When Autumn Blossoms

Chapter 9

Chapter 9
The Mysterious Love

Love worked in mysterious ways. Hindi alam ni Saive kung ano ang sasabihin o gagawin nang tumambad si Khalil sa labas ng kanyang silid. Ang huli nilang tagpo ay hindi inaasahan. Muntikan na silang maghalikan noon kung hindi lang sumingit sina Alec at Kira.

"Uhm ... can I come in?"

Napatikhim lang si Saive bago bahagyang binuksan ang pinto. Umakto siyang normal, pero ang totoo ay halos mabaliw na siya sa likot ng kanyang utak. Halos mabingi na siya sa kabog ng kanyang dibdib.

Wasn't it too fast? Nevermind. Anyway, love worked in mysterious ways, and when it started working, there's no escape. Only way in.

"So ... ano ang pinag-aabalahan mo? Hindi ka lumabas kahapon. Kahit sa pagkain ay nagpa-room service ka lang."

Saive wondered how he knew those things. Did he wait for her to come out yesterday?

Of course, he did. Khalil wanted to clear what he truly felt for her. Siya iyong tipo ng tao na hindi mapakali kung hindi maayos na nailalatag ang nararamdaman niya.

"I'm just ... reading." A big lie. Because the truth was, Saive stared at the ceiling almost the whole time, repeatedly reminiscing the last scene he had with Khalil.

He said, she's beautiful. And as simply as it may seem, that moment was mysteriously powerful. One sunny day, one moment, and her feelings were stirred.

"That's nice." Kung gaano ka-tense si Saive, ang siyang ka-cool lang ni Khalil. Normal lang ang kilos nito, walang malisya, walang awkwardness.

"Why are you here?" mabilis na tanong ni Saive. "I mean ... I don't mind you being here ... but ... uhm-"

"I get it." He smiled and heaved a sigh. "It's about the kiss, right? Kung bakit lutang ka ngayon?"

Napanganga si Saive. He didn't expect him to be that straightforward. Gayunpaman, napatango na lang siya nang bahagya dahil iyon ang totoo.

"I'm sorry if nagulo ko man ang nararamdaman mo. I was reckless, and impulsive, I know," he seriously stated. "But, regrets? None. Hindi ko iyon pinagsisisihan."

Napakibit-balikat na lang si Saive. She wanted to play it cool. "Sabi mo, eh." Bumalik na siya sa kanyang desk at nag-resume na sa pagbabasa. Love at First Sight. That's the title of the book.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" she asked out of the blue.

Umupo si Khalil sa desk. "I don't," he said, "but I believe in love at first read, first word, first dialogue, first argument. I always go for content and not just the cover."

Naalala ni Saive ang muntikan na nilang halikan. "How about me ... what did you feel for me?" That was the hardest question she asked in her entire life. She gathered all her bravery just to ask that question to him. Bigla siyang nanlamig. Napatigil sa paghinga. Nag-abang sa sasabihin ni Khalil.

"You ... you're a magical story, Saive. Your first word, first statement, first conversation, lahat 'yon, nahulog agad ako."

Napalunok si Saive. Deritso ang tingin sa kanya ni Khalil, ganoon din siya rito. Sa gitna ng kanilang pag-uusap, mas nangungusap ang kanilang mga mata.

"And, I know that you still have great chapters beyond. You deserve to be loved by someone by your every word, every page. Also your drafts and scratches, perhaps they are even more lovable because they tell more stories. And I love them all."

Napasinghap si Saive nang biglang napalapit sa kanyang harapan si Khalil. Hinaplos nito ang kanyang pisngi na naghatid sa kanya ng nakakakiliting kuryente.

"And ... let me be that someone, Saive. Let me love all of what you are. Will you be ... my story?"

One moment. One motion. Their lips trespassed each other's. Perhaps, both of them were already wishing for that reality to happen, and their wish was granted.

Binaybay ni Kira ang lobby patungo sa art hall ng villa. Isang pamilyar na mukha ang nakasalubong niya bago pa man siya makapasok.

"Gretel?" taka niyang tanong sa unipormadong staff ng villa. She remembered her highschool classmate who went missing the day before their graduation. And until now, she's not yet found.

Napatigil ang staff at napatulala. "I-im sorry, ma'am. Hindi po ako si Gretel." Agad din itong umalis kaya napakibit-balikat na lang siya. Imposible nga namang si Gretel 'yon.

Pumasok na siya sa silid. Agad niyang nakita ang pigura ni Alec na nakatalikod. He was currently painting, or about to.

"Hey," untag ni Kira kaya napalingon ito sa kanya.

"Hey too." Napatawa sila.

"What are you trying to paint?" takang tanong niya nang makitang blanko pa ang canvas sa harap ni Alec.

He heaved a sigh. "After many agonizing days, ngayon pa lang ako mag pi-paint ulit. Nahihirapan ako dahil sanay kasi akong may background music, at nasira ang phone ko on the way here."

Love worked in mysterious ways. Napabuntong-hininga si Kira at hinanda ang kanyang diaphragm. She inhaled, exhaled, and relaxed.

She started singing her own composed song.

"A leaf that fall
during spring.
A flower that blooms
during autumn.
How magical things are?
Just like when I'm with you.
Running into the wilderness
so fast that time paused.
So slow that heartbeats raced.
When love finds its way,
it's the most mysterious scene.
Love is mysterious, oh mysterious."

One encounter. One room. One motivation. She, once again, heared her voice, and it's even better than before. She regained her power to sing.

Nakatulala lang si Alec kahit tapos nang kumanta si Kira. Pinuno ng mala-anghel na boses nito ang kanyang pandinig, paulit-ulit na nag-play.

One voice. One second. He finally held the paintbrush, like the times he had all the confidence and drive.

"Keep singing," he whispered and faced the canvas. Saive sang, freeing all her life and love.

Napatingin si Alec sa labas na kitang-kita sa glass wall. Napakunot ang kanyang noo nang makita niyang sumulpot sina Khalil at Saive, naghahabulan.

He smirked. Love was in the air. He, too, could feel it, could hear it.

Napatigil ang dalawang naghahabulan sa pinakamalaking puno na naroroon sa villa. Isinandal ni Khalil si Saive sa puno at sa ganoong posisyon sila nag-usap.

Alec's hand did the magical job. He traced every detail of the scene in front of him. From the huge tree trunk to its branches. From the leaves falling, to the ones on the ground already. From the main villa behind, to the sealake in front. From Khalil's whispers, to Saive's laughters.

With Kira singing by his side, he knew, that their first love's had already blossomed in a mysterious way.