Chasing Happiness

Introduction

Chasing Happiness 

by : PrincessInJeans

Introduction

Chase (verb) 

1. To pursue

2. To be stupid

"Kael, ano ba 'yan!" Reklamo ni Cat at tinignan niya ng masama si Kael. Nakakainis naman kasi 'yung lalaking 'to, oo nga't sinabi niyang stupid ang tingin niya sa trip na 'to ni Cat pero tama bang manggulo pa siya? Hindi ba pwedeng doon na lang siya sa sulok at magpakalunod na lang siya sa earphones niya?

"What?" Agad na defensive na sabi ni Kael. Matagal na niyang kilala si Cat at alam na niya kung pano ito mainis. Ayaw niyang makurot ng pinong-pino.

"Ano ba kasi 'yang nilagay mo!" Inis na sabi ni Cat habang tinuturo yung to be stupid  na sinulat ni Kael.

"Ano? Sabi mo ilagay yung sariling definition nung mga salita. Eh yan yung definition para sa'kin eh!"

"Paanong naging stupid ang humabol?"

"Maghabol, hindi humabol. 'Yun ang stupid. Kung kailangan mo pang maghabol para makuha yung isang bagay, ibig sabihin lang, hindi talaga yun para sa'yo. Bakit kailangan mo pang ipagpilitan yung sarili mo? Ibig sabihin lang nun, you're being stupid." Kael said matter-of-factly. He was just stating what he thinks, bakit ba ito ginagawang big deal ni Cat?

Pero syempre, sadyang may pagkapikon talaga si Cat lalo na pagdating kay Kael kaya lalong uminit ang ulo nito. "Ikaw---"

"Hep, tama na 'yan. Ayan na naman kayong dalawa." An amused voice said. Si Liam 'yon, ang laging tagapamagitan sa dalawang 'to na parang lagi na lang away  ng away.

Tumawa si Joy, "Kayo talagang dalawa. Cat, hayaan mo na si Kael."

"Fine!" Cat huffed at nagsulat siya ulit. 

3. to fight for what you love even if other people call you stupid

Kael rolled his eyes at the obvious jab at him. Kahit kailan talaga, napakachildish nitong si Cat.

"Okay, next! Yung pangalan ko naman." Tumawa si Joy at nagsulat.

Happiness (noun)

1. The state of being happy

2. Bagay na inaasam ng lahat ng tao kasi haller, sino bang engot ang ayaw maging masaya?!

"Anong klaseng definition 'yan?" Bulong ni Kael. Pero malas lang niya, narinig siya ni Cat at binatukan siya nito. "Aray! Napakabrutal mo talagang babae ka!"

"Napakaepal mo talagang lalaki ka." Sagot ni Cat sa kanya.

"Caitlyn, Mikhael, tama na 'yan." Liam said in a fake adult voice. Tumingin ng masama si Kael at Cat sa isa't isa pero hindi na sila nagsalita ulit.

3. Isang bagay na sobrang mailap, kahit gano mo habulin, patuloy pa ring lumalayo

"Joy, bakit ka may hugot?!" Sabi ni Cat.

Ngumiti si Joy. "Wala naman ah? Totoo naman yan."

4. What you feel when you're with the person you love, kahit pa sa ibang tao siya nakatingin. Wala eh, at least kasama mo yung taong mahal mo. That's enough reason to be happy.

Cat whistled. "Yan ang tunay na hugot. Liam, umamin ka nga, anong pinagdadaanan mo?" Pabirong sabi niya.

Liam grinned. "Bakit? Totoo rin naman 'yan ah?"

"O sige na nga, tutal puro kayo hugot, eto na lang yung next word." 

Ilang beses na natahimik yung lahat habang nakatingin sa sinulat ni Cat. 

Love (noun) 

1.  Cat: Error 404 - definition not found. Halaman po ako.

2.  Joy: Magulo. Malabo. Alam mo yun? Matalino ka naman, nakapag-aral ka naman, alam mo nga kung pano isolve yung mga complicated na quadratic equations na 'yan eh. Pero pagdating sa love, nagiging tanga lahat ng tao.

3. Liam: To continue to watch over and care for someone without expecting anything in return. To hope for that one person's happiness even at the cost of your own happiness. To stay by the side of the person you love as she cry for the person she loves. To love is to be vulnerable to both pain and happiness.

4. Kael: An intense feeling that takes away your rationality and logic. You won't know why or how you fell in love. You just know that you're in love and before you know it, you're in it too deep. Once you fall in love, you're hooked. Wala ka nang magagawa. Hindi ka na makakatakas. That person will occupy your mind and your heart, and you'll find yourself doing foolish things for her. Wala eh, mahal mo kasi. That's what love is.

It was a memory of the summer before their third year in high school. Before Cat learned what it means to fall in love with someone.  Before Joy experienced her first heartbreak. Before Liam decided to make a move. Before Kael discovered the pain of betrayal. Before their friendship started to shatter. Before everything fell apart.

Apat na taong hinahabol ang mailap na happiness. Maabutan ba nila ito? O magiging talunan ba sila sa huli? 

SOON. 

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Author's Note:

This is related to Chasing Mr. Right pero hindi ito book 2. This is the story of Kael (Cha's younger brother) when he was in high school. You don't have to read CMR to understand it pero baka maspoil kayo ng very, very light (or very, very much actually) haha. Same writing style, na may present time and flashbacks from their younger days. 

Thank you!