The Last Rule

Chapter 27 - Line

"Sola, nariyan na ang sundo mo!" tawag sa akin ni Ate KC, ang SBO President ng department namin.

Her voice echoed across the near-empty boulevard of the University, mixing with the evening breeze and distant laughter from the still-busy students nearby. It was already past nine, and I could feel the fatigue settling in my bones. The booths were mostly finished, but the exhaustion from the preparations clung to my shoulders like a weight.

Tomorrow would mark the first day of the week-long Foundation Day, and as SBO Officers, we had to make sure everything was ready, even if it meant going home late. My hands were sluggish, my eyes getting heavy. But when I turned, I saw him.

Dos.

Naka-uniform pa siya, necktie slightly loosened, sleeves rolled to his elbows, hair medyo messy, definitely pagod. Nakaupo siya sa bench under the streetlight habang hawak ang phone, pero nakapikit ang mata niya, like he was trying to rest even for a little bit.

My chest tightened a little.
There he was, after hours of thesis work... and he still chose to fetch me.

I didn't know why, but that image felt heavier than anything else today.

The way his head leaned back against the wooden bench...
The way his eyes were closed as if he was fighting to stay awake...
The faint streetlight haloing his features like the universe was trying to keep him awake just a little longer.

And somehow, I felt guilty.

As if I was the reason he looked like that.

"Mauna ka na, Sola. Kami na bahala maglinis. Malapit lang naman ang boarding house namin," sabi ng isa naming officer.

"Oo, ikaw uuwi pa," dagdag pa ng isa.

They insisted.

In the end, umalis na ako.

I gathered my things, slung my bag on my shoulder, and walked toward him.

He waited... longer than he should've.

I hurried up, gently shook his shoulder.

He slowly opened his eyes, squinted at the light, then rubbed them para maka-adjust.

He looked exhausted.

Then still... he smiled at me.

Softly.

Quietly.

Like seeing me made him less tired.

God... why?

"Let's eat first?" I asked softly.

Mostly because he needed it.

Partly because I needed to make up for him.

And maybe... because I just didn't want the night to end yet.

We stopped at the Banchetto, which is a place in the Plaza where there are a lot of different food stalls. Smoke from grills is floating in the air. The smell of isaw, takoyaki, ramen cups, pizza slices, overloaded hotdogs, a literal buffet of street food. He insisted to order kaya ako na ang naghanap ng table namin.

The whole time, we didn't talk.

Not weird silent. Not awkward silent. Just... silent. Peacefully silent. The kind where your body rests even without words.

Music from the live acoustic singer filled the plaza. Warm streetlights. Cool night breeze. And us. Just existing beside each other. 

Doing nothing. Saying nothing. But still together. It felt strange...