I met Ji Yoon 8 years ago when mom and I decided to shop. I was 7 that time and I easily got lost when mom is busy checking the clothes she likes to buy.
I cried of course 'coz I'm not that familiar in this place.
"괜찮으세요?" (Are you okay?) Pinunasan ko ang aking mga luha at suminghot saka nag-angat ng tingin sa nagsalita ng weird language.
"왜울고있다?" (Why are you crying) Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko sa sinasabi niya.
"Why are you using an alien language?" I spat. Eh kasi naman, hindi ko maintindihan. Maang ba siya?
"오, 미안해요 . . . 내나쁜." (Oh, sorry . . . My bad.) "I mean, why are you crying?"
"I got lost." Ngumuso ako at nagbabadya na naman ang luhang lumabas sa mga mata ko.
"Oh." Nagkamot siya ng batok. "두근–" (what's–) "uhh, what's your name?"
"Yza Felleno." Sagot ko.
"한지윤, 가자." (Han Ji Yoon, let's go.) Isang maganda at maputing babae ang lumapit sa amin. Alien rin ba siya? Why do they keep saying that language?
"엄마를 가다려, Yza 손실. 그녀는의 언마를핮을수없습니다." (Wait mom, Yza got lost, she can't find her mom.)
Tiningnan ako ng magandang babae. Wow, she's really pretty. I want to be like her.
"엄마 사라 입나까?" (Who's your mom dear?" There's that alien language again. I looked at her beautiful face with confusion.
"엄마, 그녀가 우라를 이해할수없다." (Mom, she can't understand us.) Another alien language. Psh.
"Oh, 미안. Hello dear, why are you lost?"
"I don't know." Sagot ko na nakanguso. Mom, where are you?
"Yza, let's go find your mom." Ngumiti yung lalaki.
"Really?" My face brighten.
"By the way, my name is Han Ji Yoon. Call me Ji Yoon."
"Ji . . . Yoon?" Ang weird. "Your name is kind of uhh . . . Weird." Natawa yung magandang babae.
"It's a Korean name baby, we came from South Korea. He's my son." Nanlaki ang mga mata ko.
"He's your son? Really?" I looked at her intently. "You look young to have a child." Natawa ulit siya. Eh kasi naman, parang ka edad niya lang si Kuya. My brother's 17 years old.
"Oh no dear. I am already 29 years old."
"But you look like 17 years old." Ngumiti siya sa akin.
"Let's just go find your mom, she might be worried now." Hinawakan niya ang mga kamay ko at nagsimula ng maglakad. Sumunod naman si Ji Yoon.
"Excuse me po, what's your name?" Tanong ko habang naglalakad kami.
"Han Yu Ra's my name. Yu Ra."
"Ah okay tita Yu Ra, I can call you tita right?"
"Of course baby." Wah, she's really pretty.
"I want your beaty tita Yu Ra. I wish I can be like you." Sabi ko. Natawa naman ang katabi kong si Ji Yoon.
"Oh my God dear, don't say that. You're much more beautiful than me. When I was young like you, I don't have that beauty you have." Tumango na lang ako at liningon si Ji Yoon.
"Ji Yoon's handsome too." I said out of the blue. Gulat naman akong binalingan ni Ji Yoon at natawa na lamang si tita Yu Ra. Bumulong si tita Yu Ra gamit ang alien language.
"What did tita said?" Tanong ko kay Ji Yoon.
"Mom wants to meet your mom." Sagot niya.
"Why?" Kumibit balikat siya. Hindi ko maiwasang pagmasdan siya. He's cute.
He has this cute pouty lips, curly and messy hair that fits his appearance, fair skin, cute nose and a chinky eyes. I like his eyes the most.
Napangiti ako ng wala sa oras dahil sa pagtitig sa kaniya. I want to be his wife someday when we reach our right age.
Napangiti ako sa naalala. Nahanap rin namin sa mom that time, she's also finding me and she's worried. My mom and tita Yu Ra was aquiantance pala. They meet in South Korea when mom traveled there.
Hindi iyon ang huli naming pagkikita ni Ji Yoon, we always meet at the mall, children's park, grocerry stores and many places. We always played there.
Pero hindi rin iyon nagtagal, they went back to South Korea without saying it to me. Si mom ang nagsabi sa akin.
I cried of course, nawalan ako ng paboritong kalaro at baka hindi na matuloy ang pangarap kong maging wife niya.
"Malalim iniisip natin ah." Nagbalik ako sa ulirat ng umupo sa tabi ko si kuya. I'm currently sitting at the park near our house.
"Ha? Hindi naman, nagmumuni lang ako." Sabi ko kay kuya. Nagtaas siya ng kilay.
"Do you have a boyfriend, perhaps?" Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at agad na umiling.
"Wala naman kuya, ikaw talaga." Ngumiti lang si kuya.
"Basta, hanggat hindi ka pa 18 years old, hindi ka pa pwedeng mag boyfriend arachi?" Tumango ako sa sinabi ni kuya. Hindi naman ako atat na mag boyfriend kaya don't you worry kuya.
"Anyway, my bibigay ako sayo." May linabas siyang isang . . . Album? "Tada!"
"What's that?"
"Album . . ." Ngumiti si kuya. "Ng Bangtan Sonyeondan, BTS." Mas lalong kumunot ang noo ko.
"Seriously kapatid? Hindi mo sila kilala?" Umiling ako.
"I'm not fond kuya. Wala akong panahon sa mga . . . Ano pala tawag sa kanila?"
"K-pop."
"Oo, sa mga ayan . . . Kpop." Interesado lang ako sa isang Korean.
"And by the way kuya, do you still remember my childhood playmate, Han Ji Yoon? Yung Korean." Natanong ko bigla kay kuya. I introduced Ji Yoon to kuya 8 years ago when we played here in the park.
"Han Ji Yoon? Oh, yes. I met him in SoKor months ago. He's a well grown man now sister." Tumango ako sa sinabi ni kuya.
"Actually, nakita ko siya sa Airport when we fetch you there. Pero wala si tita Yu Ra." Nagtaas ng kilay si kuya.
"Ji Yoon's living with his dad now, naghiwalay ang mom at dad niya many years ago. Madame Yu Ra's with her new husband with her 4 years old daughter sa bagong asawa."
"Where did you get that info kuya?" Kunot noo kong tanong.
"My friend in SoKor is Ji Yoon's couz. Ni-kwento niya sa akin yan nung nasabi kong kakilala natin sila madame Yu Ra." Tumango ako. Baka iyon ang dahilan kung bakit umalis sila sa Pilipinas ng biglaan.
Pero . . . I never thought tita Yu Ra would to that. How can she file a divorce on Ji Yoon's dad when she told me she loves him. Tsk, kung may mas mahihirapan man dito, of course yung anak. Si Ji Yoon.
I sigh. I hope okay lang siya.
"Ano kapatid, hindi mo tatanggapin present ko?" Napatingin ako kay kuya. Hawak hawak pa rin ang album na may apat na parang bomba na nagkakadikit dikit.
"Akin na nga." Kinuha ko yun at saka na tumayo. "Hindi ko sila idol kuya just so you know." Binalingan ko siya. "But thanks though."
