TINITIGAN kong mabuti si Hiro habang abala ito sa pagbabasa ng print-outs na ibinigay ko sa kaniya. I want to ask him if he is the guy that I saw last time. But I can't bring myself to ask him about it. And I think it's not him. Kamukha niya lang 'ata iyong lalaking nakita ko. Halos magkakamukha rin naman kasi ang mga Japanese. At saka may jowa na iyon kaya imposibleng siya iyon.
"Miss Chavez," pagtawag ni Hiro sa pangalan ko na ikinapitlag ko.
"Yes?" I asked.
"Do you have plans for the summer break?" he asked while smiling.
Hindi agad ako nakasagot. Oo nga pala, summer break na namin next month. Isang buwan kaming walang pasok. I can save for my tuition while working forty hours a week. May oras na rin ako para puntahan ang mga lugar na puwedeng gamitin ang free pass na ibinigay ng eskuwelahan.
"I don't have plans, but I have to work forty hours a week," I replied.
"I see. If you have time, let's go to the beach." He smiled.
Napaawang ang mga labi ko. Simula noong nakarating ako rito sa Japan ay hindi pa ako nakapupunta sa beach.
"Sure!" pagpayag ko.
Finally, I can go to the beach! I'm so excited!
Laking tuwa rin niya. "Do you like barbecue?" he asked.
Tumango-tango ako.
"Then, let's have a barbecue when we go to the beach."
"Sure!"
Instead of tutoring him, we talk about beaches. We also talk about places and events in the summer. Hindi ko inaakala na mag-e-enjoy akong kausap siya. May mga bagay rin akong natutunan tungkol sa kaniya.
"PICK one color and write a wish," our teacher said while handing long and narrow strips of colorful paper and also color pens. Today is Tanabata, also known as the "star festival," a Japanese festival originating from the Chinese Qixi Festival. It celebrates the meeting of the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi. Which takes place on the seventh day of the seventh month.
Gustong-gusto ko ang kulay pula, kaya naman ay iyon ang napili kong kulay. Nagdadalawang-isip naman ako kung ano ang isusulat ko. Kakatapos lang ng JLPT exam namin kaya ibang wish ang gusto kong isulat. Ano naman kaya ang magandang isulat?
"Have you written anything?" Kasmitha asked. She's my classmate from Nepal, and she's my seatmate for this month. Nagbabago kasi ang seating arrangement namin every month.
"Not yet," I answered. "How about you? Have you written anything?" I asked.
"Yes. I wrote about my family being in good health," she replied, and then smiled.
Namangha naman ako. Ba't 'di ko naisip iyon? Simula noong dumating ako rito sa Japan, sarili ko lang ang iniisip ko. Hindi ko man lang naisip ang pamilya ko. Ni hindi ko rin sila nagawang kumustahin man lang.
"Are you done?" our teacher asked.
"Yes, Teacher!" chorus naming tugon.
Agad naman kaming bumaba sa first floor para isabit sa isang bamboo tree na malapit sa entrance ang mga naisulat namin. Pagkatapos ay bumalik na kami sa classroom para ipagpatuloy ang klase.
BINABASA MO ANG
How Do You Say I Like You?
RomanceWhile deciding what to eat, Lhea Chavez was asked by a man to teach him Tagalog. Yamada Hiro aims to learn Tagalog in order to speak with a Filipino he likes. Although it seemed odd, she agreed. What would happen if she starts to develop feelings fo...
