palagi

❝︎the sun; my light.❞︎

He was always this jolly kind of person, he never ran out of jokes to crack and pit of laughters to burst out. He smiles as if the world was never against him. And his presence, it feels comforting— it was the sun giving warmth to the vast space of the world. He's warm and he feels like home.

And he's Sirein. The guy walking towards me with that wide smile of his.

"Have you been waiting long?" he asked as soon as he stopped in front of me.

I shooked my head no. "No. I mean, you're thirty minutes late but thirty minutes is not that long, yes?" It was sarcasm; the tone I uses for the daily basis I'm with Rein— actually, with everyone.

Rein pouted his lips. "Kulang ba ang gatas na ininom mo ng bata kaya sarkasmo na agad ang bungad kay aga aga?" And I don’t even know what's the connection between my milk intake when I was a kid with my sarcasm; but I guess that’s just him. Senseless and... Sirein.

"Hindi ako bata," inis (spoiler: i'm not) na sagot ko sa kaniya.

He showed me a grin— the grin he always seems to wear when he wants to tease me. "Weh! But your height says otherwise!" he teased, sticking his tongue out in a playful way.

He's always after my height. Nananahimik naman ng payapa ang height ko pero hindi niya pinapalagpas ang araw na hindi ako inaasar gamit 'yon. And I guess I'm getting used to it. Araw araw ba naman.

"I'm not that short." I scrunched my nose in annoyance (okay, maybe feigned annoyance). "But are we really going to stand here forever? Under the blazing heat of sun?" But I wouldn't even lie about the fact that he looks ethereal with sunshine hitting on his face.

Napakamot ito sa batok niya. "Sorry naman? Bakit kasi dito mo pa ako hinintay, diba?"

I raised a brow on him. "So, kasalanan ko pa? Kung hindi ka naman lat—"

"Shh, okay na po. Chill ka na nga, 'toy. Ano ba, ang aga, sama ng loob agad ang nir-radiate mong energy. Kalma ka lang, be happy like . . . mushy? Ewan! Basta rhyme, kahit wala ng sense."

I laughed at his corny joke and it made him smile. Napailing nalang ako at inaya na siyang pumunta na sa library. And we walked side by side with Rein talking about nonsense things and teasing me, as usual.

Some might really thinm we were best of friends, Rein might even say that I'm his frenemy, that was what I wanted to think and say, too. But even if I am to continuously fool and make myself believe it for a million times, it could never really change the fact that I'm drawn to him. That he's the comforting sun in my darkest times. My solace.

××××

❝︎the painted universe to my once blank canvas.❞︎

Hindi siya 'yong tao na sobrang vocal pagdating sa nararamdaman niya. He never shows what he wanted to show, but when he's angry or pissed or wanted to be sarcastic, he'd show it. Because that's him. That's Keaton.

He masked his real self by painting it with a new concept; the ever sarcastic boy. I mean, he really is. Since then. Ako palagi ang nasa receiving end ng sarkasmo niya at hindi ako nagrereklamo (never!). But behind that mask, he is the pure boy. He has the softest smile, the warmest laugh, and the calmest voice.

Keaton Lukas. The painted universe to my once blank canvas— and I can see the stars that coated the vast skies on his mesmerizing eyes.

"Ganda, 'no?" I mumbled quietly while my gaze is on his pretty face.