There Was You (Completed)

13 - Miss Maine

♪♪Waray  Waray,  hindi tatakas. Waray Waray, handang matodas. Waray  Waray, bahala bukas. Waray Waray, manigas! ♪♪ (Waray Waray as sung by Ms. Slyvia La Torre representing not just warays but Filipinas in general)

"He's Korean."

Maine was sitting on her bed with Tita Terrie walking back and forth in front of her, like a detective interrogating a witness and manang Lydia following behind her.

Tita Terrie stopped and faced her. "North or South? O, bakit ganyan ka tumingin? Anong mali sa tanong ko? That's a very valid question."

"From South Korea."

"May kapangitan o kaguwapuhan?

"Sakto lang. There's his timeline. That's him in the photo."

"Hmmm... sakto nga lang. At marunong mag-English, may English na mga posts."

"Yes, Tita. I was the one who taught him English."

A/N: Now you know bakit pinagpipilitan ni author ang South Korea at kdrama, may keneksyen. Sa mga magtatanong, naghahanap pa po ako ng peg at ng pangalan.

"Ikaw ang nagturo? Come on, what's the story? Tell it to Tita. This is interesting."

"Part of my final thesis in college, I had to try doing English tutorial online to non-Filipinos and he became my student for a few months. Then he looked for me when I went with Dad last year to South Korea. He courted me right there and then and I turned him down. End of story."

"Ano ba yan, wala man lang 'once upon a time...'?  Na-basted mo na pala? So, what's the problem?"

"He was very persistent when he courted me. It was very difficult to make him understand that I'm turning him down. Call it cultural differences, or it's just him, or me because I'm not clear in my message. I don't know."

"O tapos?"

Manang Lydia called their attention to the laptop. "Ma'am Terrie, tingnan mo yung FB post niya, stolen shot niya kay Maine, tapos may 'See you very soon!'".

"At ikaw Lydia, bakit ka naman sumigaw? Akala ko tuloy may kinakatay dito?"

"Eh kasi, eh kasi, pag siya napangasawa ng alaga ko, ma'am Terrie, eh di dadalhin siya sa Korea. Ang layo-layo ng Korea. Hindi ko na siya makikita!"

"Kumalma ka! Asawa, agad-agad? Leave it to me. Sanay tayo diyan. Hindi n'yo naitatanong, international din ang mga suitors ko sa US. Italian, German, Chinese, Spanish, name it, I basted them all"

"Basted Tita, as in basting in cooking?"

"Binasted ko! Sinabi ko bang 'beysted'? But I like that Nicomaine, nagjojoke ka na. Teka, baka naman magto-tour lang dito sa Pinas yan? Masyado lang kayo advanced mag-isip?"

"Mukhang hindi ma'am Terrie, pinusuan yung 'See you soon' eh. Tatlong puso pa!"

Tita Terrie felt that she had to speak to her niece alone. This is a job for super Terrie!

"Lydia, meron ba tayong puwedeng midnight snack diyan? Medyo napagod ako pagtakbo dito nung marinig ko yung sigaw mo."

"Sige ma'am Terrie, may gusto ba kayong kainin? Ikaw Maine?"

"Aaahm, do you know how to prepare banana-q, manang?"

"Pordiyosporsanto! Paghahanapin mo pa ko ng saging na saba ng ganitong oras? At kailan ka pa natutong kumain ng banana-q?"