“Ah uwian.” Yoohyeon sighed stretching her arms over her head, “ang hirap pala maging working girl.”

Natawa naman ang katabi ni Yoohyeon, “isang linggo lang, Yooh.”

Isang linggo, isang linggo silang magvovolunteer sa library dahil sa nangyari a week ago. Isang linggo rin silang suspended sa practice. Silang dalawa lang, kasi nadefend naman ni Hyunjung ang involvement ni Sojung sa away, and if suspended ang captain at co-captain sino nalang ang maglelead ng practice nila.

The boys on the other hand weren’t so lucky with the punishment, 1) because they technically started it and threw the first blow, 2) the prefect has apparently been keeping tabs on them, taking note on the amount of times they’ve looked for trouble not only with the girls’ soccer team but also other people. So yung mga may pinakamaraming atraso were prohibited to play during the qualifiers plus 3 weeks of community service.

“Kumusta kamay mo?” Tanong ni Hyunjung habang naglalakad silang dalawa sa usual route nila patungong bus stop.

“Oks na oks cap. Matibay daw buto ko sabi ng nurse, di naman daw nabali. Sprain lang, ang tigas kasi ng mukha nung gagong yun eh.” Pabiro namang sagot ni Yoohyeon, she didn’t want the older girl to feel guilty or worried about her. “Don’t worry, cap. I’d gladly do it for any of you, pamilya ko na kayo eh. And I know you’d do it for me too.”

Yoohyeon wrapped her arm around Hyunjung’s shoulder and pulled her into a headlock, taking advantage of her height. Nagpumiglas naman ang captain.

“Makakapaglaro ka ba niyan?” Hinawakan ni Hyunjung ang uninjured hand ni Yoohyeon na nakaakbay sa kanya.

“Kamay ba ginagamit kapag naglalaro ng soccer, cap?”

“Tanga.” Pinalo niya ng hawak na papel ang ulo ni Yoohyeon.

“Yung tanong mo tanga.” Tumawa lang ang babae. “Oks lang yan, cap. Di naman ako goalie. Wala namang gamit kamay ko sa laro natin.”

Natahimik silang dalawa matapos sabihin ni Yoohyeon yun. They enjoyed the remaining walk to the bus stop, looking at the way the leaves on the trees lining their path swayed in the late afternoon wind. Nang makita na nila ang top part ng bus stop sign, hinila ni Hyunjung si Yoohyeon at tumakbo sila patungo dito. Napahinto naman sila a few feet away nang makita nilang may dalawang babaeng nakatayo sa corner kung saan sila naghihintay, usually wala naman kasi silang kasabay, not at this time at least.

“Minji!” Sumigaw si Yoohyeon and waved with her bandaged hand.

Lumingon naman ang tinawag, flashing them a big, sweet smile. Hyunjung took note that that was the first time she’d seen the other girl smile like that, and the fact that Yoohyeon knew her. Di naman sila magka batch, Yoohyeon was a year younger than them. Younger than her, Minji, and the girl beside Minji, Jiyeon.

“Yooh!” Sumagot naman si Minji sa pagtawag ni Yoohyeon sa kanya. “Taking the bus?”

Tumango lang si Yoohyeon, still with that big grin on her face, she pointed to Hyunjung to say na sasakay silang dalawa.

“Hyunjung.” Tumango si Minji sa kanya.

“Minji.” Tumango rin si Hyunjung tapos natawa, para silang tanga. Magkaibigan naman silang dalawa. “Galit ka parin kasi nabali kamay ni Yoohyeon dahil sa akin?”

Sumimangot si Minji. Yoohyeon didn’t catch the comment.

“Sprain nga lang cap! And I told you –“ she was cut off when the bus arrived, bumusina ito kaya dali-dali silang sumakay lahat. Halos puno na ang bus nang sumakay sila kaya si binigay na lang ni Hyunjung at Yoohyeon ang dalawang free seats sa mga kasama nila, nakaupo rin naman sila nang may bumaba na isang pasahero pero nagshare lang sila sa isang upuan.

Dalawang stops ang dinaanan nila na nagsheshare sila sa upuan, on the third stop though may sumakay na batang lalaki na may dala-dalang malaking bag. Tinignan ni Hyunjung at Yoohyeon ang bata na tumutulo ang singot sa bigat ng bag niya. Maybe he was around 7 or 8 years old.

“Bata.” Tinawag ni Yoohyeon ito. “Dito ka na umupo.” Tumayo siya at pinalo niya si Hyunjung para tumayo rin ito.

“Nagpapasikat ka ba?” Suway naman ni Hyunjung sa kaibigan.

“Paupoin mo na yung bata kawawa naman. Pagod ata.”

“Pagod rin ako Yoohyeon, tsaka dapat inuuna ang mga nakakatanda.” Reklamo ng babae pero tumayo na rin.

“Pinapanindigan mo masyado pagiging senior mo cap.” Pinalo na naman ni Hyunjung ang ulo ni Yoohyeon.

“Tarantado.”

“Ate? Pwede po umupo?” Tanong nung batang lalaki kay Hyunjung. She looked down at the boy, his face covered in sweat, out of breath, with his bag weighing him down. Tumango lang si Hyunjung, parang dinurog ang puso niya sa mukha ng bata.

Tahimik lang silang sa loob ng bus, nang ma bore na si Hyunjung at Yoohyeon naglaro sila ng jack en poy, pitik sa noo ang punishment ng matatalo. Tahimik namang tumatawa ang dalawang nakaupo kapag napalakas ang pitik ng isa sa dalawang naglalaro.

Minji noticed that the boy behind her hadn’t spoken a word after he asked Hyunjung if he could take the seat. She turned in her chair to check on him and her heart melted at the pure sight of him sleeping on his big bag. She just looked at him peacefully for a while until she realized that they didn’t know where he would be getting off. So she woke him up.

“Bata.” Tawag niya, nagising naman agad ang batang lalaki. “San ka ba bababa? Di pa ba tayo lumagpas?”

“Sa ikalawang bus stop po mula sa sinakyan ko.” He answered rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“Ha?!” Napalakas ang boses ni Minji kaya nagtinginan ang mga tao sa kanya.

“Hoy, ba’t ka ba sumisigaw?” Isa isang nagsorry si Hyunjung, Yoohyeon, at Jiyeon sa mga pasahero.

“He was supposed to get off on the second bus stop from where he got on, we just left the fourth one.”

Nanlaki naman ang mata ni Jiyeon sa sinabi ng kaibigan. “Alam mo ba pano umuwi sa inyo?” Tanong niya sa bata na tumango lang bilang sagot. “Let’s get off on the next bus stop and samahan natin siya.”

Hinawakan ni Hyunjung ang ulo ng bata, “ihahatid ka nalang naming sa inyo ha? Lumagpas na tayo eh.”

Tumango lang din ang bata.

Bumaba sila sa sunod na bus stop, Hyunjung and Yoohyeon we’re supposed to get off on the next one but they wouldn’t let Jiyeon and Minji take the kid home by themselves. The tallest of the four took it upon her self to carry the little boy’s bag, mabigat nga. Apparently, trolley yun pero nasira ang gulong so he carried it on his back.

Nasa gitna ni Yoohyeon at Minji ang batang lalaki because the older girl insisted on holding the kid’s hand, she feels the need to be protective nga raw. Yoohyeon feels warmth bloom in her chest at Minji’s actions.

Apparently, the little boy, Seungho, had an affinity for dinosaurs. Yoohyeon doesn’t know much about dinosaurs but she tried keeping up with him anyway. She, at least, learned a few fun facts about them now.

“Ikaw ba, ano pinakafavorite mong dinosaur?” Tanong ni Seungho kay Yoohyeon.

“Hmmmm... Wala ako masyadong kilala na mga dinosaurs eh, mas interesado ako sa dogs eh.” Sagot naman ng soccer player.

“Ang boring naman ng mga dogs.” The boy commented and Yoohyeon gasped, faking offense.

“Dogs are not boring.” Tinuro niya pa ang bata.

“Boring, buti pa dinosaurs cool.” Tinaas naman ni Seungho ang hawak niyang dinosaur. Natawa si Minji sa inaakto ng dalawa.

“Hindi kaya, marami kayang cool na dogs.” Yoohyeon crossed her arms like a child and Seungho looked up at the girl holding his hand.

Nginitian niya ito at tumango, “maniwala ka sa kanya, pinagaaralan niya yan.”

“You study dogs?” Bumaling naman ang tingin ng bata sa matangkad na babae.

“Mhmm, all kinds of animals.” Sagot naman ni Yoohyeon, at first she was a little sceptical with studying veterinary medicine, but she had always loved animals. As a child, she always bought food with half her daily allowance to give to the stray dogs on their street. She was always out in their neighbourhood looking for stray or abandoned animals and take care of them; that is if she wasn’t in the soccer field. Soccer was her first love, she wanted to do that professionally, her escape from all the responsibilities and pressures of her world.

“So you study dinosaurs too?” Seungho’s eyes sparkled.

“Uhh well palaeontologists study them now.” That answer earned her a hit on the arm from the girl beside her. “I can tell you some fun facts about other animals too.” Tumango naman ang bata at nakinig sa mga pinagsasabi ni Yoohyeon habang naglalakad sila.

Behind them, the other two walked quietly. Natatawa lang paminsan-minsan si Hyunjung sa conversation ng dalawa sa harap niya, Jiyeon’s thoughts however were somewhere else.

“Hyunjung.” Tawag niya sa katabi. “About last week –“

“I know what you’re going to say. It isn’t your fault. That’s all on them.” Nagsalita na si Hyunjung bago paman makapagpaliwanag si Jiyeon sa sasabihin niya. Alam na niyang sisisihin ni Jiyeon ang sarili niya sa mga pinaggagawa ng ex-boyfriend niya.

“I don’t think you’d say that if you knew why he’s acting like that.” Jiyeon whispered, her head hung low, knuckles turning white from gripping the sling of her bag too hard. Hyunjung heard though.

“Don’t apologize for someone else’s actions, Jiyeon. Even if you think they’re influenced by you.” The taller girl answered coolly, hands in her pocket. She looked at Jiyeon, not turning her head fully and offered her a reassuring smile. “And don’t even think about making it up to me, wala kang kasalanan.”

Ngumiti si Jiyeon sa mahinang pagsiko ni Hyunjung sa kanya. And the tensed silence now cleared from the air, their steps lighter, and the breeze cooler.

-x-

This scene was inspired by a chapter of Tamen De Gushi :) I hope you've enjoyed this so far, thank you!