Never Be Apart

CHAPTER 9

"Papaaaa!", boses ko ang nangingibabaw ngayon sa morgue pagkalapit namin sa labi ni Papa. Now I can't really control the pain I'm feeling. i can't explain the pain I'm feeling right now. It's lik my heart is being cut into pieces. Nasa likod lang yung dalawa habang si Yoon Gi naman ay naiwan doon sa labas sinamahan siya ni Haruki dahil bawal pa siya pumasok dito dahil bata pa.

Ah Ki was just holding my shoulder while I was crying, I didn't know what to do when the man lifted the cloth that covered Papa's face.

"Papa bakit naman ganun?! Masyado pang bata si Yoon Gi, papa!" I groaned in front of Dad. I can't accept that this is really happening, I think it's just a nightmare so I slap myself a few times to wake up. Natsumi and Ah Ki quickly approached to stop me. They are also crying.

"Magpakatatag ka, Yoo Ki. Isipin mo ang kapatid mo, andito lang kami",Ah Ki cried. I nodded even though it was just forced, suddenly I thought of Yoon Gi.I really need to stay strong for my brother who is the most vulnerable right now.

-

We spent a few more minutes in the morgue hanggang sa palabasin na kami because we were not allowed to be exposed there for a long time. I quickly agreed kasi nasa labas yung kapatid ko.

Paglabas ay nakita ko agad si Yoon Gi na nakayuko. I knew he was crying because Haruki was comforting him. When he saw me he immediately stood up and ran towards me. I tried not to cry too much but it didn't stop my tears from dripping.

"Sasamahan kana muna namin sa bahay niy--" hindi natuloy ni Haruki ang sasabihin ng may babaeng lumapit sa amin. Onti onti ko siyang nakilala at kapatid pala ito ni Papa. Umiiyak siyang lumapit sa amin at yumakap sa aming dalawa ni Yoon Gi.

"Ako muna ang magiging guardian niyo habang hindi pa nagigising ang mama niyo ha?" biglang sabi niya. 

We were too occupied to think how she came here kaya tumango nalang kami ni Yoon Gi dahil wala naman kaming maisip na isagot tungkol doon. Mas okay din na may ibang mag aasikaso ng mga bills dahil wala pa akong alam dun.

-

We went straight home, the three went home first to personally inform their guardians that they were going to accompany me for the time being. 

Wala akong gana kumain kaya si Yoon Gi lang ang kumain sa baba, hindi din sana siya kakain ngunit pinilit lang siya ni Auntie. Close kami ni Auntie dahil hindi naman siya ganun ka tanda, sa tingin ko'y nasa 29 lang ang age niya. Hindi pa iyon halata dahil maganda si Auntie at mukhang bata dahil pure korean din siya but she can still speak tagalog kasi sabay sila nanirahan dito nila Dad.

Later on, I heard a knock, I just ignored it and covered myself with a blanket then turned away from the door. The knocking lasted for a few minutes but it disappeared after. I think the knocker is tired and decided to just let me go.

Ngunit nagulat ako ng padabog iyong bumukas, dinig ko ang mabigat na hakbang nito palapit na akala mo'y galit. Hindi lang siya nag iisa dahil naramdaman kong may mga nakasunod sa kanya.

"Stand up", expected ko nang si Haruki ang magsasalita. I just sighed and tightened my grip on the blanket. She sighed in annoyance. I heard the door close so I think it was one of the two, whether Natsumi or Ah Ki who closed it.

"Don't you feel sorry for your brother?", kalmadong tanong niya. "Instead of you being his strength, you're becoming one of his weaknesses now, Yoo Ki!" nawala na ang kalma sa boses niya at medyo tumataas na din ito.

"Haruki kalma" mahinang awat ni Ah Ki. Hindi na sumagot si Haruki at naramdaman kong may padabog na umupo sa upuan ko sa may study table.

I just felt Natsumi forcefully pulling the blanket wrapped around me, I looked glared but she ignored that. Ah Ki was also looking at me. I turned to Haruki and she just staring at me so I avoided it.

Lumabas bigla si Haruki kaya hindi nalang namin sinundan, umupo sa tabi ko si Ah Ki at inayos ang buhok kong halos humarang na sa buong mukha ko.

"May punto si Haruki, sa tingin ko..kailangan mo talaga magpakatatag alang alang kay Yoon Gi" mahinang sabi ni Ah Ki sa akin, tila nag aalangan pa.

"Pero weak din ako! Sa mga gantong sitwasyon, hindi ko kinakaya. Hindi ako ready--"

"You will never be ready to lose a loved one", pagputol sa akin ni Natsumi. Napayuko nalang ako.

"You can be weak in front of everyone but not in front of you brother", nagulat ako ng makitang bumalik si Haruki. Napalingon ako sa kanya at may dala siyang pagkain, nilapag niya iyon sa may study table at nilapit sa akin. "eat", aniya.

"You're older than Yoon Gi, be a strong Ate for him. Kilala ka niya sa ganoon", dagdag ni Ah Ki. 

"It's okay to be weak; you can cry all you want, kahit saan pa yan, as long as you don't lose hope in life, or your brother will do the same." Natsumi said for the last time. 

Napabuntong hininga nalang ako at naramdaman kong nagsisimula nanaman mangilid ang luha sa mata ko. Nagulat nanaman ako ng niyakap ako bigla ni Haruki. "Hindi kita nayakap kanina e", aniya saka bumitaw. 

"Eat first. Hindi kita isasama sa bayan para tignan ang cctv footages ng nangyaring barilan", pagbabanta sa akin ni Natsumi. Napalingon naman sa kanya si Ah Ki, tila gulat.

"Kaya mo mag ka access doon?", gulat na aniya. Mayabang naman na ngumiti si Natsumi kaya sa kanya naman kami napalingon. Sabay silang nagsabi ng "We have sources", natawa nalang si Ah Ki at napabuga nalang ako ng hangin.

"We need to find justice for your parents", ani Natsumi. Ah Ki was surprised and suddenly smiled.

"Tama! Kaya Yoo Ki, kumain kana!" masayang sang ayon Ah Ki. "Hindi tayo papayag na hindi magbayad ang may kakagawan noon kila Tito at Tita!" dagdag pa niya.

A thought suddenly came to my mind, I think what I'm doing is wrong. Instead of crying and sulking in my room, why can't I seek justice for what happened to my Dad and Mom? I quickly picked up the plate with the food that Haruki had brought and quickly eat it. Ah Ki smiled and reached for the water. Natsumi smiled proudly and turned to Haruki. Haruki, on the other hand, just looked at me seriously while folding her arms.

"Our Yoo Ki is finally back in her senses", pagmamalaki ni Haruki.

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