The Brokenhearted Heartbreaker

37

"Doc, sa labas ako magla-lunch, ha? Uunahan na kita dahil baka mahiya ka pang paalisin ako," nakangising pagpapaalam ni Leal bago lumabas ng clinic.

Bago pa ako maksagot ay sinara niya na ang pinto. Napailing na lang ako at nagligpit na ng gamit.

Hindi ko alam kung paano niya nalaman na pupunta si Iouis dito para sabay kaming makapag-lunch.

Hindi nagtagal, dumating na rin si Iouis. Aniya kahapon na siya na ang bahala sa pagkain namin. Hindi na ako nagreklamo dahil mas madali para sa 'kin.

"Pwede tayo sa cafeteria, Iouis," sabi ko ngunit nilabas niya na ang mga food containers at nilapag sa mesa.

"I'm fine here. But we can go there if you want." He looked up to me and paused what he was doing.

He was kneeling beside the table while I was standing in front of him. The table is adjustable, but I don't think he knows that. Imbes an sumagot ay inayos ko na lang ang mesa para mas tumaas ito.

"Walang paparazzi rito, Iouis," puna ko. "Kung gusto mo ng exposure, dapat sa mga parties tayo nakikita!"

Alam kong naririto siya dahil gusto niyang magpatuloy ang "issue" tungkol sa amin para kapani-paniwala na nagde-date nga kami. Ngunit anong silbi kung kami lang naman ang nandito?

He shrugged and stood up. Nasa baywang niya ang dalawang kamay at parang binabasa ako.

"Yeah, that's why we'll attend an art exhibit together... and about me being here, when people see me often, they'll remember me and eventually get curious why I'm here. It's a subtle tactic, Cara."

Napaisip naman ako dahil sa kaniyang sinabi. I guess that's true. Tanda ko pa ang article tungkol sa unexpected naming pagkikita sa parking lot. Anang article na kaya raw kami nagkita rito sa hospital noong gabing 'yon dahil napaka-busy naming dalawa at 'yon na lang ang oras.

And maybe he's right. Mas natural at nakakapaniwala na binibisita niya ako rito. That's what most lovers do, after all!

"Huh, pinag-isipan mo talaga!" I commented with a smirk, then taking the seat in front of him.

Limang putahe ang dala niya ngunit hindi naman ganoon karami ang serving kaya siguradong mauubos namin ang mga pagkain. He handed me the utensils and I was about to take a food until I noticed that he was staring at me.

"What?"

He pursed his lips for a moment while shrugging. "What's with Iouis? Why are you calling me that? What happened to Yuwi, huh?"

Hindi ko mapigilang mapailing. It's so random.

"Call me babe... or any other endearment. I'm your boyfriend, after all..."

Fake boyfriend. I wanted to correct him but chose not to. Siguradong alam niya naman 'yon.

"It's for publicity, Cara," he said while crossing his arms and leaning forward. Now I feel like I'm in a lunch meeting with my lawyer. "What if may makarinig sa 'yo? What if it's a reporter? They're gonna think that we're just fake-dating. But... think about it."

Napangisi ako. He said that I should think about it... but it also feels like I have no option.

"Alright," I said and raised both hands as if accepting my defeat. "I'll call you Yuwi again... I miss it." Hindi ko namalayan ang huling sinabi. Saka na lang nang natigil si Iouis at tinitigan lang ako na parang nagulat din.

I shrugged, playing it cool. He surely heard it. He wouldn't react that way if he didn't... at isa pa, ano naman ngayon?

We continued eating and talked. He told me about some of his most challenging cases while I shared some bits of my time as a jet-setter volunteer. Patapos na kami sa pagkain nang biglang bumukas ang pinto at niluwa niyon si Leal.