On The Brink of Rainbow (Sign Series #1)

Kabanata 4

Kabanata 4

Architecture

"Do you like rain?" I asked after he said those things about my name.

"Yes," Zamiro answered in his usual husky voice.

I did not expect he would answer my question easily and fast. And I also did not expect he would say yes.

"So... do you believe in a rainbow after the rain?" tanong ko pa.

"Hindi ba ganoon naman dapat?" balik niyang tanong sa akin.

I pursed my lips. "Hindi. Not every rain comes with a rainbow. Most of the time it comes with a storm that brings disaster to everyone. I just think it's futile to believe that everything will be fine when... actually not after the disaster it causes. We can't always be positive about everything."

"And we can't always be negative too," saad ni Zamiro.

"But at least the disappointment when the rainbow did not appear would be lessened because you already expected nothing."

"You have a point but it isn't better to hope for something after the rain? After all, faith keeps humans sane."

"I don't know. I... just feel so sad when it rains. That's why I hate it," kibit balikat ko.

"You can't forever hate rain, Miss. Raining is something that naturally happens to us. It is something you can never control. Just like in life when things or problems happen to us, we can't do anything about it but let it happen. Because we don't have the power to change it. The only thing we can do is hope and do for the better."

Napaisip naman ako. Yes, may mga bagay talaga tayo minsan hindi natin kaya kontrolin. That's why we sometimes blame ourselves for being weak and powerless. Like how I badly want my parents to change their views about me. Masasakit na salita galing sa kanila at sa ibang tao. Isa lang iyon sa mga bagay na kailanman hindi ko makokontrol.

"Why do you like rain?"

"It's calming," sagot niya habang nagpapaypay pa rin sa akin.

"Iyon lang? Hindi ba dapat mas ayaw mo sa ulan dahil sa... hindi naman kayo mayaman? I mean, yes, it's calming but for unprivileged people, it's a disaster. Dahil nahihirapan sila magtapal sa butas ng bubong nila. Binabaha pa bahay nila. Pwede pa hindi sila makapasok sa trabaho nila dahil doon."

"Do you actually hate the rain or the thought of what it does to other people?"

Natigilan ako sa tanong niya. Do I really hate the rain? Tumitig siya sa'kin. Hindi ako sumagot.

"I like hearing the sound of rain drops. It's calming. Like a lullaby. And it's not a rainbow I'm always looking for after the rain, Miss."

Kumunot ang noo ko sa sinabi niya. "Then what is it?"

"The sun."

"Why?"

"Because unlike the rainbow, the sun is surely there after the rain. My father used to tell me that the sun after the rain is much more beautiful than the sun before the rain. And he's right because it glows prettier after that."

Tumango ako. He said that but I know it has deep meaning. Sabagay, people always expect a rainbow after the rain but never the sun which is the one that is always there.

"Pwede mo maihalintulad ang araw sa mga tao. As long as you're alive, it all depends on you how you will continue your life after the rain. Na sa'yo pa rin kung paano ka babangon. And the rainbow is more like a dream, a hope," dugtong ni Zamiro.

"Right..." hindi ko na magawang hindi humindi sa kaniya. Well, because he's got a point. But still, I hate the rain. "And I'm sorry about your father."

He only nodded at me. I can't actually believe we're having this conversation. I just didn't expect our small deep talks to be here. Sa pila pala talaga kung saan init na init kami. Nagpatuloy siya sa pagpaypay sa akin.