The foot I was supposed to step forward moved back when I recognized the man. I found myself hiding behind a bookshelf, trusting the sounds I heard to know what was happening but it wasn't enough. I took a peek to end my nightmare, but it's real. Yuri is talking to my son—our son.
"Your glasses." Yuri picked up the round eyeglasses after helping him stand.
Pinagapag ni Hiko ang pantalon niya at iyong libro ang pinagkaabalahang suriin. "Oh." He withdrew an air of frustration. "I lost the page." He's more worried about that.
Yuri snickered as he extended his arm to hand Hiko the glasses. "Here's your fallen pair of eyes. I'm sorry for bumping into you, you lost the page."
Bumuntong-hininga si Hiko. Isinara niya ang libro at tiningala si Yuri. "Va tutto bene, signore." Kinuha niya ang salamin sa lalaki at isinuot.
"Kawaī ne." Lumawak ang ngiti ni Yuri nang ipasok niya sa mga bulsa ang mga kamay. Hindi pa rin niya nililisan ang harapan ng bata.
Noo naman ni Hiko ang kumunot ngayon. "What did you say, senyor?"
"Nothing. Not really important."
"Then you should've just kept it instead of making me curious."
"I'm sorry?"
"You're forgiven."
My mouth gapped as Hiko walked past Yuri. He left him in disbelief. I know my son well. He's annoyed. One of his pet peeves is when people don't explain things to him, leaving his questions unanswered.
I stayed hiding behind the shelf. Umatras pa ako nang kaunti dahil pumunta sila malapit sa akin. Hiko went to the shelf of bookmarks and Yuri followed him.
"Are you following me, mister?"
"Are you?" balik ni Yuri sa bata.
"I'm here to read. Because books are more interesting than strangers. And they don't leave me with unanswered questions."
"If the book didn't leave you questions, that's a bad book. A good book is something that makes you want a sequel, so you can get all of your questions answered."
"Some books are meant for answers alone. That's what I want."
Yuri shrugged. "Watashi wa kodomo to arasou tame ni koko ni iru wakede wanai." I'm not here to fight with a child.
"Non sono qui per litigare con un vecchio." I'm not here to argue with an old man.
Mahina akong natawa sa sinabi ni Hiko. Iyong sa kaniya lang kasi ang naintindihan ko. Pero mas nakakatawa ata na hindi sila nagkakaintindihan dalawa. For a moment, I forgot I'm in a tough situation. My kid is literally talking to his father!
They were both in search of bookmarks and I have no idea what's taking them long. As it turned out, they were both looking for a certain bookmark.
"I held it first," si Hiko.
"You see my hand? It's holding more than half of the bookmark."
I peeked my head a little bit more to see what bookmark they were fighting for. It's a metal bookmark with a gold crown at the top. I believe it's meant to bob out of the book.
"I have my reason why I want it, mister. My name is Azuhiko, it comes from a name that means prince."
Isa lang ang dahilan ko kung bakit ko siya pinangalan no'n.
BINABASA MO ANG
The Heaven's Wildcard
Romance[SLOW EDIT] For most people, hell is just a concept or a place where the evils fall into after death. But for the registered nurse, Maurice Severina de Morga, it is her reality, her life. Her first cry was on her mother's death, died on a hospital b...
