Accidentally in Love

Chapter 13

Tahimik lang kaming dalawa ni Jeremy habang nasa loob kami ng sasakyan. Ayaw ko man siyang lingunin pero ramdam na ramdam ko ang pagtitig niya sa akin. Dahil feeling ko ay matutunaw na ako sa ginagawa niya, I finally decided to break the ice.

"Staring is rude, you know., sabi ko sabay lingon sa kanya. Wrong move nga lang yung ginawa ko dahil mas lalo lang siyang ngumiti dahil sa ginawa at sinabi ko.

"Kung ganyan naman kaganda yung tititigan ko, okay lang na matawag na rude," sagot niya naman with a smirk plastered on his face. Kung hindi lang talaga ako nagtitimpi, baka pinagkukurot ko na siya. Buti na lang talaga at mahaba-haba pa ang pasensya ko ngayon.

Hindi ko na lang sinagot yung banat ni Jeremy. Instead of throwing cringey lines with each other, I chose to look at where we were passing through. Sa saglit na panahon lang, nag-iba agad yung ambiance ng lugar. From a very lively and techie place, para kaming nag-time travel bigla. Napaka-old school ng dating dahil sa mga temple and other structures na nakikita ko. But what really left me in awe was the fact that I could finally see some cherry blossoms.

Paghinto na paghinto ng sinakyan namin ni Jeremy sa Ueno Park, binuksan ko agad yung pinto at lumabas na ako. Mamaya ko na lang babayaran si Jeremy sa pamasahe. Gusto ko na agad lapitan yung mga cherry blossom. It was my lifelong dream to see and hold some simula nung natuto akong manood ng anime at Japanese dramas. I have always hoped that I could actually see them in person and now that I'm really here, para bang ang laki ng achievement na nagawa ko ito sa buhay ko.

"Oh my god." Hindi ko na napigilan pa ang sarili ko na mapanganga while taking everything in. It was too surreal. I mean, who would have thought that I would finally have a chance to touch these cherry blossoms?

"Kaunti pa lang yung cherry blossoms ngayon pero mas maganda dito kapag full bloom na," biglang singit ni Jeremy which brought me back to reality na may kasama nga pala akong iba ngayon. I looked at his direction and he was looking at the sakura lane ahead of us. Now that I think about it, it was actually a good decision to take on his offer to tour me around Tokyo. I was actually appreciating touring around because of him.

"By when ba usually yung full bloom?" I couldn't help but ask. Siguro, sa susunod na punta ko rito, I would make sure that it's that season na. Yes, pagpaplanuhan ko na agad yung next visit ko rito! Sobrang ganda kasi talaga that I don't think I would ever get enough of it.

"Around April. If you noticed when you booked your flight, doon tumataas ang presyo." Napatango ako when I remembered that one. Halos mapamura ako sa mahal ng flights kaya napilitan akong middle of March magpunta rito kasi nga mas mura. Siyempre, dapat magtipid pa rin naman ako kahit papaano. I didn't want to splurge nang sobra sa biyahe ko na 'to.

"Gusto mo bang mag-ikot muna tayo dito bago tayo pumunta sa ibang areas dito sa Shitamachi? It would take us a few minutes lang naman. We can roam around then take some pictures. I'll be more than willing to take your pictures. I can even make an album for it, you know?" Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili ko at himpas ko na si Jeremy sa braso. Patindi na nang patindi ang mga sinasabi niya at hindi pa ako sanay na makarinig ng mga ganoong bagay nang madalas. Sir Mark didn't really shower me with compliments whenever we were together before. Ni hindi ko na nga maalala yung mga pinag-uusapan namin, e. It was a weird set up, that's for sure.

"Ow. What was that for?" reklamo niya pagkahampas ko sa kanya.

"Tigilan mo nga ako. Isang album ka diyan!" hysterical kong sabi sa kanya. Parang ewan naman kasi. 'Di nga kami magkaano-ano tapos gagawan niya pa ako ng isang album? Baka mapagkamalan pa akong jowa nito ng ibang taong makakakita sa gallery niya, jusko!

"You have around a hundred photos in my phone now. More than one album na 'yon, 'di ba?" Jeremy said na parang wala lang. I literally had to stop myself from making a scene here dahil hindi ako makapaniwalang gano'n karami yung pictures ko with him. Like how? Ano 'yon? Puro stolen shots? I was so sure that I was giving him my phone to take my pictures naman. So paano?