Mío

Diecisiete

Moonlight by Ariana Grande ↑↑

Hans

“♪ I want you to feel me slowly— hmm, hmm-hmm, wanna be the only ♪” I half sang and half hummed the song while putting lip gloss on my lips and finishing my look. Ngumiti ako sa salamin na nasa harap ko at natuwa sa ayos na nagawa ko.

I am putting a very light make up on my face because this is the day that I am going to sing for Dad's co-workers at their party. He said I need to be presentable and this is my definition of presentable.

I am wearing a fancy maroon tuxedo that is tight on my waist part and it suits me well. Pinili ito saakin ni papa Reihan and he really knows what fits me well.

“Hans, baby?” Narinig ko si dad Arken na tumawag habang kumakatok sa pinto ng kwarto ko.

“Come in, Dad.” Sabi ko habang inaayos ko ang buhok ko sa harap ng salamin. Dad opened the door and I smiled when I saw my father wearing a simple black tuxedo but he surely looks elegant and handsome as usual. The thing with both of my parents are whether they wear simple or lavish clothes, they still both look mesmerizing, and they always make sure that I do too.

“Are you ready?" Tanong niya. Umiling naman ako.

“Just a little moment, Dad. Ayusin ko pa buhok ko, hehe.” Sabi ko na ikinailing niya. Umupo siya sa kama ko at pinagmasdan ang ginagawa ko habang nakangiti.

“Hans, I've been meaning to say sorry for the way I acted towards you last day.” Sabi niya. Napasulyap naman ako sakanya at tumingin nang nagtatanong.

“I mean, aren't we too much? Your papa Reihan told me that we're being too strict with you.” Sabi niya pa. Pinigilan kong matawa dahil hindi bagay kay Dad na nag-so-sorry sa pagiging strikto niya.

“I am okay, dad." Maikli kong sagot pero nakita ko siyang tumayo at lumapit saakin.

“You can tell me everything, Hans. I wanna hear your thoughts.” Sabi niya kaya nakagat ko ang labi ko bago humarap sakanya. Napanguso ako at nagsalita.

“I just don't like it po na because of how strict you are, people tend to baby me so much and thinks that I can do no wrong," Simula ko. Maybe this is the time to tell Dad what I feel sometimes. Hindi rin kasi ako nag o-open up sakanila kapag hindi sila nagtatanong. Good thing both of them knows me well when I want to say something, katulad ngayon.

“And, I don't understand why am I not like the other normal kids? I mean, I can't hang out with boys that you don't know, I can't stay up late and can't drink with my friends. I mean, that's okay with me but sometimes, I feel like I'm so out of touch in this world, Dad." Pag-amin ko. Nakita ko naman na napabuntong-hininga siya bago nagsalita.

“I'm sorry, anak. I just.. I just want to keep you safe. You're too precious to us, masyado ka naming mahal ng papa Reihan mo to let you do things that can eventually harm you. Pero hindi na namin naiisip, na maybe, doing so, it can also harm you or put you in danger.” Napatango ako sa sinasabi ni Dad.

“We're too careful with you because you're our only son, the moment your papa Reihan saw you, I saw how he wanted to keep you and take care of you, and I did too. Life is not so good, Hans, and we want to keep you from bad things that can hurt you.” Sabi niya. Nalulungkot akong napangiti sa mga sinabi niya.

“But, Dad, keeping me from those bad things or experience that I can encounter, isn't it just making me even more weak from those? What if I have to face something so complicated,” Like the bomb that tito Kalden told me. “Will it not be hard for me not knowing how to face it? You said it yourself, Dad. Life is not too kind, and ignorance will only make things hard for me.” Mahaba kong sabi at imbes na makita ko ang nalulungkot na emosyon niya ay kumunot ang noo ko nang ngumiti siya.