Damn him! He really went with Jinthe Delaney. Dapat pala hindi na lang ako nanood!
“Se, calm down. Hindi sila naglalandian,” sabi ni kuya sa’kin na sinang-ayunan naman ni Sicheng. “Sunggaban mo na mamaya,” dagdag pa niya kaya binatukan ko siya agad.
What if I accepted his offer? He’ll make me their third wheel? No, thank you, I’d rather do Yuta’s homework for a whole damn year. “Se, magw-warm up na kami. D’yan ka na, mamaya na lang ulit,” sabi ni Donghyuck at maligayang kumaway sa’kin. Kumaway ‘din ako pabalik hanggang sa tumakbo na siya pabalik sa court. Umupo na ‘din ako sa p’westo ko pero syempre, ‘di ako uupo sa pwesto na malapit kay Taeyong. Dito ako kila kuya. Bahala siya d’yan.
They’re supposed to watch the game. Not smooch each other’s faces off.
I peeked at my phone for a while, surprisingly seeing a message from Taeyong. Nagtipa naman ako ng sagot para sa kanya.
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Oh, damn him! Really! I’ve had enough of couples already! Yuta and now him? Dang, why do I keep on getting dragged onto their businesses?
Padabog kong binalik ang cellphone ko sa bag ko at pinagtuonan ko na lang ng pansin yung laro. It’s DLSU vs. UE, and I’m supporting the green and white for my brother! Not for that one guy playing basketball!
Natanggal sa isip ko si Taeyong nang nagsimula na ang laro. Easy game for Yuta and his team, I suppose. This season, UE’s teams, in any sport, are weak. They lack composure. That’s what I think. At least they’re nice. Their smiles to their opposing team are always genuine. Kaya kahit ‘di sila gano’n kalakas, gusto pa ‘din sila ng tao. Hell, even me! One of UE’s WVT players, Jiheon, is the cutest fluffball I’ve ever seen. You can see them doing their best naman.
As expected, the first set was finished in DLSU’s favor, 25-19. Pero sobra yung binigay ni Xukun na effort dito sa game na ‘to. 9 points, sa kanya lahat. Wala siyang tigil. Sabagay, last year na kasi niya sa UE. He’s making his last year count. If napunta siya sa ibang team na mas malakas, I think he can be the star of UAAP but I don't think he regrets na napunta siya sa East. They’re all happy naman.
“Setoka, pustahan tayo,” sabi ni Yuta sa'kin nang nagpa-sub siya sandali. Tumawa naman ako. Yuta sucks at bets. Dumadami pocket money ko dahil sa kanya. Haha!
“Ano na naman?”
“Lalapitan ka ni Taeyong. Ngayon.”
That’s ridiculous. Busy siya kay Jinthe! Oho, another bet won by the superior Nakamoto. That’s me, by the way. Yuta is inferior!
“Syempre hindi,” mayabang kong sabi at sinabayan ng isang ngisi. “Ihanda mo na limang libo mo, Yuta!” sabi ko. ‘Di naman limang libo as in cash yung pustahan namin. That means five thousand worth of stuff sa Uniqlo. That’s the highest bet we made, we usually stick to Bench kasi. That means isang pabango lang. Minsan nagm-McDo na lang kami.
Ngumisi siya at bumelat bago bumalik sa court. “Sorry, Se, panalo ako ngayon!” sigaw niya at bumalik na nang tuluyan. Nope. I don't think so!
Pagkasimula ng second set, naramdaman kong may umupo sa tabi ko. Tiningnan ko naman siya agad atㅡoh. Lee Taeyong. “Why’re you here?” tanong ko pero nagpatuloy lang siya sa panonood. “Ya,” banta ko pero ‘di pa ‘din siya umiimik.
Tae. Yung pera ko, sis.
“You didn’t want to go beside me, so I went instead,” sabi ni Taeyong kaya napalingon naman ako sa kanya. “Damn you. You’re with Jinthe Delaney, right?” singhal ko sa kanya pero ngumiti lang siya sa’kin.
“I left her. I watched because of you, anyway.”
Umiwas agad ako ng tingin pagkatapos no’n pero ramdam ko pa ‘din na nakatingin siya sa‘kin. Damn you, really! Stop looking! I stood up, feeling like I need to find a new place. Yuta told me Scarlet is somewhere in my 4:30 daw e’. Gee, I need to go away.
Just when I stood up, I felt a pair of hands lock my waist, and I also heard a soft whisper from this man beside me.
