The Taste of Forgotten Love (Rated R-18) [COMPLETED]

A Sacrifice

Naghihintay siya sa loob ng private room ng restaurant para sa kliyenteng kikitain. It's another venture of Luca that he plans to sabotage. A multi-million research funding for the first-ever space exploration facility in the country.

He'd pulled up many strings just to get first to the man who proposed the project. The professor is a respected individual in his industry known to not waste time so agreeing to see him is already a right step into the direction he's heading.

A knock on the door cut off his train of thoughts. Straightening his new tux, he stood up ready to meet the man but his smile faded when a totally different person entered the room.

"Anong ginagawa mo rito?"

Pumasok sa loob ang tiyuhin niya habang maingay na nguya ang chewing gum.

"Nice place. Sa iyo ba ito?"

Naupo ito sa silya at walang paalam na nagsalin ng alak sa baso. Tinungga nito iyon saka siya sinenyasan na lumapit.

"Halika Langdon. Samahan mo akong uminom."

He sat on the opposite chair and glanced at the time on his wristwatch. Mr. Keitagawa is a man who is very particular with time. Malabong ma-late ito o makalimutan ang meeting nila. That or it's either he ditched him or he's involved in an emergency

"What are you doing here? I'm meeting someone here. Paano mo nalaman na nandito ako?"

Naudlot ang pangalawa nitong paglaklak sa baso. Slowly, he set the glass back into the table to study him.

"Tinawagan ako ng sekretarya mo. She said you're expecting me."

"She? I don't have a female secretary. Listen uncle, you shouldn't be here. It's a trap. Umalis ka na ngayon din. Malalaman ito ni Luca."

Tumayo na siya para umalis pero nagsalita uli ang tiyuhin niya na nakapagpatigil sa kaniya.

"Wala akong anak. Ikaw lang din ang malapit sa akin na pamangkin. Alangan namang hayaan kitang matalo ni Luca. Hindi ko kayang makitang para kang aso na kung kani-kanino dumidikit para makakuha ng impormasyon at oportunidad."

Hinarap niya ito. Spencer's eyes are trained to detect subtle emotions. He knows how to read the situation so easily.

"Are you ready to help me, tito? Can you trust my intentions this time?"

"Just tell me one thing, Langdon. Do you really want this? The leadership of the clan?"

Namulsa siya at tumitig nang diretso sa mata nito. "I am. Hell, I was born to do this. I was trained to be the leader. I'm just chasing the dream that was mine in the first place."

Ilang segundo nitong nilimi ang sagot niya. Gumalaw ang balikat nito saka nagbuntunghininga.

"Maayos ang diskarte mo pero madali ka lang na mapapatahimik ni Luca kung patalikod kang tumira. Ikaw, puno ka ng guilt kaya nangangapa ka pa rin hanggang ngayon habang si Luca ay bihasa na sa kalakaran sa loob. Kumbaga, kakasabak mo pa lang sa laban na wala kang masyadong alam."

"Why are you telling me this? I said leave. If Luca knows you will be helping me, you have no chance of escaping the prison again. Hindi pa kita matutulungang makalabas dahil hindi pa ganoon kalawak ang kapangyarihang hawak ko."

Nagkibit-balikat ito. "Okay lang." Inilabas nito ang one way plane ticket at ipinakita sa kaniya. "I'm running away for good, Langdon. Hindi na ako babalik pa rito kaya kailangan kitang makita sa huling pagkakataon. I need to give you this."

Iniluwa nito ang chewing gum at idinikit sa ilalim ng mesa saka kinuha ang envelope sa loob ng black leather jacket nito.

"What is it?"

Spencer just moved the paper to his side. Langdon opened and laid down the papers on the table. Napaawang ang kaniyang bibig nang mabasa ang mga dokumento.

"Mga titulo ng lupa." Itinuro nito ang isang lugar sa mapa. "Dito mabubuo ang bagong financial hub ng bansa. At ito, this is where the next oil exploration of the government will happen. Trust me. Ilang taon akong naging buntot ng mga elders kaya alam kong sinasabi ko."

"Why are you giving me this?" Ibinalik niya ang mga papel sa envelope. "You could have sold them and used the money for living abroad. Life there is expensive."

Spencer put his hands together and shrugged. "Do you think I'm a fool? Makukuha pa rin nila ang mga lupain kapag ibinenta ko. I gave them to you because I know you can put them to good use." Pabiro siya nitong sinipa sa paa. "I'm choosing to help you. I'm on your side."

But instead of rejoicing, his gut is telling him it's not worth the price. "Uncle, you do know the repercussions. Papatayin ka nila and yet, you're still doing this." He threw the envelope on his lap. "I'm not going to take it. Keep that and help me in your other ways."

Humalakhak ito. "Child, death is not something to fear about. And if I die, it's better that way. I won't be buried as Spencer the rapist, or Spencer the murderer. I'll be given another name. They won't let me use this godforsaken name as if I chose to be born in this family. Tingnan ko lang kung kaya nilang harapin ang multo ng kahapon nila. Mabubunyag na ginamit nila ang koneksyon pala mapalabas ako. The Asturians will not care."

"But I care. You know I care for you," ani niya sa maliit na boses.

"Kaya ikaw ang huli kong pinuntahan." Iniwan nito sa mesa ang envelope at tumayo. Tinapik nito ang balikat niya at nginitian. "Pa'no ba 'yan, aalis na ako. The clan is all yours to take, Langdon. Make me proud mi sobrino."

"Uncle, why did you turn yourself in when you know you didn't do it?" pigil niya sa tangka nitong paglabas.

Hindi lumilingong sinagot siya nito. "The same answer you'll be giving in your head if I asked you why did you kill Alcindra when you know you will regret it."

Hinatid niya ito sa parking lot. Bago pumasok sa kotse ay lumingon pa ito sa kaniya at kumaway bilang paalam. Hindi niya maiwasang maalala na ganoon din ang ginawa nito matapos siyang ihatid sa boarding school bago ito bumalik sa Pilipinas para akuin ang mga kasalanang ni isa ay hindi naman nito nagawa.

Nanlaki ang mga mata niya sa napagtanto.

"No! No!" sigaw niya at hinabol ang papalayong kotse nito. "Uncle! No!"

Ngunit huli na siya. He's always been late. Late to know about his father's death. Late to save Casindra. And now, he's late again to rescue the only man who's been more of a father to him than his own old man.

Sa harap niya ay biglang sumabog ang kotseng kinalululanan ng tiyuhin. Nagsigawan ang mga tao at nagpulasan kung saan-saan.

"No!" he shrieked. "No! Uncle! Uncle! Help! Help, please!"

Nagtangka siyang lumapit sa kotse pero mas lalo lang iyong nagliyab. Tumilapon siya palayo nang sumabog uli iyon.

"No..." he breathed when he saw how his uncle's body was burned into crisp.

Kinuha niya ang cellphone para humingi ng tulong pero huminto ang lahat sa kaniya nang makita ang kakarating lang na mensahe mula sa tiyuhin. A scheduled email addressed to him. Nanginginig ang mga kamay na pinindot niya iyon.

"Use my death as a reminder to be the next leader of our clan, Langdon. I believe in you. Please give me another name. I hate being born as an Asturian."

So he knows he will be killed and yet he still decided to see me for the last time.

Ibinaba niya ang cellphone at tulalang pinakinggan ang ingay ng paligid. The sirens wailing, police cars rushing, frantic people running.

It's a mess, a gigantic wild mess. A precious life is wasted here. Everything inside him twisted into a ball of anxiety.

And for the second time, he felt the familiar nagging feeling inside. Staring at his uncle's burned body, he felt utterly useless again just like the time when he only watched Casindra fell into the sea.

Pinahid niya ang namalisbis na luha at tiim ang bagang na sumakay sa Mercedes Benz at pinaharurot ito papunta sa direksiyon ng Los Ojos pero kinailangan niya ring huminto para hamigin ang sariling damdamin.

"Ahh! Ahhh!" sigaw niya at pinukpok ang manibela.

He's devastated. He wanted to kill Luca this instant. He wanted to burn him too just like how his uncle was.

Muli siyang nagmaneho na tiyak ang destinasyong pupuntahan. Tumigil siya sa harapan nang malawak na parang na puno ng tanim na m*******a.

Binuksan niya ang trunk at inilabas ang galon-galong gasolina. Ibinudbod niya ito sa mga dahon at ang iba'y itinapon sa malayo. Kinuha niya ang lighter sa bulsa at sinindihan ang dahon. Nagbaga ito hanggang sa kainin ng apoy ang lahat ng natatanaw niya.

Hindi na nagawang makalapit ng mga tauhang nagbabantay ng itsahan niya ng granada ang mga ito.

His phone rang again. Luca's number danced across his vision that he had the urge to throw the phone out.

His fists clenched before he answered him.

"Did you learn your lesson already? My cousin, stop being my enemy. Come on, man. You are no match to me."

His breathing became labored. "I'll be the one to say that, Luca. Itong ginawa mong ito, hinding-hindi ko ito makakalimutan. I'll get something from you too. Double the pain. I don't even want to get even."

"Still arrogant, man. You're just a blip to my leadership, Langdon."

Langdon answered while looking at the sea of fire before him, "Too early to say that, Luca."

Pinatay niya ang tawag at inamoy ang usok sa hangin bago sumakay uli sa kotse.

That same day, he came back to collect his uncle's remains and buried him alone. Wala ni isang nagpunta sa mga kamag-anak nila dahil walang may gustong madawit.

At his grave, he gave him a new name just like how he asked him.