CHAPTER 1
Kevin
Isa na siguro sa favorite past time ni Kevin ang tumambay sa isang tea house near her place. Cozy kasi ang lugar at madaling mapagmasdan ang mga tao sa paligid.. na isa sa mga hobby niya. Kevin loves observing people. It sounds creepy but she enjoys herself that way. Seeing different facial expressions, gestures, how they walk, even the way they carry their bags napapansin niya yun.
Those little details became her inspiration in making her artworks. Ang madalas niyang object are the individuals who doesn't even know that a girl was already sketching them.
But this day is a bit dull. Wala siya sa mood magsketch ng tao kaya yung sarili niyang cup of tea ang dinodrawing niya. And she's good at it. Realistic siyang magdrawing even without formal training.
She's not taking up any course. Mainly because her father wants her to study medicine. Hindi nito masakyan ang hilig niya sa arts at laging bukambibig na sayang lang ang oras at hindi siya kikita sa pagdodrawing. Kaya in the end, hindi na lang siya nag-apply for college kahit na umuusok na sa galit ang daddy niya.
Did he tried to convince her? Of course, yes. Pero sa huli, si Kevin pa din ang nasunod sa gusto nito. Since hindi na siya nakahabol sa enrolment ng art school na gusto niyang pasukan, she decided to take a year off. Basically, isa siyang tambay sa ngayon. Hindi naman siya pwedeng magpart-time job because she's only 16. And besides, she doesn't need one. Doktor ang daddy niya. They can afford a garish lifestyle.
She finished drawing her cup and was about to stand up and leave when she caught sight of a guy who just went inside the tea house. Una niyang napansin ang bagpack nitong kasing-laki na ng maleta. At dahil mahilig nga siyang mag-observe ng mga tao, itinuon niya ng husto ang atensyon niya dito.
The guy ordered cappucino flavored tea and sat down at the table near her. Hindi siya napapansin nito dahil busy ito sa paghalungkat sa bag niya. Napansin niyang mukhang may nawawala dun sa lalaki.
"Sir, should I just cancel your order?" The girl at the counter asked.
Wallet pala ang nawawala sa binata. Kevin find the scene amusing. Kaya tumayo siya at binayaran yung tea nung lalaki. Kilala naman siya nung babae sa counter dahil madalas siya dito.
"Hey, here's your tea," she said timidly as she placed the cup at the guy's table.
Tinitigan lang siya nung lalake.
'Maybe he doesn't know how to say thank you,' she thought.
"You paid for my tea," finally he managed to say.
"Is that a statement or a question? And.. yes I paid for it," Kevin replied. Nasa tapat na siya ng sariling table at nililigpit na yung mga gamit. She needed to get home. It's already 6pm. Kailangan niya pang ipagluto ang daddy niya.
Hindi na niya hinintay pang sumagot yung lalaki at lumabas na siya ng tea house dala ang sketchpad at ilang art materials niya.
That was intense. First time niyang makipag-usap sa miyembro ng opposite sex aside from her dad. At nung high school, sa all girls catholic school siya nag-aral kaya inexperienced siya pagdating sa small talk. Pero hindi na siya magtataka kung palpak din siya sa pakikipagusap sa mga lalaki because she's an introvert. It's her nature.
Julian
The first thing he did when the girl left is to take a sip of his tea.
Obviously, he badly needs a drink at the moment. Unang-una, dahil sa pagkaparanoid kakahanap ng wallet niya, na ngayon lang niya naalalang naiwan niya sa minivan niya at pangalawa, he founds the girl rather eccentric.
Reasons?
1. The girl was wearing pajamas with panda prints.
2. She has a sketchpad inside a tea house.
3. She paid for his drink.
4. She left abruptly.
Dahil nacurious si Julian kung sino yung babae, before he left the place, nilapitan niya yung babae sa counter na Deah pala ang pangalan base sa name tag.
"Ah miss, kilala mo yung babaeng nagbayad sa tea ko?"
"Yes sir. Si Ma'am Kevin po yun. Type niyo po?" pabirong sagot ni Deah.
"What? No. I.. I just find her different is all," he said even though he wasn't even sure.
"Madalas po dito yun. Anak po siya ni Doc Ben. Local doctor po dito samin. Medyo maypagka-weird nga po si ma'am. Pero mabait po yun. Malaki pa mag-tip."
"Ahhhh, I see."
Aalis na dapat siya nung nagsalita pa ulit yung babae.
"Taga-diyan po yun sa may Fidelity St. Yung bahay na kulay mint green,"
Hindi niya alam kung bakit sinabi ni Deah yung address nung babae but if she's playing cupid, he's not interested. May libro pa siyang dapat tapusin at matagal na siyang kinukulit ng publisher niya.
Papunta siya ngayon sa town house nila para magrelax at umaasa siyang magagamot nito ang writer's block niya.
He left the tea house still thinking of the weird girl and of the mint green house. Maybe.. just maybe.. he's a little interested. But now is not the time for those things.
