Before You Go: A Jeongcheol AU

Kabanata 6

WARNING: Containing bad words including cussing. Read at your own risk.

Kabanata 6

I sighed as my smile faded instantly. I can't forget the trauma that incident gave me. It gave me nightmares. I wasn't able to sleep well at night because that images haunted me for years. No matter how hard I tried to erase it in my mind, I couldn't. I wish it was easy to delete it like it's a file in my drive.

12 years ago...

I heard my mom crying again inside their room.

Kumunot ang noo ko habang nakatulala sa kuwarto. Sino na naman kayang babae ang kinakasama ni Dad ngayon?

Napangisi ako nang mapait. I hate hearing my mom's cry. I hate it. It hurts me too. Hindi ko gustong nadudungisan ng luha ang kaniyang magandang mukha. Mom's tears are precious, and he don't deserve her tears.

That's why I understand my brother's too much hatred for our jerk Dad. He deserves it, anyway.

Lumabas ako ng kuwarto at tiningnan ang katapat na kuwarto. I knocked but Joshua didn't opened the door for me. Hinayaan ko siya at naglakad ako patungo sa master's bedroom.

Pinakinggan kong mabuti ang ingay sa loob. Napalunok ako nang marinig ang mga hagulgol ni mommy. Dahan-dahan kong binuksan ang pinto at pumasok sa loob. There she was, nakaupo sa lapag habang nakayuko ang ulo sa kama.

I went near her and hugged her back.

"M-Mom..." Natigilan siya saglit.

"I love you, mom." Nag-angat siya ng tingin sa akin. Kusang tumulo ang mga luha ko nang makita ko ang miserableng mukha ng aming ina. My dad made my mom this miserable.

"Mom, please stop crying." She cried harder then pulled me for a hug. I hugged her back as we both shed tears. Ilang sandali lang ay may kamay na pumatong sa balikat ko. Nakita ko si Joshua na umiiyak rin habang nakayakap sa amin ni mommy.

Mommy kissed the top of our heads. She caressed our cheeks and smiled.

"Mahal na mahal ko kayo mga anak. Tandaan niyo 'yan. Ano man ang mangyari sa akin. You two are the best gifts that God gave me in my entire life." We both nodded.

Everyday, wala si Dad sa bahay. Umuuwi lang ata siya para magpahinga at kumain. Then back to his women. Sa tuwing nagkakasalubong kami ni daddy, hindi ko siya matingnan sa mata. I disgust him. I disdain him so much that I can't afford to look in his eyes. You can't blame me, us, if we feel that way towards him. I can't blame my brother, Joshua, for changing his surname. He waited for years just to legally change it. Now, he's using our mother's surname.