Act 1 : Chapter 2

“Mom said that call her when we arrived at Aunt Paine’s.” She then handed me again a bottled milk tea.

“What the heck! This is ginger! This sucks!” I shouted at her face, she ran on her car while laughing out loud. She knows that I hate ginger.

I threw away what she gave, I entered the store to purchase something to drink cause I just got thirsty on what she gave me and to wash away the taste of it. Aeira sped as she enters again the express way. She’s running at 150kph while I was tailing her. The speed meter isn’t even working so it’s okay for us to be this fast. 80kph is the limit though. We were fast so we are braking even though the toll gates were like 200 meters away from us. The guys at the cashier area were smiling at Aeira, while when they saw me they frawn. I dunno, maybe I wasn’t really that attractive compare to Aeira, that’s why my life is a little peaceful compare to her.

Many boys, men, and even lesbians are courting her but no one can get her attention. She told us jokingly that if she finds someone like Dad, she’ll marry the guy in an instant. My sister got a Dad Complex I know. I remembered when we were just about 7 years old; Aeira would grab Daddy’s leg so that she can be with him. She does it every time. Aeira stopped it when we’re 11 years old.

My phone rang, the audio that was playing earlier changed into a ringtone. Mom’s voice filled the car.

“Mom” I greeted her.

“Where are you? It’s already dark; I think that you won’t be able to catch your Aunt Paine.” She said with a worried voice.

“We’re already near. About 30 minutes and we’ll reach the unit.” I replied.

“Honey!! It’s sexy time!!!” Dad voice filled the car with his excitement.

“Heck! Mom! Seriously?” I frowned.

“Hahaha! I forgot to end the call! Alright then, Aeina you take care okay baby? I love you.”

“I’ll bet my life, Dad is like an idiot right now.”

“He always is. Goodbye now.”

“Okay Mom, I’ll call later when we arrived at Aunt Paine’s. I love you too.” I replied. The beeping tone fills out the silence it gave after Mom ended the call.

We raced on the express way, our trip became too fast. We were entering the Balintawak exit when I let the car go to “Normal” mode again. Aeira did the same too. It was pure luck that it was not traffic; we arrived at Cubao 30 minutes earlier than we thought. We parked at the third tower where I have my own unit. Aunt Paine was still at her unit when we arrived, she was writing a post-up note for Eisen ‘cause he left. She only told us that don’t let Eisen have a party here at the condo; she also said that they’ve received a noise complain and the management told her also that if the noise continued still, the management will have to evacuate them.

Then there’s this box, coloured red. It was like I was the only one that can see it, it was near on Aeira but she wasn’t able to see it. Maybe, because she’s busy swiping? I dunno. I took it and I saw an old tablet. I tried to turn it on and it asked me for a date. I tried to input a date but then a dialog box popped. “Are you sure you wanted to go back at 7:33PM June 22nd 20xx?” I felt Goosebumps. I tapped the cancel button and then changed it to March 21st 200x instead. Then another dialog box appeared; “Please input a place where do you want to go.” Then a light filled the entire room. I cannot believe what I’m seeing now.

I was in line with Mom. I was standing; holding this tablet. I also saw Dad; both of them are enjoying the scene. I also saw Aunt Mavis. I turned to the left side and my jaw dropped. There’s a live band performing! Wait! It’s Aunt Paine! Live? Why they looked like at their teenage years? And who’s this girl that wears a hood while singing? Her voice is extremely beautiful. The air blew up the hood and saw Aunt Hikari. Did I just travel back in time? I quickly held the tablet; then a new dialogue box appeared. “Do you want to return in the present time?” Then I tapped YES. Then another light filled out the whole stage from where I was.

Aeira was shaking me when I came to my senses.

“Hey! Snap out of it! Laureen was talking to you.” Aiera said.

“I’m sorry, what was that?” I asked Laureen with a smile.

“I said Ate Aeina, can you cook for me please?” She asked.

“Oh! Sure! What do you wanna have?” I asked the child in front of me.

“I want your Tuna and Chicken Carbonara!” She said happily

“Oh geez. Not that Laureen.” Aeira said as if she haven’t eaten anything with my cooking skills.

“Wow! You speak like you know how to cook eh?” I blurted out while I roll my eyes from her.

“I’d rather eat a takeout haha! I done with your cooking sis!” she said hurriedly and left off.

I cooked Carbonara for two people, I remembered Aeira isn’t a fan of pasta. She ordered a takeout of Pizza and Burger since there are a lot of Fast Food Chain and restaurant near us. Aeira doesn’t know how to cook even though Dad teaches  us way back. If isn’t raw then it’s like a charcoal burning.

“Say Aeira, what if you can travel back in time? What would you do?” I humbly asked my sister while she’s lying in the bed.

“Look here Aeina, you’ve watched too much anime and read too much manga. You’re asking the impossible task my dear sister.” She vaguely answered.

“That’s why I told you “What if” I quickly mumbled.

“Well, I would hop back when Mom’s giving birth to us?” She answered but I felt something is off.

“Wanna try? You see here, I have this. It can travel thru time…” I stopped when I saw her sleeping at the sofabed. Mom is calling me thru FaceTime and I answered it. The video feed was on, and Mom didn’t paid attention on it.

“MOM!! WHAT THE!!” I shouted out loud. Dad was butt naked at the back of Mom.

“Oh!” Then the video feed closed.

“Mom! C’mon! What the, haha!” I jokingly laughed about it.

“Did you already had dinner with your sister?” She asked, then the video feed opened. Dad and Mom are lying in the bed. Maybe they’re finished doing the “deed”.

“Yes Mom.” Then I let Mom see Aeira that was sleeping with her mouth open.

“Aeira! My baby! Dad misses you!!” Dad shouted at the phone. Aeira awaken with Dad’s voice and Aeira quickly smiled back to Dad.

“If it is Dad, you can wake up even you just slept.” I shouted at her. Her face turned sour the moment I told her that, I waved goodbye to Mom and Dad while Aeira was holding my phone.

I’ve given a thought about this “machine”. What if I became a Police Officer? Will I became the “Ace of Aces”? Or perhaps a Private Detective? Will I be good at solving crimes? But I’m afraid on what will I do. I mean, what if I told others that I came from the future and then I left that certain person a vital information to an major event that will happen to him or her? What will happen by then? God! I’m thinking too much about it. Laureen at Eisen are used to this set up. They are frequently left behind and then stay with us on their houses.

I took a bath and then I changed clothes. The door opened and it’s Eisen.

“Hey bwo! Sup!” I greeted him while the toothbrush was inside my mouth.

“Hey bro! I'm still the most handsome as ever!” And then we raised our hands and made a bro fist.

We shared stories like we used to. We’re at the living room while Aeira is sleeping after the call. We’re sitting at the floor. I tried to wake up Aeira to say that sleep at the guest room but no avail. She’s a huge eater but she doesn’t even gain weight; unlike me that I gain a lot of weight by just watching good stuffs. Nah, sorry for the joke. Her gracefulness is lost when she’s hungry; she gets mad so easily.

The hour flew by as Eisen shared some stories, I just saw Laureen on her pajamas with Aeira sleeping.

Eisen told me that he has to go somewhere after he took a bath.

Again the tablet entered my thoughts. Why do I have it? Why I was the one able to see it? What is the purpose of it? I was shocked when another notification appeared. It has a dialogue box.