Ilonggo Version
RJ fidgets in his seat and taps his fingers on the table.
Menggay takes pictures of him. She wonders why he sweats when the room is so cold.
Their ramen bowls arrive and they dig in.
He finds a pink, heart-shaped ginger pickle in his soup, picks it up with his chopsticks and transfers it to her bowl.
"Para sa imo. Tagipusu-un ko. Haha." His ears turn red.
"Ka cuuuute" she says as the pink heart floats on the broth.
They slurp the noodles.
He smiles.
"Nadumduman mo sang nagkabit ang kuring sa buhok mo? Kakaladlawan no?"
"Pero gin kagat ka."
He shrugs.
"Wala kaso."
He laughs out loud as he says,
"Ato balang rabbit mo nga si Celerich. Lumpat-lumpat guid siya sa hilamun."
"Gin ubos niya tanum mo."
"Hapos man lang magpatubo liwat."
He finishes his bowl and wipes his forehead.
"Si Bastian, bilog-bilog sang tiyan."
"Gina-agawan ka niya pirmi sang Milo."
"Okay lang, sadyahan man ko sa iya."
He rubs his eyes.
"Kahang?" she asks.
"Medyo lang."
He drinks water and clears his throat.
RJ swipes Menggay's hair off her face and tucks it behind her ear.
"May hambalon ko bala sa imo."
"Ano, Manong?"
He hesitates. "Ma-CR ko anay."
Menggay fishes out the pink ginger heart, places it in a napkin and hides it in her bag.
RJ is back at the table. He sits and holds Menggay's hand and breathes deep.
"Menggay, mapa Manila ko."
She frowns.
"Sin-o upod mo."
"Si Mama."
"Ma-ano ka to?"
"Mangita balay."
She pauses and wonders,
"San-o ka mabalik?"
RJ avoids her eyes. He stares at the ceiling as he mumbles his reply,
"Didto na kami ma-istar."
Filipino Version
RJ fidgets in his seat and taps his fingers on the table.
Menggay takes pictures of him. She wonders why he sweats when the room is so cold.
Their ramen bowls arrive and they dig in.
He finds a pink, heart-shaped ginger pickle in his soup, picks it up with his chopsticks and transfers it to her bowl.
"Para sa yo. Puso ko. Haha." His ears turn red.
"Ang cuuuute" she says as the pink heart floats on the broth.
They slurp the noodles.
He smiles.
"Naalala mo nung sumabit yung pusa sa buhok mo? Nakakatawa ano?"
"Pero kinagat ka."
He shrugs.
"Wala yun."
He laughs out loud as he says,
"Yung rabbit mong si Celerich. Talon ng talon sa damuhan."
"Inubos niya halaman mo."
"Madali namang magpatubo ulit."
He finishes his bowl and wipes his forehead.
"Si Bastian, bilog na bilog ang tiyan."
"Inaagawan ka parati ng Milo."
"Okay lang, natutuwa naman ako sa kanya."
He rubs his eyes.
"Anghang?" she asks.
"Medyo lang."
He drinks water and clears his throat.
RJ swipes Menggay's hair off her face and tucks it behind her ear.
"May sasabihin ako sa 'yo."
"Ano, Kuya?"
He hesitates. "CR muna ako."
Menggay fishes out the pink ginger heart, places it in a napkin and hides it in her bag.
RJ is back at the table. He sits and holds Menggay's hand and breathes deep.
"Menggay, pupunta ako ng Maynila."
She frowns.
"Sino kasama mo."
"Si Mama."
"Ano'ng gagawin mo dun?"
"Maghahanap ng bahay."
She pauses and wonders,
"Kelan ka babalik?"
RJ avoids her eyes. He stares at the ceiling as he mumbles his reply,
"Duon na kami titira."
YOU ARE READING
Love, Rameng (Completed)
FanfictionThe last time Menggay says "I Love You" is the day her mom dies. The only time RJ will say "I Love You" is if she says it first. Something happens over a bowl of ramen.
