The Manhid & The Torpe (Complete)

Chapter Seventeen

Sunday. Maaga akong lumabas ng bahay para mag-jogging sa seaside. I felt like I need to breathe some fresh air since I started to work again. Tuwing Linggo lang kasi ang free day ko dahil from Monday to Wednesday ay duty ko sa St. Didacus Hospital at Thursday to Saturday naman ay sa clinic ako nag-i-stay. I made myself busy so there'll be less drama inside my head.

After almost an hour of running and jogging ay naisipan ko muna na mag-rest. I sat on one of the benches near the sea wall. I closed my eyes for a while to feel the breeze.

We used to call this place "TD" or tabing dagat back then. Minsan naman ay "pink" dahil kulay pink and paint ng sea walls nito. There are so many memories in here. Me and my classmates used to hang out here after class way back in my high school days. Mayroong maliit na fortress sa gitna ng boulevard that was built during the Spanish colonial era. This stronghold was once a witness of our priceless memories of being teenagers, years ago. Nothing can replace our loud and never ending laughter here. Napa-ngiti ako sa mga ala-alang iyon.

I opened my eyes and looked around. I noticed na marami na pala ang nagbago dito. Cafes and diners are all over the side of the boulevard, at medyo malinis na rin ang paligid. Restricted area na ang fortress or what we called Kastilyo. There's also a new built town museum that stood up at the right side of the area. I plan to visit that one of these days.

"Yani?" Isang pamilyar na mukha ang tumambad sa akin harapan.

I trembled when I recognized him.

Two old friends, meet again, wearing older faces
Talk about the places they've been

Suddenly my heart skipped some beats. I felt my world stopped again as we looked at each other and I was out of breath.

Ang laki ng ipinagbago niya. He became taller and well-built. Mas lalo rin siyang naging gwapo. He looked so manly and gorgeously intimidating at the same time. I felt like he is no longer the boy I used to know. But the way he smile and look at me, it never changed. Ganoon pa rin. Tila kinakausap pa rin ako ng mga mata niyang kulay brown. Bigla na namang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko. Ito 'yung feeling na eleven years ko nang hindi nararamdaman.

"Ethan?"