Hospital Series 1: Paraluman

Chapter 22

"Why do you look so surprised?" 

I pursed my lips, ni-hindi ko napansin na napanganga pala ako dun. He called me chipmunk before. Ako ba 'yun? Gusto ba niya ko? I blinked twice. Should I ask?

"Kunwari na naman 'di mo alam na gusto kita," he said before rolling his eyes and closing his eyes. 

We both became quiet after. Kulang na lang kumanta si Chewy para di masyadong tahimik. Kaya nagulat ako nang nagsalita si Uno. 

"Gano pa katagal 'to?" Sabay turo sa mukha niya.

"Fi-" I croaked. I gulped to clear my throat. "Five minutes pa."

Tumango lang siya at di na nagsalita. I am watching him the whole time, nangangapa pa rin sa sasabihin. Matagal na rin simula nung naisip kong may ibang meaning lahat ng ginagawa niya. He wanted to get to know me better. Someone as snob as him won't get to know someone better nang walang dahilan. Pero kasi, hindi mo masasabi kay Uno eh. May kakaiba siyang way sa lahat ng bagay kaya mahirap mag-assume.

I slightly panicked when he suddenly sit up at inalis ang mask. Mabilis kong iniwas ang tingin at ang hindi pa bukas na facemask ang pinagtuunan ng pansin. Korean ang nakasulat dun pero I pretended na binabasa ko yun. 

"5 minutes na, ano gagawin ko dito?" He moved closer at kinalabit ang braso ko. Diretso pa rin ang tingin ko sa facemask.  "Wala, tapos na," I answered in a tone that I hope sounded busy.

"Basa pa mukha ko," may tunog pagrereklamo dun. "Okay lang ba 'to?"

I glanced at him. His forehead was slightly creased as he looked at me. Oo nga, makintab ang mukha niya ngayon and he looked in distress by that. Ngumuso ako to stop myself from smiling. 

"I-tap mo lang, hanggang sa matuyo," I told him. 

With brows furrowed, he looked back at me and the mask i'm reading. I saw him slowly smirked bago umiling. He probably thought I'm busy with skincare again. Binalik ko ang tingin sa facemask to prove him that. I felt him shifted his weight from the sofa. Isang hininga ang nabuga ko thinking na tumayo na siya para iwan ako.

But he didn't.

Nagulat ako nang umupo pa siya nang mas malapit at dumungaw din sa tinitignan kong facemask. I froze. He put his hand on the space behind me and lean on that. Halos dumikit tuloy ang baba niya sa balikat ko. 

"You know how to read hanggul?" he whispered. 

Ayan na naman ang amoy ng mint sa bibig niya. Why is his mouth always smelled like mint, anyway?  Nagtoothbrush ba siya kanina? I just nodded, restricting myself from talking dahil feeling ko amoy beef pepper rice pa ang bibig ko.  He chuckled.

"Talaga?" May panunuya sa tono nun pero hindi ko na lang pinansin at tumango. Nagulat ako nang kinuha niya 'yun. He turned it around 'saka inabot sa'kin.  "You'll read it better, kung hindi baligtad."