He Was My Cousin

Epilogue (Part 5 of 6)

Sorry for the late update at sa mga fake news kong update sched sa twitter. Ang hirap mag-keep up sa adult life chz 1/2 Alright, here we gooo

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"Anong problema natin?" bungad sa'kin ni Riyu nang dumating ako sa booth namin. It's Dugout's week-long seventh anniversary celebration.

Despite formally leaving Dugout and abandoning all managerial duties almost two months ago, I still attend its most important affairs. Hindi naman pwedeng basta-basta na lang ako mawala. I have client ties I need to personally connect to Riyu and Evo. There are things about business you can't merely handover through papers.

I didn't plan it-- leaving Dugout. Pero habang lumalapit 'yung pagtatapos ng pagpapagawa ko ng bahay at iyong proposal... I felt like I had to do it. I'd be a family man soon. I didn't want to spend my nights in a bar simply because the business calls for it. Besides, Aya owns a school and a bar isn't exactly in line with that. I had to think and plan for the long-run.

"Nag-away kasi kami ni Aya," I said, scratching the back of my head. I let out an exasperated sigh. Kumuha ako ng shot glass at sinalinan 'yon ng alak.

"Bakit? Baka naman kasi kalabit ka nang kalabit," sabi ni Evo. I ignored his remark and just drank from my glass. Kung alam niya lang. I'm practically a virgin again... never been kissed, never been touched for the past month since I proposed. But that's not the issue here.

"She wants a simple wedding where only our family and closest friends would be invited."

"And you want a grand one," Riyu continued for me.

"We have the money to hold a grand wedding, why wouldn't we? We waited this long, why don't we make it as grand as we could? Tangina, if I could only invite every person we had crossed paths with our whole life, I'd invite all them even if I end up penniless feeding them in the reception."

I wanted every fucking thing that breathes to know we're getting married. Pambawi man lang sa ilang taon na kailangan naming itago 'yung tungkol sa'ming dalawa.

Evo frowned and said, "No'ng isang taon ka pa atat na atat pakasalan si Aya. Bakit hindi mo na lang siya hayaan sa mga detalye ng kasal niyo? Let her do what she wants. Ang importante siya 'yung pakakasalan mo. Bro, stop bossing around even in your wedding preps."

"Maybe I'm not bossing around and I actually care about the details of the wedding because it's our wedding?" I spat back. I began massaging my temple. I feel like she's... Fuck.

I drank to oblivion that night. I just felt like I needed it. Puta. Akala ko okay na kami e. Every time we meet an old acquaintance who'd remind us I was her cousin, she'd nonchalantly say "hindi, ampon lang 'yan" and afterwards we'd laugh it off.

Now we're getting married but apparently it's still an issue? It's frustrating to end up fighting for the same reasons.

"Evo, hindi ka ba napag-iiwanan ng panahon? Si Pao, engaged na. Ako, si Riyu, si Jethro kasal na. Don't you have plans to settle down?" tanong ni Nico. "Do you even have a girlfriend? 'Pag pumupunta kami rito, iba-iba ang kasama mo."

The party has been going on for hours. Hindi ko na mabilang kung naka-ilang shot ako. Now, the attention is on Dugout's main man, Evo Torralba.

"Wala," sagot ni Evo kay Nico. "And I don't do girlfriends. Commitments aren't my thing. Alam mo naman 'yan."

Nico looked scandalized. He only ever dated his wife, Ricci. They were together for ten years before tying the knot. He was about to criticize Evo but I stopped him. It's too late to change Evo as if he needed it.