Nag-antay ako kahit umuwi na ang lahat. Nasa labas ako ngayon ng lift and nakikita ko yung progress na maopen na siya. Kasama ko si sir Suho, nag-aalala din kasi siya kay Sunmi.

"Sobrang close kayo ni Seulgi ano para mag-antay ka talaga dito." Nagnod lang ako. Sa pag-aantay namin, nakakapagkwentuhan naman kami. Nalaman ko na sobrang close talaga silang magkapatid. Magaling sila sa pagluluto, same ng school until college. Sir also had one girlfriend na din. I dont know how we came to a point na pag-usapan yung relationship. He asks me kamusta kami ng karelasyon ko. I answered naman na we are both doing good and nakapag-adopt na din sa isa't isa. Actually mas attentive ako pag si Sunmi na yung gusto niyang ikwento.

"Sunmi is ... Sunmi is sick that's why I am doing everything for her. Kaya wala na ding nagawa si Dad sa gusto niya. We discovered the illness months before she broke up with Seulgi. She chooses to stay away nalang."

"I thought it's because yung sa father niyo na hindi siya matatanggap?" Medyo gulat ko sa biglang pag-open up ni sir Suho sa akin.

"Ofcourse that’s never the issue. Matigas yung ulo ni Sunmi. Once decided na siya, she'll go for it. Sunmi fought hard with dad and I was with her sa mga araw na yun. There's this big argument na nangyare then I was about to send her home, sa apartment na tinutuluyan niya sa Europe kaso bigla siyang nawalan ng malay. That's when we discovered na she's sufferring from a potential kidney failure. It came from her bad habit from high school to college days."

"Is she okay …..now?" I don’t like to sound like I don’t want her to be okay.

"Yes okay na siya pero her one kidney is gone na. We really thought na she will be gone too. It was a miracle. The doctor said she’s a fighter. Kaya.... I want to ask you a favor sana."

"What favor sir?" Nagkakaroon na ako ng liwanag sa mga mata ko ng mukhang nagagalaw na nila yung pinto. Four hours and counting.

"Can we know sino yung girlfriend ni Seulgi? I want to talk to her. I want to ask if she can let us borrow Seulgi once in a while. Sunmi needs her kahit as a friend lang." Napatingin ako kay sir Suho hoping n asana bawiin niya but he is not joking.

"Sir..."

"It's you, right?" I think I have no choice. I dont want to deny it as well kaya nagnod ako.

"Sunmi has no idea. I just figured it out, complete the puzzle kasi the way ka bakudan ni Seulgi whenever I am here. I notice din how Seulgi looks at you and you to Seulgi na parang kayo lang yung nasa mundo.... it's how I look at you too." Are we that obvious? Wait teka.. did I hear him right? How he looks at me?

"Sir?"

"Irene, I like you. I know it's not the best timing pero you are always with Seulgi kasi so hindi din ako makahanap ng timing to confess. I plan to say it somewhere romantic. Yung iaask kita for a dinner, fine dining sa rooftop with music na gusto mo but that’s just a dream. You caught my heart big time the moment my father introduced you to me. That day hindi ka na nawala sa isip ko." Medyo awkward na katahimikan ang bumalot sa amin.

"Dont worry, hindi pa naman kita liligawan kasi nga may Seulgi pa pero I am serious with my favor although I know it’s too much to ask." Bakit ganun, ang casual lang sa kanya. Oh yes, businessman siya. Sanay na siya sa mga transactions na ganito.

"Sir, it’s not my position to decide for my girl and even if it’s not, I won’t let anyone borrow Seulgi, especially if that’s Sunmi." Inemphasize ko yung words na my girl.

"I need you to agree kasi I know for sure that Seulgi will listen to you. My sister is being neglected over and over. She's been crying sa room niya every night thinking how she lost her. Hindi ko sinasabing kasalanan niyo yun pero I can’t let her be that way, I must do something." Kalmado naman siya magsalita pero alam kong hindi siya sumusuko.

"Sir, it's her choice. Leaving Seulgi was her choice."

"Hindi ba yun din yung gagawin mo if mapunta ka sa posisyon niya? Hindi ba you will let her go to find someone na mas better sayo if sa tingin mo mas magsasuffer siya sayo?"

"That's the thing sir, when it comes to choices, we are all different." Medyo naiirita na ako.

"Hindi mo ba gustong malaman if may nararamdaman padin si Seulgi sa kapatid ko?" That caught my attention. Napahinto ako sa kung ano yung iniisip ko.

Nagbukas na yung elevator. Then I saw Seulgi's worried expression. She's carrying Sunmi, bridal style. May kurot sa loob ko pero ano ba kasing dapat na ipag-alala ko? Seulgi loves me, I should keep that in mind. Agad namin sinugod si Sunmi sa malapit na ospital.

"Miya is claustrophobic and because of that she felt suffocated kaya she lost her consciousness." Sabi ni Seulgi habang pinapanood namin yung natutulog na si Sunmi sa labas ng room nito. Kilalang kilala niya padin talaga si Sunmi.

Miya, she's back na talaga sa tawagan nila.

"Baby I am sorry if I carry her that way ah. I had no option kasi wala na siyang malay."

"No need baby, I understand. She's your friend." I hug backhug her. I think there's no point in hiding pa.

"Hey may problem ba? You look bothered."

"Wala baby. I miss you lang. Lets go home na?" Hinawakan niya ako and inaya sa kotse.

...........

After the incident, nagawa naman kaagad yung elevator and mas pinag-igting yung safety sa loob. Sunmi is in the hospital for 2 days na. As per sir Suho through text, she keeps on asking Seulgi daw pero syempre ano bang irereply ko, wala.

"Hyun.." I really feel flustered pag tinatawag niya ako niyan tapos anlalim pa. One word from my perfect girlfriend, nawawala na yung worries ko.

"Hm?"

"Joy texted me. She wants to visit Sunmi daw. You want to join us?" Sunmi again. Wala na ba akong break from that name? It hurts pag nanggagaling to bibig ni Seulgi.

"Sige baby." I dont think may idea si Seulgi sa nangyare kay Sunmi before. Sa break up nila. Magbabago kaya yung dati if she knew?

After a while dumating na si Joy kasama si Wends. Wends has a new look, blonde suits her talaga.

Maggagabi na kami nakarating sa ospital kung saan nakaadmit si Sunmi. Pag-open namin ng door sa room niya, naabutan namin siya nakatayo malapit na window nakatingin sa labas with the dextrose.

"Hey Sunmi, miss me?" Masiglang bati ni Joy ng marinig niya kami, agad siyang lumingon and to my surprise, tumakbo siya kay Seulgi at niyakap ito.

"I miss you bear!" Humiwalay naman kaagad si Seulgi sa kanya para magkadistansya sila. Niloko nalang ni Joy to na bakit sila daw walang hug kaya isa isa niya kaming inakap.

"You look good na ah. You can go outside na ba?" Tanong ni Wendy.

"Yes last last night pa. I am waiting for bear kasi to visit and I am not wrong, she visits me, finally." She didn't visit you, sinama lang siya ni Joy sa isip isip ko. Nagsettle kami sa couch near sa hospital bed niya. Nagkamustahan, mostly si Joy and Wendy yung nakikipag-usap.

"Hi Irene, I've heard Suho told you something last time nung nasa elevator kami ni Seulgi. Ikaw ha hindi ka nagkekwento." Nakasmile siya sa akin. Yung nang-aasar at kinikilig na parang nasa high school kami.

"Actually while waiting, nagkwentuhan kami pero I can’t remember anything worth na ikwento? It’s the usual lang naman." Patay malisya ko sa pagpapakita niya ng excitement.

"Wow. I bet you have many admirers if my brother's confession was usual sayo. He was happy kaya nung sinabi niya sa akin yun."  All eyes on me. He did confess pero it’s not the main topic that we have. It’s not even worth to talk about.

"He did?" It was my girlfriend who looks at me na parang nagtataka. Hindi ko na nakwento yung mga napag-usapan namin ni Sir Suho, dahil nga ang mas concern ko lang is yung revelation about kay Sunmi. Plus, he said na wala naman siyang balak ipursue ako. Ang problem nga lang is yung girlfriend ko ngayon na parang mang-aaway sa pader ng room.

"Finally daw he already said it after so many months but don’t worry he is not that type naman to ruin a relationship since you are in one nga. He is just being honest sa feelings niya and maybe, we don’t know sa future." I saw Seulgi’s knuckles turning white. She’s mad.

"Sorry I didn’t remember na kasi. I was worrying too much and it seems like wala naman sa amin yung naging conversation na yun."

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