Tayo Sana

Eight | 팔

"Maybe, I could have had a chance. I just regret that I missed it."

- Flower Boy Next Door

✈️| N O W- 2018 |✈️

I woke up extra early so I had time to make sure my hair was properly curled but had that seemingly natural and careless touch to it.

I wore a simple pair of white shoes and t-shirt, a long grey skirt and denim jacket. Mas gusto ko sana ng mas makulay o mas may disenyo pero ang payo ni Felix baka mag mukha akong trying hard masiyado. Scratch that. Actually, what he said was that I shouldn't try too hard at baka mas lalong ma-turn off si Seth.

I rolled my eyes and sighed.

Nevertheless, I put on the freshwater pearl earrings he had gifted me on our first anniversary. I hope they'd make a nice sentimental touch without being too ostentatious.

I made sure to spritz my favorite perfume: Luna by Penhaligon on both my wrists as well as my neck and hair before leaving and said a silent prayer that the day would turn out okay. Bigla ko tuloy naalala ang paborito kong quote nang bata pa ako: "I will do my best and God will do the rest."

I was hoping we'd have breakfast or at least lunch together but he told me last night that he still has to travel from Busan and he'll just meet me at the pickup point of the tour which is near Myeongdong.

Dumating na ang tour bus pero wala pa rin si Seth. Hindi rin siya sumasagot sa mga tawag ko kaya unti-unti akong nanlumo. Siya ang nag-book ng tour na ito kagabi online kaya hindi puwedeng hindi siya sumipot. Of course, I'm a bit worried that something happened to him so he wasn't able to come but neither could I discount the ugly little suspicion that maybe he's standing me up for revenge on the things I did to him a long time ago. He was never as petty as to do something like that. I can't kid myself though. It's been years and people do change.

"Hello! Guests, we are starting the tour in a few minutes' time. Please board the bus already," masayang tawag ng tour guide sa amin na mga turista.

Walang sigla akong umakyat na nga sa bus at naghanap ng seat sa likod banda. Almost everyone is in pairs and I don't want to feel lonelier than I already do on this trip.

I settled down on a seat and turned towards the curtained window so people won't see the hot tears that are starting to fall from my eyes. As pathetic as I feel, I was grateful I didn't put on mascara or else I'd be looking like a raccoon now. I feel completely stupid! How can I-

"Andy?"

I instantly turned to the sound of my own name and almost gasped.

"Ba't ka umiiyak?"

The familiar smile on his face disappeared and a worried frown replaced it.

He sat beside me, dropping his knapsack on the floor and immediately touched my cheeks.

"Ano'ng nangyari sayo?"

I laughed a little and tried unsuccessfully to turn my face away. Nakakahiya! Ano ang ipapalusot ko!

"Ehhhmmm... akala ko hindi ka sisipot," I blurted out in a whisper.

"Ano ka ba? Hindi puwedeng hindi kita siputin!" he reassured me, chuckling a bit now that he's sure there's really nothing wrong.

He took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped away my tears. How could I have doubted him? Nothing has changed. He's still the same nice and gentle Seth I knew.

"Gusto mo ba ng tubig? Sandwhich?"

Dumaan pala siya sa isang convenience store kaya medyo nahuli siya. Sa sobrang saya ko na dumating siya, halos hindi ako makapagsalita. God, I've missed him.

"Why are you smiling?" he asked as I shook my head at his offer. Wala pa akong ganang kumain. After-effect ng pagaalala ko at kasiyahan sa pagkikita namin ulit.

"Wala naman... Masaya lang ako na nagkita tayo ulit. Matagal na rin eh..."

"It's good to see you too. Hindi pa ako nakakauwi sa Iloilo mula nang dumating ako rito."

"Pati ba ang Ate mo hindi na rin umuuwi sa atin?" I asked, referring to his older sister who's married to a Korean national.

"Hindi na. Kapag umuuwi kami ng Pilipinas, sa Manila na lang kami nagkikita ni Mama. Ikaw, kamusta ka na?"

"Ito... first time to travel abroad by myself."

"Oo nga eh. Akala ko niloloko mo lang ako nang sinabi mo na mag-isa ka lang," he teased, pinching my cheek gently.

Our light prattle was cut short as the tour guide already started talking about the places we're going to.

"Welcome to South Korea! Are you enjoying your stay?"

The bus erupted in a cheerful "yes". Pati ako sumali na rin. I can't help but feel giddy at the reality of Seth and I sitting beside each other in this bus. Kung puwede nga hindi na matapos ang araw na 'to.

✈️

The owner of the strawberry farm gave each one of us a plastic container which we can fill with the fruits we pick.

Dapat maingat ka raw sa pagpitas ng strawberries dahil sensitibo ito. Kapag pinisil mo, kahit hindi mo pitasin, masisira ito. "Touch-move" kung sa salitang bata.

"Doon tayo banda?" Seth asked and pointed to the very edge of the enclosed space where the strawberries are grown. I carefully selected a few fruits and gently put them in my container. Sayang naman kasi kung malamog.

"Andy o."

Akala ko kung ano ang gusto niyang ipakita akaya nagulat ako nang paglingon ko ay may isusubo na siya sa aking strawberry.

I automatically opened my mouth and took in the whole fruit. Buti na lang matamis.

After picking strawberries, we were served fluffy pancakes slathered with thick strawberry jam that was made from the farm's produce. Masarap 'yung jam at ang pinaka nagustuhan ko rito ay hindi ito ganun ka tamis.

"Masarap, no? Damihan natin ang kain para sulit ang bayad natin," he whispered conspiratorially at me before laughing.

Tumawa rin ako at napansin ang iilang Pilipina ring turista na nakatingin kay Seth. Tulad ng dati, marami talaga ang nakakapansin kaagad kay Seth. He is such a head-turner. Pa-simple ko silang inirapan. Kainis.