MIONG: And the Sublime Paralytic

Usap

"This is not just about bureaucracy, you can dig as far as the constitution itself."

Miong overheard an old man talking. It was not the old man's subject that made him turn that way, it was the person the old man was talking to.

Appy, in his wheelchair and a blanket on his lap, was sipping vanilla coffee with a laughing face. That would not be the out-of-place concept, no. It was the fact that Appy was not inside the suite, but rather, in the Katipunan cafe located at the first floor of the condominium.

The professor was holding a bunch of papers, and it seems it's the very thing Appy was working hard on these past few days: his Senior High Thesis.

Appy gave off a laugh again, while Miong silently sat on the empty chair behind them. "Sir, this is just a Senior high thesis. I would not go as far as the constitution."

"But according to your analysis here in page 11, you said..."

"That's just a scenario, if the constitution is different, the economic impact of the current bureaucratic system would mean a lot. But that's nothing. My research is actually focused on the bureaucratic systems and their economic significance. Nothing more." And Appy gave a chuckle again.

"Yes, yes. Of course." The old man began laughing, too. "I just can't believe how you factorized your research. You have the most detailed and specific title, but you broaden the idea. This is really brilliant. I will pass this to economic science journal bank under my supervision. I'm pretty sure you can get a scholarship abroad and..."

"Hello, good afternoon to you two." Miong cut off the elderly, smiling like he meant it.

"Miong!" Appy said, flustered and guilty. Well, he did went outside without his permission. "Sir, this is the person currently taking care of me."

The old man gave a nod. "Oh, hello. You must be Miko Angelo Artajo, the one who paralyzed him."

"Yep. That's me." Miong answered. "Oh I was just curious about the studying abroad thing?"

"Oh yes. I'm thinking Appy can study abroad because of his intellectual capacity."

Miong smiled, hiding a dislike to the man. He can read through this professor and he's not liking it, especially when he had come across this man's picture once when he was listening to a drunk girl who had no money to pay for a lawyer . "This country doesn't need another foreign-bred economist. U.P. Diliman is a prestigious univeristy and I will sponsor him there."

Miong, without Appy's permission, took the handles of his wheel-chair and steered him away. "Wait, Miong..."

And so Miong halted without looking at Appy. He faced the old man and with domineering smile, he said. "Oh don't bother publishing it on your own. I will use my proper connections to publish his paper to make sure it gets out there with his name on it."

"Wait! What the fuck do you mean?" the old man followed suit, but a random person stopped him from getting further. Miong does not know that person, but it's probably one of the agents his sister sent. He shrugged it off.

Inside the elevator, Appy was glaring at the reflective elevator door, looking directly at Miong's reflection. Of course, Miong was behind the wheel-chair facing Appy's back, also staring at his reflection through the elevator door.

"What the hell was that about?" Appy started.

"You went out without my permission." Miong stated calmly.

"No, don't change the topic. What. The. Hell. Was that about?"

The elevator dinged for the 21st floor and Miong wheeled themselves out, entering the first door which was their suite.