Nakaupo kaming lahat sa isang malaking table na pabilog. Among the guests and the visitors, ang table lang namin ang may malaking grupo. Kylo said that he prepared that particular table just for us. He knew that none of us wouldn't want to be seperated with others.

I was glad he did that. I don't have the strength to mingle with others. Kanina ko pa napapansing may mga gustong kumausap sa akin. I bet it's about business when they found out that I'm the owner of a big hotel chain. Maybe they were just waiting for an oppurtunity to talk to me kaya kanina pa ako hindi humihiwalay sa mga kaibigan ko.

I looked to the front where the bride and groom were sitting. The bride was smiling widely while Kylo was frowning. Katatapos lang magbigay ni Creed ng speech bilang best man at kung wala lang sa harapan, sigurado akong kanina pa pinaulanan ni Kylo ng mura si Creed dahil sa mga pinagsasabi n'ya.

Creed looked satisfied when he got off the mini stage. Pero hindi s'ya sa table namin dumiretso kundi doon sa buffet table kung nasaan ang mga pagkain. Wala sa sariling sinundan ko s'ya ng tingin. He talked to one of the staffs and I saw the staff shook his head. Napasimangot si Creed at muling bumalik sa stage.

"What's the fucker doing?" tanong ni Hunter sa tabi ko na nakatingin rin pala kay Creed.

Creed approached Kylo and he whispered something to his ear. Kylo shook his head but the fucker looked like he's convincing the groom to agree to what he said. Nakita ko ang inis sa mukha ni Kylo nang magsalita and even if I couldn't hear it, I bet that he cursed at him. Nakasimangot tuloy ang gago nang maglakad pabalik sa table namin.

"What happened?" I asked Creed he finally sat down on my left. I saw his wife looking at him beside him, waiting for his answer.

"Ayaw akong bigyan ng lumping shanghai," he said with a deep frown on his face. Mukhang masamang-masama ang loob dahil hindi napagbigyan.

I heard Hunter let out a chuckle. Natawa na rin ako.

"Fucker! Mamaya pa ang kainan!" Hunter said.

"I know," nakasimangot pa ring sabi ni Creed.

"Kinausap mo si Kylo?" I asked. Maybe that's what he whispered to him earlier.

"Oo, pero hindi pumayag," halata ang pagtatampong sabi n'ya. "Isa lang, eh. 'Kala mo naman uubusin."

"Hindi nga ba?" naunahan ako ni Death na itanong 'yon.

"That's definitely a lie," Eresh said with a smirk.

"Kaya nga. Hindi ka makukuntento sa isa lang. Baka maubos mo pa lahat ng lumpia, Creed," his wife said beside him. She looked worried.

"Just wait na lang till it's eating time na," Artemis said.

Creed sighed. Masama ang loob na sumandal sa upuan n'ya.

"Paano kung maubos? Buffet pa naman," he said with a worried look on his face. "Buti pa nu'ng kasal ni Helios. Hindi mahigpit. Lumpia lang, eh."

"Hinigpitan talaga ni Kylo siguro ngayon dahil sa 'yo," nang-aasar pang sabi ni Hunter.

Napangisi ako at umiling na lang. Creed's obsession for lumpiang shanghai hasn't change. For every celebration that we attended, iyon talaga ang unang hinahanap n'ya sa handa. And if he can't find it? He'll say that it's not a real celebration if there's no lumpiang shanghai.

I looked around the place. We were at the resort. Kylo rented the whole place for their wedding reception. Sa gitna ang isang malaking pool at ang mga table at upuan ay nasa gilid. Then there was a mini stage at the front for the program. Kanina pa nakaupo doon ang bride at ang groom. There was a host who was trying to entertain the crowd.

It was a big celebration. Sa unang tingin pa lang, halatang pinaghandaan at pinagkagastusan ang lahat. From the wedding, the entourage, and until here at the reception. There were a lot of guests. Mga naglalakihan at kilalang mga personalidad. I know as I already met some of them at business parties that I've attended.

I heard from Creed na nagtalo pa ang bride at ang groom tungkol doon. As the best man, he helped Kylo with the preparation. Ang sabi pa ng gago, akala n'ya daw ay hindi na matutuloy ang kasal dahil nga nagtalo pa ang dalawa. Tarantado talaga.

The bride wanted to have a simple wedding while Kylo wanted something big. He wanted to give her the best. To give her everything. Mukhang gustong bumawi sa pitong taong nagkahiwalay sila.

I looked at the two people who were the center of attraction that night and stared at them. Kylo was whispering something to his bride. Nakita ko ang pagsimangot ng babae habang malaki naman ang ngisi ni Kylo. But after a while, the bride finally smiled as she rolled her eyes at him. Kylo looked like he chuckled before he planted a kiss on her cheeks.

The two looked happy. I never imagined I would be seeing Kylo with this expression. Ibang-iba sa nakasama ko sa mga misyon. Ibang-iba sa Plutus na nakilala ko. Even from the distance, I could see how his eyes glint with happiness as he looked at his wife. It was so new to me.

I could still remember when he said na hindi raw s'ya magpapakatanga sa babae. Wala sa sariling napatawa ako. Mga gago yata ang mga kaibigan ko. Madalas kinakain ang sinasabi. Ang aga kasing nagsalita ng mga tarantado.

I see Kylo as someone who doesn't have the will to fix his life. He was someone who will just go with the flow. Like he's not hoping that something will happen that would change his life for the better.

Now, I'm glad... It looked like he had found that someone.

"Codee! You're not allowed to drink wine or any alcohol! Buntis ka."

Naagaw ang atensyon ko nang marinig ang boses ni L. Hindi masyadong nagsasalita si L kaya napapatingin talaga ako kapag nagsasalita na s'ya. And it looked like he caught everyone at the table's attention too.

"Sorry, L. Nakalimutan ko..." Codee said as she put down the glass of wine on the table.

L sighed. Napasandal s'ya sa upuan habang nakatitig sa asawa n'ya.

"Mag-ingat ka naman, Codee. Buntis ka. You should worry for our child's safety as well," he said.

Codee looked like she was on the verge of crying when L scolded her. Nagulat ako doon. I know that she's a soft one but not this soft na pinagsabihan lang ni L ng kaunti ay maiiyak na.

"Sorry... Nakalimutan ko lang talaga." Her lips even quivered. "It won't happen again."

"I'm sorry too," L said. Mas mahinahon na ngayon. "Nag-alala lang ako."

Codee sobbed. L took a deep breath before he pulled his wife for a hug. He kissed her hair as he tried to comfort her.

Napakunot ang noo ko habang nakatingin sa dalawa.

"Well, that looks complicated," hindi ko na mapigilang ikomento.

Creed looked at the two. Natatawa s'yang nang tumingin sa akin.

"Ganyan talaga ang mga buntis. Mas malala pa nga d'yan si Maria," he said. "Na-late lang ako ng isang minuto sa pag-uwi galing trabaho, umiiyak na. Akala iniwan ko na raw."

Napasimangot si Fatima dahil sa naging kwento ng asawa. I noticed her cheeks were red because of embarassment. Natawa naman si Creed at nilambing ang asawa na ngayon ay nagtatampo sa ikinuwento sa lahat.

"Eresh was different as well," Loki suddenly butted in. "Mas naging masungit pa."

Eresh looked at him in disbelief.

"So you're saying that I'm masungit?" she looked offended when she asked her husband.

"Hindi mo alam?" natatawang tanong ni Creed kaya nakatanggap s'ya nang matalim na tingin mula kay Eresh. 

"I'm not fucking talking to you, stupid lumpia glutton," she hissed and Creed just laughed at her.

"Artemis was sensitive," Hunter said. He smiled at his wife who was frowning at her. "But I just love her more because of that.

"Si V naman naging moody," Death said. "Lalo na kay Crimson."

 Natawa ako nang umirap sa kanya si V.

"Kung pag-usapan n'yo kami parang wala kami sa harapan n'yo, 'no?" she even said.

"How about having kids?" I asked. Curiosity was eating me. "Lahat kayo may anak na at magkakaanak n'ya. I heard it was like having a whole new world."

"Yeah, tell me about it." Loki chuckled. Mas dumoble pa 'yon nang irapan s'ya ni Eresh.

"It was frightening... and exhausting," Hunter admitted. "Lalo na at madalas mag-away 'yung kambal."

"Yeah, exhausting pero masaya," Creed said. Tumingin s'ya sa asawa n'ya at ngumiti. "I couldn't be any happier having my family."

They continued the topic, exchanging stories about their wives and kids. I couldn't bear to just listen with their stories kaya iginala ko na lang ang paningin ko, iniiwasan ang tingin ng mga taong gustong kumausap sa akin about business. The topic at the table was killing me pero hindi ko magawang umalis sa upuan ko.

I noticed Ravi who was wearing a white long sleeve polo with black suspenders connected to his black pants. There was a black bow tie on his neck. He was running towards our direction at napangiti ako nang makalapit s'ya.

"Hey, champ," I greeted him. Kinarga ko s'ya at pinaupo sa mga hita ko. "You okay?"

He nodded before he looked up at me.

"Can I stay here, Tito Lucius? Ang boring po kasing kasama nina Lola at Lolo," he said that made me laugh.

Napatingin ako sa pwesto kung nasaan ang mga magulang ng mga ikinasal. I was sensing an awkwardness between them but they were casual with each other. Nag-uusap naman pero nandoon pa rin ang ilangan. Maybe Ravi couldn't keep up with them anymore kaya nagpunta na dito.

"Sure," I said.

He beamed at me. "Thank you, Tito Lucius! You're the best!" he said as he took out a phone to play.

Natawa ako sa sinabi n'ya. Binalingan naman s'ya ng iba pa naming kasama. They tried to entertain him but Ravi looked like he was more interested playing with his phone. Hindi na rin s'ya inistorbo ng iba at bumalik na sa kanya-kanyang kwentuhan.

Kylo and Jean joined us at the table when it's already time to eat. Inasikaso rin si Ravi habang kumakain. Nagkaroon tuloy ng pagkakataon si Creed na magreklamo dahil dalawang lumpiang shanghai lang ang natanggap n'ya.

"Sa 'kin na lang mga lumpia n'yo. 'Di n'yo naman kakainin 'yan," he even said.

"Sino may sabing hindi namin kakainin?" Hunter asked as he chuckled.

"Ang kuripot naman kasing magbigay! Dalawang lumpia lang? Really?" si Creed na halatang pinaparinggan si Kylo. But the groom was enjoying talking to his wife.

"Sa 'yo na lang 'yung akin, Creed," Fatima said but Creed shook his head.

"Hindi. Hindi ka dapat mawalan ng lumpiang shanghai. Okay lang 'yung iba, 'wag lang ikaw."

I chuckled. Tarantadong 'to. He's making it seem like lumpiang shanghai is the best dish in the world.

"You can have mine," I offered. Para lang matapos na.

Creed looked at me. He looked surprised. Pero maya-maya, kulang na lang ay kuminang ang mga mata dahil sa tuwa.

"Fucker... Hindi mo alam kung gaano mo pinasaya ang gabi ko," he said. Natawa na lang ako sa katarantaduhan n'ya.

We continued eating again. Nagkaroon ng kanya-kanyang topic ang mga nasa table. The bride and Eresh were talking. I bet it was something about the gown. While their husbands were talking as well. Ang iba ay ang mga asawa na ang kausap nila.

I looked at them, one by one. I saw the happiness on their face. They were enjoying the party. While I could feel the exhaustion slowly enwrapping my body.

Kaya naman nang makauwi ako, ramdam na ramdam ko ang pagod ko. Not just physically. Something inside me was exhausted as well.

Kanina, bago pa magsimula ang kasal, ang gusto ko na lang gawin ay umuwi at magpahinga. I just endured attending the reception as Kylo is my friend. I know that he was expecting me to attend his wedding. At nakakahiyang magpaalam na umuwi sa gitna ng kasiyahan kanina.

I tried drinking alcohol earlier with my friends, hoping that I would enjoy the party too. But to no avail. Mas lalo lang bumigat ang pakiramdam ko dahil doon.

Hindi ko pa ramdam ang pagod kanina. But now that I'm alone, it was the only thing I could feel. Plus the feeling of being alone in this dark and quiet condominium unit.

Pakiramdam ko ay naubos ang lakas ko sa pagpapanggap na makisama sa mga kaibigan ko. Sa pagpapanggap na masaya ako para sa kanilang lahat. When all I could feel was bitterness and envy. They all looked happy while I'm different. I was so different compared to them. Kitang-kita ko iyon kanina habang kasama ko sila.

I felt so out of place. Pakiramdam ko, hindi ako nababagay sa lugar na 'yon kaya gustong-gusto kong umuwi na lang. Nagkakasiyahan ang lahat. Masaya ang lahat. While I'm not.

I felt so alone. Kanina. Pero lalo na ngayon.

I smiled bitterly. Naalala ko ang mga mata ng mga kaibigan ko kanina habang kasama ang mga asawa nila. The look on Kylo's eyes as he looked at his bride.

I wonder if I could be like them too. If something like that could happen to me too. If I could feel happiness again.

But I doubt it...

I know. 'Cause the only person who gave me happiness was now gone.