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Kio's PoV:
I hate Mondays.
Well, maybe not all Mondays, but definitely this one.
First day of being a high school student and yet here I am, staring at my reflection sa bathroom mirror, wearing this stupid-looking white polo na kahit anong plantsa ni Papa kagabi, mukha pa ring hindi bagay sa ‘kin. Tsk.
I'm in my 7th Grade now. Bagong building. Bagong classroom. Bagong teachers. Bagong schedule. Bagong environment.
Pero alam kong iisa lang ang hindi nagbago. Same old me—socially constipated and allergic to attention.
I fixed my collar at sinubukan kong itaas ang buhok ko gamit ang kamay ko. I looked like a decent student, sure. Pero kung puwede lang mag all-black outfit ‘to school, I would’ve done it without blinking.
“Kio! Bumaba ka na diyan!” rinig kong sigaw ni Daddy Kiernan mula sa baba.
Tumikhim ako, kahit alam kong wala naman siyang maririnig.
“Ako na nga ‘tong nahihirapan, siya pa ‘yung galit,” bulong ko habang pinulot ang sling bag ko sa sahig.
Nang bumaba ako, agad kong naamoy ang favorite kong breakfast. It was garlic fried rice, spam, at scrambled eggs na laging pa-heart shape ni Papa. Of course. Kaya nga I can’t even stay mad at them for rushing me all the time.
“Good morning, Kuya!” masiglang bati ni Kaito, still in his dinosaur pajamas habang may hawak pang kutsarang may ketchup.
“Morning,” I replied flatly, then gently ruffled his messy hair.
Minsan iniisip ko, bakit ang effortless ng pagiging cute sa batang ‘to? I swear, he could punch someone in the face and people would still find him adorable.
“Anak, kumain ka na,” saad ni Papa Elio habang inaabot sa akin ang plato. “It’s a big day.”
“I'm not hungry po, Pa,” I muttered, bag sa balikat, trying to avoid his eyes. Alam kong concerned siya. Lagi naman. Pero ‘di ko rin masisisi kung minsan gusto ko ng tahimik na umaga. Wala lang tanong. Walang expectations.
“Oh no, no, no,” sabat ni Daddy Kiernan na kakababa lang from upstairs. Naka-light blue polo siya at black slacks, ready for work. “No student of mine goes to school on an empty stomach. Kahit ilang kutsara lang. Come on.”
Sinukuan ko na. Umupo ako sa tabi ni Kaito at kinuha ‘yung kutsara habang sinimulan kong galawin ang kanin.
Napatingin ako sa paligid. Familiar chaos ng bahay. The sound of morning cartoons sa background. The clinking of mugs. The subtle scent of cologne ni Daddy. Si Papa na mahinang humahagod sa buhok ni Kaito habang binabantayan kung malulunok ba niya ‘yung subo niya.
This is home.
And yet… even with all this warmth, I still feel cold inside. Kasi alam ko kung bakit ako kinakabahan.
Hindi dahil sa high school. Hindi dahil sa bagong teachers.
It’s because of him.
“I don’t know if sasabay sa atin si Chase,” saad ni Daddy habang tinatapos ang kape niya. “Chat mo nga,”
“No,” mabilis kong sagot. Maybe a little too quick.
“Okay…” he nodded. “If you insist."
But I know that there's a little bit of mockery sa tonong iyon pero hinayaan ko na. Dad always asar me to Chase na nakakapagod ng i-deny kaya hinahayaan ko nalang.
BINABASA MO ANG
IKIGAI Series #1: Estranghero
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