~Oh Sehun~

Bago ko pa papasukin si Luhan dito sa study room ko, inayos ko na ang sarili ko at umupo sa aking swivel chair. I fixed it para nakatalikod ako sakanya. 

I turned all the lights off but let small amount of sun rays pass through the windows into the room. 

Napahawak ako sa kamay ko. Bat ako kinakabahan? 

I heard the door open and close. I fixed the robe around me, covering my body. 

"Let the lights off." i said. "Sit down." 

Narinig ko ang mabagal na footsteps ni Luhan. Maybe he's nervous, too. But the truth is, the nervousness i felt since i heard my name from him is more compared to what he is feeling right now. I'm sure of that. 

I felt his presence on my back. 

"Tell me about yourself." i murmured, trying to sound casual. 

He cleared his throat. "A-ako po si Lu Han. 18 years old. Senior student from Hao Min Academy." 

He stopped and i raised my eyebrow. Yun lang? 

"So, today, i want you to undergo an interview with me. Okay ba yun?" i asked. 

"Sure, Master." sagot niya. 

I smiled and sighed. 

"Who are you, Luhan?" i asked. And i'm more than curious to know him. "What's your life before coming here?" 

"Scholar po ako sa HMA." he answered. "Kapalit po ng scholarship na yun, nagsusulat po ako para sa school paper. Madalas po ako sa office, kaya wala po ako masyadong maikukwento sa inyo. Iningatan ko po yung scholarship na yun, Master Seth. I hate to stop my studies for this. May mga kaibigan din akong kailangang iwan." then he sighed. 

I narrowed my brows. Kailangang iwan? 

"Why?" i asked. "Hindi mo ba ginusto tong trabaho na to? Why did you apply?" 

He paused. 

"K-kasi po..." his voice broke. Then suddenly i heard his sniffs. 

I winced. Bat siya umiiyak? Did i do something wrong?

Napatingin ako sa kisame at hinintay ang pagtigil ng iyak niya, pero hindi nangyari yun. Naririnig ko ang paghikbi niya. And at the same time, i feel curious about his life. About who he is. 

"A-are you crying?" i immediately asked. "Luhan?" 

"S-sorry po." he answered and sniffed again. "Ang totoo pa niyan, hindi ko naman pinili tong trabaho na to." 

I felt my brows furrowed. "What? Then why are you here?" i asked. 

"Pinilit po ako ng Papa ko, Master." sagot niya. "Sabi niya, kailangan kong magtrabaho para sa kanya. Pero kung ako ang papipiliin, mas gusto ko pong mag-aral. Malapit na po ako eh. Malapit na po akong magtapos. Pero sabi niya, kailangan daw ng mabilis na pera. Malaki po kasi yung sahod dito, diba Master? Kailangan po ni Papa yun." 

I frowned in disgust. How could a father do that to his son?

Then suddenly i realized...

Mine did. Mine sent me away. 

"You could say no." i whispered. "You could just run away and never come back. Have your own life." 

Luhan forced a laugh. "Master, masama man yung Papa ko, mahal na mahal ko parin siya." he answered and i was surprised on how positive he sounded. "Marami man siyang pagkukulang sa akin, hindi ko hahayaan na ibalik sakanya yun. Mabait si Papa. Kulang lang sa pagmamahal." 

"Your mother?" tanong ko. "Wala siyang ginagawa?" 

He didn't answer right away. Then he sighed. "Wala na si Mama, Master." sagot niya. "Namatay siya nang... nang... ipanganak niya ako." 

I was stunned. 

I stared into the ceiling, not knowing what to say next. 

Luhan. It seems like, he have lots of things in mind. It seems like, he's in pain deep inside. Siguro hindi siya minahal ng Papa niya dahil akala nito, siya ang dahilan kung bat namatay ang asawa niya. I can say that Luhan's a loving person. Yet, no love was granted to him. 

And i don't know why that pains me. 

"I'm sorry." i manage to say and it's barely audible. 

I heard him shifting on his chair. "Thank you po." he answered. "But don't feel guilty, Master Seth. Masaya po ako dito." 

I felt myself smile. "Really? Then why are you so mad a while ago?" i asked. 

"P-po?" sagot niya. Clearly embarrassed. 

I smiled and tried not to chuckle. "Narinig kitang nagagalit tungkol dun sa... Oh Sehun ba yun?" i asked and crossed my legs. "What's it all about?" 

Hindi sumagot agad si Luhan. Hindi ko naman siya makita and i don't want to face him. "S-si Oh Sehun po?" tanong niya ulit. Halata ang kaba sa boses niya. 

I smiled wider. "Yes. That man." 

"Hindi siya 'man'." agad na sagot ni Luhan. There was a sudden hint of anger in his voice. I frowned and felt suddenly uncomfortable. Bakit siya galit sakin?

"He's not a man, Master." pabulong na sagot ni Luhan. Mukhang nahiya siya sa mabilis niyang sagot kanina. "Kasi, if he's a real man, he wouldn't act all immature and cruel." 

Napahinga ako. I can't believe he sees me that way.

"G-go on." i managed to say. 

"Oh Sehun. Siya yung tinawag na prince charming of HMA, kasama sina Park Chanyeol at Kim Jongin." explain niya. Yeah, i know. "Pero i don't see him that way. Para sakin, hindi siya prince kundi siya yung villain. Siya yung antagonist." 

I frowned. 

Hey! I'm not that bad! Wala nga akong maalala na may ginawa akong masama sakanya eh! This is so unfair! 

"Bakit, sinaktan ka ba niya in some way?" tanong ko. Hindi ko na pinansin kahit na medyo defensive yung way ng pagkakasabi ko. 

"Hindi, Master Seth." sagot niya then he sighed. "Ayoko lang yung paraan kung paano niya itrato ang mga tao sa paligid niya. Ayoko na nakakasakit siya. Ayoko na feeling niya, superior siya sa lahat. Ayoko na ginagamit niya yung fame and looks niya para sirain ang buhay ng ibang tao. Ayoko na pati kaibigan niya, kaya niyang talikuran para lang sa sarili niya. Ayoko na napaka-selfish niya. Ayoko lahat tungkol sakanya. Ayoko siya."

I gasped at what he said. 

I shook my head and closed my eyes. Am i really that bad? 

Why do people hate me? Akala ko, everybody adores me. Hindi pala. I was never liked. I was hated and never loved. 

"M-maybe he's in pain." i whispered. "Maybe he's not really that bad, Luhan. Maybe he just want some love." 

Luhan thought for a while. "Maybe." sagot niya. "But like him, everyone's fighting a battle we know nothing about. Pero hindi niya alam yun. At wala siyang pakialam."

He's right. I never cared for other people. I never showed love. 

"Do you hate him?" i asked. Kahit alam ko na yung sagot, gusto ko paring malaman ang sagot niya. 

He paused, as if thinking. 

"I don't hate, Oh Sehun, Master Seth." sagot niya sa wakas. "I just... don't like him. At pakiramdam ko, hindi na magbabago yun." 

I managed a smile. "Maybe you would." i said. "Maybe you would like him." 

Luhan laughed. And it's a beautiful sound. 

"Huwag na tayong umasa, Master." sagot niya. "Hindi na siya magbabago. Saka wala na siya, bigla siyang nawala. Sana nga, hindi na siya bumalik. Baka magsaboy nanaman ng kasamaan dito." then he laughed again.

I know it's a joke but...

Grabe naman! Masakit yun ah!

I don't know but i grinned at what he said. It sounds like a challenge. A challenge i think i can accept. 

"Let's see." i said then smirked. 

*****