A Happily Ever After

𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓵𝓸𝓰𝓾𝓮

"Ikaw ang unang pumunta dito," sabi nito at ngumiti. My heart instantly melted. Mukhang masayang masaya talaga siya dito sa ginagawa niya. "Mukhang may pag-asa pa nga ang bayan dahil may mga kabataang kagaya mo ang nagbabasa pa ng libro," dagdag niya kaya lalo naman akong napangiti.

"Nako po, marami pa po kaming nagbabasa. Sigurado ako kapag nalaman nila itong lugar niyo, mapupuno 'to," sagot ko naman.

The old man smiled. "Sana nga. Oh pumili ka na, ano ba ang gusto mong genre? Sigurado akong mayroon niyan dito."

Muli ko munang pinagmasdan ang mga libro sa paligid ko. Paperback, hardbacks, pocket books, thick and thin books around me... Sa dami nga naman nito, imposible na wala rito ang genre na gusto ko.

I returned my look to the old man. My heart flutters excitedly in my ribs as I take an air to announce my all time favourite book genre.

"Fantasy po," I answered. "Fantasy Adventure."

He pointed at the stacks just right beside me. "Dyan, ija. Classic Fantasy books 'yan. Every trope you want!"

I followed his finger and the stacks are indeed full of classical books. Books na usually na nakikita kong nirerecommend ng ibang readers sa isang FB group na sinalihan ko. Wheel of Time series ni Robert Jordan, Crystal Cave by Mary Stewart, Hand of Chaos ni Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman! I even saw The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan and a few hardback books of Harry Potter. But I didn't pay attention to any of those two because I already owned them.

I didn't even know that I was already grinning so wide like a freaking idiot. I pursed my lips for a second to control my grin then continued scanning the stack of books.

"Ang ganda ganda mo iha, may pupuntahan ka ba?" The old man suddenly asked, breaking my intense concentration for a moment.

I paused. Normally, it would be awkward and uncomfortable. Pero ngayon, lalo lang lumapad ang ngiti ko. There is something with the old man's eyes that is so fascinating. I couldn't help but just to blush.

"Galing po kasi ako ng SM," I said.

"Mukha kang prinsesa..." He said once again, his old wrinkled eyes turning even more warmer. "May naalala tuloy ako, dyan ka lang ha."

Tumalikod siya at pumasok sa pintuan na nasa likuran, pintuan na hindi ko alam na mayroon pala dahil halos matabunan na ito ng anino ng mga tambak ng libro. May naalala tuloy daw siya? Huh. Ano naman kaya mayroon sa akin na nagpa-alala sila sa kanya sa kung ano? For the first time, I felt a little giddy from the idea. Almost the feeling of discomfort.

Yet my troublesome impression immediately melted when he came back, holding a book in his thin and wrinkled hand. When he finally stepped out from the shadows, I realised that it's a red hardback book. Its flawless thin plastic wrapped around the book tells me that it is a brand-new one, not like the second hand books around us.

"Fantasy Adventure ito, neng," he said and showed me the front cover. "Gusto mo?"

I am expecting some kind of detailed and fancy illustration on the front. Yet there's none. Instead, only a glittering golden cursive font is pushed against the hardcover.

The Blood of the Dragon

"Prinsesa ang bida sa istoryang ito," the man said.

Princess? Just the sound of it makes me interested already. I know, I know, I am very easy to impress. Castles and gowns and grand ball aesthetics are really my type. Then fuse it with Fantasy and Adventure genre novels? Sure! Just by the idea of it, I am already falling in love.

Hindi ko na nagawang nakasagot pa at dahan dahan ko na lamang kinuha ang libro mula sa kamay niya. The small sunlight gave the golden lettering a sparkly.. And a magical feeling. The book also felt heavier than I was expecting it to be.