Dae's Point of View
"Mom, do we really have to go?" Inis na tanong ko habang nasa kotse kami kasama family ko papuntang aiport
I'm really irritated, nagalit sakin sila Dad kase ayaw kong sundin ang gusto nila, well, here I am trying to look fine to do what they want. Pupunta kami ng Pilipinas since si Mom ay filipino, si Dad naman Korean, so yeah I'm half half like that
"Darling, you need to enjoy your life habang bata ka pa and me and your Dad want you to experience something new" pagpapakalma ni mom
"Since you're having a almost perfect life here in Korea because of your achievements, we want you to enjoy your life son" pahabol naman ni Dad
Yup almost perfect life, that's what I thought too because of my stupid genius brain that can't stop thinking wise
"But I'm already enjoying my life here" inis na sambit ko
"Darling, that's not what we meant, what we want to say is you to enjoy a fun life, you know, with friends?" Sambit ni mom
"But I already have friends" sabay bukas ng dala kong bag at pinakita ang mga libro na halos yun lang ang laman ng bag ko
It's true anyway, they're my friends, it gives me knowledge, sometimes it makes me laugh or cry, and I can solve any logical question, because of some books I already read
"Son, it's a person we are referring of, not a thing" may diin na sambit ni Dad
"We're going to the Philippines and we're going to stay there for a long time, we already told your principal that you're going to transfer, okay?" Pagsuyo ni mom
I sighed, " okay, fine." pilit kong sabi
"Suit yourself son, you'll enjoy to stay there, don't worry" ani Dad
I'm not worrying, I just don't like so many sounds, so many people, I didn't even know how to be friendly, yup that's why I don't have friends, it's okay though in korea they don't really care about, hindi naman nila pinapansin mga ginagawa ko, ewan ko na lang sa Pilipinas
Nagbasa na lang ako ng libro para idistract ang sarili ko hanggang sa makasakay kami sa airplane libro pa din hawak ko
After the flight nakauwi na rin kami sa bahay nila mom dito sa Pilipinas
I'm almost done unpacking my things na puro libro lang naman, halos puro libro makikita sa loob ng room ko
"Darling, it's time for dinner!" Pagtawag sakin ni mom
"Coming!"
After 3 minutes I'm done with my room full of trophies and books, sighed, they don't call me emotionless robot for nothing
Emotionless, yeah i already master the art of emotionless around people, except for my family of course
"Ready yourself tomorrow, pupuntahan natin yung school na pinili mong lipatan" sambit ni Dad habang may ningunguya pang pagkain sa bibig
I'm still 12 years old, and it's my first year high school,and yeah, I'm very picky about schools
"Do they give some hard questions for all subjects?" Bored na banggit ko
Hindi kase ako nage-enjoy pag sobrang dali ng mga tanong, I really hate it when people ask me some easy question, hindi nacha-challenge utak ko
"Of course they do, Darling" sagot ni mom
"Hmm... very well" nakangiting sabi ko
Pagkagising ko naligo na agad, inayos ang sarili at nagsuot ng bagong school uniform, black pants and white polo shirt with a neck tie at sakto naman na tinawag ako nila mom para umalis na at pupunta ng school
Nang makarating kami sa school, I already saw so many people, which is not I'm used to, here goes my emotionless face because of what I saw
Lumabas na kami sa kotse at pumasok na sa school, ramdam ko ang mga presensiya ng mga nasa paligid and also because of my amazing ears that can hear even a whisper naririnig ko ang mga sinasabi nila some are positives, some are negatives, well thank you ears, sighed
Umalis na sila mom pagtapos makausap ang magiging adviser ko daw, pagtapos non ay pinapasok na ako ng teacher sa room at walang buhay naman akong sumunod
"Goodmorning class" bati ng teacher na agad naman tinugunan ng mga studyante
"Well as you see, we have our new transfered student here" iminuwestro ng teacher abg kamay niya sa 'kin, "Please introduce yourself"
"Goodmorning everyone, my name is Park Dae Byeol, I'm from korea, I'm just only a half korean though, I hope we get along" pagpakilala ko at napilitang ngumiti
"Mamshie, papii", "pogi" Pabulong na sabi nila
Of course I heard them sighed, I'm not used to people giving me compliments, but of course there's some nega though
"Tsk, pogi ba yan?", "He looks like a nerd" bulong ng iba
Well I am...
"Guys, shut up!"
Patagong nagulat ako nang biglang may sumigaw na lalake na mukhang ito ang bully sa kanila kaya bigla na lang nanahimik ang ibang studyante bukod sa mga ka tropa niya ata
"Porke ba na korean siya ang dami niyo na agad puri ha? E baka nga walang pang napapatunayan yan eh, puro pa pogi lang ang alam" inis na sabi ng lalake at sabay nginusuan ako "Well prove yourself, kung may naabot ka na" pagmamayabang niyang sabi ni sinabayan naman ng mga halakhak ng tropa niya
Well me? Do they really want to know? Okay para matapos na at gusto ko na umupo
Pinutol ko ang pagsusuway ng teacher sa lalake para matapos na
Tumikhim muna ako bago nagsalita ng walang buhay "I'm crowned as a King of the school in korea because of my grades, I've been a suma cum laude in all my years in elem life, also rank best of all subjects, I'm also the rank 1 of the school, people call me a robot for answering a logical question withoust hesitation, also I hated people being easy on me when it comes to question" I sighed Now, may I sit down now?" Tanong ko sa teacher
Sa pagsasabi ko non bigla na lang umingay ang buong klase, at natahimik ang lalake
"You can sit beside mr. Marquez" ani teacher sabay turo sa bakanteng upuan na katabi ng lalake
Walang buhay naman akong tumugon at pumunta na sa upuan pag ka upo ko wala na akong pinansin na ano pa, dahil di rin naman ako sanay, at di komportable
Ramdam kong tinititigan ako ng katabi ko na hindi ko na lang pinansin hanggang sa nagsalita ito
"Hi, I'm Derrick Cheon Marquez" sambit ng katabi at inalok abg kamay
Yumuko na lang ako at di pinansin, dahil busy rin ako sa pakikinig ng lesson, diko namalayan na madami na palang sinasabi ang katabi ko pero diko pa rin pinansin
Nang mag lunch break nagsilabasan na ang mga studyante kaniya kaniyang punta sa canteen, and of course me, ayaw sa maraming tao, kaya nasa room lang ako kumakain magisa
Biglang may humampas sa balikat ko at agad kong binalingan
"Let's eat together" aniya
It's Derrick
"I know that you're not into socializing with others, I know thay feeling, so dude, don't snob me, you're hurting my ego" sabi niya ng nakanguso
What is he talking about? Diko na lang siya pinansin, people hate me in korea though that's why di sila lumalapit sakin and I just realize that this is the first time someone told me that they felt the same thing that's happening to me
"You know what, we can relate though, my mother loves koreans like hell, kpop, kdramas, something like that, that's why I have a korean name though you know what it means?" Nae-excite niyang sambit
I'm starting to think that he's a gay, damn Byeol! Don't think stupid!
"Thousand" sagot ko sa tanong niya
Nakanganga lang siya na parang nagulat sa sagot ko
"What?" Sambit ko dahil sa mukha nito
"No, no, that's not what I meant" sambit niya na at napahawak pa sa noo ang kamay niya
"Is there something wrong inmy answer? In korean the meaning of 'cheon' is 'thousand' so--" natigilan ako sa pagsasalita ko nang makita ko siyang bigla na lang dumeretso ang tingin at lumaki ang mata pagtapos nito maglagay ng kamay sa noo
"I just remembered! I forgot to tell you that it's not just only cheon, I forgot what my mother told me, argh!" Pananampal nito sa sarili "It's cheonche, then my mother make it short so that it can match my other name" humalakhak siya
"It means, astro--" natigilan nanaman ako sa pananalita ng may pumasok sa isip ko at hinarap ko ang lalake na malawak ang ngiti na nakatitig sakin
"Yeah?" Tanong niya na nakangiti pa din
"Don't tell me that's the meaning of your name?"
"Well your the one who's gonna tell me" panunudyo niya sambit
I saw a other meaning of 'cheonche' in some books that I read, dude, the meaning is amazing
"Astrophile?" Di siguradong sagot ko na mas lalong kinalawak ng ngiti niya
"Yeah! That's it! That's the meaning of my name, my family really love stars that's why!" Masaya niyang sambit na ikanamangha ko
I also love star though, astrophile is a definition of someone who love star
"Amazing" halos pa walang buhay kong sabi para di halata na nadala ako
"Come on, dude, I'm amaze too, I know that your name is related to a star the same as mine" laking ngiting sambit niya
I stilled because of what I heard, He knows, it is true that my name is related to a star and it means shining star, mom told me that
"Hey!" Natigilan ako sa pagiisip nang bigla 'tong sumigaw "let's be friends, ok?" Nakangiti niyang sambit na hinihintay ang sagot ko
Then my heart starts to ache like a glass that is breaking though i dunno why,
Sumagot na lang ako sa tanong niya para di halata ang sakit na naramdaman
Tumango ako "okay" at pilit na ngumiti
"You know, it's just amazing, I wanted to meet a person like you bro, I just only saw someone like you in kdramas and I didn't expect that I would totally meet one, dude! you braniac" sambit niyang nae-excite
Napangiti naman ako at naubos na rin ang pagkain namin saktong tumunog na ang bell para sa sunod na klase
"Bro" mahinang tawag niya habang nagaayos kami ng kinain namin
"Hmm?" Sagot ko
"It's just I'm happy that I'm gonna meet a star in person" nakangiti nitong sabi "Hi my Shining Star"
Natigilan ako sa pagaayos at natulala sa kaniya
Friends huh, I never taught that I'll get one, not bad...
And after that Derrick became my only best friend
We're so close at each other, open to each other
After 4 years later...
"Byeol! Tonight okay?" Nakangiting sambit niya
"Okay, Cheon" sagot kong parang si mom kausap ko
We've been calling at each other in our second name because of its related meanings
We always hangout at night, night where stars will be glow, and it's our stress reliever, we just love stars that much
Sabay na kaming umuwi ni Cheon at pumunta sa palagi naming pinupuntahan na 1 hour kalayuan sa school, maraming mga puno pero magandang view na para makakita ng mga bituin at may lawa sa tapat namin kaya nakakapagrelax talaga
Here we study and play, laugh, and confess our problems
While looking at the stars...
"Byeol" mahinang sabi ni Cheon
"Hmm?"
"You can handle yourself, right?" Tanong niya
"Of course"
Sa tagal namin pinagsamahan natuto akong makipaglaban sa lahat dahil kay Cheon he's a skilled fighter though and it's scary
"Good" aniya
"Byeol?"
"Hmm?" I hummed again
"I'm gonna leave now" sambit niya na may pagkalungkot
Natigilan ako sa panonood ng nga bituin at humarap sa kaniya
"What do you mean?" Tanong ko
"Well, I need to leave now, you're gonna be by yourself now, I can't protect you anymore" sabi niya at bumaba ng tingin
"Where you going?" Kunot noo kong tanong
"Somewhere far, mom said I need to transfer to another school bro" sabi niyang nakababa padin ang tingin "and I can't refuse"
"So I will be alone again?" Lungkot kong sabi
"No, don't be, I'm sure there is still people out there that will be your friend" pagsusuyo niya "and besides don't forget that I love stars, so if you will see a star, just don't hesitate to remember me, okay?" Sambit niya at tumingin ulit sa mga bituin
"In that way, you won't be alone, and it will remind you that I'm just here, I'm here, your friend, okay?"
Sa mga sinasabi niyang yon diko namalayan na naluha na pala ako, damn heart
"O-okay" sambit ko habang nagpupunas ng luha
"Promise me, you won't let people hurt you, okay?" Tanong niya ulit
"Okay, I promised"
"That's a promised, my friend" aniya
"Yeah"
Then we look up again to watch the stars
After that day...I became wild...became a bully, fear of all, and almost have a low grade because of what I feel, I didn't even know who I am, the promised we made became opposite, rather than being bullied, I'm the one who's bullying, I just can't control my emotion anymore, I taught myself to become emotionless but here I am being emotional, just because of a friend.
enjoying the view