Chapter 01.1

“J-just clearing my mind...” Napasulyap ako sa likuran niya. Nagbabakasakaling nasa likod niya sina Kuya o kaya ang mga kaibigan niya. But there's none. He's alone.

Napamaang na lang ako at wala ng nagawa nang umupo na rin siya sa tabi ko. I bit my lips when suddenly he offered his suit to me. Enough to cover up my bare shoulders. “You will get cold, Miss Ma'am.” He said. Nagulat man sa ginawa niya, hindi na ako nag inarte pa.

“Thanks,” wika ko. Alam kong ginagawa niya lang 'to dahil kaibigan siya ng pinsan ko. At baka close pa kina Kuya. Nagmagandang-loob lang naman siya. Relax, Jaslene.

Akala ko ay aalis na siya. Napatingin ako sa cellophane na hawak niya nung marinig ang kalingking nito. Pansin kong puro canned beer iyon.

“You drink?” tanong niya sa akin. Umiling ako nang ilahad nito ang isa sa akin. Pinagmasdan ko siyang may kung anong hinahanap sa cellophane na dala, nung tumanggi ako sa kanya.

“Here,” alok muli niya. Nang mapansin kong in-can coffee iyon. Hindi na ako tumanggi. Nagpasalamat ako noong siya na mismo ang nagbukas.

Hindi ako pala salita sa taong kilala ko lamang. Pero dahil bestfriend niya si Kuya Jace at naging kaibigan rin ni Rhette si Kazuki, at nakikita ko namang hindi naman siya masamang tao.

“Can't sleep too?”

Ako na mismo ang nagbukas ng paksa sa aming dalawa. Pwede ko naman siyang iwan, pero ako naman ang nauna rito. Bakit ko ba siya iiwasan eh, gusto ko lang naman magpalamig rin. Isa pa, para na rin siguro humingi ng pasensya sa pang-aasar nila kanina.

Sa akin naman sanay na sanay na akong bunot lagi para biruhin. Ewan ko lang kay Kazuki, kaya kahit pwede naman akong umiwas na. Heto, at nanatili pa rin ako sa puwesto. Aba, first come first serve 'ata ito!

He sipped on his drink once, bago niya sa akin ibaling ang buong atensyon niya. “Not really, I just finished some of the leftover work I had.”

“Oh,” hindi ko mapigilan ang sariling emosyon. He chuckled. “You're the type of workaholic, pala,” I commented. Umiling siya sa akin.

“Hindi naman. I just need to send the sketch to my clients.”

“Y-you sketch?”

Is he an artist? Perhaps a painter?

“Yes, I usually do them beforehand, kahit pa may sariling personal business. Mabuti na nga lang at mabait ang client ko. Pinakiusapan kong i-send sa kanya pagkatapos ng kasal ni Rhette, mabuti nga pumayag.”

“T-that's good,” Tumatangong na wika ko.

Hindi pa rin klaro sa akin kung ano ang trabaho niya. “So, are you a painter?”

“No, I'm an architect, Miss Ma'am.”

Nang banggitin niya ang salitang architect, tila may tinik na humarang sa lalamunan ko--dahilan kung bakit bigla akong nawalan ng boses.

I cleared my throat. “O-oh, that's nice,” wika ko. “I thought you were a videographer. Didn't you edit the video earlier?”

“Oh, it was just a hobby of mine. Actually, Jace asked me for it. Dahil na rin malapit ako kay Rhette, aside from his brother that my bestfriend. I treated Rhette as a brother too, kaya pumayag na ako nung hingin niyang ako nga ang magiging editor sa kasal niya.”

“You're good at it. Why didn't you turn it into a profession instead of just a hobby?”

“Nah, I love where I am now,”

Tumango ako. Ilang segundo kaming natahimik. I continue watching the calm waves in front of us. I didn't know why I was so comfortable with this man. I sipped my drink. Agad na rumehistro ang pamilyar na flavor sa aking lalamunan.

Caramel Macchiato.

Hindi ko alam kung paano niya nalaman na ganitong flavor ng kape ang gusto ko. Maybe it was just a coincidence, Jaslene. “How about you? Do you paint?” aniya.

Umiling ako sa kanya, bahagyang nakangiti. “I know how to paint. But you know, it's still connected to my work. I draw all the time. I'm an interior designer.”

Kazuki scooped a handful of sand, letting it slip slowly through his fingers as he watched me.

“Oh, it suits you well,” he said.

“Am I?” Natawa ako saglit, pero mapait ang ngiti. “Supposed to be, I wanted to pursue the work you had.”

He tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing against the moonlight reflecting on the sea. “Hmm. But why didn't you?”

I shrugged, my gaze drifting to the waves. “Dreams... they change,” I whispered.

I still clearly remember back to grade school, when teachers asked about our dreams. I always said the same thing: My dad is building a house. When I grow up, I'll take the same path. I'll build one for him, for mom, for Kuya. And my teacher would smile proudly, as if my dream was inevitable.

But somewhere along the way, that smile turned sad. A professor once looked at me with a kind of pity, and suddenly my heart knew--my dream was slipping away.

I sipped at my canned coffee, forcing a laugh that didn't reach my eyes.

“You know, my dad is an architect. Like you, he designed houses. He knew everything about how a home should stand... but he never knew how to be a father inside ours. He built houses for others, but he was never home to us.”

Kazuki wiped the sand from his hand and kept looking at me. His smirk faded just a little, but it was enough to make my chest feel tight.

“That's why I didn't follow his path,” I continued, my voice trembling. “Because once, I thought he was a hero. But heroes...they can turn into villains too.”

The waves crashed louder, as if echoing the weight of my words. Kazuki didn't answer right away, but the silence between us felt heavier than any noise.

“Kaya pasensya ka na kanina,” I smiled at him genuinely. “They are always branding me as a man-hater, sometimes I feel like they are right. After all, I kind of hate them. But that doesn't mean I hate all men. You know, it still depends on the type of people.” I chuckled.

He nodded at me. Ngunit ang sunod niyang sinabi ang siyang tuluyang nagpaawang sa bibig ko.

“Don't worry, Jaslene. I would definitely build a house that was home.”

cinmellowdy☪