Begin Again - A KaRa (Mika Reyes & Ara Galang) Fanfiction

One

Perks of being on the same condo with Cienne? It's always so noisy. Palaging nanonood ng TV, palaging malakas speakers, palaging sobrang lakas ng boses, hay nako Cienne. Pasalamat siya love ko pa rin siya.

"MIKA! KAIN NAAAA!"

See what I mean? I rolled my eyes, closed my laptop, and walked lazily towards the kitchen.

Halfway through the living room, I could already smell the pancakes and bacon she'd prepared for us. Cienne may be a little too loud, but I never said I didn't want her here.

"Yes!! Pancakes! Labyu Cienne!" I said nang makarating ako sa kitchen and dining area.

"Ha? Ano?" She squinted her eyes as if it would help her to hear me clearly. For the second time, I rolled my eyes and turned off her speakers which was in full blast.

"Paminsan-minsan patayin mo rin naman 'yang speakers mo 'no? Mabibingi ka nyan e," I said irritatingly.

Napakamot naman siya sa ulo. "Aba'y sorry na!" Hinain na niya na yung food and we started eating.

"Anyway, musta naman 'yung research mo?" She asked in the middle of our meal.

By research, she means our job search. We'd started searching for a job a week ago, only three years after graduating from DLSU, it's a little late but it's okay. At least we were able to enjoy volleyball before we finally decided to quit it a month ago.

"Uhhhm," I stopped to think. "I found a job opening sa may Makati, pero ang baba nung sweldo. Ayoko dun. I'll try ulit bukas."

Cienne nodded in agreement.

"By the way, Camille called me kagabi. Hindi ko nasabi sa'yo kasi nakatulog ka na. You should call her back." I told her.

She looked at me and laughed. "Seryoso ka ba? No! Bahala siya."

I sighed. "Hay nako, Cienne. It's been a month. You can't avoid your twin sister forever."

Cienne and Cams both quit volleyball a month ago. Cienne was part of F2 Logistics with me so it was really hard, Cams on the other hand, wasn't part of any team but I know it was still as hard for her to let go of her passion. Nagkaroon ng disagreement sa kanilang dalawa when Cams wanted to go back sa U.S. while Cienne wanted to stay. In the end, the inseparable Cruz Twins was surprisingly, separated. Cienne wasn't so happy about it though.

"She left me, Mika. She deserves it." She said way too seriously, hindi ako sanay na ganto ka-seryoso si Cienne.

"But you have to at least understand her, I mean, you're twins, you look almost exactly the same but it doesn't mean you think the same, too."

She looked at me and breathed deeply. "I know. Ang hirap lang na ganto pala ako kadali iwan."

Okay, sobrang hindi talaga ako sanay na ganto ka-seryoso si Cienne. Madalang lang malungkot 'yang babaeng 'yan. Most of the time abot sa dalawang tainga niya 'yung ngiti niya tapos 'pag tumatawa akala mo mapapasukan na ng lamok 'yung bungaga sa sobrang laki. But I guess even Cienne has her bad days.

"Hay nako, ang aga-aga ang drama natin! Mamaya na lang natin pag-usapan 'to, okay? Basta I'm always here for you! Gotchu!" I assured her.

Cienne laughed. "Thanks. Ikaw maghuhugas ah! BYE!" And she was gone in a blink of an eye.

Pambihira nga naman oh. For the third time today, I rolled my eyes. Feeling ko talaga konti na lang ma-d'detach na yung pupils ko sa mga mata ko dahil sa bruhang 'yun.

---

Later that afternoon, Cienne and I decided to watch Me Before You. This will always be my favorite movie, alam ni Cienne 'yun kaya kahit gusto niyang manood ng comedy, pinabayaan niya na lang na ito yung panoorin namin kasi wala naman talaga siyang laban when it comes to my favorite movie. HAHAHA. Paulit-ulit ko nang pinapanood 'to but I still tear up every time.

Nasa part na kami where Louisa found out about Will's decision of assisted-suicide. Parang mercy-killing. In short, MAMAMATAY SI WILL AT IIWANAN NIYA SI LOUISA! Huhuhu.

As my tears started streaming down my cheeks, I heard the doorbell ring and I immediately looked at Cienne who was also close to tears.

"Pst, buksan mo 'yun." I uttered.

Tinignan niya ako ng nakakunot 'yung noo niya. "Luh, bat ako?"

"Nakita mo ba 'to?" I sarcastically pointed to my haggard face. Kasi naman 'tong si Will eh pinaiiyak ako!

She rolled her eyes and stood up to open the door.

Malapit lang 'yung pinto sa sala kaya naririnig ko kung sino man 'yung nag-doorbell. I recognized the person immediately just by the voice. AND SHET, BAT NGAYON PA SIYA DUMATING?

"Uhm, asan si Mika?" The person asked and Cienne looked at me.

I shook my head in full force and waved my hands to signal Cienne to tell the person na wala ako dito. Hindi pwedeng makita niya 'kong ganto 'yung itsura ko.

Cienne looked back at the person. "Ay, uhm, wala siya dito."

I sighed in relief.

"Ah, nasaan siya?"

PUTAKTE NAMAN 'TO TANONG PA NG TANONG! Cienne looked back at me. Again, I exaggeratedly shook my head.

"Ah, hindi! Nandito siya!" Cienne replied.

Napa-facepalm ako. That wasn't what I meant! Kaasar naman 'tong bruhang 'to napaka-slow!

Cienne looked back at me again and I pointed at the window and silently said, "Labas! Nasa labas ako!"

Napakunot ang noo ni Cienne kasi 'di niya yata naiintindihan 'yung sinasabi ko. Nag-facepalm ulit ako and just pointed on the window.

"Ah, nasa CR siya!" Cienne told the person.

NOOOO! Magkalapit 'yung window at 'yung CR pero hindi 'yun yung tinuturo ko! Pambihira talaga oh!

"Ah ganun ba? Pwede bang hintayin ko na lang siya? May ibibigay sana ako e."

Tumingin ulit sa akin si Cienne and I shook my head real hard.

"Ay, hindi pwede e, may ano siya, oh basta yun!" Nakita kong kinuha ni Cienne 'yung mga ibibigay niya sana sa akin. "Okay sige, thanks, bye!" And Cienne quickly closed the door.

Napahinga kaming dalawa nang malalim.

"Gaga ka talaga kahit kailan! Bat mo sinabing nasa banyo ako?!" I asked in rage.

"Sorry na! Malay ko ba kung ano pinagtuturo mo dun!" She pointed to the direction that I was pointing at earlier.

Binatukan ko naman siya. "'Yung bintana, malamang! Sana sinabi mo na lang na nasa labas ako!"

"Eh! Malay ko ba na 'yun 'yung tinuturo mo!" She replied. "Anyway, 'wag ka nang magalit. Papangit ka nyan e. Ang sweet pa naman ng manliligaw mo oh!" She raised the box of ferrero chocolates and showed it to me.

I quickly grabbed it and my face immediately lit up.

"In fairness ha, ang effort. Atsaka nag-i'improve na! Dati ayaw mo 'yung binigay niyang flowers sayo e. Bakit ba ayaw mo dun sa flowers?" Cienne asked.

Tinignan ko naman siya. "Ewan. Maybe kasi maganda lang 'yung flowers in a short period of time at 'pag tumagal malalanta at mamamatay na. Magiging basura na. Ayoko ng ganun. Ayoko ng hindi nag-l'last." I looked down at the box of chocolates. "At least itong chocolates mapapakinabangan pa. HAHAHA!"

"Gago 'to!" Cienne laughed.

I placed the box of chocolates sa may table and opened it. Nakita kong may note pala sa likod ng takip kaya binasa ko naman 'to agad.

I hope I did better this time. Sorry talaga ha?

Here's a little treat so I can make it up to you. Enjoy! :)

-Jerome

I looked at Cienne and a wide grin was already plastered onto her face.

"Oh? Anong ningingiti-ngiti mo dyan? 'Dun na tayo sa sala!" I grabbed her wrist. "Pag-usapan na lang natin 'yung tampuhan niyong mag-kambal para maayos na."

Cienne stopped walking. "Sus! Change topic!"

"Change topic ka dyan?! Tara na nga!"