Chapter 4
Costa Mansion - Grandparents
Arushi (POV)
Nakarating na kami ni Citrine sa Costa Mansion. As usual, the place was as grand as ever, pero never akong naging sobrang attached dito. Pakiramdam ko lang palagi, masyadong malawak, masyadong tahimik—parang may kasamang pressure na hindi ko ma-explain.
Si Raegan naman, she had to go home since may family dinner daw sila. Kaya ngayon, kaming dalawa na lang ni Citrine, nakaupo sa malalambot na sofa sa living room.
Tahimik ako, scrolling through my phone, habang si Citrine naman, mukhang wala nang energy after our mall trip. She was slumped beside me, playing with her hair.
Then, we saw him.
Lolo Paolo Costa.
Agad akong umayos ng upo, instinctively straightening my posture. Kahit hindi siya strict directly sa amin, his presence alone was intimidating. He was wearing his usual formal attire, kahit nasa bahay lang. White shirt, black slacks, and a watch that probably cost more than my entire wardrobe.
He glanced at us with his usual sharp gaze. “Kumusta ang biyahe niyo?”
Citrine, surprisingly, stayed quiet. Ako na lang ang sumagot. “Okay naman po, Lolo.”
He nodded, then shifted his attention to a book he was holding, dismissing us in an instant. Napabuntong-hininga si Citrine sa tabi ko.
Then, a familiar warm voice broke the tension.
Lola Crystal.
Agad na nagbago ang atmosphere nang pumasok siya sa living room. She was always the softer one, the more affectionate grandparent. She approached us with a warm smile, then kissed both me and Citrine on the forehead.
Citrine leaned against her. “Lola, si Lolo kasi, parang ang scary niya today.”
Lola Crystal chuckled. “Alam mo naman ang Lolo niyo, laging seryoso. Pero deep inside, he cares about you both.”
I just nodded. I knew that, pero iba pa rin talaga yung vibe ni Lolo Paolo.
We spent about an hour just chatting with Lola. Citrine was her usual talkative self, while I just listened. Masaya naman. Pero after some time, biglang bumukas ang pinto, and another familiar face walked in.
Tita Cerulean.
Citrine smirked. “Yes, Tita, napilitan kaming pumunta.”
Napailing si Tita Cerulean. “Hay nako, Citrine, walang nagbago sa dila mo.”
Napangiti ako nang bahagya. Tita Cerulean was always straightforward but in a way na hindi masakit pakinggan. She was one of the few adults in the family na hindi ko na-feel na sinusubukan akong kontrolin.
She sat down across from us and crossed her legs. “So, how’s life, Troney?” she asked, looking straight at me.
I shrugged. “Same old.”
She raised a brow. “Ganoon pa rin? Wala bang interesting na nangyayari?”
I hesitated for a moment. Should I tell her about the dreams?
But before I could even decide, Citrine jumped in. “Tita, si Troney parang laging tulala lately. Baka may crush!”
I rolled my eyes. “Shut up, Citrine.”
Tita Cerulean just smirked. “Hmm… interesting.”
And just like that, I knew this night was going to be long.
___
Nandito pa rin kami sa mansion nina Lolo Paolo at Lola Crystal.
Si Citrine ay mukhang pagod na sa kakaikot sa bahay habang ako naman ay tahimik lang na nakaupo sa sofa, scrolling through my phone.
Ang dami naming pinag-usapan kanina kasama sina Lolo at Lola, pati na rin si Tita Cerulean na dumating earlier.
Biglang nag-vibrate ang phone ko, sabay ring. Napatingin ako sa screen—Mommy Auburn.
Dinala ko agad sa tenga ko ang phone at sinagot. “Hello,Mom?”
I sighed. “Still here sa mansion.”
Napatingin ako kay Citrine, na mukhang natutulog na sa sofa. “Okay, Mom. See you later.”
Pagkababa ko ng tawag, siniko ko si Citrine. “Hoy, bumangon ka na diyan. Susunduin na tayo.”
She groaned, rubbing her eyes. “Ugh, finally.”
Lumipas ang isang oras bago dumating si Mama Primo. Pagdating niya, agad siyang sinalubong nina Lolo at Lola, at nag-usap pa sila sandali bago kami tuluyang umalis.
Sa biyahe pauwi, tahimik lang akong nakatanaw sa bintana, iniisip pa rin ang panaginip ko kanina. Sino ba talaga yung faceless girl na yun? Bakit ko siya laging napapanaginipan?
Citrine, on the other hand, was busy chatting with Mama about random things. Ako naman, kahit na kasama sila sa sasakyan, parang nasa ibang mundo ang isip ko.
And deep inside, I knew—I needed to find answers.
___
I'm here at my room, finally away from all the noise. Tahimik ang paligid, tanging ang tunog ng lapis na dumudulas sa papel ang maririnig. Nakaupo ako sa harap ng desk ko, sinasubukang i-sketch kung ano man itong naiisip ko.
Pero kahit anong gawin ko, hindi ko ma-figure out kung ano nga ba itong iginuguhit ko.
Hininto ko saglit ang kamay ko at tinitigan ang papel. Abstract shapes, undefined lines—parang may pattern pero hindi ko maintindihan. Parang may gustong lumabas na imahe pero hindi malinaw. Napabuntong-hininga ako, frustrated.
My mind wandered back to my dreams. That faceless girl.
Why does she keep appearing? Sino ba siya? And why do I feel this strange pull towards her? Hindi naman ako madaling ma-obsess sa bagay-bagay, but this… this was different.
Pinagmasdan ko ulit ang drawing ko. My hand moved unconsciously, trying to add more details—pero paano mo nga ba idodrawing ang isang taong walang mukha?
Lalo akong napaisip. Maybe there was something deeper behind these dreams. Maybe it wasn’t just random.
Tumayo ako at lumapit sa bintana, staring at the city lights. The night was peaceful, but my thoughts were far from it.
I needed answers.
And somehow, I had a feeling… I would get them soon.
__
I don’t know what time I finally fell asleep, but the moment my eyes shut, I found myself in that place again.
A thick mist surrounded me, cold and almost suffocating. It was the same dream—lagi na lang ganito. The same eerie, vast, and endless space. It wasn’t exactly a nightmare, but it felt so surreal, so... unsettling.
And then, I felt it.
A presence.
"Ikaw na naman..." I whispered, my voice echoing in the emptiness.
There she was.
A woman standing a few feet away from me, her form delicate yet strong. She exuded a cold aura, her posture poised and unreadable. Parang siyang reyna ng kadiliman, elegant yet untouchable.
Pero tulad ng dati, hindi ko pa rin makita ang mukha niya.
Her face—blurred, hidden, faceless.
Napakurap ako, trying to make sense of it. I wanted to see her. I wanted to know who she was.
“Sino ka ba talaga?” I asked, my voice firmer this time.
The faceless girl didn’t answer. Instead, she took a step forward, then another. My heart pounded, and I felt my body tense, pero hindi ako umatras. I held my ground, waiting—expecting something.
Then, she raised a hand.
I stiffened as her fingers reached out, barely grazing my cheek. A shiver ran down my spine, the cold sensation almost too real.
“Ba't ka nandito lagi?” I whispered, my breath shaky.
Still, no answer.
Pero may narinig akong mahina—halos hindi ko maintindihan. A soft whisper, a voice that sounded distant yet familiar.
"Hanapin mo ako..."
Nanlaki ang mga mata ko.
"Ano?!"
Gusto ko siyang tanungin ulit, but suddenly, everything started to blur. The mist thickened, darkness creeping in. My surroundings shifted—parang may humihila sa akin pabalik.
“No! Wait!” I reached out, trying to hold on to something—anything.
Pero wala.
She was fading.
The dream was slipping away.
And just like that—
Nagising ako.
Humihingal ako, my heart racing like I had just run a marathon. Agad akong napaupo, my hand clutching my chest as I tried to calm myself.
"Tangina..." I whispered.
I looked around my room, making sure I was really awake this time. The dim light from my bedside lamp illuminated my sketches scattered on the table. Then, my eyes landed on one particular drawing.
My fingers trembled as I picked it up.
It was a sketch of her.
The faceless girl.
Pero may bago—something I didn’t remember drawing before.
A name.
"Haneul."
Napakurap ako, my grip on the paper tightening.
I never wrote that.
I never even knew that name.
Pero bakit... parang sobrang familiar?
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