Takas Series of Treasure

Kabanata Lima

Samuel was swinging on the playground beside our house. Malawak ang bakuran namin at hindi na kailangang lumabas si Toby. Mas safe na rin dahil ayaw na namin maulit ang nangyari kay Kuya Rael dati. "Bored ka na naman?" Naiiling na sabi ko. Our fathers are best friend. Or sa maikling sabi, the one that got away.

I mean by any chance pala, kami ni Samuel, pwede maging magkapatid. "Ang ingay sa kabilang street, may pinatatayong bahay." Sabay hikab niya. May araw bang hindi niya tatangkaing magpuyat man lang? Sa aming lahat, siya na pinakahealthy kasi siya maaga matulog.

Laging natutulog, anytime, anywhere.

"May natatandaan ka ano?" Summer ngayon, ibig sabihin, Ely is nowhere to be found. Napatingin siya sa sapatos niya and sighed. Sana pala hindi na lang ako nagtanong?

May nagdoorbell at napatingin kami sa gate, it was Justine waving his hand. "Let me pasok!" Sigaw niya. Matangkad ang gate namin pero bilang six two siyang tao, kita ang kulay blonde niyang buhok. Nagmadali akong nagbukas at bumungad ang nakangiting lalake. "Yo, it's us again, triplets!" Sigaw niya.

We were born in the same year and after year and a half, pinanganak ang kambal na sila Jaha and Amen and after a year, Hanvin came. So we're the middle children sa magkakaibigan. "Kuya Nuel went home, he was pulling Ate Tel." He mentioned his cousin, na pinuntahan namin noong isang araw.

"Bakit kasi ayaw na lang nila maging sila?" Sandal ni Sam sa kadena habang sinesway ang upuan niya.

Napakibit balikat ako, "Maybe... because... they see each other as siblings?" Napatingin sa akin si Justine at nawala ang ngiti sa labi. "What?" Pagtataas ng kilay ko sa kaniya.

"Why? That's some kind of normal thing, right? Sabay kayong naggrow and you grew fond of each other, making it like—"

"Brothers and sisters." Madiin na pagputol ko sa explanation ng englisher dito. Pinanliitan niya ako ng mata pero hindi ako nagpatalo sa kaniya. "And we will never know about them, let's just all see—"

Samuel stood up and stretched his arms. "Pupunta ka where?" Napaikot ang mata ko. Why can't he just speak it in English? Ang tinanungan naman ay napatingin kay Justine.

He sighed first before answering, "To her," He said and pocketed his hand to his pajama. Pupunta siya kay Ely ng nakapajama? Anong gagawin nila? Matutulog?

Maikli lang talaga magsalita si Samuel dahil nakuha na ata lahat ni Justine ang kadaldalan. "Psst, mahadera." Tawag sa akin nito.

"What?" Tanong ko.

He pursed his lips, "Can you tulong me with my things so I can dala it to the truck?" My lips parted how he stitched tagalog and English altogether. I mean there's the thought pero nakakalito talaga minsan.

"Do you talk with Ganiella that way?" Sabi ko at umupo sa inalisan ni Samuel.

Nag-isip pa siya at napatingin sa taas. Hinangin ang makapal niyang buhok saka napatingin sa akin, he is that handsome, wala pa siyang ginagawa, gwapo na siya pero... kahit anong tanong ko sa sarili ko, hindi ko siya kayang sagutin kapag ayon na ang tinatanong niya. "No, we speak French to each other, she can speak tagalog fluently though because of grandpa, I mean, she stayed with lolo before he died so..." his voice trailed a bit off when he mentioned his mother's grandfather. Lolo Julius. "Sana pala..." bulong niya.