bliss.

O93

saturday, 11:46 pm

"could you please take a rest too? kahit saglit lang. wala ka paring tulog simula kagabi."

i stopped making coffee when i heard taehyung's voice. he entered the chapel's kitchen without anyone beside him. kanina pa kasi nakadikit sakanya ang mga kaibigan niya, nagdadaldalan ng walang sawa pampawala ng antok.

they promised to stay with me until tomorrow morning, para may kasama ako. kahit na ayaw ko dahil mapapagod lang sila, they insisted. wala na din akong nagawa dahil wala naman nga talaga akong kasama kung sakali.

"ikaw dapat sinasabihan ko nyan," i chuckled slightly. "sinumbong ni jimin sakin na ang dami niyong paperworks at activities this week. wala ka pang pahinga-"

"i'll take a rest if you will," paghahamon niya sa akin at lumapit na. i watched how he removed his university jacket and made me wear it kahit pa may suot na din ako.

"walang magbabantay," i told him but he only pursed his lips, realizing the situation we're in right now.

"he's fine," taehyung suddenly said. nakasandal ako sa counter habang hinahalo parin ang mainit na kape. he went beside me and just stared at somewhere too. "i'm sure of that."

i beamed a smile when i realized that he was talking about jiwon. "yeah, i guess," bulong ko sa kawalan. "he's finally free and happy now.."

"he deserves that," he mumbled.

gulat akong napalingon sakanya. "to die?!"

"to be happy!" pagdepensa niya sa sinabi niya dahilan para matawa ako ng bahagya.

"coffee?" i offered him after i was done laughing. pareho kaming nakaharap sa pintuan ng kusina at nakatayo't nakasandal lang sa lababo.

"i don't drink coffee," he casually says.

"eh?" muli akong napatingin sakanya. "but why are you always in a café? doon ka laging nakatambay, diba?"

it lasted for about 5 seconds before he could even answer. mukhang nagdadalawang isip pa kung magsasalita o hindi.

"so i could see you."

"weh?" tinawanan ko siya. "ako nga laging nagchecheck ng mga café kung nandoon ka para mabulabog kita, diba? kasi lagi kang nandoon!"

"no, i meant before," he glanced at me for a while bago muling ibinalik ang tingin sa harapan namin.

i noticed his ears turning a bit red.

"before?"

"before you even liked me."

"what?! what do you mean?" i stopped sipping on my coffee just to react. muli siyang namula at pati na rin ang mga pisngi ay nadamay. "you know me?!"

"huy!" i elbowed him dahil hindi na siya nagsasalita.

"kilala mo na ko?! kailan pa?"

"yoongi's birthday," he mumbled in a low, shy voice. "when you were.. uh.. busy chatting with your friends. i saw you.."

"tapos?"

"tapos? anong tapos? of course i started liking you since then! sinong hindi magkakagusto sayo?!" he explained harshly na para bang labag sa kalooban niya ang magsalita.

"bakit galit ka?" natatawa kong sabi kahit ramdam ko na ang mga paru-paru sa tyan ko. he pursed his lips again, looking away from my side.

"sayang, your confession is too late. nauna na si jimin sabihin sakin yan," i said and laughed. gulat siyang napatingin sa akin at nag abang ng mga dapat sasabihin- like i owe him an explanation.

"he told me there were lots of my pictures in your camera. tapos your laptop's password is my name-"

"that fucking bastard-" aalis na dapat siya para sugurin si jimin pero hinatak ko siya pabalik. aba, alangan namang mambugbog siya sa harap ng lamay ni jiwon?!

"tae!" i stopped him and chuckled. binitawan ko ang kape sa gilid bago siya hinawakan sa dalawang braso para maharap.

he kept looking somewhere else para maiwasan ang mga tingin ko. kung hindi ko hinawakan ang parehong pisngi niya ay hindi siya makakatingin ng maayos sa akin.

"thank you," i sofly whispered, different from my laughing tone earlier. i saw how his eyes glistened as he stared at mine. my heart was bumping too loud i'm scared it could go out from my ribcage.

"for what? the pictures?" bago pa siya matapos magsungit, inunahan ko na siya.

"no.. for.. being with me," i bit my lower lip when i felt my tears urging it's way down. "kahit na ilang araw akong lumayo sa'yo. kahit na wala akong balak sabihin lahat.. kahit na nagmukhang binigyan kitang mixed signals-"

"i don't care what you'd do to me," he cut me off, grabbing me by my waist just so i could be closer to him.

"break me, take me, push me away.. i don't care anymore, jisoo. i love you and you can't do anything to stop that."