So they recognized his costume. Ibig sabihin, kilala ng mga ito si Kuningning. He felt a little excited. Nasa tamang lugar nga siya. But he needed to finish his first priority.
“I’m looking for Alec Samaniego. You know where I can find him?”
“Brent, hindi ba’t si Tito Alec ‘yung kausap nung kambal kanina doon sa loob ng court?”
“I’m not sure. Ilang Katipunero kasi ang nakita kong palakad-lakad don kanina. Tawagin mo na lang ‘yung kambal, North. Mas malakas ang boses mo kaysa sa akin. They’re over there.”
Sinundan ni Carlo ng tingin ang itinuturo ni North gamit ang props nitong putol na binti, kasunod ang malakas na sigaw ni Brent. Two tall Oompa Loompas walked toward them. Or more like identical twins dressed as Oompa Loompas from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie.
“Bakit?” tanong ng isa sa kambal paglapit.
“Hinahanap niya ang tatay nyo,” tukoy ni North kay Carlo. “This is Jigger and Trigger, mga anak ni Tito Alec. They’re twin, as you can see.”
“Don’t worry kung magkamali-mali ka sa pangalan nila,” segunda ni Brent. “Kasalanan naman nila iyon. Past time kasi nila mang-trip ng mga tao na pahulaan kung sino sila sa isa’t isa.”
Tumango-tango lang kambal bilang pagsang-ayon. Good. At least hindi na sasakit ang ulo niya sa panghuhula kung ano ang tamang pangalan ng mga ito.
“You’re looking for our Dad?”
“Yes. He invited me here tonight.”
“Oh. Ikaw ang tinutukoy ni Daddy na ka-meeting daw niya ngayon.”
Pinagmasdan siya ng dalawa mula ulo hanggang paa. Then they nodded their heads and gave him a thumb’s up. Nakilala rin siguro ng mga ito kung saan galing ang costume niya. And they approved of it.
Not bad for a cursed doll who caused me paranoia and sleepness nights.
“Can you take me to your father now?”
“One last question.” Itinaas pa ni Brent ang pekeng putol na braso. “Boyfriend ka ba ni Ate Bea”
Nagulat siya sa tanong na iyon. “No.” What the hell?
“That’s strange,” sambit ni North. “Kuningning was very speacial to Ate Bea. I don’t think she would allow anyone to just use her doll as a costume. I mean, she never even use it herself.”
“Unless you’re JJ,” sambit ng isa sa Oompa Loompa. “Are you JJ?”
“No. Wait. Why do you keep referring to Bea as a ‘she’?” Nag-uumpisa na siyang mairita. “I know he had a girl’s name and he’s pretty-looking for a boy. But he’s still a boy. Correct yourselves, kids. Kahit okay lang kay Bea na ma-misgender nyo siya because you’re his friends, it’s still not good to always misgender him…now, what’s up with that look?”
Pareho na kasing nakangiti ang kambal, habang sina nakakunot-noo sina Brent at North na tila pilit inaarok ng isip kung ano ang pinagsasasabi niya nang mga sandaling iyon.
“You…don’t know…”
Pumagitna na ang kambal sa pagitan niya at ng mga kaibigan ng mga ito.
“Let’s go, Mr. Carlo, Sir. Nakita ko po si Daddy na dito dumaan kanina.”
“Ingat lang po sa paglalakad, Sir. Medyo madilim sa part na ‘to ng sidewalk.”
Napilitan na si Carlo na maglakad sa direksyon na iminumuwestra sa kanya ng kambal na binatilyo. At the same time, he still couldn’t seem to forget that name.
“Who’s JJ?” Hindi niya mapigilang itanong.
“Major crush ni…” Jigger, or Trigger, cleared his throat. “Bea…nung highschool. Major crush.”
“Pero hindi alam ni JJ na nag-e-exist siya,” dugtong ng kakambal nito. “So don’t worry about it.”
“I’m not worried,” mabilis na sagot ni Carlo na nagmukha tuloy siyang defensive. “I’m not worried about him.”
“Okay. Let’s go, Sir.”
BINABASA MO ANG
UNTITLED
RomanceBea loves to cosplay. But one day, she decided to cosplay as her favorite support doll on a Halloween costume event where she accidentally met Carlo, who thought her doll had cursed him when he touched the said doll the first time they met where she...
