Best Friend.
Wag ka munang umiyak Chae, pigilan mo
I hailed for a taxi and asked the driver to take me to the cemetery
Ang sakit puta
Pagkarating ko sa semeteryo, dumeretsyo ako kay Xavier at nang makaupo ako sa harapan niya ay bumuhos ang aking mga luha
Umiyak ako nang umiyak sa mga sumusunod na minuto at ramdam na ramdam ko ang pag vibrate ng aking cellphone sa aking bulsa
I fished my phone from my pocket and turned it off
Patuloy pa rin ako sa pag-iyak habang nagsasalita kay Xav
Dapat sinabi ko na sa kanya noon pa yung nararamdaman ko
"Xav, bat ganito? Hinintay ko siya ng tatlong taon Xav"
Secrets turn into regrets
Alam ko naman na wala akong makukuhang sagot galing kay Xav pero at least napapalabas ko ang mga nadarama ko
"Xav, may mali ba sa akin? Bakit hindi ako yung pinili niya? Nalilito na ako sa mga nangyayari Xav"
"Walang mali sayo Chaeng. You're my best friend" I was shocked when I heard her voice
Lisa?
Tinignan ko lang siya hanggang sa umupo siya sa aking tabi. I did my best to not look at her and I'm glad I succeeded
"Where's your fiancé?" tanong ko
"Oh. She went to see her cousin and other relatives" sagot niya
Katahimikan
After a few minutes, she offered me her handkerchief. I took it and wiped my tears then she suddenly chuckled
"You know Chaeng, when we first met" tumingin siya sakin na may maliit na ngiti
"Naging madali at masaya na ang buhay ko. You were with me through my ups and downs sa loob ng apat na buwan. You made me feel that I was loved and appreciated" sabi niya
Naluluha na naman ako pero nabigla ako sa sumunod na sinabi niya
"We asked Jennie's cousin to find you para malaman mo kalagayan ko doon kasi alam kong worried ka na. You're too fragile for me to handle Chaeyoung. I can't afford to see my best friend hurt because of me, but it seems like I've hurt you now"
Anong katangahan naman yan Lisa?
"Lisa, you should have told me! I don't care if masaktan ako nang dahil sayo kasi mahal kita! We could've at least tried Lalisa" pabulong kong sabi sa huling pangungusap
Was it the wrong time, what if we tried giving in a little more to the warmth we had before?
Natinginan lang kaming dalawa. Ngumingiti pa rin siya kahit na paiyak na siya. She's trying to say something so I waited
"Chaeng, the moment I knew na papabalikin ako sa Thailand, I immediately took the chance kasi it's better na makalimutan mo ako. Na makalimutan mo yung nararamdaman mo para sa akin. And as what I've told you, I asked Jennie's cousin to tell you pero ot seems like it didn't get to you" ani niya
"So all those time, you knew na papabalikin? Bat hindi mo sinabi agad? I would gladly support you pa nga eh. At sino ba yang cou-"
"Nevermind Jennie's cousin. Nakakatampo na siya kasi hindi ka niya sinabihan" pagputol niya sa sinabi ko
Napaka talaga ng cousin na yan ni Jennie. Nakakapang gigil
"Remember the story I told you about a child who grew up in a household of busy people?" pagpatuloy niya
"Y-yes. The child was always crying every night in the park until one night, nabangga siya ng isang maliit na babae na nawawala. So instead of crying that night, the child offered the little girl na ihahatid niya ito sa mga magulang niya, but the little girl declined kaya the child just accompanied her in the park the whole night making her laugh" sabi ko
Wait..
"After that night, the child goes to the park not to cry, but to wait for the little girl she made a promise with" sabi ko and then realization started to hit me hard
I was looking at her. She's smiling so wide while watching the sky
"They made a promise that they'd see eachother back at the park one night and be together. Be as one being witnessed by the whole galaxy they're in" ani niya
Tinignan muli ako ni Lisa
"Siya yung ipapakilala ko sana sayo" pagpapatuloy niyang sabi
"I'm sorry if I couldn't reciprocate your feelings ever since. I love you Chaeyoung. You're my bestest friend" naiiyak niyang sabi
Ang sakit Lisa pero kung san ka masaya, dun na rin ako
"It's okay Lisa. Hindi naman kita mapipilit pero sana, sana walang magbabago sa atin" sabi ko
It's so hard to accept pero para sayo, gagawin ko
"I love you Lisa. Wag mo na pakawalan ang little girl" sabi ko
She hugged me so tight and so I hugged her back
"I would never" sabi niya sabay humiwalay sa yakap
"Hoooyyy kayong dalawa! Bat hindi mo sinabi sa akin Rosé na nakita mo na pala si Lisa? Tsaka ikaw Lisa? Bat hindi mo ako sinama kanina nung hinahanap mo si Rosé sa bahay? Mga walang hiya kayo!" sigaw ni Zero habang papalapit siya sa amin
Pumunta pa siya sa bahay kanina?
Natawa na lang kaming dalawa
"Aren't you guys even ashamed na nagyayakapan kayo sa harap ni Xav? Baka nagka sore eyes na yun sa pinag gagawa niyo. My gosh guys!"
Nanatili lang kaming tahimik ni Lisa habang nakatingin sa kaibigan namin
"Namumugto ang mga mata niyo ah. So ano? Kayo n-"
"I'm getting married, Zero" dali-daling pagputol ni Lisa kay Zero
Ganun niya talaga yun kamahal noh?
"What??! Ang speed niyo nama-"
"It's not me she's gonna marry, Z" this time, ako naman yung pumutol sa kanya
Napanganga na lang si Z at halatang-halata talaga yung gulat sa kanyang itsura ngayon
"What?! Bat ngayon niyo lang sinabi? I'm really really sorry Lisa. Akala ko kasi na ano hehe sorry talaga" sabi niya kay Lisa
"Okay lang Zero. Hindi ko naman kayo nasabihan agad" sagot ni Lisa
"So lubog na talaga yung ChaeLisa na ship ko?" tanong ni Zero
Nginitian lang siya ni Lisa
"Okay so I'll be transferring na lang sa ChaeSoo ship ko"
Nanlaki naman ang mga mata ko sa sinabi ni Zero. She's been talkative since she arrived eh hindi naman to ganito
Nasapian siguro ng kaluluwa ni Xav
"ChaeSoo?" tanong ni Lisa
"Ah oo. Hindi mo pa nasabi sa kanya Rosé? Ako na magsasabi ha" sabi ni Zero habang nakangiti nang malawak sa akin
"ChaeSoo. Chae is a flight stewardess while Soo is a female pilot. Soo and Chae met here in the cemetery kasi umulan nang malakas at walang masakyan si Chae so inaya siya ni Soo. At simula noon, naging close sila at nahulog si Soo kay Chae. Nililigawan na ni Soo si Chae pero pinahinto ni Chae kasi hinihintay ka niya. Pero since taken ka na" tumingin siya kay Lisa tapos sa akin na may ngiting nakakaloko
"maaari bang pagbigyan ng pagkakataon ni Chae si Soo na ipagpatuloy yung panliligaw niya?" Z said giving me a questionable look
I looked down at Xav's grave and and sighed
"Hindi ko alam Z" sagot ko
"Rosé, give her a chance. If it works, great! But if it won't, then don't force yourself. Alam kong nagugustuhan mo na siya ngunit ayaw mo lang aminin kasi nakapako yang utak mo kay Lisa. Tumitibok na para kay Soo yang puso mo Rosé" napatulala ako sa sinabi ni Zero
"You always talk about her when you get home from a walk or whatsoever, but you still haven't heard an explanation from Lisa. And that's keeping you away from giving Jisoo a chance. From keeping yourself to love someone romantically" pagpatuloy niya
She's right. I do like Jisoo, but I'm still holding on sa thought na mamahalin ako pabalik ni Lisa
Ngunit naputol ang aking pag-iisip nang magsalita si Lisa
"Jisoo?" tanong niya
Zero facepalmed herself knowing na hindi pa pala niya nasabi kay Lisa kung sino si Soo
"Jisoo Kim. The only female pilot of KAirlines and is the owner of Kafé that has opened branches all across the wooorld" I spoke proudly of what Jisoo have achieved
But Lisa just alternately looked at me and Zero as if saying na wala kaming alam tungkol kay Jisoo
"Don't you mean, Jisoo Kim? The co-owner of KAirlines?" tanong ni Lisa
Co-owner ng KAirlines??
Nagkatinginan lang kami ni Zero at sabay-sabay tumawa
"Ang funny mo na Lisa ha!" sabi ni Z habang hinampas hampas niya si Lisa
Lisa composed herself and cleared her throat before speaking
"Jennie Kim is my fiancé and she is the owner of KAirlines. She has a cousin named Jisoo Kim, and is the co-owner of KAirlines. I, Lalisa Manoban, is an investor of KAirlines"
O-kay wtf
Napahinto kami ni Z sa pagtawa nang matapos niya ang kanyang sinabi.
Seryoso ba siya?
"I'm serious" sabi ni Lisa
You do look serious
"Maniniwala lang ako kapag si Jisoo na yung magsasabi sa akin" sabi ni Z at napatuloy sa kakatawa
Kung talagang magpinsan sina Chu at fiancé ni Lisa, alam ni Chu tungkol sa nagaganap sa kanyang pinsan? Pero bakit hindi niya sinabi?
Naputol ang pag-iisip ko nang magsalita si Lisa
"It's getting dark. Hatid ko na kayo sa inyo guys, alam kong wala kayong dalang sasakyan"
"Sige! Shotgun seat akoooo!!" Z said as she was running towards the only car in the parking space ng cemetery
"Tara?" pag-aaya ni Lisa
I just nodded and followed her towards her car, but before we could reach her car, she turned to me and held my hand
"Chaeng, Jennie would like to formally meet you. As in formally" sabi ni Lisa
"Sure. Kailan ba? Saan?" tanong ko
"Tomorrow at 11:30 A.M. My driver will just fetch you in your house. Just be ready, okay?"
"Okay" sagot ko sa tanong niya at nagpatuloy na kaming naglakad tas pumasok na sa kotse
The whole ride was silent. The atmosphere wasn't heavy like I expected it to be
Sa wakas, nakarating na kami
"Gising na, Z. Nasa bahay na tayo" paggising ko kay Z
Nagising naman siya at bumaba na sa kotse. Nagpasalamat kami kay Lisa at nauna nang pumasok sa bahay si Zero
"Salamat Lisa ha. See you tomorrow" pagpapaalam ko
"Salamat din Chaeng" sagot niya nang may malawak na ngiti sa mga labi
She drove off habang naiwan akong nakatayo sa labas ng pintuan
Paalam Lisa
"Hays Jisoo. Ikaw na lang yung problema ko ngayon" I stated after a heavy sigh and went in the house
Should I?