Ugly Truth
Jay-jay's POV
["I don't have it! Keifer has erased it."] Ci-N replied from the other line. Yuri sighed and slightly brought the cellphone to her mouth. "Don't you even criticize anyone?" ["I really don't."] "Okay, thank you." The call ended and Yuri pocketed the cellphone. She was looking for videos of their mischief with Ci-N. Edrix was the one who used to hide but he ended up in Batang Kumag. That's why I saw the video of them beating Kiko before. They called what they did One Hit Rule. Yuri admitted that they didn't do it just once. There were over 30 of them in total. Each one had a video as a souvenir. We tried to borrow the videos so I could see who they had hurt. But unfortunately, they said they were gone. Yuri's phone was on speaker so I could hear it all. I'm not blind----deaf. "Why do you still have that?" I asked irritated. "We've had a lot of ï¬ghts. They come back whenever they can think of a time to retaliate. That One Hit Rule is our way of ï¬ghting them so they don't come back..." He scratched his head. "...it's so annoying when they're the ones ï¬ghting." "Wow... The enemy is annoying but the ï¬ghting isn't." I was almost amazed. He smiled. "We'll never lose that. We're Section E, Jay." "Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!" I shook my head in response. He put his hands in his pants pockets. I crossed my arms and looked away. I couldn't get my mind off who did that to Mykel. Whoever they were, why did they seem so angry? If it was really 'Them' . Because I had a strange hunch. "Look, who really did that to Mykel?" I asked him. He didn't answer. He kept looking away and seemed to be deep in thought. I touched his shoulder while my index ï¬nger was pointed straight out to get his attention. When he turned around, I poked my ï¬nger into his cheek. He laughed a little. "W-why?" "I'm asking you. You're being silly." "Sorry. I was just thinking about what happened to Mykel." He took a deep breath. deep. "...I have this weird feeling that it wasn't a group that did that to him." "It seems like just one person." "Just one person." We said almost at the same time. We looked at each other. I said it! My hunch was really different. "W-who do you think?" I asked. He bowed for a moment and seemed to hesitate whether to mention a name. He stepped forward and looked at me. "I'm thinking of Keifer." I nodded. He was also one of my suspects but there was another. That Crazy Guy! He threatened to make Mykel pay in the text. "I have a suspect." I said and took my cellphone out of my pocket. "...maybe you know this number." I handed him the cellphone while the name and number of my crazy textmate appeared on the screen. One of his eyebrows raised. "Crazy...crazy?" I called him that! Unique Bes! Unique! "Don't take the name for granted!" He shrugged and took out his cellphone. He was pressing and seemed to be trying to dial the number. But he quickly shook his head when he couldn't get a number that matched his. I took the cellphone from him. "Who is that?" He asked again. "This Gunggong is the one I texted. He didn't want to introduce himself to me but he knows me and you. Then when I was hospitalized, he threatened to make Mykel pay." I opened our convo and showed him the message of the hudlong. He read it but it didn't seem like he was satisï¬ed. He even read the previous messages. "Is it okay if I start with the ï¬rst message?" I nodded and let him read the contents. It took him a while to ï¬nish that's why I sat down on a plant box near our place. "Jay, when was the last time he kissed you with a blindfold?" He asked me a little annoyed. "When I was kidnapped and then Keifer stabbed someone." He stared at me and seemed to be remembering something. "No one else was standing there when we arrived. Only Keifer was conscious." I knew that. That was also what I had in mind at ï¬rst. I stood up and approached him. "Yes, but that's impossible. First, Keifer was far away from me when you arrived." "No." "Huh?" "He was standing near you when we arrived." I frowned. I was starting to get confused again. "B-but when the blindfold came off me...." "He was standing, he tried to walk but he immediately fell because of his wound." Holy Fvckining Shit! What does that mean? He was the one who kissed me? He was the one I was texting who was paying attention to me? But why? Panung? Kinginang! Son of shutanginames! But what if not. What if this idiot is just saying that he kissed me even though he didn't really. Or it could also be that he really was and the King of Vipers stood up right after he left . "I think it's better if you don't replay this one. We don't know who he really is." Yuri said and handed my cellphone back to me. I just nodded at him even though I really had no intention of following what he said. How would I know who he really is if I can't talk to him. I'll get clues to point him in the direction. "Let's go... I'll take you. It's getting dark." I looked up at the sky. It wasn't getting dark because it was evening. The sky was getting dark because it looked like it was going to rain. I conï¬rmed that because of the faint thunder I heard. Yuri quickly walked to his car. I just followed and immediately jumped in to open it. "We almost got caught in the rain." Yes, it was. He wasn't allowed to get wet. He was going to get more. He started the car and it went quiet. It only took a few minutes and the heavy rain started pouring down. And then I found myself asking myself. Did I take a shower? It doesn't matter. I'm here, I'm going home. W-would I still be bothered if I hadn't showered? It probably wouldn't be obvious either. Yuri didn't say anything. I simply smelled my armpits. Smell! When was the last time I shaved ? "Jay? Are you okay?" Yuri asked. Oh, I saw you! "O-yes... I was just looking at someone." He said while adjusting his seat. He smiled at me and concentrated on driving. The car stopped for a moment because the traffic light turned red. People argued and while I was looking at them, I remembered something. "Yuri. Didn't you say that more than 30 people had a taste of your One Hit Rule?" "Yes. Why?" "Do you still remember who those people were?" He rubbed his neck. "Hhhmmm... Well, the others. The ones who hurt you and tried to kidnap you." I looked at him with my eyebrows raised. The monkeys who tried to attack me? The ones I had a ï¬ght with on the road? Seriously? It's a joke, a joke. Yuri is a joker. "... Why do you think the rest of them don't come back to you?" I thought. Yes, right?! After all, they could have come back to me because they knew where I was going. "That's the reason?" He nodded. "I think there's only one person we didn't let go of..." He coughed slightly. "...your ex." My eyes widened. "Cyrus?! He's already had a taste of Keifer, huh?" His head tilted a little. "He-he got hung." That's so bad! It 's embarrassing. Cyrus couldn't get up. He was even taken to the hospital. Then he got hung?! Oh, that's really embarrassing. I just felt bad in the wibnd. These Ulopongs are really strange. The rain got heavier and it seemed like it was starting to flood outside. I noticed a car suddenly turn into a parking lot. The parking lot was wide and covered so it was safe from the rain. "What's going on here?" I asked. "It's raining hard. We might have an accident." He said and stopped the car. "...let's eat ï¬rst. I'm free." I quickly unbuckled my seatbelt. "Let's go! You're so slow!" I got out before him. He just shook his head as he opened his car door. It's free for everyone! He locked the car door before coming towards me. There were so many people at the entrance and exit of the mall. Maybe it was because of the rain that they couldn't leave. I was forced to squeeze through them. When I got inside, the people were still standing in line so I did the same thing again. In the middle of my squeezing, someone suddenly walked up to me. I was surprised and was about to step on it but I stopped when I saw who it was. "Don't walk away from me." Yuri said looking ahead. "... you might lose me." I frowned. Why did what he said sound different? I just chose to ignore it. When we passed the group of people, I immediately let go and walked away from him. I also glared at him. "Why do you look at me like that?" He asked as if he was teasing. "That's your snoring! You've got a place to go." I threatened. He only responded with a loud laugh. A ew people close to me looked at him. "Brother's laugh is handsome." "So manly, it'll make your panties fall off." "Brother's wafu." I looked at the people who said that. It's okay, brad! I can't handle what they're saying. When they saw me looking at them, they quickly left. "They're just jealous." Yuri whispered. "Excuse me, I'm not jealous. What they said was just crazy." "Why are you reacting? I didn't say it was you." He was teasing. I put my ï¬st in his face. "Do you want this?" He shook his head. "I said let's go. Let's eat at Tokyo-Tokyo." "That's it!" We walked towards the Japanese-themed restaurant he pointed out . He told me to ï¬nd a place and that he would order. While waiting, I heard my cellphone ring. A text message came. I took it out of my pocket and looked at whoever was insulting me. GagongBaliw was the ï¬rst person that came to mind and I was right. From: GagongBaliw Message: Y ru with Yuri again? (Why are you with Yuri again?) How did he know that? I quickly rolled my eyes in anticipation that someone would show up or introduce themselves to me. But what did I expect? There were men holding their cellphones but they were invisible. I quickly replied to him. To: GagongBaliw Message: pnu mo nlman? Andto kb? Asn? MAGP AKITA KA! (How did you know? Are you here? Where? Show yourself!) From: GagongBaliw Message: I don't want to! If you want to see me, come see me! (I don't want to! If you want to see me, come to me!) To: GagongBaliw Message: ayw! Mmya pgka-kain. (Ayaw! Mamaya pgka-kain.) From: GagongBaliw Message: Takaw! Takaw! I was about to curse this guy out loud if Yuri hadn't come. I hid my cellphone. "Are you texting?" He asked innocently. "N-nothing... I-I'm just reading." "What? Wattpad? Oh my! Stop that... It's addictive." I looked at him in surprise. "Do you know Wattpad?" He nodded. "I read there too sometimes. SciFi or Fantasy." "So are you addicted to Wattpad too?" He shook his head. "I only read when I have free time. But when I have something to do, I put it aside for now." I smiled. Only a guy like him is a Wattpader. He's so arrogant and then he's on Wattpad. "Keep it up. It's attractive." "Are you attracted?" He asked with a smile. I've been attracted to you for a long time but my feelings for the King of Vipers took over. I quickly felt lonely. I chose to push him away so as not to reveal my feelings. He laughed at me in response. Not long after, a waiter arrived with his order. I focused my attention on him. I was busy eating even though the truth was, the situation between the three of us was playing around in my mind. I was about to ï¬nish eating when my cellphone rang again. Someone was calling me and when I looked at it was----the Madman. "Who is that?" Yuri asked. I didn't answer his question. I chose to answer the Madman's call. "Hello..." I opened my mouth to answer. "...do you need anything?" I thought I was going to speak but I didn't hear anything on the other line until I accidentally looked at the glass wall of the restaurant. I was stunned. Standing not far away was the person I had been thinking about. Keifer. "Jay... Is there a problem?" Yuri asked. I let go of my cellphone and slowly stood up from my seat. Yuri was about to look at what I was looking at but a few young people passed by and as they passed by, he disappeared. "Who are you looking at?" I couldn't be wrong. It was really Keifer who I saw. I quickly walked outside and looked for his familiar face but he was gone. Not even behind him. I didn't notice Yuri following me. "Jay! Why? What was that?! Did you see something?!" He asked worriedly . "I-I saw him here... He's standing here." "Who?" "It's.... It's.... K-keifer." I was still wandering around looking for him and risking seeing him again. "Maybe you just glanced at him." I shook my head. "He's really here. He's looking at us." It was really him. I can't be wrong. His eyebrows met. One hand was in his pocket and the other was holding his cellphone. My cellphone just came back to my mind. Yuri was holding it and I quickly snatched it away. GagongBaliw left a text message. From: GagongBaliw Message: Don't. I tried to call his number but his cellphone was already switched off . I tried several times but nothing. What if he was the GagongBaliw? I bit my lower lip. "Naze..." (why...) I heard Yuri whisper. I didn't understand what he said but the way he looked at me seemed full of questions. While looking at him, my tears fell on their own. Yuri quickly hugged me. I sank into his chest. I knew people were looking at us but I didn't care about them. "Kare no tame ni nai te i nai." (Don't cry because of him.) This is it! It's already hard, I've barely managed to speak Japanese. It was so good to be petted! I guess he hadn't been informed that I didn't know how to kiss . We were in that position for a few more moments before I thought about breaking away from him. "Sorry... I couldn't help it. I was just bored." I explained while wiping away my tears. "It's okay... I'm always here for you." He held my head and ruffled my hair slightly. He forced a smile. His hand gradually left my head and went down to my hand. He held my wrist. He walked slowly and I just drifted away. I was looking at our hands. His grip wasn't that tight but I felt affected. My wrist felt like it was burning. We reached the parking lot and he had me open the door. He was the one who astened my seatbelt. He smiled at me again before closing the door. He seemed lifeless as he walked to the driver's seat. When he got in, he let out a loud sigh. He fastened his seatbelt and closed the door before starting the car. We were a few minutes into the trip when I broke the silence. "S-sorry." I said almost in a whisper. "You have nothing to apologize for." He said without looking at me. "I'm hurting you again." He looked at me for a moment before returning his gaze to the road and stopping the car on the side of the road. I became silent because I was waiting for him to say something. "I want to blame you." He began. "...I want to be angry with you. I want to scold you. But that's wrong, because I knew from the beginning . It's clear to me that it's really Keifer." Please... Yuri... I bowed my head. "That's probably why you should stop. I don't want to hurt you anymore." "No way." He replied, causing me to look at him. "...When did you stop loving me?" "But Yuri. You're just hurting me." "And you're hurting him, but did you stop?" I shook my head because of what he was saying. The reason why he was doing this was clear to me but why did I still seem confused. He unbuckled his seatbelt and moved slightly closer to me. He held my hand and kissed it. "Hurt me. Hurt me many times. Hurt me anytime. I don't care. Hurt me until I feel numb." He held my hand tightly. "...I will accept it no matter how much it hurts. Because I can handle it better than losing you." I bit my lower lip. Why? Why can't it just be him and me? Why can't it just be him who my heart chose, busy jumping rope on my chest? "You really are the president of our club." I said and he looked at me in surprise. "...Shunga Lovers Club." He slowly smiled while still holding my hand. He kissed it before speaking. "And you are the vice president."