Mula pagkabata ay magkaibigan na kami ni Winter. We did everything together, play, learn instruments, we have the same music taste and we even went to the same school and even became classmates. We were inseparable. You can say that we're soulmates. Alam namin kung ano ang iniisip ng isa't isa sa isang tingin pa lang. 

 

We first met when we were eight. Their family just moved to our neighborhood at katabi lang namin yung nilipatan nila so, naging close agad yung family namin. Winter is an only child habang ako naman ay may little sister. Bibo na ako mula pa noon kaya naman her parents were so happy nung pinakilala nila ako kay Winter.

 

I was told na Winter can't make friends easily. Not because mapili siya sa tao but because she was so shy, people often mistook her for being a aloof kid. Isama mo pa na yung pagiging tahimik niya. Hindi rin siya pala-labas. At first, I wondered why. Why can't she play outside with us. I got curious and as a curious kid, I asked her parents about it. Pinagalitan pa nga ako nila mama noon. Pangit daw sa bata ang chismosa to which I replied na curious lang talaga ako. Her mom then told me what was the reason. Kung bakit ingat na ingat sila kay Winter. 

 

It took awhile before she fully opened herself up. The stoic face she used to sport then changed to a brighter one. Saka lumabas yung kulit niya nung naging comfortable na siya. I also learned not only she's academically smart, she's musically talented. She loves music and playing her guitar. Ayun ang naging bonding namin. Because of her, I also learned to love music to the point where I studied piano. Kinulit ko pa nga sila mama na bilhan ako ng piano. Then, we would spend our days playing music, her with her guitar and me with piano.

 

When she opened up to me, I was able to read her with ease. Although may pagka-tsundere, Winter is actually gentle, sweet and kind.

 

That's why I can't help but fall for her.

 

Yes, I fell in love sa tahimik at mahiyain pero mabait at sweet na best friend ko. And I've been in love with her since I can remember. If I'm given a chance, I want to be able to spend my life with her. I want to build a family with her.

 

That is, if I'm given a chance.

 

If life gives us a chance.

But we know our time is limited.

Our time is running out.

 

"Karina! Nanjan ka na pala!" kumakaway na bungad sakin ni Winter pagbukas ko nung pinto ng kwarto niya.

"Kumusta na, Win? Maayos na ba pakiramdam mo? May masakit ba sayo?" tanong ko.

 

Umiling siya. "Wala naman so far. How about you? kumusta ang school? I missed a lot of lessons, kailangan ko yun habulin."

Umupo ako sa silya sa gilid ng kama niya at nilapag sa lamesa yung bag ko at yung isang plastic ng mansanas. Habang siya nakaupong nakasandal sa headboard ng kama ng hospital. Oo, nasa hospital kami. Winter has been confined here for two weeks now. Dumiretso ako rito after ng klase namin.

 

She had a heart attack during one of our class. Kaya naman agad siyang isinugod sa hospital. She's born with a heart condition kaya hindi pwedeng napapagod or nasstress siya. That also means she can't feel too much emotions kasi mag-uumpisang sumikip ang dibdib niya.

 

Two weeks na siya rito sa hospital because her condition is worsening. Kaya sobrang kinabahan ako nung inatake siya. Although she's actually a candidate for a heart transplant kaso ang problema wala pang donor na nahahanap. We all know it is a run against time kaya naman sinisikap ng parents at doctor niya na mahanapan siya ng donor as soon as possible.

 

"Wag mo munang alalahanin yung mga lessons since inexcuse ka naman na. But if you're still worried, I have the notes. I can lend it to you naman once umokay ka na." sabi ko while I grabbed the apple at binalatan ito. 

"Fine."

"Oh, kumain ka muna mg prutas. Nasaan pala si tita?"

"Tinawag siya ng doctor kaya lumabas muna. Kumusta pala si Ning at Gigi?" tanong niya. si Ning at Gigi ay dalawang pa naming kaibigan. Na-meet namin sila nung freshman ng high school.

 

I reached for her hand and hold firmly to it. "Okay naman sila but they're still worried about you. Baka bukas ay dumalaw sila."

 

She smiled. "Buti naman. Miss ko na sila. Hay, I can't wait to get out of here. I never liked the smell of hospitals pati foods dito hindi ko type." I giggled with her whining. She's like a puppy talaga everytime she whines.

 

"Kaya nga magpagaling ka na para makalabas ka na. They misses you too, you know."

 

"How about you?" 

 

"Huh?"

 

"Do you miss me?" Hindi ako nakasagot agad. How should I answer that without sounding like I'm totally head over heels for her kahit na ayun yung nararamdaman ko.

 

She gave a cheeky smile before saying. "Because I do. I missed you, Karina" 

 

Bago pa ako makasagot ay bumukas ang pinto at inuluwa nito si tita. Hindi nag-tagal ay nagpaalam na ako kay Winter at sa mama niya since pagabi na rin. Ito ang ginagawa ko for two weeks. Papasok at pag-uwi, diretso sa hospital bago sa bahay. Hindi naman nagagalit sila mama kasi hindi naman ako inaabot ng gabing-gabi sa labas. 

 

Humiga ako sa kama after kong magpalit ng damit. Fresh pa rin sa isip ko yung sinabi ni Winter kanina. Bigla naman nag-init ang mukha ko kaya naman sumubsob ako sa unan. Miss niya raw ako. Ang pa-fall talaga. Kainis ka Winter Kim! 

 

Nagising ako bigla sa malakas na katok sa kwarto ko. Hindi ko namalayan na nakatulog pala ako at umaga na. Napatingin ako sa digital clock ko. 8 am pa lang pala.

 

 "Ate! Ate! Ate!" rinig na rinig ko ang panic sa boses ng kapatid kong si Yujin. 

 

I lazily got up from bed because Yujin wouldn't stop knocking. Pagbukas ko ng pinto, I was greeted with the worried expression etched on her face. "Oh bakit?" tanong ko na may pagtataka.

 

"Si Ate Winter." bigla akong kinabahan pagbikas niya ng pangalan ni Winter.

 

Napatakbo kami sa hospital. Ito na naman yung kaba ko. Agad kaming lumapit sa umiiyak na si Tita Tiffany nang makita namin siya sa labas ng room ni Winter. Her wife Tita Taeyeon, Winter's other mom was hugging and comforting her. "Tita ano pong nangyari kay Winter?" Bungad kong tanong.

 

"She suffered another heart attack kaninang alas sais, Karina. We almost lost her. Her doctor said we urgently need to find a donor kundi--" hindi na natuloy ni Tita Tiff yung sinasabi niya at napahagulhol siya. Agad naman siyang niyakap ng kanyang asawa. 

"Shhhhh, we'll find a donor. Gagawin natin ang lahat to save our kid." Pag-alo ni Tita Taeyeon.

Nanlumo ako. I can't even imagine a life without Winter. We really need to find a donor. Bumalik ako sa ulirat nang maramdaman kong may humawak sa balikat ko. Napaangat ako ng tingin at nakita ko ang nagaalalang mukha ni Ningning at Gigi. Hindi ko namamalayan na tumutulo na pala yung luha ko. "Rina." agad akong tumayo at niyakap silang dalawa. 

 

"For now, stable na ang condition niya. Still, hindi tayo pwedeng makampante. Now that her condition is getting worse, we need to monitor her even closely while we're finding a donor." sabi ng doctor bago siya lumabas. Nandito kami ngayon sa loob ng hospital room ni Winter. Wala pa siyang malay pero at least stable na ang lagay niya.

 

Maya-maya ay nagising na si Winter. She's back to her bubbly self at nakikipagkwentuhan na saamin. Parang akala mo ay hindi siya inatake hours before. She told us she's sorry that she made us worry. After an hour or so ay nag-paalam na rin yung dalawa. Isinabay na nila si Yujin pauwi at sila na raw ang bahalang maghatid dito. Sila Tita Tiff ay lumabas din kaya kaming dalawa na naman ni Winter ang naiwan.

 

"Namumugto ang mata mo." puna nito. 

"Syempre naiyak ako sa pagaalala. Ni-hindi pa nga ako naliligo, sumugod agad kami rito nung nalaman namin yung nangyari."

"Ah, kaya pala ang baho mo. Naaamoy kita hanggang dito." Asar niya sakin. Hahampasin ko sana siya sa braso kung hindi siya nakaratay sa kama. Akala mo hindi nanganib ang buhay kanina.

Inirapan ko na lang s