Chapter 38

I woke up because of the sound from my phone. Naupo ako sa kama ko at kinuha iyong cellphone ko na naka-lagay sa nighstand. Austin Archangel's phone was flashing on the screen. My forehead creased upon seeing that it was 38 minutes past 4AM.

"Hello," I said upon answering the call.

"Hey..." sagot niya. "I know I woke you up."

"Good," I said. "Why are you calling right now?" tanong ko sa kanya dahil madaling araw ngayon. Mamaya pang 7AM ako dapat gigising. Pero ngayon na ginising niya ako, makaka-tulog pa ba ulit ako? O baka gising na ako buong araw? I was yet to find out.

"I know I said we don't need to meet before my flight but..." Huminto siya. "I need to see you one more time."

"Okay," I said.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Good," sagot niya. "I'm actually outside your house."

Tumayo ako mula sa higaan ko. Naglakad ako hanggang sa makarating ako sa veranda sa second floor. Nakita ko na nandoon nga si Austin Archangel sa labas ng bahay namin. He was standing outside his car. Nang makita niya ako ay kumaway siya sa akin.

"Lalabas ba ako?" I asked him because he only said na gusto niya akong makita. Nakita niya na ako ngayon. Hindi ko pa nasusubukan na lumabas ng bahay ng madaling araw. Tulog pa lahat ng tao sa bahay.

"Can you go out?" he asked.

"Hindi ko pa nasubukan," sagot ko dahil hindi ko alam kung pwede akong lumabas.

"Just stay there," sabi niya.

"Okay," sagot ko. "Ano'ng oras ang flight mo?"

"7:15," he said. "I should be on my way to the airport now."

I nodded. "Two hours before the flight ang check-in kapag international travel," I said.

"I'll take my chance," he replied. "I'm sorry for waking you up."

"I'm sorry, too," sabi ko dahil ngayon ay parang hindi na talaga ako makaka-tulog pagkatapos nito. Maaapektuhan kaya nito ang buong araw ko? Sanay naman akong gumising ng ganito kaaga... pero kailangan iyon dati dahil sa training. Ngayon lang ako nagising ng wala sa plano.

"Do you wanna go back to sleep?" he asked.

"I don't think I can," I replied.

Naka-tingin kami sa isa't-isa habang magkausap sa cellphone. The wind blew against my skin. Ang lamig. Sanay ako sa malamig, pero iba talaga iyong lamig kapag ganito na madaling araw. It's colder.

"Okay," he said. I heard him sighing. Medyo madilim at medyo malayo siya. I couldn't exactly see the expression on his face. But even from afar, matangkad pa rin siyang tignan. "I should leave."

"You should."

He chuckled. "I know..." he said. "I should've asked your parent's permission to bring you with me to the airport."

"Tulog pa sila."

"I know."

Hindi ako nagsalita. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang sasabihin ko. He wanted to see me—nandito naman ako. Naka-tingin lang siya sa akin. I could hear his steady breathing from the other end of the line.

"I'll miss you," he said.

"I will miss you, too," I replied because I figured that that's the expected response. And I would really miss him. I wondered if I would feel different later when he's in Japan. Nasanay ako ng dalawang linggo na kasama ko siya palagi. Would I feel any different? Was longing for someone real? Would I really feel a void because of his absence?

I wondered if I would feel the same sadness those leads in the movies and in the stories feel whenever the male character would leave the country...

"Go back in," sabi niya.

"Okay," I replied. Tumalikod ako at naglakad na pabalik sa bahay. I locked the door to the veranda and walked back inside my room. Naupo ako sa kama ko.

"I'll call you as soon as I'm able," he said.

"Okay," I replied.

"Sorry for cutting your sleep short. I know you need to wake up at 7AM."

Until now, the fact that he knew of my schedule and requirements still fascinate me.

"Take care. Have a safe flight."

"Thank you," he said. "I will talk to you later," he continued before ending the call. Ibinaba ko iyong cellphone ko sa nightstand. Pumunta ako sa CR. Pagbalik ko, nakita ko na mayroon siyang text.

'Again, sorry for disrupting your sleep.'

Hindi na ako nagreply. Kinuha ko iyong laptop ko at binasa ko iyong script. I added some comments on different scenes na sa palagay ko ay makaka-tulong kapag naging eksena na talaga siya. My imagination when I was writing was very vivid... I hoped I was able to translate it into words, but just in case that I wasn't able to do that, inilagay ko na lang sa comments.

My phone alarmed at exactly 7AM. Pagbaba ko ay nagtoast ako ng tinapay at nilagyan iyon ng peanut butter. I prepared my coffee. I quietly enjoyed my breakfast.

"What's your plan today?" Mama asked.

"Write."

"Hindi ka aalis?"

"No."

"Kamusta si Austin?" Papa asked.

I looked at the clock. It was 7:17AM. "He's on the plane right now," sabi ko. 7:15AM ang flight niya. If there's no delay, nagboarding na sila kanina. The plane's probably on the runway right now and on its way up in the air.

"Aalis siya?" Papa asked, his forehead creased.

"Japan," I replied. "He was offered a spot on a team. He's the only Filipino," I continued, relaying the information that Austin Archangel told me last night.

"Wow," Papa said. "Paano kayo niyan?"

Kumunot ang noo ko. "Paano kami?"

"Nililigawan ka niya, 'di ba?"

I nodded. "What about it?" I asked. Nililigawan niya ako. Nasa Japan siya. Was I missing something? Dapat ba nasa tabi ko siya? He's there for his career. Was I supposed to demand that he stays by my side? That sounded illogical.

"Nothing," Papa replied, smiling at me.

Hindi na namin pinag-usapan pa si Austin Archangel pagkatapos nun. Umakyat na ako at pinagpatuloy iyong paglalagay ng comment ko sa script. I was in the zone. Napa-tingin lang ako sa cellphone ko nang maka-rinig ako ng tunog mula roon. I saw a text from Austin Archangel telling me na nagland na siya sa airport. He was merely informing me. There was no need to need to reply, so I did not bother.

Dahil maaga akong nagising, mas maaga akong naka-tulog. The next morning, I saw a text from Austin Archangel asking me if I was up for FaceTime, but I was already asleep by the time he texted.

'Good morning,' I sent a message.

Bumaba na ako para mag-almusal. Pag-akyat ko sa taas ay naka-kita ako ng message mula kay George asking kung may free time ba ako ngayong araw para makapagmeet kami. I told her that I was free the entire day, but that I would prefer to be informed at least an hour in advance. We agreed to meet at 10AM at the café outside school.

I played with Blue and I forced him to take pretty pictures. I still needed to post dahil kapag hindi ay natatabunan ng comments ng mga mata iyong latest photo. I still did not understand kung bakit sila nagcocomment ng mata.

I prepared for the meeting. I wore a straight denim jeans, white Uniqlo shirt that I tucked in, white Converse lowcut sneakers, and my totebag na may line art ng pusa.

"Good morning," I greeted. I thought I arrived early because it was still 5 minutes to 10AM, but George was already there. Her hair was in a tight ponytail. Mayroong makapal na notebook sa harapan niya at mayroong black and blue ballpen 0.5mm ball needle point Energel pen doon.

"Good morning," she greeted back. "I already ordered coffee."

I nodded. "I will order mine," sagot ko sa kanya. Pumunta ako sa counter para umorder ng chocolate drink. Nang makuha ko iyon ay bumalik ako.

"Shall we begin?" she asked.

"Yes," I replied.

George discussed about the general plan for the project and then she proceeded to her expectations from me. She told me that whatever I wanted to see on the project, I should list them all down and give that list to her. If it's possible and if fits the vision, she will incorporate it in the adaptation. Kung hindi, she will discuss that with me. And once the production is ongoing, I could not just demand that something be changed because that would cause a hitch in the production. Kaya kung anuman ang gusto kong makita, ilagay ko na lahat sa listahan. She was very clear about what her expectations were. I was impressed.

While she was discussing what her vision for the project was, my phone vibrated. I looked at it and saw Austin Archangel's name.

"Do you need to get that?" she asked, looking at the phone.

"No," I replied and then went back to the discussion.

We started at 10AM and finished at 1PM. Nagpaalam ako nang matapos ang meeting namin dahil nasa labas na si Kuya Robert. Pagsakay ko sa sasakyan, kinuha ko iyong cellphone ko.

'Good morning. Just finished with the training. Do you have a minute?' His text was sent 2 hours ago.

'Hi. Pauwi pa lang ako,' I replied.

Hanggang maka-balik ako sa bahay ay walang reply galing sa kanya. Pag-akyat ko sa kwarto ay naglinis ako ng katawan. I went down to the kitchen to eat and then proceeded to play with Blue. Pagbalik ko sa kwarto ay sinimulan ko na iyong list na sinasabi ni George sa akin. Nakita ko na mayroon siyang sinend na template sa email, so I followed that.

At 9:21PM, Austin Archangel sent a message.

'Just finished with the training. FaceTime?'

'Okay.'

Inilagay ko iyong cellphone ko sa may cellphone holder. Thirty seconds later, he was calling and I answered that. Agad na nakita ko iyong mukha niya. His hair looked sweaty. There were beads of sweat around his forehead. It looked like he literally just finished with training.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi," I replied.

Then there was silence.

"Do you mind? I'm really hungry," sabi niya sabay pakita sa akin ng onigiri.

"Hindi ka ba nagdinner?" I asked because it's already 10:23PM in Japan dahil advanced sila ng isang oras.

"Early dinner, but I'm hungry again," sagot niya. "The training here is different."

"Mas mahirap?"

"Definitely," he replied. "What happened to your day?" he asked and I told him about what happened the entire day—from the moment I woke up to before he called me. "George seems very hands on."

I nodded. "She is. She even sent me a template para sa list na hinihingi niya."

"That's nice, right? At least you'll know everything that she'll expect from you."

"I know," I said, agreeing. I loved that she laid down everything I needed to do—that way, wala akong mamimiss. And Kaleigh said that George already won awards—I would learn a lot from her.

But then I yawned.

It had been a long day.

"Are you sleepy?" he asked.

"Kind of," I replied.

"Do you want to sleep?"

"Hindi pa," sagot ko sa kanya. "Iyan na ba ang dinner mo?"

"Thinking," sabi niya. "I don't have food in my room... and I don't want to go outside to get food."

"Mabubusog ka ba d'yan?" I asked because the onigiri looked lacking nang hawak niya iyon. Austin Archangel is a huge person. Kapag katabi ko siya ay pakiramdam ko ang liit ko.

"Not really."

"Then get food," I said.

He chuckled. "Okay, if you insist," he said and then I saw him turning. Tahimik lang kami habang naglalakad siya. And then he went inside 7-11. He flipped the camera to show me the food there and he made me choose kung ano ang kakainin niya. I could not choose since I did not know kung alin ang masarap doon, but Austin Archangel told me to just choose randomly. Against my free will, I chose a bento box with chicken and rice. I also told him to buy a large bottle of water.

Pagdating niya sa kwarto niya, inilagay niya iyong cellphone niya sa may table. I watched him as he walked around. His room looked clean, but I saw his opened luggage on the right side of the room.

"Hindi ka pa nag-uunpack?" I asked nang maupo siya sa harap ng phone. Binuksan niya na iyong bento box tapos iyong chopsticks.

"Not yet."

"When will you unpack?"

"The weekend?"

"Okay," I said. I thought the rule was to unpack as soon as you go to your room... Kapag umaalis kami, pagbalik ko ay inaayos ko na iyong gamit ko. I could not function while knowing that there's a luggage waiting to be unpacked.

"I will unpack tomorrow," he said.

"Okay," I replied.

Kumain na siya ng bento box niya. Hindi ako nagsasalita. It was weird watching him eat, but he seemed to be fine with it. Nang matapos siya ay inilagay niya iyon sa trash bin.

I yawned again. I normally could stay as late as 1AM, but I had been out today at kapag lumabas ako, mas mabilis akong mapagod at mas maaga akong natutulog.

"You're sleepy," he said.

"Yes," I agreed. My lids felt heavy. "You cannot sleep yet. Kailangan 3 hours bago ka matulog ang huling kain mo."

"Really?" he asked.

I nodded. "I would not lie about such a thing."

He chuckled. "Okay... but I don't think I can stay up for three more hours," he said. "But I'll keep that in mind the next time."

I nodded. "Good night."

He smiled. "Good night," he said. "Talk to you again tomorrow."

**
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