You're Blooming the Wrong Way

Chapter Twenty-Four

"That's not even a braid, Haru-kun! You just entangled her hair into a complicated knot!" I grunted in pain when my brother pulled my knotted hair. He clicked his tongue at Haru's attempt to do my hairstyle. "You're forbidden to touch girls' hair from now on!"

"Wha-- Let me try it again!" pakiusap naman ni Haru.

"No! For heaven's sake, you can't even follow the simple right over left rule! What have you done to my sister's precious hair?!" Muli akong napadaing sa sakit noong sinubukan ni Lars na ayusin ang pinagbuhol-buhol kong buhok. I wish he'd stop being rough on me!

"It hurts! Dahan-dahan naman!" reklamo ko.

Mas lalo lamang niyang pinanggigilan ang buhok ko. "Lucy, your boyfriend is incredibly stupid in his own way! Tignan mo ang ginawa niya sa buhok mo!" inis niyang sabi at pinaharap ako sa salamin. I rolled my eyes. Why is he so affected? Buhok ko naman 'to!

"Pwede bang tantanan niyo na ang buhok ko? I'm studying right now!" Tinabig ko palayo ang mga kamay ni Lars. "In the first place, why are you here in my room? Wala ba kayong sariling buhay?! Get a life and leave me alone!" I exclaimed through gritted teeth.

A week has passed, and the result of the swimming competition was hilarious. Hana was swift, I'll give you that. He could've won, if only he swam to the right direction. Hindi ko makalimutan ang araw na iyon dahil tawang tawa lahat ng mga estudyanteng nanonood. Sinong hindi matatawa? Lumiko ba naman si Hana papunta sa ibang lumalangoy. Nagkabungguan tuloy sila ng mga kalaban niya.

Anyway, Lars was finally discharged from the hospital. Thankfully, he's already recovering from the accident, although he still can't walk without someone supporting him. Right now, he's still on his wheelchair, but he's undergoing more physical therapies to mend his legs. His attitude? I have nothing to say. It's still the same antagonistic treatment towards me.

It was already late in the afternoon, and my initial plan to study peacefully was sabotaged by the three idiots. Yes, three. Hana is also with us, but he's awfully quiet today. What's more disturbing is the fact that he's just sitting in front of me, not moving an inch! Sa hindi malamang dahilan, nakatitig lang siya sa mukha ko!

"Hana, can you possibly stop staring at me? It's creepy."

His brows furrowed. "Makalat."

"Huh?"

"Makalat, Lucy! Sobrang kalat!" Hindi mapakali niyang sabi. Out of frustration, he shoved his face into his hands. Ba't nanggagalaiti 'to?

"Alin ang makalat, Hana? Are you referring to my room?"

I blinked twice when he pointed his index finger to my face, specifically to my eyebrows. "Ang kalat ng kilay mo! It's painful to look at them! Are you really a girl?!" He shuddered in disdain.

Dinumog naman ako ng dalawa at napakurap ako dahil lahat sila'y tutok na tutok ngayon sa mga kilay ko. "What's makalat, Lars?" Haru innocently asked, his eyes full of wonder.

"Uhm, I think it means that it's not organized to the point that it's displeasing to the eye." Tinuro ni Lars ang maliliit na tubo ng kilay ko na nasa talukap ng aking mga mata. "Look. Her brows are not equally distributed around the area. She's not plucking or shaving them, that's why little hairs are visible if you look closely." Equally distributed? Really, Lars? What's with that nerdy explanation?

It was only a matter of minutes when my eyebrows' fate was entrusted to Hana. Napasimangot na lang ako sa aking pwesto habang binubunutan niya ang kilay ko. Nanonood naman iyong dalawa. No kidding, I should be studying right now. Why did I end up having my brows plucked?