The Unusual Occurrence

 

 

In an apartment unit in Tordesillas

 

“Hey babe, Karina just texted me.”

 

“Winter sent me a message, too. Ano daw lulutuin for dinner?”

 

“Oh, they texted the same thing pala. So, what do you want to eat?”

 

“Psst Ryu, ano gusto mo for dinner?”

 

“STEAK!”

 

“Hoy! Umayos ka nga.”

 

“It’s alright, babe. We can just order raw steak cuts, tayo nalang magluto.”

 

“Mmm-kay.”

 

“How ‘bout you? Ano gusto idagdag natin sa steak?”

 

“Pasta? Yung madali lang lutuin.”

 

“Hmm, okay. I’ll ask Karina to buy some pasta and olive oil.”

 

“Pa’no yung steak?”

 

“I’ll just order one online.”

 

“I’ll help you prepare the ingredients for the pasta. HOY RYYUJIN, TAMA NA LARO! Ligpit mo na yan.”

 

“Grabe Ning, di naman ako bingi.”

 

“Ay hindi ba?”

 

“Ang sama mo!”

 

In Jaime Velasquez park

 

“Nagreply na sayo si Gi?”

 

“Yup. Bili daw tayo ng past and olive oil.”

 

“Oh, pasta lang ba lulutuin for dinner?”

 

“And steak. Nag request dawsi Ryujin.”

 

“Steak na naman. Kahit for breakfast yung meal, steak talaga ang isasagot nyan.”

 

“Ang mahal naman ng favorite food niya.”

 

“Ewan ko dun, halos di yun kumakain ng gulay.”

 

“Eh ikaw, what’s your favorite food?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Anong ‘huh?’ I’m just asking kung anong favorite food mo, Winter.”

 

“Garlic bread. Nakalimutan ko we’re in a date nga pala. Ikaw, anong favorite food mo?”

 

“Bicol Express.”

 

“Mahilig ka sa spicy food?”

 

“Medyo. I enjoy eating spicy ones basta kaya ng tolerance ko, and flavorful yung food.”

 

“Ang unusual ng fave food mo, I wouldn’t have guessed na it.”

 

“Why? Ano ba sa tingin mo ang paborito kong pagkain?”

 

“Salads? Burger, fries, pasta– mga ganun.”

 

“Sa totoo lang, di ako mahilig sa mga yan. I prefer Filipino cuisine.”

 

“Rice?”

 

“In every meal.”

 

“Favorite drink?”

 

“Soda.”

 

“Dessert?”

 

“Silvanas and kutsinta. Tawid na tayo dito.”

 

Past midnight in an apartment unit in Tordesillas

 

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay for the night?”

 

“Thanks for the offer, Karina, but next time nalang siguro. I have grades to submit on Monday, I need to finish checking my student’s papers this weekend.”

 

“Oh. But Ryujin’s already asleep.”

 

“Uh… Teka kausapin ko si Ning.”

 

“Hey Gi, si Ning?”

 

“She’s showering. Ilang pillows pala need niyo ni Ryu?”

 

“About that, sasabihan ko sana si Ning na sabay na sila mamaya umuwi ni Ryujin.”

 

“Ikaw?”

 

“Uuwi.”

 

“No. Late na Win, sabay sabay na kayo umuwi mamaya.”

 

“May kailangan pa kasi akong tapusin.”

 

“Weekend naman ngayon, you should rest.”

 

“But–”

 

“No, kaya take these pillows and blankets. Kuha lang ako ng pajama for you.”

 

“I guess my landlady didn’t let you go home?”

 

“Olats.”

 

“Wine?”

 

“*nods* Thanks”

 

In the balcony of the apartment

“Parang ang lalim ng iniisip mo ah. Mind if I join you?”

 

“Just enjoying the cityscape.”

 

“Hmm”

 

“Thanks for today pala.”

 

“You’re welcome, Karina. I enjoyed your company.”

 

“Me too.”

 

**silence**

“I really love the ideas you discussed earlier. Nakakatuwa makinig, it’s like seeing things in a new perspective.”

 

“*chuckles* really, there’s nothing special with those naman.”

 

“*shakes head* You don’t know how significant our meeting today was.”

 

“Again, you’re welcome po.”

 

**silence**

 

“Ang ganda ng view dito, noh?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I’ve been in this apartment for three years now, pero hanggang ngayon hindi ako nagsasawa sa view ng city from this balcony.”

 

“It’s quite hard to get tired of appreciating a genuine beauty.”

 

“Alam mo, the view that we’re looking at right now is not the same one I saw last week, or even last month.”

 

“Hmm”

 

“The expression ‘you can’t step in the same river twice’ totally applies to cityscapes too. Sabi nila the only constant in the world is change, well, they’re right. Things and people change, but one thing that most people overlook is the beauty that comes along with it.”

 

“People tend to be wary of the idea of change. Mostly because they’re anticipating the bad and ugly that it may cause. The unknown that they’re intimidated of.”

 

“Exactly. It’s a pity pa that with change, what people would focus on are the ‘has been’ and ‘will be’.”

 

“Ang ironic nga eh, they would view change negatively but anticipate the future that it will bring.”

 

“Do you think we’re lacking in this aspect?”

 

“What aspect? We humans are lacking in so many aspects of our life, not just as an individual but also as a person that belongs in a society.”

 

“As the conscious being that is aware of this experience, it is given that we're the one who should take the role of appreciating everything in the present. Being too consumed of the anxiety of not knowing what will happen, napabayaan natin ang mga to.”

 

“I totally agree with you. I like your take on this topic, but I can’t help but to notice this– you have this strong conviction on your stand but there’s a hint of regret and nostalgia in your eyes.”

 

“Ang obvious ba? I thought I was hiding it well.”

 

“You’re holding back your tears kaya.”

 

“Ah, so you’ve been staring?”

 

“I’m not a creep, if that’s what you’re implying. I just have this habit of looking into the eyes of the person I'm talking to, especially when they’re explaining.”

 

“Ang defensive naman.”

 

“Whatever, Karina. Pero, ano, are you okay?”

 

“Yep, may naalala lang.”

 

“D’you want to talk about it?”

 

“Are you willing to listen?”

 

“I have all night, Karina.”

 

“Mmkay. But first, let me get us some coffee.”

 

Karina grabbed both of their emptied glasses and went to the kitchen. Winter, on the other hand, lights a cigarette. Buti nalang at naalala niyang bumili kanina sa convenience store.

 

She watch Karina thru the glass window,

 

In every puff of her cigarette, Winter would notice something in Karina– how long her raven hair is, her habit of biting her lower lip while carefully measuring the amount of coffee beans she’ll grind, how she would smell the aroma of the coffee she’s brewing by moving closer to the saturated coffee grounds and sniffing it.

 

Lighting her second stick, she realized how unusual today has been. Unlike her usual weekend where she would just be stuck inside her room reading a book, sleeping or preparing lessons for the coming week. This weekend she’s actually outside the comfort of her room and their apartment, staying out late and in the company of a stranger.

 

"Ang lalim ng iniisip natin ah. Mind to share?"

 

"Just thinking about how my day went. Thanks for the coffee."

 

"Baka you're silently judging me ah. You can be frank with me."

 

"*chuckles* no. I'm in no place to judge you."

 

"Pero seryoso, you can be frank with me kapag may nagawa or nasabi ako that made you uncomfortable."

 

"Wala ka naman ginawang ganun. Naisip ko lang na this weekend has been special. Well, at least, for me. My typical weekend would most likely be spent in my room or just in our apartment. Kahit anong yaya ata sa'kin ni Ning at Ryu halos di ako lumabas ng bahay."

 

"How about your dates?"

 

"Hindi naman ako ang nag set ng mga yun."

 

"Pero you'd still go?"

 

"I have to. Maliban sa hindi ako titigilan ni Ning, I think it's basic decency to show up since that person I'll be meeting probably adjusted her plans for that day to meet up with me."

 

“Hmm, tama naman.”

 

“How ‘bout you?”

 

“Hmm?”

 

“What’s your reason for meeting those people your friends set you up with?”

 

“To date. I thought meeting new people would quicken the process of moving on, kaso wala. I would just find myself judging the people I meet and compare them with my ex.”

 

“Ah so you’ve been judging me pala.”

 

“Sira. That was before. I don’t go on dates anymore, and for that reason. I’ve moved on and am happy with what I have now.”

 

“Ano yun? What is it that you have now?”

 

“*smile* Myself. I have myself.”

 

“I’m happy for you.”

 

“Perhaps one can also welcome an unusual occurrence every once in a while. Something or someone that would make you feel safe even in an environment away from your haven. An unusual one that could be part of your usual. Perhaps…” -Winter