Yours and Mine are Ours

Chapter IV

I was cooking when Tae Young arrived. He was smiling when he entered our house.
"Tae Young!what happened?"
"Nothing,hyung. Teacher Erin gave us three stars today."
"What do you mean?"
"If you can get three  stars, that means you are doing good today. We did quiz today and I got perfect score."he said to me with full enthusiasm and vigor.
" I'm very glad that you met teacher Erin. "
"Why,hyung?"
"Because she made my youngest sibling happy."
"Hyung, I will visit Philippines in the near future with you. I am interested to go there. Do you like that place too?"
Pakiwari ay nag-iisip ako tungkol sa bansang iyon. Hindi pa ako nakarating doon. Pero lahat ay nagsasabi na maganda daw doon. Yung dagat ay napakaganda.
"Hmm. They said it's beautiful. Don't worry I'll bring you there during summer."
"Really?"
Bumukas ang pintuan at pumasok ang dalawa pa naming kapatid.
"We are here." wika ng dalawa. Matamlay si Jae Young. Lumapit ito sa amin. Jae Young is a young and active girl pero bakit ngayon ay parang pagod ito.
"Why?"
"Her idol group will come to our hometown this weekend." Jin Young said while taking off his school uniform.
"And then?"
"She wants to go there with her friends and I'm sure you will never let her go there." Ngumisi pa na parang nanalo sa pustahan. Ito talagang batang ito,kung hindi mambubuska kay Tae  Young ay doon naman kay Jae Young.
"You're still young. If you can have guardian with you,older than you,I can let you go there. Whom of course I know very well." I told her. I fix her hair.
"Please hyung. I want to go. I promise just this time."
"No,you can't."
"Hyung."
"Jae Young, it's dangerous if you go there alone. Many possible things will happen. Do you want to know what are those?"
"What?" Tae Young asked.
"If there are a lot of people,you might be stumbled down. And they will step on you. Do you want it to happen?"
Umiiling ito.
"When you reach middle school,maybe I could consider that."
"Really hyung?when I will become middle school student?"
Tumango ako. Naghanda na kaming kumain ng hapunan.
"Hyung,you are the best cook" Tae Young said. Tumawa ako.
"You showered me with good words so that I can cook meals for all of you right?"
Tumawa ang mga ito.
Kumain na kami.
"This is really delicious. Oh I love beef."wika ni Jin Young. Ngumiti ako.
Jinyoung is a fifth grader. Matalino din ito at gustong maging doktor katulad ko.
" hyung,if you get married, do we still stay with you?"
Tanong ni Jin young. Natigilan ako.
"Do you like hyung to get married?"I asked.
Habang inginunguya ang pagkain ay tumango ang mga ito.
" yes,but I hope the woman you love will love us too." Tae Young said. Ginulo ko ang buhok niya.
"I won't get married. We will stay like this forever."
"No."
"No"
"No"
"Why? I don't want it. I have babies now. So what can I ask for more?"
"No,don't worry,we will become your cupid agency. We will go around this weekend to look for a woman for you."
Natawa ako sa narinig ni Jae Young.
"Jae Young,you are the oldest of these kids. Better not do any crazy things."
Natawa sina jin at tae young.
Nag high five pa ang mga ito.
Naghalf bath na ako ng matapos kaming kumain ng hapunan. Biglang may nagdoorbell.
"Open it,jin"
"Yeah!"
I usually stayed in my room to take a rest.
Makalipas ang tatlumpung minuto ay lumabas na ako at naabutan ko silang kumain ng pizza. At sino naman ang nagbigay noon? Umupo ako sa tabi ni Tae Young. Kumuha ako ng isang slice at kinain iyon. 
"Who gave you this? Good choice" sabi ko. Tumitig pa ang mga ito sa akin. Natigilan ako at ibinalik ang pizza sa lalagyan.
"Can't you understand?" Tanong ko ulit.
"Tae young-a,I hope you get what is in my mind." Jae Young said while smiling at me.
"Tae young-a,better think fast." Wika ni jin.
"Why?"I asked.
" hyung,my teacher gave me this!" Tae Young confessed. Natigilan ako sa narinig.
"Tae Young-a!!"
Mabilis silang tumakbo patungong silid nila. Natawa ako. Marahil ay natatakot ang mga ito na baka magagalit ako. Ang bait naman ng teacher na iyon. Marahil kapag nakita ko siya baka isipin ko rin na mama ko siya. I will definitely ask her that we can call her mother.
Probably she is sent from above.
"Hyung,you can get one,you should not finish them all." Jin said while grabbing the box and brought it in their room.
"Yah!!brush your teeth before you sleep."
"Yeah."
Tumayo na ako at uminom ng tubig. I did my evening routines at matulog na.
Our apartment has three levels at nasa third floor kami. Average price lamang iyon. Kaya kahit nasa private school nag-aaral ang mga kapatid ko ay kayang-kaya kong bayaran mula sa sweldo ko. I am considered as an average salary man.
Kaya kahit ano pa ang gustong gagawin namin ay may magagamit kami na pera.
Marriage is another story. Kapag mangyayari iyon ay kawawa ang mga kapatid ko. Tiyak ay ayaw ng magiging asawa ko ang mag-aalaga sa kanila.

Kinabukasan ay maaga na naman kong gumising. Naghahanda ko sa lunch box nila.
"Hyung,we'll go together" wika ni Jae Young. Natuwa ako sa narinig. Bihira lang nangyari ang ganoon. Minsan ay mahuhuli ang mga ito kay Tae Young. Madalas kasi maagang pumasok si Tae young sa school.
"Why?"
"We'll go together,we decided to stick to each other since you'll get married soon. We have to practice living alone." Malungkot na sabi nito.
I hit the table. Nagising ito.
"Don't think about my marriage it will never happen. It will never happen. Ever! Okay?"
"O-okay!"
Iniwan ko silang tatlo sa table at pumasok ako sa room ko. Alam kong nalulungkot ang mga ito kapag iniwan ko. Nalulungkot din naman ako kaya I decided not to do it.
I sat on the bed. Lumapit ang mga ito.
"We know that we are not real siblings. If time comes that you need to live without us,we can live by ourselves. We don't want you to stop living your own life. You have to do it. You might end up regretting your life because you did not do what you want." Jae Young said. Tumulo yung mga luha ko. Niyakap nila ako.
"I don't want to live without you. If it happens,it is same as living forgetting my parents. You are part if my life. So don't be sad about me. "
"Hyung,we want you to be happy too."
"I am happy to be with you too."
Niyakap ko silang tatlo.
"Go,school bus might be already here."
"Bye hyung. I love you."
"I love you too"
Lumabas na ang mga ito. Pinahid ko ang mga luha ko.
Sinundan ko silang tatlo. Palabas na silang tatlo sa pintuan.
"Go home early."
"Yeah"
Lumabas na ang mga ito. Sinundan ko sila at nakita kong umakyat aila patungong rooftop. I looked at my watch. It's 6:00 in the morning. May dalawang oras pa sila. Kaya pala maaga huh.
Umakyat na rin ako.
"What are you doing here?"
Namumutla ang mukha ni Tae Young ng makita ako.
"I'm sorry hyung,"
"You should go to school now-----" "Let's go-----" Lumabas ang babaeng maikli ang buhok at nakasuot ng white na coat  na pinailaliman ng peach flower printed dress and white shoes.
"Hyung,Teacher Erin" pakilala ni Tae Young sa aking dalawa.
"Teacher Erin?" Sabi ko.