stalemate (BL Novel)

stalemate 005

** m o v e  0 0 5**

"EXCUSE... OKAY KA LANG BA?"

I glanced up but my vision was too blurry to make up that person's face. A guy I'm not familiar with. What does he want from me?

"Sino ka?"

"Uhm, nakaupo ka kasi sa gitna ng daan..."

"Ah. Sorry." I stood up wobbling. I felt hands supported me, it's that guy.

"Lasing na lasing ka. Kaya mo ba umuwi mag-isa?"

"Yeah. Yeah. Kaya ko umuwi. Tsaka hindi kita kilala mamaya kung anong gawin mo sakin." I shook off his hands.

I heard him chuckled. "Kung ganun, I'm Youjin. Schoolmates tayo at sa Multimedia Department ako."

"Schoolmates?"

"Yes. So let me help you, Keita."

I don't know why but I let him.

-

"Kilala mo ako?" I asked. Magkatabi kaming nakaupo sa train pauwi.

"Uhm... Not really. Nakikita lang kita sa school minsan. I just happened to hear your friend calling you kaya nalaman ko ang pangalan mo. Nasaan pala sila? Ikaw lang ang nag-inom?"

"Kasama ko sila kanina, kaso nauna na silang umuwi."

"Ahh..."

Natahimik kami parehas. My head was spinning like crazy, I have to try to stop myself from puking.

"Nakipagbreak sakin kanina si Miemie. Hindi ko maintindihan ang rason niya. I don't even know if that was a valid reason for calling this off. I tried to talk her out. Umabsent pa ako sa mga klase ko para puntahan siya kanina. Nagmakaawa na ako. I even promised to make it up to her wag lang siya makipagbreak but nothing happened. In the end she left me."

"Your girlfriend? M-Maybe... she just needed some space?"

Buong akala ko naiyak ko na lahat kanina, pero bakit ako naiiyak ulit? "Doesn't look like that."

"Uhm... Wag kang mawalan ng pag-asa. May bukas pa naman, pwede mo ulit siya puntahan at suyuin ulit. Kung hindi pa din siya bumalik bukas, may susunod na bukas pa naman ulit. At may bukas pa na susunod after ng bukas. As long as you keep going, as long as there's tomorrow, there's no reason to give up. You love her, right?"

"So much." I whispered. Tears fell from my eyes and I can't stop.

I felt a pat on my back. "See? So cheer up."

I look at the guy sitting beside me and he's smiling at me. Such a big smile, so carefree. So reassuring.

"Yeah."

Hinatid niya ako hanggang sa bahay namin, supporting me as I walked. He saw me up to my front door and didn't left until I was inside. When I resigned to bed that night, I remembered thinking 'What a nice guy'. And when I closed my eyes, I remembered his words.

"See you at school, Keita." Smiling, waving at me.

Suddenly, I look forward going to school.

***

"KEITA? MAY HINAHANAP KA BA?"

I was startled when Fumihiro suddenly touched my shoulder. "Ah, meron..."