The Rainbow Saga (Book Three): The Script of Fate

Script Fifteen: Memories

Script Fifteen

Memories

(Denzel)

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Matagal ko siyang tinitigan habang siya naman ay tila ba’y kampante lang na nakatingin sa akin. Sa totoo lang ay hindi ko alam kung anong una kong sasabihin ngayong malinaw nang pareho kaming kilala ng isang guro mula pagkabata.

Ngunit paano nangyari iyon?

“Strange. You’re his student, too?” nagtatakang tanong ni Yumi sa akin.

“I should ask you the same question,” mahinang sabi ko.

Napansin kong kanina pa kami pinagmamasdan ng aming guro. Noong itinuon ko kay Teacher Huo ang aking atensyon, saka ko lang napagtanto ang matagal na panahong lumipas.

Ngumiti siya nang tipid sa amin. “I see how you’ve grown,” mahinang sabi niya gamit ang lengwaheng banyaga sa aming salita. Tumingin siya sa gawi ni Yumi. “And I see that you still speak the language foreign to our mother tongue.”

Nagkibit-balikat si Yumi. “Can’t I? Besides, you use this language when speaking to me, too.”

“You know I had to do it to train you,” sagot ni Teacher Huo sa kanya, “little brat.”

Little brat?

Ngumuso si Yumi at humalukipkip. “I’m not a little brat. Can’t you see? I’m already grown up.”

“A big brat, then,” sabi ni Teacher Huo.

“Hey—”

“Yumi,” bulong ko. “Behave.”

“Whatever,” mataray niyang sagot sa akin. Napakamaldita niya talaga, sa totoo lang. Hindi ko talaga alam kung paano ko natatagalan ang kamalditahan ng babaeng ito.

“So you’re now calling her that? Funny. You used to call her Mei Ying,” nakangising sabi ni Teacher Huo sa akin.

Kumunot ang noo ko, ngunit bago pa man din ako nakapagsalita, inunahan na ako ni Yumi. “Excuse me? He calls me… what?”

Bumuntong-hininga si Teacher Huo. “I’m already old and I think you’re both old enough to help yourselves look for the answers to your questions. I’ll be on my way,” paalam niya.

“Wait a minute—”

“A dragon has a long memory, and to curse a dragon is to erase its memory. Yet who can do that to a powerful creation of ancient times? None other than the creation itself,” mahinang sabi ni Teacher Huo sa amin. “That’s all I can tell you.”

Napaawang ang bibig ni Yumi. Muling ngumisi si Teacher Huo at naglakad na papalayo.

“Yumi—”

“Chen Deng Xi, tell me everything,” biglang sabi niya.

“Anong sinasabi mo?”

Nagpamewang siya. “Tell me,” mariing sabi niya. “Who are you exactly?”

Humalukipkip ako. “I should be the one asking you that.”

“Let’s be honest, Denzel. For once, take off your mask.”

“Then you take yours off, too.”

Tinitigan namin nang matagal ang isa’t-isa hanggang sa bumuntong-hininga ako at hinila siya papunta sa lumang aklatan.

“OMG, what are we doing here?” kinikilabutang tanong niya.

“Why? Are you scared of the unseen?”