7. Throwback

"Throwback"

Zech sighed violently as he looked at Creta who had been stunned earlier. He approached it slowly but it did not seem to feel his presence.

"Ehem!" he grabbed his attention.

"You're already here..." it seems not in its own language.

They are on top of the old building where they often meet.

"What is ours? Why did you suddenly message me to meet you? You know, if that's about the Black Circle Organization... I have nothing to do with that." Zech replied.

"It's not about that. I just want to talk." Creta said seriously.

Zech stepped aside and also looked at the people at the bottom of the building.

"What is the topic? Are you in love?" joked language by Zech.

Creta glanced sharply at him before speaking...

"Sheyt! That's my chance to kill Blade. But, sheyt really! I'm so ambiguous!" he said angrily.

It was amuse for Zech to look at his face.

"What are you saying there? Clarify it."

"Blade and I had an encounter... He had no fight with me in those moments because he was in the form of a baby. I was going to target his neck, I was going to hurt him. But I stared into his eyes... Fear is not there. Sheyt! I was weakened when I finally saw his face. A naive baby. Then, I felt intense emotions. The intense longing for my son, I poured on him. I hugged him and I cried a lot... That Blade is really crazy, sheyt! He even managed to wipe my tears in spite of everything. Even that I want to took his life and he knew I was against him. He even managed to make me laugh... Sheyt! Crazy!" Creta's long story.

Zech was stunned and thought for a long time. That is, anger did not completely cover his heart. He looked at Creta, his hand is holding the locket of his necklace. There is a picture of his wife and child.

"So, you were not able to hurt Blade not because you were cowardly... But love and longing beat you. He probably wiped your tears because he felt it. You know, he will forgive you when... You asked him for it."

After what Zech said, he suddenly thought... What if he confessed his identity to Blade? He can't hide his personality here for a long time. It's up to him maybe what his reaction will be or what else will happen. His lips tightened when he remembered Rane. It will certainly be greatly affected between the two of them.

"That Blade is crazy if he ever forgives me! Sheyt!" Creta laughed.

It is obviously confused with how it feels.

"You know that Blade has been crazy for a long time. Don't be surprised Creta, it is not too late for us all. The door to our home is still open and our Father is waiting for us to come back. He cannot tolerate us..."

"Huh, you're kidding!"

"I'm serious. Michael visited me, once and he told me that He listens to my prayers and grievances. I have chance, He has given... But of course, I have to prove myself."

Creta stepped to the side of the building.

"I don't know about you, Zech! Why did I choose to talk to you?! Sheyt! We have nothing to talk about, bye!"

It jumped out of the building. Obviously it just avoids what Zech said... And its self-doubts cannot be removed. Zech just shook his head and grabbed his head. He wonders if he will ever tell Blade his true identity. He looked up at the sky.

"Father, help me decide... I'm tired of pretending. I don't want to fool Blade anymore. They have been good to me." he prayed.

Meanwhile, Blade sighed steadily as he was stunned. He was thinking of Creta, the weird of what he did. He could feel the great sadness and longing of those moments. When he hugged him while saying the word 'Son'... Its tears, pure, not shallow.

"Uy, what are you thinking about there?" Hunter asked him.

"I'm thinking of Creta, Hunter. What he did, I can't believe it. He should, he will finish me in those moments eh. But animal! I do not know what happened to him, I saw the intense emotion in his eyes. Loneliness and sadness. I also puzzle because he called me 'son'. I feel that he is not very bad. He just needs a chance. Anak na lase!"

Hunter was stunned and stared at Blade for a long time.

"If he apologizes to you, will you forgive him?"

Blade smiled sparingly at Hunter's question.

"Who am I not to forgive? If our dear Lord, would not be tired of doing that... Can I still? But of course, he can taste a strong blow from me first. He thought ah! Hahahaha! Hopefully, he would realize soon!"

Hunter laughed softly and shook his head.

"You really are, Blade... You are alone!"

TOK! TOK! TOK! They both looked at each other when they heard those loud knocks from the door.

"Ai and Drake are here. I will prepare our snack. Meet them." Hunter said.

"Alright!" the language is Blade.

Hunter went to the kitchen and Blade went to the door. Ai called them that it was coming... He said he was going to do a project. Ai smiled broadly when Blade opened the door. Drake was behind Ai.

"Gabusata shite imasu, Blade sensei!" Ai's enthusiastic opening.

He hugged him and he retaliated. He missed this child. (Gabusata shite imasu- it's good to see you again)

"Ai! Thank you and you thought of coming here again. I miss you!" his happy language.

He let go of the hug and looked at it carefully. It dyed his hair. Orange... And it is more full now because it was skinny, before.

"You look more handsome ah?" he praised.

"Hai! Arigatou nashita!"

(Yes! Thank you very much!)

"Hello, let's go in!" Drake asked them.

It was carrying Ai's medium-sized suitcase. The young man was also carrying a traveling bag and paper bags. They laid down his belongings in the living room and went straight to the dining table to share what Hunter had prepared for Ai... Pancit and puto pineapple flavor top with cheese with matching melon juice as a drink.

"Hunter sama! I miss you!"

Ai hugged when he saw Hunter. Hunter just laughed and hugged...

"I miss you too... Let's eat and talk later. I prepared something for you."

"Arigatou!"

"Douitashimashite!" Hunter laughed.

(arigatou-thank you, douitashimashite-you're welcome)

Ai and Hunter let go of their embrace and approached the table. They chat as they eat.

"What is ours and did you think of disturbing us here again?" Drake jokes with Ai.

"Project. I need to know about the Pilipino courtship..."

The three men laughed and looked at what Ai said.

"Anak na lase! What kind of Filipino courtship do you need? Is that... D2 me... Wer r U? Ha ha ha, animal!" Blade laughed.

"So that! Is that ... Just text when you have time and let’s just met in the plaza, in the mall or somewhere as long as possible? Ahahaay! Abuwisit ak pa!" Added by Drake.

Hunter just laughed but did not comment. Ai just smiled at the reaction of the three.

"I need the old one. The traditional." Ai just answered.

"Ah... With such things... Grandpa Gusting is the name! He will definitely help you then. Ha ha, we will join you with him tomorrow." said Hunter.

They continued talking while eating. Their greetings and laughter are relentless. They really miss Ai.

The next day, Blade's group went to Grandpa Gusting's house early. Ai was carrying a paper bag, he said, it was a pasalubong for Lolo Gusting. Drake knocked on the door and Baste immediately opened them.

"Hello, good morning!" by Drake.

Baste looked at them and smiled.

"Oh, Brothers! Good morning too! The early you came here. What are we?" its a question.

"It just so happens that Ai has a project and Lolo Gusting can help him." said Hunter.

"Ah, is that so? Come in, Dad is inside. It's a good thing you got here early, otherwise... You didn't catch up with us, because we're going somewhere. Just slow down with Dad because he is moody now."

"Moody? Why, bakit, aken, apay?" Blade asked crookedly.

"He didn’t have a good sleep last night because he was playing DOTA. I think their group lost. So there you go, moody." Baste laughed.

They all laughed and looked at each other because of what they heard. Grandpa Gusting really, never faded! They went inside and they saw the old man busy packing. It fixes the gadgets well.

"Good morning!" Hunter greeted first.

"Ohayou gozaimasu!" Ai also greeted the old man.

"Good morning!" Drake and Blade are almost the same.

The old man stopped what he was doing and looked at their group.

"Oh, what about us?!" this question shocked.

"Hello, Grandpa!" instead is the language of Ai.

He immediately approached the old man and waved. He also handed over the paper bag.

"F-For me?" its language is still uncertain.

"Hai! Pasalubong, Grandpa Gusting!" Ai's lively language.

The old man took it and immediately looked at the flesh.

"Thank you! Oh, thank you! You made my mood better! It must have been delicious!" happy old man's language.

Saki is what Ai pasalubong here. (Saki- rice wine)

"Why did you come this morning?" Grandpa Gusting asked.

"It just so happens that Ai has a project. It's about the traditional courtship of Filipinos back then." Drake began.

"Correct! Ha ha ha! In your time, old man!" Blade laughed.

"Baon-inam, Blade! Don't even start ruining my mood! You're making me high blood! Grrr!..." Grandpa Gusting said annoyed and at the same time, he hit Blade on the head.

"AGEEEH! I’m just joking. Anak na lase." Blade retorted.

(Ageeh means ouch in Pangasinan, in tagalog it is Aray!)

Ai frowned because he was curious about a word that Grandpa Gusting said. He was amaze.

"That tone of your speech is insulting!" Grandpa Gusting said.

"You don't seem to be used to the brutality of my mouth! You know I can't help it! Abuwisit ak pa!"

Hunter and Drake just shrugged at the scene. Baste laughed softly.

"B-Baon-inam... What is that?!" Ai suddenly said.

Everyone was stunned and looked at each other. Blade sighed and scratched his head. Then...

"Hoy, don't study that one because it is also bad word, it was a crispy swear... Baon-inam is okitnam. That is really swearing in Pangasinan because Okitnam... It's swearing in Ilocano eh. But they only have one meaning. The word is mixed here in Pozorrubio, Pangasinan-Ilocano. Our place is close to La Union eh. But don't ever learned those bad words!" Blade explained at length.

"You're really crazy! Don't learned! But you explained?!" Hunter punched Blade hard.

"Ageh, aray!... I'm just explaining but I'm not teaching it to Ai! Anak na lase!"

Grandpa Gusting and Drake were shocked by what Blade said.

"Abuwisit ak pa!" Drake just exclaimed.

Baste just laughed in the corner and just stared at them.

"Okay, we're moving away from the topic. Grandpa Gusting, how was the courtship then?" Hunter has already started for the real topic.