CHAPTER 385 - THE EXPLORER
JAY-JAY'S POV
"Backpack... Backpack... Backpack... Backpack..."
I really feel like Dora—even though I'm in a taxi and not walking. I followed the jeep Drew took. That's the nonsense running through my head. I can only close my eyes and ignore the growing taxi fare. The meter keeps climbing, especially with the slow traffic.
I hope the money I brought is enough, otherwise I'll be forced to call Aries to cover it. He doesn't even know I'm in Galan. I texted him, told him to go ahead because I had somewhere to go. I didn't even check his reply.
Hopefully, he won't report me to Kuya Angelo. Of course I'd be confused—he doesn't want to let me in on their plan.
I looked ahead as the jeep stopped and saw Drew getting off. I followed him for a bit before telling the driver to drop me off nearby. Fortunately, the fare didn't increase much more. I quickly got out and looked for my target. He was walking down a road, and I trailed behind carefully, making sure to stay hidden in case he turned around. I kept doing this until he entered a large, old gate—leading into a subdivision.
The houses inside were old, with some fences tall and high. It felt like no one wanted to be seen. Maybe the people living here are rich—and maybe they have something to hide. Maybe Sir Alvin and Ma'am Cindy live here too.
There was no guard at the gate. I tried entering, and when no one stopped me, I followed the path Drew had taken—but he was gone. He vanished. I didn't even notice if he entered a gate or turned somewhere.
Now what? I can't ask anyone around here.
Looks like I'll have to check out the houses one by one, looking for clues about where Drew might have gone. I thought about calling Blaster, since Ci mentioned he had been to their house. But if I ask him, he might tell Keifer or his other snake friends. I'm still worried—my plan could fail.
I tried to remember the last place I saw Drew. I stood there and looked around. Left... Right...
I started approaching the smallest house in sight, even though they were all still pretty big. I strained to peek through the small openings in the gates. I even jumped a bit, trying to see more, but all I ended up with was a slight headache.
A ball?
I focused on one house with a small open gate—but I couldn't go inside. The owner might get mad. I looked at another big house. The door was shut and the windows were covered. I wanted to get closer to see more, but I changed my mind when I saw a woman inside holding a chess board. So I went back to where I stood earlier. Still no clue. No sign of Drew's house.
If only I could just go home.
I sat down on the sidewalk, sulking by the gutter. Luckily, no one else was around to judge me. I was about to check my phone to see if anyone messaged me when I felt someone sit beside me.
"Jay, adjust your seat. I can see you," the person said, and I immediately looked over.
The first thing I noticed was his red hair.
"I'm wearing cycling shorts," I replied, standing up and brushing off my skirt. "How did you know I was here?"
I couldn't help but be suspicious. I don't have a tracking app on my phone like before, so how did he find me?
I didn't say anything either. I also know that I wasn't followed earlier.
"Drew texted me—he knew you were following him," he said, showing me his phone. "Keifer isn't answering, so I'll be his next person whom he could approach."
He was texted. Drew caught me. That's why he suddenly disappeared. I snorted. I felt bad for immediately suspecting him.
"Let's go home before your Big Brother finds out you went to Drew," he said, reaching out to hold my hand, but I quickly pulled away.
"I want to make sure Drew's okay first."
He tried to take my hand again, but I moved farther away. It was obvious he was hurt by what I did.
"Are you stressed?"
He sighed and rubbed the side of his forehead. His head hurt from my rudeness. I've acted like this before, so what's new?
He stared at me for a few seconds before speaking.
"Okay, but promise me we'll leave as soon as you see him," he said, and I nodded slowly.
He looked around before starting to walk. I immediately followed him. He turned a corner—the same one I had gone to earlier. He stopped at a gate where a woman had been walking earlier. He slowly entered through the small open gate, looked left and right, then motioned for me to come in.
I did, and saw the big house I'd seen earlier. That means Drew lives here. He used to be really rich. Their house looks like a mansion—like the ones I see in telenovelas, with a staircase near the grand entrance. The windows had plywood shutters from the inside.
Yuri closed the gate behind us. He walked to the side of the house, and I immediately followed him. We passed through what looked like a garden covered in vines, with many dead and dried plants. There was a big tree with vines that looked like they were dying. The grass had grown tall, but it was cleared in some parts just to make a path.
Past the garden, there was a pool—but it had no water. There was a net barrier and lots of dry brush and moss. The area was also fenced off with wood and iron. I glanced at a house in the corner. Clothes were hanging out front, and I saw the HVIS uniform.
"Drew lives here?" I asked Yuri, and he nodded.
We were stunned by a series of screams coming from inside the house. Both Yuri and I were nervous. We ran together toward the house. The door was open, and we immediately saw what was happening.
"Mom! Eat first!" Drew shouted, trying to avoid the blows and scratches of a woman.
She looked like Drew's mom—he did call her "Ma." But it could also be Ma-nang, or Ma-buhay, or Ma-kakan, or Ma-der Pader. Still, it's more accurate to say she's his mom.
Or maybe she's not his mom and I just assumed.
She kept screaming and continued hurting him. Drew was clutching a chessboard and refused to let it go.
"Game! Give it back to me!" his mother yelled, starting to cry.
Drew faced her and shouted back, "Eat! I'm not giving it back to you!"
Her cries grew louder. I could see the pity and pain on Drew's face, but he seemed helpless. He froze when he saw Yuri and me at the door. He looked embarrassed and quickly looked away.
This is his life. And that's the condition of his mother.
He stood up and went into the open bedroom door. His mother followed him. After a few seconds, he came out again and closed the door behind him. He no longer had the chessboard. He looked at us, straightened his posture, brushed off his clothes, and combed his hair with his fingers.
"D-Do you need something?"
I couldn't answer. I was still in shock from what I had just witnessed. I had an idea of his mother's condition, but I didn't want to ask or say anything. Yuri tapped me to get my attention, but I didn't respond.
"W-What…"
Yuri looked between me and Drew. "Jay-Jay just wanted to say hi," he said.
It's true. I also wanted to say hello to Drew, so I followed him—hoping to talk to him properly. I know, I'm being pushy again, but he's my friend, and I'm with him in his grief, so I have the right to talk to him. I should also make him pay—for what he did, and for what he owes.
"Is that why you followed me?" Drew asked, and I nodded. He looked at Yuri. "I texted you to take her home, not to bring her here." He shook his head in disbelief.
"You know how stubborn she is. Her head is as hard as a stone," Yuri replied, and I shot him an evil glare.
"You've seen me. I'm fine. You can go home now," Drew said.
I was about to argue when the door he had closed earlier suddenly opened again. A woman, who looked younger than me, stepped out. She looked pale, like she'd just woken up. I bet she's sick. Five pesos on that.
"Kuya, have you fed Mama yet?" the woman asked him.
I'll bet again—that's his sister. Another five pesos.
She looked at us and froze for a moment, then smiled and pointed. "You're Jay-Jay, and you're Yuri."
I nodded and smiled back. She looked a little shy, but excited.
"I've heard about you from Kuya. I also saw you on Facebook," she said.
Drew quickly rushed to her side and gently pushed her back into the room. "Go rest! You're still not feeling well!"
"Marianne, right?" Yuri asked, just as she tried to resist Drew's push.
She didn't seem sick at all as she pushed back against her big brother. Despite being smaller and younger, she was strong. She shoved him hard enough to break free.
Drew nearly fell, but caught himself just in time. She's got some serious strength—enough to knock him over.
She walked toward us, fixing her hair with a smile. "That's me! You know about me?"
"I've heard your name from Drew, but I haven't even seen a photo," Yuri answered.
Marianne's smile slowly faded into a frown as she turned to her big brother. "You never introduced me to them? Not even once? Not even a picture?"
"Why would I introduce you? You're so ugly!" Drew snapped back.
A swift, powerful kick took him down. I knew it—she can take him down. Yuri and I both jumped and backed away. I didn't know whether to help him or stay out of it. I might be next if I try. I think this is one of those trials Drew has to face alone.
"Ow! My back!" he groaned as he slowly got up. "Are you really sick? I think you're just pretending so you don't have to go in!"
"If I wasn't sick, your ribs would be broken right now!"
Wait—they aren't broken already? She tossed him like a ragdoll. Good thing he hit the wall first before falling. If he had landed on their wooden sofa, it probably would've splintered.
Marianne turned to me with a smile. "Sorry our house is a bit messy. Please, come in."
Yuri and I exchanged a look. We weren't sure if we should go in or just head home. Drew said he was fine, and that's all I really needed to know.
But Yuri stepped in first, and I followed.
Their house was small, but tidy and clean. The kitchen, living room, and bathroom were all close to each other. There were two rooms, but it looked like they only used one.
Yuri and I sat on the wooden sofa. Some of the furniture looked old, but still usable.
"Have you eaten yet?" Marianne asked, turning her attention to me.
I wanted to say no—because I came straight after following her brother. It's a little embarrassing. I really just came to say hi and talk to him. I didn't plan to eat.
Before we could answer, she turned to her brother. "Kuya, cook for them."
Drew got upset, and we immediately stopped him.
"You don't have to. We're not hungry," said Yuri.
"It's the same for me. We're just here to talk to your brother," I added.
She didn't want to agree, but I showed her I was serious. Marianne nodded and turned to her brother.
"I'll just feed Mama. Take care of them first."
She didn't wait for Drew to respond. She walked over to the table and looked inside the envelope. Then, she took a plate of food and poured some water before entering the room and closing the door.
We all looked at each other, then quickly looked away. I felt awkward because no one was talking to me. Yuri tapped me a few times, trying to get me to speak, but I didn't say anything. So we went back home in silence.
We just spent our time staring.
I knew I should be the first to speak—it was my idea to come here. But after everything I witnessed, I suddenly felt ashamed. Her mother is sick. Marianne's life is uncertain because of the loan shark. Now that he wants to get back at me, he returned to the same loan shark and agreed to Keifer, Kuya Angelo, and the others' plan.
I want to talk about it, especially since Yuri is here and doesn't know that I know about their plan. I think I need to get rid of him first.
"Are we just going to stare at it?" Drew asked.
Before I could answer, the bedroom door opened again. A woman came out, holding a chessboard in her arms. She walked slowly. She looked surprised to see me, then smiled sweetly.
"Game, let's play," she said, pointing to the chessboard she was hugging.
"Mom! You haven't finished eating yet!" Marianne called out.
Drew tried to pull her back, but she quickly broke free and ran to my side. I stood up immediately, shocked. I won't deny I was a little scared—I wasn't sure about her condition.
"I just want a game," she whispered, hiding behind me.
I looked at Drew and Yuri, silently asking for help, but they didn't know what to do either. Marianne was about to approach, but her mom grabbed my arm, stopping her. My nervousness grew, but I didn't want to push her away like she had some contagious disease.
Am I a bad person for being afraid of her?
"Mom, that's Drew's friend," Marianne said firmly.
I turned to look at their mom, her hand still on my arm. I was about to remove it, but then I felt how cold her hand was. When I looked into her eyes, I saw sadness—like she was silently begging for help. I couldn't help but see myself in her, in those moments when I was alone and needed someone.
She shouldn't be feared. She needs help, just like I do.
"Do you want to play?" I asked, and her face lit up. "But you should eat first, because I haven't eaten yet."
"Shall we play?" she asked again, smiling.
I smiled back. "Yes, but let me eat first."
Still holding onto my hand that was clinging to my arm, I walked her closer to Marianne. She tried to pull her away, but she wouldn't let go.
"Play, play, play," she whispered over and over.
Maybe it was a mistake to agree to play. She didn't want to let go of me.
I just pointed Marianne toward the table. I led their mom there, and Marianne went back to the room to get the food she had brought earlier. I sat down, and their mom followed, still holding onto my arm.
"Mom, let go of Jay-Jay," Drew said firmly, but she didn't listen.
One arm hugged the chessboard, the other clung to my arm. Marianne stood beside her and gently coaxed her. At first, she resisted, but I reminded her that she had to eat before we could play.
What I did, it worked.
She was like a child who needed to be scolded or coaxed into obeying. I think she's about the same age or maybe older than Tita Gema. Her clothes were neat, and she looked well cared for. Her children were clearly doing their best for her.
I just don't understand—how could someone like her, a chess champion based on Ci's story, end up like this?
She finished the food and drank the water. Then, she stood up and led me outside. Drew and Marianne looked worried because neither of them knew what she was going to do—but she just dragged me out of the house. She let go of me and looked around like she was searching for something. Yuri and Drew followed her, also curious about what she was doing.
We had just finished thinking about what she was doing when she pulled out two wooden benches. I immediately helped her. Drew brought the matching bench and table. His mother set up the chessboard on top of the table, placing it right in front of their door.
Her chessboard was quite unusual—it folded in two and turned into a suitcase. Hidden inside were the chess pieces, which she began to arrange one by one. I just noticed something about it: the board was as thick as the ones sold in the market, but it had a unique look and texture.
Maybe her chessboard was custom-made. Maybe that's why she's always hugging it.
"Game, game," she said, pulling me closer.
She seemed to want us to play chess. I winced. I didn't know anything about the game. She always said it was a game for smart people, so I must be stupid, right? I was forced to sit on the opposite bench as she kept repeating the word "game" over and over, her tone changing with each repetition.
"Do you know how to play that?" Yuri asked, and I immediately shook my head.
"That's for smart people, help me," said Drew, so I gave him a dirty look.
Yuri tried to guide me while Drew's mom started setting things up. Just one move from the piece called a Pawn made me wince. What now? Is it checkmate already?
"Do the same, move a pawn," Yuri instructed, and I followed.
My opponent moved again. I noticed she was smiling, but her eyes were focused on the board. She didn't seem to have any disability at all.
We continued playing, Yuri telling me what to do, but I only had a few pieces left. My pieces were being taken one after another. I was confused—I didn't even know if the goal was to capture all the opponent's pieces or just reach their king. No one told me this game had medieval roots.
Before I realized it, her pieces were already closing in on mine. She smiled again and moved her bishop.
"Checkmate," Drew's mom said, clapping her hands.
I was stunned. That was so fast! My butt wasn't even warm on the seat yet—checkmate already?
Admit it—you have no future in the game of the smart.
"She went easy on you. You should've been checkmated earlier, but she waited for you to catch up," Yuri said, shaking his head.
He helped me stand up. I was surprised when he sat in my place instead. He helped Drew's mom rearrange the chess pieces.
"Are you going to play?"
He nodded. "I want to try."
I looked at Drew, and he just shrugged. He glanced at the laundry hanging in front of their house before grabbing the basket and heading toward it. I followed to help him.
"Marianne?" I asked, even though I already knew she was inside, resting.
I had seen her go into their room earlier. She was wiping her face, but I couldn't tell if she'd been crying.
"She's in the room. Not feeling well."
I nodded and picked up a piece of clothing, folded it, and placed it in the basket. We were quiet for a moment, but I kept looking at him, which he noticed.
He teased me, so I smacked him with the clothes I was holding. He looked surprised and glanced at Yuri, who was still focused on the chess game.
"Oh Jay, I know you keep sneaking glances at me," he said and went back to what he was doing. "I'm not your type, and I don't want Keifer coming after me either."
What the hell? He's really full of himself. Typical snake—handsome and cocky.
"You're the thick one! I just wanted to ask about your family," I sighed. "I don't want to interfere. I just wanted to talk to you about what you did."
He paused for a moment. A strong wind blew, causing the clothes to flutter on the line. He looked at the big house.
"I didn't want to do that, believe me," he said as he slowly turned to me. "I have a debt of 15 million to pay. Who am I supposed to turn to?"
I blinked. 15 million? Not 15 thousand? Not 15 pesos?
A million?!
I almost yelled, but I held myself back. I looked briefly at Yuri and Drew's mom, who were deeply focused on their game. Her smile had disappeared. I approached Drew and asked in a calm voice,
"Why is it so much? What happened? Where did it all go? Did you gamble that 15 million away?" I bombarded him with questions.
He yanked a dress from the clothesline and the clip flew off. He looked like he was holding back his anger. He took a deep breath, then turned to me and answered calmly.
"My dad got us into that debt. It's his mess."