"We're still digging about that, Jothea. I'll inform you once we discover something. I promised to tell you everything, right?"
Tumango ako. "Alright, love." Ngumiti siya nang marinig niya kung paano ko siya tinawag. Tsk, ayoko na nga! Nahihiya na ako!
"Ismael..." pagtawag ko sa kaniya.
"Hmm?"
"Hindi kasya 'yong pants," pag-iiba ko nang usapan, bago ko itinuro ang pants niya na naroon sa may side table. Kita kasi mula sa kinatatayuan namin ang kwarto niya dahil salamin ang barrier. Natawa naman siya at dagling pinisil ang pisngi ko.
"So you're telling me you're not wearing something?" Hinipo niya ang loob ng damit na suot ko, sa parteng ibaba ng l
Kinuha niya ang kamay ko kaya naman tumayo ako at lumapit sa kaniya para umupo sa kandungan niya. Daig pa namin ang nagha-honeymoon. Mahigpit niya akong niyakap. "And I love you too, Jothea." Nakaupo akong parang bata sa kaniya. Nakapalibot ang hita ko sa baywang niya. It feels good. I never know what I did in my past life to deserve something like this, to deserve someone like Ismael. I feel like I'm a hero. "Jothea..." rinig kong pagtawag niya sa akin. Nakayakap pa rin kami sa isa't isa. "Hmm?" "Do you want to live here?" Napamulat ako sa tanong niya. "Do you want to live with me?" Kumala
Napasinghap ako. "What the hell, Ismael?" hirit ko.Ang bilis yatang magbago ng mood ko?"Why?"At ganoon din ang mood niya.Inirapan ko siya. "Who on earth would do such a thing? If an applicant declines your job offer, will you decide to hold a collaboration in a company she is currently in?""You're not just an applicant. You are my lover. I want you close to me. I just came to know it was late, so you are also called late."Kumunot ang noo ko. "Ibig sabihin, hindi talaga ako natanggap?"Umiling siya. "No, it wasn't that way. I heard you really passed the interview and the examination. It was just that they forgot to call you imme
Napasinghap ako sa narinig ko, at biglang tumingkad ang kislap ng aking mga mata. Totoo ba ang narinig ko? Lalabas kami ni Ismael para mag-date?Namutawi sa bibig ko ang masayang ngiti bago ko siya nilapitan. Muli kong naalala noong mag-date kami sa mall. Dahil estudyante ako at propesor siya, nahirapan kaming magtago sa mga schoolmates ko. At ngayon, hindi ko maiwasang ma-excite dahil malaya na naming magagawa ang mga gusto namin.Katulad nang sinabi niya ay sabay kaming naligo. Himala nga at walang naganap sa aming dalawa. Ako pa tuloy itong mukhang naghihintay at naghahanap.Sinuot ko muna ang bathrobe na ibinigay niya bago ko kinuha ang blower, pero nauna naman niya iyong kinuha at nagulat ako nang sandali niya iyong itinapat sa mukha ko para mang-asar. "Oops, sorry.
"So, where do you plan to take me all of a sudden?" tanong ko na hindi maikakaila ang pagka-excite."To Baguio." I gasped when I heard that answer. "Have you been there?"Umiling ako. "No, not yet. I can't afford to go to that place, but I have been dreaming of visiting those tourist spots they got there. How about you? Nakapunta ka na roon?""Yeah, a couple of times, but I have never been excited this way because I am with you," sagot niya."Bolero ka talaga," hirit ko."Nope, I am telling the truth, Jothea."Nagsimula na siyang magmaneho. Hindi ko tuloy maiwasang maalala ang naging trip namin noon papunt
"Alam mo, hindi ko alam na ikaw rin pala ang may-ari ng Loeisal Malmdan Company," sambit ko nang makapag-order na kami ng pagkain. Mabuti na lang at may sinigang, dahil gusto ko iyon ngayon lalo't malamig."I told you, I have left and right businesses around the country," tugon niya. Nasa harap ko siya nakaupo habang inaayos ang mga pinggan naming dalawa."I know, but LMC is my dream company, and I never thought that it was one of yours.""Well, I never thought that it would be someone's dream company. Have you never searched about the LMC on the internet before?""I did, but your name wasn't there. Sabagay, hindi na ako magtataka, kahit nga 'yong mga employees mo sa Island Motel Bar, hindi ka rin kilala, eh."
Napangiti ako. Tama, naalala kong wala nga pala akong pangarap noon. Because of him, he left me, leaving me with no choice but to have a dream and pursue it. Sadly, I missed the chance to be employed, but still, it was like God made a move for me to be there. He used Ismael as an instrument to make my dreams come true, even if Ismael didn't really think it was my dream beforehand."Because of your scent?" tanong na sagot ko. Napalingon naman siya sa akin na sandaling nagsalubong ang mga kilay na para bang nagtatanong. "Napansin ko kasing malakas ang pang-amoy ko at mabilis kong matandaan ang amoy ng mga bagay-bagay. And it all started with you, bukod sa necktie, palagi mo akong iniiwanan ng amoy mo."Ngumiti siya. "Because you always grab my necktie. I had no choice but to leave it in your hands." Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko.
"Dali, baka magbago pa ang isip ko," nabubugnot niyang sambit. Nakangiti ko siyang sinubuan ng rice cake na mabigat sa tiyan. Ganoon na rin ng mandu at kimbap. I noticed how his eyes sparked in amazement.Tsk. Papilit pa, magugustuhan din naman pala.At ayon, inubos niya na ang pagkain ko. Mukhang nakalimutan niya ang prinsipyo niya na huwag kumain ng hindi masusustansiyang pagkain dahil sa impluwensya ko."Here," he said, as he handed me a can of juice that he bought from the convenience store near the park. Kinuha ko iyon at tiningnan. "Lemon water?" tanong ko, habang natatawa. "Sobrang conscious mo naman sa health, Ismael.""I need to," sagot niya, bago umupo sa tabi ko. Kasalukuyan kaming narito sa bench sa may park at pinagmamasdan ang mga punong pinal
"Even if my father divorced my mother, I am still his first legal son from his first marriage. It was just that he needed to obey the tradition so he needed to get married again to fulfill his duty and promise to give birth to another ten babies in this world with a different woman. And that's what they told me that I needed to do also, but I am against it. I don't want to get my woman pressured by these things to have an anxiety of not bearing enough. I want to have a normal family that doesn't force me to obey such traditions. I want my future family to be happy and free without any constraints or eyes who judge and follow every single thing we do. I want a peaceful life with the one I love, with you, Jothea."A tear escaped from my eyes. I was just observing his lips speak those sweet things, but what really amazed me was that he sounded so brave. The way h