The Coño Boy 6: Ten Lifetimes With You

Chapter Two: Slow Morning

Casa Arrastia
San Angel
20 May 2019
7:04 am

Drake opens his eyes. He stares at the ceiling for a while. His facial expression changes when he suddenly realizes something. He gets off the bed and checks his phone. The time reads 7:04 am. He takes off the white tank top he's wearing, pulls out a white t-shirt from his suitcase and hurriedly wears it. He looks at himself in the mirror starts to heads out of the bedroom.

He stops.

Still holding on to the door knob, with the door half open, he looks down and realizes he's wearing boxerbriefs to breakfast. He turns and scampers to his suitcase. He grabs a pair of grey joggers. He puts them on, nearly tripping on himself in the process. He looks at the rectangular mirror again and rushes out of the room.

_ _ _

Migz: Good morning, Go Jun Pyo!

Migz greets Drake as he enters the through the arch leading into the huge dining room of the old house. The early morning sun filtered by the semi-opaque capiz shells on windows panels slid half-open from the right side of the hall is bathing the house interiors with an almost lemon colored glow.

Drake: Go Jun Pyo?

His confusion is evident, the way his eyes squint. Drake looks at Migz who is laying a folded broadsheet newspaper on the table. Then shifts his focus to the elderly gentleman with a dark wooden cane and holding a pruner, standing in front of a carved wooden pedestal near the window, trimming a small bonsai tree planted in a glazed porcelain pot.

Migz: Lo, si Go Jun Pyo!

Migz introduces their guest to Don Vicente Arrastia, a man in his late 60s. The textbook definition of a Spanish mestizo. His large built is imposing. His long grey hair neatly tied at the back with a matching goatee frames a chubby face with a notable pinkish tint on his cheeks, the sunlight bouncing off his complexion as it streams into the room. He looks at Drake through his horn rimmed glasses.

Lolo Cente: Ko chin po? Akala ko Ingles na ang pangalan niya?

He asks Migz with his deep voice. Drake takes a second look at Don Vicente Arrastia, specifically the crisp cotton shirt the elderly gentleman is wearing: maroon with flowers in shades of sienna and ochre. In his head, Don Vicente looks like a Eurasian version of Santa Claus in a Hawaiian shirt.

Drake: Good morning po.

Drake greets him. He approaches the elderly gentleman. Offering his hand out, unsure if his host would give him a handshake or impose the gesture of a mano.

Drake: Drake po ang name ko, sir. Drake Lee —at hindi po Go Jun Pyo ang Korean name ko—

He shoots a stern look towards Migz.

Drake: It's Lee Won Joo, sir. It's written on the letter I sent you. You may have overlooked it siguro, sir.

He further explains.

The elderly gentleman offers his right hand thus prompting Drake to take it, bow a bit, and tap the back of Don Vicente's hand on his forehead.

Lolo Cente: Good bless you, hijo. Marunong ka pala mag-Tagalog?

The elderly gentleman asks him, evidently perplexed with his use of the native language now than with the fake Korean name Migz just introduced him with.

Don Vicente walks to his seat at the end of the dining table while using his cane. Drake's eyes dart towards Migz again for a quick second. Migz's face could not hide his expression of naughty amusement at this awkward introduction.