Hidden Sanctuary

No one knows except Anne, Leo, and Gloria that I'll be bound to Japan, a day after everything is done.

Miraculously, Chua was revived and Gloria took care of him. How ironic, being with Gloria is a suicide decision already. On the other hand, his beloved witch, Rina or Selendrina by her given name was dead. Her ashes were scattered in the deepest pits of the ocean.

'What can you expect from mad Anne? She cannot be tamed when she has already reached her limit.'

Another thing, Lucio's now in good condition.

'While me, I don't know. I'm still breathing. I accepted my fate in my love life. Maybe I'll just play whenever I get bored. I had enough with Chua's facade. Now I know why I still can't give my all to him. I can't even mention my family life, only the basic infos.'

I took another sip from my fresh lemonade. 'This seat is worth millions.' I am riding my luxury private jet for the first time. I want to surprise my Ojiisan.

The Saito - Dela Vegas are residing in a secluded place in Osaka. The peaceful life in Mount Mino completed my childhood. 'I miss wearing kimono dresses and how my Obaachan scolds me every time I sit improperly.' Ogi, a Japanese folding fan made from bamboo, was her favorite weapon. 'Sadly, she entered heaven way too early.'

I choose to close my eyes and rest.

"Ohayō gozaimasu, Hime-sama. Okaerinasai!" [Good morning, Miss Hime. Welcome back!]

I slowly open my eyes. I can feel a whole different ambiance. 'I know already, this is my home. I'm finally back.'

"Ohayō," [Good morning] I muttered. The flight attendant just smiled and bowed.

"Nani ka hitsuyōna mono wa arimasu ka" [Do you need anything?] I stretched my neck.

"Mizu o ippai kudasai. Ah, watashi no nimotsu o atsumete kudasai." [Just a glass of water. Oh, and gather my things.] She nodded.

"Wakarimashita, Hime-sama" [Right away, Ms. Hime.] I stood up and fixed myself. I opened my puff to see my reflection. "Still gorgeous as ever." I smiled. 'I can't let Ojiisan see everything through my eyes.'

"Mizu o dōzo, Hime-sama" [Here's your drink, ma'am.]

She formally excused herself and left. After finishing my drink, I put the empty glass on the nearest table. I start walking to smell the lovely breeze.

We landed at Kansai International Airport. The flight took three hours. Now we're bound for Osaka through my newly bought Nissan GT-R. I brought a lot of baggage that's why they need to be separated. I only have my handbag filled with important things, like a wallet and cell phone.

I walk towards my car. I rented someone to drive me because I'm too lazy to drive. My money and connections can do the job. The driver opened the car.

"Arigato Gozaimasu." [Thank you] I muttered. He lowered his head.

The car starts moving. I decided to open the window and let the calming breeze soothe me.

Japan has so many things to offer. But Osaka got its own special place in my heart. I have a lot of places to visit. Maybe a week is enough to fix myself. With my big-fat pocket, I'm sure I will enjoy this escapade.

'Let's see how far I will go, after this heartache.'

Osaka offers two worlds. The modern city and the peaceful one with breathtaking sceneries. The traffic was light unlike in Troum. The buildings were replaced by maple trees.

Within an hour and a half, we have reached Mount Mino.

The driver opened the door for me. I'm expecting that all of my stuff will be here within this day. The temple is located beneath Minoo Park. I called this place my Hidden Sanctuary. The waterfalls, food, and tranquility, are really magical.

"Mō kaette īyo. Watashi wa sudeni shiharai o sōkin shimashita." [You can now, leave. I already wired my payment.] He bowed his head.

"Arigato gozaimasu, ōjo sama " [Thank you] He handed me the key and took his leave.

"Hime?"

"Ojiisan!" [Grandad] He was taken aback but my grandfather ran towards me.

"Watashi no hime, anata wa watashitachi ni tōchaku no koto o iwanakattawane." [My princess, you didn't tell us about your arrival.] I chuckled.

"Odoroita?" [Surprised?] He tapped my shoulders.

"Kitekuretara, otōsan wa dai yorokobi suruyo" [Come and your dad will be thrilled to see you.] I smiled. 'It was genuine. I am always this transparent to my loved ones.'

"Hime-sama!"

"Okaerinasai. Watashitachi o odorokasetekuremashitane." [Welcome back! You've surprised us!] That was Seiru.

"Sutekina suītsu o motte kite kuremashita ka?" [Did you bring some wonderful treats?] I nodded. As expected by this Glutton-boy Saiga.

"Mochiron, tebura de koremasen." [Of course, I won't come here empty-handed.] They smile victoriously.

"Sono tame ni tomodachi ga iru nodesu." [That's what are friends for!]

"Watashitachi wa tomodachi de wa arimasen." [We're not friends.] He pouted. 'Such a childish one, I suddenly remember Gloria.'

"Damare. Minikuikara yamero" [Shut up. Stop that, you look ugly.] He rolled his eyes at me. 'It's a good thing Ojiisan was not here, if he was, Saiga will get his daily lesson.'

"Doku ni otōsan wa?"[Where's dad?]

"Kare wa koko ni iru." [He's here.] I saw him in a wheelchair. "Otōsan!" [Dad!] I ran towards him "Hime!"

"What happened to you?" The last time I saw him, he's still walking and scolding me. "My legs turned to jello." I eyed him sharply.

"Dad, I'm serious!" He just laughed. "Ojiisan! What happened to him?" He just shook his head. "He's a lousy one. He took the wrong step." I heard my father murmuring something.

"I can still walk, Hime. I'm just too lazy to use my legs." He patted my head. 'Before, he couldn't even look at me. Now, he's throwing tantrums.' I smiled at the thought. Dad reached for my hand and gently held it. "We will talk later." He grinned. "Come on, I brought some Momiji tempuras along the way." It's just maple leaves coated with the sweet dough. One of the best snacks in Mount Mino.

The servants helped us and we ate in silence. My grandfather still practices the traditional bazoken dining style. We can't just do whatever we want here in Osaka. But of course, with Seiru and Saiga, nothing is impossible. They were my childhood buddies ever since then.

"Itadakemasu" [Let's eat]

We made sure that all dishes were squeaky clean. It is considered rude whenever someone has leftovers. We returned how everything was placed.

"Gochisōsama deshita" [Thank you for the food.]

"Sore o meshitsukai ni sōji saseru, Hime-chan. O tsukaredeshōkara, yukkuri yasunde kudasai." [Let them clean those, Hime. Take a good rest, I know you're tired.] Ojiisan said.

"Wakarimashita, sō shimasu" [Okay, I will.] I bowed my head a little and made my way towards my room.

Our home may look like a traditional one outside, but in reality, my father made some arrangements. It was a semi-modern one. I stripped off all my clothes. My bathroom was wide enough to let me relax.

I filled my soaking tub with a bath bomb, it was Sakura's scent. The water was warm enough as I placed myself in it.

"This is heaven."

"SUWATTE kudasai, Hime-sama." [Take a seat, Hime.] I followed what he said. I am wearing the most expensive kimono dress called jūnihitoe. A twelve-layer kimono dress, first worn by the noble ancestors. 'Ojiisan wants me to wear this. I can't just say no, because I don't want to be rude. He's my most respected person.'

"Ojiisan, chichi wa dō nattano?" [What happened to my father, Ojiisan?] He sighed.

"Kare wa, tokuni hone ga yowaku natteiru. O tōsama wa naze sono yōna byōki ni natta nodeshō ka." [He's getting weak, especially his bones. I wonder why he got that illness.]

"Sutoresuda to omoimashita." [I thought he's just stressed.] Ojiisan shook his head.

"Kare wa byōki o naosu tame ni koko ni iru." [He's here to get better.] He sipped tea before resuming his answer.

"Kare no byōki o koko ōsaka de chiryō suru yō ni onegai shimashita." [I asked him to treat his illness here in Osaka.] 'My grandfather embraced his Japanese blood-even though he's only half and he grew up in Europe.'

"Kare ga faitādearu koto wa shitteiru. Kare wa watashi o misuteru koto wa dekimasen." [I know he's a fighter. He can't just leave me, Ojiisan.] I said bitterly. 'Not now, I'm still mending myself. I still haven't compensated all the time that he's away from me.'

He poured me a drink. 'Ojiisan loves tea as much as I am. I inherited a lot from him, including this tea obsession.'

"Hime-chan, anata no sukina jasumin cha desune. O bāchan no ocha no dashi kata ni awasete tsukutte mimashita." [That's your favorite jasmine tea, Hime. I've made it just how your grandma serves her finest tea.] I thanked him and took a sip.

We are here outside, enjoying the view from Mount Mino. The red and orange colored leaves from maple trees suited the calm atmosphere.

"Watashitachi wa kore o norikoeru Hime-chan. Nagaku taizai shitekureruto ureshīdesu." [We'll get through this, Hime. I hope you'll stay longer.] I put back my yunomi on the coaster.

"O mochiron, Ojiisan. Watashi ga koko ni iru ma, teikoku no kanri o dare ka ni tanondeimasu." [Of course, Grandad. I already asked someone to manage the empire while I'm here.] He looked satisfied.

"Sore wa subarashī desu ne. Tokorode, rushio wa dō shiteiru?" [That's great! How's Lucio, by the way?] I smiled. 'Ojiisan and Lucio have been friends since then. Even though Anne, Gloria and I are best of friends, we didn't know that grandad and Lucio are close friends, not until recently though.

"Kare wa zekkōchōdesu. Watashi wa sō omoimasu." [He's doing great, I guess.]

"Magomusume san to wa kanari naka ga yoi sōdesune." [I heard you and his granddaughter were close.]

"Hai, ojiisan. Gurīn san no hitorimusume san o fukumete, ima demo yūjindesu" [Yes, Grandad. We're still friends including Mr. Greene's only daughter.]

"Ā, kanojo o oboete iru yo. Kanojo wa taiyō no yō ni kagayaite imasu. Naze, karera o shōtai shinakatta no ka?" [Oh, I remember her. She's a ball of sunshine. Why didn't you invite them?]

"Kanojo wa, watashi no yūjindearu reo to issho ni teikoku no kanri o irai shita jinbutsudesu." [She's the one I asked to manage the empire together with my friend, Leo.] I replied after sipping from my yunomi. 'Well, I considered Leo as my friend. He didn't address me as a boss too. Hime is fine by me.'

"Reo? Kare no namae wa kikioboe ga aru." [Leo? His name's familiar.] He tilts his head as if he's remembering something. "Oh, the unico hijo of Valentinos."

"Yes, Ojiisan." He nodded.

"You guys having fun?" A familiar voice spoke. "You're not supposed to walk, Karl." Ojiisan scolded my father. "I'm not invalid, dad." He took a seat beside me.

"I thought you're too lazy to walk." my dad laughed. "I was just kidding, princess." my heart warmed as he called me again by that nickname. "Enjoying your stay?"

I nodded. "I am enjoying it. It's been a year since I visited Osaka." I flashed a genuine smile. 'The three of us usually choose European countries as our vacation spots. We love to party and that's the best place to drink.'

"You know what, I think I should leave you two. I have something to do." Ojiisan declared. "That's rhyme, dad." He gave him a meaningful stare. My father just grinned. "I'll go ahead."

Silence filled us.

"Have I told you how proud I am as your dad?" my father suddenly uttered.

'I don't know what to say. I just feel like crying, as I've heard those words from him. But I don't want him to see me weak.'

"I know I've been hard on you all these years. I was not around when you graduated with flying colors, when you received those excellent awards.." I was breathing heavily.

"I was not there when you received your belts from different martial arts." I exhaled sharply. I grab the handle of my teacup to take another sip.

"I know I've been such a bad father. I may ace in business, but failure is my responsibility to you." He looked away. "I've contented myself watching you from afar. Seeing you holding trophies and receiving honors was enough for me to strive harder- to continue living in this world." I looked above to stop these tears.

"I know how devastated you were when your mother passed away. I was devastated too, I even lost myself." His voice cracked. "But it's too late to realize that I lost my daughter too, as I've tried to redeem me." A tear escaped from my left eye.

'I can't help it. This is the very first time that my dad opened up.'

"It was late when I realized how beautiful and precious you are. Maybe that's why I'm being punished." I reached for his hands and gently squeezed them. "Dad, don't say that. You're the only person I have aside from Lolo." We stared at each other's eyes expressing uncommunicable love and forgiveness between the two of us. 'Only Ojiisan and he were the remaining members of the Dela Vega clan.'

"I don't deserve your forgiveness, Anak. I've been an asshole to hurt you and your mom." He sobbed. "I-i didn't mean to hurt you two but, shit happened."

"What do you mean, dad?" He brushed his hair in frustration. "When Astra and Alessandra entered the picture, everything messed up." I saw his fists curled. 'What is he talking about? I thought he's into her, Tita Astra.'

"She's the person behind your mom's death." My mouth slightly opened. "She tried to kill you too. She paid that intruder to dispatch you." I remember that intruder.

He was about to kill me when I successfully dodged the bullet. We exchanged punches. Tita Astra saw me, I thought she'd help me but she just stood there and watched me fighting for my life.

"I thought you were still mad at me because I was the reason for her sudden death." He shook his head. "I distance myself because I don't have the courage to face you after all these years." He explained.

The evil witch died due to her stupidity. She doesn't know how to dodge the bullet and fell from our grand staircase.

"I'm sorry, princess. Daddy was too hard and selfish to leave you alone." I shook my head. "No dad, I'm sorry. I misunderstood you. I-i thought you hated my existence." His forehead creased. "Don't you ever think of that, you're our precious gem, Hime. You're my only princess. The only Dela Vega princess and soon to be queen." Confusion flooded me. 'Wait, what about Alessandra?'

As if he can read my mind, "Alessandra is not a true-blooded Dela Vega, Hime. Her mom altered everything just to prove our resemblance. She's a trying-hard wannabe. I should've listened to you when you said that." I'm still confused. "How dad? I mean she's blonde and-" Dad cut me off.

"That's the power of science and desperateness." I was speechless. "That's why you don't need to compete with her. She's nothing compared to you. A Dela Vega is way too high than normal people, always remember that." He smiled.

"Do you remember when you got home from the US?" He fished out something under the table. "Yes, that's when I've received my dog tag." He grinned. "What's with that look, dad?"

"I really thought you're lesbian back then, that's why I yelled at you." My mouth fell agape as he pulled out a bottle of sake. He even looked around to make sure no one was looking. "Dad, Ojiisan might see us!" He's against alcoholic beverages. 'As much as possible, he wants us to drink tonics and healthy ones.'

"I thought you just hated me that much." He shook his head. "Nah, I'm just scared. You've changed yourself too much, Anak. That's alarming to me." I gave him a sweet smile. "No dad, that's my dream since I was a kid." He looks relieved.

"At least you know how to defend yourself, that's enough for me. I don't want someone to step on you." He took off the tea pot's lid and poured the sake's content. "That's Ojiisan's favorite teapot!" He just smirked. "I know, don't worry it's all on me."

'Did he just wink at me? My ever-strict dad just did.' I suppressed my laugh. "You're looking at me as if I was a joke, Hime. You dared to look at your Oldman like I'm sort of a clown?"

"No dad, I'm just shocked. You're not like this before." He widely grinned. "This is the reason why your mother loves me so much." He poured me a drink.

"Kampai!" [Cheers] We drink and laugh afterward, for the next several hours.

"How much do you love mom?" I suddenly asked. "More than anyone in this world. Well, both of you, I love you so much." He answered nonchalantly. "If only Astra didn't enter the picture. Everything will turn out fine. Maybe, we are still complete."

"What really happened, dad?" He sighed. "She threatened me that she'll kill our daughter.." insert sarcasm. "If I will stop seeing her." I scoffed and shook my head before drinking my cup of sake. 'What an evil witch.'

I gritted my teeth. She should be prepared to experience hell, once I get back to Manila.. "I wonder where she is, Hime. I didn't receive any updates from my sources." I held back my grin. "Maybe she's roaming around, dad."

He just shrugged his shoulders. "I'm still Alessandra's guardian, Hime. I can't just leave her unattended." I nodded in response, but my mind is saying something different. 'Well, I can be a father. Knowing all this information, she better hide from my dungeon now.'

"Don't worry, dad. I'll send your regards when I see her." I gave him a knowing smirk hiding my evil grin. 'I'll welcome her with a tight hug, so that she'll be able to feel how much I treasure her.'