Chptr 50 Gatan Family

When the pictorial was over, it was already time for lunch. One by one, the graduates with their respective families and friends left the school together. He was then invited by the principal to join them during lunch, "No buts Ajy!"

He has no choice but to join them so he went towards his parents, hugged them both and told them that he won't be able to join them for lunch. Still, he told his father to butcher his pig and invite their neighbors and friends. He then told them he would be there in the afternoon.

Inside the school canteen, there was a long table and the guest speaker, his family, and the school staff had already taken their respective seats and were having their conversation. He was about to enter when he heard something.

"Don't you know that Ajy was a rapist?" The daughter of the guest speaker asked the teachers. Her father reprimanded her.

"He's a bastard alright! But not that type of man!"

"Don't believe that kind of thing, young girl!"

"I don't believe anything regarding that!"

The teachers voiced all their opinions and Ajy felt so warm that his eyes became wet. Even the guest speaker said he doesn't believe those things, "I might have seen him a few times but I trust his father, he would never allow his son to do that kind of thing."

"Anyway why call him a bastard?" The guest speaker asked curiously. Since they don't believe him doing that rape, why were they calling him a bastard?

"Sorry, I was late," Ajy immediately entered since he doesn't like them to talk about his past high school life.

"You're here Ajy, come take a sit. Anyway, we were just gonna tell our guest speaker here how incredible you were when you were in high school," the principal looked at him with a funny face.

Ajy was embarrassed, "Urgh! You don't have to tell them, ma'am. That was all in the past."

"I insist," The principal and the guest's daughter said simultaneously making the others laugh while it made Ajy sour.

"Let me start! We call him a bastard because he watched porn in class with a loudspeaker."

"Ditched school to watch porn."

"Made an excuse letter of not attending class because he was horny."

"Chewing momma and spitting inside the class."

"Fighting his seniors."

"Troublemaker."

"Sleeping in class."

"Using a firework with the same sound of a gun and a loudspeaker with the police sirens being played just so he could cancel the class."

"Lastly, he was always a visitor in my office not just because he was a bastard but because he was also academically good. He gave our school honor and pride when he represented our school in various competitions and won most of them." The principal praised Ajy in which Ajy's sour mood relaxed for a while.

"Ohhhhh!" The guest speaker and his family laughed and coughed most of the time hearing the teachers then was awed after listening to the principal.

"Anyway Dad, you said you have met him a few times?" His daughter asked.

But instead of answering her question, he spoke to Ajy, "Ajy right? Do you mind if my family could celebrate your sister's graduation?"

"Sir, I was planning to reject this lunch dinner when the principal invited me, but I agreed since I had two things to say to them. And you were talking about the first thing, my father's gonna butcher a pig so I want to invite everyone to come to my parent's house later and have dinner, drink, and enjoy." Ajy replied smiling as he broadcasted his intention.

"And the other thing?" The guest speaker's daughter asked instead of the teachers or the principal.

"Forgive my daughter Ajy. By the way, I haven't introduced myself yet, I'm Mal-ek Gatan and this is my wife Kalingan. These three are my children: Leah, Letty, and Leo." General Gatan introduced.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," Ajy respectfully shook his hand.

"Uncle, that I prefer. Your father was only two years ahead of me," General Gatan replied smiling.

Then, they ate while talking. The teachers mostly talked about Ajy and the Gatan family was listening while he was there wanting to dig a hole just to hide for the meantime. He was thoroughly embarrassed.

After the meal, they were still talking with each other when he caught all of their attention, "Ma'am principal, as I've said, I hope you all can come to our place to celebrate my sister's graduation. Also, I want to leave this cheque here for the school to use whenever they needed it."

When Ajy left, one of the teachers took the cheque and was immediately flabbergasted upon seeing the amount, "One.... one... one million?!!!"

The others didn't believe the teacher so they all gathered around him and read what was written on the cheque. They were all thoroughly shaken by the amount. Even the Gatan Family would never expect such a thing except for Leah. They were a wealthy family, but a million was too much for them to fork out whenever they wanted.

"Impossible! Even if he is one of the people who have a high position in the Maharlika Company, he wouldn't be able to fork out that kind of amount," General Gatan's disbelief was written all over his face.

"Maharlika Company?!!!"

"High Position?!!!"

Everyone was shaken again by the information. They would never believe that he was a part of the number-one company in the country. But since it came from the very mouth of a trusted figure, General Gatan, they had to accept that fact.

"I think because that money never came from him working under Maharlika Corporation," Leah immediately disrupted their shaken expression.

"What do you mean ate?" Letty asked. Everyone was also curious especially General Gatan.

**ate - elder sister, not read as the past tense of eat, **

Before answering, Leah gulped down a mouthful of water, "Because he has another identity that everyone doesn't know. He was the first champion of the virtual reality game W.A.R.."

"What???!!!!"

"The Vamp!!!!"

"Seriously?!!!"

"Oh, my God!!"

"My idol was my former student??!!!!"

Everyone was so shocked by this piece of information. Leah looked at them and smiled, "Indeed! He was the Vamp. I didn't even believe it after hearing it for the first time. I thought that his identity as a rapist preceded him so I never mentioned it before. But now, I understood that he was a good man when I saw how you thought highly of him."

"Ate, how did you know?" Letty asked who was still doubtful.

"The former Jewel of the East, Nina Madrigal told me this information herself," Leah informed. She continued, "But a pity that he has changed his IGN. I asked Nina about this but she kept everything a secret, even her IGN."

From her information, everyone was solemnly trying to take in the piece of news they had just heard.

Going back to the home he grew up in, Ajy engrossed himself in the feeling of comfort and peace. "It has been six years since the last time I came back home!"

Seeing all the friends and neighbors who were already gathered at their house, he smiled as he greeted everyone. They were already done butchering the pig and they were just merrily chatting with each other. He then asked them for help to carry the foods and drinks he brought. They immediately helped him while asking how he was, if he was still single, what his work was and how much was his wage. He just told them the truth.

Knowing about the incident where he was accused of the rapist, everyone just advised him that he would just let go of the past and he shall be having a woman who would accept him wholeheartedly. Ajy smiled at them and felt the affection of these people.

Opening the bottle of drinks he brought, "Everyone, drink and be merry for tomorrow, we'll get a hangover!"

"Yeah!"

"Let's try these branded liquors."

"Congratulations Zuri!"

Zuri, the eldest sister of Ajy thanked them happily as she told them to enjoy while they were waiting for the food that was being prepared.

Not long after, the Gatan Family and the school staff also arrived they greeted everyone and went to chat with someone whom they were close with. The head of the Gatan Family directly went to Ajy's parents and introduced his family.

After having their early dinner, some of the guests bid their goodbyes and left. While some were already drunk and had already heated arguments and discussions regarding politics and their works.

Listening to the heated arguments, Ajy would approve of some truth, laugh at jokes, and give his opinions. He was suddenly interrupted by his youngest sister Yuna since he was being summoned by his father and the head of the Gatan Family.

"What is it, Father? Uncle?" Ajy asked and noticed Leah who was beside blushing tremendously.

"Son, your uncle here was proposing if you could court his eldest daughter." His father told him smiling.

"Right! I can be at peace if you would end up marrying my daughter." General Gatan seconded.

Embarrassed, Ajy looked at Leah first before replying, "I barely knew your daughter uncle..."

General Gatan immediately interrupted him, "Then go talk with each other and start dating already."

"I agree! You two are already old enough to give us grandchildren," Ajy's mom consented.

"That's a must!" General Gatan's wife permitted.

"Mom! Dad!" Leah wanted to reprimand her parents especially since they were already interfering in her romantic relationship.

"Lady! Don't try to argue with us, I will ensure that you would either agree or you get out of our family," General Gatan resolutely proclaimed which rendered her daughter and Ajy speechless.

After the talk with the Gatan Family, Ajy immediately excused himself and Leah. The two apologized to each other for how their parents behaved.

"Hmmmm Ajy, can you help me in the game?" Leah hopingly asked.

Looking at her, Ajy suspected that she somehow knew him in the game, "I don't think we ever met in the game. How do you know who I am?"

Leah told her everything. He immediately understood that it was Nina who told her that he was once the Vamp but didn't tell her of his current IGN. He was a relief that Nina Madrigal didn't divulge much of his information, "I'm sorry but I don't yet have the luxury to help others in the game since I'm busy doing some quests and missions on my own."

"I understand," Leah looked crestfallen. Upon learning that he was the Vamp, she badly needed his help since she knew how incredible he was in the game. But since he said that he was busy, she just sadly accepted it.

Looking at her expression, Ajy wanted to console her but he was reluctant since he wasn't sure if she was trustworthy enough to know of his current predicament. He already has trust issues when it comes to others who wanted his help. He already experienced the bitterness of being betrayed a lot of times and besides, he barely knew her.

Instead of consoling her, he just talked about random things with her. She listened, nodded, and smiled at him when he was talking, the previous excitement she had before was instantly gone.

Ajy noticed her behavior and he could only sigh. He then excused himself as he didn't know how to deal with her feelings.

Midnight came and the last guest already left. Ajy's father was already drunk so he was already asleep. His mother told him to rest instead and she would just clean everything in the morning. He was already tipsy but he still insisted on cleaning up the messes around their house and just told his mom to rest ahead first.