To: You || DoDam

CH3

"Hindi ka naman napipilitan diba?" Tanong pa ni Kuya David. Umiling din ako bilang sagot at natawa pa. "Hindi ka naman ganito kuya ah, concerned yan?" 

"Malamang. Sinaktan nung pinsan ko yung kaibigan ko mula pagkabata." Sagot niya naman at tsaka pa ako inirapan. Oo nga pala. Magpinsan sila ni Sam. Tipid akong ngumiti at hinayaang mabalot kaming dalawa ng katahimikan. 

"Kakanta ka raw mamaya sabi ni Justin?" Tanong niya ulit. Nakakapanibagong tanong ng tanong si Kuya David. Isa 'to sa mga pinakatahimik eh. "Oo. Sabi rin ni Kuya MM eh." Sagot ko ulit. Kung ano-ano pa yung pinagkwentuhan namin ni Kuya David ng biglang iluwa ng entrance si JJ. "Pagod yan?" Sarkastikong sambit ni Kuya David pagkakita kay JJ na naliligo na sa pawis. "Hindi naman kuya, akala lang ni Kuya Dan kinidnap na kayo pareho ni Kuya Kyle." Paliwanag naman ni JJ kaya tumayo na kami agad ni Kuya David para bumalik na.

"Nga pala Kuya David," panimula ni JJ habang bumababa kami ng hagdan. 

"Ikaw daw tinawagan ni Kuya Samuel?" Inosenteng tanong ni JJ. Tumango naman si Kuya David at pagkatapos ay bumuntong hininga. "Oo. Mga alas dos daw siya makakapunta." 

Nakabalik na kami sa VIP Space at nakita namin na kakarating lang nga talaga nung pagkain. Tinapik na ni Kuya David yung balikat ko at naglakad na palapit kay Kuya June. Tumabi naman ako kay Kuya Jaden na abala pa sa cellphone niya, kaya ako na yung kumuha ng pagkain niya. 

Mabilis na lumipas yung oras at nalaman na lang namin na papunta na si Sam kaya inon na nila yung aircon, hinawakan na ni Justin at JJ yung party poppers at nag-abang naman kami sa pagdating ng isa naming kaibigan. Si Kuya Daniel ang katabi ko ngayon at nakaakbay siya sa'kin at tinatapik-tapik pa ang balikat ko. "Kuya naano ka?" Tanong ko sa kanya. Napatingin siya sa'kin at tsaka ako binigyan ng ngiti bago sumagot.

"Kilala kita, Kyle. Kilalang-kilala." 

Hindi ko alam kung anong gusto niyang iparating sa sagot niya kaya naguluhan lang ako. Tatanungin ko pa sana siya kung ano yung ibig sabihin niya, kaya lang hindi ko na naituloy  dahil bumukas na bigla yung pinto at dumating na yung hinihintay namin.

Wala naman ako sa gitna, pero hindi ko alam kung bakit nagkatinginan pa kami. Pagkapasok na pagkapasok niya, napunta talaga yung tingin sa'kin.

After 5 years, Sam.

SAMUEL

Earlier.

"Sam when are you going to start working at the hospital?" Tanong sa'kin ng kapatid ko habang nagmamaneho siya papunta sa venue kung nasaan yung mga kaibigan ko.

If I were to be honest with him, I want to rest first. I mean, I just got back from a foreign place, I want to let my body adjust to the atmosphere of my motherland first. But I couldn't say that to my brother, he's a workaholic. And he dislikes wasting time. I think rest doesn't even have room to stay at in his vocabulary.

"Monday of this month's third week. Just give me time to adjust." I said, risking a lot with a simple answer. I expected him to glare at me or even roll his eyes, but he didn't do any of those. He just breathed out and nodded. "Fine. If that's what you want." He even added. 

"What the- Are you okay? Are you sick?" I asked, curiosity taking up most of the space my mind had. 

Hearing my question, my brother glared at me briefly, since he had to keep his eyes on the road. "Quit fooling around, Samuel. I know you know what you're doing now. You've changed from that hard to control 19-year old to this disciplined, prince-like 24-year old." He muttered. 

"Thanks for the trust I guess."  I added, before chuckling and fixing my posture as I remained seated in his passenger seat. I was lucky enough that today's his day off, I was able to hitch a free ride somehow. 

Tinatamad ako magmaneho eh, ilalabas pa na naman yung kotse mula sa garahe. Ayaw ko ng ganun, nakakatamad kasi talaga.

"By the way," Pagsalita ulit ng kapatid ko kaya napalingon ulit ako sa kanya.

"Justin said Kyle's coming, you ready for that?" 

His question made my smile fade. Why is everyone suddenly asking kung ready na ba akong makita ulit si Kyle? It's not like there's this big wall between us. Totoo na limang taon na nakalipas, at sa limang taon na yun, nasanay ako na wala siya. Nasanay ako at natanggap ko na. Ano naman ngayon kung makita ko siya? Syempre pupunta yun kasi kukulitin yun nina Kuya David kung hindi.

"Your eyebrows are furrowed. I guess you're not."
"I am. There's no reason for me not to be ready." Maawtoridad kong sagot sa kapatid ko na alam kong napatingin sa'kin. "Really now? Okay, if you say so." Saad niya. Sumasang-ayon siya sa sinabi ko pero yung tono niya kabaliktaran naman. 

"Believe me or not, I am. It's only for a day anyway. I'm not even aware of what he's up to since-"
"I told you, Sam. He's a successful songwriter and producer at one of the big four."

Ay, talaga? Tinuloy niya?

Dahil sa sinabing yun ng kapatid ko, napayuko ako at natahimik. Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako at tsaka napailing. "Congrats to him then. He did what he wanted to in the first place."

"Yeah, even though you doubted him."
"Can we not talk about him right now?"

Hindi ko sinasadyang mahaluan ng galit ang tono ko ng pananalita, pero hindi ko na napigilan. Pag si Kyle na ang usapan, hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko. Naiinis ako.

Tinawanan lang ako ng kapatid ko habang napapailing. "Yan ang ready? I don't think so, Samuel. You better work on that or else.." 

"Or else what? As if something will happen. He probably doesn't even care about me anymore." Pagsabat ko kaya hindi agad natapos ni Kuya Charles ang sinasabi niya. 

Tinigil niya yung kotse sa harap ng isang building at tsaka napatingin sa'kin. 

"Or else that will be the reason why you'll find yourself regretting something you chose to do 5 years ago."