Ilang buwan na ang nakalipas, but the setup remained the same. Namamangha na lamang si Ahn minsan kung paano iyon natitiis ni Ken. Should she feel glad that he could live without her? They see each other during weekends, but he wasn't as demanding of her time as before. Hindi na ito masyadong nangungulit na magkita sila tuwing weekdays. Minsan, nakakalimutan nitong tumawag sa kanya tuwing gabi.
Napa-paranoid na siya. She wants him to miss her as much as she misses him, but Ken seemed to be growing too comfortable with the situation.
She groaned in frustration. Sa kaiisip niya sa sitwasyon nila, wala tuloy siyang mapiling regalo para rito. Birthday ng kambal ng araw na iyon. Nag-undertime siya sa trabaho para maghanap ng regalo. She couldn't do it last weekend dahil kasama niya si Ken.
Mabuti pa ang hipag niya, bilhan lang ng kahit anong Hello Kitty item ay okay na. With Ken, it's difficult. He doesn't like anything in particular.
Sa kahahanap ng regalo ay nagutom siya. Kaya naman lumabas muna siya ng department store and headed off to the supermarket. She was craving for Stick-O at the moment. Nang makapunta siya sa aisle na meron noon, she immediately grabbed two plastic jars. Hindi pa siya nakontento. She also picked five little jars of Champola and two Superstix and dumped them in the push cart.
Nakahanay siya sa counter nang tumawag si Ken.
"Hey, I'll be out in an hour."
"Okay. Wala na 'ko sa office."
"Asan ka?"
"Uhm, supermarket."
"What? Are you alone? What are you doing there?"
"Yes. Namimili lang ako ng wafer sticks. Nagki-crave kasi ako e."
Ken sighed. "Sana sinabi mo na lang sa'kin para naibili kita."
"May iba pa kasi akong bibilhin e."
"Ahn... I told you to not buy any gift for me."
She bit her lip. Nothing escapes him.
"I want to get you something."
"Okay na sa'kin yung nandun ka sa birthday ko."
"Ken, it's sweet but seriously, what do you want?"
"If I say it, will you give it to me?"
"Wait lang." Inilagay niya sa table ang mga pinamili. "Ano ba kasing gusto mo?"
"Let's get married," he said in a sweet voice.
She tried her best to hide her smile. The cashier lady's already giving her a weird look.
"Wait lang ha. Tawagan kita mamaya."
Ken grunted. "You're avoiding the topic again."
"Magbabayad ako. Wait lang."
She ended the call and took out a few cash saka niya iyon iniabot sa cashier lady. Pagkabayad ay inihabilin niya sa baggage counter ang mga pinamili. Saka siya bumalik ng department store. Naghanap siya ng magandang pang-regalo pero nakailang ikot na yata siya ay wala pa rin siyang magustuhan.
Naniningin siya ng relo nang muling tumawag si Ken.
"Malapit na 'ko sa mall," sabi nito.
"Saang mall? Alam mo ba kung nasa'n ako?"
"I think so. Isa lang naman ang mall na malapit sa work place mo e."
She smiled. "Okay. Nasa department store ako."
"Are you still looking for a gift?"
"Yes." She grunted. "Ang hirap mong bilhan ng regalo. Huwag ka na lang kayang mag-birthday?"
He laughed. "I told you..."
"Basta nandito lang ako. Tawag ka na lang kapag nandito ka na."
"I'm already parking. Nasaan kang banda?"
"Nasa second floor ako. Malapit sa escalator."
"Don't go anywhere. I'll be there in a few."
"Okay."
She waited by the escalator. Maya-maya ay dumating na ito. He greeted her with a hug.
"Let's go?" aya nito.
"Teka. Wala pa akong regalo sa'yo."
"Huwag na sabi—"
Sumimangot siya. "Dali na. Nandito na rin lang tayo."
He sighed and looked around. Kumawit sya sa braso nito.
"What do you want?" she asked.
Tumingin ito sa kanya. "Aside from you? I don't know."
"Seryoso kasi."
"Seryoso nga." Tinanggal nito ang kamay niya sa pagkakahawak sa braso nito. Then he intertwined his fingers with hers. "You know what I want. You can simply give it as gift."
"Gusto mo pa ba talaga? Para namang okay ka nang mag-isa e. Minsan nga hindi ka na tumatawag."
"Akala ko ba gusto mo akong masanay? What's the point of asking for space while you expect me to be clingy?"
Nag-iwas siya ng tingin. "Fine. Hindi na."
Since he didn't want to let go of her hand, she had no choice but to walk with him. Gusto sana niyang mag-walk out. Gusto niyang magtampo. But he has a point and she has to accept that. After all, she started it.
Hanggang sa kunin nila ang mga pinamili niya kanina ay wala pa rin siyang imik. He didn't attempt to start a conversation so it was awkward inside the car on their way to his parents' house. Mabuti na nga lang at saglit lang ang byahe dahil hindi pa masyadong traffic.
Pagdating nila ay kaunti pa lang ang tao. Sini-set up pa lang ang lugar.
"You're early!" bungad ng mommy ni Ken. Yumakap ito sa kanya at hinalikan siya sa pisngi. She did the same to Ken and told them to leave their gifts in the living room. Kinuha ni Ken ang regalo sa kanya. Nagpunta ito sa sala habang siya naman ay sumunod sa biyenan sa kusina.
"Need any help, ma?"
"Pakuha ng lasagna sa oven."
Tumango siya at ginawa ang pakiusap nito. Pinag-slice din siya nito ng dalawang tray na brownies. Ken offered to help. Hindi niya ito pinansin.
Napatigil siya sa ginagawa nang yakapin siya nito mula sa likod.
"Please don't be like this. It's bad enough na hindi kita nakikita ng madalas."
"Bakit kasi ang bilis mong masanay na wala ako?"
"I'm not used to your absence, Ahn. I'm just trying to cope with it. Ano ba naman ang magagawa ko kung yun yung gusto mo? But I'll eventually get used to it. Kaya kung ayaw mo akong masanay, then don't make this any harder for the both of us."
Pagkasabi'y umalis din ito agad, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
--
Iya was happy with Ahn's gift. Panay ang yakap nito sa kanya kanina. Si Ken naman ay nanatiling malayo sa kanya. Simula nang magsidatingan ang mga bisita ay hindi na siya nito kinausap.
Gabing-gabi na rin nang matapos ang birthday celebration ng kambal. Since weekday, sumabay na siya sa parents niya pag-uwi. She wasn't able to say goodnight to Ken kaya tinext na lang niya ito nang makauwi siya.
He replied with 'Okay. Goodnight' and that's it. She wanted him to call pero wala. Mukhang nagtatampo nga ito.
Hindi siya mapakali. Gusto na niyang matulog pero nag-aalala siya sa sinabi nito kanina. Paano nga kung masanay ito ng ganoon? She doesn't want him to get used to this.
--
Hindi pa rin makatulog si Ken. Akala niya ay uubra ang guilt-tripping niya kanina. The past months had been the saddest so far. May instances pa nga na mas malungkot kaysa noong nasa Canada siya. Iba pala talaga kapag nakuha mo na ang isang bagay tapos nawala ulit sa'yo. Knowing its worth then losing it after sucks.
Sana pala nagmakaawa na lang siya kanina. Baka mas naging effective pa yun.
Sighing, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep. Kung kailan naman gusto na niyang matulog ay saka may nag-doorbell. He groaned and got up. He lazily walked to the door.
Laking-gulat niya nang makita niya si Ahn na nakatayo sa labas ng pintuan.
"Ahn!"
"May nakalimutan ako," sabi nito.
"You could have just called! Gabing-gabi na!" he reprimanded.
"Nagpahatid ako kay daddy."
He stepped aside. "Pasok ka." Napansin niyang may dala itong bag. "Dito ka matutulog?"
Pinigilan niya ang sariling ngumiti nang tumango ito.
"Ano'ng nakalimutan mo?"
"Yung Stick-O." She smiled sheepishly. "And also, my gift."
"Akala ko ba wala kang nabili?"
"Wala nga." She dropped her bag and hugged him. "This one costs nothing."
"A hug?"
"No." She sighed. "I'm giving you what you want. Let's get married."
He trapped her in his arms. "Wala nang bawian."
"Wala na. Nagagalit na sa'kin si daddy. Pabago-bago raw ang isip ko."
He chuckled. "Well, he's right."
"I'm sorry for the unnecessary trial. I don't want you to get used to being alone."
"Okay lang." Hinalikan siya nito sa tuktok. "Off topic, Ahn?"
"Yes?"
"Why did you ring the door bell? Don't you have the key?"
"I have it. I just don't want to sneak up to you." Tumingala ito. "Let's head upstairs. I'm sleepy."
--
Kinabukasan ay kinuha na nila ang mga gamit ni Ahn mula sa bahay ng parents niya.
"Last na 'to, anak, ha," paalala ng daddy niya.
"Yes, dad."
He turned to Ken. "At ikaw naman, Ken, don't drive her out of your house again. Kapag bumalik pa yan dito, hindi ko na sya pababalikin sa'yo."
Ken just laughed and assured her dad that it won't happen again.
They celebrated when they got home. Pinag-usapan na rin nilang dalawa ang kasal since plano na nilang ituloy. She told him that she wanted to get married after giving birth. Ayaw niyang maglakad patungo sa altar nang may laman ang tiyan. She wanted it to be perfect and that means having a gown that perfectly fits.
"A month after?" he asked.
Umiling siya. "Hindi ko pa alam. Siguro kapag may gown na."
"You could wear a burlap and I wouldn't care."
"But I would."
He sighed. "I'll ask Iya to help you find a dress."