Soju Trilogy 1: Tipsy in Jeju (Published under Precious Hearts Romances)

Chapter 28

"Dong Uk has a new girlfriend now," anang si Gideon sa mababang boses.

"Oh! Well, I didn't know that you two keep in touch. Did you console her after the break up then ask her to visit you?" tanong ng matandang babae at bumaling sa binata.

Hinawakan ni Gideon ang kamay ni Yana at muntik nang mabitawan ng dalaga ang hawak na chopstick sa gulat. Nakatitig ito sa mga mata niya. "I like her since we were in the Philippines. But she's a tutor and she already had a boyfriend then. But things are different now. She is single. She doesn't work for me anymore." Pinisil nito ang baba niya. "And she's the one who tamed me."

"What convinced you to come here, Yana-ssi?" tanong ni Mi Su. "You know that my grandson has a bit of a reputation with women."

"I want to grasp my happiness both hands. I don't want to miss the opportunity to be happy. He told me that he would be true to me. That I will be the only one. I want to find out myself if he can be faithful to me," aniya at tumaas ang gilid ng labi na parang naghahamon kay Gideon.

Pero parang tinamaan din siya ng sarili niyang salita. Ilang beses siyang binigyan ng pagkakataon ni Dong Uk na sumama dito sa Korea pero pinairal niya ang pride niya. Isinantabi niya ang kaligayahan para sa pamilya niya na wala namang pakialam sa kanya sa simula pa lang. Di niya masisisi kung ipinagpalit siya ng nobyo sa iba. Sinayang niya ang pagkakataon niya.

"Don't break her heart, Jin Woo. No more flirting with other girls from your bar. Be faithful to her," bilin ng matandang babae sa binata.

"I am afraid she'll break mine, halmoeni. What if she doesn't believe that she is the only one in my heart?" At pinapungay pa ni Gideon ang mga mata sa kanya habang nagtatanong. "She thought Sang Hee is my girlfriend."

"Oh! Mianhamnida, Yana-ssi," hinging-paumanhin ni Mi Su at bahagyang yumukod. "I didn't know that you and Jin Woo have a relationship. Sang Hee is a very nice girl. She just likes Jin Woo so much but she didn't mean any harm. I will tell her not to bother you two from now on. Did she hurt you?"

"I am okay. Don't worry, sangjang-nim," paniniyak niya sa babae.

Nakokonsensiya siya dahil hindi naman niya totoong nobyo ni Gideon. Di rin maganda sa pakiramdam na may nasaktan siyang ibang babae, kahit pa nga gusto siyang saktan ni Sang Hee. Mahirap nga siguro na ibinigay mo na ang lahat n g effort mo pero di ka pa rin magustuhan ng lalaking gusto mo.

"So when will you get married?" tanong ulit ng lola ng binata na walang balak na pakawalan ang isyu.

Napaubo si Yana habang narinig naman niya ang pag-ungol ni Gideon. "Halmoeni, our relationship is still new."

"But you love each other. Why wait? I want to see my grandchildren." Ibinuka ni Mi Su ang bisig. "I am old and weak. How long will I wait? Five years. Ten years? You know that I don't have much time."

Mariing nagdikit ang mga labi ng binata. "The wedding can wait. Yana is still young. As for the grandchildren, we can start practicing." At mistulang tunaw na lava ang mga mata nito nang tingnan siya. Parang gusto siyang tupukin.

Nanuyo ang lalamunan niya. "Gideon..."

Naalala niya nang halikan niya ito kanina, kung paanong paglakbayin niya ang kamay sa katawan nito na parang matagal na niyang ginagawa. Kung paanong muntik nang may mangyari sa kanila kanina kundi pa siya nito pinigilan. It was private. Pero sa sinabi nito, parang ipinagkakalat nito ang almost-sex life nila or sex lesson nila kung anuman ang tamang tawag doon.

"You should start having children while you are young," pagpapatuloy ni Mi Su. "Do you know that the government of South Korea gives incentive to couples so they will produce more children? You, young people are too busy with work and technology. The fertility rate of this country is so low. You couples are encouraged to have more children. You won't just make me happy once you have kids. You are also helping this country."

Tumango na lang nang tumango si Yana habang nile-lecture-an siya ng matandang babae tungkol sa benepisyo kung bubuo na sila ng pamilya ni Gideon. Habang nagagawa pa niyang ngumiti, napansin niya na namumutla ang binata. Sa halip tuloy na matakot siya, naaaliw siya dito.