
He was about to step away from the counter and follow the man exiting the shop, but he heard a familiar sound coming from behind him, from his phone nestling at the back pocket of his pants to be exact. The song was his assigned tone for Justin.
“Justin,” he said as soon as the call’s answered and the phone pressed on his ear. But there were nothing on the other line aside from sobs and heavy pants.
Namaywang si Sejun, umikot ang mga mata. “Stell ginagago mo ba ‘ko? What, you called me just to make me listen to you having sex with your boyfriend?”
“S-Sej… Sej, hindi.” It was Justin’s voice who answered. It was Justin’s phone anyway. At nasa harap niya nga lang kanina si Stell, di ba?
“Sej.” A sniff. “Sej si Stell kasi eh.” Another sniff.
“Justin, pwede ba? Ano bang sasabihin mo? Diretsohin mo na nga at busy ako. Kasama mo si Stell? Nasaan kayo?”
“We met with an accident.”
“What?”
“Yung truck kasi—Sej, natatakot ako. Ang daming dugo kanina… Nasa ER siya. Hindi pa lumalabas yung doctor, kanina pa yun.”
“Justin, will you please calm down? Seryoso ka ba? Nasaan kayo? Saang ospital? You didn’t bring him to HMH right?”
“Hindi, hindi.” Justin answered after moments of silence. Sejun could only deduce Justin shook his head before realizing he couldn’t see him. “At least I know better than that. Malayo din yun sa pinangyarihan ng aksidente kaya sa pinakamalapit na ospital kami dinala ng ambulance.”
“Then where the heck are you now exactly?”
“Uhm… I’m not sure. I’ll—I’ll go find a nurse and ask.”
“Okay, just text me your location. Pupunta na ‘ko dyan. And don’t tell anyone about the accident.”
Ni hindi naghintay ng sagot si Sejun. Pinutol niya na ang tawag, ibinulsang muli ang telepono at patakbong lumabas ng shop.
“Sir, yung coffee n’yo!”
According to Waze, the unfamiliar hospital located in Tagaytay was a 2-hour drive from Scarbucks. Godfuckingdamnit. But at least it wasn’t Hermoso Medical Hospital, or Stell’s accident would headline all news outlets tomorrow for sure. Carmina Quitales-Hermoso and her family would very much want to put their noses on Stell’s business if given the chance.
And the shareholder’s meeting's in a week! And yes, that’s all Sejun was concerned about. For Stell’s sake, of course. Nineteen was all Stell had. It was all he'll ever need. Wala siyang pake sa construction company ng ama, o sa iba pang businesses ng lolo.
Stell had practically stopped giving a damn since he was twelve. Since his mother committed suicide. Was killed, young Stell would insist. She was pushed to a corner, forced to give up and take her own life. It was gaslighting to call it suicide when everyone conspired to murder the poor, broken wife.
Sejun was fourteen then. He couldn’t do anything aside from watch the world crumble around Stell, and eavesdrop on funeral guests that had nothing better to do than gossip about Silver’s affair, about how his benefactor, a public lawyer, was blameworthy of her own demise.
Anong klaseng maybahay nga naman daw ang uunahin pa ang trabaho kaysa sa sariling asawa? These same people never questioned the fact that Silv had hidden a son that was Stell’s age. That he’s been lying to his good wife for more than a decade.
Nawala si Sejun sa kanyang pagbabalik-tanaw nang muling mag-ring ang phone niya. Si Justin ulit. Mabilis niyang sinagot ang tawag, naka-set sa loudspeaker.
“Yes, Justin? Has anything happened? Nagising na ba si Stell?”
“No, not yet. Pero may mga pulis kasi dito. Nanghihingi sila ng statement.” Justin was almost whispering; his deep, rich voice was so much calmer now than the first time he called.
“Wag ka munang magbibigay ng statement. Papunta na si attorney dyan. Huwag na huwag mong ibibigay sa mga pulis ang pangalan mo lalong-lalong na ang pangalan ni Stell. May media ba dyan?”
“Wala. So far wala.”
“Okay, good. Lalong wag kang makikipag-usap sa media kung may dumating man. Don’t let them take photos of you either.”
“Yes, yes. I understand. Nasa’n ka na ba?”
“Palabas na ‘ko ng toll gate. I’ll be there in an hour. Again, don’t say anything to the police yet. I already told Attorney Cruz what happened and that we’ll settle.”
“Settle?” Bahagyang tumaas ang boses ni Justin. “What do you mean we’ll settle? That driver should be jailed! My fiancé’s in coma right now because—”
“Stell’s in what right now?”
And the line suddenly went silent. Not entirely silent. Sejun didn’t need to look at his phone to confirm the call wasn’t cut yet. He could still hear white noises from the other line—voices, footsteps, even the sharp intake of Justin’s breath.
“You’re kidding me!” Sejun tried to laugh it off and he could only imagine Justin wincing at his voice.
As soon as the toll barrier went up, Sejun stepped on the gas, speed limits be damned.
“And for how long is he going to be in coma?”
Justin could only take a deep breath to try to calm himself down. Talagang mas inuna pang hanapin ni Sejun ang doktor na tumingin kay Stell kaysa kamustahin ang lagay nito. And now impatience was evident in his voice. Hindi ba talaga nito kayang mag-alala para sa kababata?
“Two weeks, three weeks. We can’t really say since it depends on how fast his body will recover.”
“Three? We can’t even afford him sleeping there for 48 hours. Doc, can’t you do something so he’d wake up faster? Like, I don’t know, shock him until he wakes up?”
“Sejun, ano ba?” Hindi na nakapagpigil si Justin. Kung nagulat man ang doktor sa mungkahi ni Sejun, naeskandalo naman ito sa bigla niyang pagsigaw. “Naririnig mo ba ang sarili mo?”
“Well, yes. And I’m very much aware how desperate I sound right now. But you do understand that he needs to be in the shareholders’ meeting, correct?”
Justin laughed. He hated himself for laughing in this situation. But there’s no way Sejun was serious, right? There’s no way he’s more concerned about a meeting happening in a few days than the wellbeing of his best friend lying unconscious right in front of him.
“Sej, seryoso ka ba? Na mas iniisip mo ‘yong shareholder’s meeting? Tinanong mo na ba kung kamusta na si Stell? Kung kamusta ang blood pressure niya, kung hindi ba siya nabalian ng buto, kung okay ba ang x-ray niya. Tinanong mo ba kung wala siyang head injury, o kung ano yung dahilan bakit siya comatosed ngayon?” Justin tried his hardest to control his voice, to not let it crack, but keeping his tears from falling was already too much. Sejun’s indifference was too much.
“Doktor ba ‘ko, Justin? Sa tingin mo may magagawa ako kung mataas man o mababa ang blood pressure niya? Eh ano kung may bali nga siyang buto? Do you expect me to put a cast on his injury? I already have too much on my plate right now, if I may tell you. Pati healing process ng tanga mong boyfriend sa’kin mo pa rin iaasa?”
Marahas na naipunas ni Justin ang likod ng kanang kamay sa kanyang mga mata. Ngunit wala pala iyong silbi dahil hindi rin naman tumigil ang mga mata niya sa pagluha.
“Wala akong sinabing ganon. Ang akin lang, bakit mas concern ka pa sa lintik na meeting na yan kaysa sa kaibigan mo?”
“You know very well why. Walang silbi ang 40% share niya kung hindi niya magagamit sa botohan dahil nakahilata siya dyan. Stop painting me out to be the villain here, Justin. You know how much I’m willing to dirty my hands just to protect Stell. You know how much I—” Sejun chose to heave a deep breath than continue. Naisuklay na naman niya ang kamay sa mahaba niyang buhok, mula sa mga ugat pababa sa dulo nito. Kanina pang sira ang half ponytail niya. At mukhang malapit na niyang makalbo ang sarili sa stress.
Justin on the other hand threw himself back down the chair beside Stell’s bed. He buried his face in his palms.
The doctor finally had the chance to clear his throat. “Well, then, if you would excuse me.”
Tumango lang si Sejun sa doktor at lumabas na nga ito ng silid.
The medical center was small, but Sejun made sure Stell was moved to the best room, for his privacy’s sake as well. He was still torn between transferring Stell to a better hospital or keep him there. There was also the option of hiding him in the De Dios vacation house in Antipolo, or Stell’s private resort in Batangas. Though they can’t afford to hide him for long.
Josh was close to kicking his uncle as Hermoso Medical’s director after discreetly acquiring as much as 22% of the hospital’s shares. Hindi malabong matagal na rin nitong ginagapang ang pag-agaw ng Nineteen sa kapatid, though the last time he checked, Josh was aiming for Queens Hotel. Sa ngayon ay na kay Don Lucas pa rin ang majority ng shares ng Queens, kaya malabong maagaw ni Josh ang posisyon sa panganay ni Carmina.
Anyway, Queen’s the least of his concerns. Hindi talaga puwedeng umabsent si Stell sa darating na shareholder’s meeting. Ugh, but how the fuck? Alangan namang dalhin niya si Stell na nasa stretcher. Edi lalo lang nanganib ang posisyon nito sa kompanya.
If only he could represent Stell at the meeting. Nope, that won’t work either. It’s Stell the shareholders trust, not his snob assistant.
If only he could show them a robot that looked exactly like Stell. Maybe a magical doll that moves and speaks, or a puppet that he could control, so long as it could fool the shareholders.
“Or maybe, a person who looked like Stell.”
“What?” Napaangat ng tingin si Justin kay Sejun nang bigla itong magsalitang mag-isa.
“I need to go back. Tawagan mo agad ako sakaling magising si Stell.” Hindi na nakita pa ni Sejun ang marahang pagtango ni Justin dahil dali-dali na siyang tumungo sa pinto para lumabas.
Hindi niya sigurado kung saan niya hahagilapin ang lalaking naka-white shirt at bucket hat. Ang alam niya lang ay kailangan niya itong mahanap, makausap, at mapapayag na magpanggap na si Stell pansamantala.