What if...?

Epilogue

"Ber?"

Mula sa pagkakadukdok ko sa laptop ay nilingon ko kung sino ang tumawag. No one really calls me Ber. Iilang tao lang and that was a man's voice. Nang makita ko kung sino agad na napangiti ako imbes na magulat.

"Luis?" Paninigurado ko. He still look the same but manlier now. Walang nagbago sa ayos ng buhok niya but he did get taller, have muscles, his voice is so low pwede na siyang magbass, and his jaws are sharp enough to pierce my heart. Well, he did.

Tumango siya. "Kumusta? Working?" Sabay turo niya sa laptop ko. Kusa na siyang umupo roon sa table ko as if ang daming tao rito sa starbucks. Hinayaan ko na lang.

Ipinilig-pilig ko ang ulo ko. "Not really work. I was just writing."

His mouth formed an 'o' as he sipped on his drink. Malay ko kung anong klaseng kape iyon.

"Hobby?" Usisa niya pa. I giggled and shook my head as a yes. "Still watch anime?"

"Of course! Ikaw ba? Hindi na?"

"Who said I don't? Kahit yata magfifty years old na ako ay manonood pa rin akong anime. Maabot ko naman siguro 'yon ano? Nasa twenty-five na ako. Kalahati pa."

"Kung hindi ka pa namimiss ni Lord, maabot mo 'yon." He laughed and I did too. Brings back the good old days.

"Kumusta ka nga ngayon?" Pagbabalik niya ng tanong.

I answered him by telling how my work was, my friends, family, and my hobbies as well. Bukod sa anime nga ay nagsusulat ako as a way of releasing all the stress. Tsaka kapag ayaw ko rin na kumausap ng tao at ayaw ko rin magbasa. Writing has been my way out of everything. He understood and commented he's the same. Kapag masyado ng mabigat sa kaniya lahat, he would just draw, paint, or make origamis. He's still into art.

"How about lovelife? Married? Engaged?" Kaswal na tanong niya. Natatawang umiling ako. "Naghahanap ng afam. May kilala ka ba?"

Muntik na niya mabuga ang iniinom niya sa tawa. Agad na inabutan ko siya ng tissue.

"Nagbago ka na, Ber! Parang dati lang sinabihan mong joke lang confession ko." Umiling-iling ako. "Noong high school pa tayo non! Hindi ka pa rin nakakamove on?"

Pabiro niya akong sinamaan ng tingin at pinilig-pilig ang ulo. "I already did. I was just thinking about it the other day. Natanong ni Bea kasi, fiancée ko." Paliwanag niya. Ngumiti lang ako.

I know about that. Nakita ko ang post niya about his proposal and gave it a heart react. Nagcomment pa nga ako roon ng congrats kasi ayon sa caption, they have been together for seven years. That's a long time. Although they are both just staring their career, if they managed to survive in those years, what could possibly go wrong 'di ba?

"Hula ko nagsimula yun sa tanong na 'what if' 'ano?" Pabiro kong tanong and he chuckles.

"Well, afterall that's one of my biggest what if. Magsisimula talaga roon."

"Huy ha. Flattered ako pero same."

Nagtawanan na lang kami pareho. Maya-maya ay bigla rin akong nagtanong.

"Pero hindi mo ba naiisip na what if we did got together?" I don't know if it's out of line pero wala naman akong hidden intention doon. I was just curious. What happened between us already passed me and I'm okay now. No regrets and all.

Saglit na tumahimik si Luis na tila nag-iisip. Maya-maya ay nginitian niya ako. A genuine and shining one. "I wouldn't be as happier as I am right now."

With his answer, I smiled back. Finally getting our answers from our what if and closing all the what could have beens. I just simply agree with him and said, "I'm happy for you."