Chapter 16
"Congratulations, Cutie Kaori!"
Sobrang ingay nilang tatlo. People are looking to our side with curious faces.
"Proud na proud ako sa'yo, Mare!" Aambang yayakap sana si Jun kay Kaori pero tinulak ko siya. He frowned.
Kaori snickered. "Thank you, Jun!" Ako naman ang sumimangot nang siya ang yumakap kay Jun. Jun stick out his tongue. Pinakyuhan niya ako sabay ngisi.
"Opps! Wag masiyadong dumikit, Kaori! Baka magselos ang iba diyan."
He smirked and looked at the bored Emma. She raised her middle finger and pointed it at Jun. Hinawakan ni Jun ang kaniyang dibdib na parang binaril sa puso. Natawa tuloy si Emma.
"Hala! Gusto ko ring magpakyu---" Kaori squealled.
Hinawakan ko ang kaniyang kamay bago pa niya itaas ang kamay niya. Ngumuso tuloy siya.
Wag kang gumaya sa dalawang iyan, Kaori. Mga bad influence.
I was about to pull my hands but she never let it go. Instead, she held it tighter. Binaba ko ang kamay namin sa ilalalim ng mesa para walang makakita.
"By the way, Kaori. Anong nakuha mong prize?"
"Pera at pera at pera," biro niya sa tanong ni Emma.
Yes, she won. I didn't expect it, actually. Masiyadong magaling ang lahat ng kalaban pero she nailed everyone with her devil thrilling piece.
The music she makes... It's scary and beautiful at the same time.
She will have a bright future ahead if she pursue music.
Nalungkot ako bigla.
"Plus! They even recommended me to a prestige music school! Sure ball na papasok ako sa college school nayun," pagmamayabang niya.
We all said 'Wow' in unison.
"Kaso di ko tinanggap," Natahimik kaming lahat. Kaori laughed at our faces. Tinuro-turo niya ang mga mukha namin na parang may nakakatawa dito.
"Di ko tinanggap kasi chef ang gusto kong course!"
Emma and Jun awkwardly nod. Tahimik silang dalawa habang nag-uusap ang mga mata sa isa't isa. Tulala naman ako habang pinisil-pisil ang kamay ni Kaori. Marahan ko itong hinaplos.
"Hoy! Ba't naging awkward ang mood? Atsaka, bakit ang tagal nga pagkain! Asan na ang kwek-kwek ko?" Kaori said.
Emma elbowed Jun. "Gago! Where's the order?"
"Huh? Ba't ako, diba si Yuki?" Tinuro niya ako kahit siya naman talaga ang inatasan na mag-order. Hahampasin sana siya ni Emma kaso patakbo siyang pumunta sa counter.
"Cheers!" We all roared and click our soda cans.
"Kainan na!" Kaori loudly said. Pinakain niya ang dalawa ng kwek-kwek. Napilitang lumamon ang dalawa kaya napatawa ako. They looked like a couple with their fat cheeks and nauseous faces. Kaori took a picture of them.
"Cute niyo! Para kayong mga piglets na hayok sa pagkain!"
It was Tuesday afternoon. Uwian na ng klase. The place where every students go after school, street food stalls! Hindi ko alam na tambayan pala ito nina Kaori and Emma. I mean, she loves eating food. Patay-gutom talaga siya. Dinadagdagan ang sakit sa puso.
"H-hindi nga ako lasing! Sabing d-di ako lasing eh! Bitawan mo ako!" Tinulak ko si Jun sa damuhan kaya napahiga siya. Pagiling-giling siyang naglakad papunta kay Emma.
"Emma ko, mwah! Sagutin mo na ako," nagpapanggap siyang lasing para magpapansin kay Emma. She pushed him too and he slept on the ground again.
Malapit nang gumabi nang natapos kaming nagmeryenda. Pinalabas kami ng may-ari dahil sa baliw na Jun na sinobrahan ang pag-acting. Nakabasag ng maraming bote ng soft drinks dahil lasing kuno siya.
"Sabing hindi ako l-lasing, Yuki! I know h-how to walk, okay?" pag-iinarte naman ni Kaori. I rolled my eyes.
"Sino bang nagsabing lasing ka?" I boredly asked. I sighed and hold her hands, pinipigilan siyang maglikot sa kung saan-saan.
Gaya-gaya ang loko, nagpapanggap ding lasing. Pagiling-giling sa gilid ng daan.
"Ugh, stop pestering me, Juanito! Peste ka talaga."
"Guys, imagine our college life like this. Parties, beers, drunk friends, and hangovers. Being adult is freedom, baby!" she said like a real drunken lady. Baliw siyang tumawa na siyang ikinatahimik namin.
"Oh, I forgot! Kayong tatlo lang pala, di ako kasali."
Parang lasing na tumawa si Jun.
"Joke ba yun?"
Hinampas ni Emma si Jun. "Oo, joke yun kaya tumawa ka. Haha."
"See you, Kaori! Yuki! Ingat sa daan," Emma said, waving a goodbye with Jun. Sabay silang sumakay ng jeep at naiwan kaming dalawa ni Kaori. We're riding my bike because our street is just miles away from school.
Masarap ang hangin para sa aming dalawa dala na rin ng mainit na panahon. The night life is almost at it's peak. Mayroong mga estudyante na nagmamadaling umuwi at mga taong busy sa pagtatrabaho kahit magagabi na. The city is just the same, even when darkness swallowed everything.
We're both silent while riding, but it's not an akward silence. Nakakapagtaka nga na tahimik si Kaori. Mas lalong humigpit ang kapit niya sa baywang ko. She's hugging me from behind, snuggling my back.
Wala ng traffic dahil magagabi na. Dumaan kami sa isang malaking tulay na palaging tinatambayan ng mga tao. We stayed on the bridge for a while because Kaori want to watch the sunset.
"He's dying! The sun is dying!" madramang sigaw niya habang hinihila ako para maupo sa mababang railling ng tulay.
"He's not! Just sleeping, Kaori. Gigising din iyan bukas."
"Uh huh! And the moon replaces the sun! That's just so amazing and perfect, you know." namamangha niyang sabi.
"Ah! There it is! Ang ganda ng sunset, waah," she exclaimed while pointing at the sun with amazement.
Tumayo siya para kumuha ng litrato. Pinagmamasdan ko siyang nakangiti at aliw na aliw sa pagpicture.
I should be the one enjoying the sunset here but I don't know, I feel like looking at her is more beautiful than the farewell of a bright sun.
The sunset is breathtakingly beautiful, no, it's a masterpiece. But I can still see it the next day, the day after and probably all my days in life.
But Kaori... I can't stop myself from watching and adoring her tonight because I'm afraid I will never see her again.
Baka mga hindi ko na siya makita bukas.
The last time I tried to be happy, sadness always shows up like a karma.
Life's a bitch. Really.
It's a bitch to me. And it's a bitch to Kaori. Especially to her.
But how do I stop myself from feeling happy because of her when in the first place I don't wanna stop at all?
"Curse life. Curse fate. Curse everything," mahina at natatawa kong bulong.
I heard a series of clicks. Sumimangot ako sa camera. Humagikhik si Kaori.
"Do you know, Yuki? The sunset gives a very valuable lesson in life."
Kinuha ko ang camera at pinicturan siya. The photo shows a sunshine Kaori with a beautiful sunset on the ground. She's just... perfect. To me.
Ngumiwi siya ng patuloy ako sa pagkuha ng litrato. "Sige, damihan mo pa! Remembrance ko sayo."
Binaba ko ang camera at mariin siyang tiningnan, naiinis. I don't understand her at all, sometimes she's positive and brave but now, she's different. She's the most positive girl I've ever meet but looking at her right now, I'm wrong. She's not.
She's slowly losing hope. And one day, those beautiful smiles of her will just be a living memory to me.
"The sun teaches us that every good things end at some point. Everything in this world never lasted. Happiness, hope, faith and even love. Kahit ikaw at ako ay lilipas din."
I nodded.
"Yes, everything has an end. The sun proves that. But not only good things last long. Evil, wrath, sadness, and fear. There are worst things too that comes to an end," I said with courage.
She looked shocked when I said that. Kalaunan ay ngumisi na parang natutuwa.
"But I think you forgot the sunrise? The cycle of day and night wants to gives us a meaning. That after a life full of rays and sunshine, a nightmare of evil and fear will come. And a life full of suffering and pain will see a light at the end of the darkness."
"Pft!" Humalakhak siya pagkatapos ng sinabi ko. Umiwas ako ng tingin at ramdam ang init ng pisngi ko.
"Never thought you would said that," biro niya.
"Its cheesy allright. Just forget what I said," bulong ko.
"Di pwede! Ikaw na pinakabitter na tao na nakilala ko, nagsabi ng ganoon! Hanep, ang galing ko talaga!"
"Shut up weirdo, stop laughing!"
"You're the weird one here, Nicholas Yuki!"
And there she goes again, binaliktad na naman ang pangalan ko.
"It took me a lot of courage to said that idiot, so don't laugh."
"Why? Bakit mo kasi sinabi iyon?" Nangingisi siya, tinutukso ako.
"Because you keep spouting words like you're just gonna vanish and leave us! I told you to stop that, alam mong nasasaktan sila kapag sinasabi mo iyan. Lalo na si Emma."
I looked at the ground.
"I thought you're the most positive person in the world..." I whispered.
"Of course I am! Gusto ko lang silang paiyakin! Believe it or not, nakakatawa ang mga mukha niyo pramis! Joke lang naman yun, ako talaga ang pinakapositive sa lahat!"
"Liar."
"N-no! Totoo kaya, I'm positive and s-strong! Ang lakas lakas ko!" Pinasada niya ang kaniyang braso.
"Fake."
Her eyes widened. Natigil siya ng narinig iyon.
"Have anyone told you that your smiles are fake?"
I gritted my teeth.
But still, no matter how fake. I still love your smile.
I feel all bubble and giddy inside when I see you smiling.
"You're a liar too. You keep saying you're okay when you're really not. You keep saying you're fine when you're actually in a mess."
"I-I..."
She started breathing heavily. Her hair covered her face. She held her chest.
"Should I stop smilling, then?"
She faced me with a smile. Sumakit ang puso ko nang makita ang pagtulo ng kaniyang luha kahit nakangiti.
I hurt her. I made her cry.
Fucking shit, Yuki.
"No, you're not Kaori anymore if you stop smilling," tipid kong sabi, feeling guilty.
I don't know why I said those things. Nasaktan ko siya. Nagalit lang siguro ako sa kaniya kanina. Para kasing nagpapaalam na siya sa amin. Napapansin ko iyon sa mga nagdaang araw.
Siya pa nga ang unang nagsabi na hindi siya papayag na mamamatay dahil sa sakit. Pagkatapos ganito, biglang nawawalan na siya ng pag-asa. It's like she's giving up.
Fuck it, ano ba talaga ang nasa isip ng babaeng to!
Bigla kong narinig ang malakas niyang tawa. Natulala ako ng bumalik na sa dati ang disposisyon niya.
"But you said it was fake! Napaplastikan ka siguro sakin!"
"I'm not! You're a bubbly girl, okay. It's just that, I just know whether you're smile is fake or not."
Pinalis niya ang kaniyang luha, natatawa. "Okay, so kailan ako ngumingiti ng plastic?"
"Basta! Secret!"
"Hmmp! Unfair! Sabihin mo na!" Nagdabog siya.
Tumahimik ako. She called my name.
"K-kaori, I'm sorry for what I said. That was insensitive and stupid thing to say."
She smirked. Hinampas ako sa balikat.
"Don't worry! Hindi ako pikon kasi totoo naman talaga!" She laughed. Nagulat ako. She admitted it.
"Let's just go home. Pagagalitan pa ako ng tatay mo dahil gabi na!" Hinatak ko siya papunta sa nakasandal kong bike.
We almost reached their restaurant. Humigpit lalo ang yakap niya dahil sa lamig at lakas ng hangin.
"I was cheering you cause you look sad and hopeless," bulong ko, tama lang para marinig niya.
"Really? Thank you for cheering me up, boyfriend!" aniya sa kinikilig na boses. Sinundot niya pa ang tiyan ko na wala namang kiliti.
"Welcome, girlfriend," I teased.
Tumili siya. Napapaos akong tumawa.
Tumigil kami sa tapat ng kanilang restaurant. Kumaway siya, aambang aalis ngunit tumigil siya at hinarap ako.
"I forget to tell you something, Yuki."
Umihip ang malakas na hangin. The wind blown Kaori's hair. She held her hand at me. I looked at her curiously.
"Where's my red string?"
Nabigla ako sa tanong niya. The image of the red string that I bought from the old lady and Kaori's string that she tied on my hand from the first time we met.
She wants her string back. I feel uncomfortable because of that.
Why?
"H-hindi ko alam, baka natapon ko. Why? Ano bang silbi nun, Kaori?" I lied. It's actually in my drawer.
"Nakalimutan mo na?" Tinaasan niya ako ng kilay.
"Tinapon mo?"
"What? No-- I mean, yes! It was just a string---"
She cut me off.
"Mamamatay ako kapag nawala iyon," seryoso niyang sabi.
What? Is it because... Argh! Ang matandang iyon talaga ang may pakana ng lahat. Hanggang ngayon ay naniniwala pa rin si Kaori na totoo ang kapangyarihan ng pulang lubid. Naiinis ako bigla.
"Bakit ka ba naniniwala sa sinabi ng matanda? You're too old for fairy tales and magic, Kaori---"
"Kasalanan mo kapag namatay ako, Yukio," pagbabanta niya.
"Kaori!" sigaw ko, natakot sa sinabi niya.
Mataman niya akong tiningnan. Wala ng ngiti ang mukha. Bigla akong kinabahan.
Slowly, a smile crept into her lips.
"Aunt Chimera gave you a string too, right? Sayo na iyong binigay ko kapalit ng lubid mo. Itali mo sa kamay ko."
"W-what are you saying?"
"Para magkaroon ng bisa ang power ng lubid, kailangan nating itali sa kamay ng isa't isa. That's the proof that we are tied to be with each other as soulmates. Gets mo?"
Gets ko pero hindi ako naniniwala. Ano bang trip ng babaeng ito?
"I gave you time to fall in love with me."
Nakanganga ako sa sinabi niya. What did she just said?
"L-love?"
She smirked. "And I guess, time is up because you already did."
What?
"Tying the red string to someone is another way of saying I Love You. Now, where's mine, Yuki?"
Asher asked me to play basketball. I obliged for a different reason. It was a hot afternoon and we're under the blazing sun, sweating and playing. Natapos ang ikatlong laro at ako palagi ang nananalo.
He was obviously letting me win. Natutuwa siya kapag nakashoot ako at halatang sinasablay niya lahat ng mga shoots niya.
After the game, I gathered courage. I breathed heavily. I started to talk.
"I-I actually have a favor to ask, Asher."
"Hmm?"Napatingin siya sa akin.
"Kailangan ko ng tulong mo. You're r-rich and powerful. Baka kasi matulungan mo kami, Asher. I badly need your uhm, help."
Binaba ko ang mataas kong pride. I'm still angry with him, and it's actually embarrassing for me to ask help. But I have to atleast try, for her. For Kaori.
I'm still angry with him. Hindi ko pa rin siya kayang patawarin.
But right now, I'm taking a big step on accepting him as my father.
Naalarma siya ng nakita akong nahihirapan. "What is it, Yuki? You can ask me anything, I can give it to you," aniya, nag-aalala.
His eyes mirrowed mine. I can see myself from him. Everything looks like me.
"Please help me find a heart donor for Kaori. She's dying, Asher. She needs a heart transplant to live." Yumuko ako sa kaniya, tanda ng respeto at paghingi ng tulong.
"Please help, Kaori. Please save her, you're the only person I know who can help. Onegaishimasu, Otosan!" (Please, Dad!)
"Y-yuki..."
Isang mahabang explanasyon ang dumaan. Noong una ay hindi siya makapaniwala, ngunit nang nakita akong desperado ay nakitaan ko ng takot ang kaniyang mukha.
"I will do my best to find her a heart donor."
Nakahinga ako ng maluwag. Nagsalita siya.
"But I have a favor to you too, son."
Tumaas ang kilay ko. Of course, you can ask me anytime. Malaki ang utang na loob ko sayo. But of course, a big NO if it involves you and Misa---
"I'm planning to marry your mother."