Hello : Goodbye : Hello

Chapter 3 : Hello, Is It Me You're Looking For?

Yes, I do, I believe, that one day I will be. Where I was, right there, right next to you.

Lay me down ni Sam Smith. Kinakanta ito ni Paul, ang boyfriend ni Mr. Co. Alam na nang lahat na they were going out, pero ayaw lang ng parehong magulang nila. Bukod kasi sa pagiging sarado-catolico nila, who would want to have a gay couple associated with them?

Told me not to cry when you were gone.

Paul's voiced began to crack more. Iyung tinatago niyang paghikbi, lumalabas na ng dahan-dahan. Pati ang mga taong nakapaligid sa kanya, parang mga ulol na din na nag-iiyakan. At kasama na ako sa mga ulol na iyon.

Can I lay by your side, next to you?

It was just like a scene from a movie. Paul, breaking down, unable to sing anymore, was being guided next to Mr. Co. Tapos parang may isang anghel na biglang tinawag sa lupa para ipagpatuloy ang kanta na iyon.

Si Lean.

His voice sent shivers down my spine. Na parang he knew that this might be the last time that Mr. Co will ever hear his favourite song. It was emotional, too emotional, in fact, that tears were flooding that room. I saw his face pa that day. His eyes were closed, as if trying to squeeze out every little bit of emotion that he channelled from Paul.

Pati tuloy ako, bigla na ding napaiyak. His voice was heartfelt, passionate, and genuine. Pati nga iyung mga nurses na katabi ko, bigla na lang naghawak kamay, di ko alam kung dahil ba sa kinikilig sila sa ginagawa ng pianista-vocalista na iyon o dahil sa damdamin na ibinabahagi ng pagkanta niyang iyon.

And I don't want to be here if I can't be with you tonight.

I saw his gaze on me pagdating sa bridge ng kanta na iyon. Parang nabigla pa ang gago. He just smiled his impish smile, then waved his left hand, na parang nanghihingi ng sorry. I wiped my tears off, then showed a tough facade. There's a time for kilig, being soft hearted, and being tough. Iyan ang isa sa mga naging mantra ko sa buhay.

He finished the song, then slowly stood up from the keyboard na walang paalam. Ayaw niya maka-istorbo sa moment ng dalawang magkasintahan na iyon. Para lang na starstruck ang mga tao sa loob ng room na iyon. Everyone was just staring at him, as if he was a god sent down from the heavens. Nilapitan ako ni gago, wiped a tear away from my eye, then said this -

"Hello, is it me you're looking for?"

He was smiling sweetly at me, tapos biglang itinulak niya ako papalayo sa crowd. Ako namang si luka-luka, parang natulala din. He wiped a tear away from my face. Ano na lang ang iisipin ng mga tao sa ospital sa ginawa niyang iyon?

He went to the vendo machine then naghanap ng barya sa bulsa niya para bumili ng dalawang kape. He has this certain aura in him that I can't explain. Na parang wala lang sa kaniya ang ginawa niyang performance kanina. It's back to his normal boring life, as he puts it, after making two people express their emotions kanina lang.

"Tara, yosi tayo" pagiimbita niya sa akin pagkatapos ko kunin ang ibinigay niyang kape. Para pa rin akong na-hyptonise sa mga ginagawa niyang iyon, kaya sumunod na lang ako sa pagsakay niya sa lift.

***

"Kumakanta ka pala?"

We were at the rooftop for at least 5 minutes na. The silence was deafening yet comforting at the same time. Tanging ang paghipan lang sa kape ang maririnig mo sa aming dalawa.

"Dehins. Tumutula lang ako kanina" sagot niya sa akin, a half smile tracing on his face. Kung tumutula lang ang tawag niya sa ginawa niyang iyon, sana lahat ay kayang tulaan ng mga kasintahan nila the way he did. Halos mapatid na ang panty ko kanina sa kilig, ano.