A Little Bit of Sunshine

33

"No problem Kuya Enrico. Bigla-bigla lang din naman kasi kaming dumating." Ouie chuckled bago niya ako siniko sa braso. "May gusto lang kasing itanong itong si Hanson."

"Talaga?" I gulped when Kuya Enrico turned to me while laughing. "Kung itatanong mo kung may gusto ba ako kay Sunshine, uunahan na kita-"

"I-I know Kuya. I know that you were just close to her at parang nakababatang kapatid lang ang tingin mo sa kanya." Hindi na ako makatingin ng diretso sa kanya when his laughs grew louder.

"Hay nako. Kabataan nga naman talaga." Lumapit si Kuya at tinapik ang ulo ko. "Magloosen up ka na Hanson. Walang makakaagaw sayo kay Sunshine hangga't gusto ka niya."

"Okay naman na ako sa issue na yan Kuya. And I'm deeply sorry for my behavior a couple days ago." Tinignan ko si Ouie na nagpipigil naman ng tawa ngayon. "But Ouie dragged me here because of another issue that I want to solve before I sleep."

"Sure naman akong hindi sa pera yan kaya sige, handa akong makinig." Kuya Enrico said while slightly laughing.

"Nakikilala mo ba ako, Kuya?"

Dahan-dahang nawala ang ngiti sa labi niya before his forehead crumpled.

"Anong ibig sabihin mo Hanson? Iniisip mo ba na magkakilala o nagkita na tayo noon?"

Tumango ako bago nagmamadaling kinuha ang cellphone ko on my pocket. I went to my gallery and clicked a photo of me when I'm still 6 years old.

"I noticed that I kept on having dejavu here in Lachlane. There was this one time na nawala ako after my mother died and they found me somewhere far from Alveolar. So, here's an old photo of me and I was hoping if you could remember-" I stopped when I noticed that Kuya's face turned pale. He also looked nervous and uneasy at the same time.

"Kuya? What's wrong?" Ouie said bago niya ako mahinang siniko. Hindi ko siya nilingon and kept my focus on Kuya who's actions made me a little bit puzzled.

"Ahhhh... Hahaha! Wala wala H-Hanson. Wala akong maalalang nakita na kita noon." Kuya took a glance on the wall clock on our right before standing up. "Gabing gabi na pala. Umuwi na kayo bago kayo maalok ng tagay sa may kanto."

I finally exchanged glances with Ouie when Kuya pulled us para makalabas ng bahay nila. We bid him goodbyes as we start walking back to the Cortaga's mansion ng parehas na nagtataka.

"I think Kuya Enrico was able to recognize me." Tinignan ko si Ouie. "Don't you think so, Ouie?"

"Yes, but i just can't help but to wonder why did he gave us that kind of look. And that expression, that tone, it all felt weird to me." Nilingon niya ako as we both mumbled the same words.

"He's hiding something."

I was not able to get my ass to sleep after that encounter with Kuya Enrico. Sinusubukan ko kasing intindihin kung ano ang kilos niya but it always bring me to a certain conclusion: Nakilala niya ako but he's not willing to tell me the reason why we met before.

Pero bakit? For what reason? May nangyari ba noon na hindi maganda? May mangyayari ba ngayon kung maico-confirm ko that I've been here before?

"Huy Hanson-!"

"Oh shit-" I touched my chest as I turned to look at Sunshine who was biting her lip to prevent her laughter. "Bakit ka ba nanggugulat?"