Forbidden Pleasure

Chapter 29

"Everything I have done, every change I have made to that circus, every impossible feat and astounding sight, I have done for her."
—Erin Morgernstern, The Night Circus

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Chapter 29

Iritado kong tinapon ang hawak kong cellphone. Fuck! I don't want to get married! I massaged my temple and closed my eyes.

"You need to chill, man," Kiyo said. "Let's go bar?"

"Son of an asshole, I'm in." Tumayo agad ako at naunang lumabas ng pinto.

We stepped inside the bar. Unang bumungad sa akin ang usok ng sigarilyo. Kiyo handed me one, and I immediately lit it up. Dumiretso naman kami sa isang sofa at nilapitan agad naman kami ng waiter.

"Three bottles of black label and four hard whiskeys. That's all," said Kiyo.

Naglilibot naman ako ng paningin. I hate this life. Isn't it too early for me to get married? Ga-graduate pa ako. I still want to enjoy life. Masyado pang maaga para matali ako.

"Enjoy your night, man. Bukas na bukas, engagement party niyo na," pangbubuska ni Kiyo na mas lalong ikinainis ko.

I roamed my eyes around, and it settled on the woman wearing a red body-con dress that really hugged her curves. She's sober, I can tell. Panay rin ang order nito sa bartender. Balak sigurong lunurin ang sarili sa alak. Pansin ko ring may kasama itong babae na panay ang salita, sa tingin ko ay pinapangaralan siya.

Dumating ang waiter at nilapag ang mga bote ng alak na ini-order ni Kiyo. Kinuha ko ang isa at binuksan ito. Walang pagsubaling tumunga ako sa bote at muling bumaling sa babaeng nakita ko kanina. She's now alone. Panay pa rin ang tunga nito sa goblet na sa tingin ko'y may lamang hard drink.

Muli akong tumunga sa aking bote bago ito nilapag sa mesa. I stood and made my way in her direction. Habang palapit ako ng palapit, I can see how beautiful she is.

"Hey," I said in monotone. Umupo ako sa katabing counter niya at nag-order din ng inumin. "Alone?"

She looked at me. Mapupungay ang mga mata nito, plump lips, matangos ang ilong, mahahaba rin ang kanyang pilik mata. May lahing hapon. Maputi ito na mas pinatingkad ng kulay ng kanyang damit.

She chuckled. And it would sound so damn weird if I said it's like a melody to my ears. Malamyos ang boses niya, ibang-iba sa boses ng mga nakakasalamuha ko sa araw-araw.

"Watashi no yotta jōtai demo, kare wa mada watashi ga miru hitodesu," she murmured in a foreign language to me. And I think it's Japanese. [translation: The fuck is this, even in my drunken state, he's still the person I see.]

Napakunot ang noo ko. "What did you say?"

"Nothing," mabilis nitong sambit. She abruptly stood and almost lost her balance.

Good thing I have fast reflexes to catch her small waist easily. She held my shirt to support her balance and helped herself to stand properly, but she failed. Muli na naman itong nawalan ng balanse. She clung her arms around my neck and kissed me without any warning.

My eyes widened due to her sudden reaction. I watch how her eyes close as if she's savoring the moment.

"Let's do the nasty, Mr. Stranger. I want to forget the pain, even just for tonight."

And I didn't know that that night would give me a reason to temporarily cancel my wedding, but my engagement was pursued, and everyone came, except for my parents, who are in another country.