The Kingdom of Guhya

CHAPTER 4

"What did you say to her, though? It was the first time she resorted to physical attack and threw some tantrums," Damon added.

I was about to respond when Lorde made a shift in his position indicating discomfort. I just looked at Damon and mouthed, "None of your business."

I watch Ethan take a deep breath and focus on the road. It is already 2 a.m. and the stars are shimmering beautifully in the night sky. I peer out the window and admire the tall skyscrapers standing tall and proud against the midnight sky. I enjoy watching the timeless beauty of the sleeping city against its dimly lit streets stretched out like a maze. When boredom creeps in, I silently observe my friends.

We are a group of five, and I am known to be one of the boys. The four of them have been friends forever. For some reason, I did not grow up with Lorde. My entire childhood was spent abroad with my nurses and house helpers. I was also homeschooled. The only friend I had was our older brother, Matt. I do not have a clear memory of it, but all I remember is waiting for Matt's visit every summer. Despite having a two-year age gap, we click a lot. Until one summer, he never returned. My life was in complete jeopardy. I could not eat or sleep until I was diagnosed with clinical depression. That was when my parents decided to send me home. I was seventeen and socially awkward. Nonetheless, long story short, I made new friends with them.

At eighteen, Lorde owned his condominium unit. Just a year later, the rest of us joined Lorde and moved into his place. I still shivered over Lorde's stern look one particular morning when he woke up and we were sorting our things in his guest rooms.

I grab my customized heart-shaped pendant and open it. An attached picture of a man greets me with his stunning smile. Behind it is a small hole where I had placed his cremated ashes. Seeing Matt’s picture brought a smile to my face.

Out of the blue, Quinn gently puts his left arm over my shoulders. I looked up at him and saw his youthful smile.

"If you badly need to look at something beautiful to cheer you up, you can just look at my face," he theatrically says, gently caressing his chin with his right hand. I faintly giggle at his quip.

"Hey, young boy. Where were you earlier?" I ask in an investigative voice. Quinn seems distracted by the question and immediately withdraws his arms. Looking for some excuse, he scratches the back of his neck.

"Come on, boy, it is not so shameful to love girls and books at the same time. That's just a perfect balance," I quip, freeing him from an awkward situation. Quinn smirks in return.

#

It has been a month, and today, I am doing some suitcase packing in Lorde's condominium unit while the boys go out to the gym. We will be flying for a three-day business training, as requested by our grandparents.

After doing some packing, I felt hungry, so I decided to go to the kitchen. I find a pizza in the refrigerator, so I grab it and eat it while watching a documentary on television.

"World-class beach resorts, enchanting caves, and captivating waterfalls. These are just a handful of the popular tourist destinations found in the province of Almercia. All these wonders can be easily located with the help of a comprehensive map. However, nestled within Almercia, there lies a place of extraordinary beauty, believed to be accessible only to a select few. Legends tell of an enigmatic kingdom known as Guhya, a place shrouded in mystery and rumored to possess a profound allure, reserved for the chosen ones," the presenter introduced. Crazy as it is, I am still fond of mystery and folklore. My attention was drawn more when the presenter started talking about fairies and witches who are believed to be living in the said invisible city. The people call them Encanto. I am also amazed because one of our rest houses is located in the said province, but I am unable to go there because that is where Matt drowned, and I do not want to think about the ugly thing that happened.

In a few minutes, the door caught my attention as it made a sound, and the boys entered the condominium one by one.

"You're here," I ask, my eyes fixed on them while I operate the remote control to turn off the television.

"Are you done packing?" Ethan inquires.

"Yes, a few minutes ago," I answer as I watch them walk toward me. I realize Lorde did not come with them.

"Where's Lorde?" I waited for their answer, but they all just shrugged.

"You went outside together. How on Earth do you not know where he's going?" I inquire.

"He just disappeared on our way here," Ethan states.

"And he always does," Quinn adds.

Damon also adds, "You know your twin is kind of like a ninja, right?"

I stay silent for a while as they make their way to sit beside me. I should be used to it, but sometimes it is bewildering to see how effortlessly he appears and disappears like a ninja. Damon and Quinn pass by me and sit on my right side. I feel the sudden compression of the sofa's cushions as if it is complaining about the boys' weight. They both grab slices of pizza and eat it. On my left side is Ethan resting his chin in his two hands and staring at me. I raise my right brow on him.

"What?" I ask in irritation.

"You look like a blooming flower," he mentions, acting caught up in admiration.

"Thank you. You look like a smiling chihuahua," I quip.

"Chihuahuas are cute," Ethan banters.

"So are you," I respond.

Ethan unexpectedly throws himself at me and hugs me sideways, causing me to move back a little.