where will destiny take us?

back to her

"Good afternoon po, sir," I greeted Val's Dad formally. I don't know how to do it so I just greeted him that way.

When I saw the chance that he's already off the phone, I approached him. I really want to talk to him.

Ngumiti naman ang Dad ni Val sa akin. "Tito nalang."

I mirrored his smile shyly. "Okay po, tito." I blinked repeatedly because of nervousness. "Sorry I visited without notice."

"It's okay." Tumango siya while still looking at me with a smile.

Val got her looks from her father. I can see that very well. And if na-intimidate ako kay Val at first sight, ganoon din ang nangyayari sa akin ngayon. Hindi ako makapagsalita. Ano ba kasi ang dapat kong isagot doon?

Nagulat ako sa loob ko nang tumawa ito. "Sorry, hindi pa rin talaga ako makapaniwala na may boyfriend na si Val."

"Sorry po ngayon niyo lang nalaman." I scratched the back of my neck. "I didn't even ask for your permission to pursue her."

"It's okay. I can see that you're a good man."

I nodded, not saying anything.

Am I a great man? No. I don't consider myself that. And Val and I had a rough start. I don't think what tito told me applies to me. For now.

"I didn't expect it to be you," he said. "Ang daming sinabi ni Val about sa'yo noon. Crush ka rin kasi ni Ari at si Val pa ang nagtatanong kung bakit siya nagkakagusto sa'yo."

I felt my smile stretching even more. I can imagine that because I was also like that. Bakit nga ba kasi naging ganito when before, we'd almost killed each other from stress on how annoying the other is? That reality seems far away now.

"Marami pong nangyari eh," nahihiya kong sabi. "Hindi ko na rin po alam."

He nodded, still smiling. Medyo nababawasan ang kaba ko dahil sa ngiti ni tito. "Naikwento ka sa'kin ni Marina. Nasabi nga niya na may boyfriend na si Val. And she said it's a good guy." He eyed me intently. "I can tell."

"Hindi naman po."

"No, I see it in Val," he countered. "She looks... different. In a better way and I've never seen her like that before you came."

I'm definitely the reason why she looked gloomy before. And I know I'm also part of the reason why she was stressed out before.

"I just did what I needed to show her that I love her," I ended up saying because I also saw the change in Val.

Tito reached for my shoulder, patting it with a hand. "Thanks for taking care of her."