21 Minutes

Twenty-third

How does it feel to be celebrating your first year of marriage?

J: (looks at Mika)

M: (looks back) Ayusin mo.

J: (laughs) Sabi ko nga kanina, surreal pa rin. Siyempre si Mika, crush ng bayan yan eh.

M: Parang siya, hindi.

J: O sayo nanggaling yun ah. (smiles) But you know what I mean, a lot of men would want to be in my shoes right now, pero syempre I won't let them.

M: Di mo pa rin sinasagot yung tanong. (laughs)

J: Right. Ikaw kasi, dini-distract mo ako eh. Anyway, in one word, happy. As in yung simpleng happiness lang. Mukha lang kaming busy because of our schedule pero we always see to it na we make time for each other. And kapag kaming dalawa na lang, simpleng tao lang kami. So it's been one year of being simply happy with her, and all I could wish for is a lot more years of being with the same person.

M: Ginalingan. (laughs) Uwian na ba? Haha, joke lang. Ako... hmmm, ano ba. Yung totoo, that day, as in nung anniversary namin... I was like, wow one year na pala tayo? Kasi ang bilis pero feeling ko ang dami na naming pinagdaanan. Siguro factor din na sabay nga kaming lumaki tapos sobrang kilala na namin yung isa't isa. Pero actually magugulat ka pa rin eh, kasi tama yung parents namin. Ibang-iba kapag nasa iisang bahay na kayo. Everyday, meron at meron kaming new discovery about each other. And it's something I look forward to. Learning more about him and... deciding to love him each day as... as Jeron. Kumbaga, I treasure the fact na I get to see different sides of him na hindi alam ng ibang tao.

What are some of your remarkable memories as a married couple?

M: Hmmm...

J: Ang hirap. (chuckles) Marami eh. (smiles)

M: Siguro ako... Ang talagang nag-rerepeat sa utak ko eh yung moments na naka-bike kami. One happened right after our wedding tapos yung isa, recently lang. They're memories that vividly cross my mind every now and then.

J: Gusto niya yun kasi she got to hug me during those times since naka-angkas siya. (laughs)

M: Yeah. (laughs)

J: (shocked) Hindi ka umalma ngayon ah.

M: Eh patapos na raw kasi so pinagbibigyan na kita. (sticks her tongue out)

J: Well I love the feeling of being back-hugged by her so favorite ko rin yung mga yun. (smirks)

--- Flashback ---

JERON

Starting today, I've given my last name to the woman I grew up with, the woman that I love.

Other newly-weds would leave their guests by car after the reception, but Mika and I chose to ride a bike back to our hotel. She's hugging me from behind as the two of us bask in the cool Tagaytay breeze.

"I love you.", I heard her say, which automatically brought a smile to my face.

"Dahan-dahan naman sa banat, misis. Baka mabitawan ko yung manibela.", I joked.

"Kilig ka lang eh.", she responded. And though I couldn't see her, I knew she's smiling, too.

"Siyempre. Ikaw lang naman nakakagawa nun sakin.", I answered. We were silent for a minute until she spoke again.