Daddy Shua

38

THIRD PERSON

It's been months, and Sandy became the source of happiness inside their dorm. She's so energetic, she always giggle, asking every people in the dorm to carry her, she rarely cry. She also obtained a habit where she always shake her head, as if she always disagree in some of her titos' opinion and suggestions. But they all know that it's just an innocent act of her, wala siyang alam sa mga pinaggagagawa niya. 

Just like her mother, she always disapprove in such things, believing that she's independent.

"Anong pangarap ni baby Sandy?" tanong ni Dokyeom na siyang karga-karga ang bata.

Kakatapos lamang ng binyag ni baby at ngayon naman ay magkakaroon sila ng simpleng handaan sa dorm.

"Maging doctor?" Dino asked, she shook her head.

"Actress?" she disagreed.

"Lawyer?" she also shook her head.

"Architect?" she declined.

"Maging pokpok?" tanong ni Dokyeom.

Sinamaan siya ng tingin ni Joshua't saka inagaw sa kaniya ang anak nito, "Joke lang hyung," nagpeace sign ito.

"Maging magician?" she shook her head.

"Maging manananggal?"

Napatigil ang lahat sa paghinga nang masaksihan  nilang tumango si Sandy. First time niyang um-agree sa kanila!

"Bakit ano namang masama kung gusto niyang maging manananggal? Ang mahalaga ay wala siyang tinatapakang tao," pagtatanggol ni Vernon sa karapatan ng mga manananggal.

"Payag ka no'n hyung manananggal anak mo pero 'yong lumilipad ay ang ibabang parte ng katawan niya kasi bawal siyang makaapak ng tao," natatawang pakikipagnegosasyon ni Hoshi.

"Sana 'yong anak mo sa future may kukong pangtigre," pagdarasal ni Joshua.

"Ayos lang sa'kin hyung! Basta dapat ang pangalan ng anak ni Seungkwan sa future ay Majin Boo!"

"Kal Boo," Suhestyon ni Dokyeom.

"Boo Panez!"
"Boo Long Ng Palad!"
"Boo Terte!"
"Boo Rat!"
"Boo Zog!"

"Pashnea nananahimik ako!" dinuro niya ang lahat gamit ang hawak-hawak niyang lumpiang shanghai. Nagtawanan silang lahat.

Nagsimula na silang kumain habang nagbabangayan pa rin kung anong dapat ipangalan ni Seungkwan sa panganay niya kahit loyal naman siya kay Vernon kaya walang silbi ang pagkoconnect ng pangalan sa apelyido niyang Boo.

"Hyung bakit pala Sandy ang pangalan ni baby?"

"That's her mother's choice. Kung ako ang nasunod e di Tina Hong sana siya,"

"Tinahong sino?" Naguguluhang tanong ni Mingyu, binatukan siya ng katabi niyang si Wonwoo.

"Mabuti pala at sinunod mo 'yong nanay," natatawang sambit ni Jeonghan.

"Ang cool kaya ng Tina Hong!"

"Cool pero sinunod mo pa rin 'yong nanay," Seungcheol smirked, he gulped when some of them teased him too.

"Mga bobo," he mumbled.

"Kung hindi Bagin pangalan ng panganay ni Seokmin ano pang silbi ng apelyido niyang Lee?" bigla namang sabat ni Hoshi.

"Lee Bagin amput-- hala 'tol the best ka talaga! Daddy book nalang ang kulang," natatawa siyang nakipag-apir.

"Ladys dapat pangalan ng panganay mo Seungcheol hyung ha," nakipagkamay si Dino kay Seungcheol.

"Choi Ladys, Ladys Choi,"

"Sige na hyung, tutal amoy panis na mayonnaise ka naman," Natatawang sambit ni Woozi.

"Wen!" tinuro ni Hoshi si Jun.

"Wowow Wen na sa'yo p're," pagtapik ni Minghao.

"Wen Marimba Rhythm Startuplay,"
"Wen Danayt Haskam,"
"Wen Direction,"
"Weheal Az Wen,"
"Wen Plezwen,"

Hindi natapos ang pagbibigay nila ng suggestion ng pangalan, hanggang sa matapos ang handaan, hanggang sa maantok na si Sandy. Nagpaalam na si Joshuang aakyat na siya para makatulog nang maayos si baby.

"You must be tired," he gentle put his baby on his bed.

Ginawa na naman nito ang kaniyang habit na pag-iling. Joshua just chuckled before giving her a bottle of milk. Her eyes were almost close, pero pinipigilan pa rin nito ang sariling makatulog.

"It's fine, baby. There's always another day. You can play with them tomorrow," he laid beside her and fixed his daughter's hair.

"M-mama!" napatigil sa paggalaw si Joshua nang marinig niyang magsalita si Sandy.

"Mama!" hirap man siyang magbigkas, malinaw sa pandinig ni Joshuang nagsalita nga talaga ang kaniyang anak.

"Woah," Napabangon ito't pinagmasdan si baby habang nakikipaglaban sa sariling kaantukan.

"You just literally said your first word," nakangiting sambit nito.

"You're being unfair to me, my daughter," he pouted as he lifted her up, siguro'y mas mapapadali ang pagtulog ni baby kapag hinele siya ng papa niya.

"I'm the one who's with you but your first word was her. You're such a carbon copy of that woman," he whispered.

A photocopy of Chimera, in their eyes Joshua's efforts were invisible and unnoticed, that's what he believed.

Nang makatulog na ang kaniyang anak ay marahan niya itong hiniga sa tabi ng kaniyang kama. He tried to call Chimera to keep her updated about her daughter but she just missed the call.

She never blocked his number, as if she's giving him hope that someday, she will answer.

But he's now losing interest. He's tired of chasing her, he's no longer determined to bring her back.

To: Rara
If you'll just keep my calls ignored, can you just block my number?

He threw his phone at the other side of the bed in frustration. Kahit wala pang kamuwang-muwang ang anak nila, alam ni Joshuang kailangan talaga niya ng nanay lalo na't nagbibigay ito ng hint sa kaniya. Ramdam niyang gusto ng anak niyang makasama ang mama niya.

She'd been surrounded by so many guys, but she only needs one man to stand as her father and that's Joshua.

She also needs one woman to be her mother but she's not around, acting as if she didn't care about her daughter anymore.

That's the reason why Joshua's frustrated. How can he be a father and a mother at the same time when his daughter's longing for her real mother to embrace her too.

He lacks in being Sandy's father, he knew it. But what alarms him is that he might fail as her single parent, he can't be two personas in one play.

"When will you meet me? Are you even willing to see me again?"

He can't do parenting alone, he has to see her again if that's his daughter's wish.