Even After Everything (After #1) (COMPLETED)

29: Seb

But they should know hyung's a sensitive man. Kahit matanda na siya, kaming dalawa, hindi madaling alisin iyon.

Tito grabbed my hand to stop me from chasing him back. "Hayaan mo na, hijo. Sanayin mo na sarili mo na ganiyan ang batang 'yan."

"Pero..."

"Anong pwede nating gawin, Seb? Oh pwede ba kitang tawaging 'anak' na? Tutal matagal ka nang kaibigan ng anak ko!"

When she said that 'kaibigan', there's something in it that made me squirm a little bit. Maski ako ay hindi batid kung bakit sobrang gaan pa rin ng pakikitungo nila sa akin kahit... kahit nahuli nila kaming dalawa na magkadikit na magkadikit sa pool.

Cocking my head on the side, I agreed on her offer and they yanked me together in between them and walked together. Parang ako na ang naging anak nila sa lagay namin at iniisip ko si hyung na naglayas but...

Hell... Mukhang totoo nga na magba-bakasyon muna sila sa work dahil noong nakaraan pa sila hayok na maglibot at mag-enjoy sa isla ng Boracay. Hay... This feels so right, but wrong at the same time...

***

I think I've told it many times how it's always rainbow and butterflies if Hyung's parents are around.

As if it's my first time riding a jet ski, I did enjoy this session with Tito while Hyung and Tita are clashing with us. Ayaw nga niya na sumama but Tita cannot maneuver the watercraft and since Hyung and I had a 1-on-1 on the water with it, he has no choice.

"Son, kapit ka lang, ha! We'll crash the two!" Tito exclaimed before I could even wrap my whole arms around his life vest.

True enough, umamba lang siya at dere-deretsong humarurot sa dalawa. Ang ending, pareho silang basang-basa sa ginawa ng kasama but on top of that... my lungs is gasping for air from laughing so much.

"Honey, that's too much!" I heard Tita complain.

"What's war is a war, honey!" he replied back and turn the jetski around, until we're far from the two.

Umikot lang kami at nakita na lang namin sila na bumababa na. "Ready for another one?"

"Hell yeah!" parang bata kong sagot at kahit alam ko na ang nangyari...

"Dad! Seb Johann! Stop it!" reklamo ni hyung matapos silang mapaliguan uli ng tubig.

At first, I found it funny but mukhang napalakas at may nainom pa ata sila na tubig-alat kaya sinabihan ko na si Tito na bumaba na rin. Kahit masama ang tingin ng dalawa, Tito yanks his arm on me while chuckling like he's become younger again.

"Come on, we're here to have fun! Bakit galit na kayo?"

"You're too harsh on us, honey!" sita nito sa amin. "No need to splash that much of sea water on your kid! Muntikan na siyang mawalan ng balanse!"

"Okay ka lang, hyung?"

Pero inirapan niya lang kami. I try to ignore the fact that his black shirt and his shorts are clinging so hard on his body I could recite all those curves and muscles he's got. I swallowed hard before staring at Tito.

"Masaya ba, Seb?"

"Sobra po." tawa ko. "Mas maganda pala kapag ikaw ang angkas."

Laughing, hinila na niya ako palayo sa beach at nagkwento na sa vacation house nila noong bata, they would race only using wooden boats and kung sinong matalo, walang humpay na tatalsikan ng tubig. "I guess this is the improved version, Tito?"

Tumawa ito. "Yes, yes... If you think like that..."

"Paunahan lang kami makatawid mula sa kabila ng ilog ang kabataan ko ho noon." kwento ko. "Gumawa po pala sana kami ng  balsa o bangka kahit papaano!"