HaeSoo Playbook

Ikaw Lang

Ikaw Lang HaeSoo
MALAKAS ang buntong-hininga ni Jisoo nang iabot sa kanya ni Jennie ang bote ng San Mig Apple. She cradled the bottle to her chest.

“Ikaw na lang ang tanging nagmamahal sa akin, San Miguel,” wika niya saka uminom mula sa bote.

“Ano ’yang kabaliwan na yan, Kim Jisoo?” natatawang tanong ni Roseanne.

“Hayaan mo na at malaki ang problema niyan sa report niya sa Psych. Rejected yong proposed thesis title niya,” sagot ni Jennie.

“Sa halip na tawanan n’yo ako, i-comfort nyo na lang ako,” sabi niya saka itinaas ang bote. “Kapag masaya kayo ang ka-bonding ko, pero kapag malungkot ako si San Miguel lang ang hindi nang-iiwan sa akin.”

Lalo lang nagtawanan ang mga kaibigan niya. Palibhasa ay tapos na ang mga ito sa paper works. Tumingala siya at isinandal ang ulo sa likuran ng upuan niya. The throbbing lights dance on the high ceiling of the bar they’re currently at. Marami na rin ang mga tao at maiingay na ang lahat ng table, ngunit nangingibabaw pa rin ang OPM songs na tumutugtog sa malalaking speakers.

She sighed again and fix her slouched position. Naupo siya nang maayos saka akmang iinom ulit sa bote nang mapatingin siya sa kabilang direksyon ng bar.

Isang aksidente lang iyon. Hindi sinasadya. Pero nagtagpo ang mga mata nila nang lalaking mga walong metro ang layo mula sa kanya. Katulad niya ay nainom ito ng beer, but he stopped when their eyes met.
Then a very melodious song permeated the whole club.

“Oh, kay gandang pagmasdan…  Ang iyong mga mata… Kumikinang-kinang… 'Di ko maintindihan…”

***

“Hi, babe!”

Jisoo smiled widely when she saw Haein running towards her. Mas lalong lumapad ang ngiti niya nang makita ang isang long-stemmed rose na nakasipit sa backpack na suot nito. He might thought he hid it enough but, it is sticking out of his back.

“Hi, baby,” she greeted back and kissed his cheek when he finally come closer to her.

“Tapos na ang klase mo?” tanong nito. After kissing her cheek, his lips automatically landed on top of her head.

“Yes po. Ikaw?”

“Tapos na rin. Where do you want to go? Nagugutom ka ba?”
She grinned at him. “Hindi ako gutom pero gusto ko ng ice cream, baby.”

“Sige, tara mag-ice cream, baby,” he said and grinned back. Then he subtly reached out behind him like he’s pulling out a sword. “But before that, happy first monthsary, baby ko.”

Jisoo laughed and launched at Haein to hug him this time. She pulled him down and kissed him on his lips this time. The single-stemmed rose dangles behind his back on her fingers as she clings to his neck.

***
“Jisoo, nasaan ang boyfriend mo?”

Tiningnan lang ni Jisoo si Roseanne habang hindi siya natigil sa pagta-type sa kanyang laptop. May hinahabol siyang deadline para sa paper na kailangang ipasa sa Psych major class niya.

“Kasama sina David sa basketball court. They have practice until four today,” sagot niya.

“Wow, alam na alam, ah.”

She smirked at her friend. “Syempered. Naka-report sa akin ang schedule niya for today, eh.”

“Ilang buwan na nga kayo, girl?” tanong ni Lalisa.

“Six months na.” She stopped typing and showed them her left hand. “Look at my couple ring, mga bakla! Mainggit kayo! Mainggit kayoooo!”

They pulled her hand and inspect the simple band ring on her finger. They were like, oooh, ahhh. Malapad ang ngiti ni Jisoo na nakitingin din.
Kinikilig pa rin kapag naalala noong isinuot iyon sa kanyang palasingsingan ni Haein. It was his promise ring to her.

“Nakakainggit nga. Ng slight,” sabi ni Jennie. “Pero hindi pa rin ako magbo-boyfriend. Study now, jowa later pa rin ako.”

“Dapat lang, girl. Wag tayong gagaya sa kalandian ni Jisoo.”

Tumawa lang siya. “Pag inggit, pikit na lang, girls.”

She looked at her ring finger again and smiled. Then, saw her phone light up. Haein is calling. She immediately answered it and his warm voice was like a soft music on her ear.

“Hi, baby…”

***

“Baby, promise wala lang ’yon. Maniwala ka!”

Jisoo stopped and angrily looked back at Haein. Kunot na kunot ang noo nito at nagmamakaawa ang mukha na pakinggan niya ito. But why else should she listen? Eh, she saw him dancing with a girl on his graduation ball!

Galit na dinampot niya ang laylayan ng gown niya saka nagmartsa pabalik dito. Hinila niya ang kurbata nito at inalog ito. It tightened around his neck but she did not stop.

“Ayaw mo na sa akin? Gusto mo ’yong pangit na ’yon? Ang ganda-ganda ko talagang sa pangit mo ako ipagpapalit?” asar na tanong niya rito.

Haein grabbed both her hands and put them behind her back. She stopped squirming when she realized she’s just rubbing her boobs against him. Haein smirked at her.

“Ano ako, tanga? Bakit naman kita ipagpapalit? Kahit Miss Universe paa ’yan o ang dyosa na ng kagandahan, du’n pa rin ako sa nag-iisang Miss Jisoo Kim.”

“Niloloko mo na naman ako, Haein,” asar na sagot niya. “Nalingat lang ako saglit, may ka-ut-utang dila ka na agad du’n sa dance floor.”

“What the fuck is that?” gulat na tanong nito.

“Ewan ko sa ’yo! Ang pangit mo na rin sa paningin ko!”

“Hey, babe. Don’t be like that. Kahit tanungin mo pa sina David. Sapilitan akong hinila nina Coach para isayaw ang anak niya. Ayaw rin naman sa akin ni Eugene. ’Di ako ang type no’n, promise, babe, maniwala ka sa akin.”

Tumaas baba ang dibdib niya sa inis. Kita naman niya na awkward na awkward si Haein habang isinasayaw nito ang anak ng coach nito kanina. Pero nagdilim pa rin ang paningin niya.

“And besides, when did I ever lie to you? When did I ever look at other women? I only have my eyes at you since then. Tatlong taon na nga akong alipin ng pagmamahal mo,” he said in a joke but his eyes serious.

Sincerity shown on his eyes melted away her irritation and anger. She tried to pull her hands, he let her but his hands went straight to her waist and hug her. Iniyakap niya rin ang mga kamay sa balikat nito. Haein rocked them side to side as he hummed to calm her down. She felt his tiny kisses on her bare shoulder.

Bahagya siyang bumitiw at tumingin sa mga mata nito. Her eyes shine brightly from the street lights. He hummed the faint music from the auditorium.

“Malay ko bang hindi magpapagal… Iibigin kita kahit ga'no pa katagal…”

***

“…At ikaw lang ang iibigin hanggang bukas.”

Haein smiled as Jisoo finished the last sentence of her vow. Her eyes teary and the same soft smile she had when their eyes first met seven years ago from that bar… she still had it. And he will see this for the rest of his life. A bliss.

He read his own vows but he can’t hear his own voice. It’s all cliché and full of sweet words. Alam niyang ang pagmamahal na nasa mga mata nilang dalawa ni Jisoo ang tunay na love language ng relasyon nila.

Her smile turned into full blown when he pushed her veil back and dipped his head to give her the first kiss as husband and wife.

***
“La-la-la-la…ah… sinta…”

“Haein, pare!” tawag sa kanya ni David.

Napakurap si Haein mula sa pakikipagtitigan sa babae walong metro siguro ang layo mula sa mesa nila. The woman blinked too and looked away as the song finished.

Napangiti siya saka itinuloy ang pag-inom sa bote ng beer na hawak niya. He leaned back and stared at his bottle, not minding David who broke his trance earlier. He absentmindedly tapped the bottle with his index finger. Dancing to the tune of the last song.

Then, he took a chance and look again.

This time, it’s not accidentally. His eyes met hers once again.

The END.