Summary: Part 2 of Melon and Gulaman

 

 

 

Karina

 

I still couldn’t sleep. 

 

Nakikita ko na may kaunting liwanag na na pumapasok mula sa black curtains ng hotel room namin.

 

Mag-uumaga na pero di pa rin ako nakakatulog ng maayos. Kanina pa ako nakatingin sa ceiling. I even tried picturing a “chess set” kagaya nung ginagawa ni Beth Harmon sa Queen’s Gambit but I couldn’t even do it kasi iba ang scene na lagi pumapasok sa isipan ko.

 

Yung what happened earlier.

 

Beside me, alam kong mabilis na nakatulog si Winter nung narinig ko ang malalim na paghinga niya.

 

After she did that… tinulugan niya lang agad ako. 

 

Napapikit ako ng madiin at the thought and I bit my lip. 

 

After she…. kissed me.

 

Hindi pa rin nag-sisink in masyado sa akin.

 

I could still feel her soft lips on mine.

 

It’s the reason why I couldn't sleep for hours now.

 

Winter just kissed me.

 

My best friend kissed me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I suddenly remembered when we were young and she also stole a kiss from me nung naglalaro kami ng bahay bahayan.

 

So technically, this is already our second kiss?

 

Ahh! Scratch that, scratch that!

 

Jimin, ano bang iniisip mo?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maya maya ay mahinang napapa-hum ako ng isang song.

 

Nanlaki ang mata ko when I recognized what song I’m humming.

 

Kiss it, kiss it better, baby.

 

Noooo, not this song!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anong oras na ba?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ah, 5:35 AM.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kiss it, kiss it better, baby.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shush, Jimin.

 

Go to sleep right now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My thoughts redirected back to the person sleeping soundly and “mahimbing” beside me.

 

Come to think of it, Winter always steals my firsts or is always there when my “first” happens.

 

She was with me when I first rode the rollercoaster as a kid.

 

She was with me when I first learned how to ride a bike.

 

She’s basically my first friend… my best and closest friend, the number one on my list. The first friend I brought at home and introduced to my parents.

 

She was my first friend who gave me a gift when I was young. It was just a keychain na pig na may nakalagay na “Year of the Pig.” Nung medyo nagka-edad edad lang at nagkamuwang na ko sa mga bagay bagay that I found out that I’m not even born on the “year of the pig”. Di ko alam ang context ng gift niya but it was cute and it was from her. I still keep it until now.

 

She was the first person who made me cry aside from my family. The good kind of cry. When we were in grade school, nahulog yung project ko na pop-out art sa kanal at mabilis na lumusot si Winter doon sa putik putik para masagip ito. Pinagalitan pa siya ng mama niya sa sobrang dumi niya pagkauwi and I cried because I was touched sa ginawa niya for me.

 

She was the first person who made me cry… not the good one but yung heartbreak kind of cry. I cried nung napagalitan siya ng teacher namin, pinalo ng stick yung palad niya and I witnessed kung paano pigilin ni Winter ang hikbi niya. Naawa lang siguro ako sa ka-itsurahan niya noon kaya ako naiyak. Pero, deserved. Makulit naman kasi talaga siya noon kaya siya napapagalitan. Actually, hanggang ngayon.

 

Okay, enough about the “first” crying stories.

 

She stole another first again from me tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My first kiss.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Napatingin ako sa natutulog niyang form na nakatalikod sa akin.

 

 

 

Sest, what are you doing to me?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nandito ulit si Winter sa bahay namin para sa birthday ng mommy ko. 

 

Oh what happened that night sa hotel? We did not talk about it the morning after.

 

When we woke up, nagpapanic siya dahil nagtext daw si Ningning na kailangan nilang mag-perform sa upcoming org assembly. 

 

Apparently, natuwa yata yung one of our professors sa ginawa nilang pag-duet nung event. 

 

Todo ang tanggi at panic naman ni Winter at ang dami na niyang excuses na naiisip, kesyo sabihin daw ba niya na nainjure siya sa soccer practice at nawalan siya ng boses? Ano namang connect nun noh? 

 

Sabihin daw ba niya na hinipan siya ng masamang hangin… at naging boses palaka siya? Ganun daw yon diba? Ano daw?

 

Napapailing na lang ako habang pinapanood ko lang siyang magpanic. I secretly wanted her to sing with Ning again. It was fun.

 

Pero nung ginagawa ko iyon, hindi ko maiwasang mapadako ang tingin ko sa lips niya.

 

Naisip ko just last night lang, her lips was just… then I could feel something would curl in my stomach. 

 

I would then just shake my head to get rid of the invading thoughts. 

 

It was not easy.

 

It was my first kiss. 

 

How could I forget something as important as that?

 

Hindi ko rin namamalayan na nakatitig na pala ko kay Winter habang nag-uusap sila ngayon ng mommy ko. We are currently doing a sit-down dinner and eating on the table with my whole family.

 

“Talaga, Tita Esme? Eh ano po yung pinakafavorite niyong kind ng ?” Kinagat ni Winter yung hawak niyang shanghai na handa ng mom ko at ngumuya. She specifically requested yung handa na “shanghai” to my mother.

 

Binilang ko yung shanghai sa plato niya to distract myself from staring at her, one.. two.. three, mhmm, she has seven shanghai rolls on her plate. 

 

Napapatingin na naman ako sa lips niya. 

 

Jimin, get a grip of yourself.

 

“Iba iba kasi ng kind eh, but I’d like to collect them all.” I heard my mom answered. Lost pa rin ako sa pinag-uusapan nila. “May brazilians, may hiphugger, may g-string… pero ano ulit yung gift mo, ‘nak?” 

 

Natingin ako kay mommy nung akala ko ako yung tinatawag pero she was poising the question to Winter.

 

“Parang pokemon po pero version? Ah, Thong po yung gift ko. Sakto po yun, Tita Esme.” Excited na sagot ni Winter.

 

“Aw, I love it!!!” My mom happily clapped her hands, naglean pa siya kay Winter to give her a temple kiss.

 

Did what I just hear... really what they’re talking about right now?

 

Winter gifted my mom a thong underwear?! How did I just know this now? I tried to catch Winter’s eyes to question her at nung nagtama ang mga mata namin, parang siyang nagulat at biglang nag-iwas ng tingin.

 

Oh-ho, sest….

 

You have a lot to make it up to me.

 

I still couldn’t forget what happened and what you did that night.

 

What we did pala since I kind of… kissed back?

 

“I have something to announce.” My mom suddenly blurted out at one point nung kumakain kami. 

 

Winter gasped loudly at napatakip pa sa bibig niya. 

 

Napalingon kaming lahat sa kanya. 

 

“Baby…? Magkakaron ka ng ng baby sis or bro, sest?” Nanlalaki ang mata na tanong ni Winter na nakatingin sa akin.

 

What?!

 

Confused akong tumingin kay mommy and I saw her chuckling. 

 

“Walang baby, hindi ako pregnant, Winter. I’m 50 years old.” My mom smiled turning to Winter with a loving gaze. My mom’s really fond of Winter ever since we were young.

 

I let out a heavy sigh. Akala ko naman. Having a baby sib would be nice, though.

 

“Here’s the catch, ako yung may birthday, pero ako yung magbibigay ng gift.” My mom said.

 

“Papamigay niyo po yung collection niyo?? May.. may stretchable po ba para magkasya po samin?” Hesitant na tanong ni Winter.

 

My mom laughed and shook her head. “Hindi rin yung undies, Winter… pero kung gusto mo, why not? I have a lot of extra set.” Kumindat pa si mommy kay Winter.

 

“Mom, what is it?” Di ko na napigilang itanong. I was dead curious.

 

I saw my mom turned serious. Pinagsalikop niya pa yung kamay niya at pinatong both of her elbows sa table.

 

“It’s for the both of you. I think it’s time you learn to be independent on your own. So, nagtingin kami ng dad mo Rina, and we talked to your parents na din, Winter. We found a good location for you girls to live in a dormitory malapit sa university. Sagot ko na ang monthly rent.”

 

There was silence after that from the both of us ni Winter.

 

Napatingin kami sa isa’t isa, mouths hanging open.

 

We were both shocked.

 

We’ve been talking about living together. 

 

It was included in our “plans” for the future.

 

The list was starting to get long:

 

Get a good job (yung mataas sweldo!)

Go to dream country together (yung may Northern lights!)

Live together in an apartment

Get a cat or a dog. Or a cat and a dog

Bago ang lahat, graduate muna

 

Get a jowa yung last, pero binura ni Winter. Bawal daw maglandi hangga’t di pa guma-graduate. Mas strict pa siya sa parents ko ‘no?

 

We planned for this “living-together” thing to happen pero not this soon. 

 

When we were planning it out, we said after we graduate and we get a job of our own, when we are both earning money and capable to pay for rent.

 

Did this just happen?

 

Hindi pa rin ako maka-react and then napansin ko na si Winter who smiled widely and stood up to hug my mom. 

 

“Thank you, Tita Esme! You’re the best, best, best!” 

 

Parang siya talaga yung anak, ‘no?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am a very observant person.

 

I notice the little things. 

 

Lalo na kung may kinalaman kay Winter.

 

Ilang taon ba naman kaming laging magkasama and we literally grew up together, talagang makakabisado ko na ang mga antics at galawan niya.

 

I know when something's up with her or if she’s worried about something.

 

Like right now, after ng birthday dinner, we were finally alone in my room. 

 

At first, she was all jumping excitedly and blabbing about our dorm. 

 

“Sest, edi pwede na tayo gumala sa gabi niyan?” 

 

“Sest, pwede na tayo umuwi ng late galing school?”

 

“Pwede ba pumunta yung mga friends pag may groupwork?” 

 

“Tayo lang naman dalawa diba, sest? Wala na tayong ibang roommates?”

 

“Pwede kaya mag-alaga ng pets?” 

 

“Sest, rotating tayo sa paghugas ng plato ha! Pano pala maglalaba? Marun