Happy Ending | Soonhoon

thirty six

Welcome back.

___________

"Hi."

My face beamed as I saw him walking towards my seat. Hair disheveled, clothes slightly wrinkled, and his tie's crooked. Surely, his college started roughly.

"Sorry, I'm late." Almost out of breath, he says.

He pulled the chair across me and sat. Tahimik ko siyang pinagmasdan— he grew a lot. His face... his build... everything. Ngayon ko lang siya napagmasdang maigi kahit na araw-araw naman kaming magkausap.

"Jihoon," He called my name. I look at him in confusion. 

Two years. Sa dalawang taon naming magkasintahan, wala kaming call sign unlike others. He used to call me 'mahal', 'babes', 'loves', at kung anu-ano pa. However, 'di ito nagtagal at tinawag na lamang niya ako sa pangalan ko.

It's okay tho, not that important for me.

"Yes, sorry."

"Gutom ka ba? Kumain ka na ba?" tanong niya nang may bakas ng pag-aalala sa kaniyang boses. I nodded inmediately. I haven't eaten anything yet since this morning.

Maaga akong nagising para pumasok sa trabaho. I don't wake up for school. Huminto ako sa pag-aaral. I can't send myself to a university and even if I can, ayokong mag-aksaya pa ng ilang taon sa pag-aaral. I chose to work early para makapag-ipon ng maaga.

"Ba't hindi ka nakakain?" tanong niya.

"Maaga ang call time," sagot ko at kaagad na kinuha ang menu sa lamesa. I heard him sigh. Inabot niya ang kamay kong nakahawak sa menu kaya napatingin ako sa kaniya.

"Ji, 'wag mo namang parusahan ang katawan mo."

"Ang OA naman ng parusa. Ngayon lang talaga ako hindi nakakain. Kaya umorder na tayo."

Nagtawag na siya ng waiter at kaagad nitong kinuha ang mga orders namin. We barely got a decent conversation while we're eating. Nilamon ako ng gutom kaya tanging tango lang ang isinasagot ko sa tuwing may itinatanong siya or kwento. He understand it naman.

After having our lunch, naglakad-lakad kaming dalawa. He walked me to my work. I tried to stop him but he insisted. Hawak-hawak niya ang kaliwang kamay ko habang naglalakad.

"What time?" he asked referring to the time I get off work.

"Eight," sagot ko. He nodded and gave me my backpack as soon as he spotted my workplace.

He treats me like a girl. I have no objections. Sinusundo niya ako after work. Siya ang tagabitbit ng gamit ko or whatsoever. I find it sweet, yet there are times that I hope he'll keep in mind that I can manage. Wala akong sinasabi tungkol sa paraan ng kaniyang pakikitungo sa akin bilang kasintahan niya.

He's sweet, caring, and the best man that I have.

"Ji, tawagan mo ako 10 minutes before ka matapos sa trabaho ha." sabi niya. We're few stores away from my workplace.

"Gege."

May kinuha siya sa kaniyang bulsa. Tumaas ang kilay ko nang makita ang isang chocolate candy. He held my hand and placed it on my palm.