Chapter1: “Elaine Ramirez”
Sunday afternoon. Ang init sa labas! Haayy... Summer na kasi…
Umupo ako sa harap ng computer and I logged in my YM account, hoping that Kuya Sam is online…
Nang biglang may nagchat sa akin… Bestfriend ko pala…
StrawberryJam: Bhe… Labas tau… ang boring dito sa bhay ehh…
Elaine-chan0913: Sure… we don’t have anything to do nmn… saan nmn tau pupunta?
StrawberryJam: Starbucks tau… yung dun sa mall… ano, kita kits?
Elaine-chan0913: Ok ok… see you there…
I logged out my account. Then I took a shower and got ready to go…
“Mom, I’m going to meet up with Jam… I’ll be home by five…”
“Ok ok… Take care…”
“*Ittekimasu…” [*I’ll be going]
Nakarating ako sa mall bandang 1 since malapit lang naman siya sa bahay namin…
Pagpasok ko sa loob ng cafe, agad kong hinanap si Jam. I saw her sitting all alone. She was wearing a pink top and a black mini skirt...
“JAM!!” sigaw ko.
“Hoy! Musta na? We haven’t talked in a while..” nakangiting sabi niya.
“Ang drama mo teh… Last week naghang-out pa nga tayo eh…”
“Ay, oo nga pala… nakalimutan ko na…” tumawa na lang kaming dalawa. Umupo na ako sa tapat niya at umorder…
“So, what’s up? Nagkaboy problems ka na naman ba? Ano?”
“Hindi yun, gaga! Nakapag-enroll ka na ba? Magsisimula na yung school next week…”
“Yup… Nakapag-enroll na ako sa don’t worry, okay?”
“Buti naman. May habit ka kasing gawin lahat on the last minute… Loka ka! Bakit ka pa kasi nagtransfer? Okay naman yung school mo ah?”
“I had.. umm... problems, remember? I already told you about this…” I just said. Ayoko na ngang alalahanin eh. Kahit kelan talaga ‘tong bestfriend ko oh.
“Oh yeah… That’s right… I completely forgot…” sabi niya. Ano ba ‘tong babaeng ‘to?! Ulyanin na… Haayy…
“Pero buti na lang dun ka sa school ko nagtransfer… I’m soo excited…”
“Yeah… Me too…”
“You won’t regret it… Maraming gwapo dun!” kitang kita ang excitement sa mukha niya. Binatukan ko nga…
“Haay naku! Ikaw talaga Jam! Yan pa rin ang nasa isip mo…”
“Sorry naman ho! Ay, oo nga pala… Kelan nga pala babalik ng Pilipinas si Kuya Sam?”
“Sabi ni *Nii-chan, baka next week pa raw siya makakabalik… Ayaw daw siyang paalisin ni Papa sa Japan eh…” [*Kuya/brother]
“Ahh. Ganun ba? Sayang naman...”
After naming maglibot, magshopping at magkwentuhan, umuwi na kami ni Jam…
Oh yeah… I haven’t introduced myself yet…
*Konnichiwa! *Wataposhi no namae wa Elaine Ramirez, 16 years old. I’m half-Filipino, half-Japanese. I was born here in the Philippines, stayed here for four and a half years, and then we migrated to Japan. I lived there for about 11 years. Then my dad sent me back here to finish high school. [*Konnichiwa = Hello, *Wataposhi no namae wa = My name is]
I have a 20-year-old half brother named Samuel Ramirez. He is a hundred percent, pure Japanese. His Japanese name or his real name is Syuuske, and he’s good at speaking Tagalog. We have the same mom but different dad. Nii-chan’s dad died when he was still a baby. Then my mom remarried, which was my dad, who is a Filipino. Even though he’s not his real son, my dad treated Nii-chan like his real son, so everything’s okay.
Jam Gonzales is my bff-slash-childhood friend. I’ve known her for as long as I can remember. She’s a Filipino. My dad knows her dad so we grew up together. They moved to Japan when she was just four. But after she finished grade school, they went back to the Philippines. But we always keep in touch.
So here I am, back in the Philippines to study with Jam so I’m very excited… Actually, this is my second school kasi may nangyari dun sa unang school na pinasukan ko so I needed to transfer. Yung school ni Jam na nilipatan ko ay pang international school. Private school siya na may tatlong division; grade school, middle school and senior high school. I’m in senior high school division since I already took middle school in Japan.
It’s going to be a fresh start for me so I’m really looking forward to it.
Tuesday morning, kinausap ko si Daddy sa phone…
“Daddy, pauwiin niyo na si Nii-chan sa Pilipinas… *Onegai?” [*Onegai = Please]
“But your brother still has a lot to do here..”
“Ehh? Pleeeeaase Daddy? Please?”
I heard him sigh.
”Ok sweetheart, sa Sunday nandyan na ang kuya mo…” he said. Nagtatatalon ako sa sobrang tuwa… Yeeey~! Uuwi na si Nii-chan!
“Okay okay… So, can I talk to him?”
“Fine fine. *Chotto matte…” [*Chotto matte = wait a minute]
“*Hai? *Moshi moshi?” [*Hai = yes, *Moshi moshi = Hello]
“NII-CHAN!!!” sigaw ko.
“Hey! No need to shout, you know? So Baby sis, kamusta? *Ogenki desu ka?” [*Ogenki desu ka = How are you]
“Yeah. *ogenki desu. Miss na miss na kita Nii-chan!” [*Ogenki desu = I’m fine]
“I miss you too. But I’ll see you on Sunday, that’s a promise. Sige na. I have to go. *Ja né!” [*Ja né = See you]
“Bye…” binaba ko na yung phone. Napangiti ako…
“Sunday. I can’t wait…” bulong ko.
BINABASA MO ANG
Aishiteru, My Princess: "Forever and Always"
Teen FictionElaine Ramirez, a 17-year-old Fil-Jap (Filipino-Japanese), moves to a new school... She thought she will be fine because she was far away from the person who broke her heart. But then she encounters 5 remarkably hot guys who are THE MOST popular guy...
