Nandito lang ako sa sala nang may narinig akong kumatok sa pinto. Pinakinggan ko munang mabuti para masigurado ko kung sino ang kumakatok.

 

5 knocks. 5 knocks and then the person stopped. That alone helped me figure out who the person in front of my door was.

 

It's Karina, I'm sure that it was Karina. That's a rule whenever one of us is going home late.

 

"5 knocks. Kapag sumobra o kumulang sa lima yung katok, hindi papasukin sa bahay." 

 

"Okay, 5 knocks."

 

"Huwag mong kakalimutan yan ha."

 

"Yes Akin, I won't."

 

I'm glad that she still remembered. 

 

I got up from where I was seated and gladly opened the door. There, a familiar figure stood in front of me that I hurriedly pulled into a tight hug.

 

Tama ako, si Karina nga.

 

We're like this for about 10 minutes, long enough to make us feel suffocated but still, none of us initiated to get out of it.

 

The hug ended when Karina got out of the hug and looked in my direction, holding my right cheek as she spoke.

 

"I missed you so much. I missed being with you like this. I missed being in the comfort of our own home. I don't want to go back there, dito ko lang gusto, kasama mo. Dito lang." Karina said as she pulled me again into a hug and gave me a peck on my lips. Still whispering how she misses me.

 

"I missed you too. Welcome back home." I said inside our hug. She then kissed both of my cheeks and then dragged me to go inside with her.

 

Ngayon ko lang narealize na sobrang namiss ko itong babaeng katabi ko sa bed ngayon. 

 

-

 

We're already lying on the bed, me hugging her from behind as she sleeps. It took us a long time to be like this again. Sleeping in the same bed, our bodies close to each other, not wanting to get out from each other's hold.

 

I missed her. I missed her warmth. I missed her presence. I missed her so much. 

 

And I'm glad that we can go back to our usual routine again. We can go back to living our lives inside this home that we built together. 

 

Makakasama ko na ulit siya sa pagtulog, sa paggising, sa pagkain sa umaga, sa paggawa ng mga gawaing bahay at sa marami pang bagay. We can do uninteresting stuff and I would still be excited because she's the one I am with while doing them.

 

I can now sleep well, assured that the love of my life is in a good condition because I can now monitor how she's doing unlike when she is in the hospital. 

 

Hindi na ako mag ooverthink sa mga mangyayari sa kinabukasan kasi I already know that she's okay. 

 

Magaling na siya. She's already discharged from the hospital where she has been staying before. 

 

Okay na siya. 

 

Hindi ko na kailangang matakot na mawawala siya sakin kasi okay na siya.

 

Hindi na siya mawawala.

 

Magaling na siya.

 

There's no reason to worry anymore.

 

But why is my heart still scared? 

 

Bakit may part pa rin sa isip ko na nagiisip ng mga masasamang pwedeng mangyari?

 

Bakit hindi pa rin ako kampante na nandito na siya ulit sa tabi ko?

 

Why am I being afraid that she's just lying to me?

 

Hindi naman diba?

 

She's now here with me so obviously she's not lying. 

 

Magaling na talaga siya.

 

Am I just overreacting or is my feeling understandable?

 

Tama bang matakot sa posibilidad na mawala siya sa piling ko kahit na literal na katabi ko lang siyang natutulog ngayon?

 

Pero masaya ako, sobrang saya ko na nakauwi na siya. 

 

But meron paring takot. 

 

Hindi ko alam. I'm also confused as to why I am thinking this way.

 

Siguro I will just shake that thought off.

 

She's here, okay na siya. Wala ng reason para mangamba ako.

 

Okay na siya.

 

Magaling na siya.

 

Nakauwi na ulit siya sakin and hinding hindi ko na papayagang umalis ulit siya sa piling ko.

 

I was just watching her sleep when she suddenly woke up and faced me. I looked at her worried but she just smiled at me.

 

"Akin, okay ka lang? Is there something you need? May masakit ba sa'yo?" I asked, checking if there's something wrong with her. Tumawa lang naman siya and kissed me on my cheeks.

 

"You're so cute, Akin. Don't worry, okay lang po ako. I just woke up to see you." She said and kissed my forehead. 

 

"I love you." She said and that made my heart melt. I kissed her on her lips and that made her smile.

 

"I love you too." I said, smiling at her. I can see how her eyes smile together with her lips. She looks beautiful as ever.

 

"So what do you want to do tomorrow, Akin?" I asked while hugging her from behind. 

 

It felt nice being in this position pala. Palagi kasi ako yung little spoon so ngayon ko lang naranasan yung mayakap siya nang ganito sa kama. 

 

It's so nice holding her like this, I don't ever want to let go again. 

 

Hindi ko kaya.

 

Ayaw ko na siyang mawala ulit. 

 

Hindi ko kakayanin.

 

"I want to go out of town, Akin." She said, suggesting her idea.

 

Out of town? Not bad pero I think it's dangerous. Lalo na't kadidischarge niya pa lang sa hospital.

 

"But isn't that dangerous? I mean, hindi ba dapat magpahinga ka muna?" I asked.

 

"My doctor said it was fine naman na, Akin. And I'm feeling great already, nakauwi na nga ako sa'yo oh." She said, facing me, looking at me with her eyes pleading. 

 

How can I resist this big baby in front of me?

 

At dahil marupok ako, pumayag na ako at tumango sa kanya.

 

"Okay, sige na nga. But we'll need to be extra careful. We don't want you to return to the hospital again." Tumango siya at niyakap ako nang mahigpit.

 

"I love you." She said, she has said this to me multiple times but its effect is still there. 

 

Iba pala talaga pag alam mong genuine yung nagsasabi nung mga salitang yun, mas mararamdaman mo.

 

"I love you too." I said and kissed her again.

 

"So saan tayo pupunta?" I asked even though I already know what she's going to say.

 

Isa lang naman yung palagi niyang puntahan kapag nag aaya siyang mag out of town.

 

"Let's go to Baguio, Akin." She said, excitement evident in her voice.

 

"Kaya mong magbiyahe? Malayo layo yun from Manila." I asked.

 

"Kayang kaya, ikaw naman yung magdadrive eh." She said, totoo naman. Hindi ko siya hahayaang mag drive kahit she insist. 

 

"O sige na nga lang. I'll take a day off from work. I'm sure dad would understand naman." I said and she just nodded and hummed as a response.

 

"O siya, let's go to sleep na. Maaga pa tayong babiyahe." She nodded again and kissed me on my lips and went back to sleep. 

 

Ganun na rin ang ginawa ko at natulog na, makakasama ko na naman siyang mamasyal bukas.

 

Kagaya ng ginagawa namin before.

 

-

I woke up and checked what time it was.

 

4:00 am it reads. It's time to get up dahil kailangan na naming magbihis para makaalis na. 

 

Inalis ko muna ang pagkakayakap kay Karina at binigyan siya ng halik sa pisngi bago pumasok sa banyo para maghilamos at magbihis na.

 

Pagkatapos sa banyo ay pumunta ako sa kitchen para magluto ng ibabaon namin para may kainin kami habang nagbabiyahe. 

 

I made salad for Karina and a sandwich for myself. Pagkatapos nun ay pinuntahan ko na si Karina para gisingin.

 

"Akin, wake up na po. Matagal pa tayong babiyahe." I said at tinapik siya nang mahina sa braso. 

 

"Hey, Akin. Gising na." I said again pero wala pa rin. Palagi kaming ganito before, kaya halos late kami sa mga family gatherings kasi late siyang gumising. 

 

But okay lang naman sakin yun, sila dapat mag adjust hindi si Karina.

 

Tinapik ko ulit siya pero hindi pa rin nagigising. Medyo kinabahan na ako nang dahil doon.

 

Nilapit ko yung daliri ko sa ilong niya para malaman kung humihinga pa ba siya at nakampante naman ako nang maramdaman yung paghinga niya.

 

Buti naman, bumilis yung tibok ng puso ko nang dahil dun.

 

Ilang minuto pa ng pagtapik ay nakita ko ng dumidilat ang mata ni Karina.

 

Sobrang singkit yung mata niya dahil sa liwanag na nanggagaling sa ilaw ng room. Ang cute talaga nito pag bagong gising.

 

Nang makita niya naman ako ay binigyan niya ako ng malawak na ngiti.

 

"Good morning, Akin." I said and tried to kiss her on the lips but she denied.

 

"My breath smells nasty pa, Akin. Hindi pa ako nakakapag toothbrush." She said, habang tinatakpan ang bunganga niya. Natawa naman ako dahil dun.

 

"It's just a peck lang naman eh." Sabi ko nang nakanguso, kinurot niya naman yung pisngi ko at hinalikan sa labi ng padaplis lang.

 

"Yan na, done na." She said, smiling. Ngumiti rin naman ako sa kanya. 

 

"Okay, sige na. Mag ayos ka na muna para maka alis na tayo. Sa car ka nalang rin mag breakfast. Naghanda na ako ng pagkain natin." I said and she nodded as a response and was about to go to the bathroom when she stopped and faced me.

 

"You look dashing on your outfit today, Akin. Sobra sobra sobra sobra sobrang ganda mo." She said while emphasizing the word beautiful in her sentence. Nagblush naman ako nang dahil dun. 

 

Kahit kailan talaga bolera 'to.

 

"Bwisit ka, maghilamos ka na lang diyan!" I shyly said na ikinatawa niya naman.

 

"Come here for a second." She said while signalling for me to hug her. Lumapit naman ako sa kanya at niyakap siya. 

 

She kissed the back of my head while we're on a hug.

 

"I love you." She said again.

 

"I love you too. Now go take a shower na. Tama ka nga, ang baho nga ng hininga mo." I joked at tumawa lang naman siya. 

 

Pumasok na siya sa bathroom para mag ayos habang ako naman ay dinala na ang mga nakapack naming damit sa kotse.

 

Hindi nagtagal ay naka ayos na siya and mas lalo pa siyang gumanda sa suot niya ngayon. 

 

I'm not like her na kayang ivoice out yung paghanga ko sa kanya kaya't hinalikan ko na lang siya sa pisngi na siya namang nagpangiti sa kanya. 

 

Lumabas na kami at nilock yung gate at pumasok na sa car. 

 

Siya yung nagkabit ng seatbelt ko and pagkatapos ay inistart ko na yung kotse at pinaandar na.

 

Mahaba habang biyahe 'to and hindi ako sanay na magdrive ng malayo kasi usually siya yung nagdadrive sa amin before pero okay lang. 

 

At least ngayon kasama ko na ulit siya. 

 

Kahit wala na siyang gawin. Kahit ako na yung gumawa ng lahat para sa kanya okay lang sa akin, basta huwag lang siyang mawala ulit.

 

-

 

I've been driving for 2 hours now and I can see that Karina's fighting her urge to sleep. 

 

"Akin, sleep ka na muna. Mukhang puyat ka oh." I said, still looking at the road.

 

"Hindi naman ako inaantok." She said and then let out a yawn that made me chuckle.

 

"Hindi pala inaantok ha." I teased.

 

"I don't want to sleep on you while you're driving. This is the least that I can do since you don't want me to be your substitute kahit na mukhang pagod ka na." She said while looking at me. My right hand was attached to hers while the other hand was on the wheel.

 

"Okay lang ako, go sleep na muna." I said to her, she shook her head as a response.

 

"Let's just talk na lang para hindi ka mabore." She said, ang tigas talaga ng ulo.

 

"Sleep ka na muna, Akin. Okay na ako." I said to her kahit na gusto ko rin siyang kausapin para mawala ang pagod ko sa pagdadrive.