Chapter 19: The Murderer's Regret
At Binangonan, Rizal, they arrived at the boat ferry that leads to Talim Island and was accompanied by Nathaniel. Instead of going to Talim Island, they eventually went to the Laguna Caldera which is the center island within the Laguna Lake and the southern hem of Talim Island. Upon getting down the shore, Ibrahim is able to pay the rentals of the boat so that the bomb squad are present to assist them. Ibrahim detects where the bomb was located and Nathaniel had found a black backpack which contains the time bomb and it was about to be detonated in 3 minutes.
"Thank God, he made some delay for us to get here." Brian said in relief as the bomb squad do their best to diffuse the time bomb.
"I never seen someone would want to make a powerful explosion on the caldera." Kim said and finally explains to them. "The Laguna Caldera was a potential active volcano and became more dormant after it was erupted since ancient times."
"I'm glad that this caldera is not exploded like other active volcanoes here in our place. Apparently, both Taal and Mayon are the most active volcanoes in the Philippines." Nathaniel said who is very knowledgable about the active volcanoes in the Philippines and soon the bomb squad had successfully diffuses the bomb and was confiscated afterwards.
"So how could a lot of people never visited in this volcanic island?" Rick asked and Kim answers his question.
"Most people can see the volcanic island within the Laguna Caldera is to see them in a full view with the Laguna Lake. Usually the view decks can be found at the Manila East Road where the mountain hillside goes to Pililia where you can see lots of windmills."
"Actually the Laguna Lake itself is like a full circle connected through the entire Laguna province including Rizal and Taguig City." Nathaniel tells them about the Laguna Lake being in full circle.
"I think that bastard would activate the bomb if he had already implanted at the Taal Volcano." Brian said sensing about the last and final bomb he attempted to activate and he had hoped that Hunyo can stop him. "I was hoping Hunyo can stop him as well as the bomb he had implanted. We don't like our place to be terrorized."
After the incident, they visited at Talim Island and Nathaniel reunites with his father Adolfo who is currently on a wheelchair and Brian finally faces the man who had framed him for the murders and tarnishing his reputation as a Philippines Taekwondo practitioner.
"I guess that we're even... you made a real disgrace and a vagabond who lost everything because of that frame up you gave me. And now you're already dying from cancer."
"You haven't changed, Navarro. You're still a hot-tempered and a genius practitioner. Just look at me, this cancer had also gave me a huge karma." Adolfo said calmly and Brian was not angry after seeing his horrible condition.
"I wanted to get revenge on you for tarnishing my reputation and my horrible life experiences as a vagabond. But when I look at you and your current state, you're dying and I always think that I would kill you with my own bare hands."
"I repent all of my crimes for what I've done so far and for ruining your life and reputation. My colon cancer is already at the third stage and it seems that my parts of the body might have cancer cells in me if my cancer had gotten worse." Adolfo said who finally repent all of his crimes in the past because of his cancer and he emotionally regrets his actions. "I framed you up because I want to be me in the spotlight and I was envious on you. Our coach knew you had more potential than I am and I was jealous which led me to execute my crimes."
"Despite the miserable life you put me through, there's one Karate practitioner who regain my senses and to correct the error of my ways. And we had fought to the duel to the death. But he spared my life in the process." Brian said remembering the times he had fought Hunyo in the past and soon tells him. "It's because of Hunyo, I start my life over again and became a successful Chinese restaurant owner of the noodle restaurant business in Binondo. But for you, you became a wanted criminal who was on the run against the authorities and justice. Aren't you happy that your son had already managed his resort business here?"
"I was very proud of Nathaniel. But I was showing my guilt and embarrassment over my crimes. You were lucky that you had establish yourself after all the humiliation and the damage I put on you." Adolfo said while becoming saddened over his guilt.
"Since a lot of authorities are present and I knew your arrest warrant was with them." Brian said as he showed the authorities arrive to arrest him for his crimes despite suffering cancer. Nathaniel was saddened that his father is getting arrested after a long years of hiding and it reveals that he was one of the most wanted list of suspects in the Metro.
"You don't have to worry about your dad, Nathaniel. According to the court case, he was sentenced to hospital arrest than taking him to the New Bilibid prison to serve time for his crimes." Ibrahim said telling him about the hospital arrest they put on his father.
Brian has finally made a redemption to himself after Adolfo frames him for the murders and ruining his life.
Back at the World of Tekken at the outskirts of Duomo di Sirio, Jin continues his search for Rhima after she escapes from their headquarters due to his presence and also suffered his defeat from Claudio as he thought.
What did I do wrong? I thought that Rhima and I were okay. Why she was avoiding me personally? Is it because of Xiao?
Remembering what Claudio had said to him that Rhima dislikes becoming a third wheel to his cause due to him and Xiaoyu are close friends following their reunion but Xiaoyu had strong feelings for him which he was unaware and their closeness led him to break Rhima's heart. Jin realizes that Xiao's closeness to him is the main reason why Rhima is avoiding him due to her broken heart as he thought it again.
He maybe right about me and Xiao are getting together as friends and not realizing that she has feelings for me. But Xiao's love to me had caused Rhima to break her heart which is why she decided not to repair our current relationship between us. I need to fix things up for her.
With this, Jin continues his search for her and wants to reason with her to fix their current relationship.
Meanwhile, Rhima looked to see the town's view and decided to stay there for refuge. She looked at her personal cellphone and seeing the missing calls it was Kyun-bin. Rhima decides to follow Claudio's advice to tell him the truth as she thought.
Kyun-bin... I think it's about time to tell you the truth.
Just as her phone rings with vibration, Rhima tries to receive Kyun-bin's call until she heard someone calls her name.
"Rhima-san!"
To her horrible shock, Rhima looked to see Jin who is covered with dirt and bruises after his defeat from Claudio in their fight as she had thought while closing her eyes in disappointment.
You're shouldn't call me right now, Kyun-bin. If Jin sees me calling you, he will be mad to think I'm with someone else.
Rhima tries to hang up the phone with a comical background music had been played in which it continues to ring which Kyun-bin continues to contact her causing her to run away.
"Wait, Rhima-san... I need to reason with you." Jin tries to stop her from running away as he had no choice but to chase after her.
Rhima tries to run away from Jin because of her personal cellphone has vibrated due to Kyun-bin's constant calls and tries to hide from him. Jin looks for her to see where she was as she silently tiptoed to make her get away but she accidentally step into the twig in a snap. Jin became startled to hear the noise and behind him Rhima continues to run away knowing he was unaware of himself. But he saw her in a process.
"Wait!"
Rhima runs continuously as she had found the cabin and gets inside to hide. She felt exhausted and receives Kyun-bin's call while hiding.
"Kyun-bin... you shouldn't call me right now!"
"You look pretty exhausted, Rhima and who's this Kyun-bin person you're talking about." Hunyo replies while raising his brow and Rhima realizes it was his father Hunyo, much to her relief and apologizes.
"You're scared the heck out of me, dad. Sorry for my phone ethics."
"How's the mission going? Did you finally restored the broken link between our worlds?" Hunyo asked and Rhima finally tells him.
"Not yet, dad... and I've learned that Jin is the real key to finish my mission. But I had more issues going on in this world. It's like I don't want to finish this mission because of relationship problems."
"Rhima, it can be very complicated at times. You don't have to be affect yourself. Besides the people living in the World of Tekken are from the game itself and it was just like in our world. Think about reality in the real world, it was different from their world. Our game partners may know us when they lived in the real world but others they don't and sticking up to their roles of the game."
"..."
"I'll be waiting until you finish the mission, Rhima. But right now, we're in Taal, Batangas and we're going to the Taal Volcano by boat. Because we're tracking Jang-geum. Don't be affected, Rhima. This is their life in the game." Hunyo said giving his daughter an advice which she accepts.
"Okay, I got your advice, dad. Thanks..." Rhima said as she hung up her cellphone. Suddenly, Jin was in front of her much to her horrible surprise. "Jin..."
"Rhima-san... I want to speak with you. Please, you don't have to run away from me."
Rhima became saddened and upset to see him begging him not to run away from him and Jin wanted to reason with her and emotionally tells him.
"You should speak now, otherwise, I will leave you."
"Rhima, is it because of Xiao? Listen, I had no intention of making you as a love rival. I already scolded Xiao for fighting you personally because of her feelings for me which led you get captured by Kazuya. I was reluctant to do what she wants like sparring. I understand that you got hurt because of me."
"..."
"I didn't know that Claudio had rescued you from my father's hand. What did you do in their headquarters?" Jin said curiously of what Rhima had stayed at Duomo di Sirio which she stands up and response in annoyance.
"Sometimes you need to use your head for once, Jin. I was never kidnapped and Claudio just taught me how to control my powers and I knew you would be so worried about my current condition. I want to avoid you because I hate to become a love rival to someone like Xiaoyu and all she cares about is you."
"Rhima-san... I think it's about time that I have to tell you something." Jin said finally decided to tell her the whole story of the game they appeared in and Rhima became indifferent to him as she thought.
I remember before Hwoarang showed up to see me, I asked Lars about what just happened in the game they came in and why he and Jin are forming alliance against Mr. Mishima and his bloody carnage. He told me that Jin knows everything and it appears he was sincere enough to tell me everything.
Because of this, Rhima decided to know more about their story plot of the game as Jin was the one who knows everything it happened within their game.
Trivia:
*The scene between Brian and Adolfo is based on one of the episode of the radio drama of DJ Papa Dudut's Barangay Love Stories from 97.1 LS FM where the letter sender had grudges over the former bully who suffered a Stage 3 colon cancer and considers a huge karma for them after bullying for their ugly features.
*It reveals that the Laguna Caldera was the center island within the Laguna Lake and it was connected from Rizal, Taguig City and the Laguna province. And the caldera was potential active volcano which was erupted twice during ancient times and it was long dormant for years.
*Brian's redemption after arresting Adolfo is how Keith Martin from Time Crisis 5 and its True Mastermind edition redeem himself from his failed missions being given by his late partner and main antagonist Robert Baxter.
*The comical background music during the chase scene between Jin and Rhima is from the wide acclaimed Philippine afternoon drama, Abot-Kamay na Pangarap where Lyneth had turned the tables by outsmarting the main villainess Moira Tanyag when she had drunk the laxative on her ice coffee which was meant for Lyneth.