And Then You

40 / inggo

MIGO isn't Inggo's best friend right now.

Right now, he is Rinn's terrifying older brother and stand-in father.

And right now, he's not saying anything. Pare-pareho silang hindi pa ginagalaw ang pagkain at pare-pareho silang tahimik nakikipag-staring contest.

Well, si Migo at si Inggo. Tapos humihingi ng tulong si Rinn kay Jiya, pero kahit si Jiya ay alam na si Migo ay pwedeng kumuha ng sandok at any time pang-pukpok sa ulo ni Inggo.

Tangina, nakakakilabot ang tingin ni Migo.

Feeling ni Inggo isa siyang unggoy sa zoo na hinuhusgahan. Ngayon niya lang na-feel na baka hindi siya gwapo. Tangina, nakakatakot.

Rinn's fingers stop their tapping on the table. Halatang hindi na niya kaya ang silence when she says, "Kuya."

Oh, her voice seems to shake off the walls sa nginig.

Migo's eyes narrow even further kay Inggo. Kung hindi sila magkakilala nito, mahihimatay na slight si Inggo. Slight lang. "How long?"

Ah, putangina. "Second year," sagot niya, keeping his voice steady. Dapat matapang din ang dating niya pero may respeto pa din. "Do'n kami naging official." The summer before it, anyway.

"E yung hindi official?"

AHA.

Joke na lang pala sa pagiging matapang.

Rinig na rinig ni Inggo ang paglunok ni Rinn. "Um—"

"Second year," sagot ni Inggo. Ginawa niya, panindigan niya.

"So the same time?" tanong ni Migo, eyebrows furrowing.

Erm. Ano 'to, sahig? "College," sabi niya. "Second year college."

Tiningnan siya ni Migo na parang ang gandang fit o OOTD ng bread knife sa throat ni Inggo.

Rinn inhales sharply, features contorting into a wince. "Kuya, please don't get mad."

Gusto niyang hawakan si Rinn pero baka makita ni Migo at dagdagan niya ang bread knife, apat ang mayro'n sa lamesa.

"Mau, tumahimik ka."

"I was the one who came to him no'ng nag-eighteen ako," Rinn explains in a rush habang tiningnan ni Inggo si Jiya with wide eyes.

Tinaasan lang siya ng kilay. Kaya mo 'yan, sabi niya sa tingin niyang 'yon. Ginusto mo 'to.

Tangina. Tama naman siya.

"And then ayaw niya na after kasi kapatid kita...and then he took me home no'ng third year na kayo after I got drunk, and then sabotaged my Valentine's date no'ng fourth year kayo...and then walang label no'ng first year med."

Ganda ng summary ng girlfriend niya, CliffsNotes yarn.

"Oh my God." Migo puts his face in his hands. Tumataas na blood pressure nito, pota. "That's worse than I imagined."

Inggo opens the second button of his polo shirt kasi tangina, ang init.

Bago pa sumabog at may masabing masasamang words si Migo, tinanong ni Jiya si Rinn, "Mau, you're happy with him?"

"Yes."

Aba, pinapanagutan niya ang feelings ni Inggo. Tama lang.

He looks away to hide his smile.

Jiya turns to her boyfriend, running her hand up and down his arm. "E 'di let them be. Wala na tayong magagawa kung sila na and they're happy with each other."