Vyxen Saichi Skanska
Cheery vibe turned into a misty one. Wide smiles for warm greeting flunked down and wrinkles covered my forehead as soon as my eyes caught my man's figure standing next to my dad—seemingly being summoned too, at the mansion. Bakit siya narito?
Did my dad bribe some things with him? Or throw some sort of threats at him? Just so he could be convinced to leave me?
Fuck, Ganoon ba yon?
For pete's sake, wala kami sa teleserye!
But...
Knowing dad, he could do that kind of insanity because he's too fond of pairing me with Hunter. He's the best man for him. And I doubted if he could easily let go of his favor to him for me.
The thoughts rambling inside my head left when dad burst out laughing at the moment I scooted over their direction. "Anong nakakatawa, dad?" takang ani ko rito. At bigla akong kinabahan sa kanyang pagtawa, mas lumalakas pa tuloy ang conviction ko na may dire negotiation na ino-offer si dad kay Yvio.
"Yong mukha mo anak," he retorted with a matter-of-fact tone. And came across enjoying the details of my face gushed with furrows and churned with bleak emotions. "Stop theorizing that I was up something bad with your man."
"How could I? You've already meddled with my affairs years ago, dad. Remember Hendrick?" The guy who happened to be my type and tried to court me. Our romance didn't still bloom yet he allotted sort of spooky tactics to that dude just for him to back off pursuing me. Just for the sake of his sailing ships for me and Hunter. Ganoon kalala ang pagkagusto niya sa kanya.
But then, I couldn't blame dad for that. Hunter's such a kind man. A man whom you could entrust your daughter if ever you have one. He's almost perfect but sadly not perfectly match for me. Kung anumang nararamdaman ko sa kanya, sigurado akong hanggang doon na lang yon at wala nang hihigit pa ron. Therefore, the hopes dad has for us will never ever reap out something about love.
"Oh that Hendrick man. Of course, he's kind of coward. Parang tinakot ko lang na ipu-pull off ang investment natin sa company nila ay 'di na nanindigan sayo at umatras sa pagpupursi—" Frankly, that scenario wasn't a big deal for me because all I ever wanted before was to hook up. Ngunit iba na ang sitwasyon ngayon, seryoso ako kay Yvio.
"Dad! Are you implying that you're using ridiculous tactics aga—argh, gosh! We're not youngsters anymore for you to use that and meddle with my romance."
"Calm down, Saichi," Yvio whispered as he gently snaked his arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. "Nag-uusap lang kami. And I intentionally come here to see your father."
Siya ang pumunta? Hindi si dad ang nagpapunta sa kanya? "Bakit naman?"
"May hiningi siya sa akin. Pormal na permiso para payagan ko ang relasyon niyo."
"Ganoon?" I exchanged stares to the both of them and they gave me a nod. "Talaga? There's n—"
"Wala nga anak. Tapos na ako riyan. Binantaan ko na siy—"
"Seriously, Dad?" I snapped.
Dad chuckled. "Biro lang."
Thereupon, we had a dinner and Yvio was introduced as my boyfriend to the other members of the family. They seemed to be shock. They didn't see it coming. Especially, when the person they always have in mind to end up with me is Hunter. They wanted to ask questions, really. The reflection of confusion was seen in their eyes, seemingly needing an explanation for enlightenment. But then, they stopped the urge to do so as they didn't want to uprise any whiffs of offending my man.
"Engr. Salcevo. Quite familiar." Haley examined his details and when she got enough of it. Her face lit up as if realization hit her. "You're one of the best engineer not just in the firm but nationwide. And you really have a substantial contribution of why our engineering firm is always on top." Indeed. Aside from the main branch, our branch has the highest amount of clients.
"Not just that. He's also quite popular to the girls," Vivian butt in. As she narrated how people around her rolled up his name with their tongue along with the talks of how they were fascinated by his charm and prime on our field. Marami raw sa kanila ang mayroong paghanga kay Yvio, but sorry not sorry he's already mine. "I'm happy for the both of you," she added. "And about Hunter," she paused as she lifted her glass and barely swished it—shaking her wine before speaking back at me. "I'll take a good care of him." She giggled.
Haley smacked her shoulder. "Gosh, you and your obsessive feelings. Tumigil ka na nga."
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever, ate. Just mind your own busine—" napatigil siya sa pagsasalita nang dumapo ang kanyang tingin sa akin. "Oh, what's with that straight face? You already got a boyfriend so let me take Hunter. Okay?"
"You have no chance over him," dad get in the conversation. "I'll find another pair for you." Vivian had an abrupt tantrums and stubbornly insisted that she only has her heart for Hunter.
The conversation went on. Until my siblings openly shared their thoughts about Engr. Salcevo and hurled intrique questions to my man— asking how I came up to be with him when depending throughout the rumors he never dated anyone. An implication that he's very picky or doesn't have any interest of getting into a relationship. Also asked queries of how we started our connection and so on. Napakadaldal nila at halos lahat yata ng pwedeng mausisa ay inusisa na nila. Hindi naman umalma si Yvio at tapat na sinagot ang kanilang mga katanungan.
I couldn't help but to smile. He was very genuine and the usage of his words comes from the heart. Nakaiinis tuloy, kinakailangan pa talaga nilang makita na kinikilig ako kaya naman puro pang-aasar ang aking inabot. They were enjoying teasing me with my beet red face and impede wide smiles. And surprisingly, Vivian was very bubbly. She never been so merry around me. Siguro ay masaya talaga siya nang malaman niyang tapos na ang anumang namamagitan sa amin ni Hunter. She's still into him. And she's not yet over with her crazy infatuation. Hunter is a good man but not for her. I hope, she would have realize that soon.
Dad and Yvio made their way out from the dining area and had a lone time at the balcony. I didn't know what they were talking about but I was certain that it must be about his sincerity over me, what lengths he would willing to take for our relationship, happenings between us, and more interrogations that would give dad the assurance that he's a good man for me. Ganoon naman talaga siya e.
"Thank you, dad," saad ko nang mayroon din kaming naging solong pag-uusap na dalawa pagkatapos nila ni Yvio. "Masaya ako at pabor ka sa amin."
He pursed his lips. "Candidly, I really wanted to intrude your relationship with Engr. Salcevo."
My eyes dwindled.
"But then, I fight the urge to do so. Because I saw you seem to be brightest when you're with him. Napakasaya mo. Saka isa pa, mabait siya. Siguradong aalagaan ka niya at mukhang hindi lang siya marunong humawak ng proyekto pati na rin ng relasyon." He chuckled. "Sa evaluation ko, healthy ang relasyon niyo," dad said then he confessed that ever since he got to know that Engr. Salcevo is my boyfriend, he got an eye on us.
"Grabe dad, ano ka stalke—" My subsequent words left unsaid when a sudden thought flared up and sent tingles of terror throughout my system.
Maliban sa mga leisure places na pinupuntahan namin ni Yvio, pumupunta rin kami sa clinic ng psychiatrist ko para sa mga appointments and treatments, at madalas din kami uma-attend sa mga forums and councels para sa disorder na meron ako.
If he had been tailing us? Does it mean he
found out that I have the same condition as mom? That I lack sexual constraint?
With my terrible expression, dad had read my mind. He explained that he knew about it when I was admitted at the hospital. The doctor wouldn't know about my condition— the mere issue they were working on about me that time was the overdose of sleeping peels. And that enactment wouldn't simply lead them that I have sort of sexual disorder. Yvio, probably told him about that. Siya nga ba? Siguro? Oo? Hindi? Ewan, hindi ko alam.
Kaya pala...Kaya pala wala nang masyadong naging katanungan sa akin si dad noong panahong nagising na ako matapos ng mahabang pamamahinga kasi may nagsabi na sa kanya.
He apologized for not able to notice that I've been dwelling for years with disturbance. He didn't scold me for not telling about it but he kinda feel bad because he didn't have the chance to fund me through the rough circuits of inevitable frustration whenever I deal with it. I, on the other hand, reasoned out I didn't want to add extra burden in his cart so I hid it.
"You're my daughter. You will never ever be considered as a burden. So don't hesitate to unwrap your problems to me." He tapped my shoulder. Also said, good thing that Engr. Salcevo was with me to vouch my pace through the trails of betterment.
After that night, further dinner invitations from the mansion rained over me and my man. Thus, Yvio had higher odds to keep close and bond with my family— that actually happened. Nakatutuwa nga lalo na't walang kahirap-hirap ay naging magaan na ang loob ng pamilya sa kanya at ganoon din siya sa kanila. Their compatibility didn't turn out to be so difficult but cool. Things between them went smooth. At nakabibigla nga na ganoon ang nangyari lalo na't 'di naman gaanong sociable si Yvio. But then, he put out an effort to flock his wings and cling delightful dialogues with my family.
"In fairness you're happy with Engr. Salcevo but be aware na may nasasaktan. Si Hunter," Shiya blurted out in the middle of our talks.
"I know," I mumbled and blew a puff of distress. "Kaya nga nag-lay low sa akin yon."
"Nag-lay low?"
"Yah, ever since noong incident sa unit ko." Particularly when he aid me for a week during my wild episode and I shoved him away. "Pagkatapos non ay wala na kaming naging pag-uusap. Ni hindi ko na nga rin siya nakikita." Not until, he did a sudden visit over my unit to personally give me the invitation for his celebration as the new chief executive of their engineering firm. Kasama ko si Yvio that time kaya naman naging abrupt lang ang visitation niya. At hindi kami nakapag-usap pa. But we had a deep talk days after the event, pero pagkatapos no'n ay doon na yata tuluyang nawala ang communication namin. And I couldn't even speculate if our relation would be still mend. Especially, when I hurt him at that moment so much. Damn, much.
"Gaga! Miss na miss ka na non. But every time he would attemp to catch up with you, parati mong kasama si Engr. Salcevo. And mostly, nagkakatuwaan pa kayong dalawa kaya ang ending he's backing off to come up and face you." Shiya thumped my shoulder. "You should have keep in touch with him."
"Pero paano naman kung alam kong ako ang nananakit sa kanya?"
"Pero mas nanakit ka pa kasi 'di mo man lang siya kinakamusta. What's that? A notion that you didn't care for him at all?"
"I care for him. But it would be better if I stop flaunting that kind of affection to him, even just for now. So he would stop uprising hopes for the both of us. Ayoko siyang bigyan ng false hopes."
"Flase hopes? Jusko, matagal mo na siyang binigyan ng mga signals na ikaka-assume niya. Immune na siya sa bagay na yan. Ikaw yata ang umiiwas, hindi siya."
I pursed my lips.
"Reach him out. Miss ka na non. Wag mo nang inaalala yang false hope, false hope na yan. Dahil magbigay ka man ng ganyan o hindi, knowing Hunter, ikaw at ikaw lang talaga ang babae sa buhay niya."
A ghost-like silence butt in to the atmosphere. I felt uneasy and guilty— the snapshots of Hunter next to me fiddled at the back of my head. He was always with me through the years but I didn't exactly know if I've done the same thing to him. Stupid me, why did I even dare neglecting him and didn't even ask him if he's doing fine? Sure, the answer would be so obvious but letting him know that I still give a damn care to him in spite of not giving back the same feelings would make him feel better. Siguro nga ay magiging ganoon. Siguro nga ay tama si Shiya.
When everything seemed to be invading my mind and steering me to be out from my senses. Shiya suddenly revived the dead conversation and shifted the topic. She brought up about her romance with Brice.
I missed a lot about her. I didn't even hint that she was already spicing up her dear with the man of her dreams. As well as she was with me so we mailed back all the moments we missed to each other through words.
"Your wedding would be next week."
"Huh?" I made a foolish sound. For his words didn't instantly sink in on me. "What are you talking about dad?"
"Ikakasal kayo ni Hunter next week. With or without your consent."
"With or without our consent?" I reluctantly said and wandered my eyes around the corner— catching a glimpse of Hunter's parents on the same vicinity. Fck! They were startling the hell out of me. "Ano yon? Arranged marriage? We're not dwelling anymore through the old times and we're already grown ups for you to execute that kind of lunacy to us," I scoffed. "Walang magpapakasal."
"Magpapakasal? What's going on?" Hunter said, bewildered. As he suddenly came up on the scene.
"Hunter," saad ni dad at saka siya tinapik sa balikat upang batiin siya sa pagdating. Nandito kami sa isang secluded diner. Ang buong akala ko ay gusto ni dad na magkaroon kami ng bond kaso iba ang bumungad sa akin. "Ikakasal kayo next week."
"Ikakasal kami tito?" Hunter swerved his gazed at me— who was having an inexplicable expression. "Ikakasal tayo? Do you want us to get married?"
"Gusto nila," pagtatama ko rito. The tone of my voice was soothe. For I was being careful not to offend him.
He looked at me for a moment before he speak, "Then there will no wedding." He let out a noiseless sigh. "Mom, dad, and tito... Please, stop pushing things between us. Kung anong meron kami ngayon hanggang doon na lang talaga 'yon."
Awkwardness swirled along with the air at the moment, Hunter dealt with his words in solemnity.
Mr. Vitterio cleared his throat as he ended the lull climate. "Let's end the show." He sheepishly chuckled. "It's just a prank."
"It's a prank!" pag-uulit ni dad na may sigla ngunit wala ni isa sa amin ni Hunter ang natawa. It ain't funny. "We just wanted to set up the mood before anything else, but I guess it went wrong."
"Ako na magpapasensiya para sa mga ama niyo. They couldn't be faltered. Although, I've already said the topic would be sensitive for the both you. This two old me—"
"Maka-old ka naman," dad and Mr. Vitterio chimed.
Mrs. Vitterio just ignored their blowups and proceeded the talk, "We know you've been losing your connection quite ago...so we set this meet-up for the both of you."
"Pardon for the intrusion but we couldn't just help to butt in. You probably need closure," Mr. Vitterio said. Moreover, confided us that we shouldn't just easily allow our connection to slip away and our relation to sink into the depths of nothing because we'd been tough and tight together throughout the years.
"Tama, mag-usap kayo."
"At aalis na kami."
Pagsang-ayon pa ng dalawang nakatatanda at saka naghabilin na sa hapunan na lang daw kami magkakaroon ng salo-salo kasama sila nang sa gayon, magkaroon kami ng pribadong oras ni Hunter at makapag-usap ng masinsinan. Mapaparami yata ang share of occurrences ko kay Yvio.
"Mabuti na lang talaga masaya ka don kay Yvio mo dahil kung hindi, ipagpipilitan ko talaga si Hunter sayo," dad whispered to me before he left with a smile.
As soon as our parents vacated the area. Hunter and I held each other's gaze for seconds then acquited laughters.
"Your face was too priceless when our parents said we're going to tie the knots next week. Ayaw na ayaw mo talaga na ako ang makasama sa habang buhay?"
Hindi naman sa ayaw ko pero may ibang tao nang nakalaan sa habang buhay ko. I'm sorry, of all people I have to end, it wasn't you. Wala namang problema sayo, Hunter. But then, it happened to be that I wasn't really into you.
What I felt for you was just lust and a care with no romance involved. Yo'n at yo'n lang talaga.
Also, I caught the gleam of hope in your eyes when the news rung into your ears that we'll getting married next week. But at the time, you knew it's kind of fix marriage I saw the sudden change of your mood— sobrang dismal at nasaktan ka. And that's when I realize, you wanted to be with me but it's more likely important to you to ensure if the decision comes from my guts and banks on my happiness. 'Cause you unfailingly putting first about my bliss before assuring other things. To the extent, ini-spoil mo ako sa mga bagay-bagay kahit na humantong pa 'to sa excessiveness.
I know what I could exactly say but I didn't have the stomachs to let out the thoughts lurking inside my head. So, I remained silent and merely stared at him.
"Are you okay? Na-starstruck ka yata," he kidded and chuckled. "Mag-usap daw tayo."
"Uh—yah..."
"Kumusta?" we said in unison and exchanged timid looks.
"Damn, we're being awkward. This isn't us. We've been so comfortable and unbothered. We've almost seen all the embarrassments of each other and never worry to show one. Tapos ito tayo ngayon? Ang weird."
"Kaya nga, ang weird na ganito tayo."
Tumawa siya. It was infectious, kaya naman napatawa rin ako.
"So, kumusta ka?"
"Busying myself at work." He momentarily pursed his lips. "Ikaw? Busying yourself with him?"
"Sorry, hindi ako nagparamdam."
"Okay lang. It would be strange if you'll still meet me when you already got a man."
"But we're frien—"
"With benefits. And if I were him, I would probably be jealous if you're meeting a guy whom you used to hook up. Kaya naiintindihan kita. You're just protecting your man."
I bit my bottom lip. "I care for you."
"Alam ko, don ako umasa e."
"Hunter..." Fck, I'm running out of words.
He burst out laughing. "Ang priceless na naman ng mukha mo. Biro lang."
"Yawa ka. Seryosong usapan kasi."
Upon hearing my words, his face went primal.
"Okay na ako, Vyxen. Wala naman na tayong dapat pag-usapan. Malinaw naman na sa akin na hindi ako. I'm not the one and I'm not the man you could picture out with, in your future."
"Hunter."
"Yan lang naman ang isyu natin e— mahal kita at hindi ka ganoon sa akin. I've done enough with that topic. Kaya wag na natin pag-usapan." He smiled but it didn't meet his eyes, apparently caused by forlorn. "Ang drama pakinggan. Yawa." He attempted to laugh but the humor he was trying to uprise fell flat.
"Naiiyak ka..."
"Paanong hindi? Tangina, mahal kita e. Mahal kita, Vyxen," he whispered and tears overflowed from his eyes. "Masaya ka at totoong masaya naman akong masaya ka pero hindi ko pa rin maipagkakaila na nasasaktan ako. Tangina, sa iba mo nakukuha yo'ng saya. E, pwede rin naman sa akin 'di ba? And perhaps, that would be more possible...if I wasn't just coward and done things better with you...siguro. Siguro nga..."
Wala akong masabi kaya naman umamba na lang ako palapit sa kanya at saka binigyan siya ng yakap. I didn't know if I've committed the wrong move 'cause his sobs went heavier. But then, this was the only comfort I could offer to him— a warm cage within my arms.
I couldn't let out any statement because I know even though, how hard I'll strive to be careful with my choice of words and delivery. It wouldn't change the fact that it couldn't be him whom I could offer my love. And emphasizing that shit would just hurt him, bigtime! So I better shut my mouth.
"Can I ask a favor?"
I hummed as a response.
"I couldn't help being away from you. Kaya hayaan mo naman akong maging malapit pa rin sayo." His arms encircled my waist. "Let's stay friends. Just friends. At least friends. And I'll be fine with that," he whispered and with that his braced went tighter and warmer as if this was the last time he would be able to have the guts to held me like this. "Kahit kaibigan na lang, wag nang ka-ibigan. Ayos na ako ron, Vyxen."