Seulgi

Isang linggo ng walang tawag o kahit message man lang si Irene. Alam ko hindi maganda ang usapan namin ng huli kaming nagkita. Kasalanan mo Seulgi, sisi ko sa sarili ko. Hindi ba ito naman ang gusto mo? Bakit ngayon nagaalala ka? Kasi isang linggo nang hindi niya sinasagot ang tawag ko o sagot man lang sa mga text ko. Pero nag aalala ako ngayon dahil hindi ko na siya matawagan. Kailangan kong makasiguro na maayos ang kanyang kalagayan, nag aalala talaga ako sa kanya. Wala din siyang tweets at instagram update.

- - -

Irene

Andito ako ngayon sa condo at kararating lang. Grabe kakapagod ang maghapong taping, malayo na pag uuwi pa ako ng Alabang. I didn't bother to charge my cellphone, abala rin ako sa maghapong taping kaya tinawagan ko na lang si Mommy gamit ang phone ni Shin. I don't know but the truth is I just don't want to see Seulgi's name appearing in my phone screen. Naiinis ako kahit namimiss ko siya. Siguro nga humahanga lang ako sa kanya, siguro nga rebound ko lang siya, siguro nga na curious lang ako sa kanya. Siguro nga ganito lang ako ngayon pero pag inalis ko siya sa isip ko, sa sistema ko, at hindi ko siya makakausap ay makakalimutan ko na rin siya. One week of ignoring her and how do you feel now Irene? Pangangamusta ko sa sarili ko. Fine, still breathing, doing my daily routine and working effectively, sagot ko sa sarili ko. Are you really alright? parang bulong ng boses sa akin. Here I am again talking to myself. Of course I am alright, I said firmly. It's easy to fool others but not ourselves. So Irene, are you really alright? Yes. Slight. Not really. No. All of the above. Yeah right Irene. All of the above. I took a deep breath and took a rest then after a few minutes I decided to take a shower when I heard my landline phone ringing. Just then I remember my cellphone, I lifted the wireless phone to take the call while walking to get my cellphone and charge it.

"Hello?"

"Sa wakas sumagot ka rin." Si Jennie "What happened to your phone?" tanong niya sa mataas na boses. Mukhang galit ba to?

"Hey, Best are you mad?" tanong ko.

"Where have you been all day? I've been trying to call you? Why's your phone off?"tanong muli niya. "You got us worried." sabi niya

"OA mo, B ha? sana tinawagan mo si Ms. Shin. Hindi ko na naopen ang cellphone ko at hindi ko pa naicharge at saka nakausap ko na si Mommy." paliwanag ko.

"Yes Ms. Shin told me nasa taping ka but the point is bakit hindi naka on ang cellphone mo."

"Wala lang." walang buhay kong sagot.

"Are you avoiding someone?"tanong na niya.

"No." sagot ko.

"Oh yes, Irene. You can't lie to me." balik niya.

"I need to sleep now." pag iwas ko.

"Ok, then go home." rinig kong utos niya.

"I'm already here at the condo, remember you even called this number?" rason ko.

"I mean your house." she corrected.

"I can't, I'm already in bed and besides I already called Mom that I'm not going home tonight." katwiran ko.

"I said get your of there and go home or you'll gonna regret if you don't leave right now!" sigaw na niya.

"Hey what's wrong with you, may nangyari ba sa bahay?" alala ko ng tanong. 

"Nothing, but the person you're avoiding is in your house and Mommy Clara's holding her but I don't know how much longer she can hold her. So if you want to see her then go home!" sigaw niya.

"You must be kidding me?!" sagot ko "How the hell she knows where I live." takang tanong ko.

"She called me when she can't reach you. She's so da.mn worried about you, B. Why not call your mom and ask if she's still there" Boses niyang naguutos.

"Baka umalis na yon, gabi na." sagot ko lang. Hindi ko alam kung gusto kung magsisi dahil naka off ang cellphone ko.

"Bahala ka. It's your lost." sabi niya at biglang nawala siya sa linya. Hindi ko na nakuhang sumagot sa kanya. What?! my lost!? Seriously? Sino ba siya? Nasagot ang tanong ko dahil ilang saglit pa, hindi na ako mapakali. Nag dial ako sa bahay pero busy, sino namang kausap ni Mommy, tanong ko sa sarili ko. I got my cellphone and switched it on and there messages arrived from Mom, Jennie, and Seulgi. All asking where I am and why my phone can't be reached. I dialed Mom's number and after two rings.

"Hello sweetie what happened to you? Why didn't you charge your phone para matawagan kita. I'm calling your landline but it's busy now pero kanina ring lang ng ring." Bungad ni Mommy.

"Sorry, Mom. Ngayon ko lang po naicharged and cellphone ko." paliwanag ko.

"Kanina pa nandito si Seulgi, hindi ko pinaalis kasi sabi ni Jennie huwag ko daw paalisin. She called Jennie because she can't reached you. She really looked worried sweetie." sagot na ni Mommy sa itatanong ko pa lang sana sa kanya.

"What? What's she doing there? I mean..." tanong ko.

"Better get here now if you want to talk to her before she wakes up. Nakatulog na siya, mukhang pagod sa biyahe eh. She arrived before dinner at dito ko na pinakain while waiting for you. I let her watch TV after namin mag kwentuhan but when I got back to her she's already sleeping. Baka when she wakes up magpaalam ng umuwi." Rinig kong sabi ni Mommy kaya pala parang pabulong magsalita baka malapit lang siya sa pwesto ni Seulgi.

"Please don't let her leave, I'm on my way, Mom." I told and immediately took my car key and stormed out of my unit.

"Don't drive fast Irene, don't worry I won't let her leave." paalala ni Mom.

"Yes, Mom. Thank you. Bye."

- - -

Wala pang isang oras ay narating ko na ang Alabang, buti at hindi na rin traffic. I should have drove faster but Mom would probably freaked out pag mabilis akong nakarating sa bahay. As I entered our gate I saw a black sports car parked infront of our house, I assumed that was Seulgi's. Isn't she sick why she has to drive all the way from their place. Pagagalitan ko tong babaeng to eh. Mom was surprised and all smile when she saw me got out from the car. She walked to meet me.

"You really came rushing here without changing your clothes, sweetie." sabi niya as we hugged and kissed. Just then napansin ko I was just wearing my babydoll nightgown, I just shrugged it off at napangiti lang si Mommy na umiiling. "At least you did not over speed, didn't you?" she asked.

"Of course Mom, I know you already calculated my speed and time of arrival." patol ko naman. "Where is she?"

"Why looked so worried, she has that same face when she arrived earlier. When I told her why we can't reached you saka ko lang nakita umaliwalas ang mukha niya." ngiting komento ni Mommy. 

"Because she's not supposed to come and drive here all by herself." I answered while we're both walking inside our house. Mom just gave me a questioning look and smiled.

"She's nice. I like her but you never told me about her. She said you met last month, and she knew Jennie?" Mom said.

"Mom, I'll tell you more about her later. I didn't tell you because..." I paused and look at Mom who's now smiling at me and nod.

"I'll wait until you're ready to tell me everything, Irene. I love you sweetheart." sabay halik sa noo ko. "There she is still sleeping like a baby, I want to wake her up to at least lie comfortably in bed but I'm afraid I can't stop her to leave pag nagising siya." sabi ni Mom as I saw Seul sleeping in the couch, mukha ngang pagod dahil kahit mahirap ang pwesto niya na nakataligid na at halos mabali ang leeg ay ang himbing pa rin ng tulog. I approached her pigil ang sarili sa tuwa dahil baka mapansin ni Mommy kaya dahan dahan lang akong lumapit. I sat beside her and lowered a little so I could let her head rest on my shoulder. Antok talaga dahil nakasandal na siya sa akin ay hindi pa rin nagising. After a week of silence, here she is and the feeling remains the same, mas lumala pa nga ata. Seul, why you? Why I felt this for you? Bulong ko sa isip ko habang nakadikit ang pisngi ko sa ulo niya. Feeling her, inhaling her. I missed you Seul, kung alam mo lang.

"Irene." rinig kong bulong niya pero hindi gumagalaw.

"Hmm." sagot ko sa tawag niya pero wala ng kasunod na salita. Nananginip lang yata. Just then I heard a phone ringing, it's not my ringtone nor mom's. Biglang nagising si Seulgi at nagulat siya ng makita ako at biglang napaayos ng upo.

"I-Irene." mahina niyang tawag. Matagal siyang napatingin sa akin at bumaba ang tingin niya sa katawan ko at bigla akong na conscious. "Anong ginagawa mo dito?" natanong niya na nagpagising sa akin at natawa ako sa loob loob ko.

"Why, this is my house." sagot ko at saka siya lumingon sa paligid at nagulat sa nakita at ng magtama ang mata nila ni Mommy ay bigla itong napatayo.

"Sorry, Ma'am. I- I mean Tita Clara uwi na po ako." paalam niya. nanaginip pa ata ito at napatayo na rin ako.

"Are you not going to take that call?" tanong ko saka wala sa sarili niyang kinuha ang cellphone sa bulsa at sinagot.

"Hello Nay?... P-pauwi na po ako... Hindi na po... Maaga pa naman po..." sagot niya sa tawag,  inilahad ko ang kamay ko asking her to give her phone to me. "N-nay saglit po, kausapin daw kayo ni Irene." and she passed the phone to me.

"Hello po Tita, good evening po." bati ko sa ina ni Seulgi.

"Hello Irene, Hija, alam mo bang batang yan itinakbo ang sasakyan ng walang paalam kaya galit ang Tatay niya tapos gabi na gusto pang umuwi. Sabi ko tumuloy na lang sa mga kuya niya o sa bahay namin. Pagsabihan mo nga, anak." sabi ni Tita Cristy in a worried voice.

"Ako na pong bahala kay Seul, Tita don't worry po, hindi ko po siya pauuwiin ngayon. Bukas na po." I said

"Salamat anak ha. Maaari ko ba siyang makausap muli?"

"Opo, Tita. Saglit po."then I handed back to Seul her phone.

"Nay... Opo... Sige po... Ayos lang po ako... Sige po. Ingat po kayo... Mahal ko din po kayo.. Bye." she said and ended the call. I took her hand and she looked surprised but couldn't do anything then we approached Mom.

"Good night Mom, thank you. Sleep now. I'll take care of Seul." sabi ko.

"Ok, sweetie, the guest room is already prepared." sagot ni Mommy.

"Thanks Mom. But she'll sleep in my room." maiksi kong sagot.

"What?/Ano?" gulat na sabay tanong nilang dalawa at natawa ako sa loob ko.

"I'll make sure na hindi siya tatakas, Mom." sabi ko na lang.

"H-hindi na ako aalis, Irene." bulong niya.

"Mas mabuti ng makasigurado." sabi ko lang.

"Ok, ok. Sweetie ikaw ang bahala. I'll go ahead. Goodnight." sabay halik niya sa akin at lumapit kay Seul "Goodnight Hija and nice meeting you." at halik kay Seul.

"Goodnight po Tita. Nice meeting you din po." mahina niyang sagot at umakyat na si Mom.

"Don't do that again." seryoso kong sabi kay Seulgi ng nakaakyat na si Mommy.

"Ang alin?" maang niyang tanong.

"Driving alone." sabi ko.

"Kaya ko naman at ok na ako." rason na niya. Napailing na lang ako.

"Let's go." marahan kong hila kay Seulgi paakyat ng hagdan.

"Irene." tawag niya.

"What?"

"Hindi talaga ako aalis."

"I know."

"Maari na akong matulog sa ibang kuwarto."

"You came here for me, didn't you?" tanong kong taas kilay.

"Oo."

"Why?"

"Kasi nagaalala ako sa'yo."

"Why?"

"K-kasi mahalaga ka sa akin. Siyempre." sagot niya at napangiti ako pero hindi ko pinahalata.

"And?" tanong ko.

"Hindi ko alam."

"The more you have to sleep next to me."

"Bakit?"

"So you would know."

"Ang alin?"

"Ang malaman mo ang hindi mo alam."

"Irene."

"I didn't talk to you for a week. You want me not to talk to you for a month?" banta ko na.

"Huwag naman, Irene." may pa cute niyang sumamo.

"So?"

"T-tayo na." mahina niyang pagsuko. "Saglit pala" pigil niya.

"What now?" inis ko ng tanong.

"Kunin ko lang damit ko." mahina niyang sabi.

"No need. I can lend you mine." hila ko na sa kanya paakyat sa kwarto ko.