Laments of Broken Strings (Arte del Amor #1)

Chapter 27

"Si Nikolai kasi, hindi mag move-on sa crush niya." pang-aasar ni Jiro kay Nikolai habang nagkukwentuhan nalang kami ngayon dito sa studio.

I suddenly got curious about who Nikolai likes. Wala man lang siyang reaksyon sa pang-aasar sa kaniya at nagpatuloy lang sa paglalaro sa PSP niya.

"Nagsalita ang marunong mag-move on." pambabara ni Isaiah kaya tumigil si Jiro sa pang-aasar kay Nikolai.

Hindi ko na napigilan pa na magtanong, "Really, Nikolai? You have someone you like?"

It was a long silence before he could answer. Nag-abang ako, umaasa na maiintriga ako sa sagot niya, but Nikolai being the man that he is, "No. Of course, I don't. Wala."

Tumatawa lang si Isaiah and it's telling me that Nikolai is lying. At least alam ko nang nagkakagusto din pala itong isang 'to. Who's the girl, really? He doesn't look like the type to be head over heels for someone.

Umaktong may biglang naalala si Nikolai, pero parang gusto niya lang ibahin ang usapan. "Jiro, akala ko ba may isang kanta tayong tutugtugin ngayon?"

"Ano 'yun? Who'll sing?" mukhang hindi alam ni Isaiah ang tinutukoy nila. Kahit ako ay hindi ko alam kaya ipinagkibit-balikat ko na lang iyon.

Jiro stood up, "I will sing."

Agad akong na-excite dahil hindi ko pa narinig na kumanta si Kenjiro! Agad kong kinuha ang cellphone ko para makuhanan ng video si Nikolai at Kenjiro.

"I wonder how this would turn out. Nagsama pa talaga ang dalawa." sabi ni Isaiah na nasa tabi ko. "Tama yan, Nyx. Take a video, let's make a fortune out of this."

Pumasok sila doon sa isang kwarto na talagang ginagamit para mag-record. Natatanaw namin sila sa salamin na pumapagitna sa amin.

Pumwesto si Nikolai sa isang upuan at inayos ang gitara niya. Si Jiro naman ay nanatiling nakatayo at seryosong nakatingin sa mic na nasa harapan. "Matutunaw yung mic, Jiro."

I gave them a thumbs up before they started even though they couldn't see me from there.

Nikolai skillfully started playing the guitar with his fingers. As if on cue, I got goosebumps from how well he can play even the most complicated of chords.

"See I can't wake up, I'm living a nightmare that keeps playing over again... locked in a room so hung up on you and you're cool with just being friends"

Nang magsimulang magkanta si Jiro ay hindi ko na nakuhang pindutin ang record button dahil sa pagkamangha ko. Hindi ko iyon mamamalayan kung hindi pa si Isaiah ang pumindot noon para magsimula na sa pagrecord.

"Left on the sidelines, stuck at a red light... waiting for my time and I can't see why don't you love me?"

I had no idea that he could sing like this. That just proves just how much I still do not know about them. All of them. That's on me because I haven't really tried. Gusto kong baguhin 'yon.

"See I'm just too scared to tell you the truth, cause my heart ache can't take anymore"

I glanced at Isaiah and saw that he is just as amazed as I am! Sobrang ganda ng boses ni Jiro!

"Broken and bruised longing for you and I don't know what I'm waiting for"

He sang it with so much emotion, his eyes were closed and he looked like he was in his own universe. We are just his spectators.

"Why don't you love me?"

Binuksan niya ang mata niya at agad niya akong tinignan. I froze, realizing for whom he was singing. The lyrics slowly made sense to me as the song was nearing its conclusion.