Brent's POV
I immediately collapsed on my bed when I got home from work. So this is how the business world works, huh? Tiring and stressful.
Magta-tatlong araw pa lang yata ako dito but I'm already exhausted. Ang daming kailangan gawin at halos araw-araw yata nagkakaroon ng problema.
I don't think matatagalan ko 'to. Mas gusto ko pang kaharap ang mga plates ko kahit buong araw pa. Siguro naman may maitutulong pa rin ako sa business namin even as an architect, right?
I felt my cellphone vibrate sa bulsa ko. Kinuha ko 'yun agad and saw na si Dad ang tumatawag. Maybe he'll going ask for report again. Fck it. I don't even know kung anong sasabihin ko.
"Hey, Dad." I answered it anyway.
"Brent, anak." Is it just me, or he sounds different? He sounds sad. "I need you to come home."
"Why, Dad? Is there something wrong?" I asked kahit na nakaramdam na ako ng kaba the moment he said those words.
"Brent. . . Your brother. . ." This time I'm already sure that a sob came out from him. "Inatake siya. And his condition is getting worse, anak."
My jaw dropped when I heard what he said. I was speechless. Ano nang mangyayari? I don't want to think like this pero. . .
Is he going to die?
"I'll be home, Dad. I'll take the earliest flight later." Sagot ko sa kanya. I don't know if my words could help but I told him, "Everything will be okay, Dad. Kuya will be okay."
Actually those words are not just for him. It's for me too. Kasi yun na lang din ang gusto kong isipin. That everything will be fine. That my brother will survive.
●●●
After hours of traveling, nakarating na rin ako sa Manila. Mahaba at nakakapagod ang byahe pero hindi ako nakatulog man lang. I was so damn worried. And guilty. Ewan ko ba but I feel like kasalanan ko kung bakit nangyari 'to kay Kuya.
Hindi muna ako nagpahatid sa bahay. I went straight to the hospital instead. Sakto namang nandon si Mom when I entered Kuya's room.
"Mom?" She was sleeping beside Kuya's bed. I held her hand para magising siya.
She opened her eyes at napa-tayo siya when she saw me. "Hi, anak."
She gave me a weak smile bago niya ako niyakap. Mahigpit ang yakap niya sa akin as if she's getting strength from me. I returned that embrace. I know I need some strength too.
"How are you, Mom? Tsaka si Kuya?" Tanong ko sa kanya. "I took the earliest flight when Dad called. Good thing hindi pa fully booked."
She looked at me. "You should've went home muna para sana nakapagpahinga ka."
"I'm fine, Mom." I assured her. "Besides, gusto ko rin talagang dumiretso dito. So what did the doctor said?"
Tumingin siya kay Kuya kaya napatingin din ako sa kanya. He was lying peacefully but even if he's asleep, kitang-kita sa mukha niya kung gaano siya nahihirapan.
"H-Hindi pa siya gumigising since he was brought here, anak." She answered while tears are starting to fall from her eyes again. "I was so scared that night, Brent. The way he clutched his chest while the pain is clearly evident in his face, it scared me."
Tuloy-tuloy ang pag-iyak ni Mom. And I am just like her. I am just as scared of what might happen to my brother. I am scared na mamatay siya. Beacause I know that somehow, I'm at fault. I know how much I've hurt him kaya umabot siya sa ganito.
"But, Mom. He. . . He will survive, right? May paraan pa 'di ba? Para gumaling siya?" Hindi ko na napigilan ang pag-tulo ng luha ko. He can't die. He shouldn't.
"All we need is a miracle, Brent. Hangga't hindi tayo nakakahanap ng heart donor, we should pray for miracle."
I can't remember even a single time when I felt this kind of sadness. I didn't even knew na pwede pala akong maging ganito kalungkot.
I hugged my Mom before I cried in her arms. Hindi pwede 'to. I can't let him die. I need to do something.
"M-Mom," I called her nang mahimasmasan ako. "I want to talk to you and Dad. I'll be back later. Just call me 'pag dumating na si Dad."
I stood up ang got out of the room bago pa man makasagot si Mom.
I need to see Veronica.
●●●
I drove to Veronica's house first but one of their maids said that she's not yet home at nasa school pa daw so I went there instead.
I waited outside the school and after a few minutes, I already saw her palabas ng gate. She looked tired and sad. It looks like she cried all night before she slept.
Nilapitan ko siya agad. "Baby ko. . ."
I caught her attention at that. She immediately enveloped me in a hug nang makita niya ako.
"Yeah, I missed you too." I chuckled when I felt how tight is her embrace. Hinigpitan ko rin ang yakap sa kanya. We ignored all the stares that we received from the other students na lumalabas din.
"I thought two weeks ka pa dun?" She asked. "Bakit parang ang bilis mo yata?"
"Bakit? Ayaw mo pa ba akong makita?" I joked. "I can always extend my stay there if you want."
"Of course not! I want you here!" Sabi niya naman sabay hampas ng mahina sa dibdib. "And it's a good thing that you're here."
Natahimik kaming pareho. We looked at each other's eyes before I spoke. "Let's talk?"
She nodded before hugging me tight again, we rode our car bago ako nag-drive papunta sa condo ko.
●●●
We reached my condo after a few-minute drive. Tahimik lang kami habang nasa biyahe kanina hanggang sa makarating kami dito. I was the one who broke the silence.
"You know what, I don't see this place the same anymore." Kwento ko sa kanya kaya napatingin siya sa akin.
"What do you mean?" Tanong niya.
"Dati tambayan ko lang 'to eh." Nakangiti kong sabi sa kanya. "But this became my most favorite place. Kasi dito mo unang sinabi na mahal mo ako."
She smiled nang marinig niya ang sinabi ko. "Ang arte mo talaga. I never knew that you can be so cheesy."
Lumapit siya sa akin then she leaned to give me a kiss. The kiss didn't last long but I liked it.
"I love you, baby ko." I said when we parted.
"I love you, too." She smiled.
We fell silent again after that. We just sat beside each other hanggang sa siya na ang unang nagsalita.
"Brent, did you knew?" She asked. Natigilan ako sa tanong niya. Naalala ko na naman ang sitwasyon ni Kuya.
"Yes." I sighed. "Pero lately ko lang nalaman, when Dad and I had a fight."
Nakatingin lang siya sa akin kaya tinuloy ko ang kwento ko. "I got drunk the night of your engagement. Dad was fuming mad. While me, ewan ko, basta bigla na lang akong sumabog eh. Maybe it's because of the alcohol."
I can still remember kung gaano ako inis na inis kay Kuya no'n. Kung gaano ako kagalit sa kanya until Dad told me everything.
"Nasumbatan ko si Dad. I told him kung gaano ako kagalit because of how bad is he treating me at kung paano niya paulit-ulit na pinapamukha sa akin kung gaano kagaling si Kuya in his eyes. Then he told me everything."
Naramdaman ko na naman ang pag-tulo ng mga luha ko. "That's why nakipag-break din ako sa'yo. Kasi nagi-guilty ako eh. Kasi hindi ko kayang isipin na habang namamatay 'yung kapatid ko, inaagaw ko 'yung babaeng mahal niya."
Naiyak na ako ng tuluyan. Never in my life have I imagined na iiyak ako ng ganito kalala.
I felt Veronica's arm enveloped me kaya ganon din ang ginawa ko sa kanya.
"That won't happen again, Brent." Just like me, she's also crying hard. "I promise na hindi na tayo maghihiwalay ulit, that we'll face this obstacle together.
She cupped my face saka niya ako hinarap sa kanya. "I promise that I will always be by your side and we'll pray together for miracle para kay Brian."
She leaned down then she kissed me. I kissed her passionately too. We kissed each other's tears away. Our kiss deepened and before we knew it, we were both in my bedroom.
We parted for a few seconds to catch some air and it that moment, she lifted the hem of my shirt and took it off. Her hands roamed around my naked chest pababa sa tiyan ko.
"I missed you, Brent. Miss na miss kita." She kissed me again after she said that.
My hands slowly unbuttoned her uniform while we're kissing each other.
I don't know what's happening to me. Maybe it's because of the fact that I miss her so much. After longing for her, she's finally in my arms again.
I lied down and she placed herself on top of me. Her hands roamed around my torso again before she leaned down and kissed me.
"I love you, Brent. Mahal na mahal kita. And now, I give myself to you." She said then she planted little kisses on my face.
"Mahal na mahal din kita, Veronica. And I promise to love you for the rest of my life. I love you, my baby." I said and took the chance to kiss her again when she opened her mouth.
This place really is the most special to me.
This is where she first said that she loves me.
And this is where we first gave ourselves to each other. . .
●●●
A/N: Nagbabantay ako sa registration area sa event namin sa school when I wrote this. Sobrang bored ko na siguro kaya dumumi bigla utak ko HAHAHAHA 😂😂😂