The Fifth Son

Sanjyu

"Kuwan,... S-sorry nga pala sa ginawa ko kanina. Hindi ko naman gustong ipahiya ka."

I paused for a while to think of a response. "It's fine. I'm not mad at you."

Nginitian niya ako. "Halika! May ipapakita ako sayo."

"What are you going to show me?"

"Basta." He immediately grabbed me and called out to Kuya Jei, who was still outside the villa, and told him that we're going somewhere. Kuya Jei agreed.

Paolo and I droved towards the southern tip of the island a bit far from the casitas. There, a small bonfire was set. Beside it were two logs to sit on and a telescope as well. There was a cooler and on top of it was a guitar.

"Para saan to?" I asked suspeciously at him.

"Wala. Peace offering lang. Nalaman ko kasi na may telescope sila dito. Sa tingin ko magugustuhan mo yun."

"You don't have to, Paolo."

What's with this peace offering thing? Nag-abala pa siya para lang sa peace offering.

"I just want to. Halika na."

He pulled me towards the bonfire and got a bottle of pineapple juice from the cooler and handed it to me. Light beer naman ang kinuha niya para sa kanya.

Since may insect-repellant na din na pinruvide, nagpahid na rin kami. Mahirap nang makagat ng lamok. Ang O.A. pa naman ng balat ko- pumupula agad.

"You don't really have to do this." Para kong sirang plaka na paulit ulit sa pagsasabi nito. "Hindi naman yun big deal kanina," insisted before I drank a few gulps from my bottle.

Walang ulap sa kalangitan ngayong gabi. Mukha maganda nga mag-stargazing. Ayoko mang aminin, pero gusto ko nga ang setup na ito.

"Gusto ko nga. Ang dami mo namang iniisip. Enjoy ka nalang," he brushed off what I said and buried a small portion of his unfinished bottle of beer on the sand. He proceeded to the telescope.

"Marunong ka pala niyan?" Hindi na ako tumayo mula sa log since kaharap ko lang naman siya. I continued drinking my pineapple juice.

"Alam kong tingin mo sa akin ay jock ako na puro sports at gym lang ang alam, pero marami pa naman akong interest. Isa 'to sa pinakabago."

"Oh. Well, that's nice. At least you got other things to do other than picking fights with me."

"You inspire me," sabi niya na may shady na ngiti. Ayan na naman yang mga words niyang may double meaning. "Ini-inspire mo ako na matututo ng mga iba't ibat bagay. Nakikita kasi kitang nagbabasa ng mga libro tungkol sa astronomy."

I never knew that I have such influence on Paolo. Nice lang malaman na na-i-inspire ko pala siya na i-expand ang kaalaman niya. That's good. In return, Paolo gets me to try out several things outside my box. It's a good kind of relationship. We get to expand each other's worlds. now, if only he could stop acting cringy and cheesy. That would be nice.

Tumawa lang siya sa sinabi ko habang patuloy niyang sinesetup ang telescope.

Nadako ang pangin ko sa gitara na nilapag niya kanina sa may buhangin. "Marunong ka ring mag-gitara?" I asked out of curiousity.

"Oo naman. Kaya ko din tumugtog ng ibang instruments."

Wow. Edi siya na talaga. Hindi ko alam na marami palang alam gawin si Paolo. Mukhang mas marami pa siyang alam na gawin kesa sa akin.

"Marunong din akong mag-carpentry, pati pag-aayos ng electrical wirings at plumbing."

"Seryoso ka?" I was shocked at what he said. I never knew that he knew stuff like those.