She's the Real Challenge

51: Emotional Roller Coaster

Sage's stomach dropped at Lily's reply. He had a son with Kendra?

Sa sobrang gulat, 'di niya na nagawang kausapin pa si Lily. Dahan-dahan lang siyang naglakad palapit sa batang lalaki at sa babaeng mahal niya pa rin. When he was just a few steps away from them, he cleared his throat.

Ken looked up and judging by the way she released a sigh, clicked her tongue and crossed her arms, she wasn't ecstatic to see him. The little boy, on the other hand, stared curiously at him.

"Kendra, is there anything that you need to tell me?" Sage asked, trying his best to keep his tone even.

"Seeing that you have already apologized and have been forgiven by two of the most important people in my life for ruining their wedding, I'm sure that we have nothing else to talk about. Please don't bother me," Ken replied with sarcastic politeness.

Sure, they weren't exactly on good terms when they parted ways four years ago but couldn't she at least have told him of Max's existence? Ken denying him of that knowledge for years made him indignant. "Kendra, I already know about the child! How could you not tell me? May karapatan akong malaman at may karapatan siyang lumaki nang may ama. It's not like I'm impossible to find. Napadalhan nga ako ng invitation ni Lily, 'di ba? Alam kong hindi perpekto ang record ko sa pagiging matinong partner pero hindi ako tatakbo sa ganitong klase ng responsibility."

Kumunot ang noo ni Ken. "Anong pinagsasasabi mo?"

"Ano, i-de-deny mo pa rin? I know that he's my kid and you've selfishly decided that I had no right to know! " He was pretty pissed that Ken continued to feign ignorance.

The little boy moved closer to Ken and grabbed the skirt of her dress. Ken quickly covered his ears, knowing that she won't be able to answer Sage without a cussing. "He is not fucking related to you at all! Anong tinatalak mo diyan? At bakit mo inaangkin ang batang 'to?"

Sage opened his mouth pero 'di pa pala tapos si Ken at inunahan siyang magsalita nito. "Sandali, shut up ka muna. Max doesn't need to hear us fight." She uncovered his ears.

"A-are you angry?" the kid asked, sounding a bit shaken.

"Not at you, Max. How about you go to your dad first?" She smiled at the child.

The kid returned her smile and nodded. Max started to run towards a man in a tuxedo. Sinundan ng tingin ni Sage ang bata pero hindi niya agad nakita ang mukha ng lalaking nilapitan nito dahil nakatalikod iyon. The small child tugged on the unidentified man's slacks.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Sage no'ng lumingon ang lalaki. The guy in the tuxedo smiled as soon as he saw the kid and held out his hand which the child happily took.

"See, 'yon ang tatay niya. Not you, stupid," inis na sabi ni Ken.

Natahimik si Sage. Kendra was obviously not lying about the child's father. Carbon copy ang mukha ni Max ng mukha ng lalaking naka-tux.

He felt his heart drop. "You had a son with Tristan."

Kendra groaned. "Saan mo ba nakukuha 'yang mga pinagsasabi mo? I'm not his mother!"

Tila nagsabay ang Pasko at birthday niya nang marinig iyon ni Sage. "But Lily said he was born nine months after I left." He looked towards the bride in the distance who seemed to be watching his exchange with Ken for her entertainment. Lily flashed him a wide grin and made a peace sign.

Napa-facepalm naman si Kendra. "Now she knows that I slept with you!"

"That's nothing to be ashamed of. Besides, we both know how much you enjoyed it," Sage replied with a wink. "Wait, so since you aren't Max's mother, then you're single, right?"

"That's really none of your business."

"But I need to know!"

"Bakit?"

"Kasi mahal pa rin kita, Ken."

Kumagat si Ken ng labi at huminga nang malalim bago sumagot. "Pa rin? Eh hindi mo naman ako minahal in the first place. I read your note, Sage. Hindi ba sinabi mong kalimutan na 'yong mga sinabi mo at 'yong nangyari sa 'tin? Kaya please, itigil mo na 'yang kalokohan mo."

Mabilis na tinalikuran ni Kendra ang binata at naglakad sa mas maluwag na parte ng hardin, palayo sa mga bisita. Since Ken's hair was in a high bun, Sage noticed a small tattoo on the area below her nape. It was a black teardrop shaped swirl with a small white dot inside, ang symbol ng Yin.

Natigilan si Sage. He had its complementary tattoo, a white teardrop shaped swirl with a black dot inside, ang symbol ng Yang. And it was inked in the exact same place as hers.

He got that tattoo a decade ago with an interesting stranger he met while mourning his first love's death. Was the stranger Kendra? That would be a really curious twist of fate but he pushed the thought to the back of his mind. Saka niya na proproblemahin 'yon. Kailangan niya munang patunayan kay Ken na tunay ang nararamdaman niya.

"Wait, Ken!" he said as he grabbed her wrist and twirled her so she could face him. "Minahal kita at mahal pa rin kita."

Huminga siya nang malalim bago nagpatuloy. "Four years ago, dahil do'n sa note sa Instagram post ni Lily, akala ko, siya ang mahal mo. It was a painful realization—the girl I loved can never love me back. Yet I can only wish for her happiness, kahit hindi ako ang kaligayahan niya. I just didn't want my feelings to bother you, kaya ko sinabing kalimutan na natin 'yon. Pero ngayong alam ko na ang totoo, sana ako naman ang bigyan mo ng chance na mahalin ka, na maging kaligayahan mo. Don't you feel anything for me?"

Ken's lips remained parted as she searched his eyes. Para bang inaasahan nitong sasabihin niyang nagbibiro lang siya. But he stared back at her, hoping that she sees his sincerity.

"I c-can't have feelings for you. Tumigil ka na, Sage." Her voice was shaky, lacking the fierceness that usually came with it.

"What do you mean you can't? Hanggang ngayon ba, nagsisinungaling ka pa rin sa sarili mo?" Sage said straightforwardly, inching his face closer to hers.

"I-I—"

"Yumi! Koko ni kinasai yo!" The deep voice of a man interrupted Ken's stuttering.

"Hai, Otou-sama! Chotto matte kudasai." Ken turned towards the direction of the voice. It came from a man in his fifties who was wearing an expensive suit and was standing a few meters away from them.

Bumalik kay Sage ang tingin ni Ken. "Mapapahamak ako sa ginagawa mo kaya tigilan mo na 'to, Sage. I'm engaged." She hissed before pulling her wrist away from his grip.

Sage watched with an open mouth as Ken briskly walked towards the man who called her. Sumagot si Ken sa pangalang Yumi! And did they just converse in Japanese? His heart started to race as the pieces started to come together. Ken had so much in common with Yumi—her age, her eyes, her martial arts expertise. She even had an older brother. And now, apparently, Ken was Japanese too. Posible ba talagang si Ken si Yumi?

Parang tinulungan siya ng universe na maghanap ng kasagutan nang mabangga siya ng isang babae. Nahulog ang hawak nito.

"Sorry," sabi ng babae. Pinulot naman ni Sage ang nahulog ng babae, isang invitation. At doon niya nabasa ang buong pangalan ng maid of honor. Yumi Kendra Selene Valerio Kazehaya.