Falling for the Criminal

Chapter 7: Brat

Ano ba problema niya? Alam ko namang natapunan ko siya ng ice cream, mali ko pero 'di ko naman sinasadya e, tsaka pinunasan ko na nga e. Pero bakit parang galit na galit siya?

He's normally cold, pero ngayon, halata ang pagkairita sa mukha niya. Ni ayaw nga niya akong tapunan ng tingin habang naglalakad kami.

I pouted. Ang sungit naman.

"Wait, I'm hungry! I want to eat something!" Nakasimangot kong saad saka lumiko sa isang stall kung saan may nagbebenta ng burger.

I bought two. Para sa akin at para sa kanya.

He just looked at me at kinuha ang pagkain, 'di man lamang nagsabi ng thank you. Grabe, parang hindi man lang maka appreciate ng friendly gesture.

Pero sabagay, tungkulin ko nga rin naman talaga na pakainin siya because we're the employer. That's more like an obligation than a friendly gesture.

I started eating the burger ngunit kakakagat ko palang ay napangiwi na ako. It doesn't taste bad pero hindi ko gusto ang lasa. Sabagay, I bought it for a cheaper price.

Argh. I can't eat it. I want to buy another burger from a different shop! A better one.

I was about to call Lazarus para samahan ako ulit sa loob ng mall when I saw him talking to a child whom clothes were tattered. I think he's a beggar. Hindi lang siya nag-iisa though, may mga sumunod pa sa kanyang mukhang mas bata.

Napakunot ako ng noo. Anong meron? Why is Lazarus talking to them?

Onti-onti akong lumapit sa kanila and when I saw what's happening, I felt like my heart was clenching.

Lazarus gave the burger to them at hindi lang iyon, binigyan pa niya ng pera ang mga bata.

So, he has a kind heart? A cold person but has a warm heart?

I bit my lower lip when something dawned upon me. May bigla akong napagtanto.

Napahigpit ang hawak ko sa burger. I suddenly realized that I'm being greedy and selfish. Bigla akong nakonsensya for splurging money with expensive things that aren't even that important. I also just bought food pero hindi ako nakuntento kahit na okay naman ang lasa. Because I already got used to having a frugal life, to consuming high quality goods and services.

While those kids... lack everything that I have, and struggle everyday just to survive. And I felt a pricking sensation inside thinking what would their lives be years after, given the current situation that doesn't even improve because of fucked up people.

I know that my parents were always involved with charity works, but I was never. It's always them, but not me, because they didn't let me get involved. I was always distant from them... from streets and slums.

But I just realized now that maybe... may kakayahan din naman akong gawin 'yon but I just lack initiation because I was always preoccupied with other things, such as wasting money on stuff that aren't essential.

I heaved a deep sigh bago lumapit sa kanila.

I want to do it now. I don't want to be blinded anymore.

"Hello," I greeted the children at agad namang nalipat ang paningin nila sa akin.

"Gusto niyo ba ng burger? I'll buy." Nakangiti kong sabi. "Ang ibig kong sabihin, bibili ako." I chuckled as I realized that I should talk to them in Tagalog para mas maintindihan nila ako.

"Oo naman po! Salamat po, Ate!" Nakangiti nilang sagot and I couldn't help but smile back.

Sinamahan ko sila sa stall kung saan ako bumili. Aside from burgers ay binilhan ko rin sila ng panghapunan and I also left money for them.