Jay-jay's POV
My hands hurt. I tried cracking my knuckles, but it only made the pain worse. The doctor said there was nothing wrong—no fractures or sprains. But it still hurts. Damn it! Every time that thing happens to me, my hands end up like this.
I was currently on the couch in the living room. We had just gotten home from the hospital.
We—as in all of us! Including Aries The Horoscope. You can now check your fortune.
I glanced at him sitting on the sofa across from me. His eyes were closed, head resting against the backrest. Band-aids and gauze covered parts of his face, while all I had left from the hospital was the bandage on my head.
"...Is that so? Alright, thank you." I heard Tito Julz say to the person he was speaking with on the phone.
Tita Gema entered the house carrying some of Aries' and my bags. She was met with Tito's somber expression.
"Why? Did something happen?" Tita asked.
"Angelo hasn't been going to work. It's been a few days now."
I sat up straight. What do you mean he's not going to work? Seriously? But they were the ones who said there were still a lot of things that could be salvaged in the company, and yet, Kuya didn't even show up.
"...I guess I'll have to handle things for now. Can you try calling his friends? He hasn't come home for three nights." Tito added.
Tita's face immediately filled with worry. It seemed like she had no idea Kuya had been doing this.
"O-okay... I'll call his friends." Tita replied.
She left our bags and went off somewhere, with Tito following behind. A few moments later, they returned, looking restless and unsure of what to do first. Both of them were on their phones, speaking with someone.
When they disappeared from my sight again, Mama arrived. She came from the kitchen, holding a glass of juice. I kind of want some too! Mama stared at me while drinking her juice. Then she shifted her gaze to Aries and smiled.
"When you two are like this, your resemblance really shows." She said with a grin.
I grimaced just as Aries suddenly stood up, eyebrows furrowed as he stared at me.
"Eew! I look like a monkey!" He said before quickly rushing to his room.
"What monkey? I'd be one fine-looking monkey if you were referring to me—even though I'm not."
He didn't answer. Aries, that lunatic, disappeared from our sight. Maybe that was the effect of Mykel's beating.
But where could Kuya Angelo be? He didn't visit me at the hospital, but Yuri and the others told me he was there when I was rushed in. I also found out that the Ulupong guys arrived late because they were too confident we were just on the second floor.
They only became suspicious when David suddenly left without saying anything. When Felix went up to the second floor and saw that we weren't there, that's when they started moving.
Honestly, I'd rather they hadn't caught us at all. It was better that they arrived late, even though C-in had already been beaten. I wouldn't even know how to explain to them what happens to me when I see and taste blood.
But what really is this? Is it an illness or something else?
"Ma..." I called out to Mama, who was currently texting on her phone. "...do you remember anything unusual happening to me when I was a kid?"
She looked at me, full of curiosity. "What do you mean by unusual?"
I sighed. "Never mind. Forget it." I stood up and was about to leave when she spoke again.
"Is something wrong? You can tell me." She said with a smile.
I shook my head. I know what she's doing. She's trying to get closer to me. Isn't she already satisfied with our casual conversations? I even show her respect by calling her Mama. I thought our talk with Aries made everything clear to her.
"Nothing. You wouldn't understand anyway."
I grabbed my bag and Aries' bag from the floor. I walked past her and headed up the stairs. Horoscope's bag was heavier since he stayed in the hospital longer.
When I reached his room, I let go of his bag with a loud thud and banged on his door. My hand throbbed, so I instinctively held onto it.
The door swung open, and my brother greeted me with a scowl.
"You have no brain! You can't even knock properly!" He snapped.
And now I'm the one with no brain?
"Your bag! And you're ugly!" I quickly walked to my room.
That bastard even had the audacity to curse at me before I could close my door. If I wasn't so exhausted, I would've bombarded him with curses in return. Does he even know who he's messing with?! I might as well hold the world record for the sharpest insults.
Except that damn 'Profanity' rule cut it down.
I threw myself onto the bed. My last conversation with the King of the Ulupong came back to me.
At the same time, I felt a dull ache in my chest.
He hasn't called again. I even asked C-in for help, but he said he wasn't replying to his messages either.
Said he missed me, but only called once. Idiot!
Speaking of calls, I heard my phone ringing. I sat up and saw my school bag on top of the study table. I had left it in the classroom when I went looking for C-in. Looks like the Ulupong guys brought it here.
I quickly searched for my phone, but the call ended before I could find it.
Missed call from GagongBaliw! There were also a lot of text messages from him.
From: GagongBaliw
Message: enjoy ur lunch.
(Enjoy your lunch)
From: GagongBaliw
Message: you have adobo and fast food too. Such an appetite!
I was puzzled by his message. This was the day C-in disappeared. How did he know what I was eating? I went back through his texts.
From: GagongBaliw
Message: your stepbrother and the kid are so noisy. I can't sleep.
How?! How did he know that one of the people with me was my stepbrother? I was confused by what he said. How could he have been disturbed by the noise if… there was no one else there but us! There was no one else there! The classrooms were open, so we could easily see if there was another person—except in one room.
The last room, the one with the pictures.
That's when it all came back to me. There was someone there! I heard the loud slam of a door. I knew it didn't come from Section E's classroom.
Could it have been him?!
I checked the rest of his messages.
From: GagongBaliw
Message: don't leave them! They're fighting.
From: GagongBaliw
Message: Hey! Why are you taking so long?
From: GagongBaliw
Message: why aren't you answering my texts?
From: GagongBaliw
Message: why aren't you replying?
From: GagongBaliw
Message: did something happen? Why are you in a hurry?
From: GagongBaliw
Message: I have to go. Hope you're okay.
From: CrazyBastard
Message: I heard you were hospitalized? What happened?
From: CrazyBastard
Message: who hurt you?
From: CrazyBastard
Message: can you please answer my call?
From: CrazyBastard
Message: Mykel Mitchell... I will make him pay.
I froze. How did he know about that? How did he know Mykel? I sat down on the bed, my head aching from the confusion.
I was also starting to get nervous about this guy. After weeks of talking, I had noticed many things about him—and most of them matched someone I knew.
But that was impossible! That person wasn't a Jejemon!
He also wasn't the type to enjoy texting. He wouldn't waste his time on something so trivial.
I checked his remaining messages, hoping to confirm my suspicion.
From: GagongBaliw
Message: when are you getting discharged from the hospital?
From: GagongBaliw
Message: I wanted to visit you, but you have too many people watching over you.
From: GagongBaliw
Message: I hope you reply to at least one of my messages.
From: GagongBaliw
Message: can't help it! I'm coming to see you!
From: GagongBaliw
Message: so that's why you didn't reply. You're sleeping. You look so peaceful.
He visited me?!
I checked the date and time of the text. That was my third or fourth day in the hospital.
From: GagongBaliw
Message: your Mom looks like you. Older version of you.
I stood up, covering my mouth with my hand. He saw Mom?
I quickly ran out of the room, calling for Mom over and over. I found her in the kitchen, talking to Aunt Gema.
"What is it?! Why are you calling me like that?!" she asked, annoyed.
"Didn't you?! Didn't you always watch over me at night when I was in the hospital?!" I asked hurriedly.
She raised an eyebrow and nodded. Even Aunt Gema was looking at me curiously.
"Was there a guy who visited me?!"
Mom thought for a moment. I knew she was awake whenever she watched over me at night. She also never visited in the morning because she was sleeping at home.
"I don't think so…" she said.
My shoulders dropped as I turned away. I was about to leave when Mom spoke again.
"...but one time, I ran into a guy heading towards your room. Then when I came back, I saw him coming out of your room…"
I faced her again and waited for what she would say next. Please, let her know who it is! Please!
"...he looked familiar to me. But I didn't see his face clearly because he was wearing a baseball cap."
Oh, f**!*
I scratched the back of my head and excused myself. I returned to my room and flopped onto my bed, burying my face in my pillow.
Damn it! Who the hell is this GagongBaliw?!
I grabbed my phone again. I didn't finish reading his texts—I was the one who sent him a message this time.
To: GagongBaliw
Message: Hey! GagongBaliw!
I didn't have to wait long. The idiot replied immediately.
From: GagongBaliw
Message: I miss you too!
I grimaced and quickly typed a reply.
To: GagongBaliw
Message: So you really went to the hospital. Why didn't you show yourself to me?
From: GagongBaliw
Message: I did! You just had your eyes closed. Haha
He even had the nerve to laugh at me. What an idiot!
To: CrazyBastard
Message: You're crazy! You went there anyway. You should've just introduced yourself.
From: CrazyBastard
Message: You already know me.
I frowned at what he said. I know him? If I did, why was I trying so hard to make him reveal himself? Idiot!
To: CrazyBastard
Message: I don't know you! Annoying!
I dropped my phone when my hand throbbed in pain again. I massaged it to ease the discomfort.
The last time this happened, Yuri was the one who massaged it. After a few days, the pain was gone.
I picked up my phone again and texted Yuri. I told him about the pain in my hand and asked if he could do what he did last time. Just as I sent my message, another text from GagongBaliw arrived.
From: GagongBaliw
Message: Did you go on a date with Yuri?
Whut?! Even that, he knows.
To: GagongBaliw
Message: None of your business! How do you even know that?
From: GagongBaliw
Message: Why?! Why did you go with that nerd?
How does he know Yuri? And why does he call him a nerd? Are they close? I never heard about that.
To: GagongBaliw
Message: Because I wanted to!
From: GagongBaliw
Message: You never told me you liked nerds!
Even though I wasn't facing him, I could feel his irritation. It was as if he was extremely jealous of Yuri.
To: GagongBaliw
Message: None of your business!
From: GagongBaliw
Message: Damn it! I'll wait for my chance, and I assure you. You won't look at anyone else.
Suddenly, my hair stood on end. I sat up on the bed and left my cellphone behind. Looks like I need some water. I can't handle this GagongBaliw.
I walked to the kitchen. Mama and Aunt Gema were no longer there. I got myself some water, just as I had planned. While drinking, I glanced at the fridge.
I hadn't been eating properly while I was in the hospital. Since no one was around, I opened it, and right in front of me was Cookies and Cream ice cream. I even clapped my hands before grabbing it and digging in.
Delicious! Delicious!
While I was busy eating, I heard Aunt Gema sounding angry. I moved closer to the kitchen door, about to step out, but then I heard Kuya Angelo's voice, so I stopped.
"Ma! Please! I'm tired!" Kuya said, annoyed.
"Are you even thinking?! You just left and stopped going to work!" Aunt Gema scolded.
"I had something to take care of!"
"And what was that? You were looking for the ones who beat up Aries and Jay-jay?! We should just press charges and let the police handle it."
"Not every problem can be solved by the police."
"Angelo, come on!"
"I'm going back to work tomorrow. I already found Mykel, so I don't have to worry anymore."
I wanted to come out and ask Kuya about Mykel—what he did and what happened—because of what he said next.
"...He's in a coma. In a private hospital. Looks like karma got him."
Karma really is digital.
I covered my mouth in shock. So someone else had taken him down? But who? My heart pounded in an unexplainable way.
Aunt and Kuya talked for a while. I was forced to hang around in the kitchen and finish my ice cream. Only when I was sure they were gone did I step out and head straight to my room. I called Yuri.
["Jay?"] he greeted when he answered.
"Are you busy?" I asked.
["Not really, why?"]
"Because... Mykel. He's in a private hospital."
["What?! He's still alive?"]
I grimaced. "O-of course."
["Good. Because I'm the one who's going to kill him."]
Damn it! Venomous snake!
"What the hell?! Let's go see him! I want to see him!"
["Do you know which hospital?"]
"Uh... No."
["Tss... Nice."] he said sarcastically. ["Hold on. I'll make a call."]
He didn't even wait for me to respond before hanging up. Looks like he's going to use his connections. It's different when you have money—you have a lot of hands working for you. It's like you can find out anything.
Within minutes, I received a text from Yuri.
From: Yuri
Message: I'm on my way. I'll pick you up.
I didn't waste any time. I changed clothes and quickly left my room. I ran into Aunt Gema and told her I was heading out. She didn't want to let me go at first, but then I heard Yuri's car honking outside along with a text message from him saying he was waiting.
"Do you know where it is?" I asked as soon as I got in the car.
"Yes." He answered quickly.
He started the engine. I couldn't help but feel tense. Even though I had nothing to do with what happened to Mykel, I still felt connected to the person who did this to him.
We arrived at a private hospital. The building had six floors, and most of the rooms weren't air-conditioned. Yuri parked the car, and we got out.
"He's in the ICU." He said, leading the way.
I thought he was going to take the elevator, but when he saw that there were too many people, he chose the stairs instead. I followed without complaint. We stopped on the third floor. We approached a nurse's station.
"Where is your ICU?" Yuri asked one of the nurses.
She pointed to a window not far away, covered by a curtain. A clear sign was posted, stating that unauthorized personnel were not allowed inside.
Yuri knocked on the door beside it and spoke with the nurse who came out. A moment later, the curtain was drawn back, revealing Mykel's frail body.
Fvcking shit!
It looked like a monster had done this to him. Tubes, IV lines, and drips were connected all over his body. Only the beeping monitor with fluctuating lines indicated that he was still alive.
His body was covered in gauze and bandages. Some parts were in casts and slightly elevated. There were also signs of surgery, as foam supported some areas instead of gauze. I couldn't bear to look at him for long. It was weakening.
I turned away and avoided looking. Yuri noticed and quickly supported me.
"Do you want to leave?" he asked.
I nodded, and he knocked on the ICU door again, thanking the nurse. We walked away.
"Whoever did this wanted Mykel to suffer. They kept him alive to endure the pain." Yuri said, making me look at him. "...If this were just a simple fight, Mykel could've fought back. There's no way he would've ended up like that."
He was right! Whoever did this wanted him to suffer.
"Do you think... more than one person did this to him?"
"Maybe... Mykel's a big guy. It'd be tough for just one person to take him down."
That's true. Even I had a hard time fighting him. But who were they—
THEM!
I squinted at Yuri. "Maybe it was you guys who did this?"
He quickly shook his head. "No! We did not!"
I pointed a finger at his face. "You guys did it to Kiko before! How do I know you didn't do the same to Mykel?!"
Ci-N had told me. They were looking for Mykel to get revenge.
Yuri looked at me seriously and stopped walking. "It's not us, Jay. One hit rule is an order from Keifer, and he's not here to command."
A questioning look crossed my face. "One hit rule? What's that?"
He took a deep breath, hesitating. "That's what we did to Kiko. It was a rule we created to make sure we all got revenge fairly while keeping our target alive." He explained. "...to make them suffer alive."
"W-why am I only hearing about this now?"
"Because he didn't want you to know."
Keifer...
Why would they even tell me? Who was I to them? They probably never even considered me one of them.