Jan’s PoV
Pag uwi ko sa unit ko, syempre I immediately removed my heels. Putting it neatly at my rock western part bago ko ipinatong yung gamit ko sa couch. When I seated on it, I felt kinda strange.
My remote control is vertically positioned at its place. That never in my OCD days will happen. Call me weird pero I want everything so neat and perfect.
I walked silently on the remote and sigh.
Tumalikod ako at pumunta sa kwarto ko. There I found my cousin. “Kieff.” tawag ko at tumignin sya sakin.
“Love, you’re home.” he smiled at me. Nagpamewang nalang ako at nag roll ng eye.
“I told you not to use any of my things.” sabi ko habang nag uunbutton ng blouse ko. Nakatalikod sa kanya syempre. At kahit siguro mag hubad ako sa harap nya, we both won’t mind. He’s like a brother to me.
“I am again a victim of your OCD.”
“All your life.” sagot ko at kumuha ng damit pamalit. “Bakit ka nandito?”
“Wala lang—”
“Hindi ka pupunta ng wala lang.” I cut him and turned my body into him. “Dinner?”
“Sure. I miss your cooking.” he said and throw a plain sad smile. He’s in trouble. I know it.
After ko magbihis, I put pasta on steam before I gather the ingredients for today’s dinner. Kieffer loves white pasta so I will do it. Saka mabilis lang. After finishing the top with creamer and simm it for 30more minutes, I prepared a bucket of ice and red wine.
Bumaba na sya sa kwarto at umupo sa harap ko.
Kieffer Anderson. My cousin in mother side. He was my childhood friend and best friend. More like a brother. Konting mali lang sa kanya, I know something is up. I’m a keen observer and I pride it the most.
He’s older than me by months pero sa taas ng height nya parang mas matanda sya sakin by years. He’s handsome debonair-I can say-and intelligent. Nagpapasahan lang kami sa trono ng top notch sa school when we’re on elementary, high school and college. Kaso when he decided to leave Harvard to continue study here in Manila, nawalan na kami ng komunikasyon. Parehas kasi kami walang hilig sa phone and technologies. Marunong man kami, di namin talaga hilig.
When I announced my settlement here in Philippines to help my father in his company, inaya nya ako na sa kompanya nalang nila pero he knows I will say No. I want to prove that I’m a Tan and that’s the unspoken reason why I was born at the first place.
“Let’s have beer, Janhae. I liked less formal dinner today.” he said before going to my fridge, searching for something.
“Bahala ka. I believe I don’t stock beers.”
“I know. That’s why I’m prepared.” sabi nya at nagpakita ng apat na canned beer sakin. Napailing nalang ako at ngumiti. “Don’t do that again Jan. You’re gorgeous.” biro nya at nilapagan ako ng dalawang beer. Ihinanda ko nalang yung pasta nya at umupo narin sa harap nya.
“So… What’s up?”
“Gas prices.” sagot nya. Tumitig lang ako at nag nod.
“So your sense of humour became tragic.” sabi ko at natawa lang sya.
“Joke lang, Sis. It’s about father.” nung naging seryoso na yung tono nya, kumain nalang ako at uminom ng alak nya. I don’t normally enjoy this kind of beverage pero once in a while lang naman and I can’t say no to Kieff.
“And…?” tanung ko. “May bago ba? Tell me something I don’t know.”
Tumawa lang sya. “Bago ‘to, gorgeousness. It’s about me marrying someone but Dad is a pain in ass.”
“Fathers are all pain in ass.” sabi ko and he clanked my beer like I said some revolutionary word to him. Natawa nalang ako at nagroll ng pasta sa tinidor ko.
“Ikaw? Kelan mo balak pakasalan si Dylan?” tanong nya at napa lean nalang ako sa upuan ko. Dylan is my fiancé for like two years but I don’t have plan to settle things with him. Parehas naman kami na walang pakealam dito so okay lang.
“Wala pa akong balak. Maternity will make me look so weak.”
“Wala kang balak magka anak?”
“Hindi naman. When I already prove to father what I got, saka ko na pagiisipan yung ganyang bagay. Sa ngayon, I am into business.”
“You just sounded like Mr. Tan.” with that, I slam my fork at the table. Tumingin ako sa kanya without lifting my face up. Bale, yung pupils ko lang yung nagmomove.
“Babe that’s scary. You know I’m joking.” sabi nya. Humigop nalang ako ng beer saka tinapos na yung dinner ko.
“Huhugasan ko na yung plato. Bumili ka ng damit mo jan sa labas kung plano mo dito matulog.” sabi ko sabay punta sa sink with our dishes.
“Thank you Love.” nag kiss pa sya sa cheeks ko na parang bata bago sya lumabas at bumili ng damit nya. Napa roll nalang ako ng mata at nagpatuloy na.
Pagkatapos ko maghugas ng plato, I made everything back into its places. Hindi ko talaga maatim na makita kahit konting mali sa mga gamit ko. I took shower for mere minutes and exactly when I’m done, my phone receives a caller.
It was Mom.
“Mother.” I started and she said nothing but the office work with her company tomorrow. Nag tayo pa kase sya ng sariling kompanya nya saying that she can’t ask anything to my father. She’s very independent at halatang namana ko yun. Pero how can I manage to be the employee of two companies at the same time? “Okay. I will attend the meeting tomorrow Mom. I will call the secretary.”
//Kumain ka na ba?// nagulat nalang ako nung tanungin nya yun.
“Y-yes.”
//Good. See you tomorrow.//
Yung dibdib ko nanaman. Nasosobrahan na yata ako sa kape kaya madalas tumitibok yung puso ko sa unexpected moment just like this.
My entire existence, she asked me that once.
How can I not?
“Babe I’m here!” Kieffer announced his comings and I suddenly sneezed.
Achoo.
Why? Weird.
I heard his footsteps nearing and I once again sneezed.
Achoo.
“Woof! Woof!”
“OH MY FUCKING GOSH KIEFFER GET THAT DOG OUTTT!”
Achoo.
Achoo.
“Babe what’s wrong?!” he asked while looking at my frame na nakatungtong sa pinaka taas ng table ko kahit napaka layo pa nung halimaw.
Achoo.
“GET THAT MONSTER OUT!”
“Babe he’s—wait. Janhae? JANHAE!”
Wala nakong nakita bigla nalang nagdilim paningin ko.
-
Krull’s PoV
{Hi. This is Chloe from Dwight steel company human resource. I am inviting you for your interview at the Pearl Bank Center Makati etc etc etc etc}
Narecieve ko sa GMail ko at napailing nalang ako. Kala ko panaman si Jan yung rerecieve ng CV ko.
Okay naman. Sanay nako sa heart break.
Bumangon ako at binuksan yung pinto ko. Sa dining, nandun si Drake at Mama kumakain ng breakfast na inalok nila sakin kani-kanina lang.
“Kape.” sabi ko at ipinagtimpla naman ako agad ni Mama. Sa kabilang side ng mesa nandun na nakasalansan yung mga laman at laman loob ng manok para sa ihaw ihaw ni Mama.
Nung una, nandidiri pako pero nung nasanay nako, okay na. Eto nalang si Drake na halatang nasusuka at di na makakain ng breakfast.
“Drake magpasa ka ng curriculum vitae sa email. Dun ka unang mag apply bago ka mag walk-in.” advice ko habang kinuha ko yung pandesal at peanut butter. Nagpahid ako sa dalawang tinapay at inalok si Drake. Naglipat lang yung tingin nya sa hilaw na laman loob sa harap nya at sa tinapay.
“No thanks.”
“Lumayas kana kase. Di ka naman sanay sa bahay nato at alam kong di ka masasanay dito.”
“Masasanay din ako.” sabi nya na nagmamatapang na humigop sa kape nya. Natawa nalang ako.
“Onga pala Ma. Nagpapadeliver si Aleng loleng ng tsaa sa tingin ko tulungan nalang talaga kita sa business mo. Ayoko na magpayaman.” Sabi ko at parang nagulat si Mama pero ngumiti rin agad agad.
“Whoa. Krull is that you?!” tanung nya at napangisi lang ako.
-
Pinaingay ko yung bell ng bike ko tatlong beses nung makarating ako sa mini-coffee shop ni Aling Loleng. Supplier si Mama ng tsaa dito kung hindi nyo na itatanong, may mini-farm kase si Mama sa likod bahay at enough lang yung harvest nya for three entrepreneurs like Aleng Loleng. Aleng Nita at Mang Bogs.
Pagkadeliver ko ng tsaa, nagpasalamat yung matanda at nag kiss pa sakin. Sabay sabi na gumagwapo daw ako.
Napangisi lang ako kase naalala pa pala ni Aleng Loleng yung sexual preference ko. Pero mas prefer ko matawag na maganda. I’m pretty and I know it.
Sunod na bahay, kay Aleng Nita. Masungit sya pero nagulat ako nung nginitian nya ako. “Oh. Nasan Mama mo Krull?”
“Sa bahay po. Nagustuhan ko lang mag deliver ngayon.” Sagot ko habang inaabot sa kanya yung tsaa. Si Aleng Nita ngumiti ng mas lalong nakakaloko.
“May boyfriend kana Krull?”
“Baket aling Nita, may irereto ka?” pabiro kong sagot sabay kindat.
“Yung apo ko Krull, ka edad mo lang.” I know right. Napailing nalang ako.
“Sge po aling Nita pag iisipan ko.” sagot ko ng patawa tas pinaandar ko na yung bike at nag ba-bye sa kanya.
Buti nalang good mood mga costumer ngayon at walang grumpy.
Pumunta ako kila Kuya Bogs, naguutos sya sa mga Boy nya na ibaba yung gatas sa truck. Milk dealer din kasi si Kuya Bogs.
“Goodmorning Kuya bogs.”
“Oh Kururul!” Ewan mahirap ba banggitin yung Krull? Hahaha bisaya kase si Kuya Bogs. “Ikaw na magdedeliver?”
“Opo kuya Bogs. Here. Your teas.” sabay abot ko nung tsaa.
“Mas marami taheebo, sabi ko sa Mama mo.”
“Yes Kuya Bogs. Marami yan.”
“Salamat Kururul.”
“Krul lang kuya Bogs.”
“Ay basta!” sabi ng matanda sabay tawa. “Gusto mo magdeliver narin ng gatas Kru? Eto o bigyan kita pag tapos.”
“Sge kuya Bogs.” tas nagsampa sya ng isang box ng gatas sa bike ko at nagbigay ng mga papel.
“Salamat Krung krung!”
“Krull po!” sabi ko habang pinaandar ko na yung bike ko.
Natapos ko yung round ng delivery bago ako nakauwi sa bahay. Good mood parin ako habang nagtutuhog na si Mama ng pang ihaw.
“Ma tulungan na kita.” napatingin sya sakin at nagtaas ng kilay.
“Ganyan ba epekto sayo ng Heartbreak beh?” tanong ni Mama.
“Krull is broken? How dare that girl.” sabi ni Drake kasi si Mama lang naman sinasabihan ko ng mga secrets ko e.
“Bahala na kayo isipin ano gusto nyo. Basta ako, I love my Mom.” sabi ko sabay kiss kay Mama. Agad naman sya nandiri at na weirdan sa kilos ko.
Wala lang.
Diko rin alam bakit ako good mood e para akong barakong baboy kaka iyak kagabi pero ngayon.
Ewan. Bipolar.
Haha.
Suddenly, my phone vibrates. Text from the company.
{We are personally inviting you Ms. Krysten Urnadé Llossa Otazu for initial interview of the company department under General Manager Janhae Tan. We are expecting you to arrive between 1-2pm today with the updated version of your CV. Good luck}
Napakunot nalang ako ng noo.
Anu ‘to?
Lumingon ako kay Drake. “Nagpasa ka naba ng CV sa gmail?” tanong ko.
“Yep. Interview will be now or tomorrow at 1-2pm.” sagot nya habang naglalaro ng COC sa cellphone nya.
“Ako rin.” napatingin sakin sila Mama. “Uh- nagpasa kase ako e. Pero not employment purpose pero na misunderstood yata ng kompanya.”
“Edi go na Krusita. Para mabalik ka sa trabaho. Sayang sahod.” sabi ni Mama.
“Let’s go together bae.”
Napaisip narin ako.
Well, baka mameet ko si Jan. Baka sya mag interview—okay. I will go.