𝙋𝙨𝙮𝙘𝙝𝙤 ll 𝙇𝙚𝙚 𝙃𝙚𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙪𝙣𝙜 ✔️

Psycho 51

NISHIMURA RIKI

Walang maririnig sa hapag ng napakahabang mesa kung hindi ang kaniya-kaniya naming paghinga. There are few whispering but I could barely hear them.

I sighed deeply. I really don't understand why we have a family dinner when all we have to do here is eat and stare at each other with nervousness rushing to our veins because of Lolo. Literally, it's really just dinner.

Lahat kami ay pinakikiramdaman si Lolo na tahimik lamang sa pagkain, sa bawat galaw nito ay mahahalata mo ang otoridad at kapag nakita mo ang mukha niya ay agad na matatakot ka na.

“Haru,” Agad na dumiretso ng upo si Haru, pinsan ko, na nasa tabi ko. “How's your studies?”

Hindi ko yun pinansin at nagpatuloy lang sa pagkain. Naramdaman ko agad ang kaba ng pinsan ko.

“I-It's fine, Lolo.”

My grandfather was kind. It's just that his priority is studies, and he's extremely strict about it.

“Mr. Jimenez told me you skipped his class earlier. Why?”

And yeah, he's really like that. Bantay-sarado kaming lahat sa kaniya hangga't hindi pa kami nakakatungtong sa wastong edad. Haru is still in high school kaya talagang dapat pagbutihin niya.

“I felt sick po kasi so I went to the clinic. I didn't had the chance to tell him 'cause I was really dizzy. I'll just apologize tomorrow po.”

“Are you okay now?” Tanong ni Lolo.

“Yes, Lo.”

“You didn't tell me about that.” Si tita Imogen, Mom ni Haru. Bulong lang yon pero dahil ako ang malapit ay narinig ko.

“Riki,” Hindi ako nag-react nang tawagin naman ni Lolo ang pangalan ko. Expected ko na yon dahil ako ang katabi ni Haru. “How are you? Ngayon nalang kita nakita. You're not attending to our family dinners and reunion lately.”

Nakita ko ang pagtingin sakin ni Mom na katabi ko.

“I'm good.”

Lolo and I are kinda not in good terms.

“Can you tell me why is it so hard to get in touch with you lately? Even Aki wasn't able to get any updates from you.” Pagtukoy niya sa kapatid ko.

“I was with my friends.”

Mukhang doon napukaw ang interes niya. “Jay and others?” Tumango lang ako. “Bakit hindi mo sila dalhin minsan dito? It's been a long time since I saw them. Nakikita ko nalang sila ngayon sa magazines at tv interviews.”

“They're busy, I don't think they have time to do your request.”

Tumango-tango siya. “Alright, it's understandable since they're running their own big companies. But how's Heeseung? Bilib talaga ako sa batang yon. Imagine? A trillionaire in that age?”

Hindi nakatakas sakin ang pagngiti ni Aki, ang ate ko. She has a huge big fat crush on Heeseung. Binigyan ko siya ng nandidiring tingin pero inirapan niya lang ako.

“He's doing fine.”

“Oh, nakakausap mo na siya?”

Tumango ako. Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit ganito ang pinaguusapan namin.

Natutuwa talaga ang Lolo ko sa mga taong successful ang buhay lalo na kapag alam niyang sariling sikap ito at talagang matatalinong tao.

“I wish I could talk to him sometime.” Aniya. “How about you? Do you have a job now? Are you planning on doing something?”