The Rain in Summer (Summer Series #1)

37

"Nandyan pa ba?! Teka, lalabas lang kami!"

I stopped my friends from going back to Abi. I do not want to cause a scene that could ruin Kien's image. Mas maganda na kung hindi kami papatol dahil sikat din si Abi ngayon.

Nagpahinga si Kien sa condo namin. Hindi rin pinilit nina Zyriel na puntahan pa si Abi.

"Hey."

"You're awake." I smiled when he slowly opened his eyes.

"I thought you were sleeping..." Kien said, sleepy. "Are you still thinking about her? Please, believe me. I never said I like her. I did not say that. The day I left when she called when I was with you... I told her to not bother you. I... I said that I will not accept any more offers to be her partner. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable, Keni."

Sunod-sunod ang pagsasalita niya na akala mo ay papalabasin ko na siya kaagad pagkamulat niya ng kanyang mata.

I chuckled. He is cute right now. No matter sleepy he still is, he is still explaining. "I don't believe her. Sinabi ko sayo na fan na ako. Alam kong sa BTS ang picture na pinakita niya."

Parang nakahinga siyang maluwag sa sinabi ko.

Isa lang naman ang gusto ko malaman, eh. It's about his family. "Now, tell me Kien. When did your sister tell you about my voice message?"

He sat down and looked at me. "It's after she talked to you. She made me hear it."

"What did you feel back then?"

I want to tell him that I do not mean it. That I am not in love with someone else. That I said those words because she told me to do so... I had no choice back then. I am in a situation where I started to push people away.

"At first... I was shocked. I really thought that you really hate me so much, but as I remember everything about you... I know it's impossible. You are not like that so I didn't believe that you are in love with someone else," he said. "I just made a way for you to hate me. I already explained it to you... I am not hiding anything.''

"How about your family?"

Umiling si Kien. "They are fine with it. I already talked to them when I left the Philippines before. I stood up for myself. They will not be against us anymore, Keni. I promise. Matagal na nilang tanggap na hindi nila ako pwedeng kontrolin.''

Tinapos namin ang gabi na 'yon na magkayakap. Kinalimutan ko ang ginawa ni Abi na pang gugulo dahil wala namang kaayusan ang kanyang mga sinasabi. Puro gulo at para sa'kin ay gawa-gawa nalang para lang siraan si Kien sa'kin. I know she is desperate. I can see that she is desperate, but not because of Kien... But it is also because of me. I can see her clearly inside.

The following days, Kien and I do not have time to meet each other for a very long time. Dumadalaw lang si Kien sandali, nagpapadala ng pagkain, nagpapadala ng mga bulaklak, nagpapadala ng chocolates dahil alam niyang hindi pa ako komportable kumain ng cupcakes. He always calls me and messages me.

He is busy and does not even have enough time to rest. Ako naman, nagpapahinga lang ako dahil sinusulit ko ang bakasyon ko kahit nasa condo lang naman ako madalas.

Si Zyriel naman, hindi rin ako iniiwan sa condo mag-isa. Kapag hindi ako sumasama kapag makikipagkita siya sa boyfriend niya, dito nalang sila magkikita. Pero sa sumunod naman na araw, pinilit ko siya na pumayag na sa boyfriend niyang kumain sila sa labas dahil kapag nagpasukan, magiging busy na ulit siya at ayokong makonsensya dahil binabantayan niya ako.

"Teka lang!" I said, loudly. I heard someone knocking.

"Wait lang!" Sigaw ko muli dahil sa malakas na pagkatok ng pinto na akala mo ay sinusuntok na ang pinto.