Stolen Identity

Chapter 5

Pagdating ko sa bahay, nadatnan ko si Jeon na nakaupo habang may tinatype sa laptop niya.

Tumabi ako sa kanya at napatitig sa laptop. I touched my right shoulder where the bullet came through.

"That dream felt so real.", I whispered.

"Sorry what?", tanong ni Jeon.

"Ah wala.", mabilis kong sagot.

"Saan ka galing?"

"School. We had, uhm, school activity."

"And what was that?"

"Club. I joined theater club. Kanina ka pa ba dito? Asan si Manang Mira?"

"She's gone for a while. Her sister is sick."

"Oh. So, have you eaten?"

*****

Nagprito ako ng chicken pero toasted chicken ang kinalabasan. Gumawa ako ng mushroom soup. Ok naman yung lasa. Durog nga lang lahat ng mushroom.

"Dinner is ready! So, we have rice, toasted chicken and mushroom soup." , I chirped as I pointed it one by one.

"What's this?"

"You're not listening aren't you? That's toasted chicken."

"You called it toasted chicken? Sorry but it looks like a... charcoal.", he wrinkled his nose. I pouted.

"You're not allowed in the kitchen anymore."

He dialed Shakey's number.

I glanced at the kitchen and sighed. It looks terrible.

********

I heard groaning at the other room. Pumunta ako upang tingnan si Jeon. Nananaginip siya. I nudged him.

"Jeon wake up." He groaned. "Wake up sleepy head.", I whispered.

"Noooo!!"

"Jeon!"

Minulat niya ang mga mata at naupo. He's catching his breath. I ran to the kitchen to get water.

"Here." He quickly drank it.

"You okay now?"

"Leave."

"For real? I mean. You can talk to me. Palagi ka bang nananaginip ng masama?"

He furrowed his eyebrows.

"I already heard you groaning while you were sleeping. Si Manang Mira ang gumising sayo."

Hindi siya sumagot. "Matulog ka na. You know what, I can stay here."

"You don't need to do that.", he scowled.

"And I don't need your opinion."

I pressed his shoulders to bed and jumped on one of the couch. Something's telling me na makakatulong ang pagkanta para makatulog ng maayos ang taong nagkaroon ng masamang panaginip. It's an instinct guess. So I started singing. Hindi naman siya nagreklamo.