Night and Day

4 - Bloom of the Young Forest

Gio has been living in his apartment in the city since he started as an accountant two years ago. He was lucky enough for the firm to provide him with his own space across the office building. Two years after he may have regrets with his current living conditions. One, his parents constantly require him to go home every weekend; and two, the concrete walls of his room may have had already recorded his most intimate emotions and memories, not including the decisions he still regrets up to this day.

He was constantly having trouble sleeping. He blames the walls as it might have been too thick already. His superstitious-self had already scrubbed them a few times, not to mention the sage-burning which he gave up eventually.

Gio gets up and prepares his things before taking a shower. He looks at himself in the mirror. His small eyes developed darker shadows below. His previous muscular frame deteriorated a lot in a span of six months. Mukha na 'kong lolong nasa high school, he regrets.

He locks his doors and heads out. A few minutes later at the bus, he receives a message from his mother.

'Nak, nasa Cavite kaming lahat until Sunday kay lolo mo. You can stay at the house kaso ikaw lang.

He asked the bus to drop him at the nearest mall. He gets out before he sends his reply.

Okay po Ma. I'll stay here in Manila. See you next week.

He decides he should spend more time alone, as if he never had the luxury for the past few months. Fuck, even my family, sukong-suko na sa'kin, he thought.

He looks at the building in front of him. Not this one, he shakes his head. Gio finds himself in the old places he never thought would have so much meaning now. He enters anyway.

There was this second-floor balcony looking at the atrium below. He leans on the glass panel as the memories fill him again, I can feel him, hinawakan ko kamay ni Tom dito. Nahihiya pa siya when people pass, eventually nagustuhan na din niya.

He presses the elevator door to go up, and there it was again, I stole a quick kiss from him while waiting, akala ko susuntukin niya na 'ko, but I remembered na he just has those strong eyes. He smiled at me. I would have reached for more, but the elevator door opened on us.

The cinemas were quite empty that morning since the mall has just opened. The hallways reminded him, we argued on what film and ended watching cartoons. We kissed a lot at the theater, madilim kasi and feeling namin walang tao. I'm so sorry if there were kids that time.

With a take-out lunch in hand, Gio decides to get back to his apartment. On the street to the bus stop, he felt him again, it was the first time na siya ang nag-initiate magholding-hands, it was the best feeling na I found someone na ako naman ang aalagaan, na this time, akin lang.

Before he finds himself in tears, he rode the bus and was back at his apartment before lunch time. He is convinced that people leave imprints to places they pour their hearts and souls at. When you finally connect to those places again, it all plays back to you like a tape recorder. He sees the bench at the front of his apartment. Tulad nito, he thought.

One summer night, he was sitting here with Vince. He was his partner of one year before Tom. The night he recalled was the time Tom wanted to see him for the last time.

"Gio, okay ka lang?" asked Vince.

The man beside him was four years older than him. The girls easily fall for Vince. He was manly and mature for his age, and he was Gio's biggest mistake.

He smiled at him, "Oo naman. Bakit?"

"Let's drink?"

He tapped him on the shoulders as he went to grab something inside. His decision to get back with Vince that time was so sudden. It felt like he was always trapped with him, to Tom's expense.

He went back to see the lover looking disheartened while holding his phone. His hand was shaking.

"I'm sorry Gio, 'Di ko kaya," as Vince handed him back his phone.

He sat beside Vince and saw the last message he got an hour ago. He knew it was Tom.

Gio, please? This is the last time. Gusto lang kita makita.

Below the screen is a draft, which he assumed was typed by Vince.

Nasa labas ako, I'll be there later.

He deleted the last part and sent the message. He blocked the unknown number temporarily, to Vince's surprise.

The lover beside looked at him, his eyes almost in tears. He did not have a choice but to reach out and kiss.

At that same bench outside his apartment, Gio sulks on his own, neither both the past lovers of his life present on his side. He makes a mental note to throw the bench away on the next opportunity. Miserable ka na Gio, you need a cleanse soon, he feels.

⸙

Shin-ae is on the club room with a junior and friend, Rachel. They were talking about the clearing project when they hear a loud commotion across the faculty area. They went by the door to check.

She has recognized Carlos from last summer's exhibit. The tall and enthusiastic senior who helped them complete their collection for the fair. His enthusiasm might have faded into frantic as they watch him pace the corridor of the faculty. His friends appear to calm him down.

The heavy faculty door opens and the professor appears and talks to Carlos. Their distance from the two made it impossible to hear the conversation but Carlos looks like he was not having any of it. He was already at the top of his voice when the teacher echoed through.

Shin-ae looks as Carlos is being reprimanded and now already wet in tears. His fists were still clenched as his friends dragged him away from the faculty room. Shin-ae and Rachel moves away from the door. When Carlos was taken by the club room, he pushes the friends away and punches the club door. Shin-ae and Rachel lets out a frightened scream out of shock. Carlos backs out as he sees Shin-ae's reaction. He was immediately dragged by his friends out of her sight as Rachel continues to calm her down.

⸙

One afternoon, Jan is walking around the neighborhood with Rex. They come across a collapsed construction of a house, both assumed that its owners may had not have the funding for drastic repairs right away. They continue downhill until Jan sees a familiar house from the distance. He stops as he looks at the lonely structure. Its gates are locked and seems like no one was home that day. Rex looks at his friend with concern from behind.

⸙

Robbie is behind the wheel, who seems to be driving to the next town, the stretch of the narrow Bued River below shifted from his left to right. He was driving slowly that time due to speed limits enforced. There were a few private cars that pass by him. He assumes these are locals as well, as tourists have been stopped from using this path after the storm. A few roadblocks have also been placed into some of the cliffside paths. He stops at a one-way checkpoint where the cars on the left lane going back to Baguio are at a go. He takes his time to see the destruction left by the typhoon.

A few months ago, the light rains did not stop him from going back and forth this area. The caliber of the past storm seemed to be have shaken the province so hard. There were trees uprooted from the distance, a few rockslides which marked the roadblocks, and some cracks on the concrete tainted the already vulnerable Kennon Road.

On his side at the passenger's seat is Tom whose eyes are still swollen. Those piercing eyes now appear to have softened as he was crying from time to time. At the back was Tom's sister who is now asleep from exhaustion and looked the same as the brother.

He hears Tom's heavy breathing from the side, may be from the impatience dealt by the slow-moving traffic. He reaches out to rub his shoulders as the best friend starts to cry quietly again. Robbie just wanted to reach out for a hug, but the space forbids him. He removes his hand from the shoulder to hold Tom's left hand. He gently rubs his fingers. That time, he cannot find the right words.

He finally gets to the fork before Pugo Bridge and turns left to a mild uphill. At the end of the street, they can now see the relative's house, the father's taxi parked on the front. Robbie stops the car as he saw both brother and sister run towards their waiting father to hug.