The Monster Café (2021)

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 6

"SA WAKAS, NAKALABAS NA RIN!" sigaw ni Zech habang iwinawagayway ang mga kamay sa ere. Matapos tumakbo papalapit sa dagat ay lumuhod ito upang damhin ang buhangin. Then he slowly turned to his companions, who were just watching him in amusement, as his eyes were sparkling with tears of joy. "Nakalabas na tayo!"

"Yeah, yeah. Alam namin. We're here, too, you know?" sarkastikong asik ni Mnemosyne. Nilampasan nito ang mga empleyado na kasalukuyang kinukuha ang mga bagahe nila mula sa camper van upang ilagay sa tutuluyang kwarto.

Zech immediately stood up in a defensive stance habang naglalakad ang kasintahan palapit sa kanya. "Ano, round 2? Ikaw uli magsisimula?" hamon nito.

"You say that as if I'm the one who's always picking fights!"

"Pero ikaw naman talaga!"

"Ah, ito na naman sila..." rinig ang buntong hininga ni Haven na nasa tabi ni Soul. She scrunched up her nose as she kept watching them.

Soul looked at her and asked, "Are they always like this?"

Tumango ito. "I just got used to it. Pero minsan nakakapag-alala pa rin..." She turned her back on the two lovers quarreling to face him. "Zech's a really great guy, and I know Mnemosyne's okay, too, but then... their relationship sometimes seems toxic to me. Most of their fights are really petty ones like this one happening right now."

Without taking his eyes off her, Soul said, "Well, maybe biased ka? Mnemosyne's my friend and although she's like that, she's actually kind."

Haven glanced at him and smiled, "Biased ka rin, e."

Seeing her smile made Soul feel something weird. It's not butterflies in his stomach, hindi naman niya alam kung anong pakiramdam no'n. But he feels something cold seep through his bones. The weird thing is, it's not the bad kind of cold—it's the good kind, kung may ganun mang pakiramdam.

Naputol ang titigan ng dalawa nang biglang humiyaw si Zech. Breaking eye contact, they immediately turned to his direction. Zech had his finger on his right eye and it seemed like he was tearing up a bit.

"Zech, anong—" Bago pa makalapit sa kanila si Haven ay pinigilan na siya ni Soul. She gave him a questioning look. Soul put his index finger to his lips to shush her. Nang tumango si Haven ay ibinaba na niya ito at tumingin sa kinaroroonan nina Zech na gayon ding ginawa ni Haven.

Mnemosyne's expression became soft as she came closer to Zech. Ibinaba niya ang kamay ni Zech na kinakamot ang mata nito. "'Wag mong kamutin. Mamumula 'yan. Here, let me."

Zech's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed as Mnemosyne blew on his right eye. Hinipan niya ito nang hinipan hanggang sa patigilin na siya ng nangangamatis na Zech. "O-okay na, love."

"Hmmm..." Mnemosyne took out a handkerchief from her pocket. Marahan niyang kinuha ang mga kamay ni Zech at pinunasan gamit nito. "Hinawak mo sa buhangin ang mga kamay mo tapos ihahawak mo sa mata mo, mapupuwing ka talaga niyan."

Zech pouted, but didn't protest. Taimtim lang niyang pinapanood ang ginagawang pagpupunas ni Mnemosyne sa kanyang mga kamay. "Tsk. Can't believe I'm in love with a baby."

The view was like a scene taken out of a movie. Hindi alam ng dalawang nanonood kung ano ang dapat nilang maramdaman. Hindi na rin nila namalayan na nasa harap na pala nilang dalawa ang magkasintahan.

"Soul... Haven..." Pagtataka ang nasa mata ng dalawa. "Why are you guys crying?"

Gulat na nagkatinginan sina Soul at Haven sabay napahawak sa mga mukha.

Why were they crying?

It seemed like they were both thinking the same thing kaya pareho silang natawa.