Patricia's
I am currently holding Hyunri at my side. We're on our way to the café where we're going to meet her father.
Pumasok na agad kami sa loob. Damang-dama kong excited itong kasama ko, she doesn't know na kinakabahan ako. Paano kung bigla siyang magalit sa akin dahil hindi ko agad sinabi sa kanya na ang kinikilala niya palang Mr. Emperor is actually the father she's been longing for.
I looked around and there I saw him, wearing his white polo that fits him so well. As I observed him, I saw he kept on fidgeting his fingers over his frappe na hindi niya naman iniinom. Naglakad na kami papunta sa kanya nang di niya napapansin, sa pag-aakala ko because the time that when Hyunri laid her eyes on him, agad naman itong tumakbo palapit sa kanya at bumitaw sa akin.
"Mr. Emperooor!" she exclaimed with excitement at pumunta na nga sa kanya. I watched them and can't help but to feel in awe of this sight. Lumapit naman na ako sa kanila.
"Hello there, little girl." bahagyang nagulat naman si Hwang pero nang mabawi iyon, niyakap niya nang mahigpit ang anak namin.
I just looked at them. Naluluha ako pero pinili ko munang manahimik.
"Mr. Emperor, did you know po Mommy has a surprise for me?" she giggled.
"Really? Is that the reason why you're here?" he asked her at tumingin sa akin. It's as if a go signal to proceed on what we are really planning to do here.
I sat in front of them. Kalong ni Hwang si Hyunri but I called her kaya lumapit naman siya sa akin.
"B-baby, remember what I promised? Diba I told you that we're going to meet your Appa already?" panimula ko. I hold her shoulders and I saw how her eyes lit up. My emotions are already surfacing. Napatingin naman ako sa kaharap namin and saw how focused he is sa magiging reaksiyon ng anak niya.
"Yes Mommy! Is Appa here? Is Minhyun Appa here?!" she enthusiastically asked while looking around.
Just like what I have said before, Hyunri knows everything. Mukha lang ng kanyang ama ang hindi niya alam at ang pakoramdam na makapiling ito.
"Yes baby. Let me introduce you to him." pinihit ko siya paharap kay Hwang.
"Baby, meet your Minhyun appa. He's Mr. Emperor." I said. Ngumiti naman sa kanya si Hwang and tears are visible in his eyes.
"Come here, my princess!" masigla pero mahinang sabi niya na animo'y nauubusan ng boses marahil sa kaba but all we could hear was silence from the three of us and the supposedly calming music at the café.
Tinititigan lang siya ni Hyunri. Hindi ko rin alam kung anong nasa isip ng anak ko ngayon. Nabigla ba siya? Ito na ba ang kinakatakot ko na baka magalit siya? Parang nakatulala lang siya habang nakaharap kay Hwang.
Napatingin naman ako kay Hwang at hindi ko mapigilang maguilty at masaktan. May luha nang pumatak mula sa mga mata niya at bahagyang yumuko. Siguro iniisip niya na ayaw sa aknya ng anak niya.
"Baby, why don't you come to your Appa?" I asked Hyunri but she didn't even moved. Well, that's what I thought. Nakahawak siya sa kamay ko kanina pero unti-unti siyang bumitaw.
Lumapit na siya sa Appa niya ang examined him first. Hindi naman na napigilan ni Hwang ang sarili niya kung kaya't he immediately grabbed her into his arms and pulled her into a long, savouring embrace na hindi niya nagawa for almost 5 years. I saw how his tears visibly stream down from his eyes. It's so dramatic and heart-warming that even I myself couldn't take it at nacarried away na rin ako sa nakikita ko.
