ichi-go ichi-e

Three

Franco was lost. He's been walking around the Department Store for 30 minutes now but he couldn't seem to find his way back to his Kuya Aldo.

"Dito lang 'yun kanina eh. Naaalala ko 'to. Kita ko pa 'to kanina eh. Tapos dito nag-right ako."

But he turned left.

He was just trying to pull a prank on Kuya Aldo, hiding behind racks of clothes inside the Department Store, while Kuya Aldo was speaking to someone on the phone.

Franco was actually having fun. It was like a huge playground for this 20-year-old boy.

He was trying to follow just his Kuya Aldo's voice. It was a voice he could recognize even in a sea of different sounds. But when his Kuya Aldo stopped talking on the phone, he lost track of where Kuya Aldo was.

"Iniwan ba 'ko ni Kuya?" He asked no one in particular.

"Kuya? Kuya... sorry na po. Sorry... Uwi na tayo, Kuya. Sorry na. Hindi na ko magkukulit. Promise. Pati sa school gagalingan ko na po, promise. Magbabait na po ako. Wag mo ko iwan dito Kuya. Nasan ka na ba?"

On one corner of the Department Store, a new sales lady has just finished her orientation and was now left alone on her post.

She has been observing this cute, quite tall guy with fair complexion who has been roaming around and who seems to be looking for someone. While he is a cute guy, she noticed that his actions are a little strange for the way he looks.

His stature tells her he must be just around her age, but his actions make him look like a five-year-old boy. He also seemed to be talking to no one in particular, but she cannot make out what he was saying. He was out of earshot.

Kyot kyot naman this guy, kaso mukhang payb eh.

"Kuya, nasan ka na ba? Ah! Magtanong kaya ako? Hingi ako ng tulong. Hala, ayoko kay kuya guard. Baka ipulis ako. Bawal naman ako magtalk sa stranger.... Kanino na 'ko magpapatulong???"

Franco noticed a woman on the far end of the Department Store. He was shy to ask but he knew he had no other choice. He had to look for Kuya Aldo, and maybe asking a beautiful sales lady where his Kuya is might help him.

"Ate...Ateng Maganda..." Franco shyly called out to the lady.

"Hi! Anong kailangan mo?" the sales lady asked him. "Ateng Maganda, kasi po, nawawala po ako... Mahehelp mo po ako?" sagot ni Franco.

"Sinong kasama mo?" tanong niya.

"Kuya Aldo ko po. Nakita mo po sya? Nawawala ko po sya. Kanina po kasi nitataguan ko sya. Nagpiplay lang naman po ako eh. Nijojoke kop o sya. Nagtatago po ako sa mga sa sa mga damit na madaming madami. Nitataguan ko po sya kasi may nikakausap po sya sa phone nya na babe. Tapos nung lumabas ako sa nipagtaguan ko, wala na si Kuya Aldo ko. Kanina ko pa niikot yung tinadahan ditto wala pa rin si Kuya Aldo ko! Ate, baka niiwanan nya na 'ko!!! Help mo po ako, please? Hanap natin si Kuya... Please po, Ateng Maganda, please po???"

Umiiyak na si Franco at medyo nagpapanic na 'yung sales lady. Unang araw pa man din nya sa Department Store tapos may ganito agad na pangyayari.

They were starting to cause a scene and it might not be good for her on her first day.

Ano bang itatawag ko dito? Babe? Charot! Haay, tama na muna ang harot, girl. Ikalma mo.

"Hala, Baby Boy, 'wag kang umiyak. Tahan na," the sales lady tried to console the big boy she addressed as baby boy.

Di na 'ko baby. Sabi ni Kuya Big Boy na 'ko eh. He cried some more.

"Baby Boy, stop crying na kasi. Ihe-help kita, promise. Basta stop crying na. Hanapin natin 'yung kuya mo, okay?" Her voice was soothing and Franco was immediately drawn to her.

"Ta-talaga p-po? Hanap natin Kuya Aldo ko? Tulong mo si Franco? Baka iniwan nya na 'ko eh. Nijo-joke ko lang naman sya eh. Nitataguan ko lang po, Ate-" Franco looked up and was stunned at the sight of her deep brown eyes. Sobrang na-attract si Franco sa mga mata ng sales lady na tumutulong sa kanya.

"Ateng Maganda...."

"Okay, sige. Ganito, sabihin mo sa'kin 'yung name mo, name ng kasama mo, tapos ipapatawag natin sya ha?"

"Okay po," Franco gave her his details. Later on, she escorted Franco to the customer service booth, where a representative paged for Aldo.

While waiting, the sales lady sat with Franco and she tried to pacify him a little by making him laugh. It wasn't a tough job, really, as Franco seems to be at ease with her.

A few minutes later, Aldo was relieved at the sight of Franco and the sales lady laughing. He was quite worried that Franco is already throwing tantrums because Aldo knew how stressing it might be for Franco, being lost in a huge Department Store.

"Hay, Franco! Mababaliw ako kahahanap sa'yo!" He said with a huge sigh.

"Kuya! Kuya, akala ko iniwan mo na 'ko eh. Sorry po kulit ako ah? Promise po, 'di ko na uulit 'yon. Promise po! Sorry Kuya. Wag ka gagalit kay Franco Kuya ah? Wag mo ko papamigay ah?" He said, seemingly on the verge of crying again. So before he does, Aldo assured him that he's not angry.

"Franco, hindi galit si Kuya sa'yo at hindi ka iiwan ni Kuya. Pano ka nga ba napunta dito? Naglakad ka mag-isa?"

"Ay, Kuya! May Ateng Maganda na tumulong sa'kin. Nitatawag nya kong Baby Boy. 'Wag ka magagalit kay Ateng Maganda ah kahit big boy na 'ko nitatawag nya kong Baby Boy. Okay lang naman yon. Ayon, Kuya o. Si Ateng Maganda na may magandang eyes, tsaka gandang voice."

"Tara, mag thank you tayo sa kanya."

Aldo and Franco went to the sales lady to thank her.

"Miss, ako nga pala si Aldo. Salamat sa pagtulong kay Franco ah."

"Naku, sir, walang anuman po. Baby Boy, 'wag mo nang uulitin 'yon ah. 'Wag ka nang hihiwalay sa Kuya mo. 'Wag mon a syang pagtataguan ha? Sige ka, baka makuha ka ng bad guys."

"Opo, Ateng Maganda. Promise po."

"SIge ah. Sir, Baby Boy, balik na po ako sa pwesto ko ah. Ingat po."

"Salamat ulit, Miss."

"Bye, Ateng Maganda."

Before her first shift ended that day, the new sales lady was commended for what she did to pacify the special boy she met earlier that day.

A few months later, the sales lady will return to school under a scholarship program and will choose to take up Special Education.

Two years later, in a gift shop her mom owns, the then-sales lady, now majoring in Special Education, and Franco will meet again.

One time; one meeting.

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A/N: Hi mga lalabs! XD Pasensya na at mega disappearing act ang drama ng lola nyo ha. Niallamon lang currently ng realidad. Since Friday pa busy-bee sa work ang lolamey!!! At dahil kahit werk werk werk werk werk is layp para sa ekonomiya, eh fangirling is layper, here's an UD for all of you guys.

Also, pag-pray natin ang weekly finals ni Madam. Syempre, Team RaMen all the way! Para AllOut-RaMen tayiz sa Finals diba? Baliwan na itey! hahahaha

SO ayun, lalabs, leave comments, vote, share, you know the drill!

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