Chapter 8

Our Impenetrable Love

Chapter 8

NAPANGITI si Gen nang mapansing halos araw-araw na silang naglalaro bago ito mag-stream. Kahit hindi nila sabihin sa isa’t isa na alas sais sila ng gabi maglalaro bago ito mag-live, alam na nilang dalawa na ‘yon ang oras nila para maglaro.

Paminsan-minsan, inaaya siya nito tuwing lunch, pero alam niya na may trabaho pa siyang uunahin kaya hindi niya ito tinatanggap. She just opens during lunch time to check on her mail and any announcements the game has, pero sa gabi talaga siya naglalaro.

And yes, he’s still an annoying brat.

Sa bawat araw na nakakalaro niya ito, bawat araw din siyang naiinis sa kayabangan nito. She just kind of got used to it. Hindi rin nila dinadamdam ang sinasabi ng isa kaya malaya nilang naaasar ang isa’t isa.

The words dumb and stupid are already part of their language. Hindi naman siya ganito ka-agresibo sa ibang tao, pero pag dating kay Xhyro ay kusa nalang itong lumalabas sa bibig niya.

Minsan pa nga, dito niya nailalabas ang stress niya sa trabaho. She sometimes wonders if Xhyro also has another job like her, and how old is he, anyway? She might even be older!

She doesn’t have the guts to ask him about his personal life. Baka lumaki ang ulo ng loko at sabihing interesado siya rito! He doesn’t ask about hers, kaya quits naman sila.

Hinilot niya ang sentido habang nagde-design nang panibago niyang top. She has to come out with at least 2-4 new clothes every month, and designing one isn’t easy. No matter how plain the outcome might be, the designing process isn’t easy. Talk about the designs and colors, mahirap na agad.

“Gusto ko na maglaro at manood at mag-shopping at matulog at kumain at repeat!” Sigaw niya sa sarili at sumandal sa office chair niya habang pinagmamasdan ang disenyo ng bagong crop top niya.

Speaking of her business, nang makarating sa mga buyers niya ang order nila, humupa na ang issue at nakita nilang magaganda naman daw ang damit na binili nila at maayos din ang naging transaction sa seller, walang naging problema at mabilis ang proseso.

Although she’s all beaten up from doing that all alone, she’s happy that they’re satisfied with her products. Ayon ang nagiging lakas niya ngayon para makapagbenta pa at gumawa pa ng marami.

“Marami na akong floral and plain tops…” nguso niya sa sarili. The top she’s working on is a wrap crop top with a tie on the side.

Madali lang ang mag-design nito, but she has to make a lot of varieties for it as well. A short-sleeved, long-sleeved, plain in different colors, and a printed—which she still has no clue what print, and do the same process all over again.

She sighed. There is no job that’s easy anyway.

“I have to go for a walk…” banggit niya. Hindi na nagiging healthy ang lifestyle niya at kung hindi siya nakaupo sa desk niya, nakahiga naman siya sa kama niya para magpahinga. What’s stopping her from having a healthy lifestyle?

Napalingon siya sa oras. It’s 4 PM and she still isn’t finished with her work. She has to be online in the game at 6 PM.

Aamin niya, matagal niya nang pahinga ang paglalaro. But somehow, recently, she’s actually looking forward to playing every day.

“Okay, I need a breather.” She stood up and shied away from her desk, her iPad and pencil still placed on it. Hahayaan niya muna ito ngayon. That top is just one design, she needs more new designs.

Gusto niya na matapos ang gagawin niya para makapaglaro na. And after that, she’ll secretly watch Xhyro’s stream on her personal account.

Obviously, he’s not aware of this. But she’s been secretly binge-watching his streams, captivated by his smiles.

“BAKA NAMAN busy lang, etong tangang ‘to! Bobo ka, kayo ba?”

Napairap si Xhyro nang marinig ang sigaw ng kaniyang kaibigan, si Jayden. They’ve been friends since college and he stayed at his place when he got kicked out. Jayden’s always been by his side, pero minsan nakakainis ang bunganga nito! Kahit totoo naman ang mga pinagsasabi niya, masyado itong pranka!

“Alas sais nga kami maglalaro! Alas syete stream ko,” sigaw niya pabalik habang naglalaro sila.

Si Jayden din ang isa sa maraming taong naimpluwensyahan niya sa paglalaro. Not in a bad way because it’s up to these people to take the game lightly or as seriously as his, pero naalala niya noon na may nagalit na sa kanyang magulang dahil masyadong naadik daw ang anak nito sa paglalaro. That’s not even his fault anymore! He just introduced the game to his friends.

“Oh, pakialam ko kung alas sais? Pake niya rin ba?” tawa nito. “Torpe ka rin, e!”

“Anong torpe? I don’t like her! Bobo!”

“Hindi mo naman pala gusto, ba’t hinihintay mo mag-online ngayong pasado alas sais na? Nag-aalala ka lang!”

“Hindi nga! Syempre mag-two weeks na gano’n ginagawa namin tas wala siya ngayon? Aba, mali ‘yon!” depensa niya.

“24 ka na ba talaga, ‘pre?” napairap siya sa tanong nito. “Para kang bata, literal!”

“Ewan ko sa’yo, dapat hindi ko nalang sinabi!”

“Hindi naman ‘yan kagaya sa’yo na buhay na ang COD, kaya nga napansin mong may oras lang siya kapag nag-oonline, diba? Edi ibig sabihin may ginagawa siya, malay mo may trabaho,” kalmadong banggit sa kanya ni Jayden.

“Ni hindi mo nga alam ang mukha tapos nagkakaganiyan ka na,” Jayden added, laughing.

“Gago, sarap kasi pagtrip-an, puro trashtalk lang din alam, hindi naiyak,” tawa niya.

“Tumawag na pala sa’yo mga magulang mo?” tanong nito mayamaya sa laro.

Bigla siyang nawalan ng gana sal aro. “Hindi, bakit?”

“Tumawag sa’kin, e,” mahinang saad nito.

He smiled sadly. Tumatawag ito sa tropa niya pero sa mismong anak, hindi?

“Oh, ansabi?” He acted like he didn’t care.

“Kamusta ka na raw.”

Humagalpak siya sa tawa, a sarcastic laugh. “Pagkatapos akong palayasin ampota, magtatanong kung kamusta, that’s plain bullshit, bro.”

“Magulang mo pa rin ‘yon, kung kausapin mo kaya—“

“Kung magkaka-anak man ako, hinding-hindi ko ‘yan palalayasin sa bahay ko kahit ga’no pa ‘ko kagalit. Tangina, hindi man lang naisip kung sa’n ako pupulutin nang paalisin ako,” he mocked. “’Wag mo na sagutin kapag tumawag.”

Once again, he couldn’t help but smile bitterly as he bit his lower lip to stop his tears from falling.

Anong magulang ang kayang palayasin ang sarili nilang anak dahil lamang sa tingin nila dagdag problema lang ito sa buhay nila?

They could have helped him. They could have guided him.

Instead, they always reprimanded him.

Kaya tinatank niya sa isip niya na kung darating ang panahon na magkakaroon siya nang sariling pamilya, mamahalin niya ito ng buong-buo. He won’t make the mistakes that his parents did to him.

Lumipas ang araw na hindi sila nakapaglaro ni Gen. Akala niya ay mag-oonline lang ito mayamaya, pero nanatili itong active noong lunch pa. He wonders if something happened to her, because as annoying as she may be, she is still a person. Someone with feelings and responsibilities in life.

If only he knew what those responsibilities of her is.