Second Best 「 Choi Soobin 」✓

14

Kasinungalingan. This is not their first encounter. But still, they need to act as if walang namamagitan sa kanila. This is the first time na nasaksihan ko yung kasinungalingan nila sa harap ni Seulbin oppa. Naaawa ako sa kuya ni Soobin.

"So let's eat?"

Ani ni Seulbin oppa. Umupo ulit kami ni Soobin. Pinaghila ni oppa si Lia ng upuan sa tabi niya. We are facing each other. Napatingin ako sa kamao ni Soobin sa ilalim ng mesa. He is having a grip on himself. Hindi man niya sabihin pero alam kong nasasaktan siya.

Hinawakan ko yung kamay niya. He looked at me. Lumingo ako, telling him not to be driven away by his emotion. Hinawakan niya rin yung kamay ko na para bang he is asking for a support. Nginitian ko siya and he smiled back. A smile of sorrow.

Later on, nagsimula na kaming kumain. Soobin and I were just quiet. Habang si Lia at Seulbin oppa are keeping on doing sweet stuffs to each other.

"So Suri, how's my brother in school? Is he doing great?"

Tanong ni oppa. Tumango ako.

"Nae. Kahit po siraulo yung kapatid niyo, matataas naman po yung grades niya tsaka the students call him the nation's leader dahil sa galing niya when it comes to leadership."

Sagot ko. Daming English nun hayuf! Feeling ko pwede na ako maging foreigner (nudaw?)

"Glad to hear that. Pero I'm just curious, as what I observed earlier palagi kayong nag-aaway. How come na you became good friends when in fact di naman kayo nagkakasundo?" dagdag pa niya.

"It's because Suri is ugly and I am handsome. As what people say, opposite attracts." sagot ni Soobin.

"Ako panget? Waw! Nahiya naman ako sayo na mukhang paa."

Nagsukatan kami ng tingin. Tumawa naman si Seulbin oppa.

"You are really so cute together. You'll be a good match, what do you think sweetie?"

Sabi ni Seulbin oppa at ibinaling ang tingin niya kay Lia. Ngumiti si Lia. Okay, I feel something strange in the atmosphere.

"Sa tingin ko rin bagay sila. Suri is beautiful. I think if she will be with Soobin, they will look good together."

Ani niya. Bakit niya sinasabi yan? Hindi ba niya alam na sinasaktan niya si Soobin? It's another way of pushing him away from her. An insult for Soobin to be exact.

"A-ani... Walang namamagitan samin ni Soobin. I mean, never magkakaroon ng special thing between saming dalawa. We are not close. We are not friends either that's why we keep on fighting. And I'm his number one hater."

Sabi ko. Pakiramdam ko ang tapang kong tao. Sabihin ba naman na number one hater ka ng taong katabi mo.

"Well as for me, I like Suri even if she hates me."

Agad akong napatingin kay Soobin. Pinagsasabi niya? Napatingin ako kay Lia and I saw the change of her reaction which I don't know kung anong klaseng reaksyon yun. But then, she smiled. Ngumiti rin si Seulbin oppa.

"Seems like my brother is having a crush on someone."

Sabi ni Seulbin oppa at tumingin sakin nung binitawan niya ang salitang 'someone'. Napatingin ulit ako kay Soobin. He is just focusing on his food. I laughed awkwardly.

"Ahahha, well he does. But it's definitely not me. It's somebody else."

Tumingin ako kay Lia at ngumiti. Bahagyang kumunot yung noo niya.

"It's not somebody else..."

Napatingin kaming lahat kay Soobin dahil sa sinabi niya. He looked at me.

"It's you."

------------------------

Naglalakad kami ngayon palabas ng subdivision. Hanggang ngayon iniisip ko pa rin yung sinabi ni Soobin kanina habang kumakain kami. Ano kayang pumasok sa kokote ng tukmol na'to. Pinagseselos niya ba si Lia?

"Soobin-ah."

I called him.

"Wae?"

"Kaya mo ba sinabi kanina na gusto mo ko para pagselosin si Lia?"

Tanong ko. Nakatingin lang siya sa daan.

"No, I said that to make my brother believe that I like someoene else and not his girl."

Sagot niya. I became quiet. So ginagamit niya akong alibi para matakpan yung panloloko niya sa kuya niya? Binilisan ko yung paglalakad. Napansin niya naman yun.

Nagfocus lang ako sa paglalakad. Napatakbo siya dahil nahuhuli na siya akin.

"Nam Suri."

Tawag niya sakin. Di ko siya pinansin. Hinawakan niya yung wrist ko.

"Is there a problem?"

Tanong niya. Nairita ako sa tanong niya and faced him.

"Alam mo, naiintindihan ko naman na mahal na mahal mo si Lia eh. Pero Soobin sobra sobra na to. Kahit pag balik-baliktarin mo man yung mundo, mali pa rin yung relasyon na meron kayo. Nung nakita ko kanina kung paano ka itinuring ni Seulbin oppa at kung paano siya kasaya kasama si Lia, I pity him. Kasi alam nating tatlo yung panlolokong ginagawa niyo sa likod niya. Naaawa rin naman ako sayo pero sana ganun ka rin sa sarili mo. Soobin, masasaktan at masasaktan ka. Lia is not yours. Better end this bago pa lumala ang lahat."

Sabi ko while looking straight into his eyes. Tumawa naman siya ng mapakla.

"Ano bang alam mo? Sa tingin mo ba ganun lang kadali yun? You don't know what she made me. She made me feel wanted. She gave me the love I need. Lia is everything to me. So stop acting like you know everything. You have no right to tell me what to do."

He shouted right in front of my face while giving me those piercing eyes. Kinuyom ko yung kamao ko.

"Tama ka, wala akong alam. Sino ba naman ako para sabihin sayo na itigil mo na yang katangahan mo. Sige, ipagpatuloy mo lang yang kahibangan mo. Sorry pero I can't support this. I'm so done of you. You're so immature and very dependent. No wonder kung bakit mas pinili ni Lia yung kuya mo kesa sayo."

Sabi ko at naglakad paalis. That's it! Nasabi ko na lahat ng gusto kong sabihin. My heart knows that I don't mean it especially the last line. Nagagalit ako sa kanya. Look what this love made him. Nawalan na siya ng pagmamahal sa sarili niya.

Siguro dito na kami magtatapos ni Soobin. Hindi ko na siya kayang supportahan sa ginagawa niyang panloloko sa kuya niya. I hope one day, he'll realize na Lia is not the only girl in the world. I hope na magising siya sa katotohanan na hindi sila pwede para sa isa't isa.