After Rehabilitation

Hajime x Chitoge - Short Love Story 2

3 months later.

Hajime's POV.

So tatlong buwan na nga ang lumipas, nagsimula na ang tournament namin a month long tournament at sa school namin ginaganap ang mga laban. We've been winning a lot. We only lost once. And ngayong araw nga ang semis. Kalaban namin ang number 4 sa standing.

I did my best on this one, Yazawa scored 26 while I scored 24 off the bench. We lost with a shortest margin possible. 1 point lang. 125-124. Wala naman gaanong magagaling din sakanila but, there defense is so superb and we were having a hard time to cross the half court.

Coach was so livid and wanted to tear our heads up. Yeah it was so stupid for us to lose in our own home turf. And we lost to a lower seeding team.

I as well was so sad and angry because we lost just like that, it's as if we didn't practice that full court press counter.

I mean, lamang kami, lamang na lamang kami nung third quarter. 20+ points ang lamang namin. Panalo kami sa point guard, sa small forward, bigs, and panalo din kami sa bench scoring. I mean, come on! I dropped 24 and dimed 10 pero natalo talaga kami sa depensa nila.

Now I am sitting here at the deck of our clubroom, sad. But not alone. I got coach Tatang with me.

Ako: Coach Tatang, you know smoking is bad, right?

Tatang: And your point is? I do smoke when I am stressed! You kids really disappointed me right there, you know? Naging over confident kasi kayo. Akala niyo makukuha niyo lahat sa galing! Kaya walang play na nasunod.

Ako: I listened to you. Yazawa listened to you. Naeexecute naman namin ang plays na dinesign mo. We were getting mad at the other guys kasi gusto din nila magpasikat. That is the point! Hng!

Tatang: You brat! You know what? I'll put you to starting line up next season!

Ako: Really??

Tatang: Really.

Ako: Really, really??

Tatang: Oo nga!! Ang kulit mo naman eh!

At dito nga ay niyakap ko na si Coach Tatang at hinila hila ang baba na siya namang nang umbag sakin. Maya maya pa ay may kumakatok na sa club room.

Nang buksan ko ang pinto ay si Chitoge-chan ang bumungad sakin. Umiiyak. Kaya niyakap ko nalang siya.

Tatang: Wag dito. Bawal kang magpatalsik ng masasamang elemento galing sa katawan mo dito ha! Maliwanag!

Ako: Ha?? Sinasabi netong matabang matandang to.

*Pak!

Ako: Aray!! Inaano nanaman ba kita?? Talagang yang yantok pa yang pinamalo mo sa ulo ko. Tatang talaga kahit kelan e.

Tatang: Bastos ka talagang bata ka! Hng! Makaalis na nga!

Ako: Bleeeh!

Nang makaalis si tatang ay pinagbigyang pansin ko naman si Chitoge-chan na umiiyak sa dibdib ko.

Ako: What happened?

Chitoge: We lost! 4 sets to 1! Waaaah!!

Ako: Ssh. Shh. Stop crying, may next season pa you know. Galingan nalang natin parehas, ok?

Tumango naman siya sa dibdib ko. So I couldn't stop myself kaya hinalikan ko siya sa noo niya. Nagulat naman siya sa ginawa ko. Pero hindi naman niya ko pinuna. Kaya hinawakan ko siya sa magkabilang pisngi niya at nginitian.

Ako: I believe in you. Kaya mo lahat ng bagay. Isa pa, ikaw ang pinakamagaling na player sa buong mundo diba?

Tama, lagi ko sakanyang sinasabi to para lumakas ang loob niya. Hindi man totoo ay para lang din maiboost ang confidence niya sa sarili niya.

Nakatingin lang siya sakin. Malungkot padin. So I hugged her tight. And she hugged me back. Last 3 months have been meaningful for the 2 of us. We've become closer, she said that she thought na mayabang daw ako and feeling pogi. But by the time she got to spend some time with me, tyaka lang niya narealize na hindi naman pala ako ganun sa inaasahan niya. Pero tukmol padin daw ako dahil sa mga kakulitan kong ginagawa kay Tatang.

While I was hugging her, I touched her cheeks again, at itong siraulong babaeng to ay nagawa pang singahan ang jersey ko. Hay! Dahil sanay na sanay na ko sakanya ay hinayaan ko nalang.

So we sat down at the deck of the clubroom, my right arm was still slinged on to her. And watch her while she cried her hearts out. Tahimik lang akong yakap yakap siya.

I gotta tell you something, though. I fell inlove with her by the first time I saw her watching our practice on that day. I was never interested in some love and shit before I saw her.

I wanted to hit on her pero wala akong kaideideya kung paano. Kaya tinanong ko si Ryuuji kung kilala niya ba yung babaeng nanonood noon sa practice. And that dude said that she was his classmate back in highschool. So I bugged him to tell me her name. He did pero nagpanggap akong hindi ko siya kilala nung nasa library ako nun.

Of course! Being raised by my sister alone, I was forced to know how to treat a lady properly, it was drilled into my head kaya gentleman na gentleman ako sakanya nun.

And here we are now. I know it's a bad timing but I am to confess my love to her.

But before I speak. She spoke first. And hindi ko inaasahan na siya mismo ang magsasabi sakin ng mga bagay na to.

Chitoge: Hajime, I love you. H-hindi ko alam kung kelan to nagsimula but I, I really love you. Do you feel the same way?

I couldn't answer. I was to tell her THAT but she beats me to the punch! Kaya napangiti nalang ako. Hindi ako makapagsalita. Kaya napatingin siya sakin ng may halong pagaalala. Kaya pinilit kong wag na ngumiti dahil naghihintay siya ng isasagot ko sakanyang mga sinabi.

Instead of answering her yes? I kissed her in her lips. A slooooow and deeeep kiss. I kissed her cheeks. I kissed her forehead and I wiped her eyes.

Ako: Yes. I do. I loved you since the day I first saw you watching. It grew deeper by the time we spent together. Will you be my girlfriend?

Napayakap naman siya and sinabing, "yes". We walked out of that club room and went home to my house to introduce her to my beloved big sister and her son.