Invisible Strings

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Prologue ( ZIYAH)

Mabilis kong niligpit ang mga gamit ko para sana makakuha ng magandang upuan para sa next conference ngayong araw na'to. I looked around and scanned unfamiliar faces. Nagbukas na ang ilaw dahil natapos na ang lecture about space-saving materials na topic, I wonder if this will help me in the future. Two more sessions at matatapos na ang para sa araw nato.

I walked faster at inayos ang sarili  dahil malapit na ako sa linya ng mga architect na gustong makausap din siya, mostly makapagpapirma sa libro niya. Maraming gustong bumati at kumamay sa kanya and I don't deny I am one of them. Gusto ko sanang lumapit man lang at mapicturan ang lecturer because he is a well-known architect at sigurado akong maiingit sina Cheria sa Pilipinas pag nagkwento ako.

Biglang nagring ang telepono ko at nakita ang mga mensahe ng mga kaybigan. Cheria wouldn't stop sending me questions after finding out na magiging lecturer ang architect na ito.

Gustong-gusto ko nalang talagang mag-gabi na para makapagparty. Kaya lang naman ako pumayag sa 1 month conference na ito dahil una, sagot ng kumpanya; Pangalawa, this is a vacation; Pangatlo, I've never been to U.S. in my own accord.

It's funny na hindi ko man lang naisip ang propesyon ko at basta-basta nalang sumang-ayon na lumipad dito. Three more weeks and I'm going home already.

It's a miracle that I passed the licensure and that I am here listening to these lectures. Dapat kasi si Cher o si Vera ang nandito. Mas may passion sila kesa sa akin. Mas maaabsorb nila to.

Celestin's idea of that roulette of luck app made me fly up here. That app has been our seventh member, in charge of decision making when we don't know what to do.

"Excuse me" A dashing foreigner overtook in front of me. I gritted my teeth. Kanina pa ako naghihintay dito tapos sisingit siya? Kung kelan isang tao nalang at ako na.

I counted from one to ten to calm myself. Sakto na rin yon para makapagdesisyon ba ako kung worth it makipag-away dahil sumingit tong 'kanong to.

"Hey—"

I was stopped when the lecturer and the man infront of me hugged.

"Surprised yet Architect?"

"What are you doing here Doc? How are you? Where's that fucking engineer?"

"Seb's making coffee at home. You gotta talk some shit to that man. Even my phD are nothing to his shitty mind."

The lecturer laughed.

"You don't say that to my precious engineer Doc." Tumikhim ako. Kaya natigilan silang dalawa. "Please Doc." The doctor sat beside him, reason why the booksigning continued.

"So why are you here?" Mapanuksong tanong ng lecturer sa tabi niya. Tumikhim ako ulit para maalis ang diko maintindihang kaba dahil tinitignan nila akong pareho. I flipped page after page.

Maybe I should ask him Cheria's question.

"I saw a patient nearby." Tipid na sagot nito.

"A patient?"

I couldn't even see the Doc's face because I was so immersed at their conversation while pretending to flip some pages.

"Ofcourse you idiot. Just a patient." Sagot ng doktor. Mumunti namang humagikgik ang sikat na arkitekto.

"Name?" Tanong niya nang hindi tumitingin sa akin.

"CHIAYI."

"Like the place?" Tanong niya nang nakatingin na sa akin. I squinted my eyes for a bit.