“Hoy, Sooyoung, sige na reto mo na ako sa pinsan ng jowa mo.” Isa nanamang araw ng pangungulit ni Yoohyeon sa goal keeper nila habang tinatali ang cleats niya. Typical day for the girls’ soccer team, the senior players arriving way past the call time for practice, just as the juniors finished up their warm ups. Hyejoo and Ryujin worked on defense, Heejin and Minjeong on offense, while Yuna and Yujin acted like they were coaches shouting at all the other girls even though they were the youngest ones out on the field. A few avid supporters of the team taking their place in the stands already, waiting for the star players to come out and train.

“Yooh, pusta ko kaluluwa mo straight yun. And if she wasn’t, di ka bet nun.” Sagot ni Jinsol na nakapatong ang isang paa sa bench kung saan nakaupo si Yoohyeon, inaayos ang medyas niya, tinulak naman ito ng kaibigan, dahilan ng pagkatumba ng center back player. Gumanti naman ng tadyak ang natumbang babae at dun nagsimula ang daily play fight ng dalawa.

“Cap! Nagaaway nanaman ang mga bata!” Sumbong ni Sojung sa babaeng nakasunod sa kanya. Parang hangin lang na dumaan sa lakas ng takbo niya si Juyeon para makisali sa biruan ng teammates kung saan na sali na si Sooyoung.

Isang sipol lang ni Hyunjung at dali-daling nagsitayo ang mga ito. Usually, pabiro niyang hahampasin ng shin guard ang mga makukulit na nakababatang teammates, but she wasn’t in the mood.

“Parang bad mood tayo, cap ah.” Komento ni Sooyoung. Hyunjung just sighed loudly.

“Nagkasagutan nanaman sila ng mokong na Kihyun, harangan ba naman kami sa hagdanan.” Sagot naman ni Sojung.

“May bago pa ba? Diba ganyan naman araw-araw since nanalo tayo sa game at tayo yung nabigyan ng support para championships?” Juyeon asked as-a-matter-of-factly, tilting her head to the side.

“Ewan ko ba, laki-laki ng ulo nung tanginang yun, kaya siguro siya iniwan ng girlfriend niya kasi ulo lang yung malaki.” May inis na halo sa tawa ni Hyunjung at nagsimula ng ilabas ang mga gamit niya para magbihis. “Asan si Yubin?”

“May tinatapos lang cap, susunod lang daw siya.” Sagot ni Yoohyeon at nagsimula ng magwarm up.

They trained as usual, may paminsan-minsang biruan in between just to keep the spirits up. Occasionally may sisigaw ng pangalan ng isa sa mga top players ng team, they think it’s only ever just one person screaming their names in alternate orders at random intervals para lang mamotivate silang magpractice.

Palubog na ang araw ng matapos ang training nila, just as it always did. The sunset stained the field in oranges and reds, casting beautiful shadows on the soccer players glowing in sweat and fatigue laying on the grass. Siguradong kahit sinong dumaan at makakakita sa kanila ay mamamangha sa kanilang lahat.

Isa-isa silang naguwian, si Sojung, Sooyoung, at Sakura nagsamang maglakad sa isang direksyon, yung iba nilang teammates iba’t ibang direksyon tumungo, habang si Jinsol naman at si Juyeon magkasama. Si Hyunjung naabutan ng isang professor kaya bumalik muna siya sa main buildings para tumulong, si Yubin naman may aasikasuhin raw muna. So Yoohyeon was left alone kasi silang dalawa naman lagi niyang kasama pag naglalakad kasi same direction ang mga apartment nila, kicking her converse shoes on the brick sidewalk on campus, her backpack slung over one shoulder, blonde hair in a messy bun, white shirt damp with sweat but her shorts and the afternoon breeze helped a lot with her body temperature. Ang peaceful pala ng campus sa ganitong oras, usually di niya nararamdaman yun kasi may kasabay naman siya, kung di sila Yubin minsan makikisakay siya sa motor ni Siyeon na kasama niya sa isang apartment complex, pero may band practice kasi yung isa kaya siya nalang muna.

With both hands in her pockets, she enjoyed the walk while chewing her gum. May ilan pang mga estudyante sa campus, mostly mga senior high students na nagtatambay kasama mga kaibigan nila, may mga college students ring nagmumukha ng patay kahit nasa second half pa ng first semester. Kawawa naman sila.

A few steps before her she noticed something on the ground, she approached it and picked it up.

“Hmmm, parang bookmark to ah. Kanino kaya to?” She flipped the black bookmark at may naka-engrave na letters sa likod nito in gold. KMJ? S? Jessica Soho, is that you?

Natawa siya sa sarili niya, “gago ka ata Yoohyeon.” Masusi niyang sinuri ang bookmark na napulot habang nagpatuloy sa paglalakad, iniisip niyang maigi if she knows a KMJ. Dali-dali siyang napalingon ng marinig niya ang bus na paalis na mula sa stop na nasa corner.

“Uy, teka lang!”

Putek ang layo layo pa ng apartment pagnilakad ko.

Kaya napatakbo na naman siya, kahit kakarelax lang ng paa niya mula training. Tumakbo siya.

“Manong, stop in the name of love po! In the name of the Father, and the Son – “ muntik pa siyang lumagpas sa hinintuan ng bus dahil sa bilis ng takbo niya. Ang powerful mo talaga Lord.

“May sakit ka ba sa utak bata! Habulin ba naman ang bus, aba’y parang tanga.” Reklamo ng driver, nginitian lang siya ni Yoohyeon.

“Wag kang magalala manong, midfielder po ako, superpower ko po pagtakbo. Bukod sa bola, maling tao nga hinahabol ko eh.” Hingal niyang sabi at sumakay ng bus. Ramdam na ramdam niya agad ang buga ng aircon. Just when the bus was about to move may biglang napamura sa far end ng bus.

“.”

Lumingon naman si Yoohyeon at pakiramdam niya parang naiwan sa labas kaluluwa niya nang makita niya ang pinakamagandang babae sa balat ng lupa. Long black hair cascading like waterfalls over her shoulders, glowing on her purple cropped cardigan, Yoohyeon wondered if the butterflies she felt in her stomach were the same ones on her top.

“Manong, wait lang po parang may nalalag po ak – “ di alam ni Yoohyeon kung boses pa ba yun ng tao o anghel. Parang anghel siguro. Kukunin na siya ni Lord. Di natapos ng babae ang sasabihin niya dahil nagtama ang mga mata nila matapos ay tinignan nito ang hawak ni Yoohyeon.

“Ano? Bababa ka ba o hindi?” Inis na tanong ng driver.

“A – ah, hindi na po.” Sagot naman niya.

“Itong mga bata talaga ngayon…” Yun lang ang narinig ni Yoohyeon sa pagrereklamo ng driver kasi nakatingin parin ang babaeng na sa harap niya sa hinahawakan niya.

Tiniganan niya naman ito and back to the girl.

Ahh, KMJ. Kim Minji.

Di nila namalayan na huminto na naman ang bus, not until may nagsalita sa likod ni Yoohyeon. “Excuse me, iha, pwede padaan?” Dali-dali namang umusog ang soccer player kasi buntis pala yung bagong sumakay, kaya napadpad siya malapit kay Minji.

Natawa naman ang isa sa ginawa ni Yoohyeon.

And what a wonderful sound that was, the speed at which the taller girl whipped her head towards the other almost broke her neck, but she knew it would’ve been worth it.

“Uh – um – I think – I think this belongs to you.” Inabot ni Yoohyeon ang bookmark sa nakaupong babae.

“It does, thank you.” Minji said and took it from the other girl’s shaking hands.

“Nakita ko kasi sa sidewalk and I picked it up, and I thought a bookmark of that quality the owner must want to have it back. Kaya naisipan kong taguan nalang muna tsaka ibigay sa student council bukas para maibalik sa may-ari. Nakita ko rin na may initials sa likod, kaya iniisip ko pa sino kilala kong may ganung initials and – “ nagtama na naman ang mga mata nila and Minji had this endearing smile as she watched Yoohyeon ramble. “I’m sorry ang daldal ko na masyado, I’ll shut up now.”

“It’s okay, Yoohyeon. It’s cute. Thank you, again. This means a lot to me so thank you for making sure I don’t lose it.” Parang nag short circuit ang utak ni Yoohyeon sa sinabi ni Minji, pero isa lang talaga ang nakacatch ng attention niya.

“Wait, you know me?” Tumaas ng ilang pitch ang boses ni Yoohyeon.

Natawa naman ang isang babae, “of course I know you, isa ka kaya sa mga pinakamagaling na players ng soccer team natin, you’re quite popular, especially among girls and I’ve been to most of your matches, mainly kasi kailangan kong samahan si Jiwoo to watch Sooyoung pero eventually I’ve started to love it. Lakas ko kayang sumigaw kapag tinatakbo mo na yung bola para ipasa kay Hyunjung.”

Napa – wow nalang ang athlete sa sinabi ni Minji.

The ride to the street leading to Yoohyeon’s apartment wasn’t that long and most of the time she enjoyed those bus rides, but right now, she really didn’t want it to end. Ang saya kausap ni Minji, parang ang tagal na nilang magkakilala. Kahit na nakatayo siya at nakaupo si Minji, the conversation flowed naturally.

But all things must come to an end, even the best ones.

Padabog na bumaba ng bus si Yoohyeon na ikinatawa naman ni Minji. Hinintay niya talagang umandar ulit yung bus para tignan ang babaeng nakaupo sa pinakalikod, savouring the few moments she could lay her eyes on the most beautiful woman she’d ever encountered, because who knows how long it would be until she saw her again. To her surprise, Minji looked back through the window and waved at her.

What she didn’t hope was possible, however, was the older girl seeing her happy dance at the corner where she was dropped off after the bus turned at the next intersection.