There Was You (Completed)

27 - Just Pure Talk

A/N: This is a very short and raw update, just to put something out today. Featured song is Sa 'Yo by Silent Sanctuary

Sorry, realities of work calls. Apologies in advance. no editing done, just pure dialogue. Hope you'll guess who's saying what.

"Baba tayo sa labas at baka biglang lumabas ng kuwarto si mamang o si Ryzza."

Medyo malamig ang simoy ng hangin at walang ka-ulap-ulap kaya maliwanag ang gabi. Naupo sila sa gitnang baitang sa hagdan ng bahay.

"Okay, game. Yung tanong ko."

Maine frowned recalling his question. "I don't see what it has to do with my request."

"Ano nga ang request mo para malinaw lang? Yung dahilan kung bakit pumunta kayo dito."

Maine sighed. Looks like he's going to make it difficult. "First, sorry if I offended you."

"At sa tingin mo bakit ako na-offend?" Richard asked looking up at the sky.

"Because I said what happens next is no longer your concern and I refused your help."

He looks at her. "At ang request mo ngayon ay?"

Maine avoided his eyes and looks at the ground instead. "Extreme as it may sound, we really need to stage the wedding and I'm requesting you to play the part of the groom."

"Bakit nagbago desisyon mo? Akala ko sabi mo extreme na ang magkaroon pa ng kasal-kasalan."

"Joon-mo started sending me wedding gifts for the past two days. First sa school then at my father's office, with a message that he's waiting for an invitation to the wedding. I'm sure when I get back, there's more wedding gifts waiting. He also started posting cryptic message about forgetting someone and attending a wedding."

Napailing na lang si Richard sa ibinalita ng dalaga. "Iba din yung manliligaw mo no? Hindi naman suicidal yan at baka mag-attempt na tumalon sa hotel kung hindi mo i-invite?"

"Believe me, I will not be surprised if he does that. Kaya, please, we need your help again before things get worse."

"What happens after the wedding?"

Am I under interrogation? Okay, I deserve all these questions. "After the pretend wedding, he goes back to Korea as he promised. We go our separate ways."

"Paano mo iniisip na maco-convince natin siya that the wedding is real?"

"I'm leaving the details to Tita Terrie because she has the connections. I just need you to say yes that you'll do it."

"Kailan ang planned date for the wedding?"

"We're looking at dates but it has to be before my dad's return to Manila from him business trip, which is in the next two weeks. I told Joon-mo that I'll tell him the venue on the night bago ang araw ng kasal."

Richard finally showed some emotions when he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Ang ewan lang diba? There's something off kung parang business meeting lang kung pag-usapan natin ang kasal.  Don't you agree? Diba dapat parehong excited?"

"Excuse me, Richard, correction lang. Kunwaring kasal, pretend wedding, fake wedding."

"Then balik tayo sa tanong ko, do you believe in weddings or marriage in general?

"Which is exactly my point. This is not a real wedding. Ano ang kinalaman no'n sa request ko sa 'yo, which by the way, you haven't answered yet"

"Payag naman ako. Ako pa ba aayaw? Para namang tumanggi ang manok sa palay. Gusto ko lang malaman ang personal view mo. Please indulge me. Sabihin mo ng for science purposes."

"Bakit di mo pa sinama if I believe in love? Isn't that a personal question already?"

"Personal? Hindi ba normal na usapan lang yan. Kailangan bang maging super close tayo para malaman ang opinion mo? Kung hindi mo masagot agad, ibig sabihin bitter ka. It's either dahil nasawi ka sa isang past relationship or hindi ka pa talaga na-iinlove at binabase mo ang opinion mo sa experience ng iba. Alin doon?"

"Bakit masyado kang interesado?"

"Bakit hindi mo masagot nang derecho? Yes or No?"

"No. I find weddings overrated and marriage unnecessary evil between two people who thought they can't live without each other but can't wait to separate once the illusion fades. I don't know here in the Philippines but statistics in the US says 1 out of two marriages ends up in the divorce. Why go through something that's bound to fail from the start? Now, why are you smiling? Tama ako diba?"

"See ang dali lang mag-express ng opinion when you put your mind to it? Alam mo dapat mas madalas mo gawin yan. Pero kung totoo ang statistics na sinasabi mo, doon pa rin ako sa other 50% who choose to stay with each other and work things out. Traditional hopeless romantic pa rin ako. May isang taong nakalaan para sa 'yo. Kahit gusto mong nasa plano ang mga bagay-bagay, when it hits you, it hits you." (ctto: DTBY Benjie)

"Then we're exactly the opposite because I think I don't have even one romantic bone in my body. And for me, romantic love is even more overrated than weddings."

Maine was surprised when Richard faced her then suddenly captured both her hands. "So wala kang nararamdaman kung hahawakan ko ang mga kamay mo nang ganito? Walang spark?"

"Wait... what are you doing?" She tried to pull her hands back but he won't let them go.

"Bakit hindi ka makatingin? At walang nagkakarerang mga kabayo sa dibdib mo kung ilalagay ko ang kamay ko sa balikat mo? Tulad nito?"

"Richard... stop this."

"Tinetest lang natin ang theory mo, Maine. Look at me. Hindi nanlalambot ang tuhod mo kung ilalapit ko ang mukha ko nang ganito? Wala kang nararamdaman, Nicomaine, kahit katiting?  Feel your pulse, because it's telling a different story."

I can't breathe, why are you doing this? "I don't know what you're talking about. Why are you doing this Richard?"

He suddenly straightened up as if nothing happened. "Practice lang Maine. Practice lang. Dahil kahit gaano pa ka-cynic ang pananaw mo, pagdating ng pretend wedding na yan, you need to act as if you can't live without me."

She was still trying to find a good retort when she heard the sound of her cellphone. It's from Tita Terrie.

"Manang Lydia called. Hindi ka raw sumasagot. Mukhang nagbago na naman plano ng Daddy mo. He's back to original his schedule and will arrive on Sunday. Depending on who's available, the wedding needs to happen either on Friday or Saturday. Pumayag na ba si Richard?"

A/N: Sabi nga ni Ritsard, ang ewan lang nila no?