IVAN

Naging suki na ng Almasen si Yuki mula noong araw na iyon. Consistent siya every Friday night, during my shift. What was odd was that ibang babae ang lagi niyang sinasayawan tuwing napunta siya sa VIP lounge.

"Your friend is starting to be famous here." Abala ako sa kakalinis ng baso nang hindi ko mapansing katabi ko na pala si Sir Rollo. "And he likes getting stripped."

"Hindi ko po siya kaibigan," I said as I was scrubbing the glass faster.

"Easy, baka mabasag ang baso."

Nagpalabas na lang ako ng mainit na hangin sa ilong ko. I put down the glass at ginawan ng maiinom ang susunod na customer after iwan ako ni boss.

Noong busy na ang lahat kasasayaw sa gitna. I tried removing my black apron and fixed my white longsleeves para lumabas at mag yosi.

I suddenly heard glass bottles breaking mula sa puwesto nina Yuki.

"Get off my girlfriend, you asshole!" sigaw ng isang lalaking naka-leather jacket. He pulled one of the girls out of Yuki's lap. Yuki was only wearing his maong jeans while on the sofa.

Yuki stood up habang dinuduro ang sumugod sa puwesto nila. "You're dating this guy? You can do better."

"Tarantado pala 'to, e!" Two other guys held Yuki by the arms sabay sinapak sa tiyan ng lalaking dinuro niya. "Ayan, tangina mo, ewan ko na lang kung hindi ka magtanda."

The bouncers came rushing in but Yuki was already curling on the floor. Hindi ko rin alam kung ano ang nakain ko because I suddenly found myself in Yuki's spot trying to help him up. The bouncers dragged the trespassers out of the bar while Sir Rollo helped me put Yuki on the sofa.

"Should we get an ambulance?" Sir Rollo asked. Another bartender came in with a first aid kit and a pack of ice.

"Huwag na please," umuungol na tugon ng kaklase ko. "I'll just go home. Just put it on my tab whatever damages they made so I can pay."

"Okay," sabi ni Sir Rollo. "Can any of your friends from before take you home?"

Napalingon ako sa buong VIP launge. There was an irritated look on my face dahil as expected, iniwan na nga lang siya ng mga so-called friends niya.

"They're probably scared, so they took off," paliwanag ni Yuki.

"What kind of friends were they?" tanong ni Sir Rollo. Yuki was just quiet. "Ang bata-bata mo pa, napapa-trouble ka na nang ganito." Sir Rollo turned his head on me and said, "Ivan, take the rest of the day off."

"Yes!" Hindi maipinta ang ngiti sa mukha ko. "Early out, the best ka boss!"

"Baliw, hindi ka uuwi. Take your friend to his house."

"Ba't ako?"

"Ikaw lang ang kakilala niyan dito."

"Hoy, unggoy," I turned to Yuki. "Call your parents or friends. Have them pick you up."

"Grabe ka sa 'kin. Parang hindi tayo seatmate."

"Nako, ginusto mo 'yan. Dial their numbers, dali."

Yuki handed me his phone. It had a crack on it. "Nadali ang screen ng phone ko kanina."

"Okay," Sir Rollo butted in. "Ivan, take him home now. I'll go get you a cab."

Hindi na ako pinasagot ni Boss. He ran towards the stairs while booking something on his phone.

"Sorry," Yuki's voice was faint.

I froze.

He sounded different.

Malayo sa maangas na boses niya lagi tuwing katabi ko. Malayo sa kaklase kong papansin tuwing kasama ko sa classroom. Malayo sa panay halakhak na binatang mapagbiro kasama ng mga kabarkada niya.

Malayo.

Sobrang layo.

"You can just leave me on the cab and I'll take it from there."

"Badtrip naman, o!" I was so frustrated. There was something in his voice that was pulling something from the back of my head. Hindi ko lang matukoy kung ano. Nakatayo na kaming pareho habang inaakay ko siya sa paglalakad. "Ang lakas maka guilt trip."

Hindi ko siya nililingon habang paalis kami sa lounge. But I knew that his swollen eyes were staring at me. And I knew he was smiling too. Ayoko siyang lingunin.

Natatakot akong makumpirma ang mga nasa imahinasyon ko.

***

I took him to my apartment. Sa mumurahing complex lang ako nakatira. Malapit sa school at sa Alamsen para sapat pa ang tulog ko.

Masinop sa pera ang tatay ko. He let me live alone and on my own terms, but he made sure that I knew how to handle my own finances before I went solo. God, naalala ko pa noong mga panahong he would drill his lectures in my head, kahit nasa bahay lang kami.

Kaya rin siguro ako namumuhay ngayon nang ganito. So that he could see if he could entrust me with something someday.

"Ang liit ng apartment mo, Boselli."

"E, bakit ba kasing ayaw mong sa inyo umuwi? Paniguradong mas malaki naman ang kung saang condo na tinitirahan mo."

Hindi siya agad nakasagot. There was really something about him today. Very different. It was as if he has put down the invisible walls na nasa pagitan namin dalawa.

"Sorry," he said again, sheepishly this time.

I sat him on a chair. My room was studio-type. Ilang hakbang lang mula sa kama ko ang kusina at nasa kabilang dulo ang banyo.

Nagtungo ako sa fridge upang kumuha ng yelo. Nakita kong itinataas niya ang damit niya upang aralin ang sugat niya malapit sa puson.

"Patingin."

There were some bruises on his abs, na tinatangka niyang takpan ng kamay niya. I grabbed a first-aid kit, dragged a monoblock, and sat in front of him.

"Patingin nga," saad ko. Lalo niyang tinakpan. "Patingin, sabi!"

"Aw!"

I was able to remove his hands. Medyo malaki nga ang pasa. I gave him some Ibuprofen to swallow. I took some antiseptic as I tried to clean the small cuts he got from being a punching bag kanina.

Padikit na ang bulak ko sa balat niya nang bigla niyang inagaw ito.

"I can do it by myself, thank you."

Huminga ako nang malalim pero ramdam ko ang pagpintig ng ugat sa ulo ko dahil sa ginawa niya.

"Fine," I finally said.

When he was done, I grabbed a gauze and was about to cover the wound.

"Boselli, ako na—"

"Can you let me please do this at least?" Medyo napalakas ang boses ko. Napakagat siya ng labi. Mabilis siyang tumango.

I nursed the guy. Sinisimulan ko nang tapalan ng gasa ang tiyan niya but I can't help but feel that he was staring at me this whole time.

Inangat ko ang ulo ko. I wanted to confirm if he was staring at me.

I was correct.

Nagtama ang mga mata namin.

He smiled. His smile made his eyes squint, which caused more pain to his already swollen eye.

"Aw, aw, aw, hapdi."

"Hold still." I held his chin. I cleaned the swelling parts of his eye just like I did with his tummy awhile ago.

He was staring at me again. Panay naman iwas ang mga mata ko.

Ngingiti ulit sana si unggoy nang sumakit na naman ang mata niya.

"Aray—"

"Huwag ka kasing ngumiti!"

"I can't help it. I'm with you."

Uminit ang mukha ko. Pinigilan ko ang ngiti ko. I wished he was as good at holding his smile as me. I grabbed the ice pack at nginudngod sa muka niya.

"Aw! Boselli! Masakit."

"Kakangiti mo 'yan, gago!"

***

That night, he was lying on a mattress below my bed. Kasya namin kami actually on my twin-sized bed pero he insisted to sleep below dahil nakakaistorbo na raw siya masyado.

There was a huge storm outside at medyo malamig sa buong kwarto. Mag-aalas dose na at hindi ako makatulog dahil may iba akong kasama. Hindi ako sanay.

I let Yuki wore my biggest shirt. Iyon lang kasi ang kasya sa kanya. Nakaunan ako sa mga kamay ko wearing my white sando habang siya naman ay natutulog sa baba.

Papikit na ako when I heard a chattering sound of teeth mula sa puwesto ng kaklase ko.

I looked at him.

"Azukawa?"

The dude was shaking. He was curling, habang nagbabanggaan ang mga ipin niya. Mabilis ko hinawakan ang kanyang noo.

"Hoy, nilalagnat ka!" Napabalikwas ako sa kama. "Wait, dadalhin kita sa ospital."

"N-no, t-teka." He suddenly grabbed my hand. "O-okay lang ako. G-giniginaw lang ako."

"Pero—"

"P-please, Ivan." That was the first time he called my name. And he was using his sheepish voice again. "I'm f-fine."

Napakamot ako ng ulo. "Sige, ganito. Go up in my bed, baka nalamigan ka masyado sa semento."

"P-pero paano ka?"

"I'll be the one to sleep there."

"H-hindi puwede 'yon, nakakahiya."

"It's okay—"

"No, Ivan—" he said my name again. Pangalawa na 'to. "Nabasa ko na ata ng p-pawis ang h-higaan mo."

Agad kong kinapa ang sapin. Basa nga ito ng pawis at tagos hanggang kutson.

"Fine," I sighed. "You're sweating. Naiinitan ka ba o nalalamigan?"

"I'm c-cold."

Maybe his fever came from too much shaking from the cold. Dapat pala noong una pa lang sa kama ko na siya pinahiga. Rich kid siguro talaga 'to at hindi sanay sa sahig natutulog.

I grabbed another shirt at pinapalitan ko sa kanya ang damit niya. Pinainom ko rin siya ulit ng gamot.

"Tumabi ka na sa akin or else magagalit ako."

He hesitated. Then he tried his best to keep his teeth from shaking.

"You s-ure, it's o-okay, Aiii-van?"

Third time. Why did it sound different when it came from his mouth? Why did my name feel different when he said it?

"Oo, ayos lang, Azu—"

"Y-yuki...Yuki na lang. 'W-wag na l-last name basis p-p-please?"

Ngayon, ako naman ang naiilang. Hinayaan ko na lang. Tumango ako. Kinagat ko ang loob ng pisngi ko.

"Matulog ka na Yuki."

Tinabihan ko na siya. Nakatingin ako sa kisame. Marahan ko siyang nilingon and he was staring at me again.

Alam kong gusto niya akong ngitian pero pinipigilan niya lang dahil sa blackeye niya.

Nakatulog na ako. But just after a few hours naramdaman kong nanginginig na naman sa lamig ang katabi ko.

I looked at Yuki, magkasalubong ang kilay niya habang giniginaw. Idinagdag ko ang kumot ko sa kanya. Buti na lang sanay ako sa malamig na kuwarto.

He stopped shaking a bit. Pero nanginginig pa rin ang mga ipin niya.

"Pambihirang kunsensya 'to," bulong ko.

Sa sandaling iyon, kusang gumalaw ang katawan ko.

I joined him under his sheets. I touched his forehead. He still felt cold.

I grabbed his arms.

I placed them around my body.

I let his skin touch mine.

Tinignan ko siya ulit. His teeth stopped from knocking each other.

My hands moved on their own and flattened his eyebrows.

Natigilan ako sa ginagawa ko. Napatingin ako sa kisame.

Ilang saglit pa ay humihilik na si Yuki.

Ilang saglit pa ay humihilik na rin ako.

***

I missed my morning alarm. I may have swiped it off dahil sa sobrang pagod.

Gladly, my best friend Andi rang my phone early in the morning.

I grabbed my Bluetooth earphones bago sinagot and video call niya. I was so sleepy I didn't know what button I was pressing.

Just a few minutes into answering her video call, biglang natitili si Andi sa kabilang linya.

I hear her scream, "A! MAGKATABI KAYONG NATULOG!"

Nasa back camera ang naka-on. Napindot ko dahil sa sobrang antok. My phone's camera was on Yuki's sleeping face. His hair was messy, his eyes looked so cute, he was like a painting.

Natutulog sa dibdib ko si Yukihero Azukawa.