Closer to You

Epilogue

LARKIN

Books are my companions, and I always make sure that I read one a day. And today, I'm choosing something to ease my boredom when suddenly my mom enters my room. I quickly put the second book I picked up in my bag.

"Keon, let's go. Mahuhuli na tayo."

Kinuha ko na ang gamit ko at sumunod kay Mom. Tomorrow will be Rogan's birthday and he will celebrate it in our vacation house sa Bolinao. It was a long drive, Dad was the one doing it. Instead of admiring the view outside while travelling, I just focus my attention in reading my book, which is a wrong book, I pick up the wrong one. Well, it can be good..

"Anak, hindi ka ba nahihilo diyan?" My mom asked.

Sandali akong huminto at tumingin sa kaniya. "No, mom." At itinuloy ko na ang pagbabasa. 

"He inherited that from you, you also love books." I heard my dad say that, which made my mom chuckle.

The protagonist in the story feels love for the first time, and he doesn't know what to do. Is love like this? When you want to see that person every day, when you like hearing them talk, knowing what they are doing, and seeing them smile and laugh. And when you see only that person in your eyes. Is that love?

Binigla kong isara ang libro at tumingin sa labas ng bintana. I am not a fan of romance novels, so why did I get this?

I massaged my temple and sighed. Then might I just sleep? The trip is almost 4 hours.

AFTER four hours, we arrived at our destination. It was now 5 p.m., and the sun had begun to set. Bumaba ako sa sasakyan at napatitig sa sunset, my feet led me to the seaside as I gazed at the sun. Suddenly, I heard a clicking sound, which made me look to my left, where I saw a woman in a long flower dress taking pictures of me. She shifted her focus and resumed taking shots of the sun. I glanced at her, she kept checking her phone after taking photos, and she would smile. And that smile gives me an enigmatic feeling. How come she smiled so beautifully? She was called and returned to the resthouse, and I believe she is one of Rogan's guests.

I looked back at the sun and whispered something. "Damn, I want to see that smile again.."

What is she doing here?  Bakit hindi siya pumunta sa harap, naroon naman sina Rogan at ang mga kaibigan niya. Then I knew why, she's with a cat, a brown cat. She keeps on talking with the cat like it will answer her back. 

"Nagugutom ka ba?" She suddenly asked the cat. "Sandali," she said, putting the cat down and standing up. "Babalik ako!" Anito na parang naintindihan naman ng pusa ang sinabi niya.

While she was away, I watched the cat for her. The cat suddenly moved from its seat and went to me. Hinaplos ko ang balahibo niya, nakita ko ang pagkain sa tabi ko at naisipang ibigay iyon sa pusa. Ang kalat pa niyang kumain.

"Andito ka lang pala..." I heard her voice and looked at her. "Yung pusa," she said, like I would think it was me she was referring to. "Your owner is here, I gotta go." Tumayo na ako at umalis. I even heard what she said.