Chasing Chicago

Rei

Kagagaling ko lang sa opisina ni Supremo dahil pinatawag niya ako pagkalabas ko ng kwartong iyon. He just asked if he will just deposit my money and I said yes. Pinagamot niya din ako sa isa sa mga Doctor ng Supreme.

11:39. I doubt that he was still there.

I heaved a sigh at pinaandar si Eleanor.

I don't know what brought me here in this place.

Napakunot noo ako ng may napansin ako. It was a car. Actually, it's his car. So ibig sabihin na nandito parin siya?

Pumunta ako malapit doon at nakita ko siyang nakaupo sa hood ng kotse at nakasandal sa windshield.

"Hey." Napabalikwas siya ng marinig ang boses ko.

"Thanks God You came!" He happily said. Lumundag siya mula sa hood at yumakap sa akin.

Nanlaki ang mata ko at nanigas ang aking katawan. Fuck! What happened? Did he just hug me? Fucking hug me and I didn't even do a fuckin move?

Kumalas na siya sa pagkakayap sa akin. "Bakit ka ba natatagalan?" Tanong niya bigla.

I fake a cough and look away. Fuck! What really just happened to me? "May...May i-inasikaso lang ako." And now I'm fuckin stammering? Fuck no way!

Nanlaki ang mata ko at mabilis siyang napatingin sa akin nang biglang kumulo ang aking tiyan. Damn!

"Hindi ka pa kumain?" Nag-aalalang tanong niya. Nag-alala? Siya? And why may I ask?

Tumirik ang mata ko. "Yeah. Since this morning."

"WHAAAAAT?!!"

"Fuck! Don't fuckin shout! Are you fuckin trying to break my fuckin eardrums huh?" I shouted and gave him a death glare.

Napayuko naman siya agad. "I'm sorry. I-I'm just shock and worried." Mahinang sabi niya."Wait!" He suddenly said at pumasok sa kanyang kotse.

Pagbalik niya ay may binigay siya sa akin. "Pasensya ka na dito ah? Ito lang ang dala kong pagkain." Napakamot pa siya sa kanyang ulo ng kunin ko na iyon mula sa kanya.

Binuksan ko ang puting cellophane. May laman iyong french fries, dalawang burger, 1 litre selecta Ice cream, tig-iisang piatos at nova, isang coke mismo at... "What's this and this?" Tanong ko kay Yuan at pinakita ang isang plastic na may lamang hindi ko alam.

"Ah that? It's kwek-kwek and fishball. Masarap yan. It's a street foods--"

"What?!" Gulat kong sigaw. Street foods? Pagkaing kalye?

"It's safe. Trust me. And it's delicious. I first tasted it when I was in Grade 8. My gang mates forced me too. Marami sila kaya ano bang laban ko sa kanila? But when I tasted it, nagpabalik-balik na ako. I can't believe na masarap pala iyan. Hehehehe" He even laugh using a very weird one.

Umupo ako sa hood ng kotse niya at umupo doon. Una kong kinuha ang..."What is this again?"

"Kwek-kwek."

"Ah okay. Quack-quack." Pero agad akong napatingin sa gawi niya nang bigla siyang tumawa ng pagkalakas-lakas. Napahawak pa siya sa kanyang tiyan habang nakahiga na sa hood ng kotse. "What? What's wrong with what I've said? As far as I remember, there's no funny about this quack-quack- Hey you!" Sigaw ko sa kanya at sinipa ang kanyang paa. Lalo pa kasi itong natawa.

Napatigil naman ito, pero alam kong pinigilan niya lang tumawa.

"May tatlong bibi akong nakita. Mataba, mapayat mga bibi. Ngunit ang may pakpak sa likod ay iisa. Siyang bibi na nagsabi ng quack-quack. Quack quack quack, quack quack quack." Bigla ulit siyang tumawa. Sinipa ko ulit ang paa niya.

"Hey stop singing weird song!"

He fake a cough. "Sorry. Natatawa lang kasi ako because it is not Quack-Quack. It's Kweeek-kweeek. Got it."

Kwek-kwek? It's sounds the same with the quack-quack. Isn't it?

While I am munching the kwek-kwek ay napatango-tango ako.

"How was it?" He asked.

"Well..." Nag-iisip pa ako.

"Ano?" Atat niyang tanong.

"Masarap." Napasuntok siya bigla sa kanyang kaliwang palad.

"Sabi ko sa iyo ee." He said with a smile. Napaiwas naman ako ng tingin.

I also eat the fishballs. It's not that bad also. Kinain ko din ang isang burger at ang fries. Now, I'm eating the ice cream.

"What?" I asked without even looking at him. I know he is staring at me kanina pa.

"What happened? Why did you cut your cheek and blow-up the edge of your lips?" Naramdaman ko ang pag-aalala niya sa kanyang boses.

Nanigas naman ako. Hindi dahil sa ice cream na kinain ko, but with his smooth palm that touches my wounds.

Nabitiwan ko bigla ang kutsara dahil sa biglang pagtibok ng aking puso.

"Zero. You are really a badass, and I love it." Mas lalo naman akong nanigas. Fuck! What's this? "But, I just wanted to tell to take good care of your self. I don't want you to get hurt, because I also felt hurt and I don't know why. Seeing you with this..." Hinawakan niya ang mga sugat ko sa mukha." Makes my heart squeeze, and I don't really know why, Zero. Hindi ko na alam kung anong nangyari sa akin."

Napatitig ako sa kawalan.

I also don't know what also happened to me. I changed- I changed a lot. And it all started when I'm with him. Fuck! What is really the fuckin meaning of this? I know now how to smile, laugh, shout, and show an emotions. Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! This is not the real me. The real me who can't feel anything. The real me who is just a cold one.

And... My heart. It beats. It beats faster at siya lang ang nakakagawa niyon. It's fuckin weird. I'm fuckin weird.

"Zero, natutunaw na ang ice cream." Nagising lang ako nang marinig ko iyon mula sa kanya. "Kakain ka pa?" I shook my head. Kinuha niya ang lalagyan ng ice cream at tinakpan.

"Thanks." Nagulat ako sa aking sarili ng marinig ko ang sinabi ko. Fuck! Did I just said thanks? Damn!

"You're welcome." He said while grinning.

"Anyway, Don't call me Zero. It's Rei." I said. Nagulat naman ako sa aking sarili. Ugh!

"Rei? Is it your real name?"

"Yeah."

"Rei. It's a Japanese word of zero." Napangiti naman ako ng mapait sa sinabi niya.

"I... Know. And it suits me." Gulat naman siyang napatingin sa akin.

"Why-" Napatigil siya ng tumunog ang kanyang iphone. Sinagot niya iyon. Hindi ko narinig ang pinag-uusapan nila dahil may malalim akong iniisip. "Rei... I'm sorry, but I-I have to go." Malungkot niyang sabi.

"Nahhh, it's okay. You can go, I won't be mad or something. I bet it's very important." He felt relief.

"Promise! Babawi ako sayo. I want to see you again tomorrow in here. 10 p.m." Mabilis niyang sabi.

Bumaba na kami sa hood ng kotse niya.

"I don't want to leave you, but It is needed. Bye Gorgeous. Take care." Nagulat ako ng bigla niya akong halikan sa pisngi.

"Hey!" I shouted at him pero nakapasok na siya sa driver's seat.

Napatingin nalang ako sa kotse niyang papalayo.

I smiled habang nakatingin sa mga ilaw ng building na nakikita ko sa ibabang parte.

That guy.

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A/N: Hayyyy! I'm inlove.

rienLavander