That Boystown Girl [COMPLETE]

26

CHAPTER 26

Boys and Changes

REN

He drove his Accent away from the Hotel and Resort, leaving them flabbergasted, more likely as if they were never really expecting him to turn up and never actually wanting to let him leave with me.

Wala lamang silang nagawa nang sabihan sila ni Hans.

"If you ever try to manipulate things like this again, you will regret it. You don't know Kei more than how much I do. Stay away."

Ngayon ay nakaupo ako at nakasubsob sa bintana ng kotse niya habang binibigkas sa aking isipan ang palayaw ni Knight sa kanila. It sounds short and cute. Maaari ko rin kaya siyang tawagin sa palayaw niyang iyon?

Hindi umiimik si Hans.

Malapit na ring dumilim kaya naman nagsisimula nang magkailaw sa mga establishment na nadadaanan naming hindi malayo sa pusod ng lungsod. Buhay na buhay ang mga maliliit na negosyo sa bandang ito ng aming lugar. Hindi man ganoon kayaman ay mas payapa at mas nagkakasundo ang mga tao rito. Masarap mamuhay.

"I already called Kei. I told him I already found you. Pasensya ka na sa mga pinsan namin, Miss. Hindi na mauulit iyon," aniya.

Tumango ako at saka humarap sa kanya dahil naiilang na ako sa kanyang itinatawag sa akin. "Ren ang pangalan ko," pagtatama ko rito. I hesitated at first but I thought of nothing else than, "Salamat nga pala."

"Did they hurt you?"

Ako ay umiling.

"Hindi mo ba tatanungin kung bakit ka nila kinuha?"

I cocked my head and looked at him in curiosity. I didn't bother to answer him. Something's wrong. It might be him or me, myself. But I can feel it.

It's that I don't actually feel irritated when he is around. And unlike how he was before when we we're just kids, he wasn't actually rude and straightforward. It seemed as if he entirely changed.

"Okay lang ba kung dadaan muna tayo sa kung saan?"

"Bakit?"

He smiled shyly which even makes me feel guilty and confused every time. Is it just because he doesn't know that I was Jack or did he really change so much? Sabagay, boys and their changes. Maybe I shouldn't bother at all.

"Nagugutom na ako, actually. And I have to go back to New York tomorrow evening so I could start supervising my new business partnership with Kei."

I looked at him even more intently. Is this for real?

He needs to go back. I wonder if he will come back. However, there's something that I need to do before he leaves. This is now or never.

"Rome!"

I watched the little girl in a white-pink pantsuit chase after him as Hans ran for the backdoor of the building. Napagpasyahan kong burahin na ang malaking bilog na nakaguhit sa lupa kung saan kami naghuhukay ng maliliit na tingting.

"Bakit siya lang ang kinakalaro mo?"

Tumingala ako sa batang nakatayo at pinapanood ang aking pagbubura at pamumulot ng nakakalat na tingting. Kung tama ang aking hinuha ay siya rin ang batang nakasalubong ko sa kusina noong nakaraang gabi.

"Siya lang din naman ang pumupunta rito," sagot ko at saka ako tumayo. "Ikaw, bakit ka nandito?"

"Ako si Luuk."

"Hi, Luuk."

"Hindi ka apo ni Mang George."

Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya.