A. R. G. Prologue

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h.e.l.lo, people. Since Christmas is coming, I’m posting another story as a gift for everyone. Don’t worry, this one is already completely translated, saved for the epilogue.

ARG is a story with only 11 chapters altogether, translated even before The Peculiars’ Tale. I was actually hesitant at first if I would post this or not because it’s a traditional type of romance, in other terms, harlequin-like or probably really a harlequin. I’m actually not sure because novels like ARG was only referred here as pocketbook novels. However, I just found out the first translated Fili novel, “An Interview with a Playboy” which could be found belongs to the same genre as ARG. So here it is! Warning though, there are not many sugar-vomit inducing scenes here, probably.

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A R G

(A.Rom.Ges)

Note: Forgive me for the typos and grammar errors. If you notice some, just comment them down.

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"Are you an angel?"

The little girl stared at the one who asked. She had to raise her head high to take a good look because the man beside her is quite tall.

"I'm not. My mommy said angels have wings. I don't have wings, see." She raised her two hands to prove her claim.

He smiled. "Is that so? What are you doing here? Why are you not playing with the other kids?"

She shrugged her shoulders the way the older people described as not appropriate for her age. She's supposed to be a seven years old girl next month.

"Why are you also here? Why are you also not with the other old people?"

He didn't answer and just looked away. It seems he's the same age as her Uncle Mike who was already twenty-eight years old.

"I think it's no longer allowed." After a while, he replied.

She knows what is not allowed. Even to her, there are many things not allowed. Too cold is forbidden, she'll catch a cold. Going outside the house is forbidden, she might get hurt. So many restrictions! Also, it's not good to anger her mother because she could be violent.

"Ah, so that is why you're unhappy."

The man looked at her. "Why did you say I'm unhappy?"

"Because your face is sad."

He nodded. "Maybe. But I'm not sad because I couldn't talk to the other older people. I'm sad because there is something I'm looking for but  couldn't find."

Now it's her turn to look at him. "What is it?"

Before the man could answer, she was already startled by her mom who suddenly appeared from somewhere.

"Jeez, you kid. So you are here after all. We’ve been looking for you. What are you doing here outside, anyway?"

"Mommy, I'm only talking to someone."

She stopped and then looked around. "What 'talking to someone'?"

"He's…" She faced the man standing beside her. "What is your name?"

Her mother sighed. "Come with me inside. You are being mischievous!"

"Mommy," she protested when her parent dragged her inside the house. She glanced towards the sad man and she saw even though he's smiling at her, his face became gloomier.

And it provoked her pity. "Wait, mommy. He will be sadder if I would just leave."

"Stop that! You and your imagination! There's no one here for you to talk to. You were alone when I found you." Her mother insisted.

"Mommy! Can't you see him?"

"Stop this! You're making me mad!"

"But…" she said, still wanting to reason out.

"I said stop! I already told you. I don't like a lying kid."

She screamed, "I am not lying! There's a man here!"

She was suddenly slapped by the woman because of her stubbornness. Now, her mom wouldn't buy her chocolate ice cream, her favorite but can only be eaten occasionally. But no matter what has been done to her, she didn't take back what she said to her mother. Because it’s true that she was not lying.

It is true that she was speaking to someone earlier! Why can't they believe her? Her mother showed the same reaction when she told her she saw her Grandma Mama at the chapel last year.

"Why are you crying?" A little boy asked her. She didn't notice when he approached her at this garden.

She hurriedly wiped her tears. "It's because of Mom. She said I'm a liar."

"Are you really a liar?"

"No," she denied. "I had always been telling the truth."

"Oh, so that is the case. You are so pretty, you should not be crying."

She didn't reply. She sniffed because there's something stuck in her nose due to excessive crying.

"I know now what to do. Do you want ice cream?"

She suddenly looked at him, her eyes started gleaming. The reason to cry was immediately forgotten. "Chocolate?" She pleadingly requested.

The little boy smiled. His age appeared to be twelve or thirteen years old.

"No matter the flavor, you can have it. Come."

He held her hand and took her into the house kitchen. There, he opened the freezer. Several gallons of ice cream with many flavors came into her view.

"Here," he gave her several scoops in a bowl. "Is that enough?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Thank you. You're so kind."

He grinned and watched her eat the ice cream like there's no tomorrow.

"Hey, slow down," he reminded with a smile. "Don't worry, there's still plenty of it. You can have as many as you like."

She laughed loudly. She felt as if she was in heaven.

He stayed with her ’til the afternoon party hosted by his parents ended. She would have been bored if not for him because she knew no one here since she and her mother were really not invited to this party, just dragged around by her Aunt Nora.

"Bye, Pretty Girl!" The young boy waved his hand from the window of the old house, or rather an ancestral house according to her aunt, while they were leaving.

She imitated him. But suddenly, the man from earlier appeared next to the boy. She saw his mouth opened and she seemed to hear what he said even though the words were not loudly spoken.

"Will you go back, little angel? When you get back, help me find what I've been looking for."

She nodded. She also smiled to him and then waved her hands again to the little boy who gave her chocolate ice cream.