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Alas tres na ng hapon sa Albacete, Spain, kahulugan na nasa kalagitnaan na sila ng siyesta.

Kung titignan ang labas, sobrang payapa nito.

Tahimik.

Walang tao.

Maaraw pero mahangin.

Ang puting kurtina sa apartment na kasulukuyang isinasayaw nito, ang tunog ng mga ibon mula sa labas, at ang hangin mula sa bentilador ang siyang nagpabuo sa tanghali ni Wonwoo.

Work from home ang set-up niya ngayong araw pero maaga niyang napasa ang documents kaya heto na siya, nakadapa sa asul na sofa nilang asawa sa sala habang binabasa muli ang klasikong nobelang Ermita ni F. Sionil José pagkatapos niyang umidlip.

Thanks to his subject, 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World, it became his favorite Filipino classic novel.

He flipped another page and was already in the part where the protagonist, Ermita, finally returned to the Philippines after a long time.

Nagbabasa siya nang biglang tumunog ang doorbell. Nagtaka pa siya dahil mamayanh gabi pa naman ang uwi ng asawa. Nevertheless, he opened the door when he saw that it was the old lady from the second floor.

“Buena tarde, abuela,” Wonwoo greeted, smiling.

The old lady chucked. “Bueno, hijo, mi nieta me dio esta planta. Do you understand that?” She asked enthusiastically while showing off the loquat tree in a pot.

“Sí. You said your grandchild gave that plant.”

The granny nodded. “It symbolizes marriage and harmony. I just realized that you guys are newly wed. Am I right?”

“Sí, hace 6 meses.” (Yes, for 6 months)

“Oh, your skills are getting better,” then they both chuckled.

Tinanong pa ni Wonwoo kung gusto nitong uminom ng tubig o tsaa pero tinanggihan niya ito.

When he was left all alone again, he placed the pot near the balcony.

Napagpasya niya na ring huminto muna sa pagbabasa at kumuha ng tasa para magtimpla ng kape. Dinamihan niya na lang ‘yong gatas para hindi siya mapuyat.

Wonwoo was supposed to return to the sofa when the picture frames caught his attention.

He smiled upon looking at them. It was full of life—love. Kabilang sa mga litrato ang childhood, graduation, family, and friends nila.

Pero isa talaga rito ang paulit-ulit na kapansin-pansin kay Wonwoo—ang wedding picture nila ni Mingyu na siyang pinakamalaki roon.

He scoffed. An’layo na pala ng narating nila.

At hindi niya rin namang inaakala na si Mingyu ang gigiba sa nagsisitaasang pader niya. Wonwoo had always been an individualistic yet he found himself living in an apartment he swore he would not share with. Ngunit iba talaga nagagawa ng pag-iba and when the time comes you're willing to settle, everything changes.

They’ve known each other since elementary but never became classmates; kahit Facebook friends nga ay hindi kaya tandang-tanda pa ni Wonwoo kung paano sila pormal na nagkakilala ni Mingyu.

18 YEARS AGO

It was already March, three months before their graduation, and they were just there, being little, silly kids in their last year of senior high school.

Wonwoo was busy selling their caramelized bread as their marketing head for the subject Entrepreneurship. Kaliwa’t kanan, tulong-tulungan sila sa paggawa ng meryenda sa bahay ni Jihoon hanggang sa makapunta sila sa school na isang byahe ang layo para ipamigay ang mga ito.

Habang si Mingyu naman ay busy sa paghanda at paglaro ng basketball sa Intrams nila. Hailing from the Accountancy and Business Management, he was their captain and a candidate for MVP kaya ganoon na lang ang pagseseryoso nito.

“Ji, complete order na ba?” tanong ni Wonwoo, habang nag-iimpake siya. Si Jihoon kasi ‘yong CEO ng grupo. He then looked at the calendar and time. March 5. 12:07 PM.

“Hmm, wait check ko lang,” aniya habang inaayos ‘yong orders. “Kulang pa ng tatlo—dalawang smores tas isang strawberry choco,” napatingin siya sa kusina kung saan nagluluto si Soonyoung ng cube breads. “Soons, goods pa ba ‘yan for three orders?!”

“Oo!” Malakas na sagot niya.

Napataas naman ng kilay si Junhui na siyang nag-shshake ng breads sa choco powder. “Over naman sa sigaw, bakla, mabubulabog kapit-bahay.”

“Sorry, baks,” sabi ni Soonyoung.

“‘O siya. Madedeliver naman natin ‘to on or before 2PM sa school. Gawin na nilang merienda ‘yon habang nanonood ng finals,” saad ni Jihoon.

Sumaludo naman si Soonyoung. “Yes, sir, yes!”

It did not take them a lot. Pagkatapos ng 30 minutes, na-finalize na nila ang lahat. They were giving 45 orders for the 2nd batch. Na-sobrahan ata si Wonwoo sa pagkuha ng costumers.

12:54 PM na nang nakarating sila sa may sakayan habang bitbit ang malalaking bag. Cute daw silang tignan sabi ng lola kasi pare-parehas silang naka-blue top at may bitbit na paper bags. Ganoon lang suot nila bilang suporta sa HUMSS.

“Wala pa tayong lunch, shet. Ilan pa ba ‘yong hindi nababayaran?” Tanong ni Soonyoung.

“11 orders pa, beh, total of 495 Php pa ‘yan,” sagot ni Junhui.

“Tas apat tayo. Sabay-sabay na tayo mag-lunch, g ba? Mag-sisig rice tayo, please,” hiling ni Soonyoung.

“Sabay-sabay naman tayo, ah? Pag-uusapan ‘din natin kita and hatian,” saad ni Wonwoo.

Napapalakpak si Soonyoung. “Perfect. Malay ko kasi may ka-date kayo,” he said joyfully. Jihoon rolled his eyes, napa-side eye si Junhui na fresh from the breakup samantalang natawa na lang si Wonwoo.

Nang makarating sa school, doon sila pumwesto sa hallway, tapat ng auditorium na siyang malapit sa basketball court. Buti na lang talaga at may table and chairs doon. It still frustrated them because they had no proper place to settle. Nang tinanong nila ‘yung teacher nila sa Entrepreneurship, no space available for their section.

Isa-isa na silang dinagsa—mapa-teacher man o estudyante.

“Beh, check mo kung kaninong order ‘to,” bulong sa kanya ni Junhui habang busy rin sina Jihoon at Soonyoung sa paglista.

Napakunot ng noo si Wonwoo pero agad tumaas ang kilay nito nang mapagtanto. “Xu... Minghao?”

Junhui chuckled.

“Ex mo?” Nang mapagtanto ni Wonwoo na pamilyar ito.

Junhui shook his head. “Ex-situationship, actually. ‘Di naman kami naging nyan pero nakapag-order pa siya bago kami nag-break,” he shared while air quoting  ‘nag-break’.

“Kaya mo bang i-deliver?”

“‘Di pa keri, bakla. Pwedeng ikaw na lang? Nandoon daw siya sa balcony. Bayad naman na ‘yan sa GCash,” he said in which Wonwoo nodded.

Kinuha na ni Wonwoo ‘yong anim na order niya—iba talaga nagagawa ng pag-ibig because how did he order all the flavors available?!

Hindi naman siya nahirapan sa pagbitbit since nakalagay iyon sa paper bag. Buti na lang din ay break time kaya wala munang hiyawan.

Natanaw niya na si Minghao na nakaupo sa balkonahe. Agad napagtanto ni Wonwoo na tiga-ABM ‘to dahil naka-red siya.

Ilang hakbang na lang siya nang biglang may sumalubong sa kanya at ‘di nila alam kung sino ang gigilid kaya mukha silang tangang nagpapatintero.

When he got frustrated, Wonwoo looked up at the man who was intercepting his way.

And when he did, it was Kim Mingyu, the team captain from ABM.

Sa totoo lang, hindi naman ganoon kalaki ang height difference nila.

“Excuse me,” saad niya at kumanan na siyang na-mirror ulit ni Mingyu!

Napabuntong hininga siya na siyang ikinangiti ni Mingyu. “Ay, sorry.”

“Okay lang,” Wonwoo answered nonchalantly, then went left, in which Mingyu also did.

Oh, God. He was starting to lose his patience. Ang init pa naman ngayon tas wala pa siyang kain.

“Hala, sorry talaga.”

“Okay, la—” hindi na natapos ni Wonwoo ang sasabihin nang bigla siyang iginilid ni Mingyu.

Akala ni Wonwoo kung ano na ang nangyayari, elementary students lang pala itong naghahabulan.

“Ayos ka lang?” Tanong ni Mingyu. Doon niya lang napagtanto kung gaano sila kalapit sa isa’t isa. And when he smelled Mingyu, amoy baby raw ito kahit na sobrang tirik ang araw sa court.

Agad siyang kumawala sa hawak ni Mingyu. “Okay lang. Una na ‘ko,” nakatalikod na siyang nang biglang hawakan nanaman ni Mingyu ang pulso niya.

“Wait!”

“Hmm?”

“’Yung bitbit mo?”

Wonwoo frowned. “Ayos lang din.”

Tinanggal na ni Mingyu ang pagkahawak nito sabay lantad ng kanang kamay. “Kim Mingyu from 12 ABM 5,” sabay ngiti ng malawak.

Wonwoo did not want to sound rude, so he shook his hand. “I know since elementary batchmates tayo. Wonwoo from 12 HUMSS 4, by the way.”

He nodded. “Right but still nice meeting you, Wo—”

“Hoy, Goy! Kanina ka pa hinahanap. Matatapos na break time. Yari ka!” Sigaw ni Seungcheol sa likod ni Mingyu.

“Sorry but I’ll head back na, Wonwoo” nakangiting saad nito habang palayo sa kanya.

‘What the hell was that?’ isip ni Wonwoo.

Hindi niya alam kung ilang segundo na siyang nakatayo roon hindi pa tutunog ang Messenger notification niya.

marilags

jun sarap

bakla @wonu galang san ka na????

Agad namang napagtanto iyon ni Wonwoo at tinignan muna kung natapon ang mga dipping sauce ni Minghao. Thankfully, wala naman.

He finally went to him. “Hi, I am Wonwoo, and here are your six orders from Dip and Sauce. Thank you so much for purchasing,” he said.

Na-realize naman ‘to Minghao. “Oh, salamat,” at inabot. Nang ma-check ito, he nodded at Wonwoo.

“Thank you, again. Una na ako.”

Pagkarating niya roon, nakita niyang nakapamewang si Junhui, samantalang chinecheck na ni Jihoon ‘yong GSheets nila.

“Tagal mo, bakla!” Arte nito na may pa-stomp-stomp pang nalalaman.

Wonwoo shrugged. “Minor inconvenience.”

“Pero safe naman?” Nag-aalalang tanong ni Junhui; Wonwoo nodded. “Kaloka pa naman panahon. Ba’t kaya ‘di na lang ginawang January intrams?” he added.

“Oo nga. Naiinitan pa naman baby mo,” tugon Wonwoo na siyang nagpauwang ng mga labi nito. 

“Guys, here’s the final output na and hatiaan natin,” tawag ni Jihoon.

They were shocked by the amount of the tip. 4635 Php lang dapat grand total for 103 orders pero ba't naging 4785?!

“Gago, sino ‘yung M.K. sa Gcash?!” Tanong ni Junhui.

“M.K.? Short for MakMak?!” Sigaw ni Soonyoung na ikinatawa pero ipinagtaka nila.

“Sino ‘yon?”

“Kababata namin, bes, pero baka naman Mingyu Kim?! Chariz. Ewan. Ayun na nga pero may note siya; tip niya raw ‘yan and thank you for making my day. Hala! Showbiz,” yugyog ni Soonyoung kay Jihoon habang kinikilig.

He looked at the screen and read that it had been paid a minute ago.

M.K.

Iisa lang ang nasa utak ni Wonwoo. Nang dahil doon, narinig niya ang ‘Oh, loko’ ni Mommy Oni habang iniisip kung tama ba ang kutob niya pero sakto namang pumito ang referee na ikinagulat niya, hudyat na nagsisimula na ang last quarter. At baka tama nga ng hinala si Wonwoo.

PRESENT

Hindi na nagulat si Wonwoo nang maramdaman niya ang yakap ng asawa mula sa likod.

“What are you doing there, love?” Lambing sa kanya ni Mingyu.

Wonwoo turned to him and cupped his face while smiling. “You’re so clingy.”

Mingyu chuckled. “Why? Ayaw na ba ng misis ko na niyayakap ko siya?” Tukso niya.

“Ihh,” arte ni Wonwoo habang natatawa.

“Ihh,” mapang-asar na gaya ni Mingyu habang nag-mmake face kaya naman mahina siyang hinampas ng asawa.

“Whatever,” pagtataray kunwari niya pero siya naman itong tuluyang yumakap.

“Pero seryoso nga, Wons, anong iniisip mo?”

“Hmm, history natin.”

“Super nerd naman ng term ng misis ko na ‘yan.”

“Ewan ko sa ‘yo, Min,” Wonwoo closed his eyes, savoring the moments. “But for your sake, I woke up from a nap, may binigay si abuela na pot then I was about to read again sa sofa nang mapukaw ng atensyon ko ‘yong picture frames,” Wonwoo sighed relievedly. “I just think na… it’s great that we’ve known each other for a long time–you know, our shared experiences, na time flies. Do you remember what I said to you during our vows?”

“Mhm, that I will always be your biggest twist in your life because you’ve already planned it ever since you were young.”

“Yup, but I guess it’s more than that. I appreciate those words more right now, nitong kasal na tayo.”

“Tell me more, love.”

“When I woke up from a nap, it was so peaceful and sunny, and I realized that I never thought we would end up like things which I’ve always been grateful for,” naramdaman niyang hinalikan ni Mingyu ang ulo niya.

“I love you so much, Wons.”

“I love you more, Min. I think this is too amazing.”

“Sobra,” Wonwoo chuckled.

“Anyways, gusto mo ba makita ‘yong loquat tree na binigay ni abuela?”

Mingyu smiled. “You don't have to ask me, Wons.”