The Love They Kept

CHAPTER 19

RYO CAN'T still believe that Lena made it; that she can exposed he and his uncle affair.

"Nagustuhan mo ba, Ryo?" ani Lena. Nakataas ang sulok ng labi nito habang lumalapit sa direksiyon ng binata.

Ibang-iba na talaga ito. Pati ang kilos nito ay nagkaroon na ng arte.

"W-Why?" That's the only word came out from Ryo's mouth.

"Comparing to the pain that you gave to me, this is still not enough," Lena retorted. Nagbago na talaga ang dalaga. Kung dati ay hindi ito nagsasalita sa wikang ingles kahit mayaman naman sila dahil ani dalaga, ba't sila magsasalita ng Ingles kung Pilipino naman ang nakakasalamuha nila? Ani pa nito, hindi siya mag-adjust para sa mga ito.

"I thought it's just okay with you. We're good before we parted ways. Pero bakit ganito, Lena?" Ipinikit ni Ryo ang kaniyang mata para kalmahin ang kaniyang sarili.

"Pero hindi, Ryo. Ang sakit. Sobrang sakit. I tried to kill myself just to be free to the pain you'd cause to me. When we broke up, I almost become crazy. I love you so much. I did everything just to make you stay with me but you still left me because you said you're an asexual," Lena said, tears start to fell from her eyes.

"Lena..." Ryo uttered.

"P-Pero makikita ko na lang na nakikipaghalikan ka and worst sa tiyuhin mo pa. Revenging and doing something bad at you was not in my plan. It will never be in my plan, but when I saw you and your uncle on that park, the pain was back. I know that the pain you've cause isn't a valid reason to do this to you but I did it to make you ashamed. But I'm still kind, because I also did it for both of you to stop your stupidity. You're blood related yet you're sharing intimacy." Pinalis ng dalaga ang mga luhang dumadaloy sa kaniyang mga mata gamit ang likod ng kaniyang kamay.

Ryo move forward to Lena and he hugs her. Kasabay noon ay nawala na rin ang mga nasa billboard na litrato ng mga gusali. Sigurado siyang may ginawa ang mga kaibigan niya para maalis iyon. Kung ang larawan na nasa mga billboard ay nawala, sigurado siyang pati ang nasa mga social media platforms ay burado na rin.

"Sorry, Lena. I'm an asshole for hurting you. I'm really sorry," he said lowering his face at Lena's head. He planted a soft kisses in her head. "Sorry if I didn't reach out on you after we parted ways. I know that sorry can't ease the pain I caused to you but Lena, I'm sorry. I'm really really sorry," he added. He lifted her jaw to make her face him then he slowly moved his face and then he kissed her forehead.

Kahit naman nagawa iyon ng dalaga sa kaniya ay hindi niya magawang magalit dito. Kahit papaano naman ay may pinagsamahan sila. Mahal niya ang dalaga bilang kaibigan at naiintindihan niya kung bakit nito iyon nagawa sa kaniya at kung saan ito nanggagaling.

Lalo pang lumakas ang pagbuhos ng mga luha ng dalaga dahil sa ginawa ng binata sa kaniya. Kahit sinira niya sa mga tao ang relasyon nina Ryo at ang Tiyuhin nito ay nagawa pa ng binata na yakapin siya at halikan ang kaniyang ulo't noo. Ito pa ang humingi ng tawad sa kaniya.

Realization hit Lena. Sobrang bait ng binata para gawin iyon. Napakapit si Lena sa likuran ng binata nang higpitan pa nito ang pagkakayakap sa kaniya.

"Hindi ako galit sa kung ano man ang nagawa mo. Kasalanan ko rin naman," sabi ng binata nang kalasin nito ang pagkakayakap nilang dalawa.

"Bud!" Napabaling ang tingin ni Ryo sa dalawa niyang kaibigan na kararating pa lamang.

Napansin niya kaagad ang dalawang brown envelope na hawak ni Xavier.

"Here. Tingnan at basahin mong mabuti ang mga nasa loob niyan," ani Xavier saka kalmadong tiningnan ang paligid.

"What is these?" Pinasadahan nang tingin ni Ryo ang hawak niya ng mga brown envelope.

"Hindi mo malalaman kung hindi mo 'yan bubuksan at babasahin ang laman," giit ni Alphanzí saka siya nito inilingan.

Kumibit-balikat na lamang si Ryo saka dahan-dahang binuksan ang envelope na nasa kaliwa niya. Ipinatong niya iyon sa nasa kanan niya saka kinuha ang laman niyon. Kumunot ang kaniyang noo dahil sa nakita. Naroon ang kaniyang pangalan at ang retrato niya sa gilid na bahagi ng papel.

It's obvious that the written on that paper he was holding was all about him.

His jaw dropped as what he read. He looked at his father whom already near at him.

"Dad, it's true?" He handed the paper to his father.

Habang binabasa ng kaniyang ama ang laman ng papel na binigay niya rito ay itinuon naman ni Ryo ang kaniyang atensyon sa isa pang envelope na hawak niya. Binuksan niya iyon at kinuha ang laman nitong papel.

Pangalan at larawan naman ng kaniyang tiyuhin ang nakita niya doon. Kung nalaglag ang panga niya sa kung anumang impormasyon ang nabasa niya doon sa kaniya, mas nalaglag pa ang kaniyang panga dahil sa impormasyong nakasulat sa papel na iyon tungkol kay John.

"Son..." Pagkukuha ng kaniyang ama sa atensyon niya.

"Just tell me, Dad if the fucking information written on that fucking paper is true. Am I really an adopted child?" he exclaimed. He heard a rumors after what he said.

"Ryo..." Yumuko ang kaniyang ama.

"Oo o hindi lang ang sagot na hinihingi ko, Dad," he said calmly. "Please." He begged.

Yumuko ang ama ni Ryo saka bumuntong hininga. Pagkatapos ay tiningnan nito si Ryo na nakatingin din sa kaniya.

"Yes. You're just an adopted child. You're newly born when me and your Mom adopted you. Your real Mom died after she gave birth to you. Your biological father committed suicide after your biological mother burial. You're on the crib in the orphanage when we saw you. You're innocently smiling. You got your Mom interest that's why you're the one we chose to be adopted, given the fact that you're still a baby. Hindi puwedeng magkaanak ang Mommy mo kaya inampon ka namin. We never change your name. Tanging apelyido mo lang ang pinalitan namin." Inilayo ng matanda ang kaniyang tingin kay Ryo.

"But why didn't you bother to tell it to me when I was still a kid. Sana sinabi niyo sa akin noong nakakaintindi na ako. Hindi ngayon kung saan matanda na ako. If my friends didn't investigate, I'm still clueless." Despite of being mad, he can still calm himself.

"We never think that it's still necessary," his father retorted.

"Pagkakakinlan ko 'yon, Dad! Of course, it's still necessary. I deserve to know who really am I. Deserve kong malaman na hindi niyo naman pala ako dugo at laman." He cried. For the first time, he showed emotion in public.

"Sorry, Son," tanging nasambit ng ama ni Ryo.

"Alam mo rin ba na adopted child lang din si John?" Ryo asked weakly.

"Yes. But your uncle knows it." Yumuko si Mr. Miller, Ryo's father.

"Ako lang pala ang walang alam. Tangina!" With that Ryo turned his back on his father. For the first time, he turned his back to man he respects and idolize.

"Son..." tawag pa sa kaniya ng kaniyang ama ngunit hindi niya na ito pinansin. Kaagad siyang pumasok sa kaniyang kotse.

Bago niya paandar iyon ay narinig niya pang tinawag siya ng kaniyang mga kaibigan pati ni Lena, pero balewala lang sa kaniya iyon. Tuluyan niya nang pinaktakbo ang kaniyang kotse nang mabilis.

Ang nasa isip lang niya ay ang makausap si John. Puro pahid lamang siya sa kaniyang mga luha gamit ang likod ng kaniyang palad.

It tears him up knowing that he's just adopted. Na hindi siya nanggaling sa dugo at laman ng mga magulang na kinamulatan niya.

Sometimes crying isn't bad. Especially when you're hurt. He don't care if someone will judge him because he cried. He just want to cry because of the revelation. His hurt and crying is the only way to minimize the pain. Man supposedly not crying because they're expecting them to be strong. But man needs to cry too. There's no gender required when it comes to crying. We have tears so all of us are allowed to cry when we're hurt to reduced the pain we're feeling.

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This chapter dedicated to KarlaAndreiGacos . Thank you po sa pagsubaybay at support sa story nina Ryo and John. Highly appreciated.