SAUDADE: Loving Eye of Catastrophe (BS8)

Kabanata 22: Ikalawang parte

5:55pm pa lamang ay nakita ko na ang paparating ng rolls royce. I fixed myself before I took a couple of steps near him. Tumakas lamang ako sa hospital pero wala naman na akong duty kaya parang hindi na pagtakas ang nangyare. Though, I am planning to move out soon, delikado mag stay sa ospital lalo na ngayon.

Bago pa man ako tuluyang makalapit sa sasakyan ni Rein ay nakita ko itong naglakad palabas. Nagulat ako nang may bitbit itong bouquet ng bulaklak pag labas ng sasakyan.

"Kyl," He called me, smiling from ear to ear. "You look stunning..."

Kinunutan ko lamang ito ng noo, "Bakit may pa-bulaklak?"

"Wala lang," Saad nito bago inabot sa'kin ang boquet.

"Thank you?" Nag aalinlangan kong saad na kinatawa naman niya.

Bahagya niyang ginulo ang buhok ko. "Tara na nga,"

He guided me near his car. Pinagbuksan ako nito ng pinto sa front seat.

"San tayo?" I asked him,

"Near Madrid's... the new 5 star restaurant there."

Bahagyang nanlaki ang mata ko, "That's fancy." I am aware of how expensive their food is there.

"Parang dati sa fast food chains lamang tayo kumakain, madalas nga nasa food court lang tayo. Time really speeds up so fast." I commented,

"Time passed like that," He mumbled, "Akalain mo 'yun, mag dadalawang-dekada na kitang kilala."

Natigilan ako nang biglang sumeryoso ang boses ni Rein. Kaya hindi na ako nagsalita.

"I witnessed your growth and I think that's the best thing I could ever ask for." He seriously said, I can feel each word came from his heart.

Our ride to the restaurant becomes quiet. Wala nang nagsalita sa'ming dalawa matapos ang bagay na 'yun. We first went for our reservation. Hindi ko maiwasang mapatingin sa paligid, napakaganda ng restaurant na ito.

An awkward silence filled the atmosphere after we were both seated.

Bahagya ko na lamang nilalaro ang keychain sa purse ko.

"Actually, I don't know what to say nor how to start..." Rein said after a few minutes passed on our seats.

I gently smiled at him, "let's just order our meal first."

Kinuha ko ang menu na inabot ng waiter sa'min. I can choose from a variety of options. Akmang ililipat ko ng page ang menu nang magsalita si Rein.

"If you chose not to change, you chose to let me go..." He casually said, "your words are still haunting me 'til now. It is echoing to my ears every second that passes by." I can feel the pain with his words.

"Rein..."

"Akala ko kapag minahal kita sapat na 'yun, dapat pala minahal kita sa paraang naiintindihan ng puso mo." He mumbled as he closed the menu. "Sorry for failing you again, Kyl."

I chuckled to break the tension. "Sabi ko umorder muna ih.."

Natawa din si Rein. "Sorry,"

Tinawag nito ang atensyon ng waiter para kunin na ang order namin. The moment that the waiter passed by. The awkward silence brought us to our table again.

"One thing I learned about loving you... is it is okay to love from afar, to wait from a distance... to settle with even a tiny glimpse of your skin." I almost whisper, "kasi... I always fed myself with the thought that true love waits... It is okay to wait."

"Way back in college, I realized the most tragic form of love is: Two people who love each other can't be together."

Nakikita ko na pinipigilan ni Rein ang mga luhang nagbabadyang tumulo sa mga mata niya.

"Kasi mahal kita, at alam kong mahal mo ako, Rein. Ramdam ko 'yun, kung paano mo ipatong 'yung ulo mo sa balikat ko kapag magkasama tayo. Kung paano mo hawakan 'yung kamay ko, kung paano ka nag stay kapag alam mong kailangan kita... sabi ko, maybe in the future we could try again. Kapag hindi na natin dinedeny sa sarili natin na mahal natin 'yung isa't-isa."

"But even now, we failed again." I sighed, "Maybe it is a sign to let go of each other."

He gulped, "as long as you are not angry at me, I will be fine."

I smiled, "I am not,"

"But we should be aware of our boundaries, okay?"

He nodded, "I a-am always thankful for you, Kyl."

I smiled. The dinner happened fast.

We spent the next minutes laughing with our old stories and more. Wala nang nag bring up sa'min tungkol sa pinunta naming dalawa dito. We enjoyed the night like two best friends having fun together.

Bahagya akong napatingin sa gilid ko nang tulungan ako ni Rein tumayo. "Tara na, Kyl. Delikado kapag masyado tayong ginabi."

Tumango na lamang ako, "Pero hindi ko talaga makakalimutan 'yung pagcutting classes mo noon ah."

He laughed too, "bakit ba? Feeling ko nga noon ako si Superman."

We both laugh at our jokes that only we understand.

Nagulat ako nang makita ko si Hexion na nakatayo sa labas. His aura is intimidating, I can't help but to be shocked. "I'm getting them home..." He looked back to Rein before holding me, "...eto na sana 'yung huling beses na makikita kitang lumalapit sa mag-ina ko."

Hexion intertwined our fingers before guiding me out.

Sinundan ko ng tingin si Rein, nakita ko siyang nakitingin sa kamay namin ni Hexion pero agad itong nag angat sa akin ng tingin. Ngumiti siya na parang sinasabi sa akin na masaya siya para sakin.

"You are making a scene, Hex."

Natigilan ako nang makita ko ang isang magandang babae na nasa harapan namin. The head chef was in her back, making me conclude that she is the owner of the restaurant.

Hexion sighed, "Sinusundo ko lang si Joxzel, Ate."

The elegant woman glanced at me, "So, you are Joxzel?"

Hindi ko maiwasang mapatingin sa kaniya. May pagkakahawig sila ni Hexion pero hindi nakuha ng babaeng ito ang kulay lilang mga mata ni Hexion. There is a huge possibility that one of their parents has brown eyes.

I nodded, "I am, and I apologized for the scene–"

"No," She chuckled, her whole presence screams elegance and I can't deny the fact that she is breathtaking. "You are far to blame... ranas ko din 'yang ganyang problema."

"Ang hirap maging maganda minsan," She laugh even harder. Nakita ko ang pagsinghap ni Hexion sa tabi ko. "By the way, I'm Chef Heelia Xie, Hexion's cousin."

Ohh... I thought she was his sister.

"Ate, we are leaving..." Tumango na lamang si Heelia sa sinabi ni Hexion.

Before we could ever leave, Heelia speaks. "Joxzel, are you free on Friday?"

Bahagya muna akong tumingin kay Hexion. "I don't remember anything that I would do on Friday... so, yah."

"Great!" Masayang saad niya. "Then I assume I will see you again at our Family reunion. See you by then, huh!? Take care, I need to go too."

Their family reunion? So, nandoon din ang mga magulang ni Hexion...?