Deja Vu [Escaping Hara]

Chapter 2: ROADHOUSE

CHAPTER 2: ROADHOUSE

***

“So, the only thing you could remember were your names?”

“Y-yeah?” Yoshi answered unsure.

“What. Is. This. Sorcery?!” the other boy shrieked covering his mouth in disbelief.

“AKALA KO AKO LANG!” he added looking shocked.

“This place seems weirder than I thought it would be.” Aivan mumbled after washing her face.

Nasa tabi sila ng isang maliit na sapa. Nililinis ni Aivan ang putik sa katawan niya habang ang dalawa ay nakatambay sa batuhan at inaantay syang matapos.

“Our names must be so special that even their amnesiac owners can’t forget them at all costs.” The new guy stated in sarcasm.

“What was your so-called precious name then?” Tanong ni Yoshi sa kasama.

“Ah name? Jihoon.” The guy answered. “Jihoon lang naman. Nothing special. Just a common name – whoa! How did I know it was common? Oh my gosh! I must be recovering my memories now! I– ”

Napatawa nalang si Aivan sa binata. Jihoon seems to be a funny guy. Minsan nga lang medyo di sya nag-iingat sa mga sinasabi nya pero ang saya nyang kasama. Parang gumagaan lang ang atmosphere pag nandyan sya.

Napaisip tuloy ang dalaga. Posible kayang nagkakilala na sila dati? Magaan din ang loob nya kay Yoshi. Para talagang matagal na silang magkakilala.

“Kailangan nating makahanap ng gamot para dyan sa sugat mo. Baka ma-infection.” Yoshi suggested staring at Jihoon’s injured ankle. It had stopped bleeding but a purplish bruise was starting to form around the wounded area.

“Di ko naman ikakamatay to.” Balewalang sabi ni Jihoon at itinago ang sugat nya sa ilalim ng pantalon nya.

“Di ako doktor pero alam kong delikado yan.” Puna ni Aivan. “Yosh, alam mo ba talaga kung pano makakalabas sa gubat na to?”

“Oo nga.” Yoshi stood up and started leading the way.

“San tayo pupunta?” Naguguluhang tanong ni Jihoon.

“Sa van ko.”

“Van? May sasakyan ka?” Parehong kumunot ang noo ni Jihoon at Aivan.

“Oo.” Yoshi answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“Bakit? Pano?” If Jihoon could add another line on his creasing forehead, he could have done that already.

“Di ko din alam eh. Basta paggising ko may van na ko.”

***

Yoshi has been driving for a few hours already, he seems to know the place very well. Even Aivan starts doubting whether he had really lost his memories or he’s just playing games with her.

Sabagay, sino ba namang siraulo ang sasakay sa trip ni Aivan diba? Pero di naman sya nangti-trip eh. Talaga namang nawala ang mga alaala nya.

Yoshi turned the van and took a less crowded road. The place was strangely silent even with a lot of people wandering around. No one even cared who’s behind the tinted windows of an old rusty van which was covered with scratched white paint and mud.

It was like an old town with a countryside vibe. And this makes them feel a bit uncomfortable.

“Bakit parang kabisado mo na tong lugar?” taas-kilay na tanong ni Jihoon. Kahit sya ay parang nagdududa na rin kay Yoshi.

“I don’t know. It just feels familiar. Parang nanggaling na ko dito. I feel like I’ve been driving around this place for several times already.” Rason ni Yoshi.

“Déjà vu?” singit ni Aivan mula sa likuran. Si Jihoon kasi ang umupo sa front seat. Feeling leading lady si kuya.

Yoshi just shrugged.

“Ganon ba tawag don?” he said looking at Aivan through the rearview mirror.

Tinitigan lang sya ng dalaga. Napabuntong-hininga si Aivan. Sana mali ang iniisip nya. Sana hindi sila niloloko ni Yoshi.

Huminto ang sasakyan sa tapat ng isang malaking cottage na gawa sa matibay na kahoy at bricks. Para syang old-fashion na beerhouse o pwede ding restaurant na tumatanggap ng maraming customers araw2x.

Pagbaba nilang tatlo sa van, agad silang sinalubong ng ingay ng mga tao sa loob ng building na yon. Ito na yata ang pinakamaingay na lugar sa baryo.

“Papasok tayo dito?” Kunot-noong tanong ni Jihoon. “May pera ka ba dyan?”

“I found a couple of silver coins from the van earlier. Sana naman tumatanggap sila non dito.” Sagot ni Yoshi.

“Sana lahat may mahiwagang van.” Jihoon uttered.

“Ang importante makakain muna tayo at makapag-ipon ng lakas bago tayo maghanap ng solusyon sa problema natin mamaya.” Aivan butted in grabbing both of their arms and pulled them inside the vintage roadhouse.

***

“Di ko na matandaan kung kelan ako huling kumain.” Tuwang-tuwang sabi ni Jihoon habang nilalamon ang lahat ng pagkaing makita nya sa harap nya.

Natawa na lang si Yoshi habang sinusubo ang huling piraso ng karne sa bibig nya. Nag-ikot sya ng paningin sa paligid. Ang daming tao, at mukhang ang sasaya nila. Karamihan din sa mga customer ay mga lasing at may kasamang mga babae. Pero hindi ito ganon ka laswang tignan. Para syang sinaunang version ng public bar, may umiinom, may kumakain, may nagsasaya.

Nahagip ng paningin nya si Aivan. Hindi pa ito tapos sa pagkain samantalang si Jihoon ay nakailang serve na.

“Take your time.” Nakangiting sabi ng binata sa dalaga.

Napatitig si Aivan sa mga mata ni Yoshi. He seems sincere.

His eyes…

They are beautiful.

And… Familiar?

“Wait.” Biglang sabi niya sabay hawak sa mukha ni Yoshi.

Gulat namang napatitig ang binata sa kanya. Sinuring mabuti ni Aivan ang mga mata ni Yoshi. They were a lighter shade of black.

“What?” Yoshi’s voice cracked a bit as he swallows nervously.

Without letting him go, Aivan turned to Jihoon who was still eating and grabbed his collar also checking his eyes.

“Anong problema mo?” agad na kumawala si Jihoon sa kapit ni Aivan pero si Yoshi nakatulala parin sa mukha ng dalaga.

“You both have dark eyes.” Aivan whispered.

“So?” Taas-kilay na tanong ni Jihoon sabay subo ng kanin.

Aivan shook her head. The lady on the counter earlier. The guy who served them food. The old man sitting in the corner while playing cards. How could she not notice it? This place is weird all along.

“This house. All the people except us had green irises.”

“What?!” Jihoon shrieked almost spitting the food in his mouth.

“Sshh.” Yoshi hushed them.

“They’re watching us.” Bulong ni Yoshi sabay kapit sa kamay ni Aivan.

***

-Mr. SlyFox