28th

Chapter 22

#28thLast4Chapters

Chapter 22 - Rainbow

"Inom ka muna ng tubig,  Yuri." Archer handed me a bottle of water. Tumango ako at tinanggap 'yun. Until now, I'm still in the state of schock. Well, everybody is. Unti-unting nagsi-sink in sa utak ko ang mga pangyayari. How could this devastating thing happened to us? Everything that my my family put up has gone into ashes. Bit by bit.

The living proof, the memories of my childhood are etched there. Now gone.

Gusto kong maiyak pero walang luhang lumalabas. It's more hurtful this way.

Sinusubukan kong buksan ang takip ng bote pero hindi ko magawa. I drained almost all of my energy.

Inagaw ni Archer sa kamay ko ang bote at binuksan ito para sa akin. He held my hand and put the bottle in it.  We looked into each other and he gave me a faint smile.

"Archer, thank you. And sorry nga pala kung ikaw ang natawagan ko. I was hopeless, you see. I just dialled the number of the first person on my contacts list." nahihiyang sabi ko.

He scratched my hair. "That's fine. Alam ko naman na hindi dahil ako ang number 1 sa'yo kundi nagsisimula sa letter 'A' ang pangalan ko. So technically, in alphabetical order, ako ang mauuna."

I forced a smile. "Ang dami mong sinabi. Pero seryoso, thank you talaga. Sobra."

He shook his head. "Don't mention it. Para saan pa at naging magkaibigan tayo kung hindi tayo nagtutulungan."

We're in an apartelle that Archer rented for us. My parents are consoling each other in the other side while my brother is talking to someone on his phone - possibly a friend.

"Nasabihan mo na ba ang boss mo tungkol dito?"

I bowed my head and shook it lightly. "I don't want to bother him. He's too busy and has too much on his plate. Malalim ang gabi at ayokong guluhin ang pahinga niya. I will just talk to him tomorrow...or should I say later?"

"Pero wag mo masyadong tagalan. Sabihin mo agad ah."

He's like a doting father. "Yes sir." nanliit ang mga mata ko nang mapansin ko na parang may alam na si Archer tungkol sa amin ni Trein e hindi ko pa naman sinasabi sa kanya na kami na. "Do you already know something?"

He scratched his nape. "Sinabi na sa akin kanina ni Yoojin. Nagulat siya na ako ang nandito imbes na ang boyfriend mo."

We both looked at my brother being busy at his phone.

"Archer, maraming salamat sa pagpunta at pagtulong mo sa amin. We can't make it through the night if not because of you." lumapit sa amin si Mother at hinawakan ang balikat ni Archer.

"Don't mention it, Tita. You can stay here while you guys are fixing everything out. May matitirhan na ba kayo?"

"Baka makikitira muna kami sa kapatid ko." sabi ni Daddy.

"Pwede naman kayo sa apartment ko muna tumira. Medyo masikip para sa ating apat but we can get by." I told them.

"Dad, mas magandang sa apartment muna ni Yuri tayo tumira ngayon. Mas matipid." sabi naman ni Kuya.

I really volunteered to adopt my family into my home. Mas makakabuti 'yun para maiba naman ang atmosphere nila. It'll help them to move on from the tragedy bit by bit. And also for my mother not to think too much of her debts.

After an hour or so, umalis na si Archer dahil may aasikasuhin pa raw siya sa business ng kapatid niya. The four of us left alone and no one even dared to speak. Mahirap para sa amin ang ganito.