The Repeat

“What are you hiding from me?!” Airi’s face was red with fury. Her tears kept pouring. Her poignant sobs filled the study room. Each dropping tear weighed heavy on their chests because of guilt.

All three remained silent, frozen in humiliation. Zai-zai and Merry averted Airi's gaze, while Jiro just kept looking at the ocean. He sighed a few times before deciding to speak.

“I’m sorry that you need to learn the truth this way.” Jiro reached for her shoulders, but she shrugged him off. “Don’t be mad at your friends. It’s all my fault. I asked for their help.”

“How long have you—all of you—been toying with me?!” Her body trembled in rage. She glared at her friends. “We’ve been friends since when? ever since we were young! And you have the audacity to do this to me???”

Jiro stepped towards her once more, but she was quick to avoid him.

“Please listen,” he said. “I have been planning to tell you this since the first time we met again at the restaurant.” He paused. Not sure how to proceed. He filled his lungs with air—air filled with thickening mistrust given off by every lie they weaved.

Apology and regret painted the two girls' faces. They didn’t know how to explain things to Airi.

“Do you remember how Aunt Lu passed away?” he started. “How about Uncle Tenian?”

“Don’t drag my parents into this!”

“I’m not dragging them, okay.” He stepped closer, but she stepped away. “Do you remember anything before and after they died?”

Airi fell silent. Her tears were proof of the agony she had been feeling all along. All those hazy pictures in her mind. Her nightmares. The answers to the questions she didn’t know existed.

“That’s what I mean. All you know is that your parents died. But you don’t remember how or when.”

“What does it have to do with your lies?!”

Merry and Zai-zai rushed to give her a hug when she became hysterical. “We’re so sorry for keeping the truth from you.”

Airi pushed them away.

“Give us a chance to explain,” Merry said.

“You had all the chances to do so, yet you chose to betray me!”

“We didn’t betray you,” Zai-zai said. “It’s just that we didn’t know how to tell you the truth.”

“It was Aunt Lu’s dying wish to hide you the truth,” Jiro butted in.

That statement even exploded Airi’s rage. She snapped. “And now you’re putting the blame on Mama!”

She stomped her way out of the study and slammed the door behind her, leaving the three who were speechless.

*

“Ma’am Airi! Wait!” Aling Crising ran after her as she rushed to the gate. “Where are you going? You’re not allowed to go out!”

She kept pacing towards the gate, ignoring the old woman’s call.

When the old lady caught up, she grabbed Airi’s arm. “Ma’am, please. Sir Jiro will fire me if I allow you to go out. Let alone with luggage.”

“You don’t need to let him know that I’m leaving. You can pretend that you didn’t see me.”

“That’s impossible. There are plenty of CCTVs here.”

“I passed by the blind spots. He wouldn’t know.”

“If you really want to go out, I’ll come with you.” She took the luggage aside. “Let’s not bring this. I know you’ll still return here. I don’t want to lose my job.”

Airi’s mood changed while she looked at Aling Crising’s eyes. She felt the urge to be obedient to her. Her mind was battling not to let go of her things, but the maid’s words were so powerful that her body just listened to what she said.

Airi found herself sitting on some rocks by the shore, watching the reflection of the moon in the water. She couldn’t remember how she got there. For her, it felt like waking up somewhere after sleepwalking.

“Isn’t this place lovely?”

She was taken aback when Aling Crising suddenly spoke from behind. An inexplicable rush of panic seized her, realizing that they both stood several meters high from the sandy ground. A sudden punch of fear made her stomach churn.

The butterflies in her stomach even fluttered when the old woman massaged her back, slowly…slowly until she felt the pressure. Her wrinkled hands rested on Airi’s tensed shoulders.

“I used to go here… a lot,” she whispered. Her breath was hot under Airi’s neck, sending shivers down her spine.

It was only then that Airi realized they weren’t at the seaside in front of Jiro’s villa. They were at a different location.

“Aling Crising, where are we?” she asked. “This doesn’t look like we’re near Jiro’s place.”

“Isn’t this a lovely place?” The maid repeated the question as if she didn’t hear Airi’s question. “I used to go here with my daughter.”

Airi looked behind, only to see that Aling Crising had lost it. Her expression was blank, though there were tears in her eyes. It seemed that she couldn’t recognize Airi. Her gaze was empty as she chuckled. She didn’t even notice that Airi was already facing her.

Airi grabbed Aling Crising’s shoulder and shook them. It didn’t work.

“Snap out of it, Aling Crising!” After saying that, she slapped the woman across the face. “I’m sorry. I had to do it.”

Aling Crising stopped chuckling. She just stared blankly at Air before massaging the cheek she slapped.

“Why did you slap me, Ma’am? Have I done something wrong?” she then burst into crying.

“No. No. No.” Airi panicked as the old woman slowly slumped on the flat surface of the boulder they were standing on. “You didn’t do anything wrong. I did that to wake you up because you were talking nonsense.” She helped the old woman to get back on her feet.

“My apologies. Let’s head home,” she said. “Sir Jiro might be looking for you. You are his life and everything.” She took Airi’s hand and guided her down.

“If he really treats me that way, he wouldn’t lie to me.”

Aling Crising didn’t answer. Instead, she kept guiding Airi not to stumble on the stony path where mangrove roots also protruded.

Airi watched their reflection against the shallow water while they were walking. They didn’t have a flashlight, so she remembered her phone. It was in her handbag that she remembered putting on the luggage. The night was dark, and only the stars in the sky served as their guide.

“Aling Crising are you sure of where we’re headed to? Aren’t we lost?”

The maid let out a creepy chuckle. It was a titter that gave off more danger than assurance.

“Of course. Just follow my lead, okay? We’ll be out here in no time.”

After walking for a few minutes, they were out in the open. They stood by the roadside where a royal blue Suzuki Swift was parked.

“Is that our ride home?” she asked.

“No. I don’t remember Sir Jiro having that car. Besides, he doesn’t know where we are.”

“Do you know our way back?” she asked while walking towards the car. Aling Crising only trailed behind.

“Yes, Ma’am. I know this place very well.” She smirked.

Airi didn't notice it. She kept pacing until the doors of the car swung open. Two tall, masculine men appeared in front of her. They wore bonnets, hiding their faces. Without a word, they grabbed Airi by the arms, and one of them covered her mouth with a hanky. 

She wasn’t able to scream.

“You know where to take her,” Aling Crising said. Then she took the backseat to watch Airi sleep. “Drop me off near the Sondian Villa. But make sure that no CCTV can capture you.”