Nah, Just SeKen

Random Storytime

📍open-ending

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Ken and Paulo are both Senior High students. Ken, the varsity player, physically fit and a campus crush. Oh, he's kind of famous even outside the school.

Paulo on the other hand, excel academically, always in the top and one of the campus' pride. He's the studios type and sometimes too harsh for himself too.

They differ in many ways. Their differences too leads them on separate ways. And yes, they broke up. Why naman they broke up? Ah, hindi ko pala na-mention. They are lovers—ex-lovers to be exact.

One day, Ken has no choice but to message Paulo for the very first time in a while. Maybe because even if he kind of hate the said guy's guts, he knows he can trust him. He's not an achiever for nothing.

Ken: Pau
Paulo: ?
Ken: Si Ken ito.
Paul: I know.
Ken: Luh? Kikiligin ba ako?
Paulo: ?
Ken: Ba't 'di mo dinelete number ko?
Paulo: May kailangan ka?
Ken: Yieeeee
Paulo: Eh 'di bye. Tsk! Aksaya sa oras.
Ken: Ah, ganyan ka pa rin?
Paulo: ???
Ken: Kailan ba ako naging mahalaga sa'yo? Sabagay, ano nga ba'ng mapapala mo sa akin? Mas mahalaga naman mga grades mo kaysa sa isang Ken Suson.
Paulo: Pinagsasabi mo?
Ken: So all those years, I'm just a waste of your time?
Paulo: Who told you that?
Ken: Kakasabi mo lang. Aksaya naman talaga ako sa oras, eh 'no? Ano lang ba ako? Samantalang ikaw, matalino. Laging may silbi. Laging nag-aaral kaya nga never tayong nag-click eh kasi wala ka man lang social life at hindi mo rin ako maintindihan.
Paulo: Who told you to bring up the issue na matagal nang tapos?
Ken: Wala. Sinasabi ko lang. :(
Paulo: Let me remind you na ikaw ang nakipaghiwalay sa akin. Ilang beses ba akong nakiusap sa'yo? Tapos ngayon, ano'ng karapatan mo to bring that up?
Ken: I told you why. You're too smart for me. I can't keep up. Gusto rin naman talaga kitang balikan dati. Pero ewan ko. Sorry. Sorry ulit. :(
Paulo: Liar. Nakinig ka lang sa sabi-sabi. Lol, too soft for them but too hard for me. I thought you love me? Funny of you to say that.
Ken: Fine. It's all my fault. Please, 'wag ka na'ng magalit.
Paulo: Hindi naman ako galit. I'm just triggered na ibinalik mo pa ang topic na iyon. Grade 10 pa tayo no'n. Hindi ka pa rin nakaka-move on?
Ken: Paano ako mag-m-move on kung araw-araw kitang nakikita?
Paulo: Then it's not my problem anymore.
Ken: Next time kasi, Paulo, pumasok ka namang dugyot. Hindi iyong papasok kang maganda. Kapal nito. Kagigil ka!
Paulo: ???
Ken: Hehe, compliment kasi iyon. Sungit naman.
Paulo: Adik ka ba?
Ken: Adik noon. Sayo. Yieeee...
Paulo: After mo akong sumbatan, lalandiin mo ako? Yuck!
Ken: Uy, hindi ah. Sinasabi ko lang na paganda ka na nang paganda. Siguro kayo na ni Akira. Bagay kayo. Siya, Math genius tapos ikaw, over-achiever. Sabi nila nanliligaw 'yon sa'yo.
Paulo: Issue ninyo. Wala akong time riyan.
Ken: Right. Wala ka ngang time sa akin noon eh. Ay na-send.
Paulo: Ano ba'ng kailangan mo???
Ken: Ikaw.
Paulo: You think it's funny?
Ken: Hehe. Tulong mo. Please, help me. Bano ako sa English.
Paulo: Dami mo pang sinabi, iyan lang pala ang kailangan mo? Pinahaba pa. Tsk
Ken: Para lang makausap ka ng matagal. 'Di mo kasi ako pinapansin sa room. Sungit mo kaya.
Paulo: Tsk. Ano ba 'yang pino-problema mo?
Ken: Essay ko. Tapos may itatanong din sana ako. Ano'ng English ng papunta ka pa lang, pabalik na ako?
Paulo: Seriously?
Ken: Mukha ba akong nagbibiro?
Paulo: You're just on your way there, I'm already heading back.
Ken: Ay iba pala?
Paulo: ?
Ken: Akala ko kasi, come back, I miss you.
Paulo: Malandi ka pa rin?
Ken: Hoy, sa'yo lang.
Paulo: Hoy ka rin.
Ken: Pero seryoso na. Patulong na talaga sa essay ko. Essay ito pero hindi talaga madali.

Then maybe that's Paulo's wrong move. He's always been guarded. He overlooked things that instant. He thought entertaining Ken again was a harmless move but it turns out the other way around.

After that particular conversation, Ken never stopped pestering the hell out of him EVERY single day. Teasing already sparks day by day from their classmates and it's not helping. Ken seems enjoying it but he's pissed. He stomped heavily on the stairs to hide from those freaks but when he missed a step, his eyes widened.

He waited his painful fall down but instead, a familiar arms grabbed him to steady him. The certain grip tighten, drawing him closer than usual—or maybe securely embracing him from behind. At some point, his fears earlier dissipates.

"Grabe, lalampa-lampa ka pa rin hanggang ngayon?" A deep baritone voice spoke behind him. He stiffened and curses at the wind when his heart flutters.

The End