over • joshua

「029」◀ i

Few years ago.

［highschool］

Minji's.

I closed the book that I had finished reading. The story was good enough that made me impressed, and I was quite amazed by the plot. I looked at the window and saw my brother Jimin talking to some other guys on our neighborhood. I never knew one of them, maybe because Jimin and I weren't that close as we were back then. Pero charot, hindi ako spokening dollarZ hehe.

Alam ko na 'yung tunay na rason, naiinggit na siya sa atensyong binibigay sa akin nila Mom at Daddy. But, I wanted to tell him that he was the one to request a sister like me. I had no choice either.

Malaki ang pasasalamat ko sa pamilya nila dahil sa pagbabayad nila sa loan sharks na pinagkakautangan nila Mama dati. At ngayon, accepting the adoption thing is my way of giving back what they did to my family.

Kamusta na kaya si Seungkwan? Galit kaya siya sakin? I wonder.

They never failed to show me their love and support. At yon ang isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit galit na galit sa akin si Kuya.

I looked at the clock and my eyes grew when I saw it's already 9 AM. Almost time for my class.

I went to the class same as Joshua, but we are not that close. Oo, kinakausap niya ako kapag may family dinner na natripan ng magulang namin pero hindi kami ganoon kaclose katulad ng pagkakaibigan namin ni Jeonghan.

He's kind. I know that. But he could be one hell of a trickster too. Huwag mo nga lang siyang isasama sa mga barkada ni Kuya Jimin sa school dahil doon siya napapasama.

I adore him so much. I don't know when it started but one day I just woke up feeling that thing towards him. But sadly, hehe, his girlfriend is one of the cheerleaders in our school.

Jillian, his girlfriend, is one of the school assets in terms of cheerleading. Some says mabait siya, pero sa tingin ko, isa lang din siya sa mga queen bees sa mga nababasa kong libro.

Ako? I am not the typical protagonist, wearing those thick glasses and braces. Duh, ang linaw linaw kaya ng mata ko when Joshua's around. Taena.

Wala akong kaibigan sa school namin. Hindi naman 'yon kaso sa akin dahil nakakausap ko naman si Somin sa phone kapag gabi, pagkatapos niyang gumising. Jeonghan? Sabi ni Somin nasa Seoul daw ang Kuya niya at balak magaudition sa isang entertainment company.

Edi siya na gwapings.

I'm at the last year of my high school. Few months from now, we'll have to say goodbye to this environment. Counseling nga pala ngayong araw at napagdesisyunan ko na maging doktor—isang obstetrician-gynecologist.

Hindi ko alam kung anong pumasok sa isip ko at naisip kong maging doktor, pero payag naman si Daddy kaya pagkatapos ko dito sa high school, diretso medical school na ako.

❝Why don't you enroll at Boston U? You're smart enough to pass their exam.❞ The counselor asked me, but I shook my head.

❝I wanted to, Miss. But I need to take care of Mom so I have to stay closer to them.❞ I explained. The counselor smiled at me.

❝You're really a good kid, Minji. I hope your brother's one too.❞ She said. I laughed. Impossible. Si Kuya? Magbabait? Neknek niyo. Baka nga pinaplastic lang ako niyan noong inampon ako e.

❝That's really impossible Miss,❞ I agreed. I bid goodbyes to her bago lumabas ng office. Nakita ko naman doon si Joshua at Jillian sa may locker. Nagulat ako sa nakita ko.

Putspa?

Jillian kept on leaning to him for a kiss but sinasalag 'yon ni Jisoo. Nakakatawa. Putek. I stopped myself from laughing bago lisanin ang lugar na iyon.

How come he got a hottie girlfriend kung hindi naman siya magpapahalik? Watdapak Hong Joshua.

You're really making me insane.

—

❝Jisoo's going to Korea for some reasons. Would you like to come with him?❞ Tanong ni Daddy habang kumakain kami. Kulang kami ngayon, syempre wala si Kuya. Lumayas na, hindi ko alam kung saan pumunta. Mom's really worried for him, at yon yung hindi niya pa narerealize.

❝I'm going to stay here. We are not really close, besides, I'm still enrolled this semester on the medschool, Daddy. You're gonna pay thrice if I transfer.❞ I joked. Pero ayoko naman talagang sumama kay Jisoo, ano pang silbi ko dun? We're not talking anyway.

Sasagot pa sana si Daddy nang biglang umubo si Mom ng malakas. Akala ko ay simpleng ubo na pero nakita ko 'yung kamay niyang may bahid na ng dugo.

Ilang saglit pa ay bigla nalang nawalan ng malay si Mommy kaya napatayo na ko.

Shit, no.

—

❝I'm sorry. She did not make it.❞

❝I'm sorry. She did not make it.❞

❝I'm sorry. She did not make it.❞

❝I'm sorry. She did not make it.❞

Those lines replayed in my head for countless times already. I looked at Daddy who's currently in grief now. He lost two of the most important persons in his life, his son who ran away from home weeks ago and now, Mom, who loved him more than whoever would.

Naubos na yata ang luha ko dahil kanina pa ako umiiyak. 8:40 PM, my mom died.

I never had the chance to thank her for doing this to me. Kung hindi dahil sa kaniya, hindi magiging ganito ang buhay ko ngayon. Kuntento na ako sa buhay ko noon kasama si Seungkwan, pero mas naging mabuti ang kalagayan ko ngayon dahil nakapag-aral ako sa magandang paaralan, at ngayon, nasa medical school na ako at tinatapos ang unang semester ko doon.

❝Dad,❞ I called him, and pulled him into a hug. Hindi naman umangal si Daddy at yumakap nalang pabalik.

❝After this,❞ Daddy held my hand and smiled bitterly, ❝You'll go back to your true family, right?❞

Nabato ako sa kinauupuan ko ng tanungin niya iyon.

❝D-daddy...I want to continue this for Mom..❞

He smiled genuinely.❝But now, I have to send you back to Seoul after your first semester, Sojeong-ah. Mas lalo tayong mahihirapan sa pag-usad kung mananatili tayo dito.❞ he said. Wala na akong nagawa kundi pumayag sa gusto ni Daddy.

—

i am making things harder for myself—joke