January 2, 2019, 1:30am, Nuvali:
"Kuya, Happy Birthday ulit. Pasok na din kami ha? Tulog na sina Lola. Inaantok na din si Angel tsaka ano... para masolo mo muna si ano..." Riza tells her big brother and points to Maine who is talking to their Dad in their garden.
"Uy! Ano?" RJ blushes, a wide grin stretching the sides of his lips.
"Luh... Wag ka na mag-deny, Kuya. Halata naman yung ngiti mo abot langit mula nung dumating si Ate Meng kanina."
"Surprised lang. Di ko inasahan."
"Hindi ba talaga? Eh kahapon pa lang umaasa ka na nung umuwi dito galing Bulacan para i-invite siya sa salubong ng Birthday mo." She laughs. "Iba din ah. Mas malapit naman dito ang MOA pero dun ka dumiretso after countdown para siguraduhin na makausap mo siya eh magkikita din naman kayo sa Bulaga. Labo!"
"Pero malinaw." He smiles as he gazes at M who is currently laughing at something their father said. Probably another anecdote from his childhood that she would later use to bully him into doing something for her. Not that she needed to because he would willingly do anything for her if he can, whenever he's given the chance to.
"Kasi um-effort. May pinatunayan." She smirks.
"Kailangan. Baka kasi makalimutan." His smile fades into a thoughtful expression.
"Mahal ka. Hindi ganoon kadali kalimutan yun, Kuya. May mga pagdadaanan, may mga papagitan, may mga pangamba, may pagkakataon na akala mo wala nang pag-asa pero yung pagmamahal gaya ng meron kayo, hindi basta-basta nawawala." His little sister tells him. "Sa huli, dun ka pa rin naman sa mahal mo lalo na kung alam mong mahal na mahal ka din naman."
"Uy! Ikaw dami mong alam. Ako mas matanda di ba? Kuya ako."
"Hindi naman lahat mas alam mo, Kuya."
"Oo na. Sige na. Pumasok na kayo. Antok na si Angel di ba?"
"Sabi ko nga." She laughs. "Angel, halika na." She takes their youngest sister's hand. "Goodnight, Kuya. Happy Birthday ulit."
"Goodnight." He smiles. "Hali nga kayo dito." He opens his arms and wraps his little sisters in an tight hug.
"Love you, Kuya." Angel says.
"Love you. Love you. Mahal ko kayong dalawa." He pulls them closer and kisses each of their foreheads.
Maine who is standing just a few feet away turns just in time to see the tender moment between siblings. This draws a gentle smile on her face as she watches them.
"Teka sali ako diyan." DB says and walks towards his children then joins the hug.
"O! Bawal umiyak, Dad." RJ laughs.
"Baka mauna ka pa." DB teases.
"Pareho lang po kayo." Angel giggles.
The family hug lasts for a few more minutes then the girls and DB say their goodnights and walk to the house but not before his Dad whispers, "Happy Birthday ulit, nak. Tandaan mo, pag mahal mo, ipaglalaban mo, hindi basta isusuko na lang. Nandiyan na. I-pursue mo na yan."
"Oo naman, Dad. Never again. Ilalaban ko to talaga." RJ sighs and smiles as he waves to them.
He then turns to look at her, the woman who makes his heart sing and his soul giggle. He finds her staring at him with a soft smile on her face. He knows he can never find of love anywhere else. He can never have this much happiness like the one he that he has when he's with her. If only he can be with her. Again.
He walks towards her, keeping his eyes glued on her face, each step feeling like a walk in the clouds.
Finally, he is a foot away from her and stops. Eye to eye, he reaches for her hand and holds it. She lets him. With smiles on their lips, he leans closer and whispers her name.
"Maine..." He closes his eyes as her sweet breath brushes on his lips.
"Kuya..." She whispers.
He eyes fling open and he gasps in disbelief. "Anong Kuya? Bakit Kuya? Saang Kuya?"
He pouts and she giggles.
"Di nakakatawa." He sulks and she laughs louder.
"Ang pikon mo talaga sa Kuya noh? Alam mo kasi, RJ. Okay yun eh. Ituring mo na lang akong kapatid, Kuya." She says the last word with a little smirk and winks at him.
His expression suddenly changes from a childish pout to a sullen face full of questions. "Yun ba talaga ang gusto mo, Maine? Wala na ba talaga? Kuyazoned na ako?"
She sees the sadness in his eyes and stops laughing. "Uuuy... Birthday oh. Smile ka naman." She gently strokes his stubbled chin.
"Paano naman? Binasted mo na ako eh."
"Uy! Di ko sinabi yun ah. Ikaw tong naga-assume." She tells him.
As if he was struck with a bolt of lightning full of hope, a thousand sparkles immediately appear in his eyes and his lips turn up into a grin.
"So sinasagot mo na ako ulit?"
"Teka. Sinabi ko ba yun?" She chuckles. "Alam mo ikaw? Assumero ka eh."
"So hindi pa tayo ulit?"
"Nanliligaw ka na ba ulit?"
"Hindi pa ba halata?"
"Hindi ka naman nagsasabi kasi."
He sighs. She's right. He just assumed that since he was doing exactly what he did before to court her, that she would know that he's doing the same thing this time. That he has every intention to win her back. That it was the biggest mistake of his life to let her go in the first place when pressures in their relationship, from outside and between them, became too much for them to handle.
He takes her hands in his and looks deep into her eyes, opening his heart and soul to her. "Maine, mahal na mahal na mahal kita. Mahal pa rin kita nang sobra. Ikaw pa rin. Ikaw lang. Ikaw palagi. Sana... Sana pwedeng maging tayo ulit." He voice cracks. He takes a deep breath and blinks back his tears. "Please... I love you."
She quietly stares back at him, unconsciously caressing the back of his hands with her thumbs, fighting back her own tears and swallowing a lump in her throat.
"Jay..." Her voice cracks and a tear trickles down her cheek. He pulls her into his arms and hugs her tight. She hugs back, tighter, kissing his shoulder then sobbing softly. "I love you too."
They hold each other for a while, tears streaming down her face, never willing to let go.
"Kaya lang..." She says after some time, when she is calm enough to talk, still sniffling and wiping away her tears.
"Kaya lang?" He frowns.
"Sayang din kung hindi kita magiging Kuya. Parang ang sarap mo kasing maging Kuya eh. Sobrang sweet, maalaga, at mapagmahal." She grins.
"Ah ganoon." He raises an eyebrow, still holding her close. "Excuse me lang, Nicomaine. Baka nakakalimutan mo na mas sweet, mas maalaga, mas mapagmahal at higit sa lahat mas masarap akong maging boyfriend." He smirks.
"Talaga?"
"Talaga."
"Sige nga."
"Ano?"
"Ipaalala mo sa akin kung gaano ka ka-sweet, ka-maalaga, ka-mapagmahal at higit sa lahat... kung gaano ka kasarap... maging boyfriend." She smiles.
"Ibig sabihin..." He beams.
"Yes." She grins.
"Yes!" He cheers then lifts her up from the ground and spins with her. He stops and before her feet can touch the grass, he kisses her lips fully.
"Hmmm... Masarap nga." She giggles.
"Alam mo?"
"Ano?"
"Pinakamasarap akong maging asawa." He grins and wiggles his eyebrows.
"Halaaaah..."
