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Habang umaandar pa rin ang kotse ni Kiernan sa ilalim ng mga ilaw ng street lights, tumahimik na naman ang paligid. But this time, ay patuloy pa ring bumabagabag sa akin 'yung imahe ng lalaking 'yon sa may gate. And no matter how hard I try to brush it off... I just can't.
Napatingin ako kay Kiernan. He look too relaxed. Parang ang gaan ng mundo niya. Pero ako? Parang may tinik pa rin sa dibdib ko.
"Kiernan," tawag ko nang nasa mahinang boses.
Agad siyang lumingon saglit. "Yeah?"
Humugot ako ng isang malalim na buntong-hininga. "Can I tell you something?"
"Always," sagot niya at sumeryoso na agad ang tono.
Kaya nag-ipon ako ng lakas ng loob. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko ito sasabihin ng hindi ako biglang maiiyak, pero I know I have to.
"Kanina," panimula ko, "Habang kinukuha ko 'yung inorder kong food sa gate... may nakita akong lalaki."
Tahimik siyang nakikinig. Hindi siya nagsalita, hindi rin ako tinapik o ginulo. Just... present. The way he's like that, I know he's listening intently.
"Wearing black hoodie. Nakatingin siya sa'kin. At first, I thought it was nothing... but the longer I stared at him... I couldn't help but..."
Bumigat ang boses ko.
"...hindi ko mapigilang isipin na... he looked just like my Dad."
Hindi ako makatingin sa kanya. Binalik ko ang tingin sa labas ng bintana habang ramdam kong namumuo na naman 'yung luha sa mata ko.
"I know, I know na patay na siya. Alam ko. Nandoon ako sa mismong burol niya. Wala na siya. But..."
Napasinghap ako. "Kiernan, it felt like him."
Wala akong nakuhang sagot sa kaniya pagkatapos nun.
Nang lingunin ko siya, nakita ko lang siyang nakatingin sa daan, pero may bahagyang pagbabago sa expression niya. I saw a soft hit of concerned in his face.
"You followed him?" tanong niya sa pamamaraang hindi demanding. It was just a gentle.
Tumango ako. "I tried. Gusto ko lang i-confirm just in case but he just suddenly disappeared."
"Hey," mahina niyang tawag habang pinapatabi ang kotse sa curb. Saglit niyang pinatay ang makina at tumingin sa akin.
He placed a hand gently on my shoulder.
"Elio," tawag niya. "That must've been really hard."
Napakurap ako nang ilang beses, pilit pinipigilang tumulo 'yung luha. He didn't press for more.
Hindi niya ako pinilit ikwento pa.
Instead, he said, "You don't have to justify what you felt. Missing someone doesn't need logic. It just... happens."
Huminga ako nang malalim.
"I'm scared," sabi ko. "That maybe I'm just holding on to something I already let go of."
"I don't think that's weakness," sagot niya. "I think that's love."
I stared at him. I didn't expect that. I thought he'd rationalize it. I thought he'd try to fix it.
But he didn't. He just... honored it.
Then he leaned closer, reached for my hand, and held it with both of his.
"If ever you see him again," bulong niya, "Tell or call me afterwards dahil I'm having a bad feeling about that man."
Tumango-tango naman ako noon ko na tuluyang hindi napigilan ang luha ko.
BINABASA MO ANG
IKIGAI Series #1: Estranghero
Romantik[1st Series under IKIGAI] Elio Maze Inoue is a bubbly and optimistic, with an infectious energy that draws people to him. He also have that bright, expressive eyes that sparkle with enthusiasm. While in a physical manner, he has this curly or wavy h...
