broken ice

-045-

-irene pov-

"saan ka ngayon girl?" nginuya ko ang pearls ko sa milktea bago ko sinagot si kaye sa tanong nya

"sa ice rink ulit, pero dadaan ako sa convience store para bumili ng ramyeon, bored kasi maghintay" sagot ko sa mga kaibigan ko bago ulit humigop sa milktea ko.

"okay lang kay tita kahit gabi ka na umuuwi? bago 'yon ah, saka hindi ka na nagbabantay sa shop" komento naman ni aya.

oo nga 'no, pero dahil siguro alam lang naman ni mama na school related 'yung pinagkakaabalahan ko, o kaya naman na explain na din 'yun ni kuya. saka ang alam ko inutusan ni mama si kuya maghanap ng intern para sa shop.

nagkibit balikat lang ako sa mga kaibigan ko at tinapos na din naman agad 'yung project namin.

gaya nga ng sinabi ko sa mga kaibigan ko, sinamahan nila ako bumili ng pagkain para sa amin ni sunghoon sa malapit na convinience store.

umalis na din sila kaagad dahil madami pa silang tatapusin, mag-aaral din kami dahil may quizzes bukas.

mag-isa akong pumunta sa ice rink ng school, at gaya dati madaming mga co-figure skater ni sunghoon ang nagpa practice doon.

hinanap ko si sunghoon pero hindi ko sya makita kaya naupo na lang ako sa bench, binati pa ako ng coach nila bago ako naglabas ng reviewers ko kasi sayang naman ang oras.

"sunghoon!" napalingon tuloy ako sa entrance dahil sa sigaw ng coach nila, as usual mukhang nababalot ng yelo si sunghoon dahil sa aura nya, seryoso na naman ang mukha kaya napanguso ako! ang sungit tingnan!

pero infairness, namiss ko sya ng very very slight! almost one week kami hindi nagkikita dito sa rink, dahil hindi sya nagpapractice... sakto naassign ako sa ibang athletes.

he walked towards my direction so he can put his duffel bag beside me, he wore his sweater while looking so serious, i wonder what he's thinking right now?

"what?" he glared at me kaya agad akong napaiwas ng tingin, "huh?" akto ko pero hindi ko na sya narinig na nagsalita pabalik.

"you can stay at the locker room if you are studying" he was looking something in his bag, napalingon ako sa kanya atsaka umiling.

"okay lang" sagot ko, he shrugged a bit before drinking his water, infairness.. hindi na pororo ang gamit nya! parehas sila ni kuya na mahilig sa pororo pfft.

"PARK SUNGHOON! BAKIT HINDI KA UMATTEND NG PRACTICE FOR THREE DAYS STRAIGHT?" nawala na ng tuluyan ang atensyon ko sa reviewer ko dahil sa sigaw ni caoch.

"I was busy" maiksing sagot ni sunghoon.

"you have a competition to prepare, sunghoon.. stop being so confident because you can't still perfect the spin" galit na saad ni coach, i feel so uneasy because of the tension.

bakit kasi dito pa sila nag usap, malapit sa akin?

"yes, i'm sorry" mahinahon na saad ni sunghoon kay coach,

"you better perfect the spin tonight or else- someone will take your slot for the competition" umalis na si coach matapos nya sabihin iyon sa nakakatakot na boses.

i heard sunghoon frustrated groan, kaya napalingon ako sa kanya. "are you okay?" i carefully asked, he just gave me a small nod before walking away to placed his shoes and changed it to his ice skating shoes.

he even started his practice right away, did i already tell you how beautiful and elegant he is everytime when he's on the ice? he is just like an ice prince.

i watched him the whole time, i tried myself to focus on my plates but i can't take my eyes of him.

ilang beses ata akong napapatayo sa upuan ko dahil sa ilang beses nyang pagtumba, umunti na din ang mga tao sa loob ng rink at naguwian na sila,

when there are few people left, lumabas sya ng rink dahil tinawag sya ni coach.. hindi ko alam ang pinaguusapan nila but maybe it's about the spin he is doing, i know that coach is mad.

i saw sunghoon brushed his hair backward, with his frustrating face.. lumapit sya sa akin para uminom at naupo sa tabi ko.

i wanted to talk but i was afraid, and i don't know what to say.

may nilalagay sya sa binti nya ngayon na hindi ko naman alam. "you can go home now, i think i will going to practice overtime tonight" i bit my lower lip,

"do you need help?" i didn't answer him because i still wanted to stay here.

"no, clean up your things" utos nya, pero mabilis kong inagaw sa kanya yung spray na hawak nya at naupo sa harapan nya.

"what are you doing?" tinaasan ko sya ng kilay "assistant mo ako diba?" he let me do that thing, when i am done.. tumayo ako at nakita ko syang nakasandal habang nakapikit ang mata. Is he sleeping?

"thanks" nagulat ako sa pagsasalita nya, tumayo na din sya agad para siguro bumalik sa practice, "i have a spare sweater inside the bag" i blinked twice, but i still used the jacket.

I even wonder why it's color pink and smell so new, maybe he likes pink? haha

that was the time i realized na kami na lang ni sunghoon ang nasa loob, pinanood ko lang ulit sya mag practice but he keep falling.

he was so frustrated by himself... nakikita ko sa mga mata nya 'yon.

and there was the time that he fall, i waited him to stand up but i saw him covering his face using his both hands... is he crying?

nagmadali ako nagsuot ng skating shoes bago bumaba, nahihirapan pa ako maglakad but i still manage na makarating sa pinto ng rink.

"SUNGHOON!" tawag ko sa kanya, he is still sobbing on the middle, i can't go there naman kasi baka matumba ako or what.

he looked at me while wiping his tears, "what are you doing?" he stand up and skate on my direction. "teach me how to skate" he looked at me in amusement.

"what?"

"come on, is this easy? teach me" hinawakan ko ang sleeves nya but he did just frown.

"if i can do this, i think you can also do the spin you are practicing..."

"tingin mo ganun kadali 'yon?" he rolled his wet eyes,

"that's why you need to take it easy sunghoon, stop crying for the things you can't do because you also need to rest" pagpapayo ko sa kanya.

"stop acting like you are a failure after a lot of falls because you see... i am just here to catch you"