XX

Chapter Twenty

Really. There was really a reason for everything.

Iba ang naging pakikitungo sa akin ni Jimin nitong mga nakaraang araw, kahit noong hindi pa nangyayari ang pag-amin sa akin ni Jungkook at pagkikita nina Daddy at Jimin ay may iba na talaga sa kaniya.

He had never forgotten to text me which suddenly happened those times. Every time he would have something to do, which would be just about our mission, he would always make sure to text me, to inform me so I wouldn't end up just guessing his whereabouts and escapades. We were just too caught up with each other that we always wanted to know each other's time to time activity. We were inseparable even when not in each other's side.

Pinalagpas ko iyong nangyari nitong nagdaang mga araw kasi may sarili rin akong issues na kinakaharap. My life was suddenly thrown into a very confusing and troublesome havoc that was too difficult and very strange for me to handle. So I let him slide, so I let him do everything he pleased just so he also gave me my space.

I both had given each other's space from each other.

"Natatakot ako sa mga iniisip mo."

Mula sa pagkakatulala dahil sa layo ng nilalakbay ng utak ko ay napatitig ako sa lalaking kaharap ko na prente lang na nakasandal sa upuan niya habang nasa bibig ang hawak niyang tinidor. His red full lips prettily and very softly had the lucky metal sandwiched in between, making other things envy it.

On our table were two servings of blueberry cheesecakes and each of our choices of drink, mine was a tall glass of avocado fruit juice while he had his espresso. Siya ang um-order ng lahat ng ito dahil masyado akong wala sa sarili ko kanina para pumili ng makakakain.

Who could eat peacefully in this kind of situation? Siya lang naman dahil wirdo siya.

He was even very excited for a guy who had something serious to talk about with while striding inside the cafe earlier, even skipping at his ground. Para siyang bata kanina na excited na excited nang kumain.

I almost felt like babysitting a kid.

Kung mayroon lang talaga siyang filter, like I could just filter him to a serious and normal guy so I wouldn't have to handle a weird guy in the middle of this messed up and confusing situation.

"Since when did you know about them, Taehyung?" mariin kong tanong dahil hindi nakakatulong ang presensiya niya ngayon at ang katotohanang may alam siya.

Bumuntong-hininga siya saka ibinaba ang tinidor sa tissue'ng nasa tabi ng platito niya saka umayos ng upo. He casually leaned on the table, his arms prompted against the flat surface and his hands held each other while staring intently at me with his deep hooded eyes and lips pressed in a thin line.

Gone was the child-like attitude he just had, should I be thankful or get scared?

He would always be so mysterious for me, not because I couldn't cope up with how the way his mind ran but because of all the things he knew to himself that could probably regard everyone's life. Including mine's and Jimin's… or even Jungkook's.

Seriously, ano ang mga nalalaman niya? The feeling of not knowing what he knew scared me.

"Ever since it started…" He swallowed first the obvious congestion in his throat before continuing. "I actually know a lot that it scares me, I'm afraid of the possible measures this will seriously take if this would continue, Hannan… so you should stop."

My eyes instantly landed on his fist when I saw his arms flex on top of the table. His fists to each other were tightly closed as if he was just restricting himself from doing something he would really regret after, muscles from his lightly tan arms showing vividly.

No, Taehyung Kim would never hurt me. Hindi iyon. Pinipigilan niya ang sarili niyang ilahad sa akin ang mga nalalaman niya. At ngayon, parang binahagian niya ako ng takot na nararamdaman niya dahil napalitan na ng takot ang inis at litong nararamdaman ko kanina.

What could make Taehyung Kim terrified? There was a lot of terrifying possibilities and I didn't even want to think about them.

Nag-iwas ako ng tingin at tumitig na lang sa kabuuan ng The Min's café. This café's owned by Min Industries, Kuya Yoongi's family's property, isa lang ito sa dami ng mga pag-aari nila since they were also known in this industry, aside from they held the biggest security company in the Philippines. They also had various cafés and shops around the country other than their restaurant chains.

The Min's, that was what they called their establishments.

Taehyung's eyes were too deep, they were almost showing me the contents of his mind and that was what I was afraid of. I was afraid of what might he know. I was afraid to see the secrets Jimin and I had been hiding from them on his pair of deep hooded eyes. I was afraid of what he would have to say about it if ever.

Not like he would be pleased! We were doing something that wasn't pleasing!

"Kilala mo si Jimin, Taehyung. He's a playboy, his expertise is playing with girls. T-This isn't new a-anymore…" Lumunok ako nang mahuli niya ang mga mata ko na para bang tinatantiya ang bawat mga salitang lalabas sa bibig ko. "Though I'm u-upset because he didn't tell me about this. You know, h-he always tells m-me—"

Mariin akong pumikit at kusang huminto dahil hindi ko na kinakaya ang pressure na dala mga titig niya. He was making me feel very anxious and I hated him for doing this to me!

Napaka-cozy at cool naman talaga kasama ni Taehyung, isa siya sa mga gusto kong kasama dahil masayahin siya, minus his weird persona pero hindi ngayon. He was showing me his mysterious side that I couldn't cope up with.

Humalukipkip ako tulad ng parati kong ginagawa kapag gusto kong pangunahan ang sitwasyon.

"Will you please stop looking at me like that! It's u-uncomfortable!" I whisper-yelled at him 'cause I also didn't want to get attentions here.

"Jungkook." Muli siyang sumandal sa upuan niya, hindi pa rin ako nilulubayan ng tingin.

Damn, what could he be thinking? And why would he include that jerk in the middle of all this?

"What about that jerk?" kunot-noong tanong ko dahil hindi ko makita ang tamang pagkakataon para ipasok niya ngayon sa usapan namin ang salbaheng iyon.

I had had enough of my sister's nonstop mention of the jerk, I wanted a break!

"I heard, he likes you—"

"And I hate him! Puwede ba? Just tell me since when Jimin and Pauline Alveoli have started dating secretly? When? How?" Nawala ang kaba at takot na nararamdaman ko at muling bumalik ang inis ko pero sa pagkakataong ito, para kay Taehyung na.

His face didn't show any emotion, he continued staring intently at me while now playing his lower lip with the long fingers of his right hand. The way he stared made my heart run a wild feast inside.

Here was with me the center of attention of every woman here inside the café but I couldn't relate because well, aside from he was Taehyung Kim and he was my friend, I was pissed off right now!

Why did I feel like everyone was not taking me seriously? And why did I feel like he knew something that I should know?!

"Since Jimin and Cielo started dating, that was when, but you won't like to know how I knew everything… it was ridiculously scandalous."




He was a play boy.

Jimin Park was, and would always be.

Hindi ko na kailangan pang humanap ng mga patunay para roon dahil sapat na ang mga babaeng harap-harapan kong nakitang umiyak at nagmaka-awa sa kaniyang huwag niyang iwan.  I had seen a lot.

I had witnessed how they all devastatingly cried in front of him, almost desperately threw themselves just for a second chance, and I had seen how Jimin heartlessly took a back from them like how he casually tossed away his used clothes, never wanting to use it again, let alone have a sight. But never in my entire life did I find out or even know that Jimin was two-timing, until now.

The girl he was kissing that was featured on LSAC Papers, I was now sure who it was… it was Pauline Alveoli. Hindi nga ako nagkamali na may isa pang babae si Jimin, pero ang ipinagtataka ko… why it had to be Pauline Alveoli?

He knew I hated the girl. He knew she was Cael Severino's girlfriend and probably, a close friend of Cielo Severino so why would he date her and not tell me?

The answer was very clear, because she was important.

He was hiding her and keeping her from me, from the people and from the public because aside from he was publicly dating Cielo Severino for our mission, maybe because he liked Pauline Alveoli. Maybe because he loved her. For real. And yes, that stung for real… it stung my still confused heart.

Matapos naming mag-usap ni Taehyung ay hinatid na niya ako sa bahay para lang mapag-isa ako sa kuwarto ko at magkaroon ng pagkakataong mag-isip, tulad ngayon.

No, Taehyung didn't help me one bit.

Mas pinagulo lang niya ang isipan ko, mas dinagdagan lang niya ang alalahanin ko dahil masyado siyang restricted sa pagsagot ng mga tanong ko na tipong may pinoprotektahan at mas ginalit lang niya ako. I didn't even know how he got involved in this. I didn't know if he knew anything about the secrets Jimin and I had been hiding, he didn't tell me.

Wala siyang sinabi, hindi niya inamin na alam na niya pero hindi ako puwedeng makampante. Ganoon ba siya ka-observant para malaman niya na may ibang babae si Jimin? Just what had he been doing?

Now, he was suspicious.

Hanggang sa pagtulog ay iyon pa rin ang laman ng isip ko. Si Jimin, si Pauline Alveoli, si Cielo Severino at si Taehyung Kim though Jungkook Jeon once intervened, madali ko rin naman siyang naitaboy dahil hindi ko siya kailangang problemahin ngayon.

Seriously, why couldn't I just have a break from him?!

Kinabukasan, tulad nang madalas na mangyari sa lumipas na isang linggo simula nang iwasan ko si Jimin ay kay Manong Selmon pa rin ako nagpahatid. I again received a message from the brute, both from last night and this morning.

From: Get Lost
good night, east.

cant call you tonight.

have some papers to do.

That text was last night and it took me so much courage not to text him back with capitals 'Fvck off' because damn it, I was still pissed off as hell.

How dared he lie to me? He was caught! Damn him!

Get Lost:
you ready?

gonna pick you up.

I miss you, east.

I silently scoffed.

Oh, really, brute? Well, you rot outside our gate!

I harshly tossed my phone back inside my small white sling bag as I stared outside the car's window and noticed that we were already striding in the school's parking lot. It was still very early, kailangan kong agahan dahil ayaw kong maabutan ako ni Jimin.

Now, it made sense. Kaya pala okay lang sa kaniyang hindi ako naihahatid sa school o maging mismo sa room, nasasabayan sa lunch at naihahatid pauwi ay dahil may iba siyang pinagkaka-abalahan. Kaya pala okay lang sa kaniyang umiiwas ako dahil busy siya sa iba!

Damn it, I was mad because he didn't tell me! I was mad because… because he was starting to stray from me for real.

That would be very devastating. It was devastating.

Mula sa tahimik na pakikinig sa diskusyon sa klase at diretsong pagkakatitig sa teacher na nasa harap ay napalingon ako sa katabi ko nang maramdaman ko ang bahagyang pagtapik niya sa kamay kong nananahimik sa mesa. I had to freaking ignore the sudden electrifying chill that ran within my fingers with the contact with his firm and cold fingers.

Nakita kong seryoso siyang nakatitig sa harap, his side view was worth marveling at with his pointed nose and bow-shaped lips but I knew better than appreciate his handsome face 'cause I didn't want anymore of him as of now. I still longed for a break from him. Masyado pang magulo ang isipan ko para pansinin pa siya.

He lightly tilted his head as if motioning something on my table so I looked down only to see a familiar scratch of paper near my hand. It had scribbles with his familiar messy penmanship.

Hays, heto na naman siya.

Buong oras simula nang magsimula ang klase ay nagbibigay lang siya sa akin ng scratched paper na may kung anu-anong kalokohan niya, and none of it I responded dahil ayaw ko siyang pansinin.

Bumuntong-hininga ako saka pasimpleng binasa ang nakasulat sa papel nang hindi ito dinadampot.

'Seeing you bothered and upset makes me bothered and upset too.'

Hindi ko napigilang magpa-ikot ng mga mata dahil simula nang umamin siyang may gusto siya sa akin at ipagpilitang liligawan niya ako ay palagi na niya akong pinupurga ng ka-kornihan niya. I didn't even know where did he learn those stuff.

Hindi naman siya mukhang marunong ng mga ganoong bagay, sa suplado niyang iyan, mas iisipin ko pang mag-chi-chicken out siya sa akin, not to mention he was naturally aloof from girls. At saka, alam ba niyang nakaka-istorbo siya ng pananahimik ko?

"Let me live in peace, Jungkook. I'm listening for the exam tomorrow," pabulong kong sabi sa kaniya para hindi makakuha ng atensyon at hindi na nag-abala pang sagutin ang informal letter niya katulad ng kanina ko pang ginagawa.

Final examination na bukas dahil ilang ngayong linggo ay magaganap na ang graduation ng Seniors. Kailangan kong makinig ng mabuti dahil ilang araw rin akong wala sa focus dahil sa dami ng mga nangyari.

From Cael Severino, Jungkook Jeon, Cielo Severino, Jimin Park and Pauline Alveoli to Taehyung Kim. Of course, I needed to focus. I couldn't afford to mess up with this one, academics was still on top of my hierarchy.

Sa ilang araw na lumipas na pagdikit at pagpapapansin sa akin ni Jungkook ay nagkakaroon na ng mga haka-haka ang lahat sa estado ng relasyon naming dalawa. Our classmates would always look at us like they knew something was up in between us and I would hear rumor from everyone that Jungkook was courting me.

How accurate they could be?

As a reply, he again pushed a scratch of paper on my table. Muli kong binasa ang nakasulat nang hindi hinahawakan ang papel.

'Tutor me again.'

"I don't want to. Leave me alone, please."

Mas gusto ko na lang yata na magsalita siya kaysa ang punuhin niya ng basura ang desk ko. What was up with his scratched papers? Ibibitay ko talaga ang kung sinumang nagturo sa kaniya ng mga ganitong pakulo.

Napaka-korni!

'C'mon, lunch then.'

And what made him think that I would agree with him? Hindi pa rin ba siya aware na iniiwasan ko rin siya? Pinipili ko nga na hindi makasabay ng lunch ang buong BTS dahil ayaw kong makasabay sila pareho ni Jimin.

"No, I don't want." Pumangulambaba ako sa mesa ko para mahinto na siya sa paglalagay ng mga papel sa mesa ko at dahil napapansin ko na rin ang panunulyap ng mga kaklase ko sa amin.

May mga lumilingon na sa amin pagkatapos ay magbubulungan, ang iba ay masyadong tahimik para may masabi pa pero ramdam kong curious sila sa amin.

But who said it was that easy?! He had his freaking way! Ni hindi niya alintana ang mga kaklase naming nasa amin na ang atensyon! Ni wala siyang paki-alam sa mga maaaring iniisip na ng lahat!

This jerk!

'Tutor or lunch, you choose.'

He waved in front of my face an another piece of paper, obvious that he didn't have any plans on leaving me alone. Ang kapal din talaga ng mukha ng salbaheng ito na papiliin ako.

Nagsisimula na namang mabuhay ang inis ko dahil sa kaniya at gusto ko na lang ay manahimik na siya kaya nakapagbitaw ako ng mga salitang alam kong pagsisisihan ko.

"Fine, I'd rather have lunch with you! Now, let me listen peacefully!" inis kong sigaw sa kaniya saka padabog na bumangon at masama ang tinging binalingan siya.

In my greatest irritation, he just grinned at me as he comfortably leaned on his seat. Para siyang nanalo sa sugal dahil sa paraan ng pagngisi niya kasabay nang panunuot sa sistema ko ng kakaibang katahimikan.

"Hm, it's a lunch then." His teasing and overly happy tone that boomed around just highlighted the silent atmosphere.

Damn, he was such a jerk!

"Miss Urduja and Mister Jeon, I don't want to disturb your conversation there but can anyone of you answer the question on the board?" tanong ng teacher na nasa harap dahil mukhang naabala namin ang mapayapa niyang pag-di-discuss.

"He's really courting Hannan Urduja."

"Tsk. I was actually planning to court her too."

"Unang pagkakataong nakita ko si Jungkook na ganito sa babae."

"They'll surely make a good couple."

"Kainis, I like him pa naman."

Mariin akong pumikit, damang-dama ang titig at rinig na rinig ang bulungan ng mga kaklase namin samantalang sa tabi ko ay nanatiling nakangisi si Jungkook at mukhang walang balak na sumagot. Nang binuksan ko ang mga mata ko ay sa whiteboard dumiretso ang mga mata ko.

Answering a question on the board wasn't hard but I didn't want my name being called for being noisy. Ako na lang ang sumagot para magpatuloy na si Teacher sa discussion at nang mawala na sa amin ang atensyon ng lahat.

"Hm, in my terms, a'right…" Narinig kong bulong ni Jungkook makalipas ang ilang sandali. Hindi ko na lang siya pinansin dahil ayaw ko nang mapansin ulit ng teacher namin. "I can't wait to have lunch with you, Hannan."

Kahit na buong klase hanggang sa dumating ang pinakahihintay niyang lunch ay napaka-ingay niya sa tabi ko at tila hindi na lang sinasaway ng aming teacher ay pinilit ko talagang ignorahin siya. Maybe he was just too excited and had waited for it that was why when our last teacher before lunch dismissed the class, he happily stood up and jumped in excitement while staring at me with his wide bunny smile.

Nasurpresa ako dahil nag-aayos pa lang ako ng mga gamit ko pero nakatayo na agad siya at nakasabit sa balikat ang bag niya, ang mga matang nakatitig sa akin ay nawawala dahil sa pagkakangiti.

Hays, just where were the girls who liked him? Couldn't they get him away from me? I would be very grateful.

"Let's go! I'll call my mother to send us lunch to the leisure room!" His voice spat happiness and excitement, though I hated him to pits and that still wasn't changing, I didn't think I had a heart to snatch those emotions away from his face for rejecting him.

It was just a lunch, it wouldn't hurt.

"You don't have to, we can just eat at the cafeteria—"

"No! This is a special lunch, with you, so everything should be perfect!" Nalukot ang mukha niya saka ngumuso sa akin.

Such a waste, really. Why me when there was a lot of girls out there who deserved his effort more than I did?

"Whatever, Jungkook," sabi ko na lang at tumayo na bitbit ang sling bag ko. Inunahan ko na siyang lumabas ng room habang unti-unti kong nararamdaman ang pagbilis ng tibok ng puso ko lalo na nang maramdaman ko na ang presensiya niya sa likod ko at manuot sa ilong ko ang natural niyang pam-baby na bango.

Siguro, hanggang ngayon ay overwhelmed pa rin ako sa mga nangyayari. Siguro, hanggang ngayon nalilito pa rin ang sistema ko sa katotohanang may gusto siya sa akin at siguro, hanggang ngayon ay hindi ko pa rin tuluyang natatanggap ang lahat.

It was as if, finally, Portugal had become an ally for Spain.

Natural lang na mag-react ang puso ko dahil bago ang lahat ng ito sa akin. Ganoon lang iyon, walang ibang dahilan.

Diri-diretso lang ako sa paglalakad palabas ngunit agad din naman akong napahinto dahil sa pigurang naabutan ko sa labas ng silid. Nakasandal sa dingding at agad na napalingon sa akin nang maramdaman niya yata ang presensiya ko. Instantly, his sweet and minty scent reuniting with Jungkook's baby scent invaded my nose.

Hindi ko inaasahang lilitaw siya rito ngayon matapos niya akong ipagpalit sa mga babae niya, matapos niya akong isantabi para sa sarili niyang kahangalan.

I didn't expect him, but my heart quickly drummed inside that it hurt me, it almost choked me.

No, it devastated me.

Jimin Park was standing in front of me, looking so gorgeous in his usual getup while staring down at me with those beautiful pair of small eyes before his eyes slowly went past me, to the person behind me. Instantly, as if seeing someone he loathed to death, his lips hardly pressed into a thin line as his eyes turned dark and bloodshot. His jaw moved and showed a bone just as my heart pained me even more.

"Jimin," tawag ni Jungkook sa kaniya sa malalim at seryosong tinig, malayong-malayo sa masaya niyang tono kanina, saka ko pa lang napagtanto na mayroon talagang mali.

Seemed like they weren't really in good terms.

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