[b]007[/b] "You know, we can just... do this some time else." "You plan to go home right now?" "Well, magbabus nalang ako. Mas safer, diba?" "Come on. I'm getting married. Walang malisya. Pure business." He said. "Siguro nga we had a past, pero past is past, as they say. Wala kang dapat ikabahala. So, you shouldn't feel awkward by now. It has been 3 years or so. Long time." He said and fixed his things. "Akin nalang to, wala silang extra bed eh. Eto na yung ilalagay ko sa sahig." "You know I couldn't sleep without the blanket." "Oh, right. I forgot." He forgot?! Like 5 years of being together and he forgot all about it in 3 years?! Doesn't that annoys you?! "Here." Binalik niya ulit sa bed yung blanket. "Bilis na, let's have dinner outside." "Sandali nga.." Sabi ko and fixed my bag. Then lumabas kami ng pension house and looked for a restaurant. "Ayun! Turn right.." "Aya's?" "Oo. I super liked it there." Sabi ko and he turned right. "Nakakain na tayo dito diba?" "Ha?" "Back at college.." "Ay, oo pala. Ayos lang ba?" I asked. "Sure, masarap naman dito e." Sabi niya so pumasok na kami sa loob. We went inside and we both each opened a menu. I closed the menu book and faced the waitress. "Hmm, I'll go with spareribs, a fresh lumpia and sago." "Para sa hapunan?" He asked surprisingly. "Y-yeah. They're like the best." "Sure. I'll go with what she ordered." Tinakip niya yung menu book. "Sure ka masarap ha?" Nakatingin lang ako sa kanya na as if di pa siya nakatikim dito. Ugh? "It's not like hindi ako nakakain dito, I know the sparerib's nice, but I can't seem to imagine what it should taste if it goes with sago and fresh lumpia." "Walang sisihan." I said. And then silence. Silence. Silence. Silence. "What a small world." Tumawa siya. "Oo nga eh. Sobrang liit." I smiled. "Katulad mo.." Bulong ko sa sarili ko. "Anong maliit ako? Hindi kaya. Tingnan mo, may muscles na ako hu." Then he buffed his arms. "Anong muscle dyan ha? Eh puro buto parin iyan e." "Pero at least hindi na ako ganun ka obvious na payatot compared nung college." Napatawa naman ako. "Buti napansin mo din iyan. Pero payat ka pa din." "Hindi yan thin. Lean na yan. Tall and lean." "Whatever, asa ka parin." Tumawa na ako. Bigla namang dumating yung waitress at binigay yung orders namin. "Sure ka yan lang gusto mong kainin?" He asked. "Yeah, why?" Nagtaka naman ako. "Ang takaw mo kaya." He smirked. "Noon yun, di na ngayon." Sabi ko. Hihi, napipikon kasi ako pag sinasabihan ako tungkol sa katakawan ko noon. "Ikaw nga eh, ang payat-payat mo. Kumain ka ng marami. Balang araw niyan, maging kamukha mo si Palito." I laughed. Napatawa naman siya. "Asa ka, mas gwapo ata ito kay Palito. Kain na nga." At ayun, kumain nga kami. After ng dinner, naglibot-libot muna kami sa lugar at syempre, nagpicture-picture ako. Di naman pwedeng di ako maging vain kung ganito kaganda ang view. "Ang vaaaiinn!" Sabi niya. Tinago ko naman kaagad yung camera ko. "Akin na nga, ako na magpipicture sa iyo." Binigay ko naman yung camera sa kanya. "Smileee..." *flash* "Ang ganda.." Sabi ko. "Masyadong unfair sa sarili." Sabi niya naman. "Ang ganda ng view." I looked at him and rolled my eyes. "Ang ganda ko din.." Bulong ko sa sarili ko. Hihi. "Akin na camera mo, picturan din kita para di ka masyadong nega diyan... pakita mo narin kay Kath para magandahan na din." Sabi ko. "Wala akong camera eh." Sabi niya. "Aw, ganun.. okay. Wag nalang din." "Kunan mo nalang ako, then download ko from your memory card. I brought my laptop naman eh." "Riggghtt, sige, sige." I took my camera and positioned it. Napatingin naman ako sa screen ng cam ko. He was posing this [url=http://i41.tinypic.com/zjgg02.jpg]Randy Orton style[/url] but face straight on the camera, lips smiling, and relaxed arms.[i] Just like college.[/i] "1, 2, 3.. smile. Ayan. Done." "Thanks." Sabi niya then walked farther. Sumunod naman ako sa kanya. "How's life?" He asked. I stopped then he turned to look at me, smiled, and continued walking. "Hindi talaga tayo nagkausap since we've seen each other." "Well, good. Uhmm, the business is very well, my health is never been great... remembered my stomach complications dati?" "Yeah, yung lagi kang naeeLBM?" "Oo, they're gone. It was treated." "That's good. Pero sigurdo dahil din yun sa katakawan mo." "Oh yeah, right." I rolled my eyes again. "Then.. ano pa?" "Hmm..." Nagkibit-balikat ako while still thinking of what more to say. "Ano pa ba.. yeah! I went to Japan last month and I visited those manga stores, yung famous cosplay costume selling store at Shibuya, then I went to see Mt. Fuji and nakasakay din ako sa bullet train.. and.. yeah, it was fun." "Really?" He faced me and stopped walking. "You went to Japan? Why?" "Eh kasi I took a vacation from work, so nasa checklist ko yung Japan ever since elementary. And now na medyo afford ko na yung pagpunta dun, why not diba?" "Right.." Then tumalikod na naman siya and started climbing the stairs. "Di moko hinintay.." He said. Napatawa naman ako. "Yeah, right." "Just kidding." He chuckled. "Nice to hear that, Yel." "Ikaw, Ralph? What have you been up to?" "Eto, planning the wedding instead of the bride-to-be." He chuckled. "Come on..." "Hahaha. Hmm, wala, trabaho dun sa LA. Then minsan, roadtrip papuntang Mexico or fly to NY. But more on spending time at the hospital and with Kath." He smirked. "Hindi ka na nakauwi dito sinc-" Bigla akong napatahimik. "Since you flew there.." "Yeah. I was so busy eh. Tsaka hassle kung uuwi pa ako dito. Masyadong mahal yung airfare. Di naman ako magtatagal." "Ahhh.. napetition mo na ba yung Mom mo?" "Yeah, been working on that." "That's good.. So you two are living together there na?" "Well~.." Bigla akong nanginig kung anong magiging sagot niya. "Uso narin naman iyan dun eh." Sabi ko and ran upstairs. "Bilis na! Nakakapagod na!" Sigaw ko sa kanya at dumiretso na ako sa itaas. Pagdating ko sa taas, huminga ako ng malalim, my heart was beating fast and para bang it is being squeezed. Nakakainis. I've never felt this since.. I bit my lip and continued walking sa kung saan nakikita yung whole Tagaytay. I took out my cam and took some pictures. "Kunan mo ko, bilis!" Sabi ko sa kanya and handed my cam to him. "1,2,3...smile." He held the camera for a second more after clicking it. "Hello, tapos na ba?" I asked sarcastically. "Y-Yeah. Sorry." He handed me the cam. "Sige, ikaw naman." "Nahh, wag na. May kuha na ako dun." "Oh come on.. minsan lang naman to eh." "O-okay." He stood there and looked so serious. "Ano ba, galaw-galaw baka mastroke." I joked and he laughed. Bigla ko namang clinick yung camera, so I took a picture of him semi-laughing. It was cute, actually. We sat down dun sa mga malalaking bato while overseeing the view. "So, wala pang boyfriend?" Tanong ni Ralph. "Hahaha. Ano ba yan, sounds like pormafirstmove ng mga high school students. Hahaha!" "Haha. Oo nga no." "Hmm, wala pa. Masyadong busy sa mga ganyan. Kaya nga kita-" I shut up. "No, it's okay." He smiled with no hint of pain. "It's just that.. I'm just so happy kung nasan man ako at kung ano man ang meron ako ngayon. Parang somehow, contented narin ako." Sabi ko and smiled. "Yeah, that's really good to hear, Yel." "Ikaw, pano naging kayo ni Kath? You know, you guys should have this presentation sa wedding niyo like your lives back nung elementary kayo till you met.. it's soo nice. Like fairy tales." I said all dreamy ~ [i]AS IF[/i]. "Hahaha. Pwede minus the college lang?" "Hahaha, syempre naman. Pwede mokong maerase sa part ng college mo. No problem with me." I laughed. "But seriously, wala ka bang planong sabihin kay Kath before you get wed?" "I guess she's better off not knowing. Past narin naman iyon tsaka magpapakasal narin kami." "But you know, you should be open with each-" "I know. Pero what's the point pa diba?" "Okay. If that's what you want." I said. "Tara na, uwi na tayo. It's getting really really cold here." "Buti pa nga.." Sabi niya and we started climbing down the stairs again. Nung nakaabot na kami sa ilalim, he suddenly said, "You know, I kind of forgot how fun it is to be around you." He chuckled. Napatigil naman ako. "Of course." I laughed then bit my lip. Then he suddenly got a reklamo na naman. "I'm hungry." Natawa naman ako. "Sino ba naman kasi yung hindi gugutumin dun sa pagakyat at pagbaba?" "Oo nga naman.. tara, drive through tayo." Kaya ayun, nag drive through kami and headed back to the pension house. Humingi na kami ng extra bed para di namang magmukhang kawawa itong client ko. "Mauna ka nang gumamit ng banyo. Susunod ako. Kakain lang muna ako." Sabi niya kaya pumasok nako ng bathroom. Tumingin ako sa mirror and bit my lip. Then I smiled. [i]"I am contented."[/i] After kong maligo, lumabas na ako na nakabihis and slumped my body to bed. "I feel so fresh!" "Ang tagal-tagal mo.." Sabi niya. "Reklamo ka ng reklamo, di ka na nasanay." Tumawa naman siya. "Eto mabilis lang.." Sabi niya at pumasok sa bathroom. After 10 minutes siguro, lumabas na siya - [i]shirtless[/i]. "Sorry, naiwan ko kasi yung tshirt ko dito sa labas." Sabi niya while hinahalungkat yung bag niya. "No problem." Sabi ko and tried to concentrate on the tv show but to no avail. "Payatot ka pa din." Sabi ko. "You're looking! Sumbong kita kay Kath!" "Oh shut up." Sabi ko and laughed. Tumawa lang din sya. When he found his shirt, nahiga na sya sa bed niya sa floor. "I'm going to sleep. Napagod ako sa byahe." Sabi ko. I turned off the tv and gave him the remote. "Pakioff nalang ng lights ha. Iwan na nating nakaon itong lamp." "Yeah, sure." Sabi niya and stood up to turn off the lights and the tv. Then he went back to his bed and closed his eyes. "Good night." "Good night." Sabi ko. "Yel?" "Hmm?" "Honestly, I didn't really forget how fun it is to be around you." He said in almost a whisper. I smiled to myself. "I'm unforgettable, after all." Sabi ko and closed my eyes. But I couldn't sleep for fifteen minutes now. Napahinga ako ng malalim and slowly crept slowly from my blanket. I peeked Ralph praying na sana tulog na nga talaga sya.. and there he was sleeping like a little child. Probably, nasa 2nd stage na sya ng REM. I looked at him, studying every feature of his face even his hair. I held my chest as if stopping someone from squeezing it. I felt butterflies all over my stomach. And I shivered. I took a deep breath and went back to my former position -- looked at the ceiling, closed my eyes, held on my blanket tightly and covered my face. [hr] [spoiler][b]008[/b] The first time I saw her, I told myself, "She's gonna be mine." Not because she was pretty, nor because she smiled so sweetly, but because I saw something in her.. something I myself couldn't define. We started hanging out until I knew I'm not just gonna settle with friendship. I had to do something and take a risk : even giving up our friendship. It's that way or nothing. I started giving her hints that I'm interested, but she didn't respond to any of it. Until that day.. It was Saturday and we were hanging out at her place watching A Walk To Remember. She was almost in tears, talking about how lucky Jamie Sullivan to find true love in Landon Carter and to change him in her own special ways that would last a lifetime. How she wished she would find true love soon, then she would be happy. I looked at her. I took a deep breathe. It was my chance. One confession: all or nothing. "What if.. no. Can I somehow be your true love?" I asked. I felt my intestines turned upside down because of nervous and unwanted sensations. She looked at me and blinked a couple of times. I felt my snot started to drop from my nose. I sniffed it back inwards, chuckled and bit my lip. "I'm serious though." That was, I guess, the most special night of my life. It will always be. [i]Always[/i].[/spoiler]