KABILANG BUHAY | markhyuck

eight

It’s almost a week and Donghyuck hasn’t wake up yet. Sa loob ng mga araw na lumipas, halinhinan ang magkakaibigan ng paghila kay Mark para umuwi at maligo o magpahinga. There are times that his own brother, Jaehyun, would team up with Johnny to drag him out the hospital. The worry they have for Donghyuck doubles up because of their fear that Mark would do something stupid. Sa katunayan, pati si Mark ay binabantayan na rin nila na parang pasyente. Good thing his brother’s boyfriend is a nurse. Sometimes, Taeyong volunteers to take care of Mark when the younger faints from over fatigue.

Donghyuck isn’t getting any better. The doctors had been honest with his family already. They told them Donghyuck is a helpless case. Maybe the boy is just so strong and brave that’s why he had survive his cancer longer than they all thought. But now, they said they’re certain it will only take a miracle for him to be with his family for a longer time. That news, no one told Mark.

Donghyuck’s mom pushed Mark to go to the entertainment agency he went to the other week. She told him he should go and sign the contract already. She told him Donghyuck would be happy to see that Mark’s already one of the artists there when he woke up. Kaya nag-aalinlangan man, nagpunta pa rin si Mark para pumirma ng kontrata.

He should be happy. This is his dream coming true. This is Hyuck’s dream for him coming true. All their hardwork, the sleepless nights they spent to improve, it’s all paying off. Mark thought of how happy Donghyuck would be. Siguradong kung ayos lang ang kalagayan nito ay kasama niya ito sa pagpirma ng kontrata. He’ll surely act like he’s Mark’s manager. He’ll surely ask Mark to celebrate on an ice cream parlor or on that bench near the cliff where they always go for dates. Or maybe, Donghyuck would not come with him. He’ll wait for him on their house. He’ll decorate every corner of the living room and play loud musics on their speaker. He’ll welcome Mark with a stretched singing of congratulations, flexing his stable vocals. Mark can think of all the things Donghyuck would do if only this happened on a regular day of their life.

But thinking about how Donghyuck would still be lying on the hospital bed, Mark feels like this isn’t the dream he was wishing for. Hindi ito ang gusto niya. Ang gusto niya ay makasama ang boyfriend niya nang matagal, ang makasama siya sa araw-araw hanggang pagtanda. Is it really too much to ask for? Mas malaki ba ‘yon kumpara sa kasikatan? Hindi ba pwedeng bawiin na lang ‘to at palitan ng mas mahabang buhay pa para kay Hyuckie? Siguro, oo. Siguro ito na talaga ‘yung regalong para sa kanya. Hindi si Hyuckie. Pero hangga’t nandito pa siya, hangga’t kaya pa siyang hawakan ni Mark, he won’t let go.

Even though it’s hard, Mark still went directly on the hospital to tell the sleeping Donghyuck that he have signed the contract already. That in a week, he’ll be introduced to the media as the next rising artist. He’ll tell him that the agency allowed him to release self-written songs. Kahit na alam niyang hindi niya naman ito madadatnan nang gising, kahit alam niya na hindi naman nito maririnig ang sasabihin niya.
Entering the hospital feels extra heavy. There’s something he can’t point out what. Pakiramdam niya hindi siya dapat tumuloy sa paglalakad dahil hindi niya kakayanin ang kung ano mang sasalubong sa kanya once he reach Donghyuck’s room.


But he was so excited. He was more than ready to tell Donghyuck everything. Kaya nang binuksan niya ang pintuan ng kwarto ni Donghyuck habang hawak ang bulaklak na binili along his way there, napakunot na lang ang noo niya nang makita ang boyfriend ni Johnny na nililigpit ang mga gamit ni Hyuck.

“Mark? Ano pang ginagawa mo dito?” tanong nito sa kanya nang may pagtataka.

Ibinalik naman ni Mark ang tanong, “Anong ginawa mo dito, Kuya? Ayos na ba si Hyuckie? Nakauwi na? Saan siya inuwi nina Mama, sa kanila ba muna? Wala kasing message si Kuya Johnny.”

Napatanga naman sa kanya si Ten at agad  na hinanap ang sariling telepono. Nagmamadali itong nagtipa bago itinapat sa tenga ang hawak na cellphone.

“Hun, nasan na kayo? Bakit nandito si Mark? Wala bang nagsabi sa kanya?”

Hindi alam ni Mark ang gagawin. ‘Ni hindi niya nga alam kung anong sinasabi ni Ten. Sobra na ang pag-aalalang nararamdaman niya dahil una sa lahat, hindi niya alam kung nasaan si Donghyuck.

“Kuya, ano bang nangyayari? Nasaan na si Hyuckie?”

Patuloy na nakikipagtalo si Ten kay Johnny sa kabilang linya at hindi na natutuwa si Mark. Gusto na niyang makita si Donghyuck. Gusto na niya itong yakapin at kausapin. Hindi niya na kayang maghintay pa sa kung ano mang piang-uusapan ng kapatid ng boyfriend niya at ng kasintahan nito.

“How can you be this selfish, Johnny? Paano pala kung ako ang ilayo sa’yo ng mga kapatid ko? Maiintidihan mo ba sila? Makakaya mo ba?”

Parang nawalan ng buhay ang katawan ni Mark. Parang nawalan siya ng dugo at lakas sa narinig niya. Sinong inilayo? Anong inilayo? Bakit nila inilayo? May ginawa ba siya? Meron ba siyang naging kasalanan? Siya ba ang dahilan kung bakit nangyayari ang lahat ng ‘to?

“No! You don’t have the right to tell what’s the best for them! Hindi ka man lang ba naawa? They’ve suffered so much already! Telling him is the least you could do—“

Mark didn’t even let Ten finish his sentence. Inagaw na niya ang cellphone nito at siya na mismo ang nakipag-usap kay Johnny.

“Hun, he would come too. He’ll surely come with Donghyuck. Alam ko kung gaano kamahal ni Mark ang kapatid ko. Bibitawan niya kahit ang pangarap niya just to be with my brother’s side.”

Mark heard Johnny’s heavy breathing, “This is the last favor Hyuckie asked me. He wants Mark to get there. He wants Mark to reach his dreams. Ito na lang ‘yung kaya kong gawin para sa kapatid ko. Kung magagalit si Mark, kung matapos man ang pagkakaibigan namin dahil dito, bahala na. Hindi lang siya ‘yung kayang magtapon ng mahalagang bagay para kay Hyuckie. Mahal na mahal ko din naman ‘yung kapatid ko.”

Napahilamos si Mark sa mukha niyang basang-basa na ng luha. Ang bulaklak na kaninang hawak ay naupuan na niya nang hinayaan niyang mahulog ang sarili sa hospital bed na dating gamit ni Donghyuck.

“Kuya naman,” he tried to voice out. Kahit halos ibulong na lang niya ito.

Dinig niya sa kabilang linya ang bahagyang pagkabigla ni Johnny pero mabilis din nitong nabawi ang gulat.

“Pasensya na talaga, Mark. Hindi ko kayang tanggihan si bunso eh.”