A Trip to Japan (Ongoing)

Chapter 4

Lumapit ako sa tent habang dahan-dahan na naglalakad. Kung sakaling may tao roon, ayoko siyang istorbohin. Nang makalapit ako sa pasukan ng tent, tinaas ko 'yung tela at nabigla sa nakita ko.

Imbis na tao ang makita ko, bangkay ng tao ang nandoon. Hindi pa ganoon katagal 'yung bangkay. I know he's dead because he's just suspiciously still like a real corpse and unfortunately, it's real.

Muli, napa-isip ako kung ano kaya 'yung dahilan niya kung bakit niya ginawa 'yun. Ang sabi nila, lahat ng problema ay nay solusyon. Siguro, ang naisip ng lalake na ito ay suicide ang solusyon sa problema niya. I can't blame him, halos ganoon na rin nga ang isip ko ngayon.

Umalis na ako doon sa tent at naglakad-lakad pa. Buti na lang at isang makapal na rolyo ang tape na ito at hindi pa ito nauubos kahit ang layo ko na. Naghahanap lang ako ng patag na lugar, puro kasi ugat ng mga matatandang puno dito.

Nang mapansin kong medyo patag na 'yung nilalakaran ko, umupo ako para magpahinga. Naglabas ako ng panyo at doon inilagay 'yung mga pills at tableta na binuksan ko. Desidido na ako na dito ko 'yun gagawin. Wala nang atrasan.

Binitawan ko 'yung tali na kanina ko pa hawak. Ibig sabihin n'on na ayaw ko nang bumalik pa kung saan ako nanggaling. Inipon ko 'yung mga gamot sa kamay ko. Ilang sandali ko pa itong tinitigan. Inisip ko sila Mamu at Santiago. Pag ginawa ko 'to, makikita ko na sila uli, that is if hell doesn't exist or what.

Ready na sana akong inumin 'to nang may marinig akong sumigaw na lalaki. "Yamete kudasai!" he told me to stop. Nagulat ako nang makilala ko kung sino 'yung lalaking iyon na naglalakad na palapit sa'kin.

Napatayo ako dahil sa kaba. Anong ginagawa niya dito? Sinundan niya ba ko? Baka mamaya gahasain niya 'ko? Nasa ganoong ayos pa din siya, tulad 'nung kanina at naka-mask pa rin siya. Kinuha ko na ang bag ko at akmang tatakbo na 'ko nang hawakan niya 'ko sa pulsuhan ko.

"Chotto matte kudasai." he told me to wait. Naiilang akong tinignan siya at 'yung kamay niyang nakahawak sa'kin.

"Daijōbudesuka? Mondai ga areba oshietekudasai. Watashi wa koko ni imasu. Osorete wa ikemasen, watashi wa anata o kizutsukeru tsumori wa arimasen." sa sobrang bilis niya magsalita at in Nihongo pa, 'di ko na naintindihan 'yung sinabi niya. Ang naintindihan ko lang ay 'yung tinanong niya 'ko kung ayos lang ako.

"Watashi wa nihonjinde wanai, anata ga itta koto o rikai dekinakatta." I said I'm not Japanese and I didn't understand a thing he said. Sa wakas, binitiwan niya 'yung kamay ko. Nung sinabi ko 'yon, parang nagulat siya. I guess he wasn't expecting that I was foreign.

"Eto... Are you okay? Please tell me your problem. I'm here to listen. Don't be afraid, I'm not going to hurt you." na-amaze ako sa part na ang ganda ng accent niya kahit mukhang purong hapones siya. But at the same time, I was touched by what he said.

"I'm fine." I replied to him and pulled a fake smile. I didn't expect him to be here nor to interfere. I guess, ma-dedelay pa 'ko. Nakakahiya naman kay kamatayan, siguro excited na siyang kunin ako.

"Then why did you go here? And what is that for?" tanong niya sa akin sabay turo sa mga gamot na nakabalot ng panyo na nasa kamay ko. Bakit ba napaka-pakilamero niya? 'Tsaka bakit ba siya concerned?

"Nandemonai." I said 'nevermind' and I shifted my gaze downwards. "You don't have to hide all the pain. If you don't let it out then in the end it will just continuously hurt you." napatingin ako sa kanya dahil sa sinabi niya. Mga hapones talaga, ang lalim mag-isip.

"You're talkative." sabi ko dahil wala akong maisagot sa sinabi niya. Maybe because he was right about what he said. Umupo na lang ako at nagbukas ng chips galing sa bag ko. Nagulat naman ako nang bigla niyang hatakin iyon at inamoy.

"Just checking if it has poison." again, why does he have to care? What is his concern? He gave back my chips and I started eating it. Nag-Indian sit naman siya tabi ko at tinanggal 'yung mask niya.

"Nani?" 'di ko napansin na tinitigan ko 'yung mukha siya. He has a fine nose, fair skin, cat-like eyes and pinkish lips. "Nandemonai." I said again and avoided his eyes.

"Nandemonai." panggagaya niya sinabi ko.

"You're not going to talk?" he asked with curious eyes and a cute pout. Wait, did I just say cute?

"Maybe if you tell me how you got here." napatango siya nang dalawang beses sa sinabi ko. I guess he agreed to tell it to me.

"I admit, I followed you here from the convenience store." nanlaki yung mata ko sa sinabi niya. I mean, it was expected but I didn't know it was actually true! "You what?! But why?" I asked when I finally calmed down. This guy is making me insane.

"I don't have bad intentions. I just thought that when you looked at me earlier, your eyes looked sad and tired. That's why I decided to follow you and I was right, you're sad." 'Di ko alam na ganoon pala kalungkot 'yung mukha ko. Kung ikaw kaya mamatayan ng mahal sa buhay, tignan natin kung sumaya ka.

"But why did you stop me? Why do you care?" I asked again. He looked at me straight in the eye with sincerity. "You know how Japan has the highest rate of suicide victims right? Apparently, my little sister was one of them. I just don't want it to happen again."

I don't know why, I barely know this man, but I shed a tear because of his story. Napakabait naman ng taong 'to, sinusubukan niyang pigilan 'yung mga tao mag-suicide. This guy should go to heaven–if it does exist, but of course, not right now.

Out of the blue, I patted his back, saying as if it's okay even though it's not. I guess we're in the same boat. We both lost our loved ones, and we're hurt by the fact that they will never be back.

"So will you tell me your story?" bigla namang nagliwanag 'yung mukha niya. Kanina lang ang drama niya ngayon happy face na naman siya. Bipolar yata 'to eh. "Why should I?" tanong ko pabalik sa kanya. Pinakita niya na naman sa'kin 'yung pout niya.

"You said if I told you how I got here you'll tell me and I did!" reklamo niya na parang bata. I can't deny that he's acting all cute though. Aish, what am I thinking. Baka dalawin ako nang wala sa oras ni Santiago dahil sa selos eh.

"Remember I said maybe." kondisyon ko at binelatan siya. Napa-ismid naman siya at napa-crossed arms pa. May attitude din 'tong lalakeng 'to eh 'no?

Napatawa na lang ako sa reaksiyon niya. "But wait. You look familiar but I just can't point it out." siguro nakita ko na siya sa tv or I don't know, 'di ko na maalala. Basta nakita ko na siya.

"You don't know me?" tumango ako sa kanya. I mean, hindi ba halata? Is he famous or something para magtaka siya nang ganon?

"Do you know Toray Arrows?" tanong niya pa ulit.

"Only the women's team." I replied.

"I'm Keiji Takahashi. Monster blocker of Toray Arrows!" proud na introduction niya sa sarili niya. So he's a volleyball player huh? I guess that explains his gigantic height and good body build. Okay, another narcissist.

"Enough about me. You didn't tell me your story yet." reklamo niya. I sighed, mukhang wala na 'kong laban sa mokong na 'to. Wala na akong choice kun'di i-kwento sa kanya ang lahat.