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∆ Maybe he wants Philippines.. [ Backstory ]

*Maybe he wants Philippines.. [ Backstory ]

Bao ước mơ một thời thiếu nữ,
Theo lá rơi con sông mùa thu..

*1
It's a rainy day.
When Pero opened the door, he saw a spoon girl [1] who has a long black hair, a small chin, lotus-eyes and slim legs. [2]
She stepped on, with one umbrella on the left hand, and the other hand try to cover her collar by a scarf.
She wet, from tip to toe.
Water drops from her chin to the floor.
- What's happened to you, K ?- he asked consciously.
But the girl didn't answer him.
She did nothing but sat down, and then put her shoes into the cabinet. It looks like Pero just only be an invisible creature.
- Don't say to me that you.. - continued Pero with a little hesitate.
And just like the beginning, the girl ignores him, as same as he is a jelly person. [3]
- Omg. So, that's it ! You already have.. have met her ? - he yells, without anxiousness that she will get angry or something.
- K, are you okie ?

2*
The lights turned on.
The room is full of stuffs but all of them was arranged in its order.
At the center of the room, there is a Visigoths [4] table with 4 chairs surrounded. The young girl sat on one of the chairs, leaned to the handle.
Her head rose up. Every little blonde curly fell down softly on her face. Without words, she gazed to the outside while raindrops 'til beat on the window glass.
The atmosphere is full of dew, something is flesh and fresh.
She just awakes by the sound of foot step.
Pero came back. Ceramic cups and teapot on his hands, steaming and vaporing well.
A black-brown hot drink was served on the table, in front of her, after she was supported with a pink dry towel, which wrapping her like a kitten.
- Hey K. Did you know, Filipino drink hot coffee even though we are in summer. Is is weird ?
- Nope. Hindi. Hindi.- smiled the girl, rests her hand on one handle of the chair. - Salamat, Pero. [5]
- What for ? I didn't do anything, did I ? - replied Pero, as if he start to jump into a joke, as he always be.
- Cause take care of me, concerned about what I assume to act, listen to my dump stuff. You dummy !
She laughs so loud that tears started falling down from her eyes. Cover her face, she wips them off by her finger tips.

- Ya. Then.. are you okie, K ?
Watched down to the cups. It's full of hot Arabica coffee- her favorite drink. She stirred it slowly.
- Oo, I'm fine, after all. You are a good friend, Pero. To be honest, I am the weakest girl who don't know how to take care of myself. Then you come, saved me as if I almost dip to sink. I can't imagine the day without you funny buddy.
- Well, its easy to understand. I won't let you roll on that toxic relationship. That's my goal. I am on your side, K. We are the same. Both of us are jelly person. We love, give away everything we have unconditionally to the others, not cause for receiving. That's the reason why we hurt, be injured deeply. You know. I can feel what you experienced, even though we just be friend for months.
Once again the room is falling in a death silent.
People can heard the sound spoon touched the cup everytime she stirred her coffee.

- Yeah, you're always like this. Have never asked questions to me as if she is my sister or lover, whatever..
- If it okie with you, K. You always have chance to tell me when you want. - quickly smile the gentleman.
In the outside, it's til raining heavily. Rose garden was not in sight. Petals were teared completely.
- What times do you leave there, Pero ? - she said, lowly as whisper.
- Around two or three next day. I'm going to come back Metro Manila, then catch a ship to Visayas. I'm annoyed with plane services, you know, they serve a sort of black drink on each flight [ 6]
- Can I be with you ?
- No. It's very very dangerous, my young lady ! At the present, Philippines is put on level one of alert. Our President said that they will not stop the alert level until they make sure that our country is free of Covid-19. Yep, for now it's alert level one but soon after the election, there are rumors that we were gonna lockdown again. So, if you want to visit my place, then next time..

Suddenly, he stands up. Put his cup and teapot to the aluminum tray, look like he tends to leave. He said patiently.
- K, hiding is not a good idea.

He stares at her, as if his sight could make a hole on her face.
She laughs, with dimples on her cheek.
- Hiding ? What are you talking about ? Hey, Pero. I have watched it.
- What ? Watching ?
- Encandadia. Yeah, I have watched it. That's a good TV show.
- Great. Glad to hear that from you.
- Oh my Pero. Don't act like we have an aswang [7] like that. Are you angry because I was leaving without saying these day ? Please forgive me. I swear this is the very last time.
- That's alright.- smiled Pero. - Let's end this friendship.

The young lady jumps out of her chair.
- It's a joke ! Ha ha ha !
He laughs, while sweats flown on her face.
- A punishment granted for traitors !
Stopped laughing, he rests his hand on the table and look down to the girl.
- Yup, You have watched that series, haven't you ? Good girl K.
- Uhm. There is a gut I keep in my brain, can't wave or throw away..
- What else ?
- About Perina the Princess, daughter of the Queen Menia. [8] She recommended me to Karna. [9]
- Who is Karna ?
- He is one of the main protagonists of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. Karna was the child born out of the pre marital union of the princess Kunti and the Sun God. Karna is conceived by Kunti as a result of a boon given to her by Sage Durvasana. The boon gave her the power to call upon and have a child with any God in heaven.
As a result of which, Kunti choose the Sun God. Karna is born thus. He was as known as
Sutaputra.
- Sutaputra ?
- Ya, Putra means son. Hence Sutaputra means "Son of a Charioteer". It was a term frequently used to refer to Karna, whose adopted father was a charioteer. Then, Pero, want to listen a story ?
- Oo, of course. It's not fair when I'm the only one who be the teller.
- Great. Then, this is my chance. As a return while you have told me about Ibong Kardana. [ 10]
This is a very very long story.
Long long time ago, in a kingdom..
The Princess Kunti was granted the boon to bear a child with desired divine qualities from the gods. Without much knowledge, Kunti invoked the Sun God to confirm if it ( the boon ) was true indeed.
Karna was secretly born to an unmarried Kunti in her teenage years, fearing outrage and backlash from society over her premarital pregnancy, Kunti had no choice but to abandon the newly born Karna adrift in a basket, on the Ganges River, in the hope that he finds foster parents. The basket discovered and Karna is adopted and raised by foster parents named Radha and Adhiratha Nandana of the charioteer and poet profession working for King Dhritarashtra.
...
- Hey K.
- Yes ?
- I dunno how to raise a genius. But there is the same way for people make a gut with crime, even destroys all their life. Karna was involved to, and either Perina. Guess what was that ?
- I dunno.
- In my opinion, that is giving the childs everything they desire but no attention and love.
- Maybe. Hey Pero. Will you remember Vietnam ?
- Of course. I will miss taste of D'lat coffee, mulberry, garden of various flowers. Lang Biang highland which was explored by Alexander Yersin and his team in 1893. On the other side, at present, there's lot vestiges of Vietnamese villages in Philippines. When the North Vietnam force the South Vietnam. And the Filipino help the South Vietnam.
- You know our story ? Maybe a sad story..
- Yeah, I know about that story.
Those South Vietnam living here, in some parts of the Philippines, in the war of South Vietnam and North Vietnam. It's like a government like to adopt other countries ( lol ).
Some South Vietnam til living here and some don't. But the good news is that place where South Vietnam used to live in is til here. I think that place is like a village.

- The next time I will visit your place.
- You're welcome. I also come back there to visit you.
- I hope that environment will be focus on these very next day, when you come back. No industry. No extraction. Just natural state.
- Yup. I expect it too.
- Pero, what do you think about Magellan the Conqueror ?
- He was defeated by our Datu Lapu Lapu in Mactan battle in 1921.
- Why it happened ?
- Maybe he wants Philippines..
- Really?
- Oo. Maybe he wants Philippines..

./