Contestant number four ang department namin. Hindi ko gaanong kilala ang partner ni Seth kaya wapakels ako sa rampa niya. Pero syempre naman, suportado namin siya. Kaso iba kasi ang bet ko sa boys. Nung una si Akihiro, syempre crush slash love ko siya. Tapos si Ul. Wala. Clap, clap, clap lang sa kanya. Gwapo din namang ang unggoy na 'yun. Pero ngayon, as in ngayon lang, si Zero na. Ang cute niyang tingnan kapag nagsusungit. Parang sapilitan lang na sumali.
"Okay, contestant number four. Wow. You look so nice in that outfit. Anyway, here is your question." Ani emcee. Magkahawak kamay kami ni Brice ngayon. Sana lang masagot niya ng tama ang tanong. For the sake of our department.
"What is your opinion about those who call depressed people as overacting?" Tanong ng emcee at inulit pa ng isang beses.
Taas-noo ang pagbati ng aming contestant sa mga judges at sa mga manonood bago sinagot ang tanong.
"..we don't know what they are going through. We all have different ways and levels of coping too. The more you tell them to stop being sad, the more they'll be sadder. The best way to help them is to understand them without judgement. And to those who are depressed, if someone judge you, just what Selena Gomez said in her song, kill them with kindness. Let us live with simplicity and contentment. Ladies and gentlemen, I have spoken."
Isang buong lakas na hiyawan ang naging ingay sa gymnasium. Namula ang kamay ko sa palakpak. Wow. May 'I have spoken' pa siyang nalalaman. Pero ang ganda ng sagot niya ah. Infairness.
Naunang tawagin si Ul sa tatlo kong bet. Maraming tumili at sumigaw sa tanong sa kanya. 'What would you say to the next person you'll fall in love with' daw kasi. Dagdag pa ng emcee, 'say it like she's here' daw. Tss. Ano ba yang tanong nila.
Nang tumikhim siya ay nabalot ng katahimikan ang paligid. Ngumiti siya at simpleng bumati sa lahat.
"Hi there, to the person I am currently inlove with."
Malakas na tilian ang sumagot sa kanya. Napangiti siya at hinintay na tumahimik ulit.
"How I prayed that if ever, if ever you'll fall inlove with me too, you'll keep your heart with you. I want you to have it. Just put me in it. Alongside all the other things that you love. I don't want you to make me your galaxy. I want you to have your own and just make me a part of it. Love is kind. Love is supposed to be free. Therefore, I refuse to accept your heart. Keep it and love me the way you want to love me. If our love is right, things will slowly fall into place and everything will work out just the way it is. Thank you."
Tulala ako sa aking narinig at napaigtad sa malakas na sigawan ng kanyang ka-department. I clapped my hands and gave him a standing ovation.
May mahal na pala siya. Ang cute naman. Tapos lumalandi pa. Sarap bigwasan.
Kasunod ay si Zero. Ang tanong sa kanya ay kung ano ang opinyon niya sa mga lalaki na tini-take for granted ang mga babae. Teka, ano ba ang theme? For real ba ang mga questions nila?
"Before you choose her, you have to understand that she's not perfect. She's been broken. She's been fooled and hurt. She has doubts. She will take precaution. What we have to do is to make them happy and loved. Our goal is to take the pain and doubts away. Prove to them that there's hope in love. Be a man enough. Women are precious. To all the man out there, our job is to take care and protect them. Above all, let us love them."
I clapped slowly pero nang maalala ko ang nangyari kanina ay tumigil ako. Sa kanya pa talaga galing ang 'love them, protect them, take care of them', ha? Kaya pala tinabig niya ako.
Nang si Akihiro na ang nasa gitna ay malakas na naghiyawan ang mga tao sa unahan. Nakita ko pang pinagtutulakan nila ang girlfriend nito sa gitna. I just rolled my eyes. Pabebe.
