THE TATTOO ON HIS CHEST

EPILOGO

Raux Jerob Ferrer

Vapid.

Tasteless.

Lukewarm.

And...boring.

I took a finishing blow into his face. The crowds cheer became loud and all I can hear is my Alias.

“Sting! Sting! Sting!”

When my punched still not enough for him to knock down, I finished the fight with a mind blowing tornado kick.

Naghiyawan ang mga tao nang matumba ang kalaban.

I took a deep breath as I head up and let the referee announce the winner.

“The Champion! Sting!”

Itinaas ng referee ang isa kong kamay sa madla. Mas lalong umingay ang buong paligid.

I could see money flying around above the surface. As usual, the guests were satisfied with the fight.

But I'm still bored.

Despite all of this, the fame, money and above all...the power, I'm still bored.

Everything in my life seems plain and so ordinary. Lumalala ang pagka-inip ko sa bawat minutong dumadaan.

Nothing took my interest.

Both home, school and here, in the underground society. Everywhere I go, I'm peeved that everything's seems...so normal.

I don't know, I can't explain it. Maybe because all that I want are always just at my reach.

No thrills, no challenges.

And maybe, that's why I always wears my blank expression on my face.

They say that I look like I'm always bored.

They're right. I am bored.

“Who's that girl?”

Sinundan ko ng tingin ang tinutukoy ni Carlos, one of my peers.

After the class, we decided to take a break here on the side of the hallway.

I saw a girl, not so tall, not so short, just an ordinary, nothing seems special. She's looking for something, maybe she's lost and confused about her new schedule.

Pangalawang araw ngayon ng pagbubukas ng klase, kaya nagkukumahog pa ang iba lalo na ang mga bagong estudyante.

“I bet, she's a late enroller,” natatawang wika ni Carlos. “Mukhang kagagaling pa yata ng kumbento kaya na-late ng enroll.”

Binalikan ko ulit ito ng tingin.

I get why they're making fun of her, she dressed too modest, that you couldn't almost see her skin.

“Tanong mo nga kung saang simbahan siya nanggaling.”

Everyone laughed with him, but I remained serious, scanning the freshman student struggling to find her room.

“Lapitan mo nga Carlos, tanungin mo kung anong kailangan.” One of us sheeply grin at him.

“Tulungan mo baka nawawala,” sumabat ang isa. “ Tapos hingin mo na'rin yung number.”

I planned to ignore their cocky ideas and just focus myself tapping on my cellphone when unexpectedly, that girl accidentally bumped into me.

Bumagsak ang cellphone ko sa sahig.

“Hala! Sorry! I'm sorry.” She bend down to pick my phone and give it back to me.

I remained standing infront of her, staring at her so innocent face.