Chapter 13

Chini is calling...

Nagising ako sa tawag mula sa phone ko kabya napabalikwas ako sa pagkahihiga ko at agad kong chineck ang pangalan ng tumatawag sa akin. Nanlaki naman ang mata ko na si Chini ang tumatawag sa akin. The called ended while I'm panicking inside. Lumabas naman ang notification na limang beses na siyang nag-missed call sa akin at pinaulanan niya ako ng message at hinahanap niya kung nasaan ako.

"She's been calling you for the past hour." Napatingin naman ako sa nagsalita. It's BJH and he's already awake at nakaupo lamang ito sa accent chair sa corner. Mukhang kagigising niya lang din kasi magulo-gulo pa ang buhok niya.

"Bakit hindi mo sinasagot?" tanong ko sa kanya. Humalukipkip naman ito at umiling. "She might be mad at us right now. Wala tayong paalam sa kanya, e."

He nodded. Alam niya 'yong tinutukoy ko at parang wala lang sa kanya 'yon.

"I know, that's why I'm not answering her call. She won't stop talking and lecturing me. It's up to you if you want to answer her call and if you want to go back to Seoul, it's your choice. But your job is to look after me and I'm not in Seoul if you will go back there," anito. Ginugulo lang nito ang utak ko at dahil wala nga rin akong magawa at siya ang boss ko, I think I should stay here.

Chini is calling...

Sabay kaming lumipad ang tingin sa phone ko na nag-ring muli sa pagtawag ni Chini. Nangingnig naman ang kamay ko kasi hindi rin ako sigurado kung sasagutin ko ba o hindi. For sure, she'll be mad at me dahil wala man lang ako pasabi sa kanya. Alas y otso na ng umaga at ayaw naming galitin si Chini sa ganitong oras.

But then to my surprise, BJH got up from the chair, walked in my direction, and asked for my phone. Nakalahad ang kamay niya sa akin at hinihintay niya na ibigay ko ang phone ko sa kanya.

"Are you sure?" paninigurado ko pa.

He assured me a nod and then I handed over the phone to him. He then slides the screen to answer her call and puts it on his ear. "Gra. Gge joheun achimirago, Cini." He pressed his lips, nodding his head. (Yup. That's how you say good morning, Chini.)

Abang na abang naman ako kung anong pag-uusapan nilang dalawa. Kaba ang bumabalot sa dibdib ko dahil hindi naman siguro in-expect ni Chini na si BJH ang sasagot sa tawag niya. O, jusko, kung ano man ang isipin niya, wala akong kasalanan dito.

"Nanen shouleser mulri terlersioissnen darn goteissa. Grunna nanen uriga johgo angernhadago hwaxinhapnida. Urinen saeha ihu tonen gboda du ora dolaol gutipnida," mahinahong tugon ni BJH. Hindi ko narinig na binanggit niya ang kinaroroonan namin ngayon kaya feeling ko, hindi sinabi ni BJH kung nasaan kami ngayon. "God boza, Cini." (I'm somewhere else far from Seoul. But I assure you we're good and safe. We'll be back after new year's or maybe longer than that. See you soon, Chini.)

And then he just ended the call and handing the phone back over to me. Nagtataka naman ako kung anong napagkasunduan nilang dalawa at parang ang kalmado ng pag-uusap nila—o dahil kalmado lang si BJH at hindi ko naririnig na nagtatalak si Chini over the phone.

"Anong sabi niya?" tanong ko.

"Don't worry, it's all good," pagpapalubag loob nito sa akin pero feeling ko, hindi ako makakampante sa mga salitang iyon lang. "Let's go meet them now... I believe they're already downstairs."

Dali-dali naman akong kumilos at inayos ko ang sarili ko. Sinuklay ko lamang ang buhok ko gamit ang daliri ko para hindi masyadong buhaghag. Wala akong taling dala. Naiwan ko 'yong isang pack ng hair ties sa drawer sa kwarto ko ro'n sa apartment namin ni Chini. Binalewala ko na lang din muna iyon saka ko sinundan ang boss ko palabas ng kwarto at tumungo pababa ng hagdanan saka hinanap ni BJH ang ingay na nagmumula sa kusina.

"Surfrise!" Bungad ni BJH nang makapasok ng kusina at makita ang kanyang mga magulang. (Surprise!)

His mother is shocked to see him na agad namang iniwanan panandalian ang ginagawa at niyakap nang mahigpit ang kanyang anak. I guess this is also the first time they've seen each other again after he left for the military almost two years ago. Hinawakan pa ng mother nito ang kanyang pisngi at tila ba pinanggigilan pa.

"Dangxineun jeongmalo jigeum namu darge boypnida." Kunot-noong tugon ng nanay nito habang hawak-hawak ang pisngi at sinusuri ang bawat parte ng mukha nito. (You really look so different now.)

"Ani, gruhge anha. Nan ghang du gwapodeassda." Ngisi pa nito. (No, it's not. I just became more gwapo.)

Bahagya namang natawa ang nanay nito at saka tumapon ang tingin nito sa akin. "Wow! Jelay's here with you?"

BJH chuckled and I smiled as she was also shocked upon seeing me. Nilapitan naman ako nito at hinalikan sa magkabilang pisngi at niyakap. I know she's half-Filipina so she could still understand and how that she's close to me because of our descents.

"She came back to fill in the job she left," sagot ni BJH.

"Really? That's great! And where's Chini?"

"She's back in Seoul," sagot BJH. "She's doing a lot of things there so she had to stay..."

"Oh, I see... but it would be nice if she would be here as well." Hagikgik pa ng mother niya.

"Amma, nanen dangxinyi yorihanen guti jigeum dangxineul fielyorohandago saenggakhapnida..." ani BJH. (Mom, I think you're cooking needs you now...)

Agad namang bumalik ang mother ni BJH sa kanyang pagluluto at saka lumapit sa kanya ang ama nito. Niyakap naman siya nito at tinapik ang likod. Ibang-iba mula sa higpit na nakuha niya sa kanyang nanay.

"Yeogi almanac isseul guya?" tanong nito kay BJH. (How long are you going to stay here?"

"Ajjermion saeha ihu... nanen asic ggerteul mornda." Kibit balikat na sagot ni BJH sa kanyang ama. "But don't worry, we won't be doing any bad things here. Raijine and I are only gonna have a quick holiday here before we go back to Seoul." (Maybe after new year's... I don't know it yet.)

"If that's what you're going to do, then enjoy." Ngiti pa nito sa kanyang anak. "Jelay almost brought me some heart attack early in the morning... but good thing we're already familiar with each other." Tawa pa nito.

Napangiwi naman ako kasi kung aalalahanin ko 'yong nangyari kanina, that was pure embarrassment. Wala siyang alam na nasa bahay nila kami tapos hindi pa ako sure kung iniisip niyang kasama ko si BJH no'n o hindi, but it seems like he didn't mind about it. Nakabalik din agad ako sa pagtulog ko kanina.

"Is that what you said to me earlier?" tanong ni BJH sa akin. Mas nanliit naman ang mata niya nang tingnan niya ako. Tumango naman ako para kumpirmahin 'yon. "I see... I thought you're just making it all up."

"Jigeum zarie anjeuseyo, urinen god meokeul gutipnida," anunsyo ng nanay ni BJH. Dali-dali naman kaming pwesto sa mesa at saka isa-isa nang inilalapag at inihahain sa mesa ang mga pagkain. Naamoy ko pa lamang ang mga iyon ay sobrang kumalam ang sikmura ko lalo na nang makita ko ang mga hinanda nito. "I'm sorry, Jelay. This is what I usually eat for breakfast... I know you wanted some sinangag or something."

Agad naman akong umiling. "No, this is very fine for me. I'm not that very picky and we didn't announce our presence earlier than today so it's fine... I mean, you cooked so delicious food and I've tasted it before so I'm sure it will just taste like home."

She giggled as if what I said is already fine to make her feel good. Gusto niya kasi akong paghandaan ng traditional Pinoy breakfast, but because we came here without informing them, hindi na sila nakapaghanda at hindi rin naman iyon ang ipinunta ko rito. I came here because BJH told me to and I'm just wondering how we would spend our days here while his work is waiting for him back in the city.

"You loved mom's cooking, right?" Napatingin ako kay BJH at saka tinanguan ko siya sa tanong niya. "That's why you also love me."

Hindi ko alam kung anong ire-react sa sinabi niya. Alam kong nag-init ang tainga ko ro'n kaya napayuko ako nang bahagya at nagsimula na lang din kumain. There's a bowl of rice, meat, cold soup cucumber, spicy seafood salad, and a radish strip kimchi.

It was a bountiful meal kaya nabusog ako nang matapos kaming kumain. His parents are kind and nice to me. Hindi nila ipinaramdam sa akin na ibang tao ako kahit na personal assistant lamang ako ng anak nila. We've met before kaya alam na nila kung paano ako pakisamahan at kung anong klaseng tao ako sa kanila. I never showed bad intentions towards them and their son kaya ang gaan lamang ng pakikitungo nila sa akin.

Feeling anak tuloy ang dating ko ngayon—though if people would put into the same situation as me, gugustuhin pa nilang maging jowa si BJH kaysa tawaging little sister. Though I wouldn't mind. Inaamin ko namang nagkagusto ako kay BJH, but that was a long time ago... yes, he's very much attractive, but the affections don't kill me anymore. Hindi na maaalis sa akin na boss ang tingin ko sa kanya at hindi isang crush o kung ano man.

As I left the kitchen and let BJH talk with his parents, lumabas muna ako ng bahay and just I walked out, natigilan ako at namangha na lamang sa nakikita ko ngayon. I haven't had the chance to see this view earlier this morning dahil sobrang dilim pa ng paligid, but seeing the blue vast sea, and smelling the sea water coming through with the wind, napapikit na lamang ako ng mata at huminga ng malalim at dahan-dahang iyong pinakawalan. Muli kong minulat ang mata ko at tumayo lamang ako sa porch habang nililibang ang sarili ko sa ganda ng tanawin.

"Enjoying the view?"

Napaigtad ako nang bumulaga si BJH sa tabi ko. Natawa na lang ito sa reaksyon ko.

"Oo, yeah... I'm loving the view," sagot ko sa kanya.

He nodded as if hearing me say it would be a kind of assurance for him. "Good to know that... and I'm sorry for dragging you here without a plan." Humugot naman ito ng malalim na hininga. "If you never asked, it's just that... life in the city pressures me and I feel like I can't do anything to my own terms—I feel like I'm in a puppet show and I'm that puppet that needs to be put on a show. It's just stressing me so much that I feel like I have to get away from the city... and my parents live here so I thought why not?"

"I see... I guess you deserved it then..."

He nodded and sighed. "Yeah, I guess so... military's hit me so hard, but I still pull it through. I made it out alive strong and a better person... but it seems like I had to meet some expectations once again... like how can I do that, right?"

"I may not know what you're dealing with personally, but we'll be here for you... and you don't have to meet their expectations or standards. Just be yourself, iyon naman talaga ang mahalaga, 'di ba? And maybe here in Jeju would help you cope up with everything... it takes time, but everything will be alright."

"Yeah, I thought so..."

"I mean Jeju's so beautiful so it will help you to forget everything or be at peace..."

"Do you want to see the city?" he asked. Mabilis naman akong tumango dahil gustong-gusto ko rin gawin 'yon. "We'll tell them about it and if they want something for us to buy... and please, don't tell Chini we're in Jeju alright?"

Tumango na lamang ako sa kanya at nang pumasok siya sa loob para magpaalam ay napangiwi na lang ako. Napakamot ako sa ulo ko kasi alam kong may tracker si Chini sa phone ni BJH so kahit hindi niya tanungin, she would already know where we are. I bet she's already planning her trip here in Jeju, but while she's not around, I'm going to have a trip with him in the city and I'm about to feel how to live on this beautiful island.

***

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Let me know your thoughts! I would appreciate it so much!

#BitterHolidaysInJeju13 #BHIJ13 #WTS6

Interact with me on Twitter >>> @Imjacobxoxo