I
"What I mean is... you can have it in case... you know," Leon said awkwardly while correcting whatever it is that she might thought of from his last response.
"In case you die," tuloy ni Summer sa sasabihin ni Leon.
For a second she thought he was flirting with her. Pero ngayong nalaman niya ng iniisip rin pala nito ang sitwasyon ay saka lang naunawaan ni Summer na mahirap rin pala na palagi mong iniisip ang kamatayan. Partikular ang sarili mong kamatayan.
How other people manage to live with the saying that we should live as if it's their last amazes her. But now, it is clear to see the difference between thinking and preparing for something that will happen in the future from actually being able to know that death is happening any moment.
"Have you ever thought of this moment?"
"Me dying? Yes. But I was hoping I will be an old man by then."
"I thought of dying, too. Pero madalas kong isipin na mangyayari iyon kahit hindi pa maputi ang buhok ko."
Natigilan ito.
"I mean, I wasn't looking forward to retirement. I think it is some sort of reward in case you live that long. But what if you didn't or couldn't? Kaya nga mas gusto ko sanang mabuhay nang normal lang at iyong wala akong maiiwanang problema para sa ibang tao."
"Noong simulan mo ang kompanya natin hindi mo ba naisip na ipapamana mo iyon sa mga anak o mga apo mo?"
Umiling siya. "Getting married is not even on my list, Leon. So I'm sorry if I get your hopes up."
He did not seem surprise. He was more curious now.
"Why?"
"Kasi kapag nagkapamilya ako posibleng isang araw mamatay ako at maiwanan ko lang ang asawa o ang mag-ama ko. Buti sana kung palaging mamamatay na ang isang tao kung matanda na tayo. Eh, kaso, hindi naman gano'n, 'di ba?"
"But have you ever thought that it might be worth living with someone you care so much for the rest of your life?"
"Sadly, I haven't even met that kind of person. Ikaw ba may nakilala nang gano'n?"
"Yeah. I did."
"Ako?"
"Ikaw at ang unang babaeng nakakuha ng atensiyon ko."
"Ooohhh... so may iba ka pa palang nagustuhan bukod sa 'kin," naiintrigang sabi ni Summer.
"Why do I have this feeling that you thought I'm just a snob person?"
"Hindi ba?"
"That is fifty percent true."
"See? I only know fifty percent of you."
"That's why people decides to get married. They wanted to know the other person as close to ninety-nine percent."
"Ano'ng meron sa one percent?"
"Iyon iyong isang porsiyento natin na posibleng magpabago-bago. But that is just me doing random calculations. It could have been ten percent or thirty?"
"Mukhang tama ka naman."
"We should start going out on a date. No expectations. Let's just be together as much as we can. And no, this is not because of the situation."
"Tingin mo ba sasama ako sa 'yo nang dahil lang doon?"
"No."
"And don't you think we're dating already?"
