Falling for the Masterpiece

Chapter 20: The Thinker

YUKI

"Hindi kami puwedeng tumira sa lugar mo. Hindi mo naman kami kaanoano. We're just friends. We're just classmates. We're not even a couple."

"We're just classmates?"

"Oo."

"We're just friends?"

"Yes."

"We're not even a couple?"

"Oo—" I pushed down that lump of saliva in my throat. "We're never a couple."

He felt silent. Natatakot ako sa magiging reaksyon niya. In the past few months, he has been so sincere about his feelings for me while I was trying to hold back mine.

Sa gabing iyon, as we stayed quiet, tranging boses ng kapitbahay kong lasinggera ang umaalingawngaw sa buong kuwarto. Si Aling Perlita sa labas na nag-vi-vidoeke at kumakanta ng Kitchie Nadal medley ang umiikot na tunog sa pagitan naming dalawa.

Ivan never responded. Mga ilang minuto rin iyon. We were like waiting for the medley to finish bago kami nagkalakas ng loob na lingunin ulit ang isa't isa. When Aling Perlita was done singing "Same Ground," kinalabit ako ni Ivan sa tuhod ko.

"Kailangan bang maging couple para patirahin kita sa bahay ko?"

"Ah, yes?" Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay habang pinipilit kong umupo mula sa pagkakahiga ko. "And, kahit hindi tayo couple, hinding-hindi ko matatanggap 'yang offer mo."

Ivan was silent again. Halatang bumalik na naman siya sa sarili niyang mundo. It was as if he was trying to find the right words before he came back to me. He has always been like this; maingat na siya sa akin, taking care of me not just physically but emotionally as well. Then, I saw him looked down. I noticed he started squeezing his key card of his condo unit.

To make that moment more awkward. Aling Perlita is now singing the part of the medley that says, "Huwag na huwag mong sasabihin na hindi mo nadama itong pag-ibig kong handang ibigay kahit pa ang kalayaan mo."

Mabilis akong tumayo. Sumigaw ako sa bintana. Tinapat ko sa direksyon ng kapitbahay kong wrong timing ang bibig ko. "Aling Perlita, magpatulog ka na!" Sabay bagsak ng bintana pasarado.

I went back to Ivan, hoping to get a reaction from him, but he was just looking at his feet. I sat back on my bed, waiting for him to speak.

"Wala itong kapalit, Yuki, hindi gaya ng—" Hindi niya tinuloy. Pero bakit pakiramdam kong may gusto siyang patamaan sa akin. "Let's just say you could stay there until you save enough money at nang makalipat kayo sa mas maayos na lugar."

"Walang mali rito sa lugar namin. May mga kapitbahay akong handang tumulong kay Kite at sa akin sa oras ng pangangailangan."

I wished I could tell him more. That this has been our home ever since. I feel safe here. Kahit hindi sa amin ang lupang ito, maayos ang mga kapitbahay ko. There is a sense of camaraderie among us, from exchanging food in the morning to making sure that everyone gets home safe at night.

"What about your brother's health?

"Sanay na sa dumi ang kapatid ko. He has grown so immune to the dirt in this place that he has built resistance to it. Laking kalye si Kite, malakas ang resistensya niya sa sakit. Huwag ka nang mag-alala sa kanya—"

"What about your health?" Lumapit siya lalo. He kept his gaze fixed with mine. I saw the light from his eye shiver like a drop of water. "Paano naman ang kalusugan mo, Yukihero?"

I know he saw how he made me smile bago ko pa ilihis ang mukha ko.

"Ayos lang ako, Ivan."

My hand that was leaning on the bed suddenly felt warm when Ivan Boselli placed his hand on top of it.