A WEEK later after Shun was deported for reasons unknown to him, he was a mess. He didn’t shave. He seldom took a bath. He seldom ate. He never answered his calls and messages. He was busy trying to find a way to get back to Tuscany, to get back to Themarie, to see her again. But nothing.
Lahat na ginawa niya makabalik lang, pero duke ang nagpa-deport sa kanya. At dahil naka-tourist visa siya, madali siyang napaalis. O siguro, dahil na rin sa koneksiyon ng duke. He was a royalty after all. Alam niyang may kinalaman ang ama ni Themarie sa nangyari sa kanya, pero wala siyang balak na sumuko. Hindi niya hahayaang maikasal ang babaeng mahal niya sa iba.
Shun dropped his phone on the floor as he drank the remaining content of the bottle of rum in his hand. Nakahiga siya sa mahabang sofa habang naglalasing. Sobrang miss na miss na niya si Themarie. Mababaliw na siya sa kakaisip kung paano babalik dito.
Does she miss me, too? Alam na ba niya ang nangyari sa akin? Bakit hindi siya tumatawag sa kanya? Doesn’t she care? Has she changed her mind about fighting for me? Ayaw na ba niya sa akin?
Marami pang katanungan sa isip ni Shun na wala namang kasagutan. Nagpapabaliw iyon sa kanya. He needed to drink or else, he would really go crazy.
Bumuga siya nang marahas saka kinuha ang cell phone sa sahig. He wanted someone to talk to before he went crazy overthinking. He chose Valerian Volkzki.
“Hey, man.” His voice was slurred, he was really drunk.
“Shun?” paniniguro ni Valerian. Maybe he didn’t sound like himself.
“Yeah, it’s me.” Sinubukan niyang umupo sa sofa, pero wala siyang lakas kaya napahiga ulit. “Hey, ahm, can you, fuck… can you come over? I’m losing it, Val.”
“Losing what?” naguguluhang tanong ulit nito.
Mahina siyang tumawa nang walang buhay. “I’m losing it, Val. And it’s because of a woman whom I love so much. But she’s getting married and her very powerful father kicked me out of their country. I’m going crazy. I want to go back to Tuscany. But I can’t find another way. I have to go back. I can’t let her marry another man. She’s mine! She’s mine…” His last two words came as a whisper, no more like a plea.
Valerian sighed. “Fine. I’ll come over.”
“Thanks.”
Pinatay niya ang tawag at binitawan ang cell phone dahilan para mahulog na naman iyon sa sahig. And the next thing he knew, he was dozing off.
Hindi alam ni Shun kung ilang oras ang nakalipas nang magising siya. He could hear voices near him. Hindi nga lang niya maimulat ang mga mata dahil masakit ang kanyang ulo. Hindi siya makagalaw sa sobrang kalasingan. But he could hear the voices clearly.
“What do you know?” Boses iyon ni Ymar na parang nagtatanong.
It was Valerian’s voice who answered, he wasn’t sure though.
“Ang alam ko, ikakasal na ang babaeng mahal niya. And to top of it all, she’s a duke’s daughter. And the duke—I think or I assume—kicked him out of their country.”
“Like he was deported?” It was Knight.
“Yeah,” sabi ni Valerian. “Sabi niya, naghahanap siya ng paraan para makabalik, pero wala raw siyang mahanap.”
“So what? Tutulong pa rin tayo. How many times did this punk help us?” Boses iyon ni Iuhence. “Oo nga at kinokotongan niya tayo, pero para naman `yon sa mga batang-lansangan. Wala akong pakialam kahit anak pa siya ng hari. Let’s stop that freaking wedding.”
“Moron.” It was Knight. “He was deported. How can we stop that wedding? Though I’m just saying this, but I’m not scared. I’m a Spaniard Count.”
“Ano naman ang nakapagmamalaki sa titulo mo?” Boses iyon ni Valerian. Parang iritado kay Knight. “Count ka lang. The fact still remains na inalila n’yo kaming mga Pilipino. At hindi lang `yon, minaltrato n’yo pa kami at itinuring na mga bobo. At bakit ko tutulungan `tong singkit na `to? I hate Japanese as much as I hate Spaniards.”
“Then why are you here?” Was it Lash? “Ikaw pa nga ang nagpatawag sa amin.”
Valerian tsked. “Hindi ko nga alam kung bakit. Hinayaan ko na lang sana siyang mabaliw.”
“Shut up, Val. You’re so sour and bitter.” Si Knight ulit iyon. Parang nasisiyahan itong asarin si Valerian.
“Shut up, you two.” Si Dark. “Let’s get down to business. Ano’ng gagawin natin?”
“Oo nga. Nasa Tuscany `yong babae.” Si Ymar ang nagsalita. “And Shun is really brokenhearted.”
“Okay. What do we do?” tanong ni Tyron.
“Whatever it is, I’m in,” sabi ni Lander.
“Count me in,” sabi ni Calyx.
“Lath can’t join us. Busy siya kahahabol sa love of his life niyang si Haze,” sabi ni Lash.
“Ano na nga ang gagawin natin?” Si Train iyon at parang naiinip na.
“We stop the wedding, lunatics.” It was Cali who answered.
“Nasa Tuscany nga, `di ba? And he was deported,” sabi ni Ream na ikinagulat niya. Ano ang ginagawa nito rito? “Anyway, Dark, can you please tell your beloved Anniza that she owes me a thousands of pesos for the necklace?”
“Shut up, Ream,” Dark hissed. “Paano natin pipigilan kung nasa Tuscany ang kasal?”
“We have planes, morons,” sabi ni Valerian. “We fly.”
Knight grumbled. “I am not a moron. I excelled in my studies, thank you very much.”
“Moron,” Valerian said again, sounding delighted.
“Tumahimik nga kayong dalawa,” sabi ni Ymar. “Okay, we have planes. Pero hindi kaya makulong tayo sa gagawin natin? Shun was deported, remember? How can we get him in into the country?”
“Isama natin si Evren,” suhestiyon ni Dark. “He’s a friend and the best lawyer I know.”
“Evren Yilmaz?” tanong ni Tyron. “That guy is a legend in court.”
“Oo nga,” segunda ni Iuhence. “He could be useful.”
“International lawyer?” Lath asked.
“No… but at least we have someone who can understand the law better than we can even if we try harder?” patanong na sabi ni Dark.
“That’ll do,” sabi ni Ymar. “But how can we get Shun inside the country when he was deported?”
“I’ll take care of it,” sabi ni Knight. “I have connections in the embassy. No worries.”
“So, it’s settled then. We’re going to Tuscany,” excited na sabi ni Calyx.
Someone snorted. “Yeah. Pero bago tayo umalis, magpaalam muna kayo sa mga asawa n’yo.” Boses iyon ni Valerian. “Ayokong magka-world war three pagbalik natin.”
“Right. Let’s meet in the airport in an hour.” Boses iyon ni Train na parang palayo na.
Shun heard voices murmuring ‘okay.’ Pagkatapos, narinig niyang nagsialisan na ang mga may-ari ng boses.
Thank God. Parang may mga bubuyog kanina sa sobrang ingay ng mga ito. Pipilitin ulit sana niyang imulat ang mga mata nang may panyong tumakip sa ilong at bibig niya. He couldn’t even move to fight with so much drunkenness. At bago siya mawalan ng malay, narinig niya ang boses ni Ymar.
“Sorry, man, but we need to do this.”
“HE’LL be back for you.” Iyon ang laging sinasabi ni Terron kapag nagkikita silang dalawa kapag binibisita siya nito sa bahay.
“Kailan? Paano? He was deported, Terron.” Kumuyom ang kamao niya. “Six days from now, we’re getting married.” Isa-isang tumulo ang luha niya. “I’m already losing my mind and my hope that Shun will be back.”
“Don’t lose hope. He’ll be back,” sabi nito na umaasa pa ring hindi matutuloy ang kasal nila. Inakbayan siya ng lalaki. “If he can’t come back, we’ll find another way.”
“Is there another way?”
“Leave it to me.” Tumayo ito. “Stay here and wait for Shun. I believe that he’ll be back.”
Pilit siyang ngumiti. “Okay. I’ll wait.”
Terron patted her head and then left. Naiwan si Themarie na tahimik na umiiyak.
“Shun, please, balikan mo ako,” pagmamakawa niya sa hangin.
Napaigtad at napatingin siya sa pinto ng kuwarto niya nang bumukas iyon at pumasok ang ama niya. Mabilis niyang pinahid ang mga luha at tumayo para humarap dito.
“Papa.”
Lumapit ito sa kanya at hinaplos ang mamasa-masa pa niyang pisngi. “Your nanny told me you’ve been crying.”
Nag-iwas siya ng tingin. “I have the right to cry, Papa. Don’t take that away from me.”
Her father sighed. “I’m sorry if I’m doing this to you. It’s just that, I want to make sure if this man really loves you before you risk everything. When I fell in love with your mother, there were lots of hindrances to our happy ending. But that didn’t make me stop. I fought hard to keep your mother. I fought until I won. I even left Tuscany to go after her in the Philippines. That’s why I’m doing this. I want that man to fight for you. I want to see what he can and will do to keep you.”
“He loves me, Papa,” sabi niya sa mahinang boses, pinapaniwala ang sarili na mahal siya ni Shun at babalik ito para sa kanya.
“Then he must prove it.” He affectionately caressed her cheek. “You have to be like your mother. Even when my parents shipped her off to the Philippines and told her that I didn’t love her anymore, she was just a passing fancy, she didn’t believe them. She trusted me. She never doubted my feelings for her. That’s what you should do. If this man loves you, then he will return to fight for you. But if he doesn’t…” Tumalikod ang kanyang ama at naglakad papunta sa pinto ng kuwarto. “You will marry Terron. No buts.”
“I don’t want to,” pahabol niyang sabi.
“You don’t have a choice.” With that, her father left.
Nahiga siya sa kama at tumingin sa kisame. “Where are you, Shun?”
Please come back. I miss you!
“LUNATICS, we just entered Tuscany. Buckle up and let’s fucking descend.” Ang boses ni Valerian sa speaker ang gumising kay Shun sa pagkakaidlip.
Babangon sana siya nang mapansing nakatali siya sa kinahihigaan. Tiningnan niya nang masama ang taong may hawak ng panali—si Ymar.
“Untie me, you lunatic!” sigaw niya.
Ymar was startled and, then he chuckled. “Relax.” Tinanggal nito ang pagkakatali sa kanya. “There you go.”
Mabilis siyang bumangon at inilibot ang tingin. Parang pinupukpok ang ulo niya sa sakit. Umiikot din ang kanyang paningin, pero hindi siya puwedeng magkamali. Nasa eroplano siya.
“Nasaan ako?” tanong niya habang isa-isang tinitingnan ang mga kaibigan na kumportableng nakaupo at nagbabasa ng iba’t ibang klase ng magazine.
Si Lash ang sumagot sa kanya. Ibinaba nito ang magazine sa hita at tumingin sa kanya. “Tumingin ka sa labas ng bintana.”
“Hindi na kailangan, alam kong nasa loob ako ng eroplano,” sabi niya.
Bumuntong-hininga si Knight saka nagsalita. “Look, man, we’re just trying to help.”
“By?”
“By taking you to Tuscany, moron,” sagot ni Ymar. “Pipigilan mo ang kasal.”
Umawang ang mga labi ni Shun. “What? Nababaliw na ba kayo? I was deported, for fuck’s sake!”
“I can take care of that,” sabi ni Knight.
Napatingin siya sa kaibigan. Knight has connections. Bakit ba hindi niya iyon naisip agad noong una? Sinarili kasi niya ang problema.
“Malapit na tayo sa Tuscany, Shun,” sabi ni Tyron. “Ang kailangan lang gawin ni Valerian, ilapag ang eroplano at naroon na tayo. We already did our part and that is to bring you to Tuscany, the rest is yours. Kaya tatanungin kita ngayon, ilalapag ba ni Valerian ang eroplano at pipigilan mo ang kasal o uuwi tayo at hahayaan mong makasal ang babaeng mahal mo sa iba?”
Shun’s heart tightened painfully. Parang sirang plaka na nag-replay sa isip niya ang mga alaala kasama si Themarie.
The first time he met her. Their first kiss. Their first love making. When he offered her to live with him. Their first date. The time that she left him and he searched for her like a mad man. When he saw her again in that ball. When he learned that she was her partner. Their love making in the condo, in her room in her house and in Monte Carlo. And their last kiss in the condo, before he got deported.
Lahat ng alaalang iyon, may kasamang saya at sakit. But he would not allow Themarie to be married to another man. Kung may papakasalan man ito, siya dapat.
“She’s mine,” sabi niya na nakatiim ang bagang. “If she’s going to marry someone, that someone should be me.”
Hindi niya kakayaning may humahalik na ibang lalaki sa babaeng mahal niya. Hindi niya kayang tanggapin na may ibang makakakita sa katawan nito na halos sambahin niya kapag nagtatalik sila. Hindi kayang tanggapin ng puso niya na ang babaeng mahal niya, magpapakasal sa ibang lalaki, lalo na kay Terron.
Themarie is mine!
Hindi siya mabubuhay nang masaya kung wala si Themarie sa tabi niya. He had to stop the wedding.
But how? Ang tanging pinanghahawakan lang ni Shun ay ang kaalamang ipaglalaban din siya ni Themarie.
In that moment, an idea hit him. Isang paraan lang ang naiisip niya para mapigilan ang kasal. Kailangan niyang kausapin ang ama ni Themarie. He had to show the duke that he loved his daughter to the moon and back.
Humugot siya ng malalim na hininga saka pumasok sa cockpit para kausapin si Valerian. “Land this plane. I’m stopping that fucking wedding.”
Valerian grimaced. “I don’t take orders from a Japanese.” Then, he spoke on the speaker. “Put your seatbelt on, buckle up, we’re about to descend.”
Mabilis siyang umalis sa cockpit at umupo sa bakanteng upuan saka nagsuot ng seat belt. Nang mag-angat ng tingin si Shun, napakunot ang noo niya nang makita ang hindi niya kilalang lalaki na katabi ni Dark.
“Who are you?” tanong niya.
Sinalubong ng lalaki ang tingin niya. “I’m Evren Yilmaz. And I’m here in case you all go to prison for what you’re about to do. You need an awesome attorney to bail you out.” He grinned. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Shun Kim.”
“Same here.” Tinanggap niya ang pakikipagkamay nito saka tumingin sa labas ng bintana. Malapit nang lumapag ang eroplanong sinasakyan nila.
I’m coming for you, Themarie. But first, I will have a talk with your father.