Until We Meet Again

pleading

chapter 21

₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊𐙚

I was sitting in the cafeteria, staring at the guy while he ate the lunch I bought for him. Naningkit ang mga mata ko habang pinapanood ko siyang ubusin ito.

"I'm Noah by the way. And... ikaw?"

He stared at me like he was judging me as a whole. "Tamachi... Tamachi Amoroto. Call me Achi if you want"

"Oh, so you're Japanese? Kasi parang Japanese ang pangalan mo."

"Half."

Finally, I confirmed it-may lahi nga siya. Kanina ko pa siya napapansin na hindi siya mukhang Pinoy. Based on his facial features alone, malayo sa typical na itsura ng mga Pinoy. I just wasn't sure if he was Korean or Japanese.

"So..." I leaned forward, crossing my arms. "Tell me, bakit mo hinalikan 'yung kaibigan ko nang walang pasabi?"

"I'll tell you everything. But after this, tapos na tayo. Clear?"

A guilty chuckle escaped his lips. "It was just... a wrong moment."

Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "The wrong moment? Really?"

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as if trying to find the right words. "Yeah, nangyari kasi 'yun nung nagkita kami sa convenience store. Hindi ko alam na nagtatrabaho pala siya doon. Apparently, he's doing it in secret. Midnight shift siya at kinuwento niya sakin. He was tipsy that day kaya kung anu-ano na lang ang sinasabi niya."

I blinked, taken aback. "Nagtatrabaho siya doon? Since when? He never told me about it."

Tamachi looked at me raising his brow. "I guess ayaw niyang ipaalam."

I leaned back, processing this new information. Bakit naman niya itatago 'yun sa akin?

"Why would he hide it from me?"

"Aba, ewan ko sa inyo. Ayoko nga sana siyang kausapin nun e. I was just eating, minding my own business, when he approached and started talking and drinking beside me."

He was looking down at his plate, still hesitant to talk. "Pero habang nag-uusap kami, biglang dumating 'yung ex ko. With his new girlfriend."

"Wait-your ex? So, you're ex was a boy?" I frowned, the conversation taking another unexpected turn.

Tamachi nodded. "Yeah. Hindi ko inaasahan na makikita ko sila, lalo na sa ganung sitwasyon. Hindi ko alam ang gagawin ko, so..."

Napahinto siya sa pagsasalita at halata sa kaniya na ayaw niyang balikan ang pangyayari iyon. Parang napapalipot ang kaniyang dila.

"I panicked. Hinalikan ko 'yung kaibigan mo para magmukhang okay ako. Na parang wala akong pake."

"So ginamit mo 'yung kaibigan ko para lang magmukhang nakamove on ka na sa ex mo?"

"Pretty much," he admitted, "It was stupid, I know. Hindi ko sinadya na madamay siya sa ganito."

"Hinalikan mo siya dahil lang gusto mong magpanggap na okay ka?" I asked, feeling a mix of disbelief and frustration bubbling up. "Do you even realize what you've done? You put him in an awkward position"

"Alam ko," sagot niya, "At pinagsisisihan ko. It wasn't fair to him. But, Noah, I wasn't trying to hurt anyone. I just-" He broke off, looking down at the floor.

"You just what?" I pushed, needing to understand why everything felt like it was spiraling out of control.

"I just wanted to prove na kaya kong mag-move on, pero nagkamali ako. I know that now."