Suruj bumped his head on the metal roof of a Jeepney-type buggy. Forcing his eyes open, he could hear the churn of the vehicle as it traversed the sands. By the brownish color of the sand, he instantly knew that it was the Ommekadi Taesi of Buhanggilog, the desert of southwest Alą̧̄utl. Scratching his head, he realized that in his hands was a school bag.

“I told you, don’t sleep while we’re here.”

Suruj slowly turned his head, not able to believe who talked to him. His mother, Rosa Garcia-Zundui, sat next to him with Koi in her lap.

“Mom…” He looked downward, reeling from shock. Then he opened his mouth again. “But Koi is sleeping.”

“He’s a good boy unlike you, so I’ll forgive him,” She pulled the cheek of the little one. He slept unfazed, with a drool trickling down his mouth. “Ang bastos naman.”

“Why are we here?...” Suruj asked again, noticing himself in a white polo and black pantalon.

“Sira ulo ka? You’re going to take the Dunong entrance exam, right?”

He didn’t know how to react. For not a moment did he think that they were alive. Somehow, everything felt faint in a stark white. Suruj didn’t even want to think about anything anymore. A familiar bell tune played throughout.

“Atensyón, mga pasahero. The caravan from Lungsod ng Laguna Sagar ‘Basad has arrived in Koridor del Oriyente at Malaya ng Luzokapital ‘Autónoma. Thank you for riding the Cortez Line.”

The buggy came to a passing stop, as people started to hop out of the jeepney. When Suruj jumped out of the back exit, he could see the leaning skyscrapers of the Luzokapital. Like a true iron jungle, thousands of dangling lights and chandeliers decorated the glass buildings, while the plaza down below was lively as ever.

“Well Suruj, this is where we drop you off,” Rosa explained as she stopped at the station exit, carrying Koi. Just a few steps ahead, and Suruj would officially be in the capital.

“Wait!” A man got off one of the buggies, running up to them. “Did I make it in time?”

The tall person wore a long lab coat, full of dirt and chemicals. Rosa stepped back.

“Dad?...”

“Isai… what are you doing here?” She looked away from Suruj’s father.

“I heard Suruj was off to take his exam, so I came over from just north of here. Why wouldn’t I miss my son’s important moment?” He fixed his bifocals, cleaning them meticulously.

“Yet you miss eight years of your sons’ birthdays.”

“I’m… I’m sorry. But this time I made it,” Isai walked up to Suruj, throwing his arm around him. “So what’re you, nineteen now?

“Sixteen.”

“Right, so have you got a nobya yet?”

“What?”

“I’ll let you know that there are these two lovely girls, an Azu and a Khoitan. They’re always welcome in our business,” Rosa bragged, with a smug look on her face. “He’s got those charming looks from my side.”

“Ma!” Suruj called out, throwing Isai’s arm off him. The embarrassment tingled his face.

His father shrugged his shoulders. “Hoh, pogi. I believe he got my amazing personality from me, Rosa.”

“Ano ba ‘yan? I don’t remember a time when your personality was amazing,” She held Suruj’s brother tighter in her arms. Isai and Rosa Zundui continued to stare a hole into each other.

“Who is that man?” Koi groggily turned his head towards them. The two of them stopped and looked at Koi.

“I’m-”

“He’s your abalang dad.”

“Oi! You mean intelihenteng dad,” Isai chimed in, which only made Koi more confused. But amidst the quarrel between his parents, Suruj didn’t know what to say. Those feelings bottled up inside of him, swelled in his chest. He looked on at the three of them, all together.

“Anyways Suruj, you can do this. Whatever happens, we’re proud of you. But if all things fail, become a nurse.”

That time his mother yelled at him when he tried to get a job. He remembered it clear as day, for after that he dedicated his time to studying at school. Always. Everything up to this moment, he had wanted to lift the financial burden off his mother. Suruj fell towards them and hugged the three. Jose, Mouka, Jun, and the others… He couldn’t take Tvuj to see the beach.

“I’m sorry…” He mumbled from the pit of his throat, letting out tears. “I’m so sorry for everything, everyone. I tried and yet…”

Even Suruj wasn’t sure of who he was addressing. He didn’t care.

“I’m so pathetic, I thought I could do anything… but I couldn’t do anything to help anyone,” Suruj stumbled on his words, “And now I won’t see you all again, and I hate myself for that…”

He berated and belittled himself so much. All those people, the people he cared about, he failed to protect any of them. And he couldn’t reverse time. They were gone. Suruj never let go of his family, keeping them in his embrace.

“Suruj… I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you are here in this world for a reason,” His mother placed her finger on his nose, tickling him. “Guiding you to find that reason in a stable, secure, and comfortable way, is the job of the parents. The cycle repeats itself on, and on, and on.”

Isai added, “So as long as you’ve had an idea of what it is, we’ll be there with open arms. After all, what good is a palace if only owls live in it?”

For a brief while, Suruj stayed with them, letting out what he had been feeling ever since he was captured by Al-Wa in Khoyor. But now it was time.

“I gotta go, mom, dad,” Suruj got off them, stepping back. The three of them looked at their son. Rosa and Isai hated each other, but Suruj still was content. In a few dashing steps, he crossed the line into the capital, as an automated greeting welcomed him. Turning backward, he waved.

“I’ll miss you guys!...”

They cheered back at him, all enthusiastic. Suruj slapped his face and stretched his arms. Into the city, he went, into the bright lights ahead.