"I'm Hwangtimental. Please, remember my name."

Do you know how it feels when a doctor suddenly says "You have a cancer and just a day to live."? No? Me too. I'm too shocked to even feel something right now.

"Are you kidding or are you just kidding?" You see, his name is just...  just... Ugh.

"Are there any other choices?" mapanlokong tanong nito habang nakaabot pa rin yung kamay niya.

"None... and I'm not taking that hand unless you show me your birth certificate right here, right. now."

I heard him chuckle. Nahiya na rin naman ako sa kamay niyang kanina pa nakaabot kaya naisipan kong tanggapin na lang din iyon.

"Hwang. Minhyun." Madiin na sabi niya at hindi ko alam kung bakit kusang tumigil yung kamay ko sa ere dahil sa sinabi niya.

Hwang Minhyun.

Hwang Minhyun.

Hwang Minhyun.

"I hope you'll remember it." Pahabol nito. An image suddenly flashed in my mind. It's a man wearing pink sweater while singing in a sort of a stage. I don't know. It's blurry. I can also see four other silhouettes on his left.

Umiling-iling ako para tanggalin yun sa utak ko. What was that?

"Okay!" Nabalik ako sa wisyo nang inabot nito ang kamay ko. "Nice meeting you, Nabelle." He smiled brightly as he shooked my hand. I'm having mixed feelings. I'm too confused that I just nodded at him, turned around and started cleaning. Hindi ko na siya nilingon.

Nagfocused lang ako sa paglilinis hoping na mawala sa isip ko yun. But I failed when I heard him sing.

i biga
meoli wilo ssod-ajimyeon

My heart suddenly sanked as his sweet voice echoed throughout the room. Kumakanta lang siya habang naglilinis at wala siyang pakialam sa paligid. Hindi niya napapansin na may nakatanga ngayon sa gilid dahil sa ganda ng boses nito. His singing voice is too clean and relaxing.

heumppeog jeojgo malgessjyo
nae ma-eumdo

Walang bahid ng roughness. It's too sweet like a honey. He has an angel's voice. I swear. I don't know what's the best adjective to describe his voice but one thing is for sure, it's making my heart flutter even though the song sounds sad.

Natigil lang ako sa delusyon ko ng bigla na namang bumukas yung pinto. Parehas kaming napatingin doon at muntik na akong napamura sa nakita ko.

"Siopao!" Napatakip ako sa bibig ko nang tumingin silang dalawa sa akin.

"Siopao?" Nagtatakang tanong ni Minhyun.  You want---" Napatigil ito nang makitang nakatitig ako sa taong nasa pinto at bigla na lang siyang tumawa. "Haha. Ah. I see." Bwisit. Even his laugh is too sweet.

"She said you're siopao." saad nito sa taong nasa pinto. Hindi ako makapagsalita. If minhyun embodies gorgeous + handsome fave, this man embodies a cute + cute + handsome face. No kidding. His cheeks says everything. He's cute!

"Siopao~ Siopao~ Siopao~" Nagtaasan kilay ko dahil biglang nagsway-sway siya habang binibigyan ng melody yung siopao at nagtatakbo sa kwarto habang hawak-hawak ang cheeks nito. Si Minhyun naman umiling-iling lang habang tumatawa. What the heck?

Mas lalo akong naweirduhan ng bigla na lang itong tumigil sa harap ko tapos nagpipigil siya ng tawa. His front teeth are showing kahit pilit itong nagpipigil. I can see his embarassment habang palipat-lipat ang tingin niya sa akin at kay Minhyun.

"Okay ka lang?" ang tanging lumabas sa bibig ko dahil mukhang matatagalan pa bago siya makarecover.

"Jaehwannie's upset." Mas lumakas ang tawa ni Minhyun habang pumapalakpak at sinasabayan ng "Woooooh!" dahil sa ginawa ng kasama niya. May side palang ganyan si Minhyun.

Paano naman kasi. He said "Jaehwannie's upset" with a nasal voice animo'y nagpapacute. Or is he?

"I'm IFEV." Nakangiti itong inabot yung kamay niya at kusang nangunot ang noo ko. IFEV what?!

"I...what?" What's with Hwangtimental and IFEV? I sighed due to frustration. Napansin ko namang lumapit sa amin si Minhyun. Tinignan ko silang dalawa at pinahalatang wala.akong.maintindihan.

"She's confused. Just tell her your name bago pa niya maisipang umalis dito." He's right. He knows what I'm going through right now. Konting-konti na nga lang natitirang brain cells ko, uubusin pa---

"Hwang Jaehwan. At your service." Hwang? Tinignan ko si Minhyun. Nakangiti lang siya. Alam kong alam niyang lumisan na yung brain cells ko but he's not saying anything.

"Kapatid ko siya." Nabaling naman tingin ko kay Siopao.

"If you're lying, lagot cheeks mo sakin." Banta ko sa kanya pero hindi siya natinag at tinignan lang ako na parang sinasabing "I'm telling the truth."

Napansin ko namang may sinesenyas si Minhyun. Umiiling siya habang nginunguso si Jaehwan. Nagets ko naman sinasabi niya at bago pa makatakbo si Jaehwan

"Aww. Aww. Stop!" Sigaw nito. I'm pinching his cheeks right now. Kanina ko pa gustong gawin sa kanta to and this is my only chance that's why sinusulit ko na.

"I told you. Lagot cheeks mo sakin." Nagpupumiglas pa rin siya sa hawak ko. Umaaray pa rin siya pero natanga na naman ako ng bigla siyang tumawa. It's a high pitched laugh again. Naalala ko yung tumatawa kanina sa kabilang bahay bago ako pumasok but it's different. Mas mababa konti yung tawa ni Jaehwan but it's still that high.

Umalingawngaw tawa nito sa kwarto kasabay ng pag-alingawngaw din sa utak ko ng tawang narinig ko lang din kanina. And again, I can see images. May dalawang tao. Tumatawa sila. It's loud but not irritating. Nakaupo yung isa at yung isa nakablindfold. I can't see their face but I know na yung nakablindfold it's him. It's Jaehwan.

Binitawan ko siya at napaupo sa sahig. Sumasakit na naman ulo ko. Mula pa kaninang pagdating ko, kung ano-anong pumapasok sa utak ko at hindi ko rin maintindihan kung bakit ganito ang nararamdaman ko. I feel empty and sad. Parang may kulang sa akin and I don't know what it is.

Naramdaman kong lumapit silang dalawa.

"H-hey. You okay? I'm sorry." rinig kong sabi ni Jaehwan. Si Minhyun nakahawak lang sa balikat ko.

"Ikaw kasi. Pinairal mo na naman yang pagiging mythomaniac mo."

Mythomaniac?

"Aaaaah!" Mas lalong sumakit yung ulo ko. May lumalabas na namang mga imahe pero ayoko. I keep on shouting para lang mawala yun. I can hear them both talking pero wala na akong maintindihan.

"Call Jisung, Jaehwan. Right now."

"Nabelle. Look at me." I just keep on shouting. He's trying to remove my hands dahil nakatakip yun sa mata ko.

"W-why...? Why am I in pain?" ang tanging nasabi ko sa kanya. "Minhyun. What is this pain? Bakit ko nararamdaman tong mga to?" Nakita ko ang gulat sa mga mukha nito nang tinignan ko siya.

This is the same feeling whenever I wake up in the morning. Everytime na nagigising ako, I find myself crying and I know it's because of a dream. A dream that I can't even remember.

Naramdaman ko ang pagyakap niya sakin while rubbing my back.

"Ssh. It's okay. It's okay. We're here."

He's warm and it's comforting me. I am still crying pero unti-unti nang nawawala yun. I felt weak and my eyes are slowly closing.

"I'm covered... in...dust." ang tangi ko na lang nasabi bago ako mawalan ng malay.

...

"What did I tell you! I told you to be careful!"

I can hear someone shouting. What happened?

"And you Kim Jaehwan, let me beat you up. Come here you dumpling!"

"Anong ginawa ko? Tumawa lang naman ako!"

Kim Jaehwan? So it's Kim. Why did he say Hwang tho? Are they married?

I tried opening my eyes at tumambad sa akin si Jaehwan na hinahabol ng isa pang lalake. Si Minhyun nakaupo sa isang upuan na malapit lang sa kinahihigaan ko.

Nilibot ko ang tingin ko. I don't know this place pero similar yung setting niya sa kwartong nililinisan namin kanina...The heck! Diko pa nalilinis yung kwarto!

Dali-dali akong bumangon pero nabalik ako sa kama when someone pushed me back gently.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"M-minhyun."

"You feeling okay?" Napatango na lang ako habang pinipilit umupo though nahihilo ako konti.

"Gising na siya?" Lumapit din si Jaehwan sa akin. He squatted in front of me at tinignan ako ng mabuti.

"Sorry. Hm?"

"Pfft." Napatakip ako sa bibig para pigilang tumawa. He's pouting while saying sorry for goodness sake.

"Araaay! Hyung!" Reklamo nito sa lalakeng humampas sa likod nito. Siya yung humahabol sa kanya.

"May pa-Hwang Jaehwan, Hwang Jaehwan ka pa kasi. Introduce yourself properly."

I can see a motherly side of him. My instinct says that he's older than them and I can see a leader vibe in him looking at how he's talking Jaehwan right now.

"Nabelle." Nabaling ang tingin ko kay Jaehwan. He even cleared his throat bago nagsalita ulit. " I'm Kim Jaehwan. Please, remember my name too." Inabot nito ang kamay niya. Hindi ko na ring napigilang ngumiti at inabot ang kamay nito for a handshake. Nakita ko ring ngumiti si Minhyun. Then lumapit naman yung isa pang kasama nila sa akin.

"I'm Jisung. Yoon Jisung. I'm their oldest. Hope you'll remember me too." He then suddenly flashed his smile which made my heart flutter again. Kusang ngumiti ang mga labi ko sa nakikita. He's smiling brightly and it's making me happy. Dagdagan pang mas lalong sumingkit ang mata nito nung ngumiti. He offered a handshake and I accepted it while still looking at his face. I can look at it the entire day because it's refreshing.

"I'm sorry for what happened earlier." Natigil ako sa pagi-ilusyon nang magsalita si Minhyun. Umiling lang ako at sinabing wala yun.

"The room!" Bigla kong naalala yung kwartong pinapalinis ni Lola.

"Nabelle! Wait! We..." Hindi ko na sila nilingon at mabilis na lumabas ng kwarto and as I expected I came out from the room next to MY room. Inangkin na agad kahit diko pa tapos nilinisan.

Binuksan ko iyon pero napanganga ako sa nakita ko. Naramdaman ko naman ang pagdating nung tatlo sa likod ko pero diko na sila natignan dahil hindi ko maalis ang tingin ko sa kwarto.

"Gaano ako katagal tulog?" sambit ko sa kanila.

"Three hours!" masiglang sagot ni Jaehwan.

"You like it?" Nabaling ang tingin ko kay Minhyun habang nakanganga pa rin. He's referring to the room not the three hours sleep.

"You did this?" Tumango-tango silang tatlo. "In three hours?"

"Yes!" sagot nilang tatlo.

"Don't say "Yes" with us, Jaehwan. You hardly didn't do anything." saad ni Jisung kay Jaehwan which made me chuckle a bit.

"Waaah." I entered the room. Naayos na yun. Ibang-iba itsura kaninang nilinisan pa lang namin. Wala kang makikitang kahit ni anong alikabok. Napalitan yung kurtina. Lahat ng furnitures nalinisan at naayos na. I won't describe every little thing in this room but one thing I can say is that it's perfectly cleaned and fixed.

"Thank you." Thank you really. Though nahihiya ako kasi ako inutusan ni Lolang maglinis pero silang tatlo ang gumawa.

"Anything for our Nabelle!" sabay-sabay na naman nilang sambit. Ngumiti na lang din ako pero nawala din agad.

"Wait."  I looked at them seriously.

"W-what?" sagot ni Jaehwan.

I didn't really think about kanina nung si Minhyun nagsabi dahil lutang ako. For all I know, I haven't mention it to them. But now, to think about it,

"How did you know my name?"

To be continued