Takoyaki and Klei

Sixteen: Ditto

Pupunta si Klei with his officemates sa Taiwan for team outing.

Marami akong pinapabili na chocolates sa kanya pati na rin souvenir.

"I don't have money." That's how he declined it.

Dahil first time ni Klei pumunta ng ibang bansa, I searched a lot of things.

Anong food ang bawal nynag kainin doon, anong damit ang susuotin nya at kung ano-ano pa.

"I know it all." That's how he ignored my tips.

I couldn't help but pout. Can't he pretend na nakikinig sya sakin.

7 days na wala si Klei sa pinas. I miss him a lot. I chat him every hour.

Me: Klei! Nasaan kayo ngayon?

Klei: -seen-

Me: Klei anong kinain mo?

Me: Try mo yung milk tea nila!

Klei: -seen-

Me: Klei mag suot ka ng jacket ah! 10 degrees daw dyan!

Klei: -seen-

Me: Klei sent nude.

Klei: Go to sleep.

And that goes for 7 days.

Klei never update me kung anong activities nila, wala rin syang photos na sinend sakin.

I miss him so much. Pero he never calls me or responds to my chats.

I realized how dependent I am with Klei, na para bang I can't live without him.

What if mag break kami ni Klei?

Can I live?

"No, hindi naman kami mag b-break ni Klei!"

Nang bumalik si Klei from their outing, parang something change. Mas naging busy sya, wala na rin kaming oras lumabas at kumain. Wala na rin syang oras mag reply sa mga nonsense kung text or chats. I always tell him what happened to me everyday, mga chismis sa office at world issues. He usually response but never tell me his opinions.

I always ask him kung busy sya, when he said 'yes' hindi ko na sya inistorbo.

I know his taking masters degree while working, but Klei still has time for me.

Hanggang sa isang araw I can't hold back anymore at pinuntahan ko sya sa workplace nya. I bring him lunch.

"Nasa meeting si sir Klei mam." Sabi ng officemate nya.

"Sige, hihintayin ko nalang sya sa office nya."

I waited for him for an hour pero di pa rin sya bumabalik. Until I saw him walking with a girl, nakahawak sa braso nya yung babae and they were talking.

Something breaks my heart but I use my mind and think that it's his officemates.

Wag natin bigyan ng malisya ang mga bagay-bagay.

"Hi Klei!" Bati ko, Klei just at look me with his usual emotionless expression. While the girl smiled at me. "I bring your lunch. Sige alis na ako!" I give him his lunch bago umalis ng office nya.

"Thanks!" he simply said.

Hindi nya ako sinundan after nun. He didn't even text me or chat.

I feel jealous.

That day I go out with my officemates. It's my first time drinking with them. In my drunken state na-ikwento ko sa mga ka-officemates ko ang problema ko kay Klei. They give me advice at ang pinaka tumatak sakin ay 'break up with him!'

"You'll find someone better!"

"Huwag kang mag-tiis sa kanya. Makipag break ka na!"

"He doesn't deserve someone like you."

"Kala mo lang di ka mabubuhay ng wala sya, but you can live! Wag mo hayaang maging mistress ka!"

"Tama! Ikaw lang dapat ang number one!"

Dahil sa kalasingan I have guts to call him at makipag break sa kanya. I thought he wouldn't answer my call pero for the first time, sinagot nya.

"Klei!!" I shouted. Then I started to sob. My officemates rubbed my back and encourage me to say my break up words.

"What happened to you?" I heard him asked. Para atang kagigising nya lang. Did I wake him up? Kasama nya ba yung girl?

"Kleiiiii!!! I-sob- I –huhuhu-"

"Where are you?"

"I-sob-sob I l—ove you sob sob.."

"Huh? Di kita marinig?"

"Bakit ba! –sob- let's –huhu- break...up...teka Klei? Hoy klei!" narinig ko nalang ang dial tone. Nawala na si Klei. After nun I passed out.

Waking up in the morning I had a terrible headache. I'm disoriented and everything was hazy. Klei was there to take care of me. Sya ang sumundo sakin sa beer house at naghatid sakin pauwi. He asks my housemates na bihisan ako. He removes my make up and let me drink water in my drunken state. He endured my rants and cries and calmed me to sleep. Hindi na umalis sa tabi ko si Klei hanggang umagahan, he gave me medicine for my headache and accompany me when I need to vomit. He didn't go to work that day and so am I.

I feel better after lunchtime. I sleep all day until night time I feel much myself.

Bumalik si Klei ng gabi para dalhan ako ng dinner and we had dinner together.

I feel terrible looking at Klei. He didn't get enough sleep and He endured my smelly self. Di pa ako naliligo dahil kagigising ko lang.

"I'm sorry." I can't help but feel guilty.

"No. I should say sorry." He said. "I'm sorry."

I can't help but cry.

He hugged me and let me cry. After my emotional breakdown, Klei reprimand me.

"Don't ever drink, mahina tolerance mo sa alak. And don't you ever break up with me." He said seriously.

I just nodded. "So ikaw lang may karapatang makipag break?"

"Yes." He said.

I started to cry again.

I realized that Klei had seen my ups and downs, and most especially my depressing days. But despite everything, Klei still held me with open arms. I realized how little faith I have in him.

I can tell him 'I love you's for a hundred times.

But he can show it to me all the time.

"Klei I love you." I always say that to him, and will always do.

He just smiles and kissed my checks. "Ditto."