The CEO's Wife

Chapter 4

Happy New Year 2024!

Chapter 4

Sports Festival

"Can I invite you to our University Sports Festival?" Castiel asked me over breakfast the next day.

Nag-angat ako ng tingin sa kaniya mula sa pagkain. Pinag-isipan ko muna bago ako tumango sa kaniya.

And he smiled as he looked happy and satisfied sa pagpayag ko. "Great!"

"I'll go, too?" Haniel asked na kasabay din namin mag-breakfast.

While the Madam went out early in the morning today. Mukhang may iba pang pupuntahan bukod sa pag-aasikaso ng business. I think ay inaayos na rin niya ang maiiwan niya sa mga apo...

Bumaling si Castiel sa kapatid niya. "No."

Agad naman nagreklamo si Haniel sa kuya niya. He's about to cry again. And Castiel called him a crybaby.

"Don't cry, Haniel. Your brother is just joking. We can go together to watch him play, okay?"

Bumaling naman sa akin si Haniel at ngumiti na. I just smiled to him, too. Si Castiel talaga ay binibiro pa ang kapatid niya. Alam naman niya na bata lang 'yan at madaling mapaiyak.

And then Castiel asked me a question.

"What sports did you play back when you were still studying, anyway?" He curiously asked me.

Muli naman akong tumingin sa kaniya at sumagot. "Just swimming."

"Oh. So you know how to swim very well? Why don't we go on a beach or resort on a weekend?" He suggested.

Inilingan ko naman siya agad dahil busy pa kami ngayon. "Maybe on summer days na lang and vacation n'yo rin ni Haniel from school." I said.

Tumango na rin naman si Castiel sa sinabi ko.

And so we went on to watch Castiel play basketball at the university. Doon lang din nag-aaral si Haniel sa elementary. Maaga rin natapos ang class nila ngayon, and I brought him with me to watch his brother's game.

"There he is!" Tinuro ni Haniel si Castiel na nasa baba na at naghahanda na sa laro. While I found us a seat on the bleachers.

"Kuya Castiel!" Haniel suddenly called loudly on his brother.

Napatingin naman sa amin si Castiel at natawag ang atensyon niya. I saw him smiling at us and waving his hand at me and Haniel.

Habang sinaway ko naman si Haniel at nahiya bahagya dahil napansin ko na nakatingin na yata sa amin ang mga tao sa loob ng gym. And it was obvious pa na parang sunod din sila na nagbulungan sa isa't isa.

They're probably just curious.

And Castiel Villarama was probably a popular guy in school, too.

"Quiet, Haniel. Baka palabasin tayo dito kung maingay ka." I said to him.

Bumaling naman siya sa akin at tumango. "Okay. I'll be quiet na."

"Good. Are you thirsty? You want some snacks?" I asked him.

Tumango naman siya kaya tiningnan ko muna ang kasama naming driver/bodyguard na nakatayo roon hindi kalayuan. I asked him to get Haniel snacks.

Naupo kami roon sa may bleachers habang naghihintay sa laro, and I was also taking care of Haniel's school bag and things. May dala lang din ako na maliit ko na personal na bag ko.

At nahagip ng mga mata ko ang mga kaibigan ni Castiel na nandoon din at mukhang naroon para i-cheer siya. And I also saw Erica in one of them. Binalik ko na lang din ang atensyon ko sa kay Haniel. At dumating na rin ang snacks niya kaya pinakain ko siya muna.

And then the game started. I watched it with Haniel na mukhang natuwa rin naman manood ng game ng kuya niya. Pagkatapos ay bumaling pa siya sa akin para magsabi lang. "When I grow up like kuya, I will also play basketball. And I will be better than him." He said seriously.

Napangisi na lang din ako sa sinabi ni Haniel. Sometimes he just sees his big brother like a competition. Napailing na lang ako.

And the game ended with Castiel's team winning. Dalang-dala rin niya ang team niya sa pagkapanalo nila ngayon. He's also good in it. And he's really tall. Napansin ko na noon na matangkad nga siya sa unang pagkikita pa lang namin nang dumating ako rito sa Cebu.

Agad niya rin kami pinuntahan ni Haniel pagkatapos ng laro.

He looked at me. "How was it? The game?" He asked me.

Tumango naman ako. "Good. It was a nice game, I guess."

"Right! Should we go out to celebrate? We can eat out now." He said.

Bumukas ang bibig ko at tumango na lang din ako sa sinabi ni Castiel.

Pagkatapos ay nagpaalam na rin siya sa mga kaibigan niya at team na mauuna na kami sa kanilang umalis.

"Won't you be celebrating with your teammates?" I asked beside him.

Bumaling naman siya sa akin at umiling. "Hindi na. Kaya na nila."

Bahagya naman kumunot ang noo ko sa kaniya.

At nakita ko pa na nakatingin sa amin si Erica bago kami nakalabas ng gymnasium.

Marami pa ang nag-congratulate kay Castiel kaya medyo hindi pa agad kami nakaalis ng campus nila. And I also saw some of their curious eyes looking at me. Probably curious by my presence there. Pero wala naman na talagang nagtanong hanggang sa nakaalis na kami roon nina Castiel.

Haniel was mentioning a known fast food restaurant where we could eat. Gabi na rin and it's already time for dinner. "And get me a happy meal, okay? Because you won your basketball today." Haniel said to Castiel.

Kumunot naman ang noo ng kuya niya sa kaniya. "No. We'll eat in a better restaurant." Castiel said.

"But, why? I want to go there!" Nagpadyak naman agad si Haniel ng mga paa niya.

"Haniel," marahan ko na siyang sinaway. Napansin ko rin na medyo mabilis lang siyang mainis o mairita minsan. At nag-t-tantrum agad...

Umiling si Castiel sa kapatid niya. "But, Haniel, we're with your Ate Hasmine." Castiel said to his younger brother.

Umiling na ako sa kanilang dalawa. "It's fine. Doon na lang tayo sa gustong kainan ni Haniel." I said.

And Haniel clapped his hands. He looked happy, kaya napangiti na rin ako sa kaniya.

While I heard Castiel sighing beside us. Pagkatapos ay dumating na rin naman kami agad sa pinuntahan na fast food. May malapit lang din kasi sa university nina Castiel at lumiko na lang din doon ang driver. Nauna pa sa aming lumabas ng sasakyan si Haniel at agad din naman siyang sinundan ng driver.

"I'm sorry about Haniel." Castiel said.

Tumingin naman ako sa kaniya. And he also looked at me.

"He's not really like this when our parents were still here..." Pagkatapos ay napatingin siya sa labas ng bintana ng sasakyan kung saan nasa harapan na kami ng fast food. "Our parents also used to bring us here. Especially Haniel, kasi natutuwa siya sa mga kasamang laruan sa kiddie meal na siniserve nila rito." He said.

And then he sighed again. "When Mommy and Daddy left us after the accident... Haniel becomes bored and irritated easily with even the simplest things... He was not like that before..." aniya.

Nakatingin ako sa kaniya at nabagabag naman ang kalooban ko. "It's all right. That's why we're here for Haniel, too..." I said to him.

Bumaling pa siya sa akin at nagkatinginan kaming dalawa. Pagkatapos ay nakita ko ang bahagya niyang ngiti sa akin. "We're also glad that you're here with us. And Haniel became happier because you're here." He said.

Napangiti na rin ako sa sinabi niya. At pagkatapos naming mag-usap sa loob ng sasakyan ay niyaya ko na rin siya na lumabas na kami at sumunod dahil baka nahihirapan na rin ang driver sa kay Haniel.

And then we ordered all the food that Haniel wanted. Including Spaghetti and fried chicken with desserts like pie and sundae icecream. And we enjoyed eating together with Haniel, Castiel and me on a table inside the simple fast food.