Night Life in Tokyo

Chapter 33

Up to this day, his family and I do have top rank businesses in and out of the countries. And money wasn't the reason why we're with each other. It's more than a value of bills of yen, dollars, or peso to something that we have.

"Oh, wait, I have something to show to you," he said. Umalis naman ako sa pagkakahiga sa kanya at saka siya tumayo papunta sa desk kung saan nakadisplay ang mga picture frames. May kinuha naman siyang isang picture frame at dinala niya iyon patungo pabalik sa akin. He sit next back to me, disengaging the back part of the frame and there was a picture behind it. "Here."

Inabot niya sa akin 'yong picture. At first, hindi ko alam kung anong tinitingnan ko but then I realized it was Trent and his parents.

"Is this you?" Inilapit ko sa mukha niya ang picture habang tinuturo ko ang toddler na nakaupo sa lap ng father niya.

He nodded. "Yup. That's my father and next to me was my mom."

"Ilang taon ka nito?"

"I'm not sure but maybe 8 or 9."

"What the fuck," I muttered.

"What? Why are you cussing at my picture?"

"No, not at you," depensa ko pa. "Look at these people behind you guys!"

Nang itinuro ko sa kanya ang couple sa likod na may buhat-buhat na toddler din. Biglang bumilis ang kabog ng dibdib ko. Agad ko namang kinuha ang phone ko. Puno naman ng pagtataka ang mukha ni Trent pero mas inuna ko ang paghahanap ng picture sa phone ko hangga't sa mahabang scroll down ay nahanap ko ang photo at iniharap ko sa kanyang mukha.

"Looks at this picture," I told him and made him look at it.

Napakunot na lamang ang noo niya at binabalik-balik niya pa rin ang tingin niya sa picture na hawak niya at sa picture sa phone ko.

"Oh, they looked like the same person. That's amazing."

"Gosh, Trent! That's my parents and that's me!" I exclaimed.

"I thought you've been here before when you were eight or nine?"

"I know, but I... don't know. I clearly don't remember this one. I just saved it to my phone when my Kuya Wel send it to me and I thought it was him but then he told me it was me—I just didn't know how old I was that time. Gosh! This is crazy."

"It's crazy," he commented. "I wasn't expecting this to happen though."

"Good thing you showed me that picture," I said. "Then I wouldn't even know that our paths have been crossed before. And this was the right time for everything. Gosh, Trent!"

Naiyakap ko na lamang siya hangga't sa isiksik ko ang sarili ko sa kanya.

Hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na darating kami sa puntong ito. I just thought he'll be showing just another normal family picture but it's more than that. If I just knew that I was in Japan before, he could've known sooner but I guess it was better when we're just figuring it all out at this moment.

Mayamaya lamang lumabas na nang kanilang mga kwarto sina Tita Doria at Tonton. They were prepared na naman kaya nagmadali na rin kaming kumilos ni Trent. We went down to the basement and headed to his car. Trent settled in the driver's seat and next to him was Tonton while me and Tita Doria settled in the backseat.

While we're on the road, pansin ko naman na nagiging emosyonal na si Tita Doria kaya naman nandito ako sa tabi niya para gabayan siya. I don't know how it feels to lose someone part of the family. Deep inside of me, before this all happened, I wished I should be dead.

It doesn't take us long when we finally reached Aoyama Cemetery. He then parked the car and when we got out of the car, Tonton brought the flowers while I carried the paper bag containing some candles.