TWO-FACED Book 1: STELLJUN AU [SB19]

PART 91 🎭

Kheene's POV

In a panic, I found myself unable to reach Felip after his birthday concert. Desperation drove me to rush to his condo, where my knowledge of his security code turned out to be a stroke of luck.

Pag bukas ko ng condo unit nito, napatakip ako ng ilong ng umangasaw ang matapang na amoy sa loob nito.

Halos hindi ko maaninag ang loob dahil sa sobrang dilim. Kaya kinapa ko ang light switch sa bandang gilid, at sa pag bukas ng ilaw naaninag ko si Felip na, naka upo sa sahig katabi ng mga basyo ng bote ng alak.

"Fuck dude! What's your problem!!" Nagpanik kong sigaw, bago lumapit dito.

Upon calling out to him, only silence met my words. His gaze remained fixed on the distance, apparently unaware of my presence. A pang of sorrow gripped my heart as I observed the misery etched across his face, transforming him into an almost unrecognizable figure, starkly different from the friend I once knew.

"Tangina naman Felip, tama na!" Pasigaw kong sabi, bago ko agawin ang bote ng alak na tutunggain na sana nito.

"Ano ba kasing problema mo??" Hindi niya padin ako pinapansin.

Inagaw niya pabalik ang bote ng alak sakin, at tuluyan ng tunggain ito.

"Dude, kausapin mo ako. I'll help you. Kaibigan mo ako diba?" Kalmado kong sabi.

As tears welled up in Felip's eyes, a resonant cry filled the room, leaving me stunned by this unexpected glimpse into his emotional depths. The mystery behind his anguish remains, leaving a heavy ache in my heart.

As he buried his face in my shoulder, I wrapped my arms around him, offering comfort in the silence. I resisted the urge to inquire about his troubles, opting to give him the space to share when he felt prepared.

In the quiet aftermath of his tears, he mustered the strength to speak, his voice trembling with emotion.

"Kheene, alam mo ba kung bakit ako naging singer? Kung bakit ko gustong makita sa TV, marinig sa radio o kumalat ang larawan ko sa social media?

Baka kasi sakaling makilala niya ako, o marinig niya boses ko..

Kheene, nag hintay ako.. Nag hintay ako ng sobrang tagal...

Akala ko nga, hindi ko na siya makikita, pero nagkita ulit kami.

Sobrang saya ko, kasi finally yung pinag hirapan ko nag bunga na.

Pero mali pala ako.. Maling mali pala.."

Listening to him was like standing in the rain, each word a droplet of his pain. His tears stained my shirt, but I held back any interruption.

"Akala ko okay ako, hindi pala..

Kheene ang sakit, sobrang sakit. Sobrang durog na durog puso ko."

His burdened heart finally released its weight in words, a heavy cry escaping his lips. I offered solace with a reassuring touch on his back, silently conveying understanding and support.

Now I realized, Felip was a person shrouded in secrets, making it challenging for him to open up to others.

Summoning my courage, I carefully chose my words, mindful of their impact, aiming to express myself without causing him any distress.

"Alam mo Felip, hindi lahat ng bagay nakukuha natin. Alam kong masakit, pero ito takbo ng buhay eh.

Felip, hindi ko pwedeng sabihin sayong Okay lang yan, kaya mo yan. Kasi hindi naman ako ikaw, at hindi ko alam kung ano ba talaga ang nangyari.

Pero gusto lang malaman mo na sana unahin mo muna yang sarili mo, nakikita mo ba yang itsura mo? Halos hindi na nga kita makilala."

As he remained silent, tears streaming down his face, I wondered if my words reached him.

"Felip, ito tandaan mo. Kapag para sayo talaga ang isang tao, gagawa ng paraan ang tadhana para mapa sayo ito.

Bigyan mo ng time yang puso mo para gumaling, at yang sarili mo para maging okay."

Facing him, I meet his gaze, offering reassurance through my eyes, a silent promise to stand by him in his moments of pain.

"Kheene mahal ko siya, sobra. At gusto ko siyang maging masaya kahit hindi ako ang dahilan"

Looking at his pained expression, it's clear he's deeply broken. Although he seems content with what he has, it's obvious he wants more, and unfortunately, I can't help him achieve that.

"Alam kong masakit to, pero kung talagang mahal mo siya bakit hindi mo suportahan para sa ikasasaya niya."

He stayed silent and didn't respond; his tears were the only way he expressed himself. I let him cry, hoping each tear could ease the pain he carried.

I acknowledged my limitations as a friend, aware that my words might fall short. Despite feeling like a worthless companion, I held onto the hope that simply being here could, in some small way, ease the heavy burden of loneliness weighing on him.

After he cried for a while, I guided him to the sofa to rest.

Before leaving, I cleaned up the place, trying to bring some order to the chaos.

Standing there, I looked at Felip sleeping, and tears welled up in my eyes as I saw how broken he was.