Napangisi ako ng marinig ko ang sinabi ni Lisa na yun. So, the King really believed what I have said. Uto uto talaga. I think I am still fine. Kailangan ko na lang siguraduhing hindi magsasalita si Jennie dahil kapag nagsalita siya, masisira ang lahat ng mga plano ko. 

 

Naglalakad ako papuntang ground ngayon para sa memorial celebration ng makitang ko si Jennie at Jisoo going to the same direction as mine. Agad ko silang hinarang. 

 

"May I speak to the princess?" tanong ko kay Jisoo ngunit kay Jennie ako nakatingin. 

 

"No!" sagot naman ni Jisoo pero hindi ko siya pinansin and eyed Jennie instead. 

 

"It's fine Chu" sabi niya giving Jisoo a slight smile. 

 

"Okay. I will be there" sabi ni Jisoo sabay turo sa lugar na di kalayuan sa amin. 

 

Jennie nodded her head to Jisoo bago niya muling ibinaling ang tingin niya sakin. 

 

"What do you want Kai?" tanong nito sakin ng nakasimangot. 

 

"Is that how you greet you fiancè, Jennie?" sagot ko naman. 

 

I tried caressing her cheeks but she quickly swatted my hand. I clenched my jaw dahil sa ginawa niya kaya naman I grabbed her wrist at hinigpitan ko ang hawak ko dun. I pulled Jennie towards me harshly saka ko siya binulungan. 

 

"Papaalalahanan lang kita tungkol sa pinagusapan natin nung nakaraan Jennie. Hindi dapat malaman ng hari ang totoo dahil kapag sinuway mo ko alam mo na kung anong mangyayari sa kanya" 

 

Jennie pulled her wrist harshly kaya naman agad ko yung nabitawan. 

 

"Wag mo siyang sasaktan Kai dahil hindi mo magugustuhan ang kaya kong gawin"

 

Aba! nagmamatapang na!

 

I laughed at how she threatened me. 

 

"Pinapaalalahanan lang kita Jennie. One wrong move and you'll never see her again" 

 

"Napaka walanghiya mo Kai!" 

 

"I love you too, princess" sabi ko bago ko siya iwang magisan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matapos ang commemoration ay ipinatawag ako ng hari sa kanyang study room. Pagdating ko roon ay may nadatnan akong dalawang taong nakaupo sa couch. Agad namang kumulo ang dugo ko nang makita ko ang isa sa kanila. It's the girl na umagaw ng puso ni Jennie sa akin. Yung babaeng iniyakan niya. The girl I hate the most. What is she doing here? What are they doing here?

 

Bago pa man ako makapagsalita ay naunahan na ako ng mahal na hari. 

 

"Oh Kai. You're here. Sit with them" sabi nito sabay turo sa couch kung saan nakaupo yung dalawa. 

 

They both looked at me habang papalapit ako sa kanila. This Lisa girl is glaring at me na parang gusto niya na kong gilitan ng leeg pero wag siyang mag alala coz the feeling is mutual. Habang ito namang isang lalaking katabi niya ay ngiting ngiti sa akin. 

 

Hindi naman nagtagal at tumayo na ang hari sa kinauupuan niya at pumunta sa harapan naming tatlo. 

 

"I gathered you all here for a very important announcement"

 

Bahagya siyang huminto ngunit nagpatuloy rin matapos ang ilang segundo. My mind was full of questions kung bakit tatlo kaming nandito ngayon. 

 

"This is about my daughter and her engagement. I summoned you three here coz I want you to know that after doing a background check amongst men and women who want to persue the princess, only the three of you are qualified to be my daughter's fiancè" pagpapaliwanag nito na ikinakunot ng noo ko. 

 

Nagtuloy naman ang hari sa pagpapaliwanag.

 

"I will give the three of you the chance to get to know my daughter and win her heart" nagngalit ang mga bagang ko sa narinig ko. 

 

Hindi pwede, dahil kapag ganito ang nangyari siguradong lahat ng plano ko ay mabubulilyaso. Siguradong ngayon pa lang may panalo na at siyempre yun ay ang babaeng nakaupo ngayon sa kabilang dulo ng couch. 

 

"No!" sabi ko sabay ng tahasang pagtayo ko mula sa aking kinauupuan. 

 

"And why is that?" the king asked.

 

"This is unfair for me my King! I've known Jennie since we we're kids and I've been pursuing her for years already. I even dedicated my whole life to serve you so I won't let a NOBODY steal her from me! If there is anyone worthy to be her fiancè that would just be me!" 

 

Silence filled the place. The king can't even find a word to say. Alam kong wala akong karapatang kwestiyunin ang mga desisyon niya pero hindi ako papayag na mapunta lang sa wala ang lahat ng mga pagsasakrispisyo ko. Tiniis kong maging sunod sunuran sa hari dahil sa pagasang ako ang pipiliin niya para sa kanyang anak pero hindi ko inaasahan ito. Hindi ko hahayang may ibang magmamay ari kay Jennie at lalo na sa trono. Ako ang nararapat dun. Ako lang!

 

 

 

 

 

------

Lisa

 

The room went silent when this Kai dog barked. Even the King can't even utter a word kaya naman naglakas loob na ako at nagsalita. 

 

"You've been pursuing her since then but she still isn't yours until now. Do you even wonder why? Don't you get it? It only mean one thing Kai, she doesn't want you!" 

 

"SHUT UP! I AM NOT TALKING TO YOU!" he shouted. 

 

"And who do you think deserves her? YOU?" dagdag nito before eyeing from head to toe.

 

I was about to answer him back nang bigla siyang humarap sa hari at kinausap ito in their language. 

 

"Ano bang ginagawa ng taong ito dito mahal na hari? Hindi siya dapat naririto dahil siya ang kumidnap sa anak ninyo!" tahasang sabi nito sa hari. 

 

Wala akong naiintindihan sa sinasabi niya ngunit alam kong ako ang pinaguusapan nila dahil paulit ulit niya akong dinuduro habang nakikipag usap siya sa hari. 

 

"ENOUGH KAI!" the king shouted back. 

 

Now I understand as the king started to speak in English again. 

 

"Stop making lies. I know that Ms. Manoban here didn't kidnapped my daughter" 

 

Natahimik siya sa kinatatayuan niya. 

 

"My daughter escaped, but instead of you telling me what truly happened you lied to me. You put the blame to Ms. Manoban when in fact Jennie managed to escape because of your negligence. You should be thankful to her coz she took care of the princess. You know what Kai, you don't deserve to be here anymore but I still let you because I am friends with your parents and I value their services to my family. Even you, I treated you as a son that's why I am still giving you a chance to be with Jennie though I am very disappointed in you for lying" 

 

"I'm sorry my King. I am just so in love with her and I am so mad that someone who are not from here might steal her from me" sabi nito nang nakayuko. 

 

"She's not yours" I blurted out. 

 

The way he acts right now parang sinasabi niyang kanya si Jennie. Jennie is mine so I won't let anybody claim her as theirs. 

 

"She's not your's either!" sagot niya naman. 

 

She's mine you prick!

 

"Both of you shut up! Nobody owns my daughter!" sigaw ng hari na nakapagpatahimik sa amin.

 

Nagulat naman kami ng biglang tumayo ang kanina pang tahimik na lalaki sa tabi ko. I have no idea who this person is at muntik na naming malimutan na andito pala siya. 

 

"You know what, why don't you guys stop arguing. Nobody owns the pricess. Why don't we just compete for the princess' hands. The winner will be Jennie's fiancè. Fair enough right?" suggestion nito habang salitan kaming tinitignan ni Kai. 

 

Napatingin naman kami sa kanya. We realized just now na hindi pa pala siya nagpapakilala sa amin. And as if on cue, he introduced himself. 

 

"Oh by the way I'm Francisco Lachowski of Belgium" nakangiting pagpapakilala nito. 

 

"I'm Lalisa Manoban but you can call me Lisa" 

 

"I'm Kai Jongin" 

 

Binati niya kaming dalawa. Actually, hindi ko alam pero magaan ang loob ko sa lalaking to. But still ayoko pa rin ng suggestion niya.

 

I'm not gonna do that! I don't have to compete anymore coz Jennie is mine! Mine!

 

"What do you think King Henry?" biglang tanong nito sa hari. 

 

Napatingin naman kami sa hari and he was smiling. 

 

No! No! I'm not liking what I see. 

 

"Let's do that" sagot naman ng mahal na hari.

 

But Kai stood from his seat and said, 

 

"What? But my King... that isn't part of our tradition. It is you who should choose who's best for the princess!" 

 

"Are you questioning my decision Kai?" kunot noong sagot niya sa hari. 

 

 

 

-----------

Jennie

 

Andito na kami sa labas ng study ngayon. Dahil sa sobrang pagaalala ko para kay Lisa ay hindi ako nagpagil na pumunta rito kahit pa hindi naman kami pinapatawag ng hari. 

 

"Are you questioning my decision Kai?" dinig kong sigaw ng ama kong hari.

 

Sobrang kinakabahan tuloy ako dahil hindi ko alam kung anong nangyayari. Bakit sila nagsisigawan sa loob? 

 

Kaninang umaga lang my Dad and Lisa talked about me and the "so called kidnapping" ko daw. Tungkol saan naman kaya ito ngayon? At bakit kasama si Kai. Hindi maganda ang kutob ko sa mga nangyayaring ito ngayon. 

 

"No, my king" tugon ni Kai sa hari. 

 

Dahil sobrang anxious ko na sa mga nangyayari ay hindi na ko nagpapigil pang pumasok sa loob
Jisoo tried to stop me but I refused. 

 

"What is happening here?" tanong ko. 

 

Nabaling ang atensyon nila sa akin. 

 

"Ruby Jane!!!" sigaw ng isa sa kanila. 

 

Nanlaki naman ang mata ko nang makilala ko kung sino siya. 

 

"Francis?" nakangiting bati ko sa kanya.

 

Francis walked towards me and hugged me tight.

 

"I missed you so much my cute little dumpling!"

 

I just smiled and hugged him in return. I am so happy to see him again. 

 

"Ehem!" napabalik kami sa realidad when Lisa interrupted us. 

 

Nagtama ang mga mata namin at nung nakita kong nakasimangot siya ay agad akong bumitaw kay Francis. 

 

"What are you doing here?" tanong ko kay Francis ngunit bago pa siya makasagot ay nagsalita na ang aking ama. 

 

"Better that you're here now. My daughter I'd like you to know that one of them will be your fiancè" paliwanag nito na ikinabigla ko. 

 

The King explained to me what's happening and I was speechless. My mouth went agape coz I don't know what to say. Sa totoo lang, naguguluhan ako. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ganito ang gustong mangyari ng mahal na hari. Kung ako lang ang tatanungin hindi na kailngan pa ng kompetisyon dahil nakapili na ko nang gusto kong makasama habambuhay. I looked at Lisa at hindi ko mabasa kung anong emosyon ang nararamdaman niya. Blangko. Seryoso lang siyang nakikinig sa aking ama, ngunit ng magtama ang aming mga mata ay agad niyang iniwasan ang tingin ko. Galit ba siya sakin?

 

Sa kabilang banda naman, kita ko naman ang galit sa mga mata ni Kai dahil sa announcement ng aking ama. Siguro nag expect siya na siya na ang mapipili ng hari para sa akin. 

 

"My King is it really necessary?" tanong ko. 

 

"Well this is the best way for us to test how much they can do to win you and to prove themselves" 

 

"But father I... I... I already have som---" the King cuts me off bago ko pa man matapos ang sasabihin ko. 

 

"Or do you want me to pick one of them either? You choose princess"

 

Natahimik ako. I don't want my father to choose for me kasi I know that it's either si Kai or Francis ang pipiliin niya para sakin dahil they are also from a royal family but I also can't say I'm okay with the competition habang hindi ko pa nakakausap si Lisa. What if di siya sang ayon dito? 

 

I looked at Lisa as if asking what should I say but she just looked at me blankly then she spoke. 

 

"I'm willing to compete" 

 

My heart skip a beat the moment she said that. I want to smile but I forced myself not to kasi baka mahalata ako ng tatay ko. 

 

"I'm in too!" taas kamay namang sabi ni Francis. 

 

I looked at him and gave him an 'are you serious look' but he just smiled at me. I didn't know he's into me. Close kami but I don't feel something for him. He's just my friend. 

 

"How about you Kai? Seems like you don't want to compete, are you afraid to lose?" tanong ng hari sa kanya. 

 

"I'm not. I'll win Jennie's heart no matter what" mayabang na sabi nito. 

 

I just rolled my eyes on him at muling ibinaling ang tingin ko sa taong mahal ko na seryosong nakatingin ulit sa hari. Maya maya pa ay nagpatuloy ang hari sa pagsasalita. 

 

"Good! Then it's settled. You three will stay here and we'll let you know about the details of the competition. You may now leave" utos ng hari. 

 

Isa isa na kaming lumabas ng study room. I am about to approach her ng bigla naman akong harangin ni Francis. 

 

"Hey Jen, come with me let's catch up!" sabi nito sabay hila sa braso ko. 

 

Napatingin naman ako sa direksyon ni Lisa na nakatangin den samin ngayon. Her eyes shout sadness and swear I want to run to her and hug her pero ayoko namang iwanan si Francis magisa since he's my good friend. I just gave an apologetic look to Lisa. Babawi na lang ako sa kanya mamaya.