When Our Wives Are Not Around (Set B)

CHAPTER 354 - AKIHIRO

Habang nakahiga ay nakatagilid na nakaharap ngayon si Aki sa girlfriend niyang si Rose. Tulog na ito’t gaya ng pangalan nito ay tila rosas nga itong umiidlip. Aki blink once. Madilim dito sa kuwarto ng isang hotel na tinutuluyan nila ngayon, but he can still clearly see the immaculate face of this lady beside her, thanks to the light of the moon reflecting through the swaying curtains on the big windows.

Milagrosa, something that is capable of miracle, iyan katangi-tanging salita na maipipinta ni Aki kada maiisip niya si Rose. This lady is just so precious that he thinks he doesn’t deserve her. Pero anong magagawa niya? Siya ang pinili at paulit-ulit na pinipili nito. And Aki is very honored with that. Any man on their sane mind will do. Kapag minahal ka ng isang babae ng buong puso, hindi ka lang niya simpleng minamahal, inaalay niya rin sa’yo ang buong pagkatao niya.

“I’m sorry that I’m cheating on you, Rose…” Aki murmured. He truly is sorry for it. But again, anong magagawa niya? Putanginang mahal niya rin si Helix. There are times that Aki feels so guilty about it dahil alam niyang may dalawang babae silang niloloko ni Helix, but there are also moments that he feels glorified. Ang magmahal at mahalin pabalik ay isang napakandang karanasan. At natatamasa niya iyun kay Helix. Rose love her so much, but he just can’t love her back. That is the painful truth.

Pero hindi rin naman niya ito basta-bastang ipagtabuyan lang. Rose had built their castle for a very long time and Aki can’t just ruin it kahit na siyang prinsepe ay prinsepe rin ang hanap. Her queen, which is Rose, will collapse if their castle will collapse too. At hindi niya iyun hahayaang mangyari ng bigla-biglaan. The truth will set them free, but it shall take over in the right time and in the right place.

“It’s okay Aki as long as you still want to keep me, I’ll hold on.” Gulat na gulat si Aki nang marinig niyang magsalita si Rose. He thought she was already sleeping pero nagkamali siya. Rose is wide awake.

“Date with any girls out there pero huwag mo lang akong iwan. Alam kong nagsasawa ka na sa akin pero huwag mo lang akong iwan kasi hindi ko kaya.” Rose sobs while her eyes are still close. “Hindi kita pipilitin na ipaalam sa akin kung sino ang pinalit mo sa akin. At hindi rin ako magaatubiling alamin kung sino. You can cheat on me, pero huwag mo lang akong iwan, please. Huwag mo kaming iwan ng anak mo.” Humagulgol si Rose. And it pained Aki very much. Very much.
“Rose…” He tries to argue with her.

“You know that it is my dream to have a happy family, right? Bagay na hindi natin parehong naranasan. Kaya please, don’t leave me. Go cheat behind my back and I will not mind. As long as at the end of the day, sa akin ka pa rin babalik. Please, Aki. I’m begging.”

“Rose, isang beses ko lang naman ‘yung ginawa at sa isang tao lang. It happened when you are in Dubai, when you are not around.”

Rose nods. Hindi niya pa rin binubuksan ang mga mata niya. “Do you love that person?”

“Yeah…” Aki’s voice is husky at halos pabulong na rin ng sabihin niya iyun.

Humagulgol si Rose dahil sa sagot niya.

“You deserve better, Rose.”

“Aki, I deserve you,” Rose pleaded.

At natapos ang gabi nilang iyun sa ganoong usapan. Rose fell asleep already dahil sa sobrang pagod. It’s already quarter to twelve at talagang pareho na silang hinihele ng kalaliman ng gabi. Though, Aki remained awake for the next few hours, thinking nothing but Helix.

When the clock strikes one AM, tumayo si Aki mula sa pagkakahiga sa kamang pinagsasaluhan nilang dalawa ni Rose. He walks towards the balcony at nang makita niya ang malawak na syudad na natutulog ay biglang hinaplos ng hangin ang mukha niya. Aki’s thin and short wavy hair dances accordingly. Naipikit ni Aki ang mga mata niya nang maalalang muli ang huling paguusap nilang dalawa ni Helix…

“Aki, listen to me.” Helix grabbed him by the hand as he pinned him on wall. Nasa pasilyo sila noon ng emergency room at hinihintay lang nilang matapos ang paguusap ni Rose at Nikki sa loob. Helix was trying to have a conversation with Aki, but he refuses. Napangibabawan ng galit ang isipan niya sa pagkakataong iyun. Helix was with Rose when that fucking accident happened. At ayaw iyung palampasin ni Aki.

“Mahal kita,” Helix cried in front of him. Unti-unti na ring nawala ang higpit ng pagkakahigit nito sa kuwelyo niya.

“But you have a wife, Helix. And Nikki can file a case on us the moment she’ll caught us. And I have a girlfriend too na magaging asawa ko na rin. At hindi lang iyun Helix, may anak kami na kamuntikan ng pinatay ng asawa mo!”

“Galit ka lang ngayon, right? Galit ka lang? You don’t mean what you say Aki. You don’t.”

“Helix? Sa tingin mo, hindi kita mahal? Putangina, Helix! Mahal na mahal kita pero mali! Mali!”

“Kailan pa naging mali ang pagmamahal, Aki? Kailan pa?”

“When the love is already selfish, Helix, doon na nagiging mali ang pagibig. Masaya tayo pero paano si Nikki? Paano si Rose? Mga babae sila, Helix! Hindi ka ba nakokonensya? Oo, sobrang saya ko kapag kasama kita at kapag may nangyayari sa atin, pero nawawala agad ‘yung saying nararamdaman ko kapag pumapasok bigla si Nikki at Rose sa isip ko…” Aki sobs.

“You see,” Aki continues, “This is all wrong.”

“Mali pero gusto nating pareho!” pabulong at madiin na sigaw ni Helix.

“I almost lost my child, Helix. I almost lost my child…” sagot ni Aki, at doon ay hindi na nakapalag si Helix. Naiyak lang ito sa harap ni Aki. Hindi na ito nagsalita.

Aki then sets back to reality. Nasa balcony pa rin siya ng kuwarto nilang dalawa ni Rose sa hotel na ito. Aki never really smokes pero sa pagkakataong ito ay gagawin niya. Trembling, sinindihan niya ang isang stick ng Malboro na galing sa bulsa ng boxers niya. The boxer shorts was really owned by Helix at doon nga ay may may maliit na metal lighter at lupaypay ng stick ng sigarilyo. He puffs a cloud of smoke. At doon ay napagdesisyunan niyang manatili muna ng ilang saglit hanggang sa dalawin siya ng antok. Though, Aki knows that it might not happen. He’s wide awake. But he will try. He will.