East

Chapter 1

It was...uh? A chill night that time we met. 

This was the story of me — I guess —me and her heart shattering bright smile.

Nakaupo ako kasama ang isang batang lalake sa gutter, sa tapat ng isang abandonadong salon malapit sa bukas ngunit walang customer na  convenience store kung saan kakalabas lang namin kani-kanila lang matapos bumili ng apat na hotdog buns, dalawang softdrinks, at isang canned beer, the boy named himself Shiro.

I gave him a weak smile as he chunk  his own food joyfully while looking at me.

"Ilang taon ka na?" I asked.

"Onse po."

Napaka-bata para maging isang pulubi.

Bigla kaming may narinig, tila nabasag na bote, mula sa 'di kalayuan. Hindi ko iyon pinansin dahil wala lang naman iyon, it's normal, malapit din kasi kami sa pwesto ng mga nakahilerang bar. I took a sip of my beer and waited for the kid to finish his food.

It was freaking twelve midnight and it's freezing cold outside (just exaggerating) considering that it was almost November.

I chuckled on how this kid could possibly eat all those hotdog buns, yes, sa kaniya lahat iyon. He must've been so hungry all day. Imagine the relief on his face now.

I wonder how he possibly survive years living like this.

"Makinig ka," I called his attention and immediately, his head perked up like a good nerdy kid who always pay attention in his class.

"Uuwi tayo sa condo ko, okay lang? There, pwede kang maligo, magbihis, at makakain pa," I explained. Shiro is a homeless kid and my heart tends to melt with his undeniable charms, well, I've been with him for the past few hours, we were walking earlier until I heard his tummy growl in hunger so I bought him food, he's actually a nice kid, hindi katulad ng ibang walang modo — I'm not generalizing pero meron talagang mga bata ngayon na hindi na alam ang salitang respeto.

He burped loudly. Natawa talaga ako roon, he's cute. Papasa na siyang kapatid ko, same kami, cute. Tumayo na ako at inaya siyang maglakad na, my car isn't that far from here, galing din kasi ako sa isa sa mga bar dito —The Night Out, nasa may bandang dulo at dahil nasa bandang dulo ay tahimik doon kaya do'n ko naisipan uminom, okay ako because it's not full packed of drunk people and not smokey, perfect for this cold night but then I got bored so I walked out and took a fresh air.

Biglang may narinig nanaman kaming hinagis na bote, kasabay ng mga kaluskos and to be honest, the sound of the shatters was really close from us so by instinct, napaupo ulit ako, I also gently pulled Shiro's head down. Freaking bastards. Wala na silang ibang ginawa kundi mamerwisyo ng nananahimik.

"HOY! BUMALIK KA RITO! BABAE!"

Tama ako, they were really close to where we are right now, siguro pagkaliko mo lang dito sa kanto ay nariyan lang sila.

And tama talaga ako. We saw a girl fast running for — by means — her life. She took her long graceful strides as an advantage, I even saw her grinning. What the frick.

"Goddammit," I cursed as I pulled Shiro up and let ourselves be hidden behind the tarpaulin standing right next to us nang makita ko ang lalakeng mukang bouncer, at isa pang lalakeng mukang galit na galit.

It took them a minute before deciding to retreat and to not follow the girl in which was nowhere to be seen right now. Heck right, she's fast.

"Okay, Shiro. Alis na tayo dito." Tinanguan ko siya at dali-daling hinila paalis, and knowing he's an obedient kid that he actually is, he'd go with the flow.