I Just Loved Too

IJLT 14 - Permission

"I know what you did to Paris. Ken, you need to stop overreacting," pangaral ng kakambal niya. It's been three days since he confronted Paris. And since then, hindi na ito muling lumapit kay Ahn. He was feeling guilty pero hindi niya napigilan ang sariling gawin iyon sa pinsan.

It's like this with Zaira. He's doing it again. Ayaw niyang lumala pa kaya inuunahan na niya.

"I just told him to back off. It's no big deal."

Iya sighed and sat on his bed. "Ken, it is a big deal. You don't even know if Ahn feels the same. What if she likes Paris?"

Ayaw niyang tanggapin ang ganoong posibilidad. Paris does not deserve Ahn. He will only hurt her, like he did to Zaira.

"She doesn't like Paris," he replied. He doesn't know who she likes. Mukhang wala pa kasi sa isip ni Ahn ang mga ganoong bagay.

"If you want to be sure, you better start showing her that you like her. Be direct, Ken."

He sighed. Siguro nga ay tama ang kakambal niya. Baka nga naman kasi panay ang paramdam niya tapos wala naman pala itong gusto sa kanya. And to think na willing siyang banggain ang sariling pinsan just to have Ahn to himself.

"Samahan mo 'ko," aya niya sa kambal.

Kumunot ang noo nito. "Saan?"

"I need to talk to mom and dad."

Normally, he doesn't do this. Basta nanliligaw na lang siya sa babaeng gusto niya. Pero iba kasi si Ahn. Family friend ito. Best friend ng mommy niya ang daddy nito. Lumaki sila sa pamilya ng magkakaibigan simula college.

Alam niyang kapag may mali syang ginawa, it might result to the destruction of an almost three decades of friendship. Ayaw naman niyang mangyari iyon.

During dinner, plinano niyang kausapin ang mga magulang.

They waited for their dad to arrive bago sila kumain. During dinner, he was usually quiet. Hindi niya halos magalaw ang pagkain. Kinakabahan kasi siya. He doesn't want to be judged for what he was about to say. Paano kung hindi sya payagan ng mga ito? What if they have the same fear?

Paano kung naiisip din nilang baka ito pa ang maging dahilan ng pagkakasira ng mga pamilya nila?

"Anak, hindi ka ba gutom?" his mom asked. He looked at his plate. Halos wala pa iyong bawas.

Umiling siya. He was already feeling queasy.

"He needs to tell you something, ma, pa," Iya intervened.

"What is it?" his dad asked.

"M-Mamaya na lang, pa," sagot niya.

Iya kicked his leg. Tiningnan niya ito ng masama.

"Sabihin mo na para matapos na," sabi nito sa kanya.

"Ano ba 'yan ha?" tanong ng mommy nila.

"Gusto mo ako na lang ang magsabi?" tanong sa kanya ng kakambal.

"Ako na," sagot niya.

Tumingin siya sa mga magulang. Tumigil sa pagkain ang mga ito, hinihintay syang magsalita.

"Ma, pa, I... I-"

"He likes Ahn," Iya blurted out.

"Iya!"

"E ang tagal mo kasi!" reklamo ng kakambal niya.

Napamaang lamang ang parents nila sa kanila.

"A-Ahn?"

"Yung anak ng ninong Toby ninyo?"

He felt his ears turning pink. "O-Opo."

His dad leaned back to his chair. "Are you sure, anak?"