All Jokes Aside (Imperfect Series #3)

Chapter 26

Tumingala ako sa langit at hindi ko napigilan na mapangiti sa lagay ng panahon. This was the perfect timing for having this so peaceful vacation. I tightened the blanket hugging around me and I pushed the wood to lit the fire more. Malamig pero tama ang paglagay ng fire place sa labas.

"Tea?" Hyunjin offered a cup of tea to me.

Dalawang kamay kong tinanggap ang tsaa. "Thank you, Mr. Nam." I thanked him.

He went back to his seat and watched the fire burned the woods slowly. Hinipan ko ang mainit na tsaa para makainom ako. May dalang tsaa si Hyunjin na galing sa Taiwan. He brought five packets of it. Gaya ko ay mahilig din siya sa tsaa.

"Mmm, it's sweet." I praised.

He smiled against the rim of the cup then he nodded. "Yeah, I put a little amount of honey onto it. It's better to have honey on it."

"I like the aroma of this tea with honey. Never been tasted something like this before, how did you know how to make delicious teas?" Amazed, I asked him.

"My grandma taught me how to make teas. Here in Korea we have a traditional tea making. A lot of people these days prefer coffees than teas but they don't know the real essence of teas. Teas make our stomach healthier than coffees. That's why I rarely take coffees." he explained and then drank his tea again.

Napatango ako dahil totoo naman ang sinabi niya. Maraming tao ang hindi naaappreciate ang tsaa na mas malusog pa yun kaysa sa kape. "But you know why they love coffee?" Hyunjin stopped and looked at me. "Because they need it to wake their souls. Coffee is their best buddy especially for some students who are studying until midnight or even earliest the morning. Most especially college students, I know that feeling because I was once a student too, and I drank coffee a lot."

Namangha siyang nakangisi sakin na nakataas pa ang kilay. "Oh right, what coffee did you like to drink the most?"

I chortled. "Black. Instant black coffee because it's more affordable than Americanos and cappuccinos." Yung naka-pack na kape lang na binibili ko sa tindahan ang palagi kong iniinom. Mas matipid kasi ang black coffee kaysa sa ibang klase kape. "Black coffee is the most affordable coffee in our place."

"But teas are better than coffees. This night is a tea night. Let's have a cheers, Miss Salamara." He took his cup and raises it, I did as what he did too and our cups kissed with a tiny ting from it.

The night went deeper and we're still outside watching how the night changes into something more magical. Fireflies came out and they're starting to gather on a tree. They're like the stars glowing up in the skies. How the fireflies glinted on a trees, stars were also blooming above us. Mabuti nalang at may linagay na tent si Hyunjin na hindi close, tama lang na matatakpan kami mula sa hamog.

I chuckled softly as mist roared from my nose when I exhaled. Hyunjin glanced on me. "I think we're inside of the freezer. I'm exhaling mist." sabi ko na natawa ako.

"We're like smoking mist." sagot niya nang magsalita siya ay may lumabas na usok mula sa kanyang bibig dahil sa lamig.

Malamig sa labas kaya mabuti nalang at nasa harap kami ng apoy. I brought the cup of tea onto my lips and sipped the last drops of tea. Nang matapos ako sa tsaa ko ay inimbitahan ako ni Hyunjin na pumasok na sa loob ng bahay para hindi kami manigas sa labas dahil sa lamig. It's summer but it seemed like winter. Ako ang naghugas ng mga ginamit namin sa pagkain at pag-inom habang nasa labas si Hyunjin ay siya ang pumatay sa apoy na nasa labas at inayos ang lamesa saka ipinasok niya sa loob ng bahay.

Pumasok ako sa loob ng kwarto ko at nagbihis ng pantulog para maging komportable ako. I only bathed my hair not my body because I felt so tired. I washed my face and did my night skin care routine. Hindi na ako lumabas pa ng kwarto ko. Nang halos lahat ng hibla ng buhok ko natuyo ay humiga ako. Pagtama palang ng ulo ko sa unan ay pinikit ko agad ang mga mata ko at nakatulog agad ako.