The Antiquity of Us (La Fortuna Series #2)

Kabanata 43

Kabanata 43

Museum

For the morning, Atlas and I decided to go to Ginza for some shopping. It was 10 AM and the streets were filled with people leisurely strolling and roaming around like us. Magkasalikop ang kamay namin habang naglalakad at lihim akong napapangiti dahil do'n. I wasn't a Christmas person because I had no one else to celebrate it with for the past years. But now that he's beside me, pakiramdam ko'y ito na yata ang pinamasayang panahon ng buhay ko.

Winter wasn't so cold with him.

"There's your favorite shop," he said and pointed at a Prada boutique across the sidewalk that we were at.

Naningkit ang mga mata ko nang lingunin siya. "How did you know that I love Prada?"

"Your bags were always Prada," he pointed out and arched a brow. "Alam mo bang napaka-sosyalista ng mga datingan mo noon? You wore only designer clothes, had this royalty vibe, and you also looked at everyone as if they're below you."

"What?" angal ko agad. "I was kind and friendly kaya!"

"You weren't. You were scary and a mystery for everyone."

Sinimangutan ko siya pero hindi siya natinag. I didn't know that I was like that! 'Tsaka kung meron mang misteryoso sa pagitan naming dalawa, siya 'yon. He was always scowling and authoritative. He was definitely the scary one, not me!

Nang makapasok sa loob ng shop ay agad kaming ni-welcome ng mga staff doon. They assisted and brought me toward their special edition bags and while I was searching for something to buy, Atlas was behind me. Alam kong bored na siya pero kasalanan niya rin naman kasi tinuro-turo niya pa ang boutique na 'to. I wasn't even looking for this and I wouldn't have known that this existed if he didn't tell me.

My eyes sparkled in excitement when I saw two bags that I immediately fell in love with. Hawak ang dalawang 'yon ay nilingon ko siya upang hingin ang opinyon niya tungkol do'n.

"What do you think should I choose and buy?"

"Why choose when you can have both?" he asked casually. "I'm paying."

Namilog ang mga mata ko. Was he insane? Kalahating milyon ang presyo ng bawat isa tapos ni wala manlang siyang reaksyon nang sabihin niyang wawaldasin niya ang pera niya para sa 'kin? I gave him a warning glare but it didn't faze him. It kind of annoyed me. What was he? My sugar daddy?

He sighed. "Look, I don't want you to compromise for these material things when I have the means to spoil you. Kung talagang gusto mong bilhin ang dalawang 'yan, then we'll buy them. Pero kung isa lang ang gusto mo, then fine by me. I just don't want you to settle for less."

"These aren't just simple bags. They cost a fortune!"

He shrugged. "I don't care. I'm still paying."

Sa huli ay lumabas kami sa boutique na walang nabili. I thought about it and if I were to buy a bag myself, pera rin naman ni Mr. Amuesca ang gagamitin ko at hindi akin. I realized that I didn't want Atlas nor my biological father to pay for my caprices after all. The money was nothing for them but the thought of buying things with something that I didn't earn didn't sit right with me. Kailangan ko na yatang magpinta at magkapera ulit!

Atlas wasn't happy that I deprived myself with the bags but seriously, it wasn't a big deal. Napagtanto ko sa huling 'di ko rin naman 'yon gusto at ayaw ko ring bumili ng bagay na pagsisisihan ko dahil sa presyo nito. So instead of those overpriced and bourgeoisie boutiques, we decided to enter a mall. Mas masaya roon dahil mas maraming Christmas stuff na nakadisplay. An accessory aisle attracted me so I pulled Atlas toward it.