Church. Wedding. My Binondo Girl. Last day. Taping.

 

“Kim, pagod ka na ba?” Xian asked Kim after direk declared a pack up and change location for their reception scene.

 

Kim stretched out her hands. “Medyo, pero mas gutom ako kesa pagod. Di pa kasi ako pwedeng kumain dahil baka hindi magkasya ‘tong gown ko. Ganda pa naman, mala-Princess Kate wedding gown ang peg.” Kim chuckled at her own comment.

 

“And not to mention, the gown is not the only beautiful here, you are too! Did I ever mention to you that you fit perfectly in that gown? You are very stunning.” He smiled.

 

Kim punched Xian, “Isa pa! Kukurutin na din kita.” She threathened him. “Kanina mo pa sinasabi yan eh. Nakakahiya.” She blushed.

 

Xian grinned. “Kahit paulit-ulit mo pa akong sapakin, kurutin, batukan, sabunutan at kung ano ano pa. Tatanggapin ko lahat, pero hindi ko babawiin yung sinabi ko. You are really beautiful, Kim.” He wink.

 

Kim’s initial reaction is to blush but when she recovered… “Sapakin?” She punched his arm, “Kurutin?” She pinched his torso. “Batukan?” She slapped his head. “Sabunutan?” She pulled his hair. “at kung ano ano pa?” She is about to kick Xian, luckily his reflex is fast.

 

“Masakit yan, Kimmy. “ He said while stepping back. “Tama na ang pagiging ma-pisikal mo. I was just asking you awhile ago if you are tired. Well, I guess you are not. Nabubugbog mo pa ako eh.” He complained while rubbing his torso, the pinched is what hurts the most.

 

“Ay sorry naman! Masakit ba yung kurot ko?” She felt a twinge of guilt. “Ikaw kasi e. Inaasar mo ako.” She pouted her lips.

 

He loves it when she pouts, so he decided to make her feel more guilty. “Ako na nga ang nasaktan, ako pa may kasalanan? Grabe ka naman, Kimmy.” He touched his head. “Sumakit yung ulo ko. Feeling ko binunot mo utak ko. Pero masakit pa din talaga yung kurot mo.” He lifted up his polo and shirt to see if there’s a mark. And there is, and it has a blood. “Kimmy, look! May blood.”

 

The moment Xian lifted his upper garments Kim felt as if she’s sick. She could feel her face turn into red. “Pwede ba? Ibaba mo nga yang damit mo. We’re in a church!” She managed to say. She’s very thankful that she found her voice.

 

“Oooppps! I forgot. Sorry!” He then fixed himself. “Palagi akong nawawala sa sarili kapag kasama kita.”

 

Kim was about to hit him when Xian grabbed her hands. “Teka lang, chill naman Kimmy. Masakit pa yung kurot mo.”

 

Kim laughed.

 

“Ay Sige lang, tama yan. Sige lang at pagtawanan ako.” Xian pretended to be hurt. He walked away with his head looking down the floor.

 

She stopped laughing. “Xian!” He didn’t look back nor stop. “Andy!” Again no reaction from him and he walked even faster. “Mr. WU!” He seemed unaffected. “ALEXANDER XIAN LIM! Pag hindi ka tumigil sa paglalakad babatuhin kita nang heels ko!”  Xian finally stopped and Kim walked towards him. “Sorry na. Bati na tayo?” She said when she’s a feet away from him. “Hey!” she tapped his shoulders.

 

Xian turned around with a smug face. “Sure, Mrs. Wu! Peace na tayo.”

 

“Anong itsura yan? Muka kang adik.” She chuckled.

 

“Adik na kung adik. Pero para tuluyang peace na tayo. Come with me! I’ll show you something.” Xian lend out his hands.  Kim gave him a questioning look. “Will you please, Mrs. Wu come and join Mr. Wu?”

“Saan?” She asked.

 

“Somewhere.” He smiled. “Please?”

 

“Saan nga muna?”

 

“Sabi mo gutom ka. Eh di kakain tayo.” He once again held his hands out. “So now Mrs. Wu, will you come with me?” Kim finally gave in and take his offering hands. “Don’t worry, nagpaalam na ako kay Direk. We won’t take long naman eh.” He whispered to her.

 

*****

“Saan ba tayo pupunta?” Kim asked. “Hindi pa ako nakapagbihis. Ang laki laki nang gown ko.”

 

“Parehas naman tayong hindi pa nagbibihis eh. So fair lang.” He looked at her then to the road again.

 

“Pero saan nga tayo pupunta? Kanina ko pa tinatanong, kanina mo pa din iniiba usapan.”

 

“Eh kasi po, Mrs. Wu. Surprise nga! Kaya hindi pwedeng sabihin.” He explained.

 

“Surprise . Surprise. Ikaw napaka cheesy mong tao talaga.” She playfully hit Xian’s arm.

 

“Uyyy! Hindi na masakit pagpalo niya. Palo nang paglalambing na ba yun?” He teased Kimmy.

 

“Isa pang hirit na ganyan at makakatikim ka sa akin.” She threatened him.

 

“Hindi na po, Mrs. Wu.” He replied and stopped the car. “We’re here.”

 

Kim looked out of the car, but she can’t see anything. The only light she can see is from the moon. “Eh ba’t ang dilim. Open mo yung headlights! Nakakatakot.” She is really quite scared.

 

“Sinadya kong patayin agad ang headlights. It’s a part of the surprise.” He winked at Kim.  “Don’t be afraid. I’m here.” He opened his car door.

 

“Wait! Wag mo akong iwan!” She stopped him from going out.

 

“Hindi kita iiwan. I was just about to go down to open the car door for you. Relax okay?” He assured her that everything is alright.

 

When Xian is at her side now, she held his arms. “Nangaasar ka ba at talagang sa madilim na lugar mo ako dinala? Alam mo namang matatakutin ako eh.”

 

“Sinadya ko to… Look nakakapit ka sa akin.” He . And he wasn’t expecting what she will do next, she stomped her feet on him. “OOOOUUUUCCCCH!!!!!!!” He shouted and the surrounding lit up. Everything is covered with different color of lights. Yellow. Red. Blue. Green. Violet. Pink. 

 

Kim stared blankly. Actually, she’s mesmerized by the different light colors playing around the garden seen by her eyes. “Wow!” was the only word she managed to say.

 

Xian enduring the pain of his feet said “Hey, You spoil my surprise. “ He kick his feet on the ground to stop the pain and it helped lessen the pain. “ the ‘OUCH’ should not be the magic word.  The magic word to be shouted to lit the lights up is ‘Thank Chiu, Kim Chiu!’. I'll be my way of saying thank you to you sana....Masyado kang mapisikal, Kimmy. Hindi magtatagal magsasampa na ako nang kaso against you, andami ko nang physical injuries at----“ He stopped when he noticed that Kim is staring into space. “Kimmy?” She seem to be lost in her own world. “Kim!..HOY!” He snapped his finger on her face.

 

“Ay kabayo!” She was finally brought back.

 

 Xian laughed. “Anong kabayo? Walang kabayo dyan. Dinner meron, halika na nga lakad tayo dun sa set-up na table at nagugutom na din ako.” He held Kim’s hands and lead the way.

 

Kim thought that the surprise is over, but NO. As they walk, every step they make , a light lits up as if following their footsteps. Her heart melted with his efforts. He really is a “lumang tao” , a hopeless romantic. Her heartbeats more than ever and felt something she doesn’t feel before. Not to anyone. But only to him.

 

“May I request something from you?” Xian asked, all Kim could do was to nod. “Please, say the magic word.”

 

“The ‘Thank Chiu, Kim Chiu?’” Kim asked.

 

“Nope, Iba naman ang magic word ngayon…” Xian grinned from ear to ear. He bend down to Kim’s ear and whispered the magic word. Kim literally laugh out loud after hearing the magic word.

 

“Alam…. Mo…. Ang…ka…paal…ka..pal…nang…mu..ka..moooo!” she said in between her laugh. “Kapal talaga!”

 

Xian laughed with her but still manage to contain himself. “Sige na, say it. Out loud. Or else hindi mo makikita ang surprise.”

 

Kim tried hard not to laugh but she can’t help it. “Di ko talaga kaya… HAHAHA!” Her laugh is very contagious so Xian found himself also laughing with her. Kim sat down holding her tummy, she really laughed that hard that she felt tummy ache.  “Ayoko na…ayoko na talaga.” Then she laughed again.

 

Xian as well laughed so hard that tears are falling down his eyes. Tears of joy and happiness, a happiness only felt with Kim. “Ayoko na kimmy. Nakakahawa tawa mo. Please? Just say the magic word. Gutom na ako.”

 

Kim stood up and put on her poker face, she used her acting skills. She inhaled and put her both hands beside and shouted. “ANG GWAPO MO XIAN LIM!”  She laughed out loud and tears also falling down her eyes due to over laughing.

 

When Kim recovered from her laugh she was shocked by what she saw.  A table for two surrounded by twinkling colorful lights, more lights than the once earlier, there's also a very cute chairs. The chair is a bear chair, when you sit down on the chair it would look like you are sitting on the big bear’s lap. There is also a dancing fountain behind the table set. Lights are playfully dancing through the darkness of the night.

 

“Xian….” She looked up at Xian. “Bakit ang galling mong magpakilig?” It was supposed to be a self-comment, but she said it out loud.

 

“Kinikilig ka ba?” Xian asked her with his teasing voice.

 

“H-M-P! Halika na nga upo na tayo. I wanna feel the bear chair. Ang cute cute! Magpapagawa ako niyan for my house.” She pulled Xian with her.

 

Xian helped Kim to sit down and he sat on the other side. “No need na magpagawa. You can have these. Pinacustomized ko talaga to for you. I am thinking kasi na special ang bears sa atin eh.” He proudly told Kim while staring right in her eyes smiling ear to ear.

 

All Kim could do is to blush and smile back. She has fallen deep, not into Xian’s deep stare… But deep,  deep down her heart she knew. She has fallen inlove with him. With his leading man. With Andy. With Mr. Wu. With Alexander Xian Lim. She chuckled.

 

“Oh? Ba’t natawa kabigla?” He curiously asked.

 

“Wala, naalala ko lang yung magic word mo.”

 

“Yung ‘ANG GWAPO NI XIAN LIM!’ “ He imitates how Kim did the shouting, even the voice.

 

Kim laughed. “Hindi kaya ako ganyan!”  She maked face.

 

“Ganun ka kaya, kanina….By the way let's start our dinner. I know kanina ka pa gutom, what do you want to eat? I have hear your favorite siomai, may –“ He stopped when he sensed that Kim wasn’t listening to him anymore.  “Kim? Ang lalim nang iniisip mo ah? Mind if you share a cent with me?”

 

“Wala… Naisip ko lang, kung ikaw may magic word. Ako meron din.” She smiled then bit her lip to stop them from smiling bigtime.

 

“Kimmy, ba’t bigla akong kinabahan sayo?” He was surprised at how Kim is acting. Something must have happened he thought.

 

“Hindi mo ba tatanungin kung ano yung magic word na yun?”  Kim moved closer to the table and wiggled her eyebrows.

 

“Uhm… Ano? Kimmy, What is the magic word?”  His heart is really pounding hard.

 

Kim even move closer. “ Lika, lapit ka… I’ll whisper it to you.” Xian moved closer to the table they are now somewhat inched apart, feeling the breath of each other. Kim gently cupped Xian’s ear to whisper the magic word and after she did she sat back comfortably to her seat with a twinkling eyes.

 

Xian frozen in his place, a tear fell down from his eyes. And another. Another… and another. He was crying. Yes, he was. Then he chuckled and lean on the bear chair.

 

“So… Mr. Xian Lim. Say the magic word out loud!” Kim .

 

Xian stood up and went to Kim’s side and held her up. They are now standing face to face. Xian leaned his head onto her. “ I love you….” He smiled and his tears fell down like a faucet.

 

“Huh? Hindi ko marinig?”

 

Xian inhaled heavily and shouted “ I LOVE YOU! ….I LOVE YOU! ….I LOVE YOU!” He hugged Kim then lift her up in the air and swirl her around. “I LOooooVE YOU KIiiiM!” He inhales her scent. “Ang bango naman nang asawa ko.”

 

“Hey! Ibaba mo nga ako… Ikaw!” She slap Xian’s head. “Girlfriend pa lang.. Anong asawa ka dyan?.And that reminds me of a reception scene we still have to take. Kaya ibaba mo na ako nang makakain na tayo at hinihintay na tayo sa set.”

 

He put her down. “Girlfriend…Sounds great.” He kissed her forehead. “So…Girlfriend kita, boyfriend mo ako? At ngayon ang anniversary natin?” He teased Kim by imitating his line from their teleserye.

 

Kim giggled. “Ikaw, tama na nga yang kacheesyhan mo. Oo na, lumang tao ka na.... At alam ko naman ang gusto mo eh. Parehas na parehas kayo ni Andy, gusto lang maka-iscore kaya nag---“

 

Xian sealed Kim’s lips, and they shared the most passionate kiss they both could ever imagine. “I’m not like Andy. Mahina si Andy, hindi naka-score kay Jade.”

 

“Ah ganun?” Kim pinched Xian’s tummy, with a combination of left and right punch plus pahabol na batok.