Summer’s.

 

The first tape was great- it gave me a peek of how mama’s life was when she was young like me. And of course, kasama pa rin si Tita Yeji, wala na yatang balak maghiwalay yung dalawang ‘yon, and aside from mama’s three kinds of love, I also want to experience the love with your platonic soulmate. Like her and Tita Yeji. 

 

Mama’s first love was someone named Ning Yizhuo. I didn’t know her, nor did I ever hear her name from mama and mommy before. Pero, from what the first tape told me, she seemed like a really nice girl. However, I shouldn’t conclude too fast naman, I should let the tapes speak for her. 

 

-

 

Tape #2.

 

Winter’s.

 

After meeting Yizhuo, the event carried on. Freshman walk was a really great event, we were welcomed by our seniors, and we toured the campus. It really felt like, wow, andito na talaga kami. Na we’re really steps closer towards our dreams. Ang thrilling, it was exciting. Pero sabi nga nila, the excitement wouldn’t last forever.

 

“AAAAAAAAA.”, I whined bago inuntog ng mahina ang ulo ko sa desk. “Napapano ka?”, tanong ni Ryujin. Me and Yeji both met Ryu when classes started. Siya yung pinakalate pumasok, halatang bagong gising, at obviously halatang lutang na lutang. Paano ba naman, maling lecture ang napasukan. Maling building, maling course pa! Hindi ko rin alam paano niya nagawa ‘yon, pero grabe yung pagkalutang niya nung araw na ‘yon.

 

*Door creaks*

 

Napatingin kaming lahat sa pinto ng lecture hall nang dahan-dahan itong bumukas, revealing a student na magulo ang buhok at halatang tinakbo yung hallways. 

 

“Mind sharing to us why you’re late, Miss?”, our prof asked. 

 

“Shin Ryujin po.”, our prof scanned through her student list as she looked for the late student’s name. 

 

“Iha, wala ang pangalan mo sa listahan ko. Sigurado ka bang dito ang klase mo?”

 

“Po? Opo, Lecture Hall 3AB po yung nakalagay sa schedule ko for Criminal Law 1.”, she absentmindedly told our prof na ikinatawa naming lahat at ikinakunot ng noo niya. 

 

“Bakit po kayo natatawa?”, nahihiya niyang tinanong.

 

“Iha. This is an Anatomy and Physiology class for Medical Biology students. You’re in the wrong lecture hall, wrong building, wrong course even!”

 

“HUH?! HALA, SORRY PO, MISS!”, she bowed multiple times to our prof and us students.

 

“Ayos lang, iha. Naiintindihan ko naman na naliligaw pa ang mga freshman. So, sino rito ang may magandang kalooban na samahan si Miss Shin sa building at lecture hall nila? At baka mawala na naman ang dalagang ito.”, natawa nalang ako ng mahina habang kinukuha ang ballpen ko sa loob ng bag. 

 

“Miss, si Winter nalang daw po!”, sigaw ni Yeji sa tabi ko na ikinagulat ko. “Huy, gago ka ba???”, mahina kong bulong sa kanya. 

 

“Miss Kim, ikaw nalang ba?”

 

“A-ah, sige po!”, wala naman na akong magagawa. Yeji talaga, may araw ka rin sa akin. Madapa ka sana mamaya.

 

Dali-dali akong tumayo at lumabas ng lecture hall para samahan si ateng naliligaw. “Hi, Winter Kim nga pala.”

 

“Shin Ryujin. Gags, nakakahiya yung kanina huhu. Bangag ako masyado, sabi kasi ng kaibigan ko rito raw. Eh kaso dinala naman ako sa area ng med students. Lutang din yata ‘yun. Pasensya ka na, nadamay ka pa.”, paliwanag niya sa akin. 

 

“Okay lang, ano ka ba. Inaantok na rin ako sa klase eh.”, natawa nalang kaming pareho bago dumiretso sa area ng law. 

 

Nang medyo malapit na kami, biglang nagsalita muli si Ryujin. “Oo nga pala, hindi mo ba kilala yung kaibigan na sinasabi ko?”

 

“Alin? Yung niligaw ka ba?”, natawa ako ng malakas at ito namang tukong ‘to ginantihan ako ng batok. Aba.

 

“Oo! Baka kilala mo, best friend ko ‘yon. Si Ning Yi-”

 

“SHIN RYUJIN!!!!!!”, napatigil siya sa pagsasalita nang may sumigaw mula sa kabilang dulo ng hallway. At doon namin nakita ang isang namumula’t malapit nang umusok na babae. 

 

Oh my God, tulungan mo ako naevis. It’s her, Ning Yizhuo. She’s friends with Ryujin?

 

What a crazy coincidence. Destiny na ba ‘to?

 

“Ning! Si Winter nga pala, niligaw mo ako sa med area kaya siya naghatid sakin pabalik sa law. Ay oo nga pala, tanong lang Ning. Putangina ka ba?”

 

Humalakhak bigla si Yizhuo nang makita ang hindi natutuwang mukha ni Ryujin. “Enough about that. Hello, Winter. We meet again.” 

 

“Hello, Yizhuo. It’s a pleasure to see you.”

 

“Wait, kilala niyo yung isa’t isa?”, naguguluhang tanong ni Ryujin na wala namang sumagot sa aming dalawa.

 

“Sandali.. nING SIYA BA YUNG SINASABI MO NA MAGANDA NUNG FIR-”, biglang tinackle ni Yizhuo si Ryujin sa floor at tinakpan yung kanyang bibig. 

 

“Ah hehe. Wala lang ‘to, Winter. Sige na, ako na bahala dito sa kumag na ‘to. Salamat sa paghatid sa kanya!”, I was about to say my thanks and goodbyes pero agad tumalikod si Yizhuo at kinaladkad si Ryujin palayo sa akin. 

 

Natawa nalang ako ng mahina bago umalis pero napahinto ako bigla.

 

“Winter Kim!”, narinig kong sigaw ni Yizhuo. “I’ll call you later! Maybe and just maybe set a date between the two of us!”

 

“WINTER, CRUSH KA NET-”, Yizhuo ran palayo sa akin with Ryujin in tow. 

 

Well, I guess a possible date is happening! 

 

A date between me and my crush, I can’t wait!

 

–

 

“So, that was how my first love sort of asked me out. Haha! And that is also how I met one of my greatest friends and how Yeji met the love of her life. Yes, spoiler alert. My best friend’married Shin Ryujin. And Ryujin’s basically down bad din. So, I guess perfect fit sila sa isa’t isa haha! So, I think ‘yun nalang muna for today’s tape. Tinatawag na rin ako ng mahal ko. Bye, listener! And enjoy the rest of the tapes. Ciao. Winter out~"