6:45 am.
My mind was wandering off as I stared down the clouds. Isang oras na lang at lalapag na ang eroplano sa Pilipinas. Ang bansang pansamantala kong pagtataguan hanggat hindi natatapos ang sigalot sa aming mga angkan.
Nilingon ko saglit si Kazuya, na tulog parin. Kababata ko si Kazuya, at siya na rin ang magsisilbing "bodyguard" ko. As if I really need one. I can fend off for myself, and having my bestfriend tag along with me was something a bit of overreaction by my grandfather.
I closed the book I was reading earlier and stuffed it in my bag and reclined for a moment. I was to head off to an executive village called Forbes Park. I heard it was one of the most prominent and executive villages in the Philippines, and stay with my uncle. Uncle Tomohiro migrated in Manila twenty years ago, and somehow managed to have his fortune through a conglomerate company and a few strings of hotels. We don't see much of each other too often, but whenever he visits the clan, he never fails to spend time with me. In a way, he's like my father.
When he learned that I was going to stay with him for an indefinite time, he was overjoyed. Uncle Tomohiro never had a kid on his own, and his wife passed away five years ago.
We finally landed in Manila. Kazuya was on full alert when we boarded off the plane. We immediately scanned the long queue of people holding up posters with names on it. Then I spotted four muscled guys in tailored suits holding a large placard bearing my name in Japanese characters.
Napaangat tuloy ako ng kilay. Hired goons in shirts and ties? Parang gangster lang ang dating eh. Obvious tuloy masyado.
Never taking off my shades, I headed straight to their direction. Ng mapansin nilang palapit ako sa kanila, agad naman silang nakahalata na ako ang hinihintay nila.
"Yokoso, Aya-san!" they said, bowing in unison. Tumango ako bilang sagot. They took our luggage and one of them opened the car door for me. Tangkang susunod saakin si Kazuya ng pigilan ito ng isa sa mga lalaki.
"Gomen nasai, but you will have to ride with one of us." ang sabi ng isa.
Tinignan lamang siya ni Kazuya mula ulo hanggang paa, at sabay baling saakin.
"Daijoubu...He'll ride with me." I said.
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Thirty minutes after the ride, the car was pulling on towards the executive village's gate. I have to admit, maganda din naman pala itong executive village na tinitirhan ni Uncle Tomohiro. Maraming mayayabong na puno at mga foliages. I instantly missed my home.
The car finally stopped infront of iron-wrought gates. Biglang bumukas iyon para makapasok ang dalawang black BMW.
Diko napigilang mapasipol ng mahina ng makita ko ang kabuuan ng malawak na bakuran. It was an authentic Japanese garden with smooth stones and bonsai plants and some Japanese shrubs all over the place. It's like I'm back at Shiga Prefecture.
I stopped for awhile to admire the familiar surroundings. Di pa man din pero parang matagal na akong umalis ng Japan. May ilang minuto din akong nakatitig sa hardin ng biglang may tumikhim sa likuran ko.
Agad akong lumingon.
"Ryoko wa dodeshita ka?" (How was your trip?)
I gave him a faint smile. It was Uncle Tomohiro.
"Chotto tsukareru..shikashi, watashi wa ogenki desu. " (A little tiring... but I am fine.)
"Come then, halika at pumasok ka muna sa loob. Nagpahanda ako ng merienda."
