Mr. Heartbreaker meets Ms. Heartbreaker!

Chapter 3

KATZUMI's POV

"Mama, a.yo.ko.... PO!" madiin at desidido kong pagtutol sa kaniya.

"Anong ayoko? Katzumi, ito na ang chance mo para makapasok sa isang sikat at prehistiyosong paaralan kung saan ka nararapat. You belong there and not in that pipitsuging private school na kulang-kulang sa school facilities and such." nakahiga si mama sa malambot niyang kama habang ngumunguya ng paborito niyang onigiri at nakapatong sa ibabaw ng kama niya yung tupperware na puno ng cabbage kimchi.

Dumukot ako ng kimchi sa kaniyang tupperware. Hinampas naman niya ang kamay ko dahil dun. "These kimchi's are mine. Kumuha ka ng sa'yo!" Itong si mama parang bagets kung kumilos! Parang hindi 47 years old kung umasta.

"Isa lang e." buti nalang nakadampot ako ng isa. Sinubo ko 'yon at nginuya. Ah the spiciness (-////- )

"Ma, masaya na ako sa school ko ngayon. Ayaw ko nang magtransfer. Didiretso na ako ng senior high sa school na 'yon at hindi mo na ako mapipilit pa!"

Pag-uwing pag-uwi ko sa bahay ay sinugod agad ako ni mama at pinaulanan agad ako ng talak! She kept bugging me about transferring to a well-known prestigious school in our town.

Ang magaling kong tatay, biglang sinapian ng kung anong anghel at nagbigay ng sustento sa amin ni ate Demi. Nagkita sila ni mama nang hindi namin alam ni ate Demi, then this happened. He sponsored my tuition fee to an elite school in our town. Sa Ganghan High. I was given a choice if I will choose to study there, kung choice pala 'yon, my answer is NO! but sadly in my case, I'm choiceless dahil kay mama!

"No. You will study there wether you like it or not. Ngayong sinusutentuhan na kayo ng tatay niyo na dapat matagal na niyang ginawa, lubusin niyo na. You and Demi should expend his wealth. Kayo ang dapat na nakikinabang sa pera ng tatay niyo, hindi ang ibang tao!"

I pouted angrily. "I don't need his money, I am earning on my own now. Kung bumabawi siya sa mga pagkukulang niya noon sa amin, pwes, huli na! We're fine now. At saka mama, baka malapit na siyang mamatay kaya nililinis niya ang konsensiya niya!"

"Katzumi watch your mouth. Tatay niyo parin 'yon baliktarin mo man ang mundo!" saway niya sa akin. "And about that part-time job of yours, anak you're still young. Hindi tayo mayaman pero hindi naman tayo kapos! Quit your job, matagal ko nang inuulit sa'yo 'yan. Kumikita kami ng sapat ng ate Demi mo, ano pa ngayon na sinusustentuhan na kayo ng tatay niyo? Focus on your study from now on. Malapit nang mag-start ang school season. You will transfer school. Ipapaasikaso ko sa ate Demi mo lahat ng documents na kakailangan mo in transferring - Katzumi bumalik ka rito kinakausap pa kita!"

I had enough! I decided to leave her room without saying any word. Kahit ano pang sabihin ko hindi naman niya ako pakikinggan. Why can't she understand me? I love my job. I love my school. At gusto niyang iwan ko lahat nang 'yon dahil sa perang pinapaligo sa amin ng tatay ko ngayon? Mas nadagdagan ang inis ko sa papa ko. I hate him. Siya ang nagdadala ng kamalasan sa buhay naming tatlo. Ni hindi niya nga nagawang bisitahin o kitain kami ni ate Demi kahit na nakabalik na pala siya ng Pilipinas. He thinks he could make anything up for us by spoiling us with his money? Heck with his wealth! Ganyan ba talaga ang mga lalaki? Akala nila masisilaw nila ang lahat dahil sa pera. Hindi pera ang sagot sa lahat ng pagkakamali o problema.

*Blag!*

Because of annoyance, I wasn't able to control myself. Napalakas yata ang pagsara ko nang pinto ng kwarto ko. Nakakahiya sa tenants namin. Baka magising pa si Kennedy dahil dun.

I sat on top of my bed and tried to calm myself down for a bit. After a few minutes, gumaan na ang pakiramdam ko. Nagtatampo parin ako kay Mama. She didn't even bother asking why I wanted to stay at my current school and why I don't want to leave my job. Come to think of it, she never did asked me about how my day went, or what my hobbies are and what are the things that I like and what's making me happy. Growing up, she and ate Demi were only focused on their jobs. Naintindihan ko naman 'yon, para sa amin lahat ng pagsisikap nilang 'yon. It just saddens me kasi gusto kong maranasan yung nagba-bonding nang magkakasama, no worries about work and such. Talking about anything, kahit pa nonsense yung topic. Pag-uusapan kung anong nangyari sa school ko, or sa work nila, or anything! That's my simple dream that I couldn't achieve kahit na kasama ko sila.

This overthinking leads me to come up with a decision I never thought I could do.

Kinuha ko yung maleta sa ilalim ng kama ko at nagsimula akong mag-impake.

Maglalayas ako.

If they can't respect my decision and I can't obey their command, it's better for me to leave and live on my own. Now that I'm earning for myself, I can now support my needs. I can pay for my rent, house bills, tuition fee, and foods.

It took me half an hour to gather all the things I'm gonna bring with me. Oras nalang ang hinihintay ko. I will leave after making sure that all of them is already asleep.

I read the book given by our association. Lahat ng heartbreakers ay meron nito. It's content contains the guidelines, tips, and rules of becoming an effective heartbreaker etc. Kakaunti palang ang techniques na nagagamit ko mula sa book na 'to. Sometimes I'm making my own moves that best suited my strategies.

Naalala ko yung client ko, si Ms. Damian. I smirked. Yung apelyido niya, kaparehas ng pangalan ng walang hiyang boyfriend ng ate ko. Tsk. That Damian jerk. Isang taon na ang lumipas mula nang mahuli ko siya kasama ang kabit niya, that was also the day when I met the founder of our association. Si Miss Helen. Di ko aakalain na sa pagtapak ko sa kanilang building ay doon magsisimulnag magbago ang buhay ko. I trained there to become an effective heartbreaker. Paano ko nga naman maka-capture ang targets ko kung clueless ako about love and flirting techniques since I never experienced having romantic relationships before. Pero lahat naman ng bagay natututunan. I met new people and I met my new bestfriend in our department, si Catalyse. Kagaya ko, she's still a student. I'm just one year younger. And the best part is, she decided to become a heartbreaker because she finds it fun and exciting! Kilala ko ang babaeng 'yun, she loves adventures and excitement. Dahil na rin siguro sa panonood niya ng anime.

Time has passed. It's already 11:00 pm. Sigurado akong tulog na silang lahat ngayon. I took that opportunity to sneak outside our house. Nakarating na ako sa tapat ng gate. I gave our house a one last glimpse before walking away.

It's time for me to face the real world on my own, alone, and independently.