When he went back to their table
" Alam mo, maniniwala na kong boyfriend ka nya" Ram said
" Sir, sorry po. Naaawa na po kasi ako"
The three of them laughed and said
" You know what, hindi na din naman namin alam kung pano namin sasabihin na prank to eh" Ralph said
" Mga siraulo kasi kayong dalawa eh" Renz argued
" So anong sabi nya?" Ram asked
" Sabi nya po, dalhin ko daw yung sasakyan nya don, and she'll drive herself home na lang raw"
" Luhhh mag ddrive tuloy" Ralph laughed
" Ang kulit nyo kasi!" Renz argued once again
" So?" Ram asked
" Pwede po bang ako na lang magsundo sakanya?" Juan bravely asked
" Huy ano ka ba, sure ka ba?" Ralph asked
" Pwede naman po ako during my one hour break"
" Huy! Ako na lang!" Ralph said
" Oo nga, si kuya na lang. Hayaan mo siyang mag explain, kasalanan nya yan eh"
" Shit, kailangan ko bumalik ng camp by 12midnight" Ram said
" So, pano? Hindi ako pwede mag overnight, kailangan din ako sa site" Ralph said
" Flight ko mamayang 8pm" Renz said
" To where?" Ram asked
" Work trip, Mongolia"
" So pano? Papasamahan nyo talaga sya kay Dad?!" Ralph asked
" Tangina, umiiyak na nga!" Renz said
Juan raised his hand and said " Pwede po bang ako na lang?"
" Tol, ano, boyfriend ka ba talaga?!" Ram asked again
" H-hindi po" Juan nervously chuckled.
" Hindi ka ba hahanapin ng mga magulang mo?"
" Sasabihin ko naman po, wala din naman po sila dito din"
" So ano?" Ralph asked Ram
" Uy ano daw kuya" Ram turned to Renz
" Oh, edi sige. Ayaw nya naman talaga kay Dad eh, alangan pilitin pa"
" Sige" Ram said
" Uhm Sir, pwede na po ba akong umalis? 15 minutes na lang po kasi, late na ako"
" Sige na tol, nice to meet you" Ram stood up and let out his right hand to shake. The rest of them stood up as well.
" Salamat po, nice to meet you din po" He answered
Tangina, ang tapang ko dun ah. He thought as he exits through the door.
Ano nga ba kasi talaga 'to
While on duty, Juan told his friends that he will be picking up Lilac and will spend the night in her unit. m
" Tangina tol, sobrang ekis na nyan ah" Josh says.
" Nagmamalasakit lang" Miguel joked
" So kamusta mga kapatid nya?" Josh asked while arranging the gondola for the last time.
" Okay naman, mababait naman sila"
" Walang intimidating?"
" Lahat sila, actually."
Miguel laughed and said " Tangina, wala ka man lang bias?"
" Pareho lang sila eh, although yung Renz, medyo strict. I can tell"
" Sya yung sa airforce?"
" Hindi, yung Ram"
" Sinong kamuka ni Lilac?"
" Lahat sila" Juan says with a straight face.
" Bakit kasi nag volunteer ka?" Josh asked
" Eh walang sasama sakanya eh"
" Wala sa tatlo na yun?"
" Well, Ram yata dapat. But kailangan nya bumalik ng camp by tonight raw"
" Nasan ba parents ni Lilac?"
" Well, mom nya is an OFW yung dad nya is, basta"
" Wow, nag secret ka pa samin" Migs scoffed
" It's not my story to tell"
He drove to the hospital after his shift and when he arrived at her room, Lilac's two older brothers were already there.
" Uy dito ka na pala!" Ram greeted
" Juan! Sorry di na kita naupdate, nagpunta sina kuya dito to pick me up na" She smiled
" Sus, wag ka na mag explain, kasama namin yan kanina pa. Kasama namin yan nung tumawag ka samin, hanggang sa tumawag ka sakanya" Ralph says.
" Huh?" Bunny asked
" Ahh yeah, I uhh, I had brunch with them, kanina, before shift"
" Oh, so kasabwat ka?"
Renz entered the room and Ralph asked " Okay na?"
" Oo" Renz answered
" Magkano kuya?" Ram asked
" Well after the health card and all, 112k" He said
" Bakit sobrang mahal?" Ralph asked
" Na-ICU pala yan eh" Renz glanced at Bunny
" Ahhh hehe, oo kuya but nung day one lang kasi, nag dehydration shock ako and sobrang lala ng vomiting" She smiled
" Bakit ba kasi nagkasakit ka? Ano na namang ginawa mo?"
" Well it started nung bagyo, nung bumili ako ng groceries, nabasa ako ng light"
" Bakit? Lumakad ka?"
" Eh tatawid lang naman"
" Kulit kasi, di naman pwede kahit maambunan eh" Ram says
" Sorry" Bunny said and Juan noticed Lilac's brothers faces softened
Yun lang, kayang kaya He thought
" Next time, bring your car. Okay? Don't go around walking lalo na pag alam mong maulan" Renz says
" Oh and papalit ka pala ng sasakyan" Ralph said
" Ha?! Bakit?!"
" Sabi ni Dad eh"
" Wag na ako mag car kaya?"
" Di papayag yun"
Renz' phone rang " Ohh si tita Alice" he said
" Hi Tita!"
" Hi ma!"
" Hi Ta!"
" Oh ano? Kamusta na? Magkano ang babayaran ko?"
" Wag na, okay na" Ram said
" Binayaran mo?"
" Naghati sila kuya" Ram laughed " Alam mo naman na may pinag gagastusan ako"
" Renz anak, let me know, kahit portion lang, gusto ko din mabayaran, syempre kaya nga ako nag tatrabaho"
" Alam mo tita, it's okay. Don't worry about it na." Ralph answered.
" Hay, sige, kahit gamot man lang pabilhin nyo ako. Sabihan nyo ako" She says
" So sino palag magbabantay sakanya mamaya?" She asked
" Boyfriend nya" Renz said and glanced at Juan
" Huh? Sigurado ba kayong magaling na yan?" She asked referring to Lilac with sarcasm.
"Okay na ma, sasamahan siya ulit ni Juan"
" Okay sige, basta once lagnatin ulit, balik agad sa hospital ha"
" Hindi ako magbabayad sige, pero magkano?"
" 112k daw ma!" Lilac shouted "I can pay pa galing sa savings!"
" Hindi na!" Renz said a little too loud to Lilac
" Hala, don't shout at me" Lilac's face turned red suddenly
" I am not shouting at you, I'm just saying it with a lot of feelings, okay?" Renz explained calmly
" Kaya pa?" Ralph tapped Juan shoulder
" O-po" Juan chuckled
" Sensya na ha, blended kasi kami. So medyo, alam mo na. Complex" He said as he took a sip of his coffee.
From where they were standing, they can see Ram busy with his phone and Renz trying na maamo si Lilac.
" Takot kasi yan si Lilac sakanya eh. Kaya onting sigaw lang nya, kakabahan si Lilac, mamumula agad yan parang kamatis "
" Cute nga po eh" He said absentmindedly
" Ikaw haaaaa!" Ralph laughed
Even him was shocked on what he said.
" Tara na, uwi na tayo kasi I have to go na rin pagkadating natin sa condo" Renz said
" Sabay na tayo pa airport kuya" Ram says
" Ikaw?" Lilac asked Ralph
" Aais na din ako siguro mag stay pa ko ng 1 hour. Mag grocery muna ko for your stock tapos I'll go na rin"
" Eh ikaw?" She asks him
" I-uhmm, I can stay" He answered
" For the whole week, kasi iniwan ka nya ng may sakit ka. Babawi sya sayo. Diba pre?" Ram threatened him
" O-opo"
" Goods goods" Ram smiled and let out a chuckle knowing he got scared and caught up in the situation.
