Chapter 163 - As They Gather

"Hey Chala. What was that about back there?" Ramil asks Chala as the gang walks back to their waiting room.

"Nothing…" Chala smiles mysteriously. "Or maybe, it was about this…" Chala says and he opens the waiting room door.

"SURPRISE!!!" The band is stunned as they see familiar faces in the waiting room, welcoming them warmly. 

"Mom!" Bay-an is the first one to recover and he rushes towards his mother for a hug.

Bay-an's actions prompted the waiting room to enter into sweet chaos. Chala, while he watches the event, is feeling more than happy for the band and their families. 

A few moments later, the room finally calms down and enters a surprising silence.

"By the way, why didn't you all tell us about this? We had to find out through Mr. Rotala here about your TV Debut!" Onemah, Ike's mother asks the group. 

"Well. Uhhh. We were scared we were gonna embarrass ourselves on TV?" Jenna answers for the group. "And… Sorry, dad. I thought you were gonna disapprove of me doing music." Jenna adds for her father, which is a great revelation for the rest of the band. 

"Heh. Jen, I'm not as clueless about the internet as you think. I've seen you on Youtube for a while now AND, you're 19 now, sweet cheeks. You can do whatever you want. As long as your decisions makes you happy, and they won't harm you, of course your mom and I will be there for you." Jenna's father says as he knocks on Jenna's forehead. 

"I'm just glad you're playing the violin again. I feel happy that you seem to be happy playing it." Jenna's mother adds.

"Same here. I thought Ramil here lost interest with the sax here. One day last year, his sax which was acc.u.mulating dust at home, suddenly disappeared." Ramil's mother comments. 

"By the way. Onemah could not stop talking about Tayaw, OR the big deal Isaac Yawat. Chala, you said Tayaw arranged for all of us to be here?" Inson's mother asks Chala, her question making the band snap their heads to Chala's direction.

"Chala?" Jenna asks. 

"Yep. He's back. And he has a banquet prepared for y'all." Chala says. 

O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O

Leckli Lodge – East Ouigab

*badump* *badump*

Since he entered the hotel, Tayaw is having palpitations again, similar to the feeling he had when he found Earl Thompson's guitar back in New Orleans last year. However, he tries to ignore it for now as there is a more important matter to him, at hand. 

"Payew, Agew. Here, take this, get some snacks, or go to the pool. I have some catching up to do with mom and dad." Tayaw orders his brothers. Payew and Agew, seeing the BGC bills handed to them, immediately obliges. 

"Tayaw! You can't just give them money like that." Kilat's eyes widens at Tayaw's actions as she watches her two children skip happily out of the banquet hall.

"Ehh. It's okay mom, I'll tell them that it's just this time." Tayaw says.

"Okay. Be sure though. We don't want them getting spoiled." Liboo says.

"Damn. I didn't notice before... Was I like Agew too? I've been away for just a few months and the kid is now what? 5'5? 5'6?" Tayaw asks. 

"Yeah. It won't take long before he gets taller than Payew." Liboo says.

Tayaw smiles imagining Liboo's words. In his previous life, Tayaw was 5'10, Payew was 5'8, and Agew was 5'11 as a.d.u.l.ts. Currently, Tayaw is 6'1, Payew is 5'8, and Agew is 5'5/5'6.

"..." After the short words about heights, Tayaw and his parents entered an uncomfortable silence. Looking at his parents' faces, Tayaw figures they still have not gotten over his deed in Nacuto Village.

"Mom, dad…" Tayaw shakes his head. "I'm sorry." Tayaw begins. "That thing with Kingbo…" He says hesitantly. 

He was however cut-off by Liboo. "Why'd you have to go that far, son?" Liboo says. Kilat's expression also asks the same sentiment. 

"He deserved it, dad.. Your friends and family in Nacuto, their children, they suffered under Kingbo and his men. They can't even get out of there, or call the police." Tayaw explains wanting to cover all the bases for his defense. 

"Still, son. You're not like him. You're not a criminal. I may have been fine had you done it with hired arms, but you did it yourself." Liboo says.

"I…" Tayaw is about to lie.

"Don't lie to me son. Your grandpa heard rumors that Liboo is saying your name in his nightmares." Liboo says.

'Looks like I've achieved more than what I wanted.' Tayaw internally smirks hearing Liboo's reports. 

"I may have never known those people, and forgot their faces, but I still cannot sit back and go on with my life knowing that they're supposed to live peacefully. Dad, I would not have had the stomach to have done what I've done if I didn't do it to a sadistic maimer and a murderer." Tayaw says. 

"W-what are you talking about?"

"A murderer?" Liboo and Kilat cannot believe what they are hearing.

"Do you know of Ijuck? The hardware store owner's son? He's gone missing a few years ago, right?" Tayaw asks.

"Yippil's son? I-I've heard…" Liboo answers, not liking what Tayaw is about to say next. 

"Yippil's son." Tayaw nods. "Yippil doesn't know, but Ijuck died painfully, under Kingbo's hands." Tayaw confirms.

"I'll skip over the bloody details. Kingbo's men confessed to the men who helped me. Kingbo's men witnessed the deed. Every detail they confessed coincides with the reports of the police to the bones found." Tayaw narrates.

"Finally…" Tayaw clenches his teeth in anger.

"Kingbo was laughing as he took Ijuck's life. I do not regret doing what I did to him." Tayaw says.

Liboo and Kilat is sweating coldly hearing this and they are speechless. Kingbo in their minds has turned from a despicable human being, to something that is no longer human. 

"Mom, Dad…" Tayaw takes back Kilat and Liboo's attentions.

"I am still the Tayaw you two know. I am still that kid who would could not stomach to watch pesty rats be mauled by equipment and dogs." These words warmed Kilat and Liboo to Tayaw again, remembering the memory.

"But, when it comes down to it, I'd do everything to protect my family. Had I not have done what I've done, not only is our family gonna be harmed, even our relatives back in Nacotu and Alib will suffer. I am not expecting or even asking forgiveness from you two for what I've done, I only want you to understand why I did it." Tayaw concludes his defense while establishing that this might not be the last time he will act violently. 

After a few moments of silence.

"If it's understanding that you want, we understand." Kilat sighs in relief, which surprises Tayaw.

Kilat is the last person Tayaw expects to just accept violence.

"I just pray to Kabunyan that this will be the last time." Liboo expresses too.

"It would be best if we can live peacefully after Kingbo." Tayaw nods. 

Liboo suddenly shakes his head. Kilat also lays her hand on Liboo's back.

"What's wrong?" Tayaw asks confused at the actions of the two.

"I… I just wish it was me who took the action, not you. A father should be the one dirtying his hands in protecting his children, not the other way around." Liboo sighs. 

Tayaw is dumbfounded at first before "heh" he chuckled. That chuckled soon was followed by a hearty laughter. It is Kilat and Liboo's turn to be confused at Tayaw. Before they could ask what is wrong, they see Tayaw's face contort and redden. 

It did not take long however before Tayaw is able to stop himself from an emotional outburst.

"Dad. And Mom. For me, you've already done more than a child could ask for from their parents." Tayaw says as he played the memories he has of his parents in his previous life, in his head.

Kilat and Liboo still cannot understand Tayaw's train of thought and emotion but decided to drop the matter. 

After seeing that Tayaw calmed down. "So, Tayaw. What happened to the car? The one you took from Kingbo?" Liboo asks.

"ooh. Ow." His words make Kilat elbow his ribs.

"It's in my house in New York right now, why?" Tayaw says, also confused at why Liboo is asking about the car. 

"Well. You're rich now, since two years ago. So, for two years, it hurts me that I can't figure out what to give you. So I thought, why not I fix you up a vintage sports car?" Liboo says.

"Hm? Dad, you're crazy. And, I'm 19 now. I don't need gifts." Tayaw says dumbfounded.

"Meh. I want to give you a gift, I'm not asking for your permission.And. I'm not giving you a sports car after I estimated up how much it would cost me, I can't afford it." Liboo chuckles. 

"Anyway. Two birthdays in a row, I can't give you gifts. I can't keep that going. So…" Liboo pulls out what looks like a leather case for a pair of sunglasses from his jacket, and hands it to Tayaw.

"Instead of a car, that you already have two of, you might appreciate this more." Liboo smiles smugly. 

*badump* *badump* *badump*

Tayaw is made aware of his palpitations again.

'Is it this?' He thinks as he looks at the leather case.

After he opens it, *BADUMP* his heart beat the hardest it had today and his vision shakes. Inside the leather case lays a humble-looking slick brown fountain pen. With his enhanced eyes, he sees the scratches and patina in the pen, which proves it as a vintage pen. 

"I know that writers these days, like you, don't use typewriters, much less a pen. But this one's special. It's vintage and once belonged to a…" Liboo starts introducing the pen.

"Dad, how much did you get this for?" Tayaw however interrupts Liboo's introduction. 

"Heh…" Liboo's face freezes at the question.

"Honey...?" Kilat, who had no knowledge of the gift, glares at Liboo. Liboo can only come clean.

"It's 14,000 BGC." Liboo begins.

"14-! That's more than my monthly salary!" Kilat's blood pressure rises at the price.

"Whoah… Come on, honey. It's not like we can afford it. And. We haven't given Tayaw a birthday gift in years." Liboo defends himself. Kilat, understanding Liboo's sentiments, hesitatingly nods in understanding. 

"It's a damn bargain." Tayaw smiles, which surprises Liboo and Kilat.

"It's a pen…" Kilat asks, confused. .

"It is a pen, yes. But a pen that has great use to me, mom. Thank you for this dad. I like it. No.. I LOVE it." Tayaw says as he takes out the pen from the case and examines it.

"*Phew* Thank goodness. I thought I wasted thousands of BGCs for nothing." Liboo sighs in relief. Tayaw then put it away in his white void which he disguises by putting it back in the case. He will examine it further later. 

"By the way, I know you're busy, but you're not running off to America again after this, right?" Kilat asks Tayaw.

"Well, not only to America. For the next few weeks, I might be hopping from country to country. But after that, I might be spending more time here in Ouigab." Tayaw says.

"Oh?" Kilat asks in interest.

"These past few months, I've been preparing to make another movie. The movie studio and props I require are almost ready. Some actors are also cast, so I'm gonna start filming." Tayaw explains.

"Sounds complicated. Is it gonna be like your first film?" Liboo asks.

"Nah. Much more violent. No romance too. It involves wars…" Tayaw says as he smiles mysteriously. 

"What?! Wait. You know that making entertainment out of the wars is taboo, right? Are you asking for trouble?" Liboo says in panic.

"Hm? Ah. I misspoke. It's not about World Wars or other wars. But it does contain some violence." Tayaw says not bothering to explain about the Mafia Wars in the USA.

"Alright. Just not about the real wars. You will offend a lot of people. Everyone has moved on, so you better not remind them." Liboo says. 

Tayaw is saved by any further reprimands when the banquet hall's door bursts open.

"Dad! Mom! We saw them enter the hotel! They'll be here any time now." Payew reports immediately after barging in the banquet hall with Agew trailing behind him.

"Oh? That's great! I can't wait to meet your friends, Tayaw." Liboo says as he stands up excitedly.

"Well, I can't wait to meet their parents. I haven't had new friends outside work." Kilat is also excited and prepared herself to meet new people.