Third Person’s POV

Kinabukasan.


“Hi,” Bati sakanya ni Jungkook. Itinaas naman niya ang freshly baked bread na paborito nito. Kinuha naman ‘yon ni Jimin at binigyan siya ng ngiti.


“Pasok.” Aniya. Sumunod sakanya si Jungkook at dumeretso sila sa kusina niya. Inilapag ni Jimin ang paper bag sa mesa at napansin ni Jungkook na nakalagay din duon ang bulaklak na ibinigay niya.

Naalala naman niya bigla ang mga nakita niya kahapon. Jimin notices he was staring at for a quite while now.


“I have to put that in the vase,” Aniya. “I have to replace the previous one.” And when he mentioned that, the younger felt at ease. That was the only thing he needs to hear for him to stop thinking negatively about it. Of course, Jimin was taking care of the flowers Jungkook was gifting him.

“You’re not making the coffee today, I will!” He proposed, napangiti si Jungkook dahil doon.


“I’ll put the bread on the plate.” Jimin hummed.


Unexpectedly, as they were enjoying their coffee, Jungkook was having the idea to ask him out again. Due to the fact that hasn’t asked him for such a long time.

Jungkook bit his lower lip habang naghihintay ng magandang timing para sabihin 'yon. Nang biglang nagsalita si Jimin tungkol sa mga bata. Ngumiti si Jungkook dahil doon. Panandaliang nakalimutang ang kabang nararamdaman.

Naging paborito na kasi ni Jungkook itong usapan. Jimin tend to laugh in between as he talk about them and if he’s being honest, his genuineness was only visible to him at this moment. Jungkook thought he lost that part of him but he was mistaken. Jimin tends to control his emotions to protect himself, but he doesn’t do that with the kids.


“Jungkook-ah?”

Jungkook woke up from his trance. He squinted his eyes.

“I'm sorry. What was that again?”

“Hindi ka naman ata nakikinig.” Banat niya with disapproving look, “May iniisip ka yata.” Dagdag niya.

“Uh… about that.” Jungkook trailed off, heart pounding hardly. “Si Sowon yata.” Pabulong niyang sambit at napatigil si Jungkook sa pag-iisip. Nagulat siya duon pero agad din nawala at napalitan ng ngiti.


“Si Sowon?” Tanong nito sakanya. Tumawa si Jungkook. “Bakit ko naman siya iisipin?” Tanong niya dito.

“Tanungin mo sarili mo, di naman ako ikaw.” Nakangusong sambit niya. Tumawa ulit si Jungkook dahil doon. Nagseselos ba sya? He asked himself in amusement. Hindi rin ito makatingin sakanya. Bahagya itong nakatingin sa mug nito.


“This is so silly.” Kumento ni Jungkook habang hindi inaalis ang tingin sa binata. Nakita niya ang namumuong ngiti sa labi ni Jimin.


“Silly nga,” Napaangat ito ng tingin, “Alam ko naman na ako lang.” Jimin said that confidently. Jungkook smirked, at hindi siya nagkakamali duon. Walang ngang iba kundi siya lang.


Jungkook's expression changes, heart began to beat faster again. Siguro ay ito na ang pagkakataon para tanungin si Jimin. Huminga ito ng malalim at hinawakan ang kamay ni Jimin. Nagtaka si Jimin at napatingin sa kamay nilang magkahawak ngayon.


“Can I take you on a date, Hyung?” Jungkook asked him, eyes hopeful. Jimin's expression instantly shifted. Hindi mabasa ni Jungkook ang mukha nito. Jungkook anticipated this but he didn’t know it would still make him feel dismayed. He caressess the back of Jimin's hand using his thumb.



"Okay lang, Hyung." Jungkook tells him, assuring the smaller.


“I guess we could do that.” Nanlaki ang mga mata nito habang nakatingin sa binata.

“You’re serious?”

“Will you ever drop this? Hindi naman diba? May magagawa pa ba ako?” He asked sarcastically, at nawala bigla 'yung namumuong saya na naramdaman ni Jungkook.



“Hyung...” Hindi niya naituloy ang sasabihin niya, Nor does he fully understand what he was trying to convey. “I'm sorry...” Ang tanging lumabas sa bibig nito. Natatakot siya na baka magalit ulit si Jimin sakanya.

Jimin finally looked at him and gave him a small smile, ngunit hindi parin kumbisido si Jungkook. Not when he doesn’t look he’s genuinely okay with this.

“Wag mo lang kalimutan ang paki-usap ko.” Jimin reminded him. "Walang ibang dapat makaalam." Dagdag niya, inalis niya ang kamay niya mula sa pagkakahawak ni Jungkook, umiiwas rin ito ng tingin sa binata.



"I'm done with my breakfast, liligpitin kona." He said that even when they barely touches the food. Pinigilan siya ni Jungkook at hinawakan ito sakanyang pulso.



"It's fine, Jungkook. Okay na." Jimin says irritated.



"You know it’s not fine, Hyung. I can tell it by just looking at you right now." Jungkook stresses out, Jimin scoffed, finally meeting the younger’s gaze.

“Kung nagma-matter yung magiging reaksyon ko dito bakit mo pa tinanong?” He spat out, at di sinasadyang matabig nito ang baso niya.



Napatingin silang pareho duon, agad namang tumayo si Jungkook at nilapitan ito. Jimin stood up and took a step away. Kinuha ni Jungkook ang kamay ni Jimin but the latter swat his hand away.



He pushes Jungkook aside, and then grab the mug, pati na rin ang mug ni Jungkook na may laman pa. Binuhos niya ang laman sa sink at padabog na nilagay ang mga baso ruon, the harsh sound of it clashing could be heard in the background. Nakatingin lamang si Jungkook sa likuran ng binata habang ginagawa niya yon. Jungkook presses his eyes shut. He should’ve just kept his mouth.

Jimin’s jaw tightened, realizing he’s doing it again, losing his cool in front of the latter when he knew he shouldn’t be doing that, Jimin curses internally.



The feeling of the smaller arms clinging to him and pressing his face against his neck prompted Jungkook to open his eyes.


“I’m sorry,” He heard him say, “I’m sorry, Jungkook. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ganun ‘yung naging reaction ko. I swear I’m not upset about going out, please, just believe whatever I say.” And Jungkook felt that something was wrong with him because he couldn’t feel it. Hindi niya ramdam ang sincerity sa boses ng binata. Na para bang sinasabi niya lamang ‘yon dahil ito ang gustong marinig ni Jungkook.

Jungkook’s heart ached, nalilito siya sa nararamdaman niya.

Jimin pat his back, “We’re running late.” He mumbled. Humiwalay siya kay Jungkook, nakatingin lamang ang binata sakanya. Jimin caresses the latter's cheek.



"See you later, okay?" Binigyan niya ito ngiti, Jungkook nods blindly.



Jimin planted his hands against the table and took a deep sigh. Naghintay lang ito ng ilang segundo, making sure Jungkook left, bago kinuha ang bulaklak na nakalagay sa mesa. He opened the bin and threw the bouquet of flowers, sinunod naman niya ang binili nitong tinapay.

Jimin flinches when he heard a vibrating sound. Sinundan niya kung saan ‘yon nagmula at nakita ang phone ni Jungkook sa lamesa, at tumingin ito sa hallway. Nang masigurado niyang hindi ito bumalik para sa phone niya ay nakahinga ito maluwag.



Daycare.



"Bouquet of flowers with box of chocolate." Bulong ni Sowon kay Umji. They were giggling as they gossip about it.



Habang nakatanaw naman si Jungkook sa pwesto kung saan nakaupo si Jimin kasama ang mga bata.



Napansin ni Jungwon ang pananahimik ng kasama. Mukhang ang lalim ng iniisip. Kinalabit niya ito para mapansin ito. Di parin ito napapansin ni Jungkook. Sinundan niya kung saan ito nakatingin ngayon.



“Hyung, halata ka masyado. Kalmahan mo lang.” Biro nito sa isa subalit parang wala naman itong naririnig.



“Hyung, bakit mo pala nagustuhan si Jimin-hyung?” Jungwon randomly asked, “Was it because he's pretty? Or was it because he's kind, the kids loves him for that.”



“Right,” Nagulat si Jungwon ng sagutin siya ng binata. “It doesn't make sense, he's too kind to do that.” He says convincing himself.



“To do what exactly?” Jungkook spare him a glance.


“Huh?”


“He's too kind to do what, Hyung?” Jungkook realizes he must've said it out loud, iniwas niya ang tingin sa kasama nito at tumingin pabalik kay Jimin ngunit wala na siya sa pwesto nito kanina.


Hindi niya hinanap ang binata at napasandal na lamang sa wall.


“Hyung, may problema kaba?” Saglit ay nakalimutan niyang katabi pala niya si Jungwon. Umiling ito.


“Halata sa pagmumukha mo 'yung bigat ng dinadala mo.”



Jungkook tries so hard to shake off the feeling that is bugging him inside. It's messing up his mind; he's assuring himself but can't seem to get rid of the feeling.

He's probably just overthinking it, lahat ng 'yon ay nagkataon lang.



Jungkook tend to cross the line between them. Naturally, magagalit talaga ito sakanya. Sino ba kasing hindi magagalit kung palagi na lamang siyang dini-disappoint ni Jungkook, hindi ba?




Maya't-maya pa ay tumayo rin si Jungkook.



“Magu-undertime ako.”



Bumiyahe palayo si Jungkook nang daycare. Lumabas ito ng kotse, he lit the cigarette and took a puff, hollowing out his cheeks before exhaling the smoke from his mouth. Sumandal sya sa sasakyan niya. Sobrang frustrated siya sa sarili niya. Paulit-ulit bumabalik sa mga alaalala niya ang mga nakita niya.




"Putangina." He said under his breath nang ma-realize niyang hindi parin siya kumakalma.

Kailangan niyang balikan si Jimin. He wanted to embrace the smaller, and feel him between his arms. He badly needs it right now.

He wasn't being played by Jimin. Everything was real. It has to be.

He drop the cigarette and step on it. At nagmadaling bumalik sa daycare para kay Jimin.



Nakaupo si Jimin habang naghihintay ng bus na masasakyan. Nang makita niya ang papalapit na bus ay inayos niya ang bag niya at tumayo. Huminto ang bus at naglakad narin ito papalapit ruon.



May matanda namang nakakita sakanya, agad nitong kinuha ang bulaklak at box of chocolate na naiwan nito at hinabol si Jimin.



Bago pa man tuluyang makasakay si Jimin ay napatigil ito sa pagtawag sakanya, napatingin ito sakanyang likuran. Iniabot naman ng matanda ang dala-dala nito kay Jimin. Panandaliang tinignan ito ni Jimin at tumingin sa matanda, he gave her a small smile.

“It's not mine.” He says politely, hands gesturing the older it wasn’t really his.

Nagulat ang matanda sa sinabi niya at tila nahiya sakanyang ginawa. Kahit hindi siya kumbinsido ay pinili niyang humingi ng paumanhin dito at inutusan rin na pumaaok na sa bus ang binata.

Jimin bows his head a little at tuluyan naring pumasok sa loob. Binalik naman ng matanda ang nakuha nitong bulaklak at box of chocolate sa kung saan niya ito nakita. She had this look on her face while staring at it, she felt it was a waste that someone left it when it’s really pretty. Umiling-iling ito at nagpatuloy narin sakanyang gagawin at naglakad palayo.

And Jungkook was there, witnessing everything. At mukhang hindi pa ito nakuntento ay naglakad ito palapit sa bench. Huminto ito sa paglalakad at pinagmasdan ang naiwang bulaklak at box of chocolate.

He remained motionless for some time and his eyes were filled with sharp pain, as he put everything together.

As if all the questions he had been asking himself from the very beginning had now been answered.