Fictional (making some slight changes)

Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Naabutan pa namin sila sa baba ng Treehouse, nagtataka pano makakaakyat sa bahay.. Gustong-gusto ko silang tawanan kaso nandun si Lola. Baka mamura pa ko.. Kaya si Yuri ang nagoperate at naging instant elevator boy si Yuri. Pinicturan ko nga sya eh. Ang arte pa, video daw. Kaya vinideo ko sya at nagsimula syang magpatawa at magkunyaring totoong elevator boy. Nagma'maam-sir saan po kayo' pa nga sya eh..

Ayun, nabara tuloy ni Lola. Sabi nya, " Fix your English, Hijo. You look like an idiot."

" I was kidding Granny. I can speak better than that.."

" Then don't settle for less. Speak properly." Natawa ako nun pero pinigilan ko dahil baka mabara din ako. Sya nalang, wag na ko idamay. Hahahaha~

\\\

" Yumi." Napatingin ako kay lola, " Yes Granny?"

" Can you sing?" iniwas ko yung tingin ko kay lola iniisip kung sasabihin ko ba na hindi ako maalam para hindi ako pakantahin. Wala pa kong confidence na kumanta sa harap ng tao na kailangan maimpress sakin, huminga ako ng malalim, " Opo."

" Can your brother sing too?" Napangiti ako, pinipigilan ang tawa dahil naalala ko yung pagtalsik ng pagkain sa bunganga ni Yuri kaninang umaga at ang medyo sintunado nyang kanta.

" Opo." You must thank me for this, brother. Honestly, maganda talaga boses nya. May mga kanta nga lang na kailangan bagayan..

" Call your brother. Meet me at the terrace." Tumango ako at tinawag si Yuri, " Yuri, tawag tayo ni lola."

" Granny, Yumi. Lagot ka kay Granny pag narinig nyang 'lola' ang tawag mo sakanya."

Umirap ako, " Sus, arte. Tara na, okay lang ba ang vocal chords mo o nahalit sa basagan session kanina?" tumawa sya, " Okay pa, okay pa."

Dumeresto kami sa terrace kung nasaan si lola, " Granny, nandito na po kami.."

" Entertain me."

Napatingin ako kay Yuri at agad syang nagsalita, " Kanta ka, sasayaw ako." Tinakpan ko yung bibig ko habang pinipigilan ang pagtawa ng malakas, " Ano?" natatawang sabi nya,

" Tangina.." bulong ko habang tawa ng tawa sa tabi nya,

" Kumanta nalang kayong dalawa."

Tumigil ako sa pagtawa at nagseryoso, " Okay po.." umupo ako sa upuan sa harap ni lola at ganun din ako ginagawa ni Yuri. Nang makaupo sya ay kinanta ko yung unang part ng naisip kong kanta—na kasama sa favorite playlist ni Yuri, " The story starts laying in the dark with someone new, I'm feeling tired from all the time I spent on you~ But I know I'm strong from all the trouble I've been through, the story starts where the story falls apart with you~ Don't lie, bright eyes, Is it me that you see when you fall asleep? Cause I know it's you I dream about every night~ Giving me a feeling like love in the summer~ Way I've never felt with another, Don't lie, bright eyes~ Is it me that you see? Tell me I'm not dreaming alone~"

Pinakinggan ko si Yuri kumanta while feeling the character the song demands, " The story starts lying in the dark broken and bruised, I count the scars left in my heart from losing you~ And I was wrong but let's be honest you were too, I miss the part where I was falling hard for you~ So don't lie, bright eyes~ Is it me that you see when you fall asleep? Cause I know it's you I dream about every night~ Giving me this feeling like love in the summer~ Way I've never felt with another, Don't lie, bright eyes~ Is it me that you see? Tell me I'm not dreaming alone~"

" I can't take back the things I said," kinanta ko tapos si Yuri, " And I won't say that I regret," then sabay kami, "Any day that I was yours,"

We both sang the chorus like we both know we have been there, did that. And sang the last pieces, " It'll always be you and me, so why are we dreaming alone? It'll always be you and me, so why are we dreaming alone?"

I opened my eyes and looked at Granny. I know we did a great job and delivered it well. Nakatingin lang si Granny samin hindi nagsasalita nang bigla namin napansin na tumutulo na yung mga luha nya, " Granny?"

" I am so glad I have grandchildren like the both of you.."

Ngumiti naming dalawa ni Yuri at niyakap si lola, " We love you, lola.."

" Mahal ko din kayo mga apo ko.."

\\\

Turns out, naalala nya ang mga magulang namin ni Yuri kasi kaboses na kaboses ko daw si Mommy.. Sa tuwa naman ni Yuri ay tinanong nya din kung kaboses nya yung tatay namin. Ang sagot ni lola ay, " Ang ganda ng boses mo Yuri, makuntento ka na."

Tawa ako ng tawa habang nakasimangot si Yuri at natatawa rin si granny. Naglokohan lang sila hanggang sa dumating sa tatae raw si Granny sa kwarto ni Yuri kaya naman hinabol sya ni Yuri dahil sa kwarto ni Yuri si Granny tatae kung sakali. Napatingin ako sa pinsan ko na nasa tabi ko, " Hi."

Ngumiti ako, " Hello."

" I'm Max."

" I'm Yumi." At nilahad ko yung kamay ko, pero iba yung nakipagshakehand, " Hi din, I'm Kurt. Max's brother.."

Ngumiti lang ako sakanya, " I'm Yumi.."

" You're pretty, I guess it runs in the blood.." tumawa lang ako at binawi ang kamay na kanina nya pa hawak, " Thanks.."

" What's the name of your brother anyway?"

" Yuri."

Tumingin si Max kay Kurt, " Why is their names Yumi and Yuri? It's almost the same. But ours is different from another. I'm jealous."

" You're such a shit head Max. They are twins, of course their name will be like that."

Tumingin sakin si Max, " You guys are twins?" tumango ako," Aw that's cool."

" Thanks."

Magsasalita sana si Max pero may tumunog, may tumatawag, " Who's phone is that?" nagsikapa sila ng bulsa nila at tiningnan nila ang phones nila, " It's mine." Sabi ni Kurt,

" Who's that?"

" Cloud."

" I'm sorry, what? Claud?"

" I don't know what are you saying but if you think that name's spelling is the one up there in the sky, then we are in the same page." Sabi nya at sinagot yung tawag, " Hello, bro?"

" Oh, Cloud.." Sabi ko, habang nakatingin kay Kurt na pakikipagusap sa phone.. Seems like there is someone I know na may ganong name.. Hindi ko lang matandaan yung muka nya at sino sya sa buhay ko,

" Come here, Yumi.." tumingin ako kay Max at lumapit sya sa bag nya na may keyboard(musical) at sinaksak ito, " Don't tell me you brought that all the way to the Philippines?"

Umiling sya, " Nope. I bought it here."

Tumugtog sya at, " You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i~ You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i~ You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i~ You don't have to try, Yoooou don't have to try~"

Ngumiti ako habang pinapakinggan sya, " Put your make up on, Get your nails done~ Curl your hair, Run the extra mile~ Keep it slim, So they like you. Do they like you? Get your sexy on, don't be shy, girl~ Take it off. This is what you want, to belong~ So they like you. Do you like you?"

Sumabay ako sakanya, " You don't have to try so hard, you don't have to give it all away~ You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up~ You don't have to change a single thing, You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i~ You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i~ You don't have to try, try, try, try-i-i~ You don't have to try, Yoooou don't have to try~"

" Nice voice." Pagcocompliment nya sakin, " Thanks. Yours too."

" Yea, I get that a lot. Hahaha, kidding." Tumawa rin ako at napatingin kay Kurt nang lumapit sya samin, " He's down there. Can you please operate the thing outside?" tanong sakin ni Kurt.

" Yea, sure."

Tumayo ako mula sa pagkakaupo ko sa floor at pumunta sa front door at ibinaba yung elevator, " Let's pull him up." Sabi ni Kurt at hinila na namin sya pataas. Napanganga ako ng makita ang isang pamilyar na muka. Hanggang balikat ang itim na straight na buhok nya. Looks so familiar yet so strange. I looked at his broad shoulders, fit body, and how manly he stand.

" Claud?"