Hatin' Hue: A JOKEN AU

HH 6

"Cute mo, Teo!" one of his fans trailed after them and hugged the MVP from the back.

"Tsk," Caleb reacted as he watched his bodyguard get embraced by a stranger. With a swift turn of his back, he left Han behind and started walking again.

"Cal!" Han shouted, but it didn't make Caleb stop.

Right after he managed to subdue his fans, he began searching for Caleb. And he found himself waiting in the pedestrian area.

"Pst," he heard someone from behind.

Caleb saw Han on the sidewalk and ducked behind the bush. There was nobody else walking by, and it was growing darker.

In contrast, Han experienced a strange sensation in his right eye. He massaged it carefully, but his vision only grew worse. Han, a little lightheaded, fought to maintain his balance.

He stumbled and fell, hitting his upper arm on the floor before he could get any closer to the bushes. "Hate!"

Silver continued lecturing his hospitalized friend, "Kung hindi ka ba naman kasi kalahating shunga at kalahating animal—"

"Don't stress him, Silver," Caleb said, fastening the cushion to the slat in Han's headboard.

Still agitated at Han, Silver shot back, "Aba'y hindi! Ako ang naistress! Sino bang nagsabing huwag siya kumain ng lunch? Ni-hindi nga raw niya ginalaw yung energy drink sabi ni coach."

"Yong energy drink ang sabi kasi sakin 'yung red..." Han said, bowing his head in reply.

"Pota! Capture, send, and ask tayo diba?" Silver responded.

"Nasa class ka kasi. Baka maabala ka pa," Han said, appearing to be ashamed.

Confused, Caleb remarked, "I don't get it."

Silver clarified that Han had always routinely asked for his assistance in distinguishing between various colors.

"And about lunch?" Caleb asked.

"Ano..." Han stammered out his words as if he was having difficulty saying them.

Silver laughed at Han's even more humiliated look and exclaimed, "Ah! Alam ko na. Si tungaw nakita siguro 'yung tinola mo."

"You want it?" Caleb said, taking the tinola from his bag. Han gave a timid nod in reply.

"Paborito niya manok," Silver explained. He let out a louder chuckle as he realized what Han was up to. He went on, "Kalahating shunga ka nga! Akala mo ba kanina para sayo 'yon?"

"Alam mo pahamak ka talaga sa buhay!" Han yelled and shoved Silver away.

Just as they were picking small quarrels, the door slid open. Silver asked in a startled tone, "Gold?"

Gold walked over to Han on the bed and asked, "How are you feeling?" Crimson was behind him with some food in his hands.

Han overheard Caleb ask Crimson, "Can you get more tinola?" and Crimson complied right away, exiting the room.

"Can I talk with Teodoro alone?" Gold said, waiting for the others to also leave the room.

Silver immediately went out while Caleb ignored him, saying, "You can't have him all by yourself, Austin. He's no longer bound to your contract."

"Huy ano kasi, Caleb, labas ka na muna," Han replied. Their gazes resembled a heated argument since Han persisted even though Caleb was still unwilling to go.

After losing and just before closing the door, Caleb heard Austin say, "I missed you."

Without any delay, he slid the door wide open and stepped back in, crossing his arms. Austin asked, "What?" as he looked up at him.

"Whatever you'll have to say to my bodyguard should get to me first," Caleb replied.

Austin fired back, "Suit yourself, brother," and carried on speaking with Han.

Caleb remained leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, listening the entire time.

"As what I've been telling you, here, take this. After everything you've been through just to be by my side while we're still together, you deserve and earned this," Gold remarked and handed Han a paper bag, which he quickly looked into.

To Han's astonishment, he yanked Gold into a close embrace while exclaiming, "Thank you!"

"Tsk." For the second time that day, Caleb saw his bodyguard between someone else's arms, and he felt a twinge of pain in his heart.

Shortly afterward, Caleb was clearing the table they had used for dinner earlier, while Silver and Han were giggling with each other.

"Red, dre, red," Han said, giggling.

Silver exclaimed amazingly, "Tama!" and clapped his hands as Han correctly identified the color of the cloth he was holding up.

Excitedly, Han said, "Nakakadifferentiate na ako, Cal!" He kept going, "Although monochromatic pa rin pero hindi na masyadong dark. Astig nitong salamin ni Gold!"

"Huy! Hindi ka ba masaya para sakin? Tamlay mo naman parang ikaw naman 'tong kulang sa kain at pahinga," Han said, noticing that Caleb had been acting differently from when Austin and Crimson had visited earlier.

"Sorry, that's good. Siguro naman makakatawid ka na mag-isa," Caleb responded, throwing him a quick glance.

"Konting practice muna," Han said, beaming.

Caleb inquired in a serious tone, "How's your eyes ba? Feeling anything weird lately?"

Han was unable to reply right away; he only grinned before saying, "Wag mo 'ko masyado alalahanin. Hindi mo na ako kargo. Diba nga I quit as your bodyguard?"

Caleb knit his brows, not sure if he even agreed on him quitting as his bodyguard.

"Yung ibabayad mo sa treatment ko, itago mo na lang. Gamitin mo para sa sarili mo," he added.

"Silver, can you get coffee muna sa labas? Make sure it is neither overly sweet nor overly bitter. I want the smoke to rise, but not too hot. In between being too light and too brown," Caleb ordered Silver.

"Teka, may ganyan ba?" Silver asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Just go, tagalan mo," Caleb responded.

When they were left alone, Caleb sat down, facing Han. "Akala mo ba hindi ko alam that you're not taking your medicines? Kailan pa?"

"Tatlong araw," Han responded.

"See? Tatlong araw pa lang nahimatay ka na. What more kung tumagal pa? You need those for your eyes. Wag kang makulit!"

"Ikaw, akala mo rin ba hindi ko alam na hindi ka sa mansyon umuuwi?" Han retorted. He continued, "Sarili mong ipon gagastusin mo para sa mga mata ko? Paano ka? Nasaksak ka kailan lang, tapos tinitipid mo sarili mo. Ni pang gamot sa sugat mo hindi mo mabili. Sa tingin mo ba papayag akong pabayaan mo sarili mo para sakin?"

To be continued...