Aga clicked his tongue as he rubbed the area where the lady kicked him.
He's been living here for almost a year but he had never seen her around before. She has short hair that stops just above her shoulder which framed her face perfectly and she was beautiful even without the make-up. She must be new here.
Aga looked at his wristwatch and saw that it was 11:34 pm. His eyes scanned the place one last time before going home.
He turned on the lights and sighed at how messy his apartment is. Empty take out boxes and beer cans on the counter, Aga started cleaning the mess he calls home. He was done after twenty minutes and while he was freshening up, his eyes caught the framed photo sitting on his desk.
It made him stop.
He didn't know that it was still there. He made sure to get rid of everything that reminds him of her.
It was a photo of him and Alice celebrating their anniversary. He was kissing her cheeks while Alice smiled so big, her hair blowing in the air as he kept her close. It made him smile until he remembered what happened between them. He put the frame down. He couldn't stand to look at it for another second.
It was a painful memory and Aga hates getting memories that are like that. He wants nothing more than to forget her and to live his life because it's in the past but he can't. The pain is still fresh in his heart.
The next morning, Aga woke up to the blinding sunlights and he realized that he was in his living room with an empty can of beer on his left hand and the frame on his other hand. He placed it down carefully before rubbing his tired eyes. It was already quarter to twelve, he must've stayed up so late last night. He got up and went to the kitchen to make himself a coffee when his phone rang.
It was his brother, Ian.
"What?" Aga groaned as he answered the call, pressing the phone between his ears and shoulder.
"I'm in town. Kita tayo mamayang gabi-" His brother wasn't even done talking yet but Aga already ended the call. He had no business in talking to him. His phone remained silent for another second before it rang again.
"I'm busy." Aga answered the call and quickly dropped it as soon as he said what he said.
His phone rang again and Aga scratched his head. He let it ring for a couple of seconds before answering it. "Tangina naman, Ariel. Uubusin mo ba 'yung load ko?" Ian hissed to the phone.
"Sinabi ko na busy ako diba? Hindi ka ba makaintindi ng english? Akala ko ba Harvard University graduate ka?" Aga's words were laced with bitterness. "Ikaw ang hindi makaintindi kaya 'wag mo akong sisihin."
Aga shrugged carelessly, pouring the coffee into his cup.
His brother sighed on the other side of the line. "Look Aga, I called you to see if you want to go out for drinks. You need to get over this. This isn't healthy."
"Sabihin mo 'yan sakin pag ginago ka ng fiancée mo." Aga rolled his eyes as he took a sip of his coffee. The strong taste entering his system like a drug. "Sama mo na yung kapatid mong gago din."
Ian was silent for a second before uttering. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry but you need to get over it."
Aga pressed the end button, ending their conversation that will lead to nowhere. How bold of his brother to tell him to get over it. He drank the coffee and got ready for his work.
He's an engineer in their own family business and he is currently managing their branch here in Baguio. His father was initially against the idea of him managing the branch and opted to co-manage the Manila branch with his brother but he refused.
