Hello! Please stay healthy and safe! Thanks for sticking around ♡
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THIRTY-SIX
Dinner was wonderful. Also awkward. The sight of the brimming dining table made my mouth water. Iba't-ibang uri ng Japanese dishes ang nakahapag dito, may pork cutlets, karaage, tempura, sashimi, stir-fried vegetables, steaming rice and was that Wagyu beef? There was even a plate of strawberry-stuffed mochi balls. Amoy restaurant ang dining area at napalunok tuloy ako. Wala pa kasi akong matinong kain simula noong paglalakbay ko. Kahit iyong in-flight meal ay itinakwil ko dahil sa pagkabalisa ko dulot ng biglaang paglalaho ni Keith Kato.
Nakapalibot kami sa six-seater na dining table. I was perched beside Key on one side, at sa kabilang banda naman, sa tapat ni Keith Kato ay nakaupo ang mom niya. Next to her was Hiro, who was followed by Chuck.
"Help yourself, Ellie, at huwag kang mahiya," kumbinsi sa akin ng mom ni Key... ni Tita Rika. Was that how I should address her? Mrs. Ayala ba dapat? Or was it Murakami? Oh, my God, I felt weird. I was pleased to finally have been able to put a face behind Keith Kato's mysterious mother at kumakain pa ako ngayon na kasalo siya. Pero nawindang din ako sa mga pangyayari. Ni hindi ko nga alam na may iba palang kinikilalang pamilya dito si Key bukod sa mga Ayala, eh. This was all so overwhelming and strange to me.
"This?" Chuck announced, interrupting my thoughts. He made a show of eating at isinaksak niya ang kabuuan ng higanteng prawn tempura sa bibig niya. After a few chews and a swallow, he moaned, "Is like a slice of heaven in my mouth!"
"Can you not make disgusting noises while eating? I'm going to lose my appetite," daing ni Key.
"Let him be," natawang sabi ng mom niya, na mukhang naaaliw sa reaksyon ni Chuck sa mga pagkaing inihanda niya. "Kalimutan mo muna ang diet mo tonight, Charles. Make sure you eat your fill."
Oh, so Chuck was a nickname. Mukhang hindi naman kailangan pang hikayatin ang nasabing lalaki dahil habang sinasabi ito ng mom ni Key ay dinagdagan pa niya ng tempura ang puno na niyang plato. Weird, exaggerated sounds of appreciation kept coming out of his mouth as he went on with his meal, probably to annoy his cousin, more than anything.
"Mom! Mom! Can I please have my dessert now?" sabik na tanong ni Hiro.
"After you finish your bento," she answered. Her tone was gentle but injected with that firmness seemingly exclusive to mothers. Hiro pouted, 'di ko alam paano siya natitiis ng mom nila. He looked so adorable! The little guy picked at his cute meal box at iyong octopus-shaped sausages lang ang kinain niya, kaya tuloy napagsabihan siyang: "Eat your vegetables."
Lumipat ang tingin ng mom nila sa nakatatanda niyang anak, na puro sashimi ang laman ng pinggan. "Ikaw rin, Key."
Key made a vague sound of assent and stuffed his plate with beef, which earned a raised eyebrow from his mother. Gamit ang isang kamay ay labag sa loob na pinuno ni Keith Kato ng gulay ang mangkok niya. I had to discreetly swat his other hand which kept seeking mine under the table. Mukhang hirap na hirap siya, bakit ba hindi niya ako bitawan? At huwag niyang ginagambala ang pagkain ko ah, I was positively famished and I needed both of my hands working here.
He finally had the good sense to let go of me kaya inangat ko agad ang kamay ko so he can no longer keep it hostage. Sinimulang titigan ng masama ni Key ang veggie stir fry bowl niya, iyong carrots lang naman ang salarin dito pero nadamay pa ang ibang mga gulay. I knew early on that he hated them. Nang unang beses na imbitahan ni Key ang sarili niya sa bahay ay ipinagluto kami ni Grammy ng beef caldereta. Inubos niya 'nun ang lahat bukod sa carrots, and he kept pushing the poor orange vegetables around his plate.
