Remember

CHATPER 34

"Huy"

"Thirds"

"Ferdinand!"

And after a hundred times of trying to get his attention, Thirdy finally took a glance on his brother.

"Saan ka nanaman pupunta?" Kiefer asked.

"The usual."

Kiefer just massaged his forehead.

"Hahanapin mo nanaman si Bea? Tapos hindi ka nanaman makakalapit, kaya hindi mo nanaman makakausap. And the cycle will still go on for the next days. Hindi ka pa ba napapagod?"

"Why would I?" Thirdy chuckled. "Hangga't di ko pa siya nakakausap, hindi ako titigil."

"Paano kapag kinausap ka na niya?"

"Edi good. Handa naman ako sa mga sasabihin ko." He smiled while fixing his polo.

"Pero handa ka ba sa mga sasabihin niya?" Kiefer looked at Thirdy with concern.

He was taken aback.

"Thirdy, hindi mo naman kailangan gawin ito..."

"I want to, Manong. I want to settle everything." Thirdy said, determination evident in his face. "I think wala naman magiging prepared sa sasabihin ng iba, siguro yung pagiging brave ko nalang ang kailangan kong i-prepare. Para kahit anong sabihin niya, I am brave enough to handle it."

Kiefer let out a small smile. He didn't thought his little brother would say such thing. He didn't thought that his advice of being brave would change Thirdy's perspective in life.

"Oh, bakit ganiyan na mukha mo?" Thirdy laughed.

"I didn't thought you could be that brave." Kiefer shook his head. "Ako yata ang hindi sumusunod sa mantra ng FEU."

Thirdy confusingly looked at Kiefer.

"Ako kasi yung natatakot, Thirds. Natatakot ako para sayo. Natatakot ako na baka pagkatapos niyong mag-usap, may magbabago sainyo, sayo. Syempre, ang gusto ko, yung pagbabagong yun ay maganda. Pero, paano kung hindi?"

Thirdy walked slowly and held the door knob.

"Walang magbabago, Manong. Kung ano ako ngayon, ganun pa rin ako mamaya." Thirdy opened the door. "Mas matapang lang nga."

"Thirds..."

Even if he's not sure what will happen next---whether it will make him, or break him, Thirdy still smiled.

"Be brave, diba? Walang duwag na Ravena."

-----

As Thirdy saw the Lady Eagles' IG stories wherein Bea was training with them, he immediately parked his car at the Blue Eagle Gym.

Before entering, he wore a cap so that even a single person wouldn't recognize him.

He just wanted to see Bea, and not to make any commotion.

And if given a chance, he might finally talk to her.

"Still the same old beast." He said under his breath when he saw how Bea killed those quick sets perfectly with a roar at the end. Just like the rookie Bea.

All those flashbacks came rushing in his mind.

Those days when he and Bea were so close in their rookie years, wherein he would watch her in almost every game, giving it her all.

Those days when she would brag to him about her player of the game awards.

Those days when she would cry on his shoulders after a frustrating loss or an injury.