Falling for the Masterpiece

Chapter 8: Kite

IVAN

"So bakit hindi mo sinundan?" Andi has been at my neck since we arrived here. Magkatabi kaming kumakain ng icedrop sa gitna ng university stage. Hindi ko magawang sipsipin ang kinakain ko dahil kanina pa niya ako binubungangaan.

"Ewan ko. Hindi ko alam. Feeling ko ayaw niyang hawakan ko siya."

Ikinuwento ko kay Andi ang nangyari noong nakaraan sa basketball court with Yuki. I left out the details about Yuki dragging me to a side of the church dahil baka kung ano ang isipin niya.

"Gosh, I really wish I was there!" tili ni Andi sa tabi ko.

"Naiinis ka ba sa suntukang nangyari or kinikilig ka na naman sa'min ng crush mo?"

"Can't a girl have both feelings at the same time?"

"Can a guy eat his popsicle in peace without you squirming?"

"Can a girl just be happy because her ship is sailing smoothly?"

Can a guy sink that ship before it even sails? Of course, I did not say that. I responded something else: "Can a guy just be set up on a date with Emerald without me having to draw some lewd manga panels?"

"Correction, it's Bara. And no, you can't."

"You're supposed to answer with a question, Andi."

"Can a girl—"

"No, talo ka na. I win this round. So, for your punishment—"

"Ivan, hindi ko alam na naglalaro pala tayo?"

"Hindi mo alam, your face. Ganito na tayo mula nang mga bata tayo."

It's true. We've been like that. Andi has been my classmate since grade school. Pero hindi niya alam kung saan ang totoong bahay ko. Since we were little, we would have this sort of debate whenever we had a conversation. And whoever diverts from the kind of sentence we are using, siya ang talo.

Nginusuan na lang niya ako at binalikan ang pag-ubos sa kinakain niya. "Fine, what do you want?" I gave her a module. "Para saan 'to?"

"Basahin mo ang harapan."

"Yukihero Azukawa?" Andi read.

Just mentioning his name was enough para bumalik na naman sa alaala ko ang itsura namin sa garden kahapon.

The way he stared at me behind my mask, it was as if he knew the real me.

The way he pressed on the wall while I'm shirtless, it's as if he wanted me there, alone for himself.

The way he backed away when I tried to get close, but it's as if he was asking for help.

Inalog ko ulit ang ulo ko. I am imagining things again.

"Ms. Malubag wants me to hand it to him because he missed another class."

"E, bakit nga ikaw, Ivan?"

"Tanginang 'to. Quiz bee? Daming tanong. Ako kasi katabi niyan."

"If I know, nag-volunteer ka lang na ikaw na ang mag-abot, e."

Damn, this girl might really be psychic! Naalala ko na naman kanina when I approached Ms. Malubag. Our math teacher actually asked the people at the back of the class, na laging kasama ni Yuki, but none of them stepped up. When everyone was gone after the bell rang, I offered Ms. Malubag myself to give it to Yuki.

"I knew it!" biglang sigaw ni Andi sa mukha ko. "Nag-volunteer ka nga! I can see it on your face, Ivan Boselli!"

Hindi ko pinapansin ang kaibigan ko. I'm busy talking to myself habang sinusubo ang icedrop ko.