FIRST OFF, I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO DO THIS. IF YOU WON'T READ THIS NOTE AND TAKE IT IN, THAT'S YOUR PROBLEM, NOT MINE. BUT IF YOU ASK OR SAY ANYTHING THAT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THIS NOTE AND I GOT CRANKY, DON'T ASK WHY 'CAUSE I ALREADY TOLD YOU.
Sira ang adaptor/charger, or whatever the hell it is called, ng laptop ko. I'd go and buy a new one, just not sure when.
Minsanan lang akong makakapag-net. Baka. Di ako sure.
Hindi araw-araw, makakapag-isip ako ng update. Kung may streak man, it can be broken easily.
Sira rin ang keyboard ko at tab lang ang gamit ko dahil yung screen keyboard ang magiging katapusan ng mga pulso ko kapag iyon ang ginamit ko. I don't make updates on my tab because it's too damn slow and error-magnet. Maiksi ang pasensya ko kapag ito ang gamit ko.
May ilan na puro 'next please', 'update na po' akong nababasa every freaking chapter and it pisses me off. You know who you are. Please don't make me enumerate.
Tinotopak akong madalas. Lalo na ngayon at nagkakandaleche-leche ang laptop ko. All I ask of you is to be a lot patient with me. Yes, I'm asking for a lot of patience.
Huwag kayong demanding, utang na loob. I get that you want to know more and believe me, I want to give you more, but it can't always happen. Hindi ako genie na kayang I-grant ang wishes nyo agad-agad.
If you can't wait, there are tons of other stories in this site, a lot of them are already finished. Please let's not fight. Kasi ako lang naman ang madedehado. Kasi ako naman ang lalabas na masama, hindi kayo.
I just don't want to tolerate you guys. Give and take tayo, hindi take and take lang.
Salamat sa mga nakaintindi, umiintindi at makakaintindi sa akin at sa mensahe ko. You can read now...
P.S. Pardon the typos. I have clumsy thumbs.
P.P.S. Not angry. No need to tell me to calm down.
--
Ken didn't sleep well last night. He thought he'd be more comfortable aleeping with Ahn wrapped in his arms, but he was wrong. There is a strong need that he had to supress and at the same time, he was trying to protect her and their delicate relationship from himself.
He's been with a lot of women in the three years prior to this, but no one came close to Ahn. This is the first time that he strongly felt a need to destroy and protect a woman at the same time. Both keep him sane and drive him crazy.
Madaling-araw na nang nakatulog siya. And when his alarm went off, it felt like he just took a nap.
Manhid na ang kaliwang braso niya dahil magdamag doong nakapatong ang ulo ni Ahn. He took a closer look at her sleeping face. She looked so angelic. Who'd have thought that she's also capable of breaking hearts?
Ever so gently, he lifted her head and snatched his numbing arm from beneath it. Ahn stirred, which literally made him stop breathing for a short while. When she exhaled softly and continued sleeping, saka lamang siya nakahinga ng maluwag.
He kissed her forehead before getting up. Magluluto siya ng agahan para rito. He needs to make the most of his time. Hanggang sa Linggo lang siya pwedeng maging ganito. By Monday, he'll act as if he hates her, again. For Ahn, this week was all just an act. But in reality, his acting will begin next week.
Bakit nga ba hindi na lang niya sabihin dito ang totoo? Truth is, he doesn't want to. At the back of his mind, he's still afraid to give her his heart again. She might break it for the second time.
--
That was the best night of her life. Ken's arms around her made her feel secured, protected. When she woke up, wala na ito sa tabi niya. She looked at the digital clock on the bedside table. Pasado alas otso na pala.
She went down to the bathroom to wash her face. Saka siya bumalik sa kusina. She found a note.
'I made you breakfast. Eat hearty.' -Ken
She lifted the cover on the table. There's fresh spring rolls. Meron ding scrambled eggs at fried rice. She ate with gusto, realizing that she was so hungry.
After that, she took a bath, cleaned the house and went to her parents' house. Doon niya aantayin si Ken. Alas kwatro ng hapon ito susundo sa kanya at kay Manang Soling.
"Anak, hindi pa ba nangangasim ang sikmura mo?" tanong ni manang Soling.
Umiling siya. "Hindi naman po. Bakit po?"
"Wala naman. Magdadalawang-buwan na rin pala kayong kasal, ano?"
"Opo."
She waited for the old lady to elaborate or to ask more questions, pero nagpatuloy lang itong kumain.
--
A little after 4pm, dumating na si Ken at sinundo silang dalawa. Like always, Ken acted sweet in front of her family. At dahil kasama na nila ang matanda pag-uwi, sweet pa rin si Ken sa kanya hanggang sa bahay nila.
Ken gave the old lady a nice room to sleep in. Bahagya siyang nagtampo rito. Manang Soling got a better treatment from him samantalang hindi ni Ken ito kaano-ano. Siyang mismong asawa, sa maalikabok na storage room natutulog.
"You'll be sleeping in my room from now on," he whispered to her.
"What?"
"Magdududa si manang kapag sa magkahiwalay tayong kwarto natulog." Ken smiled at her. "Don't worry, hindi ako malikot."
Tumikhim si manang Soling, na noon ay nasa kusina at naghahanda ang hapunan.Agad na humiwalay si Ken sa kanya.
"Manang, what's for dinner?"
"Paksiw na bangus. Pero ikaw ang magluluto," sagot nito.
"Sure, manang. Yun lang pala e." Inakbayan siya nito. "You'll help me, right?"
"S-Sure."
Ken's reeking with sweetness, it almost made her teeth ache. The meal was surprisingly enjoyable. Kwento nang kwento si mananh. Siya naman ay napapadaldal na rin.
It was not until she opened the topic of pregnancy that it became awkward.
"Wala pa po kaming plano," Ken told the old woman.
"Bakit naman?"
"Bata pa po si Ahn," sagot nito, which made her blush.
"Kuu! Ako nga e, ipinanganak ko iyong panganay ko noong dise-otso pa lamang ako."
"Iba naman po kasi ang panahon noon, manang," depensa ni Ahn.
"Hmm, kung sa bagay. Pero hija, nasa edad ka na rin naman. Malalaki na ang mga apo ko pati ang bunso ninyo, gusto ko naman ng bagong aalagaan bago ako mamaalam." Pagkasabi'y tumawa ito.
"Manang..."
"Hindi naman sa minamadali ko kayo, ano? Pero hindi na rin naman na ako bumabata."
"Sa akin po, okay lang. Si Ahn lang naman ang kailangang kumbinsihin," nakangiting sabi ni Ken.
--
He really loves it when she blushes. He was taken aback by the old lady's question. Ayaw ni Ahn na magkaanak sa kanya. In her mind, everything will end after 3 years. And a baby will just make it more complicated. It would be hard to break up when there's a child that will inevitably glue them together.
He doesn't want that either. He wants Ahn out of his life after 3 years. He just wants to get even. But not every fiber of his being agrees.
Little Ahns and Kens running around the house actually sound kinda nice.
"Ako na." Kinuha niya ang magkakasalansang pinggan mula sa kamay nito.
"Ako na lang," she insisted. "Ikaw na ang nagluto e."
"Okay lang."
"Pagod ka sa trabaho."
If he didn't know any better, he'd be convinced that she actually cares.
"Ako na lang," singit ni manang.
"Hindi na, manang. Magpahinga na po kayo."
"Maraming panahon para magpahinga," sagot nito sa kanya saka nito kinuha ang mga pinggang pinag-aagawan nila ni Ahn. The more they insist on helping, the more the old woman shun them away.
So wala na silang nagawa kundi maghintay sa sala hanggang sa makatapos ito sa paghuhugas ng mga pinagkainan.
Nang mag-alas dyes na ay napagpasyahan na nilang lahat na matulog. Ahn tailed behind him. She pulled the hem of his shirt when manang entered her room.
"I don't think sleeping together is necessary," she told him.
"It is necessary. If you don't want our families to know about the real deal between us, then this is exactly where you would sleep."
Nag-alangan ito, but Ahn followed him inside the room.
"I'll sleep on the floor."
"Ahn, there's no need."
Pilit itong ngumiti. "I know, but I want to."
Sighing, he took a comforter and rolled it out on the floor. Nilagyan niya iyon ng maraming unan. Then he gave her a blanket.
"Are you sure you'll be fine on the floor?"
"Yeah. Your floor's nicer than my bed on the other room.
"Ahn..."
"Sorry. I have no intention of making you feel guilty." Nahiga ito at nagkumot. "Good night, Ken."
"Good night."
--
Ahn woke up early, made her bed and went down to make breakfast. She will submit all her requirements today. Plano niyang ayusin ang lahat ng dapat ayusin sa umaga para magpapahinga na lamang siya sa hapon.
Pagbaba niya, nakapagluto na ng agahan si manang. Kasalukuyan itong nagkakape.
"Good morning, manang."
"Good morning."
Tumayo ito at ipinagtimpla siya ng kape.
"Si Ken?"
"Mamaya pa po gigising yun."
"Bakit ang aga mo nga pala?"
"May aasikasuhin po ako," sagot niya.
Pagkakain niya ng agahan ay agad siyang naligo. Ken's already awake when she got dressed.
"What time will you be going home?" tanon nito sa kanya.
"Around lunch siguro," sagot niya.
Nagpaalam na siya sa dalawa bago umalis.
After completing her requirements, she went home before lunch, politely declining Greg's invitation.
Bulaklak ang sumalubong sa kanya pag-uwi ng bahay.
"Manang, kanino galing 'to?" tanong niya sa matanda. The bouquet doesn't have a note in it.
Nagkibit-balikat ang matanda. "Ewan ko. Tanungin mo kaya ang asawa mo."
She did just that.
To: Ken
Sa'yo ba galing yung roses? Thank you.
She took a vase and put the flowers there. Maya-maya ay nag-reply na si Ken.
From: Ken
What roses?
Nagta-type pa lang siya ng reply nang tumawag ito.
"What roses, Ahn?" he asked. His voice sounded edgy again.
"May nagpadala kasi ng roses sa bahay. Walang note. Akala ko ikaw."
She just realized how stupid that assumption was. Why would he give her flowers out of the blue? Wala namang okasyon.
"Well, they aren't from me," mariin nitong sabi.
"Oh. Okay."
"Ahn."
"Yes?"
"Throw them away," utos nito.
"Sayang naman--"
"I don't want to see them when I get home."
She sighed. "Okay."
Nang makauwi si Ken, may dala itong isang bouquet ng red roses, much bigger than the first one she received that day.
"Did you throw them away?" he asked.
Tumango siya.
Ken smiled and gave her a peck. "Good. These are for you."
"T-Thank you."
The flowers were nice, she just didn't know why he gave them to her. What's he trying to accomplish anyway?