Don't Go (EXO Series II)

iv

iv

Kris

I couldn’t help but ask myself why I was so interested to know what’s bothering her. I didn’t know her and she doesn’t know me. Our encounters were even so funny I could no longer face her. It’s been what, only a few hours since we me? Yet here I was, seated a few inches away from her, listening to her story, watching her eyes glisten under the moonlight, listening to the cracks in her voice as she reminisced the moments that broke her heart, and secretly convincing myself that this was nothing. That maybe I just know what she’s feeling. Na alam ko na kailangan niya lang ng makikinig sa kaniya.

I’ve never been this close to anyone whom I just met, lalo pa kung babae. Ewan ko. She just makes me feel so stunned. It’s like I’m always caught up by her eyes - the longing in them, the sadness. It seemed that what’s bothering her was what’s pulling me closer; what’s pushing me to know her.

I noticed that the cold was disturbing her. She kept on pulling her cardigan closer to her thin body. Pero sobrang lakas ng hangin at malamig na. It’s already around midnight and here we are still by the seashore.

I took off my sweater and passed it to her. Agad kong naramdaman 'yung lamig.

“Nilalamig ka na,” I told her.

“No, I’m okay,” she refused, bowing her head at umiwas sa mga mata ko.

“Wear it,” pilit ko.

“Paano ka?”

“Don’t mind me.”

Wala na siyang nagawa, she grabbed it from me at isinuot iyon. “Thank you,” she said. It suited her well.

I smiled.

The wind continued to blow hard. I could smell her scent from where I sat. I looked at her, at tulad nung mga nakalipas na minuto, her eyes were focused on the vastness of the sea, on the endless waves that continued to hit the sand.

She’s broken. She’s hurting because of a man whom she loved. I didn’t know what to do but simply listen as she told me what happened.

*************

Alexi Rei

“Marco, please try to understand. Hindi ako pwedeng basta na lang umalis.” I held him in the arm at nakiusap.

He glowered at me. “My goodness, Alex! Matagal na nating pinagplanuhan 'to. Alam mo naman na kailangan ko 'to, 'di ba?” Tinanggal niya 'yung kamay ko at nagpatuloy sa pag-empake.

Umupo ako sa dulo ng kama. “Marco naman,” sabi ko, “magagalit sa'kin sila Mommy. Kapag nalaman nila na pupunta ako ng Korea nang walang matinong rason, baka tuluyan ko na silang ma-disappoint.”

“Walang matinong rason?” galit na sabi niya. “Hindi ba matinong rason ang kasama mo ako? Na matagal na nating plano na pumunta ng Korea?”

“Hindi kasi nila--”

“I don’t care, Alex,” putol niya sa sinasabi ko. “Do whatever you need to do. Magsinungaling ka kung kailangan.”

That shocked me. “You want me to lie to my parents para lang samahan ka sa Korea para sa Thesis mo?”

“If that’s what it takes,” matigas na sabi niya. “It’s either you come with me or we’re over.”

Nag-panic ako. Ito 'yung pinaka-ayaw ko, 'yung nagbabanta siya. At alam niya na bumibigay ako kaagad pag sinasabi na niya ang linya na 'yun.