夏の愛 (Natsu no ai)

Chapter 29: Astrid's part to play

Chapter 29: Astrid's part to play

"Fuck that hurts!" Daing ni Kinjiro, nakagat nanaman niya ang dila niya. Natawa naman si Christian sa mukha ng kanyang kaibigan. 

"Someone must be talking about you," sagot ni Christian. Sinimangutan lang siya ni Kinjiro at nangalumbaba habang inaantay ang inorder nila.

Nasa SM sila, sa loob ng isang ramen house. Biglang nag crave ng ramen si Christian at inaya si Kinjiro para kumaen, sumama nalang si Kinjiro dahil libre naman daw ito ni Christian. 

Maya maya ay dumating na ang mga order nila at nag simula na silang kumaen.

"Ohayō gozaimasu!" Biglang bati ng mga nagtatrabaho sa loob ng ramen house. Patuloy lang sa pag kain sina Kinjiro nang biglang tumunog ang upuan sa katabi nilang table; mukhang doon din uupo ang mga bagong dating.

"May I take your orders?" Dumating na pala ang waiter at kinukuha na ang order ng bagong dating. Hindi maiwasan nila Kinjiro na marinig ang kanilang usapan dahil magkatabi lang sila ng table.

"One Aka Ramen and Shiro Ramen, please." Muntik nang mabuga ni Kinjiro ang kanyang hinihigop na sabaw. He knows that voice.

"Axis Paul Dela Cruz," tumingala si Kinjiro at tinitigan ang lalakeng nasa katabi nilang table. Napa angat din ng tingin si Christian at tingnan ang dalawang bagong dating. "How are you and the kid?" Tanong ni Kinjiro, sabay tingin sa katapat na babae ni Axis

"It's Axis Paul Dela Fuente, and I wouldn't tease Polaris right now," dahil doon, tinignan mabuti ni Kinjiro si Astrid; halata nga sa dalaga ang pagka inis at naka kuyom lang ang  kamao nito na hawak hawak ni Axis.

"What happened?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Kinjiro. Ibinaba na niya ang chopsticks niya at tumingin sa dalawa.

"Your brother happened," nanggigigil na sagot ni Astrid. Hinaplos ni Axis ang kamao ni Astrid pero hindi pa din nawawala ang inis sa kanyang mukha. "How dare he say he loved Aya!"

Biglang nabitawan ni Christian ang chopsticks na hawak niya at dahan dahang tumingin kay Astrid.

"Aya who?" 

"Aya Yamamoto! Who else!" Napapalakas na ang boses ni Astrid, dahilan para pisilin ni Axis ang kamay nito at tinitigan siya ng masama. 

"What else did he say about Aya?" Nanlambot bigla ang tingin ni Christian kay Astrid.

"Lies. All lies! Well, hindi naman lahat, pero kahit na. Hindi ko alam na siya pala 'yung lalake na kinukwento ni Aya. Which would make..." Dahan dahang tinignan ni Astrid si Kinjiro, realization dawning on her.

"You."

"Me," sagot ni Kinjiro. He was smirking, but you can see the sadness in his eyes.

"You're Itsuki's older brother."

"I am."

"You tried to stop her."

"I did," tears were starting to form from his eyes. Magsasalita palang si Astrid nang biglang dumating ang waiter dala dala ang pagkain nila.

"Would that be all?" Tanong ng waiter, tango lang ang naisagot ni Axis at nag bow na ito at umalis. The air was still thick at the two tables, hindi sumubo sila Astrid, rather, they just stared at their ramen bowls.

"She talked about you," panimula ni Astrid. Gulat na nakatingin sina Kinjiro, at Christian sa kanya, ultimo si Axis na mismo niyang kapatid, hindi alam na kakilala pala ni Astrid ang sikat na si Aya Yamamoto.

"How do you know my sister?" Gulat na tanong ni Christian. Now it was Astrid's time to be shocked. Magkapatid sila Aya at Christian? Kaya pala parehas silang Yamamoto.

"We met online, we were both posting about some drama and we started to click. We became friends, palagi kaming magkausap. Kung hindi si Axis ang ka chat ko, si Aya. Dati yon, before..."

Tuluyan nang tumulo ang kanilang mga luha. They were reopening wounds that have slowly healed, but this might be the closure they all need.

"Aya was a great girl. She would always recommend cool stuffs. That was before she started talking to Itsuki. She wouldn't name him, only referring to him as the guy who took her out for lunch."

Lumipat ng upuan si Axis at tinabihan na siya, naka pulupot ang braso nito sa tyan ng dalaga, bilang suporta. Nagsimula nang yumuko si Astrid, puro singhot ang maririnig sa kanya.

"Aya liked him, but then another guy cam to play, her own best friend, the guy's older brother." Napatitig si Astrid kay Kinjiro at tsaka nagpatuloy. "The older brother would always tell her that the other guy would only hurt her, but she would always wave him off."

"They became an item, and soon she started talking about forever, and how he was the best she ever had. The older brother was still her best friend, but she would always cut him off when he would start to talk about her boy friend."

Sumandal si Astrid kay Axis bilang suporta, nahihirapan siyang ikwento ang buhay ni Aya, lalo na at siya ay isa sa mga naging pinaka matalik na kaibigan nito. Axis gave her a nod and she breathed in deep and continued again.

"Aya got hit by a truck, but she survived. She didn't die in a car crash, and Itsuki didn't directly kill her. Both of you lied."