Please Enter Me, Engineer | EMS #1

CHAPTER 53

Vyxen Saichi Skanska

"My guess was right. You were super duper cute when you're a toddler." I pointed the photo. "Gosh, look. Ang chubby ng cheeks mo oh. Ang cute. But the thing is, ang suplado mo tignan. Your brows were always crossed to each other. You seemed to be characterizing the angry birds."

Miss Felicia came back with snacks. Particularly, cookies and juice. Also, she brought the album that contains assorted snapshots of Yvio from his infant, toddler, and adolescent years. And she wholeheartedly shared the tales about each certain photo of him. Ang saya ng kwentuhan at paminsan-minsan ay pulang-pula na ang lalaking katabi ko sa kahihiyan dahil hindi man lang inalintana ni Miss Felicia na lagpasan ang mga embarrassing moments nito. Well, hindi naman siya wholly nakakahiya dahil ang halos lahat ng kanyang mga nagawa ay dala ng kasupladuhan.

I frowned. "Why aren't you smiling on the shots? Naka-primal look ka lang parati. You should have smile, mas gwapo ka kapag ganoon." I browsed the album for the second time, failing to see a capture of his smile. "Gosh, dapat namamataan mo ako sa tuwing nakaharap yung camera sayo e. For sure, you wouldn't just smile but laugh." I leaned back to my chair and moved a little bit closer to him. Pagkatapos ay pasimpleng ibinulong sa kanya ang katagang, "Ang saya-saya mo sa akin e." I discreetly nudged his shoulder with my shoulder and winked at him.

He barely ran his tongue along his bottom lip and bit it, stifling his smiles.

"Pero seriously, nakakapanghinayang Yvio. Ang konti-konti na nga lang ng bilang ng mga litrato mo nakabusangot ka pa," I murmured in dismay. But anyway, worth it naman ang mga stories behind every picture.

"Ayaw ng batang yan sa camera kaya ganyan." I was taken aback with Miss Felicia's abrupt retort. Narinig niya yo'n? "At madalang lang siya ngumiti no'n. Pero ngayon, pansin ko na napakaliwalas ng mukha niya. Siguro ay parati nang ngumingiti yan dahil nandyan ka na." She swiveled her gaze at him. "Tama ba ako iho?" ani nito sa kanya na may panunudyo.

He gave her a nod. "She's my happiness," he mumbled and intertwined our hands.

"Mabuti't nahanap mo na rin ang babae para sayo." She let out soft chuckles. "Akala ko ay tototohanin mo na talaga ang binitawan mong salita na 'di ka mag-aasawa. Masaya akong may idinala ka rito para ipakilala sa akin na iniirog mo."

"Wala naman po talaga akong balak. But then she came..." He squeezed my hand. "she broke the borders I built for myself, she shoved away the bitterness within me, and awakened my heart to love when I thought I couldn't. I don't exactly know how she manage to do all of that but one thing I was certain about is, in every move that she takes, in every word that she says, in every time she's being herself, makes me love her even more each day."

"Hindi naman halata na mahal na mahal mo ano," natatawang saad ni Miss Felicia.

"Mahal na mahal ko po talaga, mama. Mahal na mahal."

"Naku, Tashiro. Natutuwa akong makita kang masaya anak, natutuwa akong makita kayong masaya. Ingatan niyo ang isa't-isa, panatilihin niyong masigla ang inyong relasyon, at siguraduhin niyong kayo na hanggang sa huli."

"Wag po kayong mag-aalala, mama. I'll make sure I wouldn't uprise any reason for her to leave me nor consider any reason for me to leave her. Sisiguraduhin kong 'di namin iiwan ang isa't-isa."

"At sisiguraduhin ko rin yo'n Yvio," I added and jokingly rolled my eyes. "Relasyon natin 'to kaya hindi lang dapat ikaw, dapat ako rin."

"Nakakatuwa kayong pagmasdan." She smiled to the both of us. "Best wishes sa inyo."

The conversation went on. And in the midst of it, I had the urge to go at the restroom. So I politely excused myself. I guess, this was a call that I need to leave the both of them to have their bond. Ayon kay Yvio, matagal-tagal na rin ang huling bisita niya rito kaya nararapat lang na maiwanan sila kahit saglit para magkaroon naman ng oras sa isa't-isa. Hindi man siya ang tunay na ina nito, siya naman ang tumayong ina nito kaya't siguradong pinapahalagahan niya si Miss Felicia ng higit pa sa sobra.