Hatsukoi

Chapter 13:

When the game of the scavenger hunt began, it was the red team who’s in the lead followed by the yellow, pink, green, blue, and white. Kasalukuyan nang lumalaro ang ang players ng junior high sa grass field at kasalukuyan na ring inihahanda ni Leni ang mga papel kung saan niya ilalagay ang kailangang dalhin ng manlalaro para manalo sa laro.

Leni was the one who’s going to put the papers into the scavenger hunt boxes. And while she’s doing that, Kiko interfered when he returned the program he borrowed earlier.

“Ah, Kiko. ’Di ba in charge ka sa obstacle course, anong ginagawa mo rito?” tanong ni Leni nang makita niya ito. Napangiti lamang si Kiko at inilabas ang program na hiniram niya, he handed it to her.

“I just came by to return this, the games are over so it’s nothing to worry about.” He smiled, Leni then accepted the program and smiled back at Kiko.

“Oh, I see. Salamat ha.” Tango niya.

“Sige, I’ll be at the equipment room if you need me.” Tumakbo siya palayo pagkatapos niyang sabihin iyon.

Nang ilagay niya sa bulsa niya ang program ay nagulat siya nang hindi niya na makapa ang bear stuffed toy na inilagay niya rin doon. Her eyes widened as she tries to find it in her pocket, thinking that she only misplaced it somewhere.

“Dios mio, nawawala ’yong stuffed toy!” mahina niyang bulong sa kaniyang sarili. Nawala sa isip niya ang mga papel na inilagay niya sa mga box, patuloy niyang hinanap ang kaniyang stuffed toy sa mga nakataklob na equipments pero hindi niya iyon makita.

“Leni, nakahanda na ba yung boxes for the senior high department? Malapit nang matapos ’yong juniors.” Suddenly, Sara and Pia came along to get the boxes. Sa sobrang aligaga ni Leni na mahanap ang kaniyang stuffed toy ay hindi niya narinig ang sinabi ni Sara.

“Huy, Leni.” Pia then spoke a bit loud making it to reach Leni, kaagad naman siyang napalingon.

“Ha? Ah oo.” Palusot ni Leni upang makapagpatuloy.

“Sige, we’ll be heading now ith the boxes.” Tango lamang ang itinugon niya dahil bumalik na rin siya kaagad sa paghahanap noon.

Pagkalabas nila Pia at Sara ay sakto rin namang pagpasok ni Bongbong sa lugar, he’s holding on to a box of balls from the now over ballgames. Nang makita niyang aligagang-aligaga si Leni na tila ba may hinahanap ay nagtaka siya. He wanted to ask her what’s wrong but he couldn’t bring himself to ask because of what he feels earlier.

***

“On your marks, get set, go!” Narinig ng mga manlalaro ng scavenger hunt ang tunog ng pito, hudyat na simula na ng laban. Isko was the one gaming for the red team, the rest of his opponents are Grace Poe from the pink team, Robin Padilla in the yellow, Mark Villar—Cynthia’s cousin, in the white, Nancy Binay from the blue, and Migz Zubiri from the green team.

After Isko reached his box, it was then he noticed that it was empty. Kinapa niya ang loob nito ngunit wala siyang nakuhabg papel na para sana malaman kung ano nga bang bagay ang kaniyang kukunin para manalo sa laro. He raised his hands and and spoke to the facilitators.

“My box is empty, nasa’n ’yong paper dito?” he asked in a calm tone even though he was a bit annoyed. Nanlaki naman ang mga mata ng kaniyang mga kalaban nang malaman din nilang walang laman ang kanilang mga box.

“Wala ring laman ’yong sa ’kin.” Grace complained.

“Yeah, mine too.” Migz also spoke.

“Wala rin sa ’kin.” Si Mark.

“Akin din.” Sabad pa ni Nancy.

Nagulantang ang lahat sa pangyayari, kaagad na tumakbo ang mga miyembro ng equipment task group sa room na pinalagyan nila ng mga gagamiting equipment sa mga palaro.

Nang malaman ni Kiko ang pangyayari ay kaagad na rin siyang tumakbo patungo sa lugar, even Bongbong who’s currently cleaning the things used in the ball games are shocked from what happened.

“Walang laman ang mga box na nasa palaro! Nasa’n ’yong laman ng scavenger hunt para sa seniors?!” Kiko asked in rage, he then calmed himself down when he faced who’s inside the room—it was Leni, still finding that teddy bear stuffed toy she lost earlier.

Bongbong then arrived on the room, nang malaman ni Leni ang kaniyang nagawa ay kaagad siyang napasinghap. Napatingin siya sa kanilang dalawa ni Bongbong ay nininerbiyos na nagwika.

“S-sorry, hindi ko sinasadya... I-I forgot.” But Kiko interfered.

“No apologies for now, let’s deal with this later. Now, where are the slips for the scavenger hunt for the seniors?!” he brought himself to yell. Kiko was pissed by the situation and he wanted everything to be under control.

“Na-nandiyan sa ibabaw ng boxes ng mga ginamit kanina sa track and field.” Kaagad silang napatingin sa ibabaw noon at nang makita iyon ni Bongbong ay kaagad niya itong kinuha at tumakbo siya palayo dala iyon. When he reached the grassfield, everyone was completely complaining about what happened.

Tumakbo rin kaagad sila Kiko at Leni palabas ng classroom, looking at Bongbong while he distributed the slips to everyone. Bongbong opened the envelope where the slips are in and offered it to the players.

“Ito na! Bumunot na kayo isa-isa rito!” he announced. Kaagad namang nagtungo sila Isko at ang iba pang mga manlalaro, when Isko got the slip, he laughed and looked at someone. It was then followed by the other players, they looked for what has been written in the slip.

“Hey! I’m playing here—” Grace couldn’t utter a single word when Isko held his arm. With a smile, Isko tried to pull her but she shrugged. Kumawala si Grace sa pagkakahawak ni Isko at naiirita itong nagsalita.

“Bakit ba?! Tahimik akong naglalaro para sa team tapos hihila-hilahim mo ’ko... wait—” Grace gasped while her eyes widened, napahawak siya sa kaniyang dibdib. He pressed her hand on her uniform necktie, napayuko siya at tumugon.

“I was about to do the same thing.” She laughed awkwardly, they both held each other’s hands and they both ran to the spot where they bring what is asked in the slip.

Bring someone whom you like.

They both came in first, so the audience got confused while the facilitators and the members of the equipment task group shouted in rejoice. It’s because they knew what was written on the slips. Sumunod na nga ang iba dala ang mga taong kanilang nagugustuhan.

“Now that the game is over, it’s now the time that we announce what was written on the slips we distributed.” Nagkatinginan ang mga facilitators at sabay-sabay silang nagsalita.

“Bring someone you like!” they all shouted.

Nagsigawan ang lahat matapos i-anunsiyo ito ng mga facilitators, nagkatinginan naman sila Isko at Grace. They both kept holding each other’s hands and smiled while facing the crowd.

It’s because of what happened, Isko and Grace will probably become more than strangers.

~Incidental Euphoria.