EXPOSITION — 5

Denouement

December 2022 — 8:00 

"Ate Winter!" Tumakbo si Yujin papunta sa akin at niyakap ako. She's much taller than the last time I saw her. Patangkad sila nang patangkad ni Liz.

"Yuj, hey. How are things?" Tanong ko at nagpahigit sakanya papunta sa table nila sa Starbucks.

I am well rested. After that night with Karina, hindi na ulit kami nakakapag-usap. She's busy with her work, and I am busy sleeping. And then, I can't go home and not meet my friends. I miss them.

"May nililigawan na ako, Ate. She's very pretty ad cute!" I chuckled at umupo sa harap ni Heejin. Sinipa ko ang paa nya sa table. Heejin is one of the most-sought lawyers in the country. Palagi rin naman syang may ipinaglalaban, kaya it suits her din.

"Tangina naman Winter. Isang taon kang nawala tapos maninipa ka lang," reklamo nya at sinipa rin ako pabalik. I grimaced. 

"Nasaan sila Hyunjin? Balita ko nag-adopt kayo ng 1 year old," sabi ko. She hummed at uminom sa kape nya.

"Umoorder si Hyunjin kasama yung anak namin. Tapos ayan oh si Liz papasok pa lang. Yung tatllong tukmol naman, nagccr." Sagot niya at tinuro ang iba. 

"Si Rina?" Napatigil sila sa ginagawa nila at tumingin sakin. 

"Si Ate Kars? Hindi ba kayo magkausap?" Liz asked and sat beside me. I raised a brow. Why would they always think that I always know where Karina is? Hindi naman kami sobrang updated sa location ng isa't isa. 

"Uy Winter! Umitim ka ata," napatingala ako at nakita si Hyunjin na may buhat na batang lalaki. 

"Ang gandang bungad naman, Hyunjin." I smiled at the kid and played with him. 

"This is Jin." Heejin introduced before taking the child off Hyunjin. I always knew na they were marrying each other. Sa una dahil narin sa arranged marriage ng parents nila, pero they married each other because of love. It is one of the most beautiful love stories I know. 

"Hi Jin. I am Tita Winter," I said in a baby tone. Narinig ko naman ang bungisngis sa harapan ko.

"Tita Winter," Yangyang mocked and pouted his lips. 

"Stop that, ." I rolled my eyes. I only have a little over a week to rest and take a vacation with them, with Karina. 

"So, how's Ukraine? Any injuries I should know about?" Tanong ni Jaemin. Umiling ako, Na Jaemin became a doctor. He is training to be an Army Doctor. He also became my doctor. Of course, against my wishes. Karina told me to report to him and give him updates about everything concerning my health, even the mental and emotional.

"Ukraine is fighting. Ukraine is a mess. I am fine. Pero may sugat ako galing sa daplis na bala, but aside from that, I am fine." Sagot ko at kinuha ang iniinom ni Yujin. I chugged it and nodded my head. Caffeine relaxes me.

"Siguraduhin mo lang, kasi hindi lang ikaw ang patay kay Kars." 

"Wala kang sched, Haech?" Tanong ko. Haechan became a singer. Famous too. Nakakaproud nga e. We are all successful in our own fields. 

"Nakaupo ako sa loob ng Starbucks, sa harap mo, Winter. Kaya ibabalik ko ang tanong mo, may schedule ba ako?" He sassily asked and raised a brow. 

"Kuya, chill! Masyado ka namang hotheaded," sabi ni Yujin at umiling. 

"Kaaway siguro jowa nya kaya ganyan," biro pa ni Yangyang at pumalakpak pa. I smirked and eyed Haechan teasingly. 

"Sino jowa mo? Ikaw ha," I teased. 

"Gaga diba si Mark!" Heejin exclaimed. Nakaamin na pala sya kay Mark. Ang dami ng nangyari na hindi ko alam. Masyado na akong late sa mga chika.

"Stop! Huwag na huwag mong babanggitin ang pangalan ng malanding lalaki na yon!" Natawa kami sa outburst ni Haechan. Napatigil ako ng may brasong pumulupot sa balikat at leeg ko. I hummed as I smelled her perfume. 

"Rina, you're late." Bulong ko. Hindi ko na kailangang lumingon kasi saulo ko na ang amoy at galaw nya. 

"I have to finish something kasi," sabi nya. She planted a small kiss on my cheeks bago umupo sa tabi ko at binati ang mga kaibigan namin. I heaved a sigh to catch my breath. Bigla na lang kasing bumilis yung tibok ng puso ko. Need ko ata magpacheck up mamaya kay Jaemin. 

"What's the plan for our yearly getaway?" Karina asked. Nakasanayan na namin na magbakasyon together once a year.

"May bago kaming beach house, we can go there." Sabi ni Hyunjin at nagkibit-balikat.

"Wow, asensado!" 

"Gago ka talaga Kuya Yang." Liz said and rolled her eyes. 

"Pero nasa island kasi yon e. Mga 2 hours away sa ibang isla. Okay laang ba? Wala ring tao bukod sa atin." Heejin explained as she spoon fed Jin. 

"That's great! Win can use the silence to relax," hinawakan ni Karina ang kamay ko at ngumiti. I smiled back. It really flatters me whenever she thinks of me, and what's best for me. Nakita ko rin na suot nya pa yung promise ring na binigay ko sakanya noong birthday ko. 

A backup plan for the future. I really did not know what I meant by that. 

"Game ba lahat? Pwede nyo dalhin mga syota nyo," Jaemin said and smirked. Jowa, syota, girlfriend, boyfriend, I never really had those. 

Humarap ako kay Karina. Kukulbitin ko na sana sya para itanong kung may dadalhin syang date, pero nasagot naman na agad ang tanong ko sa sunod na sinabi ni Yujin.

"Ayain mo si Kuya Yeonjun, Ate Kars! Diba mag-oone year na kayo?" 


 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I really appreciate the comments, subscribes and upvotes for this story. Thank y'all for supporting!! Nababawasan naman ng konti yung pagkastress ko sa politics ng bansa dahil sa pagsusulat nito at sa pagbabasa ng mga comments nyo. I will do better, mga friends, mwa mwa:3

Like this story? Give it an Upvote!
Thank you!

Comments

You must be logged in to comment
renczq #1
Chapter 19: <3
snowychacco
#2
Chapter 19: thank you otor! i wish you the best of luck po! 💙 and no rush !! take your time in writing lang po 💙
EzraSeige
#3
Chapter 18: 😬🤐🥲
EzraSeige
#4
Chapter 19: 💙💙💙
uchinagassi #5
Chapter 19: thank you! we really need this ಥ‿ಥ
Baechuki
#6
Chapter 18: The plot is good, but sayang kasi yung ending sobrang lacking :(( but i understand kasi you explain naman na mahirap talaga magnarrate ng story that involves with mental illness especially trauma, lalo na kapag walang first hand experience. but i enjoyed the build up ng story!
_WinPugo
#7
Chapter 18: Adfsdggdgjhjjhk may gudness, Rina. Kalma. Winter had just came back tapis binigla mo. Sa isip ko, they probably talked, in my head all those scars Winter had gotten healed in time, at sa isip ko, they both are happy together.
renczq #8
Chapter 18: 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
renczq #9
Chapter 17: 😭
Maatt_booii #10
Chapter 18: Uo na rina mahal ka ni winter at mahal mo rin siya, pero wag mo naman biglain te, kakagaling lang yan sa matinding gyera buti at nakauwi pa ngang buhay yan, hindi pa yan makakapagsalita ng maayos uy