Souls on Strings

PART TWO: MET + TEM

Rein didn't seem bothered by this gift. And Genesis was not sure what was happening anymore.

Genesis: Met, did you know about this? Alam mong ikaw si Haley Joel Osment?

Rein was still not reacting much. He looked at Genesis and wanted to tell more, but his mouth won't let any word out.

Aling Adora: Ang tawagan ninyong Met at Tem, alam niyo ba kung saan ito nanggaling?

Genesis started to get creeped out, but very intrigued at the same time.

Genesis: Biruan po namin kasi nung mga bata pa kami na pareho kaming matampuhin... met—tem—puhin.

Aling Adora: Mas malalim pa, iho, sa biruan ang pinanggalingan ng inyong tawagan.

Rein started to close off. He crossed his arms and looked away.

Aling Adora: Ay, Rein. Pinipigilan ng enerhiya mong basahin ko ito. Alam mong totoo lahat ng sinasabi ko 'di ba?

Genesis: Met, what's going on?

Rein: Dumarating sila sa akin sa panaginip. Iba't ibang panahon, iba't ibang mukha, iba't ibang kaganapan pero iisa ang kapalaran.

Aling Adora: At alam mo kung sino ang mga nasa panaginip mo, tama?

Rein nodded.

Rein: Malaki na ako nung napagtanto ko kung sino sila.

Aling Adora: At paano mo nalaman ang kanilang totoong katauhan?

Inside Genesis' head, a part of him was entertaining the chance that the whole conversation was set-up to prank him. He was thinking that the hocus-pocus talk was being orchestrated by Jira for her vlog. But looking at Rein, he knew his best friend could not fake being that serious. He was more inclined to believing no one was pranking him and the conversation between Aling Adora and Rein was the real deal.

Rein: Dahil po natuto ako magmahal.

Genesis: Shit, Met. That was deep, dude. Seryoso ka ba talaga—bukas ang third eye mo? At sino itong minahal mo?

Aling Adora: Tatlong nakaraan. Tatlong pagkakataon. Tatlong trahedya.

Rein: Dalawang magkaibigan. Dalawang pusong nag-ibigan. Dalawang buhay na nasawi.

Aling Adora: At lahat sila ang tawagan sa isa't isa ay—

Rein: —Met at Tem.

Aling Adora: Dalawang enerhiya na sabay iniluwal sa ilalim ng kumukupas na buwan. Ang mga enerhiyang ito ay naging kaluluwa ng dalawang batang sabay tinahak ang isang pangkaraniwang landas. Sila ay itinadhanang palagi mag tagpo, pero 'di magtagal. Sila ay sina Met at Tem—unang nabuhay sa mundo noong 1898.

Genesis: And then, what happened po sa kanila?

Rein: Nagmahalan sila. Sa kagustuhan ni Tem na makapag-aral si Met, naghanap-buhay ito bilang mangingisda. At isang araw, naabutan ng bagyo ang bangka ni Tem sa gitna ng dagat. Tuluyang kinain ng karagatan ang binata. Sa sobrang lungkot ni Met, naglayag ito at hindi na muling nakita.

Genesis was just in awe. His mouth was wide open all the time Rein was telling the story.

Rein: Nabuhay naman sila Carlo at Luis noong 1926. Met at Tem ang naging tawagan nila, at tulad ng dati nilang mga buhay, nagmahalan din ang dalawa. Ninakawan at pinaslang si Luis habang naglalakad pauwi. Nagpakamatay naman si Carlo pagkatapos mailibing ni Luis.

Genesis: Holy shit!

Rein: At ang pangatlong buhay nila Met at Tem ay bilang sina Angelito at Romel. Sila ang may pinakamaikling buhay sa lahat. Kasama sila sa mga nasabugan ng granada sa Plaza Miranda noong 1971.

Genesis: Wait, are you implying that we're Met and Tem's latest reincarnation?

Rein started to cry.

Genesis: Kaya ba ayaw mo maging boyfriend ko? Met, do you fear we'll end up the same way?

Rein couldn't handle Genesis' inquiries. He opened the door and ran out in the rain. Genesis was quick to follow and was able to reach Rein in no time. He grabbed his best friend by the arm and pulled him to take shelter from the rain.

It was hard to differentiate Rein's tears to the rain water on his face. But Genesis knew his best friend was crying non-stop and it was hurting him to see Rein that way.

Genesis: Met naman. All this time you had this gift and you never shared it with me?

Rein just continued crying.

Genesis: It doesn't matter, I guess. But yung kapalaran ni Met at Tem, yun ba ang reason kung bakit you keep giving me away to other people?

Rein: I'd much rather see you na may kasamang iba, kesa ako kasama mo pero you'll die from loving me.

Genesis: For years, gulong-gulo utak at puso ko sa'yo. I knew I wasn't crazy and I knew my heart wasn't lying to me—alam ko sa sarili ko mahal na mahal kita. Bakit hindi mo hayaang ipakita ko ito sa'yo? I know you love me too, Met. I've known you my whole life—from your taste in music to your food allergies, alam ko yan lahat. Ang hindi ko lang maintindihan was your refusal to be with me... I didn't understand the continuous denial of your feelings towards me. Pero now, everything is clear. You keep on rejecting me to keep me alive.

Rein nodded his head.

Genesis: Pero Met, what kind of life is this if I can't be in love with the only person I want to be with? I don't fear dying, Met. I fear not getting the chance to love you and be loved by you. I'm done being your best friend. I want to be more than that—just like how we're destined to be.

Rein: Tem, natatakot akong mamatay ka.

Genesis: Met, we're all eventually going to meet the same fate. I'd much rather die knowing I got to love you in this lifetime than die old without you in my arms.

Rein rushed to Genesis and tightly embraced his best friend.

Genesis: Met, will you be my boyfriend?

Rein: I'll be more than that, Tem. I was your past, I'll be your present, and I promise to be in all of your futures.

Genesis: I love you, Met.

Rein: At mamahalin kita paulit-ulit, Tem.

They were souls on strings, bridled by an absolute fate. But no amount of rain was able to mute their professed love that night. Genesis held Rein in his arms and kissed his soulmate for the first time. Whatever their future would bring, they'd leave it until then to worry about. What mattered that very moment was for Rein and Genesis to experience the rarest kind of love that lasted multiple lives and rebelled against time.

[END]