Hmm. What is this dream all about? I asked. I found myself wearing a pink off-shoulder gown. Kinapa ko ang aking buhok at napagtantong naka-tirintas ito na parang isang korona. My eyes roamed around and slowly, I realized what's going on.
Chandeliers above me, people on their formal attires. A red carpet beneath my feet. A pleasant Romantic music was being played by an ensemble. Hindi ko inaasahang dito ako mapaparoon. If I would site a reference, it would be "Romeo and Juliet".
Ganito ba ang panaginip ko dahil ito ang napag-usapan namin ni Dad?
I went to the makeshift bar and ordered a martini. Hindi ko maiwasang hindi pakinggan ang musikang pumapalibot sa buong lugar. I couldn't help but tilt my head left and right. It was Chopin's Waltz in A minor, wasn't it? A good choice.
When the martini I ordered was done, I took a sip. Agad na rumehistro sa aking bibig ang mapait na lasa nito na para bang sinusunog ang aking dila.
Behind me were tables covered in white cloth. Some were enjoying the desserts or drinks they ordered. Meanwhile, some people were chatting with each other. Perhaps it was a casual conversation rather than important matters. There were also a group of people dancing waltz. All of them were in sync and poise. Naramdaman ko naman na may lumapit sa akin kaya hinarap ko ito.
"Miss, may I have this dance?"
He offered his hand. I looked at his face directly, yet he wasn't familiar. Just a random guy. After hesitating for a while, I reached his hand. He guided me to the dance floor and swayed ourselves slowly.
Lahat ng sumasayaw ay sinasabayan ang ritmo ng musika. Nasa parte na kami na medyo mabilis ang tempo kaya sa simula ay nahirapan kami sa pagsabay.
Lingid sa aking kaalaman kung bakit ngunit nagagalak ako sa pagkakataong ito. The feeling that a romantic dance like this would make my heart beat faster. It seemed like anytime, I could feel butterflies on my stomach.
Nagpatuloy lamang ito hanggang sa biglang nabalot sa dilim ang buong lugar. A brownout? Pakiramdam ko ay biglang lumamig ang buong lugar. Mabilis ang tibok ng aking puso ngunit alerto ang aking isip.
Pagkabukas ng ilaw ay nagulat na lamang ako sa aking nakita. Mayroong pulang likidong nakapintura sa pader. Ganoon din sa aking damit. Nanlaki na lamang ang aking mga mata nang unti-unti kong napagtanto ang nangyari.
A massacre...All the guests were bathing on their own blood. And the last man standing...was me. I should be used to this since I witnessed someone being killed with no mercy. Ngunit hindi ko pa rin maiwasang kabahan.
Calm down. Calm down, I told myself. Yet I heard someone cocked a pistol behind me. I did a back kick but he disappeared without a trace. Muntikan na rin akong mawalan ng balanse.
At sa pangalawang pagkakataon ay narinig ko ang pagkasa ng baril. Ngayon ay sigurado na akong babarili na niya ako.
"Farewell, Alcantara."
That cold voice give chills. No way...it's
A gunshot roared across the place and-
"STOP!" Napabaligwas ako ng bangon at umupo. I was panting and sweating excessively. Pakiramdam ko ay aatakihin ako sa puso.
So it was only a dream. Or probably a nightmare. I covered my mouth with both hands. Mayroon bang umaaligid na yokai sa apartment? Or should I use the term multo?
Inhale. Exhale. I did it a few times until my heartbeat went back to its usual pace. After a long deep sigh, I somehow regained my composure.
I grabbed the rectangular digital clock, displaying 9:00. So it is still morning. Sa aking pagkakaalam ay alas otso ng gabi darating ang mga mag-aayos sa akin. I wonder if this would be the same if I went to a promenade. The context might be the same but those two events held different purposes.
Today was the day for the ball to be held. Rather than a ball, I guess it would be suitable to be called as a birthday party. An acquantaince of my dad had invited him to attend. Unfortunately, my dad was busy on his business both on light and shadows.
Ibinaba ko ang orasan sa kalapit na drawer at inuunat ang aking katawan. Mas lalo pang nagising ang diwa ko nang biglang tumunog ang aking cellphone. Agad ko itong sinagot.
"Moshi moshi!" I greeted.
"Magandang umaga, Burrito!" Iisang tao lamang ang kilala kong may lakas ng loob para tawagin akong burrito.
"Uriel! How many times should I tell you that I am not a burrito!" I screamed. I know that if you pronounced Brit in Japanese, parang binibigkas na rin ito bilang burrito. But referring it to me was annoying. Narinig ko naman ang nakakairita nitong tawa. The least I need after waking up.
"Anyway, I apologize if I can't accompany you for the party," he said seconds after he calm down.
"Oh no! I managed to find someone as your replacement." I went out the bedroom and checked the fridge. Luckily, I still had supplies. Naalala ko ring may sobra pang kanin mula kagabi.
"Sino naman? Baka sasamahan ka lang kasi gusto ka lang maka-date ah," Uriel jested.
"You wanna have some piece of me? Pumunta ka rito para mabigyan kita ng nagbabagang kamao ni Arahabaki!" He's the only guy who always get through my nerves. Nakakagimbal ang taglay niyang katangahan. Kinikimkim ko lang ang inis ko dahil naghahanda ako ng almusal.
"Huwag po, Lady Mayu!" He cleared his throat and continued, "Anyway, sino naman ang-"
Palagay ko'y napagtanto na niya kung sino ang isasama ko. Sinulit ko na ang pagkakataong iyon para ihanda ang kawali at lutuin ang hotdog.
"Yeps. The insensitive guy who visited my unit. Muntikan mo na nga siyang masuntok." Agad ko ng hinanda ang kanin na aking isasangag.
"He's name is Steven, right? And the girl is Jasmine, if I remembered right."
"Yeps! Steven will be my substitute. I was lucky that I managed to drag him there." I couldn't help, but smile.
"Pwedeng pag-isipan ko muna kung sasamahan kita?"
His flustered words repeated on my head. Alam kong sumabat siya sa akin dahil nahihiya siyang marinig ang sasabihin ko ngunit sa palagay ko ay hindi siya tutol sa hinihingi kong pabor.
Siguro iniisip niyang kailangan niya akong samahan dahil sa aking ginawa ilang araw na ang nakalipas. Honestly, I was surprised when it happened and I writhed in agony for a whole night. Who would have thought such a daring stunt? Only me. My nerves were all activated and luckily he didn't squeezed my...my...
But I would never hold it against him. I swear. Still, it seemed he was on board, albeit reluctantly. Should I be grateful to it?
Nakipagkwentuhan pa ako ng kaunti kay Uriel hanggang sa naisipan kong tapusin ito at ituon sa pagluluto ang aking atensyon. Simple lamang muna ang gagawin kong almusal. Madalas ay nilalagyan ko ng isda at gulay ang pagkain ko. I just enjoyed my breakfast and took a bath.
Mabuti na lamang at may bathtub dito kaya magkakaroon ako ng oras para mag-isip. Rumehistro naman sa buo kong katawan ang nakakaginhawang lamig ng tubig. Inalala ko muli ang sinabi sa akin ni Dad isang linggo ang nakalipas.
****
"Mayu, do you mind if you do something on my behalf?" my father asked. Compared to most of the higher-ups, his voice was welcoming.
"And it was part of the shadow business, huh? Dad, how many times should I told you that I don't want any involvement in regards to the yakuza!" I complained.
"No need to worry, sweetheart, it's not any related to the chivalry," he assured. I couldn't help but click my tongue. The yakuza members aren't knights. Their chivalry was useless.
"Can you let me continue, please?" Naramdaman ko naman ang kaunting paglambot ng kaniyang tono. I decided to be silent to gather the details.
"Thank you. I was busy to the—what do you call it? Shadow business? Anyway, I was busy to the business here in Japan so I have no time to spare. I want you to attend to a celebration as my representative."
My eyebrows furrowed. This was suspicious. I was hoping was not cryptically telling me to seduce someone. "No other motives?"
"No other motives. You can invite an outsider for your escort if you wanted. The celebrant is a colleague of mine so I wanted him to somehow feel my presence at least."
"You were not trying to vett my friends, weren't you?"
"Huh? Why should I? What am I to you?"
"A cruel dad who loves his daughter so much and the leader of your chivalry who can be cheeky and sneaky in some occassions," I said frankly. Bigla siyang tumahimik ng ilang segundo. At palagay ko ay hindi niya nagustuhan ang mga sinabi ko. I cleared my throat.
"You said that I can invite someone? Fine, I have a candidate in mind."
****
Actually, my first candidate was Uriel. Yet he seemed occupied this day so I dragged and convinced Steven to be my escort. He seemed not enthusiastic about being an escort but I hope he was looking forward to it. If we switched places, my heart would flatter in joy. It was once in a blue moon to attend such event so why waste it.
Though honestly, I could sense that he's looking forward to it. What a tsundere. Wait, was that in a right context? He didn't have feelings to me anyway.
Biglaang lumitaw sa aking alaala ang naging pag-uusap namin ni Sir Albores noong mga unang araw ng pasukan.
"Oh sir! Good afternoon!" I greeted when we crossed to each other.
He greeted back and made his way to the stairs. Or that's what he supposed to do. As I made my way to the classroom, he suddenly called me.
"Anyway, musta ang experience mo sa education ng Pinas?" he asked.
"I was still in a middle of adjustment, but I think it's manageable."
"Any trouble in socializing? Matitino naman ba ang mga nagiging kaibigan mo?"
I shook my head and jested, "Sir, since when did you became my father?"
Gladly, he did not took it as an insult. Sumabay naman siya sa sinimulam kong biro. "Why should I? I wanna be single for life."
"You will regret it when you reached twilight years. I swear." We chuckled silently.
"Anyway, musta nga pala ang paggala sa'yo ni Legaspi sa school?"
"Palagay ko ay tinatakasan niya ako. Wala akong alam sa kaniyang dahilan." I sighed. He was not mandated to guide me since I could do it myself. But I sensed that there was a reason why he's fleeing.
"It's already out of my jurisdiction about his personal life, but maybe something happened back then. Siguradong good boy naman siya on the inside. Para bang may nagtulak sa kaniya para gawin ang simpleng pagtakas sa'yo. Not that I could tell though."
Hindi ko napigilang itaas ang aking kilay. He spoke like a father pitying what happened to hid son. I wonder if he was doing the same to his students.
"Sir, are you always like this? Like a father-figure to your students?" I couldn't help but ask curiously.
"What? 'Di ba 'yun naman talaga ang tungkulin ng mga guro? We're not just tomes of knowledge. May tungkulin din kaming bantayan at gumabay sa mga estudyante. Isa na d'on ang pag-oobserba sa kanila para malaman kung paano mo sila papakisamahan. Kaso madalas ay basta may maituro lang at may mai-report lang sa card, wala na silang pakialam sa welfare ng sakop nila."
I couldn't help but agree. Madalas sa mga guro ay bibigyang atensyon lamang ang mga taong sikat o kaya may angking talino. Gayunpaman, may mga guro pa namang nag-aalala rin sa mga mag-aaral niya. I guess I should consider myself lucky to be in his advisory class.
Matapos naming magpalitan ng ngiti ay bumalik na ako sa silid-aralan namin. I glanced towards the seat of the guy whose seat was empty.
Steven Bryan Legaspi. Crown and noble. Crown of nobles? I could not help but smile as I thought that wordplay.
****
Still, I could not help but worry. I felt that I did something horrible. Like why I dragged him? My instincts were telling me that something bad might happen. But sincerely, I wish I was wrong. Ayaw kong madamay pa siya lalo sa pinagagagawa ng yakuza. Nakita na niya kami noong araw na iyon. Posible pa itong mangyari muli.
From the bottom of my heart, I prayed that this event would end peacefully. And become a wonderful memory to us.