BrightWin: The Arrangement

I

18 years later

Keiran

"Paano ba kasi 'yon?!" Tanong ko nang kulitin si Kairo, kapatid ko, sa ginagawa kong drawing.

Architecture ang course ko pero marami pa akong bagay na hindi alam i-drawing.

Tinuro naman niya matapos ko siyang kulitin nang sobra, mga kagabi ko pa siya kinukulit, kupal.

Kairo is my younger brother, at the age of 16, marami na rin siyang na-accomplish gaya ko.

I am now 18 and the CEO of BlanChard Group of Companies, along with whoever the freak is the son of tito Luis.

Sa totoo lang, wala akong pakelam sa kanya, sa kanila at sa business ng pamilya namin. Gusto ko lang lumaya sa mahigpit na kamay ni Mom and Dad.

Lalo na ni Dad.

If me being the CEO means that I can be free from his grip, I'll do it kahit ayoko. Hindi ko interest ang magpa-takbo ng kumpanya lalong lalo na kung wala naman itong mga paa. Charot not charot.

My 18 years have been controlled by the two most valuable people in my life, taking this putang course is one of them. I wanted to be a lawyer.

But no, said Elias, you will take up Architecture and after that, he plans to force me to take up Business Management because duh.

"Keiran!" Sigaw ni Dad mula sa baba, "Bumaba ka rito!" Galit na naman ampota.

"Coming, Dad."

As I was walking down sa napakahaba naming hagdan, nakita kong kausap ni Dad si tito Luis at tita Farah along with a guy around my age, must be their first born.

"Ah!" Dad exclaims as he noticed me going down the stairs, "Pare, mare, you of course know my son, Keiran."

I respectfully nodded and nag-mano.

"Cora couldn't be here, nasa company siya sa Canada para asikasuhin ang iba pang papeles na naiwan sa BlanChard, she's been around the globe na halos." My Dad chuckles, luh pabayaan daw ba yung babae. Kilos, old man.

"Oo nga pala, Keiran," Ngiti ni tita Farah sa'kin, "This is Xavier, our son."

Our eyes met, nginitian ko siya at tinanguan niya lang ako habang patuloy siyang nagce-cellphone. Rude.

"Xavier!" Panunuway ni tito Luis sa anak niya.

"I heard you, Dad! Jesus!" Masungit na sigaw pabalik ni Xavier. Rude nga. Spoiled siguro. Siya ba ang makakasama ko magpatakbo ng kumpanya? I don't want him.

"Keiran, why don't you take Xavier to your room. May pag-uusapan lang kami ng tito at tita mo." Sabi ni Dad, Xavier and I obliged at umakyat.

"Why are your stairs so freakin' many?" Tanong ni Xavier na hinihingal.

I chuckled at nagpatuloy kami sa pag-akyat. As we reached my room, akala ko mamamangha siya dahil sa laki.

Dahil sa 18 years of existence ko, namamangha pa rin ako sa laki ng kwarto ko, may hagdan pang sarili pababa sa walk-in closet ko at may sariling game room. Pero para sa kanya, wala lang lahat ng iyon at nagpatuloy sa paglalaro.

Phone games, yuck. I thought, kita naman sa kanya na mahilig siya maglaro.

"So," Panimula ko, sobrang awkward. I guess Dad wanted us to meet. Why haven't I met him earlier? "How old are you?"

"Eighteen." He flatly replies, busy pa rin sa phone niya. Tumango na lang ako.

"Where do you study?" Di ko alam bakit nag-eenglish na rin ako. Nakakahawa.

Umirap siya, "Where do you study?"

Ahh, baka same school. Sungit.

Shortly, tinawag na ulit kami ng mga magulang namin sa baba.

"Join us, hijos." Wika ni tito Luis.

"So, nandito tayo ngayon to tell both of you that—"

"That you're getting married!" My dad interrupts.

"What?!" Sabay naming sabi ni Xavier.

"This can't be happening, I'm not gay!" Xavier exclaims. Galit na galit siya, namumula na siya.

"So am I!" I second the motion. Kasal agad?! Paano na ang crush ko sa school?!

"Your parents," Dad starts off, pointing at Xavier, "And kami ng tita Cora mo, we made pact na ipakakasal namin ang mga anak namin."

"Dad, need I remind you na anak mo rin si Kairo?!" I exclaim, ayoko ngang maikasal dito sa boring na 'to! Mapapanis laway ko!

"Our first borns." Paglilinaw niya. This can't be happening. Ayokong maikasal sa lalaki.

"But dad—" Aapela pa sana si Xavier nang tapatan siya ng tatay niya ng kamay sa mukha, telling him to stop talking and he did.

"Bumili na kami ng apartment niyong dalawa. By next week, you will be living together. No buts." Tita Farah said, both of us left dumbfounded.

Shortly after that dumb revelation, umalis na sila Xavier.

I guess, I'm getting married?