Paper Stars (Self-Published)

Kabanata 2

"So let's acknowledge the elephant in the room, shall we? Bakit pa ba tayo magpapaliguy-liguy pa when we all know kung bakit tayo nandirito ngayon?"

I held on to my knees tighter. Alam ko na kung anong kasunod nito.

"Kurozawa Ayana." Tawag nito sa aking Japanese name.

"Hai." I answered.

"In two days time, the headmaster will begin living here. I don't know if this stupid of a son has already told you that the elders have decided to let you stay in this house until the headmaster decides to move back to the main family estate in Japan."

Napalunok ako sa narinig. I want to ask why pero alam kong hindi ko pa oras magsalita. At marahil wala rin akong karapatang tanungin ang mga desisyon ng mga matatanda.

"The residents of this house have already accepted the fact that we have to share the same space and air with the cursed one..."

"Chichiue!" Kaagad na protesta ng katabi ko. Napakuyom na lang ako ng palad to stop myself from reacting negatively.

"What?Am I not merely stating a fact? Kung hindi mo pa nababasa ang charts ng kompanya, it's already taking a dip! And it's all because of her!" Hindi ko na siya kailangang tignan upang malamang nakaturo ang hintuturo niya sa akin.

I bit the sides of my mouth, pretended I was somewhere else and thought of happy things.

"What are you saying? Matagal ng nag-di-dip ang kompanya natin and it's because of the world economy, not her!" Halos tumaas na ang boses nito.

"Have you seen the charts, Yuujin? Our company started to take the dip exactly twelve years ago. And we both know exactly what happened on that same year!" Tumaas na rin ang tono ni Dice.

"You can't blame Aya for that just because she was born on that year. Anong kasalanan ng bata doon? Tinawagan niya ang world bank and told them to seal all their vaults para magipit ang market? See how preposterous that sounds? Come on!" Muli akong sumilip sa aking katabi at nakitang namumula na ito sa galit. May kung anong kumurot muli sa puso ko seeing how he defended me.

"Preposterous!? Her coming to this world as a 'she' is what preposterous is! Kaya tayo minamalas kasi nabuhay ang dapat sana ay patay! So long as SHE'S living, we're doomed! CURSED!" Nakita ko sa gilid ng aking mata ang agarang pag-angat ng isang paa ni Gene sa cushion.

Happy place. I'm in my happy place.

"Don't talk about my daughter like that!" Galit nitong sigaw.

Napaangat ako ng tingin sa katabi ko sa sinabi nito. Kita ko rin sa gilid ng mata ko ang cool na cool pa ring Dice na nakatanaw na ngayon sa akin.

"Oh, for goodness' sake, Yuujin! She isn't your daughter! No reason to defend her! She's nothing but the daughter of a witch!"

To hear him call my mother a 'witch', hindi ko napigilang mapatayo at mapaharap sa kaniya nang wala sa oras. Pansin ko naman sa gilid ng aking paningin ang pagkakabigla ni Gene sa aking reaksyon.

"I..." I started to say. I want so much as to tell him off for regarding the woman who gave birth to me a witch. But as I stared at his hateful expression, I knew nothing I say could affect him anymore. So I hid my clenched fists and stopped myself from saying any more.

"You what?" Malamig na usal ni Dice. Nakataas ang kanyang isang kilay. Hinahamon akong magsambit ng iba pang salita upang sa gayon ay mapatunayan niyang mababa talaga ang lebel ko.

Hindi na ako umimik at muling dumungo upang mag-iwas ng tingin. Dahan-dahan na rin akong umupo without making another noise.

"Mabuti naman at alam mo kung anong posisyon mo sa pag-uusap na ito." Malamig pa rin nitong sabi.