LUNA

42: Rose

"Aray, Sage! Wag mong hilain ng ganyan!"

"Wag ka kasing magulo" magkasalubong na ang dalawang kilay ni Sage habang seryoso siya sa ginagawa niyang pagtitirintas sa buhok ko. "I'm getting slightly good at this already. Manahimik ka na lang muna dyan"

From the reflection in front of my vanity, Sage looks dead serious while trying to braid my hair. His hands are huge over the pink strands of my now tangled hair, and I am doing everything to swallow down my complaints against him. Sumasakit na anit ko dahil sakanya!

Naka upo ako habang siya ay nakatayo saaking likod. Nakadungaw at seryosong seryoso sa ginagawa. He's been requesting to braid my hair ever since he saw me braiding it myself last week. Hindi ko naman hilig ang mag braid kasi masyadong nakukuha ang oras ko para dito. I only did it once because I was bored to hell. Hindi ko naman alam na magiging libangan niya ito ngayon.

"Your hair is really soft, is it like this before?"

Pinaglaruan ko ang brush sa harapan ko. "You think a female who had lived most of her life in the forest owns a nice hair?" I say, "Ngayon lang 'yan gumanda kasi palagi na akong naka-shampoo at conditioner"

"Hmm" he tugs my hair gently, "Napansin ko nga 'yung dugo sa buhok mo nung una kitang nakita"

I was taken aback. "Did you?"

Sage smirks, "You really think I was some stupid mortal?" Kinuha niya 'yung tali sa lamesa ng vanity sabay kagat dito. Almost done with his work. "The moment I laid my eyes on you, I had known you were a witch already, Sweetheart"

"You've read my soul?"

"Did you have one?"

I elbowed him, the laugh that came out of his mouth was contagious enough for me to stifle a smile. Sage plucked the small black tie from his lips and started tying my finished hair. Wala sa sarili akong napatingin sa mga ugat niya sa kamay. The force his giving out just to tie my hair neatly tightens his muscles, and I can't help but be mesmerized again. The wonders it could do to me, his veiny forearms and veiny...... hmmm.

"Tapos na!" maligayang sambit ni Sage habang binibigyan niya uli ng inspection ang ginawa niya. He pokes my braided hair, "It's kinda messy, though. Gusto mong ulitin ko? Susubukan ko uli. Mas gagalingan ko na ngayon" Malaki ang ngisi niya sa harapan ng salamin.

Happiness welled up in my pink eyes as I caressed the braid with one gentle hand, but I did not let him see that I find this kind of stuff cute and enjoyable. Tumagilid pa ako sa magkabilaang side para lang makita ang ginawa niya sa aking buhok. Bukod sa medyo magulo nga ito at maluwag ang kapit sa anit, nagka buhol-buhol ang buhok ko sa mga iilang parte.

"This looks shitty, Sage" I lied. I mean, not particularly, it is horrible but I don't really mind it. The effort is appreciated. "Sumakit pa anit ko sa kakahila mo!"

Tumagilid ng bahagya ang kanyang ulo. "I didn't mean it, I was just trying to do my best" now, he's pouting slightly. Pinigilan ko ang matawa. "I'm sorry. I'll just redo it. Dadahan-dahanin ko na"

Tatanggalin na niya sana ang tali ng itapik ko ang kanyang kamay. "Wag na. Okay na ako dito"

"No, I know it looks shitty and it's not giving justice to the beauty of your pink hair so I'll redo it again, sweetheart. Let me"

"Okay na! Panget pero gusto ko naman siya, kaya okay na!"

"Mag hahapunan tayo kasama ang buong pamilya ng mga prinsipe, Sahar, hindi pwedeng ganito ang buhok mo sa hapag"

The snort I was trying so hard to suppress happens. Tinaasan ko si Sage ng isang kilay mula sa repleksyon ng salamin sa harapan pagkatapos kong makita kung gaano na nakabusangot ang kanyang pagmumukha ngayon. Was I too much? Did I discourage him that bad? I made a face and pulled out the drawer of the vanity. Bumungad saamin ang mga iilang box ng mga accessories. Kinuha ko ang para sa buhok sabay lapag nito sa lamesa.