Letting Go

Twenty-seven

Lumuhod sya, at nagulat nalang ako ng tanggalan nya ng sintas ang J's ko.

"Anong ginagawa mo?" Tanong ko.

He didn't answer, instead, he heard me burped. Dyahe. Hindi pa man din kami kumakain!

"Sorry, hindi naman 'to romantic diba?" Sabi ko sabay takip sa bibig.

"I saw you yesterday at the mall, you told the guy you wanted a shoelace. And so, ayan." Kamot nya sa ulo nya.

Hindi ko alam kung nahihiya ba sya, or his ego's still rising up. Solipsism inside his body, grabe.

"I-I'm sorry, I'm not good at this. Wala akong ibang maisip na regalo."

Napangiti ako, staring at him though he can't look at me straightly. Jeez, really.

"It's cute." I said.

"T-Talaga?" Parang sising-sisi sya sa iniregalo nya sakin, but of all the gifts I've received, this is one of the cutest things.

I nodded. "Kain na?"

Kinain ko lahat ng gusto kong kainin, isaw, barbeque, kwek-kwek.

"I'm not expecting a cool scenario out of this sweet place." I chuckled.

"I'm a man o-of ah. Man of random surprises I guess?" He shrugged.

Pagkatapos kumain, nahiga ako sa damo at pinagmasdan ang mga bituin.

Stars make it even better.

"Here." He handed me his jacket.

"Salamat." Pinatong ko 'yon at hanggang ngayon, naaamoy ko parin yung gamit nyang pabango.

After that moment, silence filled the place. Tahimik lang kaming pareho at walang ginagawa. I looked beside me, this cool tree makes me feel random. Kayang-kaya kong bilangin gamit ang kamay ko, ang natitirang dahon.

"Would you mind waiting for the dawn?" He broke the silence and I looked at him.

"Can I?" I chuckled.

"Syempre," He said. "Thank you."

---

"Good morning?" Sabi ko sakanya habang kinukusot ang mga mata ko.

Wala kaming tulog kaya naramdaman kong may konting hapdi sa mata ko.

"Good morning." He said.

Nanahimik muna kami sandali. I looked around me. This place is really cool.

"Tignan mo yung puno." I pointed it, being as random as I am.

"Why?" He asked while staring at the tree.

"Ang ganda 'no?" I chuckled.

Mahilig talaga 'ko sa mga puno na walang dahon, kaya palagi rin akong nasa may tree of creeps. It gives me a weird feeling.

Tumingin sya sakin, seryoso parin at ng naramdaman kong napapaso na 'ko, umiwas na rin ako.

"Look at the dawn." He pointed it and seriously looked at it.

"Hmm?"

"I've always wanted it."

Napangiti ako sakanyang tumingin.

"Ahh." I nodded.

"But how would you know if you like someone?" His eyes gazed unto mine, pero ng feeling ko ulit napapaso na 'ko sa pangalawang beses, ako na ang naunang umiwas.

"I-Ikaw lang naman ang makakapagsabi nyan," Yumuko ako at hinigpitan ang yakap sa jacket nya dahil sa malamig na hanging dumampi sa balat ko.

"Pero para sa akin, kapag tinitignan ka nya, pakiramdam mo natutunaw ka."

"Napapalambot nya ang tuhod mo... Yung tuhod mo'ng kahit sipain ng sipain, hindi tutumba." Napangiti ako.

"That person can make you happy by doing little ways, that person's voice is more sweetmeat than any candy, that person's smile beams more than the five billion light, the Eiffel tower has." I said without stop. I said with all of my heart, I said coming from my soul.

Tumingin ako sakanya at diretso ang tingin nya sa sunset.

"He can make your heartbeats faster than a cheetah's run... And most of all, gusto mo sya ng walang dahilan."

Tumingin sya sakin, straight unto my eyes. And it felt like he's not only looking into my eyes, but all the way into my soul.

"And it's true..."

"I do like you."

He said and get closer and closer.

He kissed my forehead.