Hiraeth (Opprimo Series # 1)

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Sanctuary

Hindi ko mawari kung bakit siya umiiyak. Hindi niya rin naman ito ipinahahalata sa akin kaya minabuti ko nang huwag magtanong.

Perhaps he wanted to cry in peace, and maybe I'm invading his privacy?

I tried to shrug off my thoughts.

Siya naman ang kusang lumabas dito sa garden nila at piniling humiga sa damuhan para umiyak. Hindi ko naman sinabing samahan niya ako rito. Pero bakit ba kasi siya umiiyak?

It's not like I'm dying to know the reason behind his tears. Yes, maybe a part of me is a bit curious. Pero may parte rin naman sa aking ayaw kong malaman ang dahilan.

Ayaw ko naman siyang tanungin tungkol doon. Gusto kong kusa niyang sabihin sa akin kung ano ba ang mali sa kaniya ngayon. I don't want to touch something I'm not supposed to. I respect his privacy.

Ilang minuto na rin siguro ang lumipas mula nang malaman kong umiiyak siya. Still, nobody's uttering any word.

Tanging ang mga kuliglig lamang ang nag-iingay sa paligid at ang himig ng hangin.

I turned to him once again. The little stubbles on his chin were gone. Umuungot ang aking mga labi dahil sa pagkadismaya. I wanted to run my fingers along his growing beard. But they were already gone.

Hindi ko naman puwedeng sabihin sa kaniya na patubuin niya uli. That would be really weird for me to ask for Pete's sake!

Huminga ako nang malalim. Gusto kong haplusin ang mukha niya, gusto ko siyang suyuin. Sana 'wag siyang magalit sa akin kung sakaling ginawa ko nga.

His tears were glistening. Namilog ang aking mga mata nang bigla siyang lumingon sa direksyon ko. Hindi nakatakas sa akin kung paano siya nagpakawala ng isang buntonghininga na sinundan ng isang ngiting hindi man lang umabot sa mga mata niya.

"Wala na si Mint," sabi ni Rhys sa isang napapaos na boses. Napatiim ako. I couldn't handle the breaking in his voice, I'm sure about that.

Pero hindi ako sigurado kung bakit nararamdaman ko ang pagburo ng titig niya sa sistema ko. It was getting into me. His tears, his hoarse voice, and the gleaming of his eyes...

They were all effective.

"He died this morning."

Nahihirapan na akong huminga dahil sa tinging ibinibigay niya. Gustuhin ko mang lumihis ng tingin ay mas nabababagabag ako sa luha niyang patuloy na bumabagsak.

I know how much he loves Mint. He was his buddy ever since we were kids. Naiintindihan ko na ngayon kung bakit siya umiiyak. Kahit hindi naman ako mahilig mag-alaga ng hayop, nasanay din naman ako sa presensiya ni Mint sa bahay nila. His sister loves their dog, too.

Mint made sure that he belonged to every corner of their house. And he really did.

I remember the last time Kuya Dale lost Storm when he was in eighth grade. He didn't come out of his room for a week.

Gagawin din kaya iyon ni Rhys?

"I remember that day Eira named him Mint," he said. Bumalik ang kanyang tingin sa langit, samantalang nanatili akong nakatingin kay Rhys. Pinanonood ang mga luha niyang lumandas pababa sa kaniyang pisngi.

It was an old story. I've heard it a thousand times from Eira. His sister named their siberian husky Mint because his eyes were green instead of brown or blue. It wasn't even mint to begin with; they were olive.

I sighed. He went on telling his favorite tale while I was so occupied watching his lips move as words escaped them.

For some reasons, I had enough courage to extend my hand—barely touching his cheek, my heart was at the edge of my throat, until I finally did.